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€500 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2026 Winamax Poker Open Aix-les-Bains
€500 Main Event
Day: 1a
Players Left 420 / 2,873
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Chip Counts
Chip Counts
1
1,191,000
7
622,000
Level 21
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Another mix of poker and fun began this week at Casino Grand Cercle of Aix-les-Bains with a new edition of the Winamax Poker Open (WPO).
While most of the players had their eyes on the Marble race this Wednesday night, 63 players were focused on the €500 Main Event as they reached the money and qualified for Day 2 after Day 1a. Out of a field of 386 entries, which brought the prize pool to just under €200,000 so far, Julien Archer emerged as the chip leader by the end of the day, being the only player to bag a million-chip stack (1,191,000).
After bagging his stack, he explained that he came to Aix-les-Bains with friends to play and that two hands in which he cracked aces propelled him to the top of the counts. With 861,000, Amilcar Marty is second in chips after bursting the bubble, followed by Titas Gancierius (850,000) and Julien Gadanho (804,000), who was already among the chip leaders after his flight last year.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julien Archer | France | 1,191,000 | 119 |
| 2 | Amilcar Marty | France | 861,000 | 86 |
| 3 | Titas Gancierius | Lithuania | 850,000 | 85 |
| 4 | Julien Gadanho | France | 804,000 | 80 |
| 5 | Laurent Amri | France | 649,000 | 65 |
| 6 | Florian Sebileau | France | 631,000 | 63 |
| 7 | Brice Chervier | France | 622,000 | 62 |
| 8 | Patrick Girard | France | 573,000 | 57 |
| 9 | Richard Barbier | France | 559,000 | 56 |
| 10 | Alexandre Mebs | France | 546,000 | 55 |
Laurent Amri (649,000), Florian Sebileau (631,000) and Brice Chervier (622,000) had big stacks for almost the entire day and maintained them all the way to the end. The same goes for Julien Bidault (491,000) and even Paul Bigot (271,000), who had a strong start at the beginning of the day.
Snowboarder Christophe Charlet (269,000) and Mathieu Salas (268,000), who also burst the bubble, qualified with stacks slightly below average, but they still have way more than former iIPT finalist Florian Vachez (75,000) and Ricardo Graells (56,000), the two shortest stacks of the day.
The 63 players will now enjoy two days off before Day 2, while all the non-qualified players will have to be back at the tables at noon local time this Thursday, September 24, for Day 1b. Among them are all the Winamax Team Pros, as well as defending champion Jeremy Cauchard, streamers Hadrien "zChance33" Gallois and Adrien Dumont, and two-time WPO finalist Matthieu Lamagnere, who all played Day 1a but failed to qualify.
Make sure to keep up with PokerNews’ live updates across the rest of the Winamax Poker Open as well as the remainder of this event.
Level 21
: 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Level 21
: 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
63 players managed to find a bag at the end of Day 1a. They are now in the money and qualified for Saturday's Day 2.
Stay tuned as PokerNews provides you chip counts and a recap of today's action!
Level 21
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
Down the just two big blinds, Benjamin Cottin in the big blind moved all-in and faced Amilcar Marty in the hijack and Benjamin Meyer on the button who both checked the 4♠8♣2♦ flop and the K♠ turn. Marty bet on the 4♣ river and made Meyer fold.
Benjamin Cottin: K♦2♥ 
Amilcar Marty: K♥Q♠
Cottin looked at his cards on the river and realized he had two pair, but the four on the river counterfeited his hand, and he was eliminated.
Meanwhile, Mathieu Salas raised from the button, Florent Colin in the big blind jammed for 112,000 and Salas called.
Florent Colin: A♥9♦
Mathieu Salas: K♠K♦
Colin ran into Kings and was eliminated on 3♣Q♦9♣7♣8♦.
Level: 21
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 10,000
Level 22
: Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante
After a long moment with very little action, Florent Baudevin in the big blind was all-in and at risk for 88,000 on a board of J♠10♣6♥4♠ against Sylvain Amara in the small blind.
Florent Baudevin: A♠A♣
Sylvain Amara: Q♣J♥
Baudevin had aces and doubled up after the 5♣ river was revealed.
Level 21
: Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante
This Wednesday was Marble Race night! The goal is simple: beat the fast marble to win prizes. Ready to race?
Level: 22
Blinds: 6,000/12,000
Ante: 12,000
Level 20
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
With now 65 remaining players for 64 places in the money, the hand for hand play is about to start.
