Mateusz Moolhuizen In Excellent Position for Third Unibet Open Title After Day 1a
The Unibet Open made its return to the beautiful island of Malta after a five-year hiatus. Back in 2011, it was newcomer Mateusz Moolhuizen winning the event, making for his first-ever cash and the start of a career full of highs, including another Unibet Open title just last year.
Moolhuizen was back this year, as the Unibet Open tour shifted to the brand new Casino Malta in the five-star Continental hotel. Despite the amazing weather, beautiful beach, and welcoming pool, 147 players opted to play cards inside on Thursday. The upside for them was that all of them would be able to enjoy the sun and pool on Friday, unless they choose to play one of the side events.
A total of 50 players made it through to Day 2, which will be played on Saturday. Moolhuizen was one of them, and he finished with 156,800 in chips after a succesful day on the feature table.
Charlotte Van Brabander, a Unibet-sponsored player and two-time winner of the Unibet eSports Challenge, was one of the first to bust. She first was victim of a flush-over-flush confrontation, followed by an even more unfortunate situation where a player thought he had not put in his ante and was forced to limp when it turned out his ante chip was already in. Van Brabander raised and the mistaken limper called. Van Brabander got it all in on the turn with the board looking harmless for Van Brabander's aces. Unfortunately for her, her opponent had flopped two pair with six-deuce and Van Brabander hit the rail.
Van brabander's eSports colleague Melissa Posada also busted early, but not before owning one of the most experienced players in the field. Hometown player Pim de Goede told us himself he was getting owned and with a reddish face told us some remarkable hands where Posada had gotten the better of him. Posada went broke when she flopped top pair against an over pair, though.
Friday it's time for Day 1b and another 10 levels are on the schedule. Play starts at noon local time again, and PokerNews.com will again be on site for live coverage, including a live stream with hole cards up.
. Her opponent hit an ace and send De Jong packing.
and had to take it up against 
. The board ran out 
and Coulier continued for 3,600. His neighbor folded, Andersen called, the big blind folded.
hit the turn and Coulier checked. Andersen made a bet of 7,800 and Coulier called. Coulier checked again on the 
river and Andersen quickly bet 20,000 by tossing in four 5,000-chips. 
for the flopped set. "I guess it was my ego," Coulier ended the chatterbox.
and Posada bet out 1,500. Zgadzaj raised to 5,500 and Posada made the call.
fell on the turn and Posada front shipped all in for about 12,000 or so. Zgadzaj made the call holding 
. The river was no jack or six and Posada made her exit.
first, followed by the 
.
and Limatta made his exit. Both Beregi and Lepez would have beaten the queens and treys if they had what they claimed they had, but it was Kirs raking in the chips.
both De Goede and his neighbor checked. Posada lead out for 1,000 and the button raised to 2,800. De Goede called, the big blind folded, Posada called. 
on the turn and the 
completed the board. De Goede bet out 10,000 and Posada called quickly. The button folded.
and De Goede mucked.
, doing nothing for either player. The 
on the turn however, was a huge card for Stenelt and he doubled as the 
completed the board.