Event #13: €10,350 Main Event NLH European Championship
Day 1a Completed
2023 WSOP Europe
Event #13: €10,350 Main Event NLH European Championship
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2023 WSOP Europe
Buy-in
€10,350
Prize Pool
€7,761,500
Entries
817
Level
34
Blinds
300,000 / 600,000
Ante
600,000
Entries
557
Players Left
360
Pora Bags Day 1a Lead of €10,350 Main Event NLH European Championship
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
The 2023 World Series of Poker Europe at King's Resort in Rozvadov saw its flagship event get off to a roaring start with 557 entrants participating in Day 1a of Event #13: €10,350 Main Event NLH European Championship. After seven levels of play, it was Dumitru Pora who lead the 360 remaining players after bagging an impressive 729,700.
The Romanian poker pro has had plenty of deep runs, including a runner-up finish in a GGPoker online bracelet event back in 2021. Pora, who bagged well over 100,000 more than his next closest opponent, is well and away best positioned to make a run at his first gold bracelet.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dumitru Pora | Romania | 729,700 | 456 |
| 2 | Axel Hallay | France | 577,000 | 361 |
| 3 | Keneshka Kabir | Germany | 509,000 | 318 |
| 4 | Eusebiu Jalba | Romania | 430,000 | 269 |
| 5 | Francisco Benitez | Italy | 429,900 | 269 |
| 6 | Leon Sturm | Germany | 429,700 | 269 |
| 7 | Fabian Gumz | Germany | 402,600 | 252 |
| 8 | Martin Ilavsky | Slovakia | 383,300 | 240 |
| 9 | Stephen Chidwick | United Kingdom | 378,900 | 237 |
| 10 | Danilo Velasevic | Serbia | 363,000 | 227 |
Day 1a Action
Day 1a started off strong with 192 players taking their seats before the clock had begun. Plenty of notables filled the field in the early going, including Daniel Rezaei (303,800), Dario Sammartino (246,600), Ole Schemion (232,700), Viktor Blom (228,200), and Barny Boatman (56,900), to name a few.
Mahsum Aslan (176,200) was among the chip leaders early after flopping a set against top pair and doubling up. Also benefitting from a set early on was 2022 WSOP Ladies Event Champion, Jessica Teusl, who ended the day with 255,900.
Arturo Paduano had a stellar showing and secured 302,000 for Day 2 by the end of play. Paduano remained active and aggressive throughout the day, including a hand where Paduano claimed to bluff James Chen out of a large pot.
It wasn't smooth sailing for everyone, of course. Zlatin Penev's Day 1a run came to an unceremonious end after he turned top set but ran into Vladimir Olesnan's Broadway straight.
Defending champion Omar Eljach got off to a hot start, but lost the majority of his chips after running queens into Schemion's aces. Eljach was unable to build any momentum following the collision and busted out late in the day.
Other less fortunate players who were eliminated include Roland Israelashvili, Jerry Odeen, Jonathan Pastore, Nacho Barbero, and Ben Heath. All players who were knocked out can still reenter a single time should they choose.
Day 1b is scheduled to begin on November 11 at 12 p.m. local time. Fewer players are expected to enter compared to Day 1a, but a new record of at least 764 entries is within striking distance. The guaranteed prize pool of €5,000,000 has already risen to €5,291,500 and will continue to grow through the late-registration period, which doesn't end until the start of Level 13 on Day 2.
Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring you all the Main Event action leading to the next World Series of Poker Europe champion right here at King's Resort in Rozvadov.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
729,700 | -30,300 |
|
577,000 | 107,000 |
|
509,000 | 509,000 |
|
430,000 | 10,000 |
|
429,900 | 29,900 |
|
429,700 | 9,700 |
|
402,600 | 272,600 |
|
383,300 | -33,900 |
|
378,900 | 62,900 |
|
363,000 | 277,000 |
|
360,500 | 360,500 |
|
351,000 | 61,000 |
|
345,000 | 345,000 |
|
330,500 | 100,500 |
|
330,300 | 140,300 |
|
329,000 | -11,000 |
|
320,900 | 320,900 |
|
318,000 | -2,000 |
|
310,900 | 135,900 |
|
306,800 | 146,100 |
|
303,800 | -16,200 |
|
302,000 | -72,200 |
|
299,500 | 119,500 |
|
297,000 | 157,000 |
|
288,600 | 76,600 |
Day 1a Concludes
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Day 1a has ended with 360 players remaining out of 557 who entered over the course of the flight.
Stay tuned for full chip counts and a recap of the day's action.
Rutter Makes a "Ballsy Bluff" on Kabrhel
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Martin Kabrhel raised to 2,600 on the button before Stuart Rutter three-bet to 10,000 in the small blind.
"What's your name," Kabrhel asked.
"Stuart," Rutter replied.
"A very good name," Kabrhel said as he called to see the 2♣4♦7♠ flop. Rutter then continued for 12,000 and Kabrhel raised to 24,000.
"Seat open, Table #94," Kabrhel called out as he pretended to move all his chips in the middle while Rutter considered the decision.
Rutter came back with a reraise to 55,000. "Fifty-five, why? I told you don't do anything stupid, remember," Kabrhel said.
"I remember," Rutter replied.
"Set? No set? You promise," Kabrhel again asked as he called. "Good luck, Stuart," he said heading to the 9♣ turn.
Rutter then bet 40,000 and Kabrhel folded. Rutter showed him A♠8♠ for a bluff to a round of "oohs" from the other players at the table.
"You made a ballsy bluff," Kabrhel told him.
"You made a ballsy call on the flop," Rutter replied.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
260,000 | 122,000 |
|
50,000 | -60,000 |
Bejjani Makes a Big Call
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
With two players seeing a board of A♣Q♦8♠9♥ and roughly 80,000 in the middle, Arturo Paduano moved all in from middle position, covering Kamal Bejjani in the cutoff who had just under 80,000 behind.
Bejjani went into the tank for a few minutes before finding the call to put himself at risk.
Kamal Bejjani: A♦5♣
Arturo Paduano: Q♠4♠
Despite the weak kicker Bejjani was ahead with top pair and remained ahead on the 9♦ river to secure an important double up in the final few hands of the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
374,200 | -120,800 |
|
240,000 | 240,000 |
Five More Hands
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Tournament officials drew five more hands that players will see tonight before bagging up for Day 2.
Thiemer Gets Aces in Late-Night Three-Way All In
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Mohamed El Bakkali moved all in for around 25,000 under the gun before Frederik Thiemer reshoved for 37,100 in the hijack. Wladimir Gerner called on the button to put both players at risk.
Mohamed El Bakkali: A♥K♣
Frederik Thiemer: A♣A♠
Wladimir Gerner: K♥Q♦
Thiemer was ahead with his aces as the flop came [Qc10c10s, giving El Bakkali a straight draw. The 5♣ turn was no threat to Thiemer's aces, while the 8♦ fell on the river and Thiemer busted El Bakkali while doubling up off Gerner.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
100,000 | 100,000 |
|
25,000 | 25,000 |
|
Busted |
Kabrhel Berates Madanzhiev on Elimination
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Martin Kabrhel was in the big blind and was determined to defend no matter what cost putting 30,000 worth of chips on each of his cards to ward off any other players.
It worked until Hacine Chatteur on the button raised to 5,500. Stoyan Madanzhiev in the small blind moved all in for 42,000 and Kabrhel looked at the Bulgarian with disdain for the audacity to shove on his big blind. Kabrhel reluctantly folded and Chatteur called.
Stoyan Madanzhiev: A♠Q♥
Hacine Chatteur: A♦K♦
"Bad play!" shouted Kabrhel when Madanzhiev turned his hand over. The dealer fanned 7♠4♠3♠ and Kabrhel quipped "Great Play!" as the Bulgarian picked up a flush draw. But the board ran out 9♣2♦ and Kabrhel flipped again saying "Terrible play, goodbye, seat open!" and picked Madanzhiev's hand and threw it into the muck. Chatteur took in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
417,200 | 88,200 |
|
138,000 | 138,000 |
|
|
110,000 | 30,000 |
|
Busted |
Brewer Takes on the Chip Leader Twice
Level 7
: Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante
Chris Brewer raised to 2,600 in the hijack before Dumitru Pora three-bet to 10,000 on the button.
Brewer called and they went heads-up to the J♦5♠10♠ flop. Action was checked to the 7♠ turn, where Brewer led out for 15,000.
Pora called and the 3♦ fell on the river. Brewer then bet another 35,000 and Pora gave up his hand.
The next hand, Brewer again raised to 2,600 and Pora just called this time. The flop came 6♦3♣3♠ and Brewer continued for 6,000.
Pora called and the 5♣ fell on the turn. Brewer checked over to Pora, who bet 5,500.
Brewer called to the K♠ river, where both players quickly checked. Brewer showed A♠9♣, but Pora had A♦10♦ and his ten-kicker was enough to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
760,000 | 10,000 |
|
140,000 | 30,000 |