That's it for Day 2 of the €50,000 Majestic High Roller at the 2012 World Series of Poker Europe. It was a long day on the felt resulting in another early-morning finish, but one that was very exciting. When things were all wrapped up, John Juanda led the pack with 2.596 million in chips.
Plenty of big names began the day still in contention for the title, and there were even a few late entrants. Both Phil Ivey and Jonathan Duhamel were two of the players to enter at the beginning of the day, and overall the field size grew to 60 total entries (49 players and 11 rebuys). Daniel Negreanu, Sam Trickett and Tony G were some of the others returning to action on Day 2.
All five of those players just mentioned failed to make to through to Day 3, which also meant they didn't make the money. After tallying up all the buy-ins, a prize pool of €2.88 was announced with €1 million going to the winner. The top eight spots were set to be paid.
As play closed in on the final table, Marvin Rettenmaier was eliminated in 12th place, Fabian Quoss in 11th place, then Scott Seiver in 10th place. The final nine players redrew to one table and were going to play it out until the bubble burst and just eight remained. There was a change of plans, though, and the players opted to stop at the end of Level 17. The schedule is to return tomorrow at 3:00 PM local time and play down to a winner.
After Richard Yong checked the flop, Steve O'Dwyer fired 90,000. John Juanda was next to act and called before Yong folded.
The river was the to pair the board, and O'Dwyer bet 150,000. Juanda counted out some raising chips and fired in 450,000. O'Dwyer tanked, then folded, and Juanda climbed up over 2.6 million.
Daniel Negreanu and John Juanda got all the money in on the flop with around 230,000 chips already in the middle. The pot was a massive one as Negreanu was all in on the flop for a little over 800,000 in chips. Juanda had him covered. Preflop, Juanda opened, Negreanu three-bet, and Juanda called.
Juanda held the for a flopped set of fours. Negreanu held the for an overpair of kings.
The turn was the and river the to give Juanda the huge pot and send Negreanu to the rail. Juanda moved to over two million in chips.
Tony G was just the victim of a massive cooler, as he was eliminated in a million-chip pot.
Scott Seiver gave us a summary of the hand right after Tony G left the tournament area. Richard Yong had raised preflop, Tony G three-bet and Yong called.
The flop brought and both players checked. On the turn the hit and Yong bet 100,000. Tony G moved all in and Yong called.
Showdown:
Richard Yong:
Tony G:
Tony G had outs, but the river was the . Right after being eliminated in this massive pot Tony G complimented Yong on his hand. He shook hands and left the room as we are down to just 16 players. There will be a complete redraw at this point.
Philipp Gruissem just won himself the comeback of the day award, and the day's not even over yet. Gruissem was down to just 18,000 chips when he managed to win three hands in a row to mount his stack back up to over 400,000.
On the first hand David Benefield raised under the gun to 33,000 and Gruissem called all in for 18,000. Daniel Negreanu was in the small blind and he moved all in, putting pressure on both Jani Sointula and David Benefield. Both folded.
Negreanu tabled , and Gruissem was looking for help with . The board ran out , and while Gruissem was already standing up he managed to hit a straight on the river.
On the next hand Gruissem moved all in under the gun for 80,000. Negreanu called from the button and showed . Gruissem was ahead as he showed . The board ran out , and Gruissem beat Negreanu again.
Moments later they were at it again. Negreanu raised to 35,000 and Gruissem moved all in for 194,000. Negreanu called with , and Gruissem showed . The board brought , and the German high stakes pro survived another hand. He's now close to the average stack again, while Negreanu remains near the top.
On back-to-back hands before the break, Philipp Gruissem's stack has been decimated down to just 25,000. The first he lost to David Benefield, and the second he lost to Tobias Reinkemeier. Here's what happened.
On the first hand, Benefield was all in preflop for 182,000 with the against Gruissem's . The board ran out to give Benefield the double up.
Then, Gruissem was involved in a three-way battle with Fabian Quoss and Reinkemeier on the flop. Gruissem was first and checked. That check was followed by a check from Quoss, and then Reinkemeier fired 54,000. Gruissem called, and Quoss folded.
The turn was the , and Gruissem checked. Reinkemeier bet larger this time and wagered 78,000. Gruissem stuck right there with him and made the call to see the river.
The completed the board, and Gruissem checked. Reinkemeier moved all in for his last 225,000, and Gruissem called after letting out a big sigh and looking back at his cards one last time.
Reinkemeier turned over the for a flopped set of sixes. Gruissem showed the for a flopped set of threes, but it was a losing set. He shipped over the chips to Reinkemeier and was left with just about 25,000. Reinkemeier saw his stack shoot up to 850,000.
Happy_Freaked
Roger Hairabedian didn't go to sleep just yet
Sam Trickett raised to 16,000 from the cutoff after which Winfred Yu folded his button. Roger Hairabedian sat in the small blind, and he gave Trickett a little speech before three-betting.
Hairabedian brought up the Partouche Poker Main Event final table the two played back in 2011. Hairabedian finished fifth for €230,000, and Trickett ended up winning the cool million for first. Apparently Trickett had bluffed the Frenchman on numerous occasions, and he hadn't forgotten about it. Hairabedian finally put out a three-bet to 44,000.
Trickett smiled and after some back and forth chat he four-bet to 100,000.
"If you speak then I speak," Hairabedian said. He quickly counted out another 200,000 chips and five-bet to 246,000 chips. Trickett went into the tank, and Hairabedian started talking.
"I dream of you every night! All of France was laughing at me, because you fight me," Hairabedian said as he raised his fist to show what a battle it was back at that final table. After about a minute Trickett folded, and Hairabedian showed the .
"I f***ing knew it!" Trickett yelled as he flipped up his .
"If you go all in, I go to sleep," Hairabedian smiled as he stacked his new chips. Trickett still has one of the biggest stacks in the room, but Hairabedian isn't far out.
From middle position, John Juanda raised to 14,000, and action folded to Tony G on the button. He reraised and made it 35,000 to go. Play folded back to Juanda, and he raised enough to put Tony G all in. After a few minutes of tanking, Tony G called to put himself at risk for 215,500 total.
Juanda held the , and he was up against the for Tony G.
"I had to go with my gut, I couldn't go against it," said Tony G.
The board ran out , which was in favor of Tony G and he won the pot to double up.
Justin Bonomo has had a lot of success in large buy-in tournaments, but he won't be adding another cash to his record here in the €50,000 Majestic High Roller as he was just eliminated by Daniel Negreanu.
Action passed around the table to Bonomo in the cutoff seat, and he raised to 10,000. Negreanu made the call from the small blind while everyone else folded. From there, the flop came down , and Negreanu checked. Bonomo fired 17,000, and Negreanu called.
On fourth street, the appeared and paired the board. Another check came from Negreanu before Bonomo bet 42,000. A minute passed, then Negreanu check-raised to 105,000. This sent Bonomo into the tank, and he thought for about two minutes before announcing that he was all in. The shove was for around 215,000 total, and Negreanu made the call.
Negreanu turned over the for trip eights to have Bonomo's on the ropes. The river landed with the , and Bonomo was eliminated. Negreanu climbed to over 700,000 in chips.
There are still 37 players remaning in the biggest buy-in event of this year's World Series of Poker Europe, and the re-buy period is not even over yet. During the first hour of the second day of play players can re-buy, and we are bound to see some crazy action.
Yesterday there were already quite a few players who re-bought like Tom Dwan, John Juanda and Marvin Rettenmaier. Juha Helppi busted on the first last hand of play, and he as well will pull out another €50,000 to enter this event. Juanda re-bought twice but eventually he had a very good day finishing as the chip leader with 538,000. Among the top stacks we also see Richard Yong, David Benefield and Tony G.
The goal today is to play down to a final table, and PokerNews will be right there to follow all the action! Play will resume at 4:00 PM local time.
flop, Steve O'Dwyer fired 90,000. John Juanda was next to act and called before Yong folded.
to pair the board, and O'Dwyer bet 150,000. Juanda counted out some raising chips and fired in 450,000. O'Dwyer tanked, then folded, and Juanda climbed up over 2.6 million.
flop with around 230,000 chips already in the middle. The pot was a massive one as Negreanu was all in on the flop for a little over 800,000 in chips. Juanda had him covered. Preflop, Juanda opened, Negreanu three-bet, and Juanda called.
for a flopped set of fours. Negreanu held the 
for an overpair of kings.
and river the 
to give Juanda the huge pot and send Negreanu to the rail. Juanda moved to over two million in chips.
and both players checked. On the turn the 
hit and Yong bet 100,000. Tony G moved all in and Yong called.
. Right after being eliminated in this massive pot Tony G complimented Yong on his hand. He shook hands and left the room as we are down to just 16 players. There will be a complete redraw at this point.
, and Gruissem was looking for help with 
, and while Gruissem was already standing up he managed to hit a straight on the river.
, and Gruissem beat Negreanu again.
, and Gruissem showed 
. The board brought 
against Gruissem's 
flop. Gruissem was first and checked. That check was followed by a check from Quoss, and then Reinkemeier fired 54,000. Gruissem called, and Quoss folded.
, and Gruissem checked. Reinkemeier bet larger this time and wagered 78,000. Gruissem stuck right there with him and made the call to see the river.
for a flopped set of threes, but it was a losing set. He shipped over the chips to Reinkemeier and was left with just about 25,000. Reinkemeier saw his stack shoot up to 850,000.
, and Negreanu checked. Bonomo fired 17,000, and Negreanu called.
appeared and paired the board. Another check came from Negreanu before Bonomo bet 42,000. A minute passed, then Negreanu check-raised to 105,000. This sent Bonomo into the tank, and he thought for about two minutes before announcing that he was all in. The shove was for around 215,000 total, and Negreanu made the call.
for trip eights to have Bonomo's 
