The European Poker Tour (EPT) is underway again as the EPT Berlin Main Event kicked off Sunday at the Grand Hyatt Berlin. 347 players paid the €5,000 + €300 to participate in the first of two starting flights and after eight levels, about half – 171 – remained. Leading those players waiting for Tuesday’s Day 2 is Germany’s Ronny Voth with 196,100 chips.
Voth is likely an unexpected chip leader, one of the few to ever hold the largest stack after a starting flight was absolutely no cashes on his live tournament resume. According to the EPT’s player list, he qualified for the tournament via a live satellite, so hopefully for him this will be a case of “local boy does good” as he tries to advance towards the final table.
One of Voth’s biggest hands of the day came when he already had a massive chip wall. Seemingly in control from the opening bell, Voth saw a flop of 4♦-T♦-A♥ with Nandor Solyom. After Voth checked, Solyom bet 900. Voth called to bring on the 2♣ on the turn, where he checked again. At that, Solyom bet 2,625, which Voth raised up to 6,900. Solyom decided it was time to end his aggressive line and folded, sending the pot to Voth, who saw his chip stack increase to 175,000.
This is the fourth consecutive year Berlin has been a stop on the European Poker Tour. EPT Berlin’s debut in 2010 during Season 6 also sported its largest-ever turnout: 945 runners. Kevin MacPhee emerged triumphant that year, winning a cool €1,000,000. The field shrunk each of the next two years, falling to 773 in Season 7 and 745 in Season 8. The 347 players during Day 1A is a good sign that there might be an uptick this year, though, as the second of two starting flights typically sports a larger field than the first.
Some of the notable names still in the field include Marc-Andre Ladouceur (98,000 chips), Barny Boatman (72,700), Scott Seiver (70,100), Fabrice Soulier (48,200), Zimnan Ziyard (33,500), tennis legend Boris Becker (30,300), and Liv Boeree (18,100).
Day 1B of the EPT Berlin Main Event is already off and running (that’s what time zones will do to you). Today’s field will play eight levels, just as the players did on Day 1A. The combined survivors will meet up on Tuesday as everyone will have a clear view of what it will take to make the money.
European Poker Tour Berlin Main Event – Day 1A Chip Leaders
- Ronny Voth – 196,100
- Mike Kunze – 188,000
- Thomas Richter – 176,100
- Sebastian Trisch – 173,500
- Giuseppe Vassallo – 169,300
- Yakov Onuchin – 168,600
- Pal Koppegodt – 165,200
- Artur Rudziankov – 162,500
- Marc Witt – 155,800
- Theodoros Aidonopoulos – 143,100
