Event #2: €550 Pot-Limit Omaha

The first of two starting days of the 2017 World Series of Poker Europe €550 Pot-Limit Omaha Event #2 at the King's Casino in Rozvadov exceeded the expectations in Europe's biggest poker arena and a total of 217 entries emerged. After 18 levels of 30 minutes each, only 13 hopefuls bagged up chips and advanced to Day 2 on Wednesday October 24th as of 1 p.m. local time while all others can take another shot on Day 1b as of 2 p.m. local time the day prior.

Leading the field of 13 Day 1a survivors is Fahredin Mustafov, who already made the headlines a few days ago at King's Casino after winning a WSOP circuit ring for his victory in the €5,300 High Roller. Mustafov bagged up 490,000 after a massive clash with Brazilian Omaha cash game specialist Vivian Saliba, who will return for Day 2 with just 21,000 as a result. Nico Ehlers follows in second place with 272,000 followed by Marek Tatar (241,000) and Krzysztof Magott (226,000).

Other notables through to Day 2 include Ivo Donev (179,000), James Akenhead (129,000), 2017 WSOP Bracelet winner Joseph Di Rosa Rojas (81,000), Sander van Wesemael (68,000) and two-time WSOP bracelet winner Brandon Cantu (51,500).

Defending champion Barny Boatman (16th, for €1,032), Felipe Ramos (15th, for €1,032) and Pierre Neuville (14th, for €1,221) reached the last two tables, but were eliminated before bagging and tagging. Out of the collected prize pool of €104,105, 20 players were already paid for a total of €17,653 while €86,452 will go towards a separate prize pool for all players that reach Day 2.

Payouts of Day 1a

The first eight levels allowed for unlimited re-entries and many of the participants took advantage of that with 90 stacks fired before everyone headed into the dinner break. Once play resumed, the likes of Mike Leah, Phil Hellmuth, John Racener, Roberto Romanello, Jeff Lisandro, and Ryan Hughes were sent to the rail before the payouts were reached. Nico Ehlers let the bubble burst after putting a short stack at risk with second pair and straight draw, and he was called by top pair and a gutshot. Ehlers rivered two pair and everyone had at least €800 locked up.

Alex Foxen and Chris Ferguson survived the bubble with very few chips and secured the min cash and important points towards the 2017 WSOP Player of the Year race. Alexander Lakhov went through a roller coaster ride throughout the day and his run came to an end in 25th place after a three-way all in with Krzysztof Magott and Aaron Duczak. Maggott's pocket kings dodged plenty of outs and Duczak was eliminated soon after. Maggott was also involved in yet another three-way all in soon after, and his bottom set improved to a full house against the straight and flush draw of Michal Mrakes as well as the flopped straight of Marek Tatar.

WSOP bracelet winner Dario Alioto and Jose Obadia, who finished 4th in this very event two years ago at the Spielbank Berlin, missed out on the last two tables before the last three casualties of the night included three big names of the international poker circuit. Defending champion Barny Boatman stood no chance against the full house of Rene Berube and Felipe Ramos shoved with pocket kings for an overpair into the flopped two pair of Marek Tatar. Another four on the turn gave Tatar a full house and Ramos couldn't find a king.

Pierre Neuville played in his first Omaha tournament and cashed right away, but his preflop all in with a short stack saw the Belgian flop two pair while Nico Ehlers flopped the nut flush. In the very last hand of the night, two of the biggest stacks clashed in Vivian Saliba and Fahredin Mustafov. Before the registration closed, Saliba's quads crushed the full house of Mustafov for a massive pot. The revenge of the Bulgarian came with a gutshot on the turn, while Saliba's aces and two pair with her other hole cards were downed by the straight on the river.

Only 13 players bagged up for Day 2 thus far and all others can enter again throughout the first eight levels of Day 1b, and the PokerNews live reporting team will be back to provide all the action from the tables.

In the very last hand of the night, Vivian Saliba raisded to 20,000 and Fahredin Mustafov called on the button, as did Krzysztof Magott in the big blind. On the     flop, Maggott checked and Saliba bet 30,000. This resulted in a call by Mustafov and a fold from Maggott.

On the   turn, Saliba checked and Mustafov bet 80,000 with 103,000 behind. Saliba stared at the opponent, the board and took almost two minutes before moving all in. Mustafov asked the floor staff what the next blind level for Day 2 was, and called it off with a near identical stack to Saliba.

Fahredin Mustafov:     
Vivian Saliba:     

The   on the river completed a straight for Mustafov and he skyrocketed into a massive lead, then quickly apologized with a "sorry". A shell-shock Saliba sat there, emotionless, and bagged up her chips after the chip race was done. Earlier in the day, both had clashed in a chip leader pot that saw Saliba with quads against the nut full house of Mustafov, and his revenge in the very last hand ended the day with a bang.

Fahredin Mustafov	490,000	260,000
Krzysztof Magott	226,000	-19,000
Vivian Saliba	21,000	-232,000

While Brandon Cantu dropped to the bottom of the counts along with Sander van Wesemael, Thomas Pohnke chipped up without showdown.

Vivian Saliba raised from the button and Fahredin Mustafov called from the big blind. The Bulgarian chrcked the     flop and Saliba's bet of 45,000 won the pot uncontested.

Vivian Saliba	253,000	8,000
Fahredin Mustafov	230,000	20,000
Thomas Pohnke	190,000	92,000
Brandon Cantu	70,000	-40,000
Sander van Wesemael	70,000	0

Marek Tatar limped from the cutoff and Felipe Ramos raised to 24,000 out of the big blind, which Tatar called. On the     flop, Ramos bet the pot and called all in for his last 75,000.

Felipe Ramos:     
Marek Tatar:     

The   turn improved Tatar from two pair to a full house, and the   river failed to help Ramos. The Brazilian takes home €1,032 and will very likely be back for Day 1b.

Marek Tatar	240,000	110,000
Felipe Ramos	0	-105,000

Whether or not the last 12 players will be reached remains to be seen, but this is definitely the last level of the night and all those hopefuls that still have chips will be bagging up for Day 2. An option to surrender the stack exists, and the players to do so would receive the current minimum payout in that case.

Just before the two tables were united, Fabrice Halleux scored a big double against Ivo Donev. The latter flopped top two with queen-jack and turned a full house before the   river gave Halleux the straight flush with his   .

Now, they are on the same table still and Donev is fighting to get back a solid stack. Joseph Di Rosa Rojas raised to 15,000 from the small blind and Donev called. On the     flop, Di Rosa Rojas checked and Donev bet 30,000. "You can pick two," Donev offered, which was obviously impossible during the hand.

Di Rosa Rojas folded and revealed the    of Donev after.

Fabrice Halleux	180,000	125,000
Ivo Donev	95,000	-60,000
Joseph Di Rosa Rojas	80,000	-30,000

On a flop of    , Vlado Sevo was all in and at risk with the      and Krzysztof Magott looked him up with the     . The   turn and   river failed to improve Sevo and he became the next casualty of Maggott's hot run.

Krzysztof Magott	270,000	90,000
Vlado Sevo	0	-40,000

Pierre Neuville limped in and Jose Obadia raised to 22,500 from the cutoff, which Vivian Saliba on the button and Nico Ehlers in the big blind called. Neuville called as well and the four players headed to the     flop, Obadia continued for 22,500 and Saliba shoved for 64,500. Action folded back to Obadia, who tank-called.

Vivian Saliba:     
Jose Obadia:     

The board completed with the   turn and   river, which left Obadia with barely any chips.

Nico Ehlers	230,000	25,000
Vivian Saliba	210,000	95,000
Brandon Cantu	200,000	-10,000
Jose Obadia	15,000	-40,000

A short-stacked Dario Alioto was all in from early position and Vivian Saliba looked him up out of the big blind.

Dario Alioto:     
Vivian Saliba:     

The board ran out       and the two pair of Saliba secured the knockout. Alioto takes home €896 for his 20th place on day 1a.

Vivian Saliba	115,000	32,000
Dario Alioto	0	-13,000