In a preflop confrontation Fahredin Mustafov was all in from the small blind for 1,575,000 and up against Samuel Ju who covered him from the button.
Fahredin Mustafov: A♥8♦
Samuel Ju: 5♠5♥
Mustafov took the lead with top pair on the 8♠6♠2♠ flop while Ju picked up a flush draw. The 3♥ turn was a brick but the flush came in on the Q♠ river giving Ju the pot while Mustafov was sent to the rail.
With two players seeing a board of K♠10♠2♣ and around 150,000 in the middle, Zdenek Zizka checked from the big blind and Alex Foxen bet 45,000 from the button. Zizka made the call.
Zizka check-called another bet from Foxen on the A♦ turn, this time for 195,000.
On the 9♥ river Zizka checked and Foxen used a single time extension before betting 800,000, just enough to put Zizka all in. Zizka went into the tank.
Three time extensions later Zizka made the call, showing second pair with K♣Q♦. Foxen had aces up with A♥9♣ and dragged in a colossal pot while Zizka hit the rail.
Meanwhile at the other table, Martin Kabrhel was also eliminated.
Anson Tsang opened to 50,000 from the hijack and was called by Zdenek Zizka in the cutoff and Fahredin Mustafov in the small blind before Shaun Deeb shoved for 355,000 from the big blind. Tsang got out of the way before Zizka re-shoved with a covering stack, forcing Mustafov out of the pot and leaving Deeb at risk.
Shaun Deeb: 8♣8♠
Zdenek Zizka: A♥A♠
The best hand held up on the 5♠9♦10♣9♥Q♥ runout and Zizka took the pot while Deeb made his exit from the tournament area.
Orpen Kisacikoglu opened to 40,000 from under the gun and was called by Jacob Amselem on his direct left. Julien Martini then jammed for 220,000 from the hijack. The action folded back to Kisacikoglu who moved all in for around 500,000. Amsellem released his hand and the cards were tabled.
Julien Martini: J♥10♥
Orpen Kisacikoglu: Q♦J♦
Martini was dominated and was in worse shape after the Q♠5♠3♣ flop. His elimination was confirmed on the 7♥ turn, ahead of the 5♦ river completing the runout.
Martin Kabrhel opened to 50,000 from the hijack and Alex Foxen three-bet to 150,000 from the cutoff. Kristen Foxen four-bet shoved from the small blind, forcing out Kabrhel while Alex Foxen made the call with a covering stack.
Kristen Foxen: 8♥8♦
Alex Foxen: Q♠Q♥
Alex was a huge favorite with top set on the Q♣7♦J♠ flop leaving Kristen drawing only to running quads or a running straight. The 5♣ turn and 10♥ river changed nothing and Alex took the pot while Kristen chose to reenter shortly afterwards.
Martin Kabrhel opened to 40,000 from the cutoff before Stephen Chidwick raised to 500,000, leaving 75,000 behind. Alex Foxen was in the small blind and moved all in for 520,000. Kabrhel though it over before folding. Chidwick then put in the rest of his stack.
Alex Foxen: A♠J♣
Stephen Chidwick: Q♣10♣
"Both bluffers," said Kabrhel as the cards were turned over, who revealed he had folded pocket eights.
Both players paired up on the J♦10♥6♦ flop, with Foxen remaining ahead. The 3♦ turn and 8♦ river confirmed the double up for Foxen, which Kabrhel appeared displeased about.
"He saved you," said Kabrhel to Foxen. "Say thank you to him."
The words kept coming from Kabrhel, who then directed his speech to Chidwick.
"This guy puts in half a million with queen-high. This is the only way I can lose this pot."
The following hand, Kabrhel opened to 55,000 and Chidwick put in his last 55,000 as well. Foxen then made it 185,000 and Kabrhel got out of the way once more.
"Complete banana players," added Kabrhel, who has been animated since cards went in the air.
Stephen Chidwick: J♣10♦
Alex Foxen: A♠J♦
Foxen took the rest of Chidwick's chips after the 8♣4♥3♣J♥7♦ runout.
"Not your tournament," Kabrhel aimed at Chidwick. "I wouldn't even rebuy."
Nonetheless, Chidwick did opt to reenter, alongside Fahrredin Mustafov
With two players seeing a board of 6♣7♥J♣A♥ and around 375,000 in the middle, Sirzat Hissou checked from the big blind and Orpen Kisacikoglu bet 270,000 from under the gun. Hissou made the call.
Hissou checked again on the 2♥ river and Kisacikoglu moved all in for 575,000. Hissou, who had Kisacikoglu slightly covered, went deep into the tank.
After burning through four time extensions Hissou flicked in the call. Kisacikoglu could only show K♣Q♠ for a missed gutshot turned into a bluff. Hissou tabled a pair with Q♦Q♥ and dragged in a massive pot while Kisacikoglu made his exit.
If there's one thing Martin Kabrhel knows, it's how to thrive under pressure at King's Resort in Rozvadov. This is the battleground where Kabrhel has built his legend, winning two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets and amassing five WSOP Circuit rings. But despite his dominance, victory under the WSOP umbrella has eluded him for five long years, his last triumph coming in 2019.
That drought could end today as Kabrhel leads the final 14 players in Event #8: €25,000 NLH GGMillion€ at the 2024 WSOP Europe.
It wasn't an easy path to the top. Kabrhel made a late appearance on Day 1, only to quickly find himself at the reentry desk after an early setback. But the resilient Czech wasn’t deterred. On his second bullet, he turned his 500,000 starting stack into a commanding 1,814,000 by the end of the day, mainly by outmanoeuvring Tom-Aksel Bedell in several key hands. Kabrhel wrestled the chip lead from Bedell as the field bagged their chips for Day 2.
Samuel Ju
But his path to the winner’s circle is far from guaranteed. The competition remains fierce, led by Samuel Ju (1,500,000), who ironically knocked Kabrhel out not long after the latter took his seat for the first time. Ju closed out Day 1 with the second-largest stack. Jacob Amsellem (1,220,000) follows closely, who surged late after making a rivering a better full house in a confrontation against online legend Viktor Blom.
Also in the chase are Simone Andrian (1,070,000) and Orpen Kisacikoglu (1,040,000), the only other players to breach the million-chip mark. Andrian secured his spot in the seven-figure club by winning a flip against Kisacikoglu, who had dominated much of the opening day.
Alongside the quintet are several of poker's biggest names. The aforementioned Blom (785,000) finds himself in the middle of the pack with American trio Shaun Deeb (500,000), Alex Foxen (405,000) and Kristen Foxen (305,000) propping up the rest of the Day 1 survivors.
Event #8: €25,000 NLH GGMillion€ Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
1
Martin Kabrhel
Czechia
1,845,000
91
2
Samuel Ju
Germany
1,500,000
75
3
Jacob Amsellem
France
1,220,000
61
4
Simone Andrian
Italy
1,070,000
54
5
Orpen Kisacikoglu
Turkey
1,040,000
52
6
Sirzat Hissou
Germany
997,000
50
7
Tom-Aksel Bedell
Norway
845,000
42
8
Viktor Blom
Sweden
785,000
39
9
Salih Atac
Swizterland
775,000
39
10
Konstantyn Holskyi
Ukraine
695,000
35
11
Stephen Chidwick
United Kingdom
540,000
27
12
Shaun Deeb
United States
500,000
25
13
Alex Foxen
United States
405,000
20
14
Kristen Foxen
United States
305,000
15
Late registration remains open in the GGMillion€, and will close after Level 14, the second level of Day 2. The tournament was expected to reach that point last night, but a delayed start meant two levels were shaved off of Day 1.
Additionally, there is potentially some extra value available for the players, with the tournament currently sporting an overlay for more than €300,000. If you're in the vicinity and have €25,000 to spare, why not take a shot at WSOP glory?
Day 2 kicks off at 2 p.m. local time and resumes on Level 13, where the blinds are 10,000/20,000 with a 20,000 big blind ante. Levels are 40-minutes in duration and breaks are scheduled after every three levels of play.
The event will crown its winner today, so as always, be sure to stick with PokerNews to keep up with all the action from the WSOPE.
