Main Event Day 1e
Level 18: 6,000/12,000 (12,000)
Entries: 149/991
Prize Pool: €970,244

Before the floor even had the chance to announce hand-for-hand play, there were two all-in-and-call situations at two different tables.

First, at Table 10,Christou Christos open-shoved 100,000 on the dot from the Hi-jack. Renato Messina re-shoved for roughly 510,000 from the Small Blind, and the two of them were soon heads-up to the flop

Christou Christos: A♥6♥
Renato Messina: A♦J♦

It was looking very likely that Christos would become the bubble boy. Things weren’t looking any better on the Q♦9♠2♣ flop, but the 6♠ saw Christos being fileld to the brim with joy. The 2♦ didn’t see Messina reclaim the driver’s seat, and Christos managed to double up at this, to say the least, crucial moment.

All focus then switched to Table 20. There, Gareth Hamilton opened to 25,000 from the Hi-jack, and Tormod Ludvigsen defended his Big Blind. Ludvigsen check-called 25,000 from Hamilton on the 8♦3♥3♦ flop. Ludvigsen checked again on the 9♦ turn; Hamilton now forced his opponent all in for 67,000, and Ludvigsen snap-called.

Gareth Hamilton: A♥3♠
Tormod Ludvigsen: K♦Q♦

Ludvigsen was ahead with the flush, but, as we all know, poker can be a brutal game at times. The 9♠ river saw Hamilton improving to a full house, and Ludvigsen was eliminated in onehundred-fiftieth place. To make matters worse, tablemate Rasmus Lundström admitted to folding ace-three pre-flop.

With that, the remaining 149 players are now bagging their chips. They will return tomorrow at 19:00 when Day 2 commences, and they’re all in the money. The Day 1e flight was the biggest one so far with 991 entries, and it was under this flight the €700,000 guarantee was completely smashed (with some help from the still ongoing 1f turbo flight). With one more flight to go (1g, which starts tomorrow, May 31, at 10:00), it’s very likely the prize pool will exceed €1,000,000.

Thanks to everyone who’s been following along with today’s live coverage; stay tuned for the Day 1e chip counts.

Gareth Hamilton: 575,000
Renato Messina: 405,000
Christou Christos: 224,000
Tormod Ludvigsen: 0