Day 2 of the $2,200 Warm Up at the 2024 Merit Poker Gatsby Gala Series wrapped up with 68 players remaining from the 463-strong field that turned up to play at the Crystal Cove Hotel and Casino.
After ten 60-minute levels, Florian Guimond summited the counts after he amassed a total of 1,625,000 chips by the end of the day. Three-time bracelet winner Timur Margolin finished second with a stack of 1,495,000, and Sandra Cotescu rounds out the podium places in third with 1,430,000.
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florian Guimond | France | 1,625,000 |
| 2 | Timur Margolin | Israel | 1,495,000 |
| 3 | Sandra Cotescu | Romania | 1,430,000 |
| 4 | Victor Fryda | France | 1,360,000 |
| 5 | Bogdan Munteanu | Romania | 1,325,000 |
| 6 | Aleksandr Pak | Uzbekistan | 1,200,000 |
| 7 | Hadi Khordbin | Iran | 1,140,000 |
| 8 | Apostolos Stylianou | Cyprus | 1,125,000 |
| 9 | Zhen Chen | China | 1,075,000 |
| 10 | Pouya Ranjehdel | Iran | 1,065,000 |
The day began with 132 players who had advanced from the initial three opening flights, and a further handful of players as Day 1d wrapped up in the morning.
Eliminations came swiftly throughout the day, with notable casualties including start-of-day chip leader Candido Cappiello, Day 1b leader Navid Samavati, and Day 1c leader Uladzimir Zhyharau, none of whom managed to survive to Day 3.
When the action resumes, just five eliminations are needed to burst the money bubble, guaranteeing the remaining 63 players a payout of at least $3,410. The eventual champion will walk away with a top prize of $179,650, while each of the final nine players will lock up a minimum of $18,050.
As always, PokerNews will be on-site to bring you all the drama as the bubble bursts and the race to the final table heats up. Stay tuned for all the action as Day 3 unfolds!
