2021 World Series of Poker Europe

Two years ago, on Day 1a of The Opener at the 2019 WSOP Europe, a total of 399 players entered.

Fast forward to the 2021 WSOP Europe and that number has been well and truly surpassed, with 744 players entering on Day 1a of Event #1: €350 Opener.

At the end of 14 levels of play, approximately 149 remain and will resume on Sunday, November 21 at 2 p.m. local time. Before then, there is a second flight of The Opener, with Day 1b kicking off on Saturday, November 20 at 4 p.m. local time.

The chip leader after Day 1a is Marc Meden who picked up aces in one of the last hands of the day to eliminate a player and bag 723,000. He is well ahead of Mantas Mameniskis (460,000), Marius Savescu (418,500) and Symeon Alexandridis (372,000).

Also through to Day 2 is defending champion Renat Bohdanov who bagged 170,500. In 2019, he won the seventh WSOP bracelet in Ukrainian history along with €53,654.

Read More: Ukraine's Renat Bohdanov Wins First Bracelet of the 2019 WSOPE

"There were so many players," he told PokerNews. "I think they're close to the guarantee after only one day! It was a pretty soft field, so I get a day off tomorrow. I think I'm going to play the PLO — who knows!"

Among the players to bust on Day 1a were Jan Bendik, Vivian Saliba, Fahredin Mustafov and bracelet-winner Sebastian Langrock who bust in the final level of play.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for coverage of all 15 bracelet events at the 2021 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), continuing tomorrow with Day 1b of The Opener and the start of Event #2: €550 Pot-Limit Omaha.

Only a few minutes away from the end of Day 1a, Renat Bohdanov opened under the gun to 4,000 and Daniele Vesco next to him shoved for his last 40,000.

All players folded and Bohdanov snap-called showing while his opponent turned over .

The board run out and the pot ended up to Vesco.

Tournament officials have announced that there will be four more hands at each table before players bag for Day 2.

Sebastian Langrock limped and called a shove from Ugur Coskun for Coskun's last 38,000.

Ugur Coskun:
Sebastian Langrock:

Coskun was ahead and doubled on the board leaving Langrock with four big blinds. They went in on the next hand, against Coskun.

Sebastian Langrock:
Ugur Coskun:

Coskun flopped a set on , but it also gave Langrock a flush draw. THe turn was the and the river the and Langrock was eliminated.

After check-calling a bet on the flop, Vasileios Tsaknis check-called 16,500 on the turn.

The river was the and Tsaknis checked. Meden thought before betting 100,000, putting Tsaknis to the test for his last 75,000.

Tsaknis eventually open-folded the and Meden took down the pot.

Vasileios Tsaknis was involved in a three-bet pot where all three players put 16,000 in preflop to see .

The action checked around but when the hit the turn, it was Tsaknis who bet 19,000. The three-bettor called and Alexandru Budai shoved for 60,000. Tsaknis called and the last player folded.

Tsaknis was in a good shape turning over while his opponent had .

The river guaranteed that Tsaknis would get the pot to move to 160,000.