It was the fourth time the Unibet Open poker tour headed to Copenhagen, but it was the first time the tournament was held in the summer. And wouldn't you know it, it was the warmest day of the entire year in the Danish Capital. While the sun was shining outside, 153 players started their day inside the beautiful Casino Copenhagen for Day 1a.
Kenny Hallaert welcomed everyone at noon and started off his first Unibet Open as tournament director. The poker player from Belgium had already signed on as part of the team before he headed to Vegas this summer, where he made his way to the final table of the WSOP Main Event. We're pretty sure it's the first time a November Niner was in control of a major European poker tournament.
One of his first decisions was to change from the planned 10 levels to 9 levels. That gave the 52 survivors of the day opportunity to have a couple more drinks at the welcome drinks. Because, as per tradition, the Unibet Open wanted to make their poker tournaments about more than just the precious card game. That's why there's a bunch of players planning to go to Urban Ranger Camp on Saturday, and there's a huge party on one of the rooftop bars of Copenhagen later on.
But for the players that signed up, it was about the poker. And there was lots to be played. In the 9 levels crazy hands saw the day of light with a straight flush, quads and intense action at the live streamed feature table.
Three former champions started and two of them made it through the day. Theis Vad Hennebjerre won here last year beating a 460-strong field and was back at it today. So far he's one for one, and still in contention to make it two for two. Not just playing and winning Unibet Open's, but cashing an event and winning it. His sole cash on his Hendonmob profile is still his win here last year. Can he add another one this week? He started out strong building a stack worth three times what he started way, but lost a bunch with ace-nine to queens preflop all in. He ended the day with 47,700.
The other former Unibet Open champion, Daniel Chutrov, also made it through the day. The Glasgow champ built his stack up without huge pots or notable hands and will start Day 2 on Saturday with 79,800 in chips.
Chip leader finishing Day 1a is Mudassar Khan from Denmark. The local gathered a massive 273,000 in chips from a starting stack of 30,000, good for 137 big blinds on Saturday.
Tomorrow, Day 1b of the Unibet Open Copenhagen awaits. Another 9 one-hour long levels are scheduled and again PokerNews will be on-site for coverage from the floor.
From the hijack Andreas Salte raised to 2,300 and Abbas Masoudi called on the button, leaving himself about 5,000 behind. Small blind Jonatan Elmer shoved all in for 14,200 and Salte called, Masoudi folded.
Andreas Salte:
Jonatan Elmer:
The board ran out and Elmer doubled. Despite losing the hand, Salte is still one of the biggest stacks in the room.
From middle position, Jonas Klausen raised to 1,300. Tomas Kozlovas was seated on the button and three-bet to 4,000. Both blinds folded and Klausen four-bet to 8,400. Kozlovas called.
The flop came and Klausen continued for 7,300. Kozlovas made the call and both players checked the on the turn.
The river saw Klausen shove for 16,800. Kozlovas tanked long and hard but eventually open mucked his saying "It was close!"
Last year Theis Vad Hennebjerre reigned victorious here in Copenhagen, beating a field of 460 entries. That's his only cash to date by the way, so he's 1 for 1 right now.
Today he's back at it and just won a small pot. He open raised to 600 from the button and big blind Tom Veenhuysen made the call. Veenhuysen check-called a bet of 800 on before both players checked the on the turn. Veenhuysen bet out 2,200 on the river and Hennebjerre made the call. Veenhuysen mucked and Hennebjerre followed suit, but was slid the pot.
Denis Sahin Skjalm limped the button and small blind Markus Heikkila completed. Big blind Johan Goslings bumped it up to 800 and both the button and small blind called.
The flop came and all players checked. Heikkila bet out 1,550 on the turn and Goslings called, Skjalm folded.
The completed the board and Heikkila bet out 3,200. Goslings thought about it for just a bit before he open mucked his . Goslings is still up a lot for the day, he's looking at 42,000 in front of him.
Today the Unibet Open caravan will halt in Copenhagen for it's third installment of the season. While it's the third time for the poker tour to visit the Danish capital, it's the first time the event is being held during summer, which is a welcome break from tradition as the last three years it was chilly and snowy when the event was being held.
The event will be hosted by Casino Copenhagen inside the luxurious Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel, and will feature several smaller events, a high roller tournament, and a DKK 7,500 +750 Main Event (€1,000 +€100). PokerNews.com is in Copenhagen to report all the action from the Main Event, starting today at noon. The complete schedule is as followed:
date
time
event
stack
buy in
cap
Thursday August 25th
12:00PM
Main Event Day 1a
30.000
DKK 7,500 + 750
460
8:30PM
Super Satellite to Main Event day 1b
30.000
DKK 1,000 + 100
100
Friday 26th August
12:00PM
Main Event Day 1b
30.000
DKK 7,500 + 750
460
9:00PM
PLO – Turbo
30.000
DKK 1,500 + 150
100
10:00PM
Omaha Flip Championship
30.000
DKK 1,500 + 150
32/64
Saturday August 27th
12:00PM
Main Event Day 2
5:00PM
Freeze out (two-day event Day 1)
30.000
DKK 2,300 + 230
120
7:00PM
High Roller (1 re-entry)
30.000
DKK 15,000 + 975
Sunday August 28th
2:00PM
Main Event Day 3
2:30PM
Freeze out (two-day event Day 2)
3:00PM
Turbo
30.000
DKK 1,000 + 100
100
* DKK 500 Re-Buy/Add-on
Nataly Sopacuaperu, Head of Events at Unibet, was happy to go back to the Danish capital;
I'm extremely excited to come back to Copenhagen. This will be the first time the event will be held in summer and we expect full house again. It's going to be a great tournament with the debut of a new tournament director. On top of all the poker action, we've managed to host the players party at a venue with a roof terrace, it's going to be great!
Besides the poker action, Unibet Open tournaments are known for their fun atmosphere and plenty of activities outside of the poker room. This venture into Copenhagen will be no different, with a welcome drink at the start of the tournament, and the legendary player party at on Saturday August 27th.
Unibet Open Copenhagen will mark the 37th installment of the Unibet Open since its inception back in 2007. There's one more tournament planned for 2016 after the stop in Copenhagen, a massive €500,000 guaranteed Unibet Open in Bucharest. Here's a look at all the former champions the Unibet Open poker tour crowned in it's 9-year history:
and Elmer doubled. Despite losing the hand, Salte is still one of the biggest stacks in the room.
on the turn. 
saw Klausen shove for 16,800. Kozlovas tanked long and hard but eventually open mucked his 
saying "It was close!"
river and Hennebjerre made the call. Veenhuysen mucked and Hennebjerre followed suit, but was slid the pot.
and all players checked. Heikkila bet out 1,550 on the 
turn and Goslings called, Skjalm folded.
. Goslings is still up a lot for the day, he's looking at 42,000 in front of him.
