Day 2 of the Unibet Open Copenhagen starts at noon, in 75 minutes, and it's going to be an exciting one. 134 players remain and only a total of 53 players will walk away a winner. That means 81 players are going home empty handed, so there's a lot on the line today.
The goal, however, isn't just to play down to the money and call it quits. No, the objective is to reach a final table. It's going to be a long and nerve–racking day, so much is sure.
Chip leader coming in is Haci Bayram from Denmark. He built his 30,000 starting stack into a chip fortress worth 285,500. That gives him a good 142 big blinds to start the day as the first level on the schedule is 1,000/2,000 with a 300 ante.
Short stack going in is 2-time Unibet Open champion Mateusz Moolhuizen. He flew from Barcelona to Copenhagen to chase his third title but with just 9,700 in chips to start the day, he's as far away as anyone from obtaining that feat.
The Unibet Open Copenhagen continues at 12 and PokerNews will be on the floor for all of it.
The shortest stack coming into Day 2, Mateusz Moolhuizen, has already doubled and then some.
One of the first hands of the day he pushed his 9,700 in and received no calls. Not much later he had 14,200 and moved in from first position, commenting "Let's go!" while pushing his chips forward.
His next door neighbor, Age Spets, asked for a count and called. All other players folded.
From the hijack, Haci Bayram raised to 4,000. The cutoff folded but button Thomas Halmer pushed all in for 23,600. Both blinds folded and Bayram made the call.
Haci Bayram:
Thomas Halmer:
The was all Bayram, though Halmer still had a gutshot as direct outs. The on the turn and were blanks and Halmar made his exit.
There are only two players in the world who have two Unibet Open titles; Dan Murariu and Mateusz Moolhuizen. Murariu didn't play this tournament, he was busy in Barcelona, but Moolhuizen did come over to give it a try.
He started out the shortest of all players but a series of double ups had him catapult his stack to 170,000. The roller coaster continued a downward trend after that, though, as he lost half of his stack in a hand where he himself proclaimed to have made a mistake in.
Left with 80,000, he just made his exit on the live streamed feature table. We weren't there when it happened but one of his friends in the field told us Moolhuizen had gotten it in with against a pair of either nines or tens. Moolhuizen flopped an ace but his opponent made a flush to send the 2-time champ packing.
From middle position, Martin Arwin raised to 8,000 and he got called by Theis Sorensen (hijack), Magnus Hansson (button) and Markus Heikkila (big blind).
The flop came and Heikkila checked. Arwin made a bet of 20,000 and Sorensen folded after some consideration. Hansson instantly shoved for 27,000 and Heikkila folded. Arwin called.
Martin Arwin:
Magnus Hansson:
Hansson was guaranteed the double up as soon as the hit the turn. The completed the board and Arwin made parted ways with 27,000 in chips.
Theis Vad Hennebjerre open raised his button and big blind Lasse Haagensen made the call.
The flop came rainbow and Haagensen checked. Vad Hennebjerre made a continuation bet of 9,000 and was soon facing a check-raise to 23,000. The defending Unibet Open Copenhagen champion called in position.
An fell on the turn and Haagensen bet 27,000. Vad Hennebjerre, who had started the hand with 150,000 or so, moved all in. Haagensen quickly called.
Theis Vad Hennebjerre:
Lasse Haagensen:
The river was of no importance anymore as Vad Hennebjerre was drawing dead. Haagensen now one of the biggest stacks in the tournament.
Mudassar Khan opened to 12,000 from middle position and Gordon Plomp in the cutoff shoved all in for 84,500. Action folded back to Khan who called after about a minute or so in the tank.
Mudassar Khan:
Gordon Plomp:
Things were looking good for Plomp till the river when bad luck struck: .
"Oh well, I've been lucky once too" said Plomp as he made his exit in 59th place, 6 from the money. Plomp was one of only two Belgian players remaining, the nations hope now rests on Jasper Van Vlasselaer's shoulders.
Reino Rasmussen stood on the rail and, with as big a smile as ever, told us what had happened.
After a player had opened and someone had called, Rasmussen found the perfect spot with in the small blind. He pushed his 5 big blinds to the middle and got called by the big blind, initial raiser and caller.
The flop came and some side action got underway. The big blind bet out and both players called. An off suit hit the turn and two checks later it was Rasmus Rasmussen (no relation) betting.
Just one player called. The river paired the board with a and the player that had check-called the bet on the turn, now lead out on the river. Rasmus Rasmussen shoved all in and received a call.
The bet-calling player showed for a straight, while Rasmus Rasmussen turned over for the nut flush.
Reino Rasmussen's looked bleak and the Danish regular made his exit from the tournament in a 600,000 pot. Rasmus Rasmussen now one of the biggest stacks in the tournament.
From early position, Peder Mahle raised to 18,000. His neighbor Niko Kilpelainen shoved all in for about 95,000 and action folded back to Mahle. Mahle didn't hesitate and put in a giant tower of 5,000-chips to make the call.
Peder Mahle:
Niko Kilpelainen:
"Oh my god!" said someone at the table, in awe of the showdown.
The board was less eventful, coming . Kilpelainen made his exit, Mahle started stacking.
and Moolhuizen doubled.
was all Bayram, though Halmer still had a gutshot as direct outs. The 
against a pair of either nines or tens. Moolhuizen flopped an ace but his opponent made a flush to send the 2-time champ packing.
and Heikkila checked. Arwin made a bet of 20,000 and Sorensen folded after some consideration. Hansson instantly shoved for 27,000 and Heikkila folded. Arwin called.
hit the turn. The 
rainbow and Haagensen checked. Vad Hennebjerre made a continuation bet of 9,000 and was soon facing a check-raise to 23,000. The defending Unibet Open Copenhagen champion called in position.
.
and some side action got underway. The big blind bet out and both players called. An off suit 
hit the turn and two checks later it was Rasmus Rasmussen (no relation) betting. 
. Kilpelainen made his exit, Mahle started stacking.
