The second starting flight of three wrapped up last night at the 2012 World Poker Tour (WPT) Prague Main Event with 179 more players ponying up €3,300 to participate. The total for entries now sits at 294, still a ways off from the 571 that entered the inaugural WPT Prague last year. 90 players made it through Day 1B, joining the 55 that advanced past Day 1A. Mikhail Mazunin was the runaway chip leader of Tuesday’s action, taking 203,600 chips into Day 2, a full 46,000 more than the next closest competitor. That total also made him the overall chip leader, at least for now.
Mazunin was in a battle with Alexander Staengle for the chip lead late in the day. The first player to hit the 100,000 chip mark Tuesday, Mazunin three-bet a hand pre-flop to 2,700 chips after Denys Drobyna raised for 1,200. Drobyna called the re-raise and the two saw a flop of J♣-5♣-2♣. Drobyna checked, Mazunin bet 3,600, and Drobyna called. The turn was another club, the Q♣ and both players checked. When the 3♥ was dealt on the river, Drobyna once again checked-called, this time for 7,200. Mazunin turned over K♣-4♣ for the flopped second nut flush to win the hand and increase his stack to 170,000 chips. Drobyna was still in fine shape with 137,000.
After that, Mazunin’s stack was trimmed ever so slightly, allowing Staengle to take the lead at about 165,000 an hour later. But very close to the end of the night, Mazunin regained the top spot. Looking at a board of T♥-4♠-2♥-3♥, Mazunin bet 13,600 after Juus Nevanlinna checked. Nevanlinna then moved all-in for 61,900 and after a bit of thought, Mazunin made the call with 7♥-5♥. Nevanlinna was dead in the water with J♠-J♦, as he had no chance at a flush or a full house. He was eliminated and Mazunin was up to 200,000 chips.
Normally, I like to detail some of the chip leader’s live tournament exploits in these articles, but for Mikhael Mazunin, there are none to be found. He has no history of live tournament cashes whatsoever.
Some players who do have a history did not make it to Day 2, including Bertrand “ElkY” Grospelier, Matt Waxman, Liv Boeree, Olivier Busquet, and Kevin MacPhee.
Play is already underway on Day 1C of WPT Prague at the Corinthia Hotel as one final batch of players tries to advance to tomorrow’s competition.
2012 World Poker Tour Prague – Day 1B Chip Leaders
- Mikhail Mazunin – 203,600
- Alexander Staengle – 157,500
- Brian Lemke – 155,400
- Vladimir Velikov – 147,800
- Wojciech Lozowski – 143,700
- Fabian Quoss – 134,900
- Denys Drobyna – 128,900
- Elio Prescott Fox – 123,200
- Rasmus Lund Vogt – 118,400
- Manuel Bevand – 115,600
2012 World Poker Tour Prague – Overall Chip Leaders
- Mikhail Mazunin – 203,600
- Pasi Heinanen – 193,800
- Shannon Shorr – 191,800
- Pawel Brzeski – 173,100
- Alexander Staengle – 157,500
- Brian Lemke – 155,400
- Vladimir Velikov – 147,800
- Sebastien Garrasi – 143,900
- Fabian Quoss – 134,900
- Oleksii Khoroshenin – 129,800
