The combatants for the 2022 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event returned to the felt on Sunday for Day Two play. It was the first time the two-Day Ones had been in the same room together, but the fun was just beginning. With several levels of late registration in the band (plus a singular reentry, if a player wanted to), there were still some subjects to close the books on in King’s Casino in Rozvadov on Sunday.
Final Field and Prize Pool Determined
Italy’s Rolando Camardese led the 427 players to the tables inside the King’s Casino on Sunday, but they still weren’t sure what they were playing for. As the clock started on Level 8 of the 2022 WSOPE Main Event, it would be four long levels for the players that came back. They would also have to deal with a plethora of newcomers dipping their toes in for the first time in addition to those who waited to use their singular reentry for the tournament.
One player who had a particularly difficult time was Poker Hall of Famer Daniel Negreanu. On a short stack to start the day, Negreanu would quickly rip through that stack so he could go get another one worth 100K for play. There were plenty of others who took that route in making their start on Day Two, including Fabio Peluso, Dan Oren, and eleven other players firing their first bullets.
The news wasn’t good either for a former World Champion. Hossein Ensan, the champion of the 2019 World Series of Poker Championship Event, couldn’t spin his stack into becoming the second player to win both the U. S. and European versions of this tournament (of course, Phil Hellmuth is the only one to do that). He was joined on the rail by Manig Loeser, Paul Tedeschi, and David Miscikowski as the action worked into the afternoon.
As Level 9 began, there was a moment to rejoice. The field officially broke the record for the largest WSOPE Main Event in history when the tournament clock clicked to 692 entries. That record was set only last year when 688 entries were received in the event. With a few more levels left until the late registration period closed, it was likely that the field would best 700 entries.
Once the late registration period closed, the full beauty of the 2022 WSOPE Main Event field could be absorbed. A total of 763 entries were received for the tournament, building a prize pool of €7,248,500 that completely shattered the €5 million guarantee. What we don’t know at this mark is how many players will be paid from the bounty nor what the eventual champion will take home; WSOPE and King’s Casino officials have not broken down those numbers as of press time.
Goncalo Peres Takes Lead Heading to Day Three
If you remember the combined list from the two-Day Ones at the 2022 WSOPE Main Event, you can trash those now. None of the players who were in the Top Ten at the close of Saturday night were able to battle through to be in the same place on Sunday. Hence, that brings us an entirely new Top Ten after two full days on the baize in Rozvadov.
1. Goncalo Peres (Portugal), 1.762 million
2. Marco Slacanac (Germany), 1.615 million
3. Safwane Bahri (France), 1.371 million
4. Alexandre Reard (France), 1.295 million
5. Anton Morgenstern (Germany), 1.15 million
6. Boris Kolev (Bulgaria), 1.055 million
7. Abd El Ghanim (Germany), 1.047 million
8. Vlada Stojanovic (Russian Federation), 1.037 million
9. Shachar Haran (Austria), 995,000
10. Nicola Angelini (Italy), 984,000
While these players are perhaps not the best known of players, they have earned their way to the top over such players as Jack Sinclair (826,000), Shaun Deeb (806,000), Julien Martini (750,000), Barny Boatman (630,000), 2022 WSOPE Diamond High Roller champion Orpen Kisacikoglu (556,000), and Benny Glaser (510,000). These players are all in the Top 50 and must be considered serious threats for driving even deeper into the tournament.
Day Three will kick off on Monday with the players finding out how many of them will get paid from the 166 players left. If the 15% rule is held to, that means that 115 players will receive a payday from European poker’s crown jewel. That means that roughly 50 players will have battled it out…for nothing. It also means that the eventual champion is well assured of a million Euro payday.
Whom will those players be? Day Three action kicks off on Monday at noon (Czech local time, 6 AM East Coast time) with seven levels set to be played. By the close of business tomorrow evening, the picture as to the true contenders for the 2022 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event championship will be revealed.
