The PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus: A Glance at the Exciting $10,200 No Limit Hold’em Event
The thrill of high-stakes poker is alive and well at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus, hosted at the glorious Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa. Today marked the last high-stakes event of the series—the $10,200 No Limit Hold’em, setting the stage for an exhilarating showdown among some of the finest players in the game.
A Competitive Field
With 64 entrants taking their places at the tables, the event promised excitement from the get-go. The fast-paced structure kept players on their toes, and after ten intense levels, only 34 made it through to Day 2. As registration remains open until the start of play tomorrow, we can expect more skilled players to join in the battle for the coveted trophy, further intensifying the competition.
Leaders of the Pack
As the chips settled, Farid Jattin emerged as the chip leader, showcasing his strategic prowess by amassing a formidable stack of 477,000 chips. Close on his heels is the talented Adrian Mateos, boasting a stack of 425,000. Mateos, known for his stellar achievements in the poker world, continues to demonstrate why he is regarded as one of the best.
The top ten chip counts at the end of Day 1 are as follows:
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Farid Jattin | Colombia | 477,000 | 95 |
| 2 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | 425,000 | 85 |
| 3 | Nikita Kuznetsov | Russia | 406,000 | 81 |
| 4 | Mikalai Vaskaboinikau | Belarus | 364,000 | 73 |
| 5 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | 360,000 | 72 |
| 6 | Marius Kudzmanas | Lithuania | 286,000 | 57 |
| 7 | Simone Andrian | Italy | 286,000 | 57 |
| 8 | Gregoire Auzoux | France | 254,000 | 51 |
| 9 | Aren Bezhanyan | Armenia | 254,000 | 51 |
| 10 | Peng Chen | China | 250,000 | 50 |
Among these skilled competitors is Mikalai Vaskaboinikau, who is already celebrating a phenomenal run with a recent victory in the $50,000 Super High Roller, securing an impressive prize of $601,397. His sights are now set on clinching yet another title at the EPT.
Figure: Mikalai Vaskaboinikau
Rebuy Madness
Today’s event showcased the frenetic nature of tournament poker, evidenced by 14 re-entries as players fought hard for survival. The lively play was dominated by aggressive tactics from players like Hassan Nashar and Vladimir Korzinin, who each fired four bullets trying to navigate their way to a chip stack that would keep them in the game.
Nashar capitalized on his opportunities, quickly establishing a presence at the tables, while Korzinin found himself in a few precarious situations. For instance, facing off with Felipe Fontoura Ketzer, Nashar’s aggressive all-in with king-six against Ketzer’s king-jack suited ended in a spectacular flush, propelling him forward.
In contrast, Korzinin faced a challenging clash with Ren Lin in one of the day’s most significant pots. Although he enjoyed a favorable preflop position, Lin’s remarkable flop granted him the nut straight, forcing Korzinin back to the re-entry pile. Nevertheless, both players grabbed their bags at the end of the day, with Nashar ending up with 249,000 chips and Korzinin bagging 90,000 chips.
Looking Ahead
Action resumes on Sunday, October 20th, at noon local time, as the remaining players reconvene for Day 2, kicking off at Level 11 with blinds at 2,000/5,000 and a 5,000 big blind ante. The quest to find a victor will be filled with nail-biting moments, intense decisions, and calculated strategies as players vie for dominance at the felt.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be on-site, providing real-time updates and coverage of the event so fans can stay connected with every thrilling hand and monumental shift in chip counts. Make sure to follow along as the journey progresses towards crowning the champion of this prestigious series!
