2011 WSOPE Event #1, Day 3: Humbert Wins; Event #2 Breaks WSOPE Record
The first bracelet of the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe was awarded on Sunday in Event #1, €2,500 Six-Max No-Limit Hold'em. On top of that, Day 1b of Event #2, €1,090 No-Limit Hold'em, kicked off, and after registration closed, became the largest event in WSOPE history. Keep reading to find out who added shiny new hardware to his wrist and which players remain in the history-making event.
Event #1: €2,680 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em — Guillaume Humbert Wins
Event #1 of the 2011 World Series of Poker Europe, €2,680 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em, attracted 360 players, creating a prize pool of €864,000. The player who would top the field would pocket €215,999 and the coveted WSOP bracelet. After nearly 12-hours of play on Day 3, the man who began the day with the chip lead, ended the day with all of the chips. Switzerland's Guillaume Humbert bested the field to become the first bracelet winner of the 2011 WSOPE.
It took two days of action, in the fantastic multiple venues of the Hotel Majestic Barriere and Le Croisette Casino Barriere, to narrow down the field to the 12 players who took their seats on Sunday. The man who was propping up the table at the beginning of the day was Roy Finlay. We are not sure what Finlay ate for breakfast but he turned into a one-man wrecking machine, eliminating David Benyamine (12th), Anton Wigg (11th) and Bruno Benveniste (10th) making him a serious force in the competition.
Casey Kastle (ninth) and Alexander Salabaschew (eighth) were eliminated next putting the remaining players on the final table bubble. The honor of final table bubble boy was bestowed upon Phil Hellmuth. The 11-time WSOP bracelet winner began the day second in chips, but while Finlay was setting the world alight, Hellmuth seemed to set his stack alight.
Hellmuth doubled up the dangerous Adrien Allain in the first level and never got into the game after that, eventually blinding away to two big blinds before being eliminated in seventh place.
The first person eliminated on the final table was Marton Czuczor, who was eliminated by the unflappable Azusa Maeda. Next to go was Adrien Allain and once again it was the silent assassin — Azusa Maeda. Matan Krakow and Roy Finlay were eliminated in fourth and third respectively, leaving Maeda and Guillaume Humbert heads-up for all of the prizes and glory.
The heads-up encounter lacked the sparkle that we saw throughout the tournament but it had plenty of intensity. In the final hand Humbert checked to Maeda on a 9♣ 7♦ 6♦ flop. Maeda moved all-in and Humbert, who was holding 5♣ 8♥ for the straight, snap-called. Maeda was holding 4♦ 3♦ and was drawing dead when the 4♥ appeared on the turn.
2011 WSOPE Event #1 Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guillaume Humbert | €215,999 |
| 2 | Azusa Maeda | €133,471 |
| 3 | Roy Finlay | €92,629 |
| 4 | Matan Krakow | €65,068 |
| 5 | Adrien Allain | €46,250 |
| 6 | Marton Czuczor | €33,255 |
For the entire play-by-play of Event #1, check out the PokerNews Live Reporting Blog.
Event #2: €1,090 No-Limit Hold'em — It's a Record Breaker
Day 1b of Event #2: €1,090 No-Limit Hold'em at the 2011 WSOPE came to a close on Sunday and after nine levels of play, 50 players remained. Leading the pack at the end of Day 1b was Yannick Autaa with 60,000 in chips. Eric Baudry is the next closest player, with 58,300.
Day 1b attracted 390 players on Sunday, and adding that to the 381 players who came out on Saturday for Day 1a gives this event a grand total of 771 entrants. What does that mean? It means this event has become the largest in WSOP Europe history. It smashed the record of 608 entrants, which was previously held by the 2009 £1,000 event that was won by JP Kelly.
Many notables in action on Day 1b are moving on to Day 2, including Tyler Kenney, John Eames, Peter Jetten, Vanessa Selbst, Kevin MacPhee and Roberto Romanello.
James Bord, Bryan Devonshire, Ana Marquez, Sam Trickett, Tristan Wade, Dennis Phillips, Bryn Kenney, Jeff Lisandro, Carlos Mortensen, Michael Mizrachi and Vanessa Rousso, were all eliminated on Day 1b.
Australian Andrew Hinrichsen will be the front-runner of the combined field, after bagging up 63,900 in chips on Day 1a. Day 2 will begin Monday at 1400 CET (0500 PDT). To view the Day 2 table and seat draw, head here.
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