UNIBET OPEN MALTA DAY 1B - LIVE BLOG

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Welcome to Day 1BGood morning and welcome to Day 1B of Unibet Open Malta 2018, hosted here at Casino Malta in St Julians.

Yesterday's Day 1A saw 88 entrants, 28 of which made it through to Day 2.

These players included some well known names such as Unibet Open London 2017 winner Gerret Van Lancker, Unibet community member @triceraatopp, and Unibet esporter Phil 'syrinxx' Schonebaum.

Chip leader from Day 1A is Frenchman Charly Grenet as he really surged in the second half of the day yesterday.

We are around 15 minutes away from the start of play here, and so far we have 117 players already registered. However, that final number is expected to be much higher than that.

Like yesterday, the players today will start with 30,000 chips and will play 10 one hour levels. When play kicks off the blinds will be 50/100, meaning all players start with 300bbs.

As always, get involved and let me know who you'd like updates on. Most of the ambassadors, esporters and community members will be playing today so I will do my utmost to give regular updates on all of these players as well as information on big hands and interesting spots.

 

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Early bustouts

We have lost three players here in Malta so far, and one of them is Unibet esporter Colin 'Koolein' Wijnholds, after getting massively coolered with the nut flush against quads!

Other bustouts include Kyosti Isberg, and World Series of Poker Main Event 2017 15th place finisher Valentin Messina. 

He cashed that event for $450,000 but was unfortunately one of the first to go today.

 

[JoshBarkerPoker]

First break

Players have just returned to their seats after their first 15 minute break here in Malta. Blinds are now 150/300 with an ante of 25.

Polish player Pawel Wakuluk currently leads the pack with 85,000, meanwhile Unibet UK Tour Brighton winner Paul Romain is up to 55,000 after the first two levels.

Unibet esporter Lisa 'STPeach' Vannatta has also made a decent start, sitting on a stack of around 46,000.

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Community members stack updates

A brief update of a few community members stacks midway through level three.

@Rock_Romain - 65,000

@FeelsBadMan - 37,000

@IrishinSpain - 29,000

@ChapInAChair - 26,000

@pirahn - 25,000

@YouSoKind - 23,000

[startelver]

What about @KrustyTheClown   ?  

 

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Ambassador update

We have lost our first ambassador of Day 1B here in Malta, and that unfortunate person is David Lappin. 

After dwindling down to around 11,000, he 4-bet shoved his remaining chips with Jx Jx but ran into Kx Kx and couldnt hit the two outer.

Not a good couple of days for David poker wise, as he lost his heads up duel with fellow ambassador Ian Simpson yesterday 2-0. Maybe the side events will be kinder for you Lappin.

Here are the rest of the ambassadors and their chip counts:

Dara O'Kearney - 44,000

Rauno Tahvonen - 32,000

Ian Simpson - 29,000

Quentin Lecomte - 22,000*

Fredrik Bergmann - 19,000

Dan Murariu - 11,000

*This stack will be correct as of the live stream. You can watch the action live on Twitch here: http://unibet.me/12hQH

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Table buddies!

Two of the community players @KrustyTheClown and @Raegar find themselves sat right next to each other and have been for the entire day so far.

Here are their chip counts:

@KrustyTheClown - 39,200

@Raegar - 24,800

Players will be having another 15 minute break in around 20 minutes.

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Esports update

We have just reached the second break of the day here in Malta and so far we have lost two Unibet esporters. 

Early on we lost Koolein, and just more recently we lost Lisa 'STPeach' Vannatta. This is how the rest of the Unibet esports players are getting on:

Rafael 'VeniCraft' Eisler - 43,000

Alan 'Hotted89' Widmann - 18,000

Scott 'Sco' McMillan - 17,000

Jordy 'MojoOnPc' Janssens - 12,500

Kevin 'Papaplatte' Teller is also in the action, you can find out how he's getting on via the live stream: http://unibet.me/12hQH

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Community update

Most of the players from the Unibet community are still going here on Day 1B. The only casulaty so far is @sebreb.

Chip counts:

@Rock_Romain - 55,000

@MonkeyStyle - 47,000

@KrustyTheClown - 39,000

@Raegar - 37,000

@sG - 35,000

@ChapInAChair - 28,000

@FeelsBadMan - 22,000

@Nutu_Ionut -  21,000

@pirahn - 20,000

@EasyMoney_21 - 17,000

@Messwithme - 11,000

[pianocat88]

@IrishinSpain ?

[JoshBarkerPoker]

He has around 34,000. Blinds are currently 300/600.

[JeppeL]

---

@JoshBarkerPoker wrote:

He has around 34,000. Blinds are currently 300/600.

---

Comeback kid, he was at 8K an hour and a half ago :)

[JoshBarkerPoker]

We've lost our Mojo!

 

Unibet esports player Jordy Janssens - known as MojoOnPc to his followers has busted the main event here in Malta. 

After being short stacked for a while, he got his last 8,100 in with A♥️ T♠️ against the K♥️ K♠️ of Erik Nordahl.

The board ran out: 7♠️ T♣️ 6♦️ 2♠️ 2♣️

This meant the kings held, and Jordy was knocked out of the main event here on Day 1B. Erik Nordahl on the other hand is up to around 50,000 after that hand and he will be hoping to push on and make Day 2.

 

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Notable bustouts

We are around 20 minutes away from the dinner break here in Malta, and quite a few bustouts have occurred as people start to get short with the blinds increasing.

We lost Unibet esporter Alan 'Hotted89' Widmann in a flip, as well as 1year1million collaborator Rauno Kiviloo, Unibet Open regular Henrik Tellving, and Unibet community players @pirahn, @EasyMoney_21, @LimettiFlippi.

More recently, two more Unibet community players also hit the rail. @Rock_Romain busted after a few pots did not go his way, and @IrishinSpain could not continue his good run after his second place finish in the deepstack open last night busting just a few minutes ago.

Another notable bustout is that of Domien Fierens, who final table Unibet Open Bucharest in 2016. His demise came at the hands of Unibet ambassador Rauno Tahvonen otherwise known as Estonian Jesus. Both players had Ace Queen, Rauno had his suited to hearts, and hit his flush on the turn.

Pretty grim end for Domien, but great news for Rauno who is up to around 50,000.

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Dinner break update

Players have gone on their one hour dinner break here on Day 1B of Unibet Open Malta, and 118 remain from a total of 182 entrants today looking to make it to tomorrow's Day 2.

Plenty of community players, ambassadors and esporters remain as well as other notable names.

Updated chip counts will be given after the break has finished and players return to ensure the accuracy of the stacks.

 

 

[Zipfil]

@JoshBarkerPoker

Is @Messwithme still in that game ?

[JoshBarkerPoker]

He unfortunately just busted before the dinner break along with @sG.

[Hothuw]

And traart...?

[Messwithme]

Sorry to dissapoint You guys ,i am out.

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Updated chip counts

Here is a list of updated and accurate notable name chip counts as of the dinner break.

Ambassadors:

Ian Simpson  - 73,000

Dara O'Kearney - 33,000

Rauno Tahvonen - 78,000

Fredrik Bergmann - 64,000

Quentin Lecomte - 46,000

Dan Murariu - 57,000

Alex Reard - 21,000

 

Esporters

Rafael 'VeniCraft' Eisler - 31,000

Scott 'Sco' McMillan - 33,000

Kevin 'Papaplatte' Teller - 54,000

 

Community

@Raegar - 65,000

@ChapInAChair - 52,000

@Nutu_Ionut - 18,000

@YouSoKind - 52,000

@KrustyTheClown - 58,000

@MonkeyStyle - 60,000

@FeelsBadMan - 40,000

 Players will be retaking their in around five minutes time.

[Livertool]

Gogogo @FeelsBadMan :happy: :popeye:

[Darkangel7]

Is Maestro still in?

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Lepik somehow survives!

 

The winner of the DSO Cup last night has somehow stayed in here in Malta on Day 1B. 

Blinds are 500/1000 with a 100 ante, and Kaarel Lepik shoved his last 3.5bbs with 8♥️ 8♦️ and got two callers from the cut off and the big blind.

On a board of K♣️ J♣️ 9♥️ T♣️ 2♠️, both players left in the hand with remaining chips decided to check it down all the way to the river.

Kaarel then showed his two red eights and got up to leave, knowing it'd be extremely likely that his hand was beat on such a co-ordinated board. 

However, both players slowly mucked their hands and Kaarel sat back down laughing in disbelief! 

Maybe lady luck is going to be on his side in this tournament too to make him a two-time winner of a Unibet Open.

 

 

[JoshBarkerPoker]

Hey @Darkangel7! Maestro played Day 1A yesterday and busted unfortunately.

[JoshBarkerPoker]

A turn of events for Doke

 

Unibet ambassador Dara O'Kearney was just all in and at risk for his last 21,500 with 9♠️ 9♦️ after being called by A♠️ K♦️ 

The flop came K♥️ 5♣️ 2♣️ and Dara had one foot out the door. However another player at the table said to himself "set of nines on the turn" and his wizardry came to fruition.

A 9♣️ came on the turn and the AK was drawing dead, meaning Dara doubled up to around 45,000.

Must be nice, Dara!