Team PokerStars Pro Igor Kurganov will start fourth in chips when the PokerStars Festival Sochi High Roller Day 2 gets underway later today.
Kurganov enjoyed the good and the bad of tournament poker on Day 1. On his first bullet he quickly tripled his stack before clashing with Andrey Andreev for a tournament chip lead pot to bust. However he soon grew his second bullet and is now looking to capitalise on that and find his way to a deep run.
Meanwhile Andreev soared even further ahead over the rest of Day 1's play and is only joined by Vanush Mnatcakanian in having a stack in excess of 300,000.
There are currently 26 players left, and with just 13 places paid half of the remaining players will go away empty hands. A min-cash is worth 225,000 RUB while first prize is a whopping 3,000,000 RUB.
Stay tuned to PokerNews.com for all the action live from the Sochi Casino & Resort as we get one step closer to crowning a High Roller champion today.
Pavel Veksler raised to 10,000 in early position before Siarhei Chudapal three-bet all in for 63,000. Mikhail Sokolov was in the small blind and announced "Call." But then tried to muck when he saw there was an all in. The floor was called and Sokolov's call stood.
Dmitriy Chop folded the big blind and Veksler folded too and the cards were turned over.
Siarhei Chudapal:
Mikhail Sokolov:
The board ran out giving a straight to Chudapal but a flush to Sokolov who eliminated his opponent, bursting the money bubble.
We returned to the tables to see Kiryl Radzivonau raking in a large pot, boosting his chip stack over 300,000. He explained to us that he eliminated Karen Harutyunan Kings against Tens, with Radzivonau the one holding the tens.
Harutyunyan becomes the first elimination in the High Roller in the money, taking home 225,000 RUB.
According to Kiryl Radzivonau, Mikhal Surin moved all in for his last 65,000 chips from the button with off-suit and Dmitrii Deviatov called in the big blind with .
Deviatov spiked a king and sent Surin to the rial. Play is now on the final table bubble.
It folded to Dmitriy Chop in the small blind who moved all in, putting his opponent Vadim Kuvshynov to the test in the big blind for his last ten big blinds. Kuvshynov called and the cards were turned over.
Dmitriy Chop:
Vadim Kuvshynov:
The board ran out with Chop fading the straight draw to eliminate Kuvshynov and bring us down to our final table of nine.
On a turn Kiryl Radzivonau bet 62,000 out of the small blind and Dmitriy Chop called in position.
The river was the and Radzivonau slid out a bet of 112,000. Before the dealer had a chance to count it exactly, Chop had thrown in a chip to make the call.
Radzivonau showed for a full house and Chop took his hole cards into his hand and bent them in apparent frustration, nearly tearing them, before throwing face up onto the table.
A new deck was called for, and Chop received a one round penalty for his actions.
flop and Kurganov called.
and Lipkin bet 50,000, putting Kurganov all in. Kurganov counted out his 33,000 chips before calling.
giving Lipkin a full house and eliminating both Demenkov and Kurganov.
and Asmolov was eliminated. Players are now on the money bubble.
giving a straight to Chudapal but a flush to Sokolov who eliminated his opponent, bursting the money bubble.
to give Sokolov the lead. The turn was the 
and the river the 
off-suit and Dmitrii Deviatov called in the big blind with 
.
turn Kiryl Radzivonau bet 62,000 out of the small blind and Dmitriy Chop called in position.
and Radzivonau slid out a bet of 112,000. Before the dealer had a chance to count it exactly, Chop had thrown in a chip to make the call.
and the river the 
giving Radzivonau a flush and eliminating Deviatov.