The World Poker Tour (WPT) Venice Grand Prix continued Tuesday as another set of players took their shot at glory in the second of two starting flights. As is usually the case, the field on Day 1B was larger than that of Day 1A, as 108 registered for play, compared to just 65 runners on Monday. The total of 173 players eclipses the 155 from last year’s inaugural WPT Venice Grand Prix.
Italy’s Fernando Cimaglia emerged from Day 1B as the flight’s chip leader, bagging 175,000 chips at the end of the night. There is a sizable drop-off from Cimaglia to the rest of the Day 1B survivors, as the next biggest chip stack, belonging to Massimo Mosele, is 132,500. Day 1A’s chip leader, Stephen Behm, still leads all players with 188,000 chips.
The 173 entrants have created a prize pool of €503,430 (173 x €3,000 less 3 percent local tax). The winner will receive $180,097 (the World Poker Tour site lists the prize structure in U.S. dollars even though the buy-in is in Euros; first prize is approximately €141,000). A total of 21 players will make the money, with payouts starting at $6,964.
Cimaglia is gunning for his first major live tournament title, though he has come close. In 2011, he placed 12th at WPT Venice (not to be confused with the WPT Venice Grand Prix), earning €7,510 ($10,068). His most sizable cash came back in 2009 when he finished 3rd in the Campionato Italiano Main Event, winning €70,000 ($92,635).
Cimaglia had been doing well throughout Day 1B, but experienced a setback late when he doubled-up Klaus Pichler to fall to 70,000 chips. Near the end of the night, though, he grabbed the chip lead, taking a pot from Giuseppe Cristaudo when he held T-8 on a T-T-6-2-7 against Cristaudo’s 4-4.
59 of the 108 players on Day 1B survived to Day 2, bringing the Day 2 player total to 91. Play is already underway at Casino di Venezia Ca Vendramin Calergi as the tournament marches towards the money. Come back tomorrow for further updates.
2013 WPT Venice Grand Prix – Day 1B Chip Leaders
1. Fernando Cimaglia – 175,000
2. Massimo Mosele – 132,500
3. Simone Ferretti – 122,600
4. Ludovic Lacay – 118,000
5. Quoc Trung Nguyen – 113,800
6. Francesco Delfonco – 100,000
7. Ivan Gabrieli – 97,900
8. Roberto Begni – 96,200
9. Giacomo Fundaro – 93,700
10. Jurgen Paulisch – 93,000
2013 WPT Venice Grand Prix – Overall Day 1 Chip Leaders
1. Stephen Behm – 188,000
2. Fernando Cimaglia – 175,000
3. Massimo Mosele – 132,500
4. Marvin Rettenmaier – 129,600
5. Simone Ferretti – 122,600
6. Ludovic Lacay – 118,000
7. Quoc Trung Nguyen – 113,800
8. Francesco Delfonco – 100,000
9. Mike Sexton – 99,900
10. Ivan Gabrieli – 97,900