Day 1b Completed: Chino Rheem Leads Overall
Day 1b of the WPT Merit Cyprus Classic Main Event has been completed after 10 one-hour levels were played out in the luxurious Merit Casino, Kyrenia, Cyprus.
By the time registration had closed at the end of Level 6 there were a total of 164 players who had exchanged $4,400 for 30,000 tournament chips and the chance to become a WPT champion. Just before 1:00 am local time renowned tournament director Matt Savage call time on proceedings and just 65 players had chips that needed bagging and tagging; the dream of WPT glory had ended for 99 of our starters.
The title of end of day chip leader is one that every poker tournament player want to lay claim to and it was a fiercely fought contest here on Day 1b. From the moment he sat down at the felt, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi terrorized his opponents and quickly found himself sat behind a pile of chips worth over 120,000. Mizrachi dropped off the pace towards the latter part of the day but he still finished with a respectable 54,300 stack.
The honor of being chip leader tonight goes to David “Chino” Rheem. Rheem is a well-known figure on the poker circuit having reached the final table of the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event (he finished seventh), having won the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond Poker Classic; also in 2008 and more recently winning the inaugural Main Event of the Epic Poker League. Rheem was his usual vocal self through the day but he was backing up his table talk with his poker skills; and he also ran amazingly well. At different points throughout the day he cracked pocket jacks with pocket tens, then cracked pocket aces, again with a pair of tens. Then on the last hand of the night he had a 6,000 turn bet and a 20,000 river bet called on a 
board whilst holding 
to put him well clear of the chasing pack.
Other notable players to safely navigate through to Monday's Day 2 include the man who reached the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event Kelly Kim (92,200), Hüsnü Sincar (247,500), Giuseppe Pantaleo (191,300) and former WPT Amneville champion Sam El Sayed (214,300).
Rejoin us from 1:00PM local time for all the action from this amazing tournament. Until then check out this video with our overnight chip leader and Lynn Gilmartin.