Main Event Day 1a | 2014 partypoker World Poker Tour Merit North Cyprus Classic

09-05-2014 11:35 UTC+3

Welcome to Cyprus!

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It's that time of the year again; time for the partypoker World Poker Tour Merit North Cyprus Classic, obviously on the beautiful island of Cyprus.

With big tournaments in Barcelona and Florida just in the books, it's time to play some cards in another sunny location. It's the fourth time the partypoker World Poker Tour visits the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel-Casino in Kyrenia. Back in 2009 Thomas Bichon topped a 181-player field, in 2012 Marvin Rettenmaier was the top dog, and last year Alexey Rybin walked away the biggest winner.

Year	Entrants	Buy-in	Winner	Prize
2009	181	$10,000	Thomas Bichon	$579,165
2012	329	$4,000	Marvin Rettenmaier	$287,784
2013	262	$4,000	Alexey Rybin	$258,000

PokerNews will be on sight to cover the entire Main Event, from the first flop till the last river. The tournament has a €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, and players have the option to enter the event a maximum of four times (1 re-entry per Day (Day 1A & 1B) including the first level of Day 2). WPT Main Event players that have played both Day 1A and Day 1B have the option to choose either their Day 1A or Day 1B stack to bring to Day 2. Late registration and re-entry closes at the end of the first level of Day 2.

Date	Time	Day	Duration Levels
September 5th	1 p.m.	Day 1a	60 minutes
September 6th	1 p.m.	Day 1b	60 minutes
September 7th	1 p.m.	Day 2	90 minutes
September 8th	1 p.m.	Day 3	90 minutes
September 9th	1 p.m.	Day 4	90 minutes
September 10th	1 p.m.	Final	90 minutes

Play starts in 90 minutes, so check back soon for coverage of the 2014 partypoker World Poker Tour Merit North Cyprus Classic!

Tags: Alexey Rybin Marvin Rettenmaier Thomas Bichon

09-05-2014 15:12 UTC+3

Chouity Tangles With His Neighbor (Again)

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Level 2 : 75/150, 0 ante

Nicolas Chouity and his right hand neighbor have played several pots already today. In one of the first one, Chouity called a four bet in position, but folded to the c-bet on . The next resulted in a loss for Chouity though.

On , Chouity made a 1,000 bet from the small blind. His opponent on the button raised it up to 2,500, and Chouity called. Chouity check called another 3,500 on the -turn, and 6,000 on the -river.

Chouity's opponent showed for a flush, Chouity mucked and stared somewhat angry at his phone.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nicolas Chouity	27,000 -6,000	-6,000

Tags: Nicolas Chouity

09-05-2014 16:00 UTC+3

Should I Call Or Should I Raise?

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Level 3 : 75/150, 25 ante

Sevket Yildiz checked on a board of from middle position. His opponent was seated on the button, and bet out 1,200.

This was the time for Yildiz to make for some theater, as he seemed to really have a tough decision. He grabbed 1,200 like he was going to call, but after some more thinking he tossed in four 1,000 chips.

His opponent seemed kind of baffled, but made the call after about ten seconds of thinking.

Yildiz showed the , and with some confidence put his sunglasses on the top of his head to gather the chips after his opponent mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sevket Yildiz	39,000 9,000	9,000

Tags: Sevket Yildiz

09-05-2014 16:31 UTC+3

Wild Pre Flop, Tame Post Flop

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Level 3 : 75/150, 25 ante

Vladimir Troyanovskiy was all smiles while talking to someone on the rail, when action folded to him in the small blind. He completed the 150 big blind, and his neighbor Andrey Pateychuk raised it up to 600. Without much hesitation, Troyanovskiy grabbed some more chips, and tossed in 1,600. Pateychuk wasn't easily scared and made the call.

Troyanovskiy fired 1,700 on , and Pateychuk made the call.

That was it for all the betting and raising, both players checked the on the turn and on the river.

With a big smile, and maybe a blush of shame, Troyanovskiy showed . EPT Sanremo winner Pateychuck tabled and took it down with a smile of his own.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrey Pateychuk	36,400 7,400	7,400

Vladimir Troyanovskiy	29,400 -1,600	-1,600

Tags: Andrey Pateychuk Vladimir Troyanovskiy

09-05-2014 18:38 UTC+3

Troyanovskiy And Koutoupas Eliminated

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Level 5 : 150/300, 50 ante

As we approached the table, the big blind just checked to Vladimir Troyanovskiy in the cutoff on a -flop. The Russian High Roller made a 1,200 continuation bet, and received a call.

The turn brought the to the table, and the big blind checked once more. Troyanovskiy now fired 3,200, and got check raised to 7,900. Troyanovskiy made the call, with about 12,000 behind.

The completed the board, and the big blind tossed in three 5,000 chips to put his Russian opponent all in. Troyanovskiy double checked his cards, thought for a bit, and called.

The big blind showed , and Troyanovskiy mucked his hand. The dealer didn't flip 'em over, and Troyanovskiy made his exit.

On a different table, Sotirios Koutoupas was eliminated. We didn't get any details, but we're sure the EPT Deauville winner is out of luck and out of chips.

If either or both player will re enter is to be seen. They could also just give it another try tomorrow.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vladimir Troyanovskiy	Busted
Sotirios Koutoupas	Busted

Tags: Sotirios Koutoupas Vladimir Troyanovskiy

09-05-2014 21:24 UTC+3

Petersen Gets a Discount

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Level 7 : 250/500, 75 ante

With a flop, Mickey Petersen bet out 1,500. Frenchman Paul Tedeschi, seated two to Petersen's right, raised it up to 3,500. Petersen called.

The fell on the turn, and this is where things got interesting. Petersen checked, and Tedeschi tossed in two 5,000 chips while announcing how much he wanted to bet. Petersen though he heard 6,150, and double checked with both Tedeschi and the dealer. He then called, but now Tedeschi claimed it wasn't 6,150, but 6,750 - if we understood correctly.

The dealer didn't really know what to do, and called over the floor. The floor eventually ruled it was 6,150, and Tedeschi got 3,850 back. Tedeschi didn't put up much of a fight, and just saw a river appear: .

Petersen checked again, and Tedeschi now pushed all in for 14,150. Petersen tanked for a bit, before releasing his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mickey Petersen	40,150 -7,850	-7,850
Paul Tedeschi	36,450 9,850	9,850

Tags: Mickey Petersen Paul Tedeschi

09-05-2014 21:46 UTC+3

Salter Loses a Bunch

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Level 7 : 250/500, 75 ante

Jack Salter opened to 1,150 from middle position, and the player on the button was the sole caller. Salter asked how much the player had to start the hand, and he nodded as the button indicated he had just under 20,000.

Salter followed up his pre flop aggression with a 1,100 bet on . The button called, and called the 3,275 bet Salter made on the -turn as well.

The river came the and Salter thought for a second, before pushing in a tower of 5,000 chips to put his opponent all in. The player on the button called almost instantaneously.

Salter showed , but that hand would soon hit the muck as the button tabled . Salter had to forfeit 13,300, and continued with a lot shallower stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jack Salter	36,000 -2,000	-2,000

Tags: Jack Salter

09-05-2014 22:06 UTC+3

"Why You Go All In?" - Nicolas Chouity Eliminated

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Level 8 : 300/600, 75 ante

With a flop reading , Nicolas Chouity check called a 5,000 bet from the under the gun position. His next door neighbor, Aleksey Arakelov, was the one demanding the 5,000 payment to be made.

The fell on the turn, and Chouity checked once again. Arakelov, who finished third in the partypoker WPT National Kazakhstan ($28,130) back in May, bet out 8,000. Chouity thought for some time, and eventually moved all in for just under 30,000. Arakelov called immediately.

With the instant call behind him, Chouity all of the sudden wasn't so sure his was good anymore. He was in fact well in the lead though, Arakelov tabled a mere .

The hit the river, pairing up Arakelov for the second time.

We couldn't exactly hear what Chouity muttered, but it must have been something along the lines of "Why did you call?" Whatever Chouity said, Arakelov was pretty clear in his answer, shrugging "Why You Go All In?" repeatedly.

Aleksey Arakelov has a more then playable stack to work with now. Other big stacks in the room are Seref Anar, Ivan Sheptytskiy, and Igor Dubinsky.

Player	Chips	Progress
Seref Anar	165,000 165,000	165,000
Ivan Sheptytskiy	131,000 131,000	131,000
Igor Dubinsky	100,000 100,000	100,000
Aleksey Arakelov	90,000 90,000	90,000
Nicolas Chouity	Busted

Tags: Nicolas Chouity

09-05-2014 22:25 UTC+3

Nitsche Counting The Wrong Bills

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Level 7 : 250/500, 75 ante

Dominik Nitsche was counting out $100 bills, but they weren't bills he won in some tournament or cash game, it were the bills he needed to re enter this very tournament.

Nitsche, still counting out the $4,000 he needed to re enter (rake free if you already entered on the same day), told us he opened with . He received two callers, Sam Trickett being one of then. Trickett wouldn't have a significant role in this bad beat story, it was the nine-seat that would cause Nitsche all of his trouble.

The with one club flop looked pretty good for Nitsche, and the German made a continuation bet with middle set. Trickett folded, the third involved player made the call.

The on the turn made Nitsche bet again. And guess what, his opponent called again as well.

The on the river completed the back door flush draw, and Nitsche pushed all in. His opponent called with , and Nitsche's ended up in the muck.

Done counting, Nitsche made his way to the registration desk, and bought right back in.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominik Nitsche	Busted

Tags: Dominik Nitsche Sam Trickett

09-05-2014 23:06 UTC+3

Vladimir Troyanovskiy Busts Jack Salter

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Level 9 : 400/800, 100 ante

Right before the break, in the last hand of the second to last level, Jack Salter got eliminated by Vladimir Troyanovskiy. Here's what happened.

Troyanovskiy opened to 1,250 under the gun, and his neighbor under the gun plus one, the button, the small blind, and Jack Salter in the big blind all called.

A family pot, with as the first three community cards to work with.

Both blinds checked to initial raiser Troyanovskiy, who checked as well. The under the gun plus one player bet out 2,500, and the button and small blind both quickly released their hands. Salter however, made the call.

Troyanovskiy now check raised and casually tossed in 7,000 worth of 1,000 chips. The under the gun plus one player folded, but Salter wasn't so keen on throwing his hand away. Salter, raised all in for about 35,000 and Troyanovskiy thought about it for some time.

With the break already underway, Troyanovskiy committed his chips and Salter rolled over . Troyanovskiy had and needed to dodge the clubs.