£888 Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2024 888poker LIVE Coventry
£888 Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2024 888poker LIVE Coventry
Buy-in
£888
Prize Pool
£617,120
Entries
812
Level
33
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Entries
53
Players Left
8
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
The opening day of the £888 Main Event at Coventry Building Society Arena produced plenty of big action, as players battled for a bag and a spot in Day 2 on Saturday, October 20.
The first of six opening Main Event flights at 888poker LIVE Coventry started slowly before some big stacks emerged late in the day. Brandon Harris bagged the biggest total, carrying 599,000 chips into the weekend. Harris found ace-king early and built from there, ultimately finishing with for 100 big blinds for Day 2.
Players took full advantage of unlimited reentries throughout Day 1a, looking to claim a piece of the £500,000 guaranteed prize pool. The day saw a total of 53 entries, with just eight claiming a stack at the end of 14 levels of play.
Sitting in a distant second position is James Bott with 192,000, while Lin Chen rounds out the top three, holding 171,000 chips in his bag. Chen registered late in the day after finishing third in the £440 Mystery Bounty event for £3,660, plus a bounty worth £888.
End of Day 1a Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandon Harris | United Kingdom | 599,000 | 100 |
| 2 | James Bott | United Kingdom | 192,000 | 32 |
| 3 | Lin Chen | United Kingdom | 171,000 | 29 |
| 4 | Mitchell Johnson | United Kingdom | 170,000 | 28 |
| 5 | Trevor Reardon | United Kingdom | 147,000 | 25 |
| 6 | Keith Johnson | United Kingdom | 121,000 | 20 |
| 7 | David Docherty | United Kingdom | 110,000 | 18 |
| 8 | Brendan Evans | United Kingdom | 82,000 | 14 |
The story late in the day was David Docherty, who saw his bluff called by Bott in a big spot while leaving just a single small blind (2,500) behind. From there, though, Docherty did not lose an all in, at risk several times before spiking the river on the final hand of the day to take from Harris and improbably bag 110,000.
"Always leave one small blind behind," Docherty told the table after winning his final all in.
Trevor Reardon was the first to climb above 200,000 before busting and needing another bullet late in the day. Reardon used the second chance wisely, finishing in fifth place with 147,000 chips.
Several 888poker Ambassadors are expected to join the field on Day 1b, one of five other opening flights still to be played this week. Thursday features a pair of chances to find a bag, with Day 1b starting at 1:00 p.m. while the Day 1c turbo flight is set to begin at 9:00 p.m. local time.
The same blind structure remains in place, as players will need to complete 14 levels to find a bag for Saturday. Day 1b will see 40-minute blinds, while the turbo flights feature 20-minute levels.
In addition to unlimited reentries throughout the opening days, late registration remains open until the start of Day 2.
The action will only pick up from here, so don’t miss a minute as the PokerNews live reporting team follows the next four days of the Main Event from Coventry.
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
599,000 | |
|
||
|
192,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
171,000
-43,000
|
-43,000 |
|
170,000
-112,000
|
-112,000 |
|
147,000
-25,000
|
-25,000 |
|
121,000
3,000
|
3,000 |
|
110,000 | |
|
82,000
-1,000
|
-1,000 |
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Action has wrapped up with eight players finding a bag for Day 2.
Stay tuned for full chip counts and a recap of the day.
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
On the final hand of the night, action folded to Brandon Harris in the small blind. Harris bet enough to put David Docherty all in from the big blind, and the call was quickly made.
"I only looked at one," said Docherty as the hands were turned up.
David Docherty: A♦3♦ 
Brandon Harris: 10♥2♥
Harris found a pair on the 4♥2♠J♣ flop, with the Q♣ turn changing nothing. Docherty then connected with the A♣ river, improbably finding another double to bag over 100,000 chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
599,000
-43,500
|
-43,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
110,000
52,500
|
52,500 |
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
The clock has been paused as the last four hands of the night are played.
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Brandon Harris opened to 10,000 before David Docherty committed 20,000 of his 22,500 with a three-bet. Action folded back around to Harris, who moved all in with Docherty calling.
David Docherty: K♠Q♦
Brandon Harris: K♣4♠
Docherty held through the 7♠10♥A♦7♣Q♠ runout, turning what was once a stack of 2,500 into more than 50,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
642,500
4,500
|
4,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
57,500
55,000
|
55,000 |
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Trevor Reardon opened to 10,500 from the cutoff and was called by Lin Chen in the small blind and Brendan Evans in the big blind.
Chen checked the 10♦6♦8♣ flop, with Evans firing out a bet of 12,500. Reardon folded while Chen made the call.
Both players checked through the Q♠ turn to see the 9♥ river, where Chen led out for 22,000. Evans counted out his chips before opting to fold.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
214,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
172,000
105,000
|
105,000 |
|
|
83,000
-36,000
|
-36,000 |
Level 14
: Blinds 2,500/5,000, 5,000 ante
Brandon Harris opened to 10,000 in middle position with David Docherty making the call in the hijack. James Bott also came along in the cutoff, with the dealer fanning out the 10♠K♦8♣ flop.
Harris checked and folded when Docherty fired 10,000 into the middle. Bott called to the 3♣ turn, where both players checked.
Docherty led out for 65,500, leaving just 2,500 chips behind. Bott tossed in the call and showed 10♥9♥ for a pair of tens. Docherty could only flash his AxJx before sending them to the muck, with Bott picking up a big pot late in the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
638,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
165,000
75,000
|
75,000 |
|
|
2,500
-159,500
|
-159,500 |
|
Busted | |
Level: 14
Blinds: 2,500/5,000
Ante: 5,000