Event #5: €5,300 WSOPE Main Event NLHE European Championship Day 1a | 2026 WSOP Europe

Event #5: €5,300 WSOPE Main Event NLHE European Championship

Day 1a Completed

04-04-2026 01:41 UTC+2

Boika Bags the Chip Lead in WSOP Europe Main Event Day 1a

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Calum Grant

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

After the first ten levels of the 2026 WSOP Europe Main Event, EPT champion Aliaksei Boika topped the 336 players who bagged chips when play wrapped up inside King's Casino at Hilton Prague.

Boika, who has more than $2 million in WSOP earnings, was one of just two players to surpass the 400,000 mark, finishing the night with 424,500. Daan Mulders was the only other player to cross that threshold, bagging 416,500.

Two-time WSOP bracelet winners Antonio Galiana and Yuliyan Kolev also secured top-ten stacks, while perhaps the most recognizable name among the leaders was Erick Lindgren, who also owns two WSOP bracelets.

Through the opening stage of the event, 803 entries have already been recorded in the series’ marquee tournament, with players chasing a share of the €10 million guaranteed prize pool. With more flights still to come, that figure looks certain to be surpassed, and the record field of 817 entries, set in 2023, is undoubtedly under threat.

The reduced €5,300 buy-in has played a major role in boosting turnout, while the move to Prague — the historic City of Spires — has made the event far more accessible to international players.

WSOPE Main Event Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts

Rank	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
1	Aliaksei Boika	Belarus	424,500	212
2	Daan Mulders	Netherlands	416,500	208
3	Antonio Galiana	Spain	399,000	200
4	Niklas Deitmer	Germany	398,000	199
5	Sooraj Sairam	India	385,500	193
6	Georgios Zisimopoulos	Greece	368,000	184
7	Yuliyan Kolev	Bulgaria	366,000	183
8	Erick Lindgren	United States	356,500	178
9	Aleksandar Kozomara	Montenegro	354,000	177
10	Mahersh Selvakumaran	Netherlands	353,000	177

How the Day Started

Before cards were in the air, Annette Obrestad, the first-ever WSOPE Main Event winner and still the youngest bracelet winner in WSOP history, was given the honor of delivering the traditional "Shuffle up and deal."

Obrestad, who returned to the felt in December after an eight-and-a-half-year break, said she was thrilled to be back on one of poker’s biggest stages.

https://twitter.com/WSOP/status/2040011650485403833

"Just being here and being able to play again, it's going to be so awesome. Thank you to the WSOP for flying me out and giving me this chance again," Obrestad told a packed room. "Good luck everybody, except for when you're playing against me of course. Let's just get this party started, shuffle up and deal!"

Despite taking a hiatus from poker, Obrestad proved she could still hang, and navigated the opening ten levels, finishing the session with 189,000, putting her in the top third of survivors.

Kings Cracked for First KO

Weijiang Hu was the unfortunate soul to be take the "First Eliminated Player" title.

His pocket kings were cracked by the flopped set of threes that belonged to Evan Muschetto. The latter put in a check-raise on a 9-5-3 flop, which Hu called.

After Muschetto continued firing on a brick turn, Hu jammed for just under starting stack and quickly saw the bad news.

There was no saving grace on the river for Hu and his cowboys were sent into the muck.

Flopped Quads in Five-Bet Pot

Pocket kings appeared to be the unlucky hand in the opening levels, and Frederik Reinert found that out in fairly amusing fashion.

After his five-bet was called by Kasparas Klezys, the chips piled in on a J-7-7 flop.

Reinart turned over his overpair but was basically drawing dead as Klezys held the other two sevens in his hand.

A king on the turn brought on the prospect of one of the worst beats imaginable, but Klezys survived to get back to starting stack.

Reinert (79,000) and Klezys (91,500) did both manage to make over the first hurdle, so at least both players have an enjoyable Day 1a anecdote.

Kabrhel Raises Eyebrows

As expected, a part of the day became the Martin Kabrhel show, but not everyone appeared pleased with the five-time bracelet winner's antics.

https://twitter.com/audavidb/status/2039813373525709210

David "ODB" Baker, a four-time bracelet winner with nearly $10 million in The Hendon Mob cashes, seems to be at wits end with Kabrhel.

Baker tweeted that Kabrhel has been "screaming every 2 minutes," which has led to player complaints and the floor managers to issue warnings.

"ODB's" sentiments have been shared by many others, including Texas poker player Kimberly Stone who called for the WSOP to "please put him on official warning and start issuing immediate punishment."

Main Event players can expect more of the same tomorrow, as Kabrhel burned through several bullets, failing to find an end of night bag.

Plan for Day 1b

Day 1b begins at noon local time, and like Day 1a, players must make it through ten 60-minute levels to bag chips for Day 2. Each player is given a 60,000 starting, and blinds start at 100/200 and a 200 big blind ante.

Late registration remains open throughout the flights and will close at the end of Level 12, two levels into Day 2. Players are allowed up to two reentries per flight.

Main Event Remaining Schedule

Day	Date	Time	Blind Levels
1b	April 4	12 p.m.	60 minutes
1c	April 5	12 p.m.	60 minutes
2	April 6	12 p.m.	90 minutes
3	April 7	12 p.m.	90 minutes
4	April 8	12 p.m.	90 minutes
5	April 9	12 p.m.	90 minutes
6	April 10	12 p.m.	90 minutes

As always, stay tuned to PokerNews to keep up with all the action from the 2026 WSOP Europe festival.

Tags: Aleksandar Kozomara Aliaksei Boika Annette Obrestad Antonio Galiana Big Blinds Daan Mulders Erick Lindgren Evan Muschetto Frederik Reinert Georgios Zisimopoulos Hilton Prague Kasparas Klezys Kimberly Stone Mahersh Selvakumaran Martin Kabrhel Niklas Deitmer Weijiang Hu Yuliyan Kolev

04-04-2026 01:41 UTC+2

End of Day 1a Chip Counts (full)

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Calum Grant

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Aliaksei Boika	424,500 424,500	424,500

Daan Mulders	416,500 69,500	69,500
Antonio Galiana	399,000 49,000	49,000

Niklas Deitmer	398,000 344,000	344,000
Sooraj Sairam	385,500 195,500	195,500
Georgios Zisimopoulos	368,000 43,000	43,000
Yuliyan Kolev	366,000 74,500	74,500

Erick Lindgren	356,500 150,500	150,500

Aleksandar Kozomara	354,000 33,000	33,000
Mahersh Selvakumaran	353,000 193,000	193,000
Frank Cucchiara	348,000 348,000	348,000
Yuxi Huang	336,500 110,500	110,500

Neville Costa	324,000 5,000	5,000
Elvis Petcu	320,000 160,000	160,000
Mauricio Sanchez	307,000 307,000	307,000
Antal Mezei	299,500 126,900	126,900
Nicholas Seward	297,500 45,000	45,000

Alex Anton	295,000 295,000	295,000
Ki Young Kim	292,500 292,500	292,500
Nacho Barbero	289,500 289,500	289,500

Joris Ruijs	287,500 287,500	287,500
Virgile Turchi	283,500 168,500	168,500
Kasperi Ilkka	282,500 45,500	45,500
Vadzim Godzdanker	282,000 118,000	118,000
Nazar Buhaiov	276,000 276,000	276,000

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04-04-2026 00:39 UTC+2

Day 1a Closes

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Calum Grant

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Day 1a of the WSOP Europe Main Event has come to a close, with 336 entries remaining from initial 803.

Full chip counts and end of day recap to follow shortly.

04-04-2026 00:26 UTC+2

Final Four Hands

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Maxime Taldir

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

The clock has been stopped. Four more hands will be played tonight before wrapping up.

04-04-2026 00:23 UTC+2

Zeiter Runs Into Aces

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Maxime Taldir

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Diego Zeiter in middle position was all-in and at risk for roughly 45,000 against John Ishak in the small blind.

Diego Zeiter: Q♠Q♥ All in
John Ishak: A♠A♣

A board of 6♦3♣K♣4♦5♥ changed nothing and Zeiter was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Ishak	135,000 135,000	135,000
Diego Zeiter	Busted

Tags: Diego Zeiter John Ishak

04-04-2026 00:22 UTC+2

Small Cameo for Wantman

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Calum Grant

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Bradley Boldt opened to 3,000 from the hijack. Matthew Wantman, who recently entered, jammed for the 60,000 starting stack from the big blind. Boldt called off his stack of 57,000.

Bradley Boldt: KxKx All in
Matthew Wantman: 7x7x

Boldt's kings remained best following the J♠8♠6♣6♦5♥ runout, to leave Wantman on fumes.

On the next deal, Neel Joshi made it 4,000 from under the gun. Wantman put in his last 3,000 from the small blind before Fyodor Shatokhin called from the big blind.

Shatokhin check-called for 2,500 on the A♠9♠9♦ flop before the 10♣ turn and 9♥ river checked through to showdown.

Matthew Wantman: Q♦10♥ All in
Neel Joshi: A♠Q♥
Fyodor Shatokhin: A♦8♦

Joshi and Shatokhin both had the same full house, and each take half of Wantman's last few chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Fyodor Shatokhin	200,000 200,000	200,000
Bradley Boldt	120,000 120,000	120,000
Neel Joshi	80,000 80,000	80,000
Matthew Wantman	Busted

Tags: Bradley Boldt Fyodor Shatokhin Matthew Wantman Neel Joshi

04-04-2026 00:18 UTC+2

Butuc Folds Out Neugebauer

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Calum Grant

Level 10 : Blinds 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

Max Neugebauer opened to 4,500 from middle position. It folded to Gheorghe Butuc, who was in the small blind. He was unaware of the raise, and announced "5,500." He was informed that there had already been action., and he was forced to just call. The big blind folded.

Butuc check-called for 3,000 on the A♠7♥4♥ flop before the 7♦ turn checked through to the 6♣ river. Butuc fired out 18,000 and Neugebauer quickly folded.