As is almost always the case with the second of two starting flights in a major tournament, Day 1B of the 2014 European Poker Tour (EPT) Deauville Main Event was expected to be much more crowded than was Day 1A. We also opined that it was very unlikely that the tournament would eclipse last year’s registration numbers, even with a strong Monday. We were correct on both counts (not that they were challenging predictions). Day 1B of EPT Deauville saw 433 players pay the €5,300 to enter, bringing the total field, when combined with the two late registrations before the start of play today, to 669. That fell well short of 2013’s 782, but it’s still a solid turnout, nonetheless.
Emerging as the chip leader of both Day 1B and the overall event was Ayman Zbib, proud renter of 181,400 chips. Alain Bauer was next on Monday with 160,100, followed by Martin Schleich with 152,500. The results of Day 1B mean that Day 1A’s chip leader, Chris Day, will start Day 2 in third place with 154,100 chips.
One guy who just wasn’t meant to win this tournament was major event leaderboard mainstay Steve O’Dwyer. Already feeling under the weather when the day began, he ran into a couple of tough hands earlier and was done in two hours. On the first bad hand, O’Dwyer raised to 800 pre-flop with A♠-K♠ and was called by Nazim Guillaud and one other player. The flop was amazing for O’Dwyer: J♠-4♠-8♠. He bet 1,600 and again Guillaud called while the other player dropped out. O’Dwyer bet 3,500 when the 9♥ was dealt on the turn and Guillaud made the call. When the J♣ appeared on the river, O’Dwyer check-called a 6,100 chip bet from Guillaud, who flipped over pocket Nines for the rivered boat.
On his final hand, O’Dwyer’s A-K couldn’t beat out Luca Pagano’s pocket Queens. Not exactly a cooler there, but still rotten luck. Perhaps it was all for the best, though, as O’Dwyer could return to his room, curl up under the covers, and try to nap away his malaise.
The action has already started on Day 2 of EPT Deauville as the 387 remaining players (385 survivors from Days 1A and 1B plus the two late entrants) try to make their way towards the money.
2014 European Poker Tour Deauville Main Event – Day 1B Chip Leaders
1. Ayman Zbib – 181,400
2. Alain Bauer – 160,100
3. Martin Schleich – 152,500
4. Yerai Iribarren – 151,900
5. Ludovic Geilich – 142,000
6. Niels Van Leeuwen – 141,000
7. Andrew Sweeney – 129,600
8. Alexander Lakhov – 121,600
9. Miroslav Alilovic – 116,300
10. Sulaiman Sesay – 116,000
2014 European Poker Tour Deauville Main Event – Combined Day 1 Chip Leaders
1. Ayman Zbib – 181,400
2. Alain Bauer – 160,100
3. Chris Day – 154,100
4. Jorma Nuutinen – 154,000
5. Martin Schleich – 152,500
6. Yerai Iribarren – 151,900
7. Tatu Maenpaa – 142,700
8. Niels Van Leeuwen – 141,000
9. Alessio Isaia – 131,500
10. Andrew Sweeney – 129,600
