Action-Packed Day 2 of the $3,000 Mystery Bounty at EPT Cyprus

The excitement surrounding the $3,000 Mystery Bounty event at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa exploded on Day 2 of play, as the field of 305 players was cut down to just 15 hopefuls. The stakes were high and the atmosphere pulsated with energy, as players navigated through moments of exhilaration and tension typical of a major poker event.

Bubble Burst and Cashing Out

After an intense day of competition, the bubble finally burst when two players, Lukas Zaskodny and Fabian Schmidt, found themselves eliminated just before cashing in on their efforts. They both exited the tournament and split the min-cash, ensuring they would leave with a small payout rather than nothing. This moment highlighted the competitive nature of the event, as every player fought hard to make it into the money.

Chip Leaders Emerge

As the dust settled and the final 15 emerged, Uladzimir Zhyharau from Belarus held the commanding lead with 4,920,000 chips. Zhyharau started the day strong and maintained favor with a few key hands, including a double-up with pocket tens against Krum Polihronov, which led him to decimate his opponent’s stack late in the day. Consequently, he solidified his position with a solid run of pocket eights against Aren Bezhanyen.

Though Zhyharau encountered some bumps along the way, his performance could almost be deemed perfect, placing him in a prime position to achieve his largest cash ever in live tournament poker.

In close pursuit was Ryhor Karapanau, who pocketed 3,225,000 chips after demonstrating impressive skills towards the end of the day, culminating in busting a few players, including Konstantin Voronin and Henok Tekle. The intensity in the room heightened with every pot contested.

Rounding out the top three were Nicolae Paunescu with 3,020,000 chips and Marius Kudzmanas with 2,735,000 chips. Meanwhile, Matthias Lipp, already familiar with the Mystery Bounty prizes, completed the top five standings with 2,325,000 chips.

End of Day 2 Chip Counts

Here are the closing chip counts for the final 15 players at the end of Day 2 of the Mystery Bounty:

Mystery Bounty Madness

Mystery Bounty events offer unmatched excitement, as players hunt for bounties to multiply their buy-in. The tension escalated as Level 15 commenced, with the announcement of the bounty prizes. Three top prizes totaling $75,000 were earmarked for the lucky players who could eliminate opponents, alongside two $40,000 envelopes for lucky participants.

Alik Zazian was the first to claim a coveted $75,000 bounty during the bubble phase, a moment that marked him as a significant player despite ultimately finishing 116th for a payout of $3,400.

Just as the dinner break approached, Matthias Lipp stepped up to the bounty chest and stunned the room by pulling out a $75,000 prize. This became a highlight reel moment, with jubilation erupting from his supporters. In an incredible twist, Lipp reached into the chest a second time—this time revealing another top prize of $75,000. Lipp’s astounding luck had garnered him substantial winnings which overshadowed many competitors’ earnings.

Moreover, Stefan Uebber and Alessandro Pichierri each secured $40,000 prizes, while several other players also claimed lesser amounts, rounding out the bounty excitement.

Remaining Payouts and What’s Next?

With two-thirds of the prize pool of $1,509,072 already cashed out, Day 3 promises a fast-paced and action-packed environment as players chase the big one. They’ll commence with blinds at 25,000/50,000 and facing an average stack of over 30 big blinds, maintaining the potential for explosive gameplay.

Here’s a detailed look at the remaining payouts:

Day 3 action will resume at noon local time, with players determined to wipe out the competition and seize victory in this exhilarating Mystery Bounty series. Tune in to PokerNews for real-time updates as the remaining players battle it out for the crown on the final day.