Level: 24
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 5,000
2017 PokerStars Festival London
High Roller
Days: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 PokerStars Festival London
Buy-in
£2,200
Prize Pool
£345,320
Players
178
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000
High Roller
Day 2 Completed
2017 PSF London High Roller: Joe Johnson Leads Final Five Players Into Extra Day
Level 23
: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
The £2,200 High Roller of the 2017 PokerStars Festival London saw 47 hopefuls out of a 178-entry strong field return to the tables of the iconic Hippodrome Casino. It soon became obvious that the plan to finish the event in two days would become a challenge. Due to the extremely big turnout, it was decided to determine the champion via an additional tournament day on January 26th.
Yuriy Boyko started the day in the lead 13 spots off the money, and the Irishman will be returning tomorrow as the short stack of 20 big blinds with only five players remaining. Joe Johnson takes the overnight spotlight with a massive stack of 2,200,000 after turning on a "sick heater" throughout the late stages of the day.
Second in chips is Nicolas Beker with 1,123,000, closely followed by Enzo Del Piero (1,100,000). Harry Lodge (626,000) and aforementioned Boyko (484,000) are the two shortest stacks with half an hour remaining in level 23 at blinds of 12,000-24,000 and a running ante of 4,000.
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuriy Boyko | Ireland | 484,000 | 20 |
| 2 | Harry Lodge | UK | 626,000 | 26 |
| 3 | Enzo Del Piero | UK | 1,100,000 | 45 |
| 4 | Joe Johnson | UK | 2,200,000 | 91 |
| 5 | Nicolas Beker | Switzerland | 1,123,000 | 46 |
Among those to miss out on the money were such big names as former November Niner Pierre Neuville, Peter Jaksland, Philipp Gruissem and 2016 Irish Open champion Daniel Wilson. The bubble then turned into an endurance challenge of more than two hours. Eventually, Michel Abecassis would become the last player to leave empty-handed. After a limp, Abecassis shoved for less than eight big blinds with pocket eights and found one caller behind before Neophytos Neophytou reshoved behind them with pocket aces. Abecassis found no eight or other help and the tournament was in the money.
The field was quickly reduced to 32 and moved to the "Lounge" where Chris Moorman and Julien Sitbon were among those to depart soon after. Moorman's shove for 10 big blinds was called by Sitbon and Nathan Manuel. The flop came ace-high with a flush draw and Sitbon then bet the turn and river when running spades appeared. Manuel called with ace-queen for the flush, while Moorman turned over jack-eight suited for the slightly inferior flush. Sitbon, who won the 2015 Unibet Open Main Event in Cannes, followed soon after losing a flip with ace-jack to pocket tens.
The British poker pros Matthew Ashton and James Akenhead had to settle for 24th and 22nd place respectively and Johnson took over the lead when his pocket queens cracked aces and held against king-jack in a three-way all in. The eliminations kept coming at a fast pace and soon the last two tables were reached. Robert Willis and Valentin Frunze were among those to bust before the dinner break.
Once the 11 hopefuls returned, everyone agreed to play another three levels and then bag up for an extra day of play. Javier Zarco's check-raise all in with the nut flush draw failed to get there against the king-four suited of Johnson for top pair and the second nut flush draw. The last remaining PokerStars Team Pro, Liv Boeree, then bowed out in 10th place. Boeree was at risk with queen-jack and Jonathan Clark called with pocket fives in the big blind to win the flip, and also set up the unofficial final table.
Neophytos Neophytou and Nathan Manuel joined the rail before the action once again slowed down. After the departure of Clark in 7th place, the short stacks Lodge and Nicolas Cardyn asked to play an extra half an hour to either bust or double up and that wish was granted. Unfortunately for Cardyn, it resulted in a sixth-place finish after the Frenchman lost a flip with pocket sevens to the ace-king suited of Del Piero.
The remaining five players bagged up just after 2 a.m. local time and will be back at 1.30 p.m. to play down to a winner. As per usual, the PokerNews live reporting team will be there to provide all the action.
End-Of-Day Chip Counts (full)
Level 23
: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Nothing happened anymore in the last few hands and the clock was stopped at 30 minutes left on the level as previously agreed to. The players will come back tomorrow to determine the winner and below are the final chip counts.
A recap of today's action will be available shortly.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
2,200,000 | 100,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,123,000 | -117,000 |
|
|
||
|
1,100,000 | -50,000 |
|
|
||
|
626,000 | 76,000 |
|
|
||
|
484,000 | -75,000 |
|
|
||
Lodge Takes One; Gives Up Another
Level 23
: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Harry Lodge raised to 50,000 from the cutoff and Enzo Del Piero called on the button. On the 
flop, Lodge continued for 50,000 and Del Piero called before the 
turn saw Lodge check. Del Piero bet 65,000 and folded to the check-raise all in of the fellow Brit.
The hand after, Lodge defended against Joe Johnson and then gave up on the 
turn.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,100,000 | 110,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,150,000 | -180,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
550,000 | 60,000 |
|
|
||
Lodge Doubles Through Beker
Level 23
: 12,000-24,000, 4,000 ante
Nicolas Beker opened to 50,000 from the button and Harry Lodge moved all in for 223,000 in the big blind, Beker almost beat him into the pot and called.
Harry Lodge: 
Nicolas Beker: 
Lodge (and his rail) asked for diamonds and the 
flop was a sweat already. On the 
turn, Beker now had a set and Lodge additional outs to a straight. However, it was the on the river that completed a flush and let the Brit double.
Beker took back the chips from Joe Johnson, first winning a hand on the flop and then successfully three-betting.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,990,000 | -10,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
1,240,000 | -75,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
490,000 | 240,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 23
Blinds: 12,000/24,000
Ante: 4,000
Double Up and Extra 30 Minutes
Level 22
: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante
The request of the players was granted and the extra 30 minutes of the next level will be played, the restart will then be at 1.30 p.m. local time.
Harry Lodge shoved from the dead button for just over five big blinds and Enzo Del Piero called blind with 
. Lodge had 
and the board came 
to see Lodge double.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,330,000 | -70,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
250,000 | 45,000 |
|
|
||
Nicolas Cardyn Eliminated in 6th Place (£14,240)
Level 22
: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante
Both Harry Lodge and Nicolas Cardyn inquired if they could play an additional half a level, as they were short-stacked. Soon after, Yuriy Boyko opened to 45,000 and Cardyn moved all in from the button. Enzo Del Piero in the small blind asked for a count and Cardyn's shove was for 174,000. Del Piero then reraised to 400,000 and Boyko folded.
Nicolas Cardyn: 
Enzo Del Piero: 
The flop fell 
and Del Piero took the lead. The 
turn and 
river bricked off and Cardyn was eliminated in 6th place for £14,240.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,400,000 | 350,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Jonathan Clark Eliminated in 7th Place (£10,440)
Level 22
: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante
Nicolas Beker opened to 40,000 from under the gun and the action folded to Jonathan Clark on the button. He shoved for 233,000 and Beker quickly called once the blinds had released their cards.
Jonathan Clark: 
Nicolas Beker: 
Clark had the slightly worse kicker and that would be crucial, as the board came 
. Clark was eliminated in 7th place with less than 15 minutes left on the clock for tonight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,315,000 | 315,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
|
||