PokerStars.net EPT Warsaw, Day 1b: Roland de Wolfe Tops Star-packed Session
Sunday's 118-player field on Day 1b of the PokerStars.net European Poker Tour Warsaw Main Event was as star-studded as Saturday's Day 1a, with top pros such as Katja Thater, Sorel Mizzi, Dario Minieri and Alex Kravchenko taking the field. Other notables in the room included PokerStars Caribbean Adventure and WPT champ Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, EPT London winner Michael Martin, WSOP-Europe bracelet winner Theo Jorgensen and WPT and EPT champ Roland de Wolfe, who finished Day 1b with the chip lead.
While some of the players were still settling into their seats, Sorel Mizzi was contemplating a big decision on the river, and saw his chances slip away early. Mizzi led out on the river with the board reading J♠8♠4♥2♣3♥, and his opponent quickly moved all in over the top. Mizzi went into the tank for several minutes before calling, only to see his opponent table A-5 for the runner-runner wheel. Mizzi mucked as he found himself on the short stack early in the event. He worked his short stack for quite a while, but finally succumbed, busting out later in the session. Other notable eliminations on Day 1b included Josh "JJProdigy" Field, Theo Jorgensen, Markus Golser and Peter Gould.
Sebastian Ruthenberg has been on fire in 2008, claiming his first World Series of Poker bracelet in Stud Hi/Lo, then following that with a victory at the EPT Barcelona Main Event. He continued his good run at the EPT by finished Day 1b with one of the top stacks, busting Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki in the process. On a flop of 6♦8♦4♠, Ruthenberg check-raised a player in late position, Horecki moved all in over the top, and the original bettor got out of the way. Ruthenberg quickly called and showed 6♣6♠ for the flopped set. Horecki tabled 7♦J♦ for the inside straight draw, and missed as the board ran out K♣7♥. Horecki shook hands around the table as he made his exit, while Ruthenberg continued to accumulate chips.
Italian online superstar and Team PokerStars Pro Dario Minieri was also in the field on Day 1b, and his stack rode the customary rollercoaster before finishing the day near the top of the leader board. Finding himself on a short stack in the middle of the day, Minieri won a key coin flip with A-10 against an opponent's pocket nines to double up, then began to apply pressure throughout the evening to continue to accumulate chips. As the day drew to a close, Minieri showed several huge bluffs to take down big pots, to the dismay and amusement of his tablemates.
Minieri finished the day near the top of the leader board, as Roland de Wolfe led all the Day1b survivors in chips. Other notable survivors included Isabelle Mercier, Katja Thater, Nicolas Levi, Alex Kravchenko and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier.
Join PokerNews at 2PM local time tomorrow as the remainder of the Day 1a field joins the survivors from Day 1b to make their way closer to the final table and the EPT Warsaw title. Here are the top ten chip counts from Day 1b action:
Roland de Wolfe - 67,150
Alain Roy - 50,950
Christoffer Egmo - 46,175
Dario Minieri - 43,975
Andreas Krause - 43,825
Sebastian Ruthenberg - 41,950
Bertrand Grospellier - 41,425
Brian Jensen - 39,050
Victor Lemos - 37,675
Mark Teltscher - 37,100
