Day 1 of the PokerStars European Poker Tour: A Thrilling Start to the $3,000 Mystery Bounty
The excitement is palpable as the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) continues its exploration of Cyprus with the highly anticipated $3,000 Mystery Bounty event. Kicking off the action on Day 1 at the luxurious Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, this tournament attracted an impressive 779 entries. After a full day of poker, the field has been narrowed down to 184 players, all vying for a chance not just to win the tournament, but also to claim lucrative bounty prizes.
Uladzimir Zhyharau: Chip Leader Emerges
Leading the pack is Uladzimir Zhyharau, who has skillfully built a chip stack of 368,000 over the first 14 levels of play. Zhyharau, hailing from Belarus, is no stranger to poker competition; he had previously finished 252nd in the $1,100 Eureka Main Event. His lifetime earnings in live tournaments stand impressively at $262,973, and he is determined to add to that figure with a strong performance in Cyprus.
Close on Zhyharau’s heels is Mohammad Kartomi from Jordan, who has secured 360,000 chips. Despite being a relative unknown in the professional poker scene, Kartomi is eager to make a name for himself by clinching his first EPT title and gathering significant bounty rewards.
Not far behind, Karen Nazarian from Russia rounds off the podium with a robust stack of 349,500. Like Zhyharau, Nazarian previously cashed in the Eureka Main Event, picking up $2,900, and has had a successful series thus far, including a $7,600 payday from the $2,200 Eureka High Roller.
Top 10 Chip Counts After Day 1
- Uladzimir Zhyharau (Belarus) – 368,000
- Mohammad Kartomi (Jordan) – 360,000
- Karen Nazarian (Russia) – 349,500
- Lukas Zaskodny (Czech Republic) – 321,500
- Morten Klein (Norway) – 320,500
- Stoyan Obreshkov (Bulgaria) – 309,500
- Nenad Dukic (Croatia) – 303,000
- Georges Sultanem (Lebanon) – 296,000
- Matthias Lipp (Austria) – 290,000
- Aleksandr Kirichenko (Russia) – 285,000
Notable Day 1 Actions
The fabric of poker is often woven from moments of great triumph and unexpected defeat. In this inaugural day, Morten Klein experienced a significant surge in his chip total toward the end, thanks to a crucial pot where he bested Moussa Thibaut in a high-stakes confrontation. Klein’s full house held strong against Thibaut’s busted flush draw, catapulting Klein’s stack to around 300,000, landing him comfortably in fifth place.
In another intense skirmish, Georgy Komarov showcased his skills as he outplayed Aliaksandr Yarosh, whose pocket kings were no match for Komarov’s pocket aces. Komarov walked away with 256,000 chips, while Yarosh managed to regroup and return with 228,500.
Konstantin Voronin maintained a steady pace throughout the day, deploying successful strategies that allowed him to accumulate 240,000 chips by the end of play. He proved adept at winning critical flips, which kept him firmly in contention.
A Shuffle for Survival
As is customary in tournament poker, Day 1 witnessed the exit of several well-known players. Among those eliminated were PokerStars Ambassadors Fintan Hand and Ramon Colillas, both of whom were unable to make a strong enough stand. French professional Thomas Eychenne and online gaming titan Felipe Ketzer also could not secure their fates. Newly-crowned Eureka Main Event champion Leo Worthington-Leese, although making an appearance, will need to register promptly before 12:30 p.m. on Day 2 if he hopes to continue his tenure in the event.
Moving Forward to Day 2
With Day 2 on the horizon, the action resumes right at the start of Level 15, where blinds are set to 1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 big blind ante. Each level will last 40 minutes, and the excitement of the mystery bounty tokens is expected to amplify the stakes from the get-go. Players will be hunting for both chip accumulation and beneficial bounties, intensifying the competitive atmosphere.
As the players gear up for battle once again, all eyes are on the notable names still in contention, as well as the newcomers eager to disrupt the status quo. Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates and insights as we continue to follow the thrilling chase for victory and the substantial bounty pulls here in Northern Cyprus.
