Day 1B of the 2015 World Poker Tour Amsterdam Main Event, the first-ever WPT stop in the Dutch capital, saw 194 players belly-up to the tables, creating a total field of 324 when combined with the 130 who played on Monday. Just 97 ended the night with chips and will join the 54 who survived from Day 1A to play in Wednesday’s Day 2. Players can still re-enter until the beginning of Day 2, so final registration numbers and prize pool figures are yet to be determined.
Giacomo Fundaro came out of Day 1B with the most chips – 234,000 – a sum that also makes him the overall chip leader, just edging out the Day 1A pole setter and the only other player with more than 200,000 chips, Fredrik Andersson (228,100). Fundaro’s opening flight was dominant – his closest competitor closed Day 1B with only 150,400 chips. That also speaks to the dominance of the Day 1A chip leaders versus those from Day 1B. After Fundaro, the next three and five of the next six on the overall leaderboard are from Day 1A.
Fundaro isn’t the biggest name in the poker world, but has had quite a nice live tournament career. Currently ranked 299th in the Global Poker Index, he has won over $1.1 million in live tournaments. He does have a World Poker Tour title to his credit, winning WPT Mazagan for $166,704 in 2012. More recently, he finished second in the 2013 WPT Caribbean Main Event, good for $100,000, and won $414,671 for a fourth place finish in the 2014 European Poker Tour San Remo Main Event.
Our chip leader initially reached his perch during Level 5. In pre-flop action, he called a small early raise, only to see another player re-raise from the cutoff (thank you to WPT.com for the updates). The first raiser folded and then Fundaro four-bet. That prompted the re-raiser to move all-in for 44,350, a bet which Fundaro called. He wasn’t a lock to win, but Fundaro was in good shape with A-K against his opponent’s T-9. The flop did nothing for either player, but the Ace on the turn clinched the hand for Fundaro and eliminated the other player. At that point, Fundaro was up to 130,000 and never looked back.
Day 2 action is underway at the Holland Casino Amsterdam as the survivors from both starting flights come together for Day 2.
2015 World Poker Tour Amsterdam Main Event – Day 1B Chip Leaders
1. Giacomo Fundaro – 234,000
2. Dennis Lavrijsen – 150,400
3. Sorel Mizzi – 141,200
4. Steve Warburton – 138,200
5. Pim van Riet – 110,900
6. Rifat Palevic – 110,500
7. Jonas ten Cate – 94,700
8. David Boyaciyan – 85,200
9. Pieter de Korver – 81,000
10. David Yan – 79,000
2015 World Poker Tour Amsterdam Main Event – Combined Day 1 Chip Leaders
1. Giacomo Fundaro – 234,000
2. Fredrik Andersson – 228,100
3. Noah Boeken – 195,200
4. Muntathar Albadawi – 189,700
5. Dennis Lavrijsen – 150,400
6. Erik van den Berg – 147,400
7. Cor Janssen – 143,000
8. Sorel Mizzi – 141,200
9. Steve Warburton – 138,200
10. Barrie Pietersz – 133,100
