Monday marked the start of two World Poker Tour (WPT) Main Events, with the Gioco Digitale WPT Venice Carnival the first to get underway in Italy. The world’s oldest casino, the Casino di Venezia, is serving as host for this, the final European World Poker Tour event of Season XII.
If you are looking to take a shot at a WPT title but do not want to navigate a gigantic field, the WPT Venice Carnival is the tournament for you. Only 51 players paid the €2,700 + €300 to play in day Day 1A of the Main Event and most of them – 37 – made it through to tomorrow’s Day 2. Russian Tigran Yazychyan heads the field with 91,525 chips, one of a few players who have separated themselves from the pack. William Dorey is next with 81,475, Alberto Fiorilla is in third with 71,800, and three more players have over 66,000. After those six, though, there is a quick drop-off. The average chip count is just over 34,000, yet tenth place has only 43,700.
Tigran Yazychyan doesn’t have a lengthy live tournament resume, having earned just $38,057 in his career (though I would love to have even that much success). His biggest cash came in last year’s European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona Main Event, where he finished 133rd for €10,000 ($13,377).
According to the live updates at WPT.com, much of the day was led by Greeks Sotirios Koutoupas and Georgios Karakousis, who took turns holding the largest chip stack. Koutoupas benefited from a huge hand early. He and Sebastiano Giudice got into a pre-flop raising battle before Giudice moved all-in and Koutoupas made the call. It was no wonder he called: he had pocket Aces. Giudice’s move was a bit more reckless, as he had just A-K. A premium hand, for sure, but one that you would want to risk everything with during the first level? That’s debatable. Giudice got a little sweat after the turn when he needed any 4 to complete a wheel and a split pot, but the four outer didn’t happen on the river and he was eliminated from the tournament. Koutoupas took the lead at that point with 65,000 chips. He is still in contention with 50,150, while the aforementioned Karakousis has 43,700, both stacks good to place them in the top ten.
Day 1B has just gotten underway in Venice, Italy as one more batch of players test their skill and try to make it to Day 2 tomorrow.
Gioco Digitale WPT Venice Carnival – Day 1A Chip Counts
1. Tigran Yazychyan – 91,525
2. William Dorey – 81,475
3. Alberto Fiorilla – 71,800
4. Andrea Dato – 69,875
5. Roberto Masullo – 68,595
6. Claudio Di Giacomo – 66,850
7. Sergio Castelluccio – 56,300
8. Sotirios Koutoupas – 50,150
9. Steve Watts – 46,000
10. Georgios Karakousis – 43,700