Welcome back to the World Series of Poker Europe at King's Casino in Rozvadov. The tournament that most have been waiting for, Event #10: €111,111 High Roller for One Drop No-Limit Hold'em, has finally arrived.
The tournament staff has confirmed that there are 104 players pre-registered for this prestige event. The star-studded lineup is expected to consist of players like Phil Hellmuth, Daniel Negreanu, Patrik Antonius, Bryn Kenney, the Poker Masters Purple Jacket Winner Steffen Sontheimer, and Fedor Holz.
This will be the first time for this event to be played on European soil. It has been taking place in Las Vegas for the past few years, with Doug Polk winning the most recent version this summer for over $3.6 million. There will be a guaranteed €10,000,000 prizepool that will surely be reached.
Players will begin with a whopping 2,000,000 chips and the blinds will start at 5,000/10,000. Blind levels will be 60-minutes in length with a 15-minute break every two levels. There will be 10 levels played on Day 1 and registration will remain open until the beginning of level 13 on Day 2. On each player's first entry, €11,111 will be donated to the One Drop charity. There are unlimited re-entries available for €100,000 apiece afterwards.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be on the tournament floor to bring you all of the up-to-date action throughout the entire event. The action will kick off at 2:00 P.M. local time.
Pierre Neuville came in with a raise from the hijack and Jens Lakemeier called on the button. The flop prompted a 70,000 bet from the Belgian and Lakemeier called.
On the turn, Neuville bet 130,000, Lakemeier raised to 465,000, Neuville went all in for 1,505,000 and Lakemeier snap-called.
Pierre Neuville:
Jens Lakemeier:
The flush-over-flush situation left the 2015 November Niner drawing dead, rendering the on the river moot. Neuville made his way to the exit while Lakemeier jumped over 4 million.
Albert Daher, on the button, and Steffen Sontheimer in the big blind saw a flop together. Both players checked the flop but the on the turn brought out the fireworks.
Sontheimer was first to act and checked. Daher bet 25,000 into the 82,000 pot, Sontheimer check-raised to 175,000 and Daher clicked it back to 425,000. Sontheimer wasn't done yet and cut out a turn four-bet to 750,000. Daher made the call in position.
The river was the and Sontheimer checked.
"I don't think you have anything," said Daher, who checked behind. Sontheimer definitely did, though, and showed for trip fours. Daher nodded and mucked his hand.
"I didn't think you had anything," Sontheimer replied.
The action didn't stop at Phil Hellmuth's table and unfortunately for him, he never found himself on the right side of it. With around 200,000 in the pot, the board read and Hellmuth checked from the big blind. Bryn Kenney bet 140,000 in early position and Hellmuth check-raised to 475,000. Kenney made the call and the paired the board on the river.
Hellmuth announced a bet of 500,000 and Kenney shoved all in for 967,000. "Bryn fucking Kenney," Hellmuth exclaimed as he stood up from his chair, followed by a few more curse words. Hellmuth had only 206,000 remaining but he sat in thought while talking to himself. Dietrich Fast eventually called the clock after four minutes.
"Are you really calling the fucking clock in the One Drop?" Hellmuth asked. The clock struck zero and Hellmuth's hand was declared dead but he still opened to show the table.
In the very next hand, Hellmuth got the rest of his chips in the middle with but ran into of his opponent. The board ran out dry for Hellmuth and he was quickly eliminated.
He started to walk away from his table but quickly returned to mention one thing, "Just so you know, I played every hand." The rest of the table agreed as they shook Hellmuth's hand before he exited the tournament area.
Three players saw an flop together, with Andrej Desset first to act. He checked, as did Thomer Pidun. Ilya Bulychev bet 150,000, Desset check-raised to 417,000 and Pidun cold-called the check-raise.
Bulychev took less than five seconds before announcing all in for 1,423,000. Desset also shoved all in and Pidun snap-called, creating a side pot of around 2 million on top of the main pot.
Andrej Desset:
Thomer Pidun:
Ilya Bulychev:
It was a gigantic setup for Pidun, who had ran into the dreaded set-over-set situation. Desset was in prime position to scoop up a monster pot but the on the turn changed everything. Bulychev suddenly improved from the worst to the best hand, which left both Desset and Pidun drawing to their single out.
The river was the and Bulychev scooped the main pot. The Russian celebrated his good fortune with several fist-pumps in the air. Desset took the side pot with the higher set and Pidun was eliminated.
Igor Kurganov opened to 45,000 from under the gun and Martin Kabrhel called in middle position. Jack Salter three-bet to 202,000 from the small blind and Kurganov called. Kabrhel called as well, creating a pot of more than 600,000 already preflop.
Salter was first to act on the flop and checked. Kurganov bet 195,000 and Kabrhel raised with a T-500,000 chip, specifying an inaudible amount in the 400k range. Salter shoved relatively quickly all in for 805,000, which brought it back on Kurganov.
The Russian opted to cold-call Salter's shove and matched the 805,000. Kabrhel wasted no time in coming over the top all in for 2,209,000 total. Kurganov had 1,280,000 behind after calling Salter's shove, which made it a decision for all his chips. He slumped back in his chair and thought for several minutes before calling Kabrhel's shove as well.
Jack Salter:
Igor Kurganov:
Martin Kabrhel:
Both Salter and Kurganov held pocket aces but Kabrhel was the one in the lead with two pair. Neither the turn nor river changed the action, which gave Kabrhel all the chips and ended Salter's and Kurganov's first attempt.
Benjamin Pollak raised from early position to 50,000 and Bertrand Grospellier three-bet all in for 297,000 from the next position. It folded to Liv Boeree in the big blind who cold-called.
With the action back on Pollak, he asked for a count of Grospellier's stack before calling.
The flop came and the two remaining players checked. On the turn, Boeree bet 500,000 into a dry side-pot and Pollak re-checked his cards before mucking.
Liv Boeree:
Bertrand Grospellier:
The river was the and Grospellier was sent to the rail.
"You were in good shape," said Pollak to Boeree, "We had the same hand," referring to the tens of Grospellier.
The players are going on a 90-minute dinner break. We spoke to chip leader Martin Kabrhel before he went on dinner, and he said that he felt that the day had gone well so far.
"It's been pretty good; pretty lucky," he said, "But I'm feeling pretty good.
"I'm hoping to take a good stack forward to tomorrow."
Kabrhel was also in charge of buying up the T-1,000 value chips.
"However, please tell everyone how unlucky with the chip race I was." Kabrhel had four chips to color off and drew to fail to chip up a single one of them.
Boris Becker open to 70,000 from under the gun. Manig Loeser defended his big blind. The flop came rainbow and Loeser checked to Becker who bet 225,000 with around 600,000 behind.
Loeser check-raised all in and Becker called.
Manig Loeser:
Boris Becker:
It was advantage Loeser who held top pair against the overcards of Becker. The turn was a and the river made it game, set and match to Loeser who scooped the pot, sending Becker to the rail.
flop prompted a 70,000 bet from the Belgian and Lakemeier called.
turn, Neuville bet 130,000, Lakemeier raised to 465,000, Neuville went all in for 1,505,000 and Lakemeier snap-called.
on the river moot. Neuville made his way to the exit while Lakemeier jumped over 4 million.
flop together. Both players checked the flop but the 
on the turn brought out the fireworks.
and Sontheimer checked.
for trip fours. Daher nodded and mucked his hand.
and Hellmuth checked from the big blind. Bryn Kenney bet 140,000 in early position and Hellmuth check-raised to 475,000. Kenney made the call and the 
paired the board on the river.
to show the table.
of his opponent. The board ran out dry for Hellmuth and he was quickly eliminated. 
flop together, with Andrej Desset first to act. He checked, as did Thomer Pidun. Ilya Bulychev bet 150,000, Desset check-raised to 417,000 and Pidun cold-called the check-raise.
turn nor 
and Grospellier was sent to the rail.
to fail to chip up a single one of them.
rainbow and Loeser checked to Becker who bet 225,000 with around 600,000 behind.
and the river 
and Savinelli check-called for 65,000. The turn 
was checked by both players.
