Day 1B of the European Poker Tour stop in San Remo, Italy, is in the books with several familiar faces atop the leaderboard.
After 320 players crowded into the Casino San Remo for the Day 1A proceedings, it was natural to expect that there would be an even bigger influx on Saturday. That proved to be the case as 477 players came out for Day 1B, creating a 797 player field that, although it is less than last year’s 837 runners, guarantees that the winner of the EPT San Remo will take down a million dollar payday (first place officially will pay €800,000).
While there was a sense of seriousness to the start of the day’s action, there was also a bit of levity, especially from the pros in the field. 2012 World Series of Poker Europe bracelet winner Jonathan Aguiar passed along a chuckle-inducing Tweet from the early going while detailing his start of day table. “EPT San Remo starting now with (Antonio) Esfandiari, (Sam) Trickett and (Martin) Staszko. Hilariously scared Stars.it online pro sitting between Trickett/Antonio.”
Aguiar wasn’t the only one with a difficult starting table. Former EPT San Remo champion Liv Boeree informed her Twitter followers, “Have John Duthie, Rupert Elder, Roberto Romanello and Dario Mineri at my table.” Adding in such top tournament players as Season Eight EPT Grand Final runner-up Lucille Cailly, Daniel Negreanu, Mike Watson, Alex Kravechenko, 2012 WSOP Championship Event sensation Gaelle Baumann, former World Champion Pius Heinz and defending champion Andrey Pateychuk and there wasn’t a soft seat in the arena.
The action was a bit slower on Saturday than its Friday counterpart as the players preferred to joust a bit with their stacks in an attempt to get to Day Two on Sunday. That wouldn’t mean that there wouldn’t be some notable dismissals. McLean Karr was one of these unfortunates as, from the hijack position, he opened the betting and saw the button three bet his move. After a call from the small blind and a Karr call, the threesome saw a 9-7-3 flop, which brought out the small blind with a bet and a call from Karr and the button.
A ten came on the turn, with the small blind ramping up the action with a pot-sized bet, and Karr moved all in. After the button folded, the small blind immediately made the call and tabled pocket tens for a turned set. Karr had him bested, however, with a J-8 for the turned straight. Having to fade only the case ten, a nine, seven or three, Karr saw his edge decimated with a seven on the river to give his opponent a full house and eliminate him from the tournament.
Karr wouldn’t be the only one who would experience some misfortune and depart the Casino San Remo earlier than expected. Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier would river a nut flush against Alfonso Donnarumma, only to see Donnarumma show a 5-3 that had worked its way into a full house against him. Faraz Jaka, Max Silver, Lex Veldhuis, Vanessa Rousso, Mineri and Esfandiari all would find the exit from the tournament and now are probably enjoying a Sunday of non-poker activities.
There will also be a new champion of the 2012 EPT San Remo as the defending champion departed the tournament late in the day. Pateychuk went to battle for a 100K+ chip pot with his opponent after he had flopped a Jack high straight on a 10-8-7 flop. He would get his remaining chips to the center on an innocent six turn card and Pateychuk’s opponent made the call with a Q-9 for a lesser straight. Cruelly, the river brought a Jack to give Pateychuk’s opponent the larger straight to the Queen and send the Russian to the proverbial showers.
By the time the action ended for the night, it was a familiar face atop the leaderboard with other notable names in pursuit:
1. Sam Trickett, 178,000
2. Alexander Roumeliotis, 166,100
3. Justin Bonomo, 152,200
4. Stefano Giarusso, 148,900
5. Christopher Brammer, 147,700
6. Shkoyan Tolik, 146,700
7. Artem Litvinov, 140,900
8. Kyle Julius, 138,600
9. Jonas Mackoff, 128,500
10. Chris Moneymaker, 125,300
Trickett surprisingly amassed his chips quietly throughout the day, although he would have a couple of big hands stand up. The same could be said as well for Bonomo and Moneymaker. Lurking under these men are such players as Andre Akkari, Jose ‘Nacho’ Barbero, Shaun Deeb, 2012 WSOP-E bracelet winner Roger Hairabedian, Cailly, Yevgeniy Timoshenko and JC Alvarado, all in the Top 20 from Day 1B.
Merging the two Day Ones together, Trickett will be the overall leader for Day Two:
1. Sam Trickett, 178,000
2. Alexander Roumeliotis, 166,100
3. Erion Islamay, 162,300*
4. Justin Bonomo, 152,200
5. Stefano Giarusso, 148,900
6. Christopher Brammer, 147,700
7. Shkoyan Tolik, 146,700
8. Michael Ferrell, 146,600*
9. Artem Litvinov, 140,900
10. Kyle Julius, 138,600
* – Day 1A players
Approximately 440 players started off Day Two this afternoon in Italy (early this morning in the United States), with the players looking to divvy up the €3.865 million prize pool among the final 120 players. It should be a fascinating battle as one of the most popular events on the tournament calendar, the EPT San Remo, works its way to a champion this Thursday.
