Event #7: €10,450 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event Day 2 | 2012 World Series of Poker Europe

10-01-2012 11:30 UTC+2

Mizrachi Leads Into Day 2; 230 Remain

Donnie Peters

Welcome back to the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event. Today is Day 2, and there are 230 players returning to action from the original 420 that entered. Sitting at the top of the leader board — and the only player with over 200,000 in chips — is three-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi.

The top 10 is cluttered with several notables including Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, JC Alvarado, Roberto Romanello, Daniel Weinman, Daniel Negreanu and Timothy Adams. All of them had very successful Day 1s and will be looking to continue their onslaught on Day 2.

Another six 90-minute levels are scheduled for play today, which means there's plenty of time for people to hit the rail while others accumulate chips. Unfortunately, the money bubble won't break today, so that excitement will be left for down the road. Still, you won't want to miss anything that's going to happen today.

Play kicks off at 12:00 PM local time, so stay tuned right here to PokerNews for the live coverage coming to you shortly.

Tags: Michael Mizrachi

10-01-2012 12:48 UTC+2

Krakow Gifted a Double Up

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Remko Rinkema

Matan Krakow, who made final tables in back-to-back years at the World Series of Poker Europe, just found himself in a perfect spot. Tianna Nguyen raised under the gun to 11,000 and the action was folded to the Israeli on the button. Krakow was faced with a huge raise, but he decided to bump it up to 22,000.

Both blinds quickly folded after which Nguyen four-bet to 45,000, effectively putting Krakow all in. He called all in and quickly turned over {A-Spades} {A-Clubs} . Nguyen sat motionless for about three seconds before turning over her {8-Diamonds} {8-Clubs} .

The board ran out {5-Spades} {7-Hearts} {Q-Spades} {K-Spades} , and Krakow doubled up. He was all in for 39,600 and his Day 2 could not have started off better.

Player	Chips	Progress
Matan Krakow	82,000 53,975	53,975

Tianna Nguyen	24,000 40,500	40,500

Tags: Matan Krakow Tianna Nguyen

10-01-2012 13:38 UTC+2

Being Honest Gets Haxton Eliminated

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Remko Rinkema

Isaac Haxton was just eliminated in a very strange scenario. He had raised under the gun after which the action folded to Averso Olivier who moved all in from the small blind. The total shove was for 11,025 and Haxton ended up making the call.

Showdown:
Isaac Haxton: {8-Hearts} {8-Clubs}
Averso Olivier: {7-Diamonds} {7-Clubs}

The board ran out {7-Hearts} {2-Clubs} {9-Hearts} {4-Spades} {6-Diamonds} , and Olivier doubled up. The dealer counted out the chips out of Haxton's stack, and he was left behind with just 400 chips. During all of this the runner-up of the $40,000 No-Limit Holdem anniversary event back in 2009 was standing up, and he expected to be eliminated.

A member of the staff stood by the table, as players were trying to figure out how many chips Olivier should have.

"We're not sure if I'm busted or not," Haxton said to the staff member who observed as the dealer counted out the chips again. Philippe Boucher calculated that Olivier should have 23,200 chips, and he was short of that number. Haxton seemed very content with the fact that everything was resolved in honest fashion and left the tournament room.

"I'm not gonna lie over 400 chips," Haxton added as Olivier stacked the additional chips he received.

Player	Chips	Progress
Averso Olivier	23,200 9,550	9,550
Isaac Haxton	Busted

Tags: Isaac Haxton Philippe Boucher

10-01-2012 15:09 UTC+2

Sylvia Doubles Big Through Shak

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Chad Holloway

Dan Shak opened for 2,800 and was met with a three-bet to 7,400 by October Nine chip leader Jesse Sylvia. Shak opted to move all in for approximately 70,000, and Sylvia called off.

Showdown
Sylvia: {A-} {A-}
Shak: {A-} {K-}

The board ran out clean for Sylvia and he chipped up to nearly twice the chip average. Could another deep Main Event run be in order?

"Hi Ashley," Sylvia told us to say as he knows she's sweating the updates from the hotel room.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jesse Sylvia	138,000 72,000	72,000

Dan Shak	9,500 64,500	64,500

Tags: Dan Shak Jesse Sylvia

10-01-2012 16:21 UTC+2

Finlay Crashes The Boeree-MacPhee Party

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Remko Rinkema

Liv Boeree just got moved to Kevin MacPhee's table, and immediately things got more interesting. MacPhee said that they actually met for the first time at the poker table during a North American Poker Tour event. Since then, the two have spent many tournaments at the same table, and they're at it again today.

The very first hand after all this was raised by Boeree under the gun. She made it 2,300 and MacPhee called. The action was folded all the way around to Robert Finlay who was in the big blind. He wondered if it was okay for him to join this action.

"It's not gay when it's a three-way," MacPhee jokingly said, as the whole table cracked up. Finlay seemed resassured by that and made the call.

The flop came down {K-Diamonds} {8-Spades} {6-Hearts} , and Finlay checked. Boeree bet 3,500, and MacPhee raised to 9,100 rather quickly. Finlay instantly moved all in for right around 44,000, and Boeree snap-folded. MacPhee wasn't happy, and he went into the tank for several minutes.

"Maybe king-eight or eight-six?" MacPhee analyzed out loud. In the meantime, Octo-Nine finalist Jesse Sylvia tried to entertain the big crowd that had gathered around this table.

"How's everybody doing today? Did you have a good breakfast? Ate right?" Sylvia said as the atmosphere was relaxed despite the big pot. MacPhee eventually folded his {A-Hearts} {K-Clubs} face up, and left himself with 35,000 chips.

Finlay turned over {7-Hearts} {9-Diamonds} and said, "Only because you showed as well." MacPhee knocked on the table and complimented his opponent on the move.

Player	Chips	Progress
Liv Boeree	95,000 350	350

Robert Finlay	65,000 26,250	26,250
Kevin MacPhee	36,000 13,075	13,075

Tags: Jesse Sylvia Kevin MacPhee Liv Boeree Robert Finlay

10-01-2012 17:48 UTC+2

Cheong Takes the Lead

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Donnie Peters

Joseph Cheong and Philippe Boucher have been battling a lot here on Day 2. Just before the last break, the two got involved in a four-bet pot with Boucher having position.

Cheong had opened, Boucher three-bet, Cheong four-bet and Boucher called before the flop came down {J-Hearts} {6-Clubs} {4-Hearts} . Cheong checked, and Boucher fired 8,500. Cheong called.

The turn was the {3-Diamonds} , and Cheong checked. Boucher stayed on the gas with a bet of 14,600, which Cheong called.

The river was the {K-Clubs} , and both players checked.

Cheong showed the {K-Hearts} {K-Spades} for a rivered set of kings, and Boucher mucked his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joseph Cheong	290,000 25,000	25,000

Philippe Boucher	131,000 68,000	68,000

Tags: Joseph Cheong Philippe Boucher

10-01-2012 17:55 UTC+2

Ivey Eliminated By Katchalov

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Remko Rinkema

Right before the start of the break we lost Phil Ivey. Eugene Katchalov, who took all the chips from the 8-time WSOP bracelet winner, explained to us what happened.

Katchalov raised from the cutoff with {A-} {Q-} and Ivey defended his big blind.

The flop came down {A-} {J-} {10-} , rainbow, and Katchalov bet 2,500. Ivey went on to check-raise to 6,000, after which Katchalov put in 15,000. Ivey, who started the hand with around 50,000, moved all in and Katchalov called.

Ivey showed {8-} {9-} , and was looking to complete his straight draw. The turn and river both brought blanks, and that was it. Katchalov is cruising with 129 players remaining in this event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eugene Katchalov	180,000 53,000	53,000

Phil Ivey	Busted

Tags: Eugene Katchalov Phil Ivey

10-01-2012 22:10 UTC+2

Hellmuth vs Andrulis, Round 32

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Remko Rinkema

"I busted every single one of them, and it's been going on for twenty years," Phill Hellmuth just said to his table mates. He was talking about Kristijonas Andrulis whom he had been battling with for hours now.

"When I have aces I'm just gonna make a huge raise," Hellmuth uttered.

"You still have time Phill," Andrulis said. "I'm on a mission, you have chips and you wanna play!" he added.

"I'm not going for a min cash," Andrulis continued. "Maybe Phill is though. Are you Phill?"

Andrulis kept needling Hellmuth who was visibly steaming over the battle he couldn't get a grip on so far.

"It's the same old story," Hellmuth sighed.

"Yeah, same old, same old," Andrulis said as he wasn't going to go quiet anytime soon.

"The sick thing was, I had ace-king!" Hellmuth said about a hand they apparently played just minutes earlier.

"The sick thing was," Andrulis said as he raised his voice, "I had the best hand on the flop, the best hand on the turn and the best hand on the river." Right when he said that Hellmuth raised again, and Andrulis defended his big blind.

The flop came down {3-Clubs} {7-Clubs} {6-Clubs} , and both players checked. On the turn the {3-Spades} hit and Andrulis fired out 9,000. Hellmuth picked up his cards and snapped them back and forth.

"Oh just fold it," Andrulis smiled right before Hellmuth threw his hand into the muck.

"That was Round 21," Andrulis said as he once again raked in a pot.

"No, it's more like Round 32," another player at the table added.

"Yeah, at least he's winning all the talking rounds in between," Andrulis said as he took it to the next level.

"It's just a little white magic," the other player added as everyone started laughing. This battle is far from over, but for now both players are near the top of the leader board.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kristijonas Andrulis	295,000 20,000	20,000
Phil Hellmuth	270,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Kristijonas Andrulis Phil Hellmuth

10-02-2012 00:13 UTC+2

Day 2 Comes to an End with Baranov Leading Final 77

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Chad Holloway

Level 12 : 1,000/2,000, 300 ante

The 2012 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event continued on Monday with Day 2 action from the Majestic Barrière in Cannes, France. The remaining 230 from a 420-player field returned for another six levels of play, and by the end of the night just 77 remained with Sergii Baranov and his stack of 607,000 leading the way.

Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi began the day as the chip leader (234,850), and held a significant lead over his next closest competitor, Day 1b chip leader Bertrand “Elky” Grospellier. Neither player was lacking in experience nor success, but their Day 2s couldn't have been more opposite.

While Grospellier played a patient game and slowly accumulated chips throughout the day, eventually bagging up 326,700, Mizrachi went the opposite direction. The Grinder played a loose-aggressive game and his chip stack reflected that as it went for a wild up-and-down ride as described by Daniel Negreanu on Twitter. It soon became apparent that Mizrachi was taking one step forward and two steps back, and eventually it caught up with him and he was eliminated in Level 11.

Others who joined Mizrachi on the rail throughout the day were Vanessa Rousso, Joe Hachem, Faraz Jaka, Harrison Gimbel, Steve O’Dwyer, Greg Merson, Mike “Tmex” McDonald, Tristan Wade, Phil Ivey, Scotty Nguyen, Roberto Romanello, Antonio Esfandiari and McLean Karr, just to name a few.

While there were scores of eliminations, a handful of notables managed to survive the day. Former November Niner Joseph Cheong; 2009 WSOP Europe runner-up Daniel Negreanu; 12-time bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth; October Nine chip leader Jesse Sylvia; recent WCOOP winner Jason Mercier; and the defending champ, Elio Fox, are just a few of the pros who’ll be returning to action on Day 3.

Here’s a look at the top ten End-of-Day-2 chip counts:

2012 WSOP Europe End-of-Day-2 Top Ten Counts

Place	Player	Count
1	Sergii Baranov	607,000
2	Axel Pergolizzi	419,400
3	Vladimir Troyanovskiy	375,100
4	Phil Hellmuth	364,900
5	Maxime Conte	342,300
6	Lifeng Chen	340,500
7	Huichen Kuo	339,950
8	Max Silver	333,600
9	Joseph Cheong	328,400
10	Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier	326,700

Another six 90-minute levels are scheduled for Day 3 on Tuesday as the remaining 80 players look to make the money at the top 48. Play is scheduled to kick off at 12:00 PM local time, and of course PokerNews will be on hand to bring you all the action and eliminations from the 2012 WSOP Europe Main Event.

Tags: Sergii Baranov