Massive Opener Field Kicks Off 2021 World Series of Poker Europe
Two years ago, on Day 1a of The Opener at the 2019 WSOP Europe, a total of 399 players entered.
Fast forward to the 2021 WSOP Europe and that number has been well and truly surpassed, with 744 players entering on Day 1a of Event #1: €350 Opener.
At the end of 14 levels of play, approximately 149 remain and will resume on Sunday, November 21 at 2 p.m. local time. Before then, there is a second flight of The Opener, with Day 1b kicking off on Saturday, November 20 at 4 p.m. local time.
The chip leader after Day 1a is Marc Meden who picked up aces in one of the last hands of the day to eliminate a player and bag 723,000. He is well ahead of Mantas Mameniskis (460,000), Marius Savescu (418,500) and Symeon Alexandridis (372,000).
Also through to Day 2 is defending champion Renat Bohdanov who bagged 170,500. In 2019, he won the seventh WSOP bracelet in Ukrainian history along with €53,654.
Read More: Ukraine's Renat Bohdanov Wins First Bracelet of the 2019 WSOPE
"There were so many players," he told PokerNews. "I think they're close to the guarantee after only one day! It was a pretty soft field, so I get a day off tomorrow. I think I'm going to play the PLO — who knows!"
Among the players to bust on Day 1a were Jan Bendik, Vivian Saliba, Fahredin Mustafov and bracelet-winner Sebastian Langrock who bust in the final level of play.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for coverage of all 15 bracelet events at the 2021 World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE), continuing tomorrow with Day 1b of The Opener and the start of Event #2: €550 Pot-Limit Omaha.