Mudassar Khan Leads After Day 1a, Two Previous Champs Still In Contention
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.