Day 1B of the European Poker Tour (EPT) London Main Event wrapped up Monday and, as expected the tournament room swelled as almost twice as many players were seated for the second starting flight as were in the first. After 236 players registered for Day 1A, 411 signed up for Day 1B, bringing the two-day total to 647 runners. Spain’s Sergio Aido soared to the front Monday, handily outpacing not only the 215 other survivors from his flight, but also the 131 from the previous day. His 215,200 chips are 51,700 – almost a third – more than his closest competitor.
Aido has been on quite a role lately. At this same venue, the Grosvenor Victoria Casino, he just won the UKIPT Main Event Saturday, banking £144,555 ($217,530) after defeating 1,098 other players. He also agreed to a chop in £1,000 side event Friday night. Should he continue his run in the EPT London Main Event, it will make an already lucrative visit to the UK even better.
Aido also emerged victorious in the World Poker Tour (WPT) National Series Barcelona Main Event this past October, cashing for €88,500 ($115,240).
The top fifteen percent of the field (well, 96, which is one off that mark) will earn a paycheck in this tournament, with payouts starting at £8,000. The really serious money doesn’t start until about the final table, with eighth place making £57,000. The top six will receive checks in the six-figure range, while the champion will win £700,000.
Some of the notables that made it through Day 1B include Chris Moorman (159,800 chips), Adam Levy (127,800), Surinder Sunar (112,100), Viktor “Isildur1” Blom (111,300), Peter Jetten (109,500), Ilari Sahamies (106,200), Mike “timex” McDonald (95,800), David Williams (92,200), Lex Veldhuis (91,100), Barry Greenstein (79,900), Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier (65,500), JP Kelly (59,700), Jason Mercier (58,300), Marcel Luske (46,800), Juha Helppi (45,900), Vicky Coren (43,200), Isaac Haxton (21,400), Gus Hansen (11,300), and Dan O’Brien (9,900).
Others of interest who were unable to make it to Day 2 were Daniel Negreanu, Vanessa Rousso, Joe Cada, Justin Bonomo, Olivier Busquet, Victor Ramdin, and Paul Volpe.
Play has already begun on Day 2 at EPT London as the 347 remaining players grind their way towards the money. The money bubble is not likely to be hit today, as expectations are to play through six 90-minute levels before calling it a night.
European Poker Tour London Main Event – Day 1B Chip Leaders
Sergio Aido – 215,200
Chris Moorman – 159,800
Bassel Moussa – 146,900
Paul Berende – 135,000
Timo Pfutzenreuter – 134,600
Christopher Frank – 133,500
Stefan Olofsson – 132,400
Adam Levy – 127,800
Hiren Patel – 125,700
Vojtech Ruzicka – 122,300
European Poker Tour London Main Event – Overall Day 1 Chip Leaders
Sergio Aido – 215,200
Marc-Andre Ladouceur – 163,500
Adria Maria Balaguer – 160,000
Chris Moorman – 159,800
Bassel Moussa – 146,900
Antonio Matias – 141,000
Timothy Davie – 136,800
Paul Berende – 135,000
Timo Pfutzenreuter – 134,600
Christopher Frank – 133,500
