Main Event Day 1cd | 2019 Winamax SISMIX

Level: 11

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

05-24-2019 18:04 UTC+2

A Poker Festival Like No Other

Will Shillibier

Level 10 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

It is a testament to the atmosphere at the Winamax SISMIX that it has taken until the third day of the festival for the tournament to actually feel like a proper tournament. That's not to say that poker hasn't been being played because it has, but rather down to the excitement and atmosphere away from the tables.

Both Spanish Winamax Team Pros Leo Margets and Adrian Mateos have bagged up ahead of Day 2 and would be enjoying a day by the pool today. Well if it wasn't for a spot of rain.

Two days of glorious sunshine has seen poker players from all over Europe, but predominantly Spain and southern France flock to Lloret de Mar to sample a taste of what could become by the end of the day the largest six-max poker tournament in history. There was talk of players driving down from France to play a nightly tournament just to experience a SISMIX tournament.

Now in its sixth year, the Winamax SISMIX Main Event has grown from 670 in 2014 when Davidi Kitai to almost double that in the space of four years when Adrian Mateos won it last year. And now it looks set to double again in a single year, something that organizers weren't expecting.

The change of venue from the Casino de Marrakech to the Gran Casino Costa Brava has eliminated the need for flights, and as a result, has seen fields soar. So much so that the Main Event is now a "soft" freezeout, with reentry only possible in the Day 1d Turbo flight later on tonight. Sides have been capped or even cancelled to make space for the Main Event.

So what makes the tournament so special? Well, being an action-packed recreational player-friendly deep stacked six-max tournament certainly helps, but it's everything off the felt as well that adds so much to what would just be a festival with a €500 Main Event.

The atmosphere by the pool was more like a music festival than a poker festival. Speakers blaring DJ sets, with live music accompanying the latter stages of a thrilling Beer Pong Open that saw over 100 teams competing. Each night a different form of entertainment, from techno to swing to summer rhythms, there's something to suit everyone's taste.

It's sometimes too easy to look ahead to the next iteration of a poker tournament, and the organizer's desire to fulfil even more player demands or requests and to aim for bigger and better things. The SISMIX is unique in that it never fails to deliver and has always surpassed expectations. Last year it set the record for the largest poker tournament ever held in Africa, and this year even more records fall.

After such a success this year - you can safely say that even with Main Event registration still open - you would imagine the tournament would return to Lloret de Mar in 2020 with renewed purpose. Another record? Maybe. Another packed pool party? Perhaps. Another unique festival on the European poker calendar? Definitely.

05-24-2019 18:03 UTC+2

More Day 1c Pictures

Will Shillibier

05-24-2019 17:42 UTC+2

Winamax Team Pro Kanit Out

Will Shillibier

Level 10 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Earlier, Mustapha Kanit was laughing and joking around at his table, but unfortunately his seat is now empty.

He must now wait for the 10pm Turbo Day 1d flight to reenter and try to find his way through to Day 2.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mustapha Kanit	Busted

Level: 10

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

05-24-2019 17:07 UTC+2

Kitai Eliminates a Player

Will Shillibier

Level 9 : 400/800, 800 ante

Davidi Kitai opened to 1,800 from the cutoff and the small blind called. The flop was checked by both players and the small blind bet 4,000 on the turn.

Kitai raised all in and his opponent called.

Davidi Kitai:
All-in Player:

The all-in player was drawing dead and the river sent him to the exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Davidi Kitai	70,000	30,000

Tags: Davidi Kitai

Level: 9

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

05-24-2019 16:40 UTC+2

Break

Will Shillibier

Level 8 : 350/700, 700 ante

Players are going on their second 15-minute break of the day.

05-24-2019 16:18 UTC+2

Checking in on the Winamax Team Pros

Will Shillibier

Level 8 : 350/700, 700 ante

Romain Lewis is the best-placed Winamax Team Pro in the field currently, but Guillaume Diaz's table was breaking, and the Frenchman was hoping to get seated at Lewis's table so he could "kick his ass."

Sadly and perhaps unsurprisingly in a field of over 500 players he wasn't seated there, but he said that he was very happy to be playing today.

"I'm really happy with my decision to play Day 1c instead of 1a or 1b," he said. "We've had two days of really good weather and I've been by the pool. and so now I'm happy to play today when the whether is not that good!"

Meanwhile, Mustapha Kanit joined and was quickly up to his usual antics, using his unique set of skills to coax his opponent into giving him a walk in the big blind!