Event #13: €10,350 Main Event NLH European Championship Day 1a | 2023 WSOP Europe

11-10-2023 21:11 UTC+1

Ilavsky Hero Calls to Grab Huge Double Up from Madanzhiev

Chris Bean

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With around 80,000 in the middle on the completed board of 8♥7♣2♠4♠8♣, Stoyan Madanzhiev shoved all in from the cutoff to put Martin Ilavsky in middle position at risk for 124,700.

Ilavsky looked sick to the stomach at the thought of deciding to call or fold. After two minutes in the tank, he made the call. Madanzhiev only had ace-high after tabling [ac3], to the relief of Ilavsky who made the hero call with 10♣10♠ to take down a monster pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Martin Ilavsky	329,000
Stoyan Madanzhiev	18,700 191,300	191,300

Tags: Martin Ilavsky Stoyan Madanzhiev

11-10-2023 21:05 UTC+1

Franco Snaps Off Heath With a Boat

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Sonny Franco raised to 1,600 under the gun and received three callers, including Ben Heath in the cutoff.

The flop came 2♦9♦10♠ and Franco continued for 5,000. Only Heath called to see the 10♥ turn.

Franco slowed down and checked, and Heath bet 8,000. Franco called and the 6♥ fell on the river.

He checked again, and Heath bet 40,000 this time. Franco snap-called and showed 2♠2♣ for a flopped set that improved to a full house on the turn. Heath's Ax10x quickly hit the muck as Franco took the big pot off the British high roller.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sonny Franco	170,000
Ben Heath	45,000 60,000	60,000

Tags: Ben Heath Sonny Franco

11-10-2023 21:01 UTC+1

Chidwick Forces a Fold

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With two players seeing a board of 6♥4♦Q♣4♠ and roughly 12,500 in the middle, Stephen Chidwick bet 4,000 from under the gun and Jean Gessis made the call from the cutoff.

On the 2♠ river Chidiwick sized up with a bet of 18,000 and this time Gessis opted to fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jean Gessis	280,200 280,200	280,200
Stephen Chidwick	51,000 4,000	4,000

Tags: Jean Gessis Stephen Chidwick

11-10-2023 21:01 UTC+1

Holtackers Four-Bet Commands Respect

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Chris Bean

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Vito Vella bet 2,000 from early position and was called by Michal Nahlik and Aaron Duczak, both in middle position. Maria Lampropulos raised 9,000 from the hijack.

Djordi Holtackers made it 28,000 from the small blind and got quick folds from Vella, Nahlik and Duczak. Lampropulos took her time before letting go of their hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vito Vella	202,000
Djordi Holtackers	142,000
Maria Lampropulos	112,000
Aaron Duczak	80,100
Michal Nahlik	19,000

Tags: Aaron Duczak Maria Lampropulos Michal Nahlik Vito Vella

11-10-2023 20:56 UTC+1

Liu Wins With Ladies

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Dan O'Hair

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With several thousand already in the middle, it appeared Wing Po Liu check-raised from early position to 30,000 total on a 6♣10♥8♥ flop and was called by Ruslan Volkov.

Liu and Volkov checked down on the 7♣ turn and K♦ river and Po turned over Q♣Q♦. Volkov showed A♥5♥ for busted flush and straight draws and Po dragged the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ruslan Volkov	170,000 170,000	170,000
Wing Po Liu	120,000 120,000	120,000

Tags: Ruslan Volkov Wing Po Liu

11-10-2023 20:56 UTC+1

Updated Chip Counts

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Besmir Hodaj	245,000 245,000	245,000
Johan Guilbert	230,000 10,000	10,000

Francisco Benitez	220,000 220,000	220,000
Jessica Teusl	210,000 35,000	35,000

Viktor Blom	190,000 30,000	30,000
Andrea Radicchi	180,000 40,000	40,000
Yulian Bogdanov	180,000 180,000	180,000

Timothy Adams	150,000 20,000	20,000

Leon Sturm	150,000 10,000	10,000

Roman Hrabec	140,000 140,000	140,000

Paul Hoefer	140,000 140,000	140,000

Fabio Peluso	130,000 5,000	5,000

Daniel Smiljkovic	125,000 30,000	30,000

Alexandre Reard	110,000 20,000	20,000

Ben Heath	105,000

Vivian Saliba	85,000 10,000	10,000

Mihai Niste	80,000 80,000	80,000
Alexandros Kolonias	45,000 39,000	39,000

James Chen	Busted

Selahaddin Bedir	Busted

11-10-2023 20:46 UTC+1

Eljach Battles Schemion in Six-Bet Pot

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Ryan Lashmar

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Omar Eljach opened to 1,800 from the cutoff and Rachid El Yaacoubi made the call in the small blind before Ole Schemion three-bet to 9,500 from the big blind. Eljach four-bet to 21,000 and El Yaacoubi got out of the way. Schemion clicked it back to 35,500 before Eljach six-bet shoved, covering Schemion who began the hand with roughly 95,000. Schemion made the call and was at risk.

Ole Schemion: A♦A♥
Omar Eljach: Q♣Q♠

Schemion's aces remained ahead on the 2♦2♠3♦8♥5♣ runout and he secured a massive double up while making a serious dent in Eljach's stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ole Schemion	195,000 155,000	155,000

Rachid El Yaacoubi	119,800 119,800	119,800
Omar Eljach	54,000 121,000	121,000

Tags: Ole Schemion Omar Eljach Rachid El Yaacoubi

11-10-2023 20:44 UTC+1

Shahni Fires the River in Four-Bet Pot

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

According to the table, Ali Shahni four-bet to 15,000 in the hijack and Paal Vermundsdammen called in middle position.

The flop came A♥9♥5♣ and Shahni bet 11,000. Vermundsdammen called again and both players checked through the 9♠ turn.

Vermundsdammen also checked the 3♦ river and Shahni bet another 21,000. Vermundsdammen gave it some thought before folding.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ali Shahni	160,000
Paal Vermundsdammen	70,000

Tags: Ali Shahni Paal Vermundsdammen

11-10-2023 20:34 UTC+1

Smolka Runs Into Maugini's Aces

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David Salituro

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With around 20,000 in the pot on a board of 2♥3♦K♠10♦, Dawid Smolka bet 13,000 from the cutoff and Vittorio Maugini called in the hijack.

The river came the 10♥ and Smolka tossed out a blue 25,000 chip. Maugini instantly called and Smolka turned over K♦J♣ for two pair.

Maugini, though, had A♣A♥ to take the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Vittorio Maugini	180,000 95,000	95,000
Dawid Smolka	80,000 50,000	50,000
Adrian Mateos	45,000 23,000	23,000

Tags: Dawid Smolka Vittorio Maugini

11-10-2023 20:31 UTC+1

Meladze's Huge Over Bet Gets Paid

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Chris Bean

Level 5 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

With only 20,000 in the middle on the completed board of J♣8♥3♣10♠K♦, Merab Meladze bet 70,000 from the big blind, which put Giuliano Bendinelli in the blender for a couple of minutes.

Alex Peffly and Fabian Rolli were stunned with the drama developing on the table, with Peffly telling a PokerNews reporter "It is as bonkers as it looks!"

Bendinelli ended up making the call and was despondent to see Meladze had the stone-cold nuts with A♠Q♥ to make Broadway. Meladze has been creating huge pots all day, and PokerNews will be keeping a close eye on his table.

Player	Chips	Progress
Merab Meladze	160,000 95,600	95,600
Giuliano Bendinelli	27,800 92,200	92,200

Tags: Alex Peffly Fabian Rolli Giuliano Bendinelli Merab Meladze