Main Event
Day 1b Started
2012 World Poker Tour Merit Cyprus Classic
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2012 World Poker Tour Merit Cyprus Classic
Buy-in
$4,000
Prize Pool
$1,212,694
Entries
329
Level
31
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
20,000
Welcome to Day 1b of the WPT Merit Cyprus Classic
![[user76023]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
It's deja vu time as we do it all over again with our second start day. We'll be starting at 1pm once and we're expecting all four Mizrachi brothers, Daniel Cates, former November Niner Kelly Kim and the controversial Chino Rheem to all be in action today.
They'll all be hoping to top Maxim Panyak, the Russian who finished last night as overall chip leader with 255,800. No doubt some of those who didn't make it through last night will be back for a second crack at the whip today. Remember, there is a $1 million dollar guarantee on the prize pool...
We'll be starting at 1pm in just under an hour. In the meantime, check out Lynn Gilmartin's tour of this stunning venue, the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel & Casino, as well as the surrounding areas, Kyrenia and Bellapais. Now you can see exactly what you're missing!
Heading to the Seats
Players are just heading into the tournament area now. We should be starting in about five minutes.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Shuffle Up And Deal!
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Tournament director Matt Savage has just instructed his dealers to shuffle up and deal and Day 1b of WPT Merit Cyprus Classic has started.
There are currently 60 players seated six-handed across 10 tables but there is quite a large queue at the registration desk so expect that number to swell over the next couple of levels.
To anyone who is reading this blog and wants to play in this fabulous event, remember it is possible to buy-in right up to the end of Level 6.
Knowledge Is Power
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
When playing online poker you have tools at your disposal that allow you to gather information on your opponents; from how many hands they play, to how they play them.
Live poker is obviously different in that respect as you have to obtain the reads yourself but Gaelle Baumann is gathering intel as we type this. Like many poker players Baumann keeps herself entertained between hands with her iPad and thanks to the free internet here in this resort she is currently typing each of her opponent's names into a well-known poker database to see who has any winnings to their name! A crafty and clever idea from the French woman who finished 10th in the WSOP Main Event.
Hassan Calls His Way To Victory
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Ibrahim Hassan has got off to a great start here in the Main Event, winning a pot of more than 10,000 chips.
It was the United Kingdom's Sandeep Sandhu who started the betting, opening to 250 from the cutoff of his six-handed table. The button folded but Hassan three-bet to 800 from the small blind. Next to act was Selcuk Ayaz in the big blind and he four-bet to 2,500. This was too much for Sandhu to pay and he quickly folded but Hassan made the call.
The 
flop contained more spades than gravedigger's shed so it was no real surprise when Hassan checked. Ayaz took at stab at the pot and bet 4,000. Hassan instantly called and it was off to the 
turn.
Hassan checked again, Ayaz bet another 4,000 and Hassan snap-called. The 
on the river killed the action and no more betting took place.
Ayaz: 
Hassan: 
Neither player held a spade and Hassan's set of queens was good.
Famous Faces
The tournament area is filling up rapidly and as the numbers increase so does the number of notable players.
Already seated and riffling chips are the likes of Dominik Nitsche (who re-entered) Gaelle Baumann (who also re-entered) and the only Fre4nchman to win a WSOP bracelet this year Aubin Cazals.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | 30,000 |
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 |
Shatilov's Turn
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Andrey Shatilov is off to a good start, the Russian fired out bets of 400, 1,025 and 2,200 on the flop, turn and river of a 
board. Fabio Bianchi was his opponent and check-called him down on all three streets, though not without a good two minute dwell on the river.
Shatilov showed 
for a turned set and the Italian let out an impassioned sigh as a result.
Reuter Takes On Pollak
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Fillipo Bianchi min-raised from the hijack over on Table 6 and then called as Maxime Reuter three-bet to 575 from the cutoff and Benjamin Pollak had called the three-bet on the button.
The flop came down 
and Bianchi taped the table and checked. Reuter tested the waters with a continuation bet of 750; a bet that only Pollak called.
The turn brought the 
into play and Reuter refused to slow down. Instead he increased his bet size to 1,050 and after 15-20 seconds Pollak sent his cards back in the direction of the dealer.