Nightly Photo Update
2012 World Series of Poker Europe
Event #2: €1,100 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2012 World Series of Poker Europe
Buy-in
€1,100
Prize Pool
€600,960
Entries
626
Level
22
Blinds
8,000 / 16,000
Ante
2,000
Slow Going
Level 8
: 200/400, 50 ante
We're down to 52 players and action has slowed a bit. Everyone seems intent on making Day 2, but they mustn't be among the next seven eliminations if they're going to make that happen.
Last Woman Standing on Day 1a
The tournament clock says just 58 players remain out of the 295 who started, and there's only one woman left—Marguax Duplantier. She's been holding her own over at Table 9, though she is sitting with less than the chip average.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,000 |
Level: 8
Blinds: 200/400
Ante: 50
Small One for Kastle
We're not sure how we missed him all day, but Casey Kastle is in the house. In a recent hand, Kastle opened from the cutoff for 875 and the player in the big blind opted to defend. Both players proceeded to check it down as the board ran out 
. The big blind rolled over 
, but it was no good against the 
of Kastle.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
8,500 | 1,500 |
Azor Spikes the River to Eliminate Roberts
With around 1,500 in the pot and a flop of 
, Ran Azor checked from the big blind to Brian Roberts, who bet 725. Azor responded with a check-raise to 2,600, Roberts moved all in for right around 5,000, and Azor made a quick call.
| Showdown |
Azor:   |
Roberts:  |
Roberts was ahead with top and bottom pairs, but he needed to dodge Azor's flush and gut-shot straight draw. He did so on the 
turn, but not on the 
river. Azor spiked a diamond to take down the pot, send a tough opponent to the rail, and vault into the chip lead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
39,000 | |
|
Busted |
Updated Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
32,000 | 9,000 |
|
31,000 | 12,500 |
|
26,000 | |
|
21,000 | 2,000 |
|
21,000 | -1,000 |
|
15,000 | -11,000 |
|
13,000 | 3,500 |
|
12,000 | 9,200 |
|
10,000 | 3,500 |
|
9,000 | 1,000 |
|
|
7,000 | |
|
|
5,000 | |
|
5,000 | -7,500 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
$50 FREE from PartyPoker
Level 7
: 150/300, 25 ante
PokerNews is giving you the chance to boost your bankroll by $50 thanks to a special offer for new members on PartyPoker. This is definitely something you don't want to miss out on!
Simply sign up to PartyPoker through PokerNews, follow some simple registration steps highlighted below, and the free $50 will find its way to your account in a matter of days:
- Download the PartyPoker software through PokerNews
- Create a new PartyPoker account and enter the bonus code "PN50FREE"
- Fill in the registration form in the PartyPoker cashier
- Return to PokerNews and fill in our small registration form
- Check your email inbox for a confirmation email from [email protected]
The WSOP Player of the Year Race
Level 7
: 150/300, 25 ante
The Player of the Year race is a heated affair here in Cannes. We'll let the WSOP Media Guide tell the story of the WSOP POY and just why it's a big deal here in France:
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) instituted a Player of the Year system in 2004, once Harrah’s (now Caesars) took over the tournament.
The system awards points based on finish for all open bracelet events. Anyone who cashes in a WSOP gold bracelet event is awarded points. And the player with the most overall points is the winner of the WSOP Player of the Year. Bluff Magazine created and powers the formula used to determine the WSOP POY.
Adding the WSOP Player of the Year to your resume is one of the highest honors a poker player can achieve.
Typically, the individual who wins this award has multiple in-the-money finishes and at least a WSOP gold bracelet among those cashes. In fact, no player has won the award without at least capturing a WSOP gold bracelet.
The WSOP Player of the Year includes the seven gold bracelets awarded at WSOP Europe. This year’s winner has 65 events to compete in to qualify for the WSOP Player of the Year: 58 open events at the WSOP, and the seven up for grabs in Cannes, France at WSOPE.
Technically, Phil Ivey, with five final table appearances and 568.70 points, leads the 2012 WSOP Player of the Year standings. However, Greg Merson, who is amongst the finalists of the WSOP Main Event, has 481.13 points, plus he will earn an additional 100-500 points depending on where he finishes in Las Vegas. So Merson, if he doesn’t cash in any events at WSOP Europe and finishes ninth in the Main Event, will have 581.13 points. In a best case scenario, he will have 981.13 points for winning the WSOP Main Event.
The current WSOP Player of the Year standings can be found here.
Last year, it took until the Final Table of the WSOP Main Event to determine the winner. Ben Lamb beat out Phil Hellmuth for the crown.
Current 2012 WSOP Player of the Year Standings
| Place | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phil Ivey | 568.70 |
| 2 | John Monnette | 524.25 |
| 3 | Antonio Esfandiari | 513.10 |
| 4 | David “ODB” Baker | 508.38 |
| 5 | Phil Hellmuth | 500.70 |
| 6 | Michael Mizrachi | 486.20 |
| 7 | Gregory Merson | 481.13 |
| 8 | Vanessa Selbst | 463.17 |
| 9 | Timothy Adams | 410.78 |
| 10 | Andy Frankenberger | 406.66 |
Jacks are Kind to Gupta
An under-the-gun player had put in a raise, how much we're not sure, only to have Vic Gupta three-bet to 1,000 from the button. The original raiser was having none off it and spiked in a four-bet to 3,400, and Gupta responded by moving all in. The under-the-gun player shrugged and called off for around 8,000 and discovered the bad news.
| Showdown |
Gupta:  |
| UTG: |
The board ran out 
and Gupta, who is sporting a New England Patriots hat, was pushed the sizable pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,000 |