Rodrigues Surges to WSOPC Rotterdam Main Event Day 1a Chip Lead After Late Night Gamble
On the first of three starting days of the €1,650 WSOP International Circuit Rotterdam Main Event, exactly half of the field made it to Day 2 after eight 60-minute levels. 52 players showed up for the first starting day and 26 of them made it through, with Marco Rodrigues bagging the overnight chip lead with 128,000 in chips.
Rodrigues was seated at the action table, which saw some crazy plays throughout the day. The catalyst was Marcel Goldenbelt, whose aggressive play in the early stages forced the other table mates to ramp up their aggression level as well. Rodrigues was the first to take on Goldenbelt, setting the tone by three-bet shoving a mere jack-deuce on the river on a board containing two aces, a completed flush and just a single deuce.
However, it was a crazy hand during the final few hands of the night that propelled Rodrigues to the overnight lead. With the blinds at 300/600, Paul Berende limped in, as did Malaysia's Jin Yong and Goldenbelt. Rodrigues made it 10,000 to go and, after announcing "gamble", called off a limp-shove from Berende for 100 big blinds total, holding just pocket deuces. Berende held the superior hand with pocket tens but a deuce on both the flop and turn shipped the massive pot over towards Rodrigues.
Other top stacks after the first day were bagged by Zeus Post (104,000), Jacco van Hooren (103,500), Govert Metaal (89,900), and Jasper van Moorsel (84,600). Metaal exercised his reentry option and fared much better on his second attempt. The aforementioned Goldenbelt sits in sixth place with 82,800, while Berende still bagged 69,600 after the sizable beat. Hakim Zoufri (65,700), Farukh Tach (50,100), and James Romero (23,000) also advanced to Day 2.
For WSOP bracelet winner Albert Hoekendijk, who lasted just 15 minutes after late registering, Kees van Brugge, Sander van Wesemael, Bartel Kars, Teun Kooij, and Robert Auer, Day 1a ended without finding a bag.
On Wednesday at 1 p.m., Day 1b will commence with another eight levels of 60 minutes each to be played. At 9 p.m., a turbo Day 1c with shortened levels kicks off to give players another shot to advance in this tournament. The eventual winner of the coveted WSOP Circuit ring will be crowned on Saturday, September 2. Follow along with PokerNews for all the live updates from the second-ever WSOP Circuit event in Holland Casino Rotterdam.
. The "oohs", "aahs" and "that's so sick" at the table increased in volume as the dealer revealed the 
on the turn to give Rodrigues quads, making the 
river inconsequential.
and Stepanian continued for 1,600. Metaal check-raised to 4,000, Stepanian three-bet shoved around 22,000 and Metaal called it off after some thought.
, giving Stepanian a set but completing Metaal's flush draw. The 
on the river didn't pair the board and Stepanian hit the rail with much dismay.
, it was Goldenbelt who casually flicked in 15,000, twice the size of the pot.
and Hoekendijk jumped up and called for a seven. The river was close but the 
wasn't what Hoekendijk needed and he went as quickly as he came.
and Goldenbelt checked. Kars bet 4,000, Goldenbelt check-raised all in and Kars called the shove for around 15,000 total.
