Gregory Fournier Bags Chip Lead on Day 1b of EPT Main Event, Prize Pool Tops €8M
It's been a huge day at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Paris, with the Palais des Congres packed out with hopeful locals and returning champions alike and the battle very much on as the second and last starting flight of the EPT Paris Main Event played out.
A total of 1,054 entries were made on Day 1b, which brought the tally across both flights up to 1,661 — topping last year's event with late registration still open until the start of Day 2. As it stands, the prize pool has already breached the €8,000,000 mark.
After ten levels of action, 358 players bagged and tagged at the end of the night. Gregory Fournier of France stood at the top of the pile with 351,000 chips. He's a man on an upward trajectory following a cash in the WSOP Main Event last year and a first place finish in the France Poker Open.
Not too far behind was Gheorghe Fedorca with 310,500, another local player who's been locking up cashes around Paris and heads into Day 2 looking for his biggest score yet.
Ruida Lin of China rounds out the top three with 304,500, and all three of Day 1b's chip leaders have at least a touch more than Day 1a chip leader Eero Rantala, who bagged 299,000.
EPT Paris Main Event Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gregory Fournier | France | 351,000 |
| 2 | Gheorghe Fedorca | Romania | 310,500 |
| 3 | Ruida Lin | Hong Kong | 304,500 |
| 4 | Alexey Badulin | Russia | 282,000 |
| 5 | Zhongxian Li | China | 277,500 |
| 6 | Eusebiu-Nicolae Jalba | Romania | 249,000 |
| 7 | Malcom Franchi | France | 229,500 |
| 8 | Jamil Wakil | Canada | 226,000 |
| 9 | Gonzalo Veiga | Spain | 219,000 |
| 10 | Youssef Zereg | France | 213,500 |
Of course, this being an EPT Main Event, tough competition stands between the current leaders and a top place finish. To name a few, Padraig O'Neil, who just months ago came first in the main event in Prague, is in the mix at the top end with a stack of 135,000. Benny Glaser has 180,000 and stood well positioned for a deep run. And Sergi Reixach stands in tenth place with 213,500.
Some of poker's greats also busted on Day 1b. After starting off strong and doubling up within a few hands, Dominik Nitsche hit the rail, as did Niklas Astedt who lost his stack shortly before the flight concluded. Representing Team Pro, Parker Talbot bagged chips, as did Sam Grafton, albeit both with stacks in need of a spin up.
When play resumes for Day 2, blind levels run for 90 minutes with a 20-minute break after every level and a 65-minute dinner break after level 4. Blinds start at 1,000/1,500/1,500.
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