Renee Xie raised to 350 from middle position, Alan Armitage three-bet to 900 on the button and was cold called by John Stanley in the small blind and the anonymous big blind called.
The action checked to Armitage and he set the price to play at 2,000. Stanley called, the big blind folded and Xie called. The turn was the and all three players checked. The river was the and Stanley led for 4,000 only to see Xie tank-raise to 14,000. Armitage folded (he claimed after the hand to hold ), Stanley moved all-in and Xie snap-called.
Xie showed and chopped the pot with Stanley who held .
Reigning champion, Matas Cimbolas didn't have the best of days on Day 1a as he crashed out before it ended. He's taken another bite at the £1 million cherry, but he needs to make the most of it because Day 1b is a freezeout event.
Joining Cimbolas is the second chance club is Rhys Jones, who happens to be sat at Cimbolas' tables.
Others to look out for in the coming hours include Ludovic Geilich, Sergio Aido, Simon Higgins, Marcel Luske and Lee Taylor.
Daniel Charlton made it 450 to go from late position, Caicai Huang called in the cutoff and Terry Jordon called from the big blind. All three players checked on the flop, with Jordon leading out for 500 on the turn. Charlton folded, but Huang called.
The river brought the into play and Jordon checked, then folded when Huang bet 2,600.
A minor blip for Jordon who still has 70,000 chips.
Despite the great structure and generous 30,000 starting stack, a number of players have succumb to cooler and bad beats and have bust from the Main Event. Here they are.
Kelly Saxby raised to 350 from late position and sparked a flurry of activity. Matthew Davenport called in the hijack, Michael Fletcher then raised to 925 from the cutoff and Xie cold-called the 925 bet on the button. Saxby pput in the extra chips to call, as did Davenport.
Saxby and Davenport checked to Fletcher on the flop and he bet 1,275. Xie raised to 3,500 and only Saxby called. Both of the ladies checked the turn, with Saxby checking the river, also. Xie made it 7,500 to go and Saxby mucked her hand.
A big pot during the second level that gives Xie a solid foundation to build from.
Tamer Kamel bust from the High Roller twice, but he's not let that put him off entering the £2,200 buy-in Main Event. He's up to 32,200 chips from a starting stack of 30,000 despite losing a small pot to Simon Brooks.
Kamel checked from the big blind on a flop, Brooks bet 1,050 from the cutoff and Emyr Lewis folded on the button. Kamel called and then checked the arrival of the turn. Brooks bet again, 3,000 chips, and Kamel folded.
and all three players checked. The river was the 
and Stanley led for 4,000 only to see Xie tank-raise to 14,000. Armitage folded (he claimed after the hand to hold 
and chopped the pot with Stanley who held 
.
flop, with Jordon leading out for 500 on the 
turn. Charlton folded, but Huang called.
into play and Jordon checked, then folded when Huang bet 2,600.
flop and he bet 1,275. Xie raised to 3,500 and only Saxby called. Both of the ladies checked the 
turn, with Saxby checking the 
river, also. Xie made it 7,500 to go and Saxby mucked her hand.
flop, Brooks bet 1,050 from the cutoff and Emyr Lewis folded on the button. Kamel called and then checked the arrival of the 
turn. Brooks bet again, 3,000 chips, and Kamel folded.