2013 World Poker Tour Baden Day 1a: Kurko Leads as 56 of 104 Advance
The World Poker Tour Season XI continued on Tuesday with the WPT Baden Main Event in Baden, Austria. Located just 23 kilometers from Vienna, the Casino Baden plays host to the €3,300 re-entry tournament, which drew 104 players on Day 1a. After eight 60-mintue levels of play, only 56 players remained, with Kimmo Kurko and his stack of 149,7000 leading the way.
WPT Baden Day 1a Top 10 (Unofficial)
| Place | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimmo Kurko | 149,700 |
| 2 | Andrey Shatilov | 134,700 |
| 3 | Stjepan Jokic | 130,300 |
| 4 | Robert Hoogendoom | 128,000 |
| 5 | Ismael Bojang | 118,000 |
| 6 | Steve O’Dwyer | 118,000 |
| 7 | Oswin Ziegelbecker | 115,100 |
| 8 | Alban Juen | 103,300 |
| 9 | Mihails Morozovs | 100,300 |
| 10 | Andreas Zauner | 92,900 |
Kurko got off to a good start when he got into a big pot with Corbin White in Level 2 (75/150). Kurko ended up calling a three-bet holding 9x9x and spiked a set when the flop came down Kx9x5x. White held AxKx, the chips got in, and Kurko ended up taking over the chip lead while sending his opponent to the rail. In another hand, which occurred in Level 4 (100/200/25), Thomas Butzhammer got his stack of 19,000 all in preflop holding the A♥10♥ and Kurko had him dominated with the K♠K♦. The board ran out clean for Kurko, and he continued to build his stack.
Long before Butzhammer was sent packing, several eliminations occurred within the first two levels of Day 1a including Nikola Dedaj, Christian Golob, Sergej Barbarez, Michal Sax and Artem Litvinov.
According to the WPT Live Updates Team, Litvinov’s elimination came in Level 1 with the blinds at 50/100 when he flopped a set holing JxJx on an AxJx8x board. When the money went in is a mystery, but what is known is that Jan Bendik held the Q♥10♥ and the turn and river came 9x and Kx, respectively. Bendik made a straight and sent Litvinov to the rail.
In Level 4, with the blinds at 100/200/25, WPT Champions Club member Lukas Berglund raised to 500 from middle position only to have Gad Morgenstern three-bet to 1,250. Action folded back around to Berglund who pushed back with a four-bet to 2,700. Morgenstern called, and the flop fell 7♥6♥2♠. Berglund led out for 2,500, Morgenstern called, and the dealer burned and turned the J♠. Berglund proceeded to bet 4,000 and then called off when Morgenstern moved all in.
Berglund: A♣A♥
Morgenstern: K♠K♥
It was a cooler for Morgenstern, who watched Berglund double to 49,050 after the 10♠ blanked on the river. Berglund, who won the 2011 WPT Spanish Championship for $327,546, put those chips to good use and eliminated Salman Behbehani a short time later.
Throughout the day, a multitude of players joined Behbehani on the rail including Morgenstern, Mazlum Acar, Sebastien Garrasi, Aleksey Timashkov, Attila Polner, Carmelo Romeo, Ionnas Triantafyllakis, Vladimir Geshkenbein, Barny Boatman and Mickey Petersen of PokerStars Team Online.
Petersen’s elimination came in Level 6 (200/400/50) when he got his stack of 13,175 all in on a 9♣9♥8♦ flop with 4,350 already in the middle. Omid Kamali had 2,000 in front of him and was contemplating what to do. Eventually, he made the call with the K♦K♣, which was out in front of Petersen’s J♦10♦ for an open-ended straight draw and backdoor flush draw. Neither the 2♠ turn not 6♥ river completed those draws, and Petersen was sent to the rail.
While many fell, a few notables managed to survive the day including Kara Scott (41,800), Dermot Blain (55,000), Jan Bendik (56,100), Maximilian Senft (65,000), Marvin Rettenmaier (86,000), Wojciech Lozowski (86,100) and Steve O’Dwyer (118,000).
Day 1b will kick off at 14:00 CET, and those eliminated on Day 1a will have the opportunity to re-enter. Of course, PokerNews will bring you a recap from the second starting flight, so be sure to check back tomorrow.
*Lead photo courtesy of WPT Blog.
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