Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic Main Event Day 2: Loeser Leads
The remaining 141 players returned to the Merit Crystal Cove on Saturday to battle it out on Day 2 of the Full Tilt Poker Merit Cyprus Classic Main Event. Seven levels were played today and when all was said and done, just 45 remained in what was an exciting, surprising, and crazy day of poker. Ending the day at the top of the counts was Manig Loeser with 337,000.
Loeser started the day with 91,550 and steadily built up his stack throughout the day. In a hand against November Niner John Dolan, Loeser raised to 5,200 from middle position and Dolan called out of the small blind. The flop came down K♦Q♥5♦ and both players checked to see the 3♠ hit the turn. Dolan bet 6,500 and was called by Loeser, landing the 10♦ on the river. Dolan fired 12,600 into the pot and Loeser raised, making it 34,600. Dolan gave it up and Loeser took the pot. It was plays like this that slowly increased his stack and has put him in a great spot with just a few tables remaining.
Full Tilt Pro Bruno Stefanelli had an impressive day, almost single handedly sending David "Chino" Rheem from chip leader to out. They were involved in a significant pot when on a 5♣2♣2xAx board, Chino found himself all in with K♣6x, needing to catch a club against Stefanelli's AxQ♣. It did not arrive for Chino, giving Stefanelli the pot and propelling him to finish with a top-five stack. Also surviving the day were Van Marcus, Kelly Kim, David Benyamine, Andrew Feldman, John Dolan and Joe Cassidy.
It was a different story for many other top pros, though. Failing to make it to Day 3 were November Niners Michael "The Grinder" Mizarchi and John Racener, Sorel Mizzi, Karina and Chip Jett, Carter Phillips, and Antonio Esfandiari.
There was a great deal of unconventional play in the field today and while some were able to take advantage of it, others were unable to capitalize. Dominik Nitsche found himself in an interesting spot when after making a standard opening raise, Onder Ozdemirler reraised all in for 75 big blinds. Nitche himself had over 50 and called all in with Q♦Q♠ and found himself in a race against A♥K♣. A king fell on the flop and Nitsche's tournament came to an end.
Play resumes at 2 p.m. local time on Monday with the remaining 45 players either playing six levels or to ten players remaining, whichever comes first.
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