$1,100 Eureka Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2024 PokerStars EPT Cyprus
$1,100 Eureka Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2024 PokerStars EPT Cyprus
Buy-in
$1,100
Prize Pool
$2,662,850
Entries
2,803
Level
38
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
800,000
Entries
220
Players Left
33
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Poker players from across the globe have made their way to the luxurious Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa for another edition of PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus. The festivities kicked off today with Day 1a of the Eureka Main Event, which drew 220 entrants by the time late registration closed.
After the last hand was dealt, Sergei Bortsov emerged as the chip leader of the remaining 33 players after bagging up 598,000 in chips. His next closest competitor was Mateusz Sikora, who was the only other player to breach the 500k mark after ending with an even 500,000.
Eureka Main Event Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sergei Bortsov | Russia | 598,000 |
| 2 | Mateusz Sikora | Poland | 500,000 |
| 3 | Vladislav Dubanov | Russia | 477,000 |
| 4 | Giorgiy Skhulukhiya | Russia | 433,000 |
| 5 | Eduard Tasoev | Russia | 423,000 |
| 6 | Santiago Nadal | Mexico | 387,000 |
| 7 | Lan Haoyenan | China | 315,000 |
| 8 | Yueksel Savsa | Switzerland | 295,000 |
| 9 | Oleg Ustinovich | Russia | 240,000 |
| 10 | Mehmet Demirkol | Turkey | 226,000 |
Bortsov got off to a good start after catching Nichita Verbitchii in a bluff to nearly double his starting stack. From that point on, Bortsov steadily built his stack throughout the day.
Barny Boatman, who won the EPT Paris Main Event earlier this year, was in attendance from the start and more than tripled his starting stack at one point after flopping the nut flush and getting paid. However, Boatman was unable to hang onto his momentum and ended up busting just ten spots away from the Day-2 bubble.
Two players were all in on the stone bubble, which saw Yueksel Savsa doubling up with ace-king while Andrei Kaigorodtsev busted after calling Sikora down with top pair against Sikora's trips.
All players who earned a Day-2 berth have already made the money, although the exact amount of a min-cash won't be calculated until after all starting flights have been played to completion.
Other notables who entered but were unable to find a bag include Nick Palma, Dinesh Alt, Pablo Silva, Viet Van Vo and Nina Krasilnikova — who busted after getting all in with a dominated ace against Rustam Kabdylsalykov on an ace-high flop and failing to improve.
All players who failed to make it to Day 2 still have several chances left as the event has four more starting flights. Day 1c is the next flight, scheduled to begin on Thursday, October 10 at 12 p.m. local time. Day 2 will take place on Saturday, October 12 at noon.
Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring you all the action as EPT Cyrpus is just getting warmed up!
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
598,000
453,000
|
453,000 |
|
||
|
500,000 | |
|
477,000
197,000
|
197,000 |
|
433,000
153,000
|
153,000 |
|
423,000
173,000
|
173,000 |
|
387,000 | |
|
315,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
295,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
240,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
226,000
198,500
|
198,500 |
|
221,000
-14,000
|
-14,000 |
|
199,000
-56,000
|
-56,000 |
|
193,000
68,000
|
68,000 |
|
191,000
39,000
|
39,000 |
|
167,000
-13,000
|
-13,000 |
|
165,000 | |
|
163,000
-62,000
|
-62,000 |
|
154,000
47,000
|
47,000 |
|
149,000
-6,000
|
-6,000 |
|
128,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
127,000 | |
|
126,000 | |
|
123,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
|
112,000
-48,000
|
-48,000 |
|
108,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Now that the Day-2 bubble has burst, the remaining 33 players are bagging and tagging for the evening.
Stay tuned for a recap of Day 1a.
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Mateusz Sikora opened to 12,000 from the hijack and was called by Andrei Kaigorodtsev in the big blind.
Kaigorodtsev proceeded to check-call bets from Sikora on every street. First for 10,000 on the 10♠10♦K♦ flop, then for 30,000 on the 3♠ turn, and lastly for Kaigorodtsev's last 65,000 on the 4♥ river after a lengthy tank.
Sikora tabled 10♥5♣ for trip tens and Kaigorodtsev let out a sigh of disappointment as he revealed K♥J♥ for kings-up to be eliminated on the stone bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
500,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Yueksel Savsa open raised to 15,000 from late position and picked up a call before Giorgiy Skhulukhiya shoved all in from the button with a big stack. Savsa called all in and the rest of the table folded.
Yueksel Savsa: A♦K♠ 
Giorgiy Skhulukhiya: J♦5♦
The board ran out 6♠K♣Q♣2♦5♣ and Savsa paired his king to double up his stack on the bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
282,000
147,000
|
147,000 |
|
|
280,000
159,500
|
159,500 |
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Day 1a of the $1,100 Eureka Main Event is now hand for hand with 34 players remaining and 33 set to be paid.
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Action was on the river on a board of 8♦8♠9♦7♥K♠ and Sordo Nadal moved all in for around 100,000 effective, an overbet into the 70k pot. Halil Gungor went into the tank and eventually made the call.
Nadal showed 10♠6♦ for a straight. Gungor slammed his hand on the table, 8♥4♣ for trip eights. He then said "nice hand" to his opponent and took his leave.
With that, the tournament went hand for hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
360,000
225,500
|
225,500 |
|
Busted |
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Giorgii Skhulukhiia opened from under the gun and it was folded to Joao Tomas in the big blind, who shoved for his last 39,000. Skhulukhiia snap-called and hands were revealed.
Joao Tomas: A♥10♠
Giorgii Skhulukhiia: K♠K♥
Tomas would need some help against Skhulukhiia's cowboys, and the J♥A♦J♦7♦6♥ did just that — improving Tomas to a pair of aces and awarding him the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
550,000
464,000
|
464,000 |
|
86,000
-44,000
|
-44,000 |
Level 16
: Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante
Viet Van Vo open shoved all in for 52,000 from early position and Yueksel Savsa called on the button with the covering stack. Players flipped their cards.
Viet Van Vo: K♥J♠
Yueksel Savsa: K♠Q♠
Vo was dominated and the board ran out 10♣4♦K♣5♦K♦. Both players made trip kings and Savsa held with the higher kicker to send Vo to the rail just three players off the money.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
135,000
2,500
|
2,500 |
|
Busted |