Shuffle Up & Deal

The fourth of eight starting days for the €250 Holiday Festival Main Event kicked off right on time... some 30 players faced off in blinds 100 - 200 (200) for 15 half-hour levels!

The first step is to get through the first four levels, heading for the first traditional half-hour break at the Circus Casino Resort in Namur!

After 3 of the eight starting sessions, just under 500 entries have been recorded, and 76 players have already validated their ticket for Day 2 on Saturday, September 7. When play resumes at 2pm on blinds 5000 - 10,000 (10,000), levels will be 40 minutes long!

Toujours du Monde

The second level has begun with over 60 players seated at the tables... Day 1D is now being played on blinds 100 - 300 (300) and there are no outs after 35 minutes of poker at the Circus Casino Resort in Namur.

Arnaud Danes, Yves Senterre, Marielle Soumoy, Mihai Stinca and Robert Seelen all try their luck again, while Giovanni Ventura and Jean Vielletoile enter this Holiday Main Event with a guaranteed €250,000 prizepool. 

Keep Growing

The blinds will go up to 200 - 400 (400) in a few moments and there are now 81 players on the rail. The table shows 83 entries with two early eliminations... followed by a direct re-entry for both victims.

Entries are unlimited until the first deal of level 10, at around 10.15pm. A chance for a fresh start in the event of a setback.


Lagdar Sadoudi, Roger Edain, Prescillia Duhoux, Cristian Bogdan, Maradona Abaz and Theo Erkamps are here. So are Eric Goffin, Dieu Lam, Dalil Masaud, Tony Kiorpes and Maxime Servais. 

Toujours Plus

The 100-entry mark was passed just before the blinds went up and the 4th level of Day 1D of the €250-entry Holiday Main Event began. The table shows 105 entries so far...


There are 27 minutes left to play on blinds 300 - 600 (600) with 93 players in contention... the survivors will have a half-hour break at the end of this level. The average is 46,000 chips, and Giuseppe Callea (below) seems to have got off to the best possible start, with just over twice his starting stack. A rather miraculous river story, according to a few witnesses at his table...

So we Trinque

The aperitif and the first break of Day 1D are not too far off... the 4th of the 15 levels on the Holiday Festival Day 1D program is now drawing to a close. Just ten minutes remain to complete the first part of the day and reach the 2-hour mark on poker.

Marielle Soumoy has got off to a good start, even if she only has regulars at her table. Between Rudi Mulders, Harrie Snijders, David Masaud Patrick Prijot and Jean Vielletoile, the player is surrounded... but that hasn't stopped her from reaching 105,000 chips despite having just been bluffed.

Heads up on the river of a 6 8 Ten King 4 board, with the turn bringing a second spade, Marielle checks early in the game. Rui Da Costa then sends 50,000 in a slight overbet from the button. The Belgian asks for a count before returning her cards and being shown a 9 and 5 of spades for air... 

Break

The first break of Day 1D is underway, with play resuming at 6:31 p.m. on blinds 400 - 800 (800), with currently 92 players in the running for 114 entries. The provisional average is 62,000 chips... and three Namur regulars are out in front.

Just before the break, Cristian Bogdan doubled up. There are three of them on a 2 5 DIx board, and there's already 20,000 in the middle... Cristian checks, imitated by his neighbor on the left, but the third player is all-in with 25,000 chips in position. Bogdan calls for 22,000 and it's madness behind... there's Ace-Queen in front and no horror to climb back above the starting stack. It's crippled as his opponent breaks for half an hour!


Chipcount
Claudio Tullii 186,000
Yves Senterre 164,000
Francesco Pilliteri 141,000
Bertrand Libert 139,000
Daniel Mueller 123,000
Peter van Landuyt 116 000
Michael Babusiaux 111 000
David Gaillard 106 000
Theo Erkamps 103 000
Rui Da Costa 102 000
Giuseppe Callea 96 000
Fabrizio Quatrocchi 89 000
Marille Soumoy 74 000
Sebastien Vanderghen 72 000
Harrie Snijders 66 000
Marie Rustan 63 000
Cristian Bogdan 62 000
Jean Vielletoile 59 000
Arnaud Danes 47 000
Mihai Stinca 44 000
Dalil Masaud 42 000
Fabrice Somers 40 000
Robert Seelen 39 000
Prescillia Duhoux 37 000
Mehidi Sahli 31 000 (photo) 

Go Higher

The blinds go up to 600 - 1200 (1200), there's an extra level to follow and then the 75-minute dinner break begins... The field is made up of 98 active players at the tables of the Circus Casino Resort in Namur, while the organization has collected 132 entries for this Day 1D of the Holiday Festival. A score that should rise a little further despite the start of the €400 Mystery BOunty at 7 p.m. 

Visit poker Francesco Pillitteri is not far from the heights of the day, with 240,000 pawns in front of him at the start of the 7th of the 15 levels on today's program... 

Strike

Just as level 8 is about to begin, Dario Sorrenti opens in MP. He's paid by his neighbor on the left and then by Harrie Snijders.

In the blinds Prescillia Duhoux moves all-in for just over 10,000 chips... and no one else moves through to create a pot of almost 42,000 chips.

The trio check-raise to the river on a 2 9 Ace 5 3 board... at which point Dario goes all-in for just under half the pot. If his left-hand neighbor passes, Harrie Snijders calls directly, turning over 3 and 4 of hearts for the daddy straight!

With mismatched Ace 6 and Ace King respectively, Prescillia and Dario join the rail. A little breathing space for Harrie with half an hour to go before dinner-break! 

Miracle in Namur

"It's a miracle," laughs Claude Frisque (below) as he finishes recounting his remontada. Dropped to 3,200 chips after being doubled up by Cristian Bogdan just before the first break, Claude went all-in afterwards. He went all-in straight from the break with Dame Dix... paid by Nicolas Collignon he hit to overtake the opponent's Ace 9.

"I went all-in getting paid eight times, it's a miracle," Claude repeats now with 214,000 chips in front of him. "He had two deliveries when he had premiums, 8 and 9 for 50,000 when he had Kings and 8 and 2 which goes all-in 50,000 chips when he had Queens," continues a player witnessing Claude's comeback, now at the top of the table.

The blinds are 800 - 1600 (1600) for the last level before the break and two other players have more than four times the starting stack while the average is 81,000 chips. Francesco Pillitteri is still ahead with 240,000 chips, while Marielle Soumoy has 210,000. 

Heading for dinner-break!

Dinner Break

Resumption at 9.45pm on blinds 1000 - 2000 (2000) with another 30 minutes to register or re-enter... For the moment, 80 players will be returning for 149 entries and an average of 93,000 chips, so it's likely to swell a little further. Just before the break, Bertrand Libert won the final hand, so he'll be dining out with the biggest stack.

Chipcount
Bertrand Libert 282,000
Robert Seelen 243,000
Francesco Pilliteri 235,000
David Gaillard 217,000
Lukasz Brzezinki 195,000
Marc Thumelaire 195 000
Nicolas Collignon 180 000
Claude Frisque 176 000
Tony Bitto 174 000
Mehdi Maroufi 171 000
Marielle Soumoy 169 000
Patrick Prijot 153 000
Michael Babusiaux 153 000
Roger Edain 150 000
Jonathan Berenzon 136 000
Giovanni Ventura 136 000
Maxime Servais 130 000
Yves Senterre 128 000
Teo Erkamps 120 000
Franklin Nurmohamed 113 000
Pascal Masset 105 000
Matthias van der Perre 93 000
Harrie Snijders 74 000

Top 80

It's been fifteen minutes since play resumed on Day 1D of the €250 Holiay Festival. The average is approaching 100,000 chips in the 1000 - 2000 blinds (2000) and there are only 80 players left.

Registration is still open for another 15 minutes and there are already 159 entrants on this fourth day of play. All the more reason to aim for a bigger prizepool than the guarantee. There's still a long way to go, but with 330,000 chips already in his bag, Bertrand Libert (photo) is well ahead of the field.

Among the big stacks, David Gaillard has also kept up his momentum (270,000), while Robert Seelen is still going well (200,000). Maxime Servais is also on the right track, with twice the average and a 100-blind block! 

162 Entrants on Day 1D

Level 10 is stretching out and the blinds are about to climb to 1500 - 3000 (3000) with 72 players still in the running and an average of 112,500 chips. Behind Bertrand Libert, the resistance is getting organized... his neighbor on the right Michel Verboven (280,000) is only one blind down. Mehdi Maroufi (260,000) also continues to work hard, as does Marc Thumelaire (255,000).

Yves Senterre is holding his own at 230,000 with a good value river with the Aces, while Francesco Pillitteri (150,000) has lost ground.

Next break and final break of Day 1D at the end of Level 12... the fourth day of the Holiday Festival has finally gathered 162 entrants to bring the provisional attendance to

Thursday September 5, two starting days (at 4pm and 9pm) to make it all explode! 

Gros Robert

Strike for Robert Seelen, who moves up to 310,000 chips. After eliminating Eric Goffin and Alaatin Sultan Seelen is close to the top of Day 1D. They're 4 up on a 4 2 7 flop with two hearts and the small blind checks. In the big blind Eric Goffin sends in his stack of around 45,000 chips and the lowjack pays for an equivalent stack.

On the button, Robert Seelen hesitates for a moment before calling with 8 and 5 of hearts. The small blind returns its cards and Goffin reveals Ace 2 sweat with the club backdoor. Alaatin shows Jack 9 of hearts but a 5 of diamonds and an 8 of spades fall for two bustos. All for the Dutchman (photo). 

Not on the radar, Aurélien Dumont has just popped up with 340,000 chips... two notches to the left of Claude Frisque now in front of a meagre stack of 65,000 pawns. Maxime Servais (261,000) continues to get the job done, as does Giovanni Ventura (310,000).

We're battling with two starting stacks with 10 minutes to play on level 11 and blinds 1500 - 3000 (3000) for Tony Kiorpes, Dalil Masaud. Mehdi Sahli (125,000) and Francesco Pillitteri (140,000) have a little more room to play...

With 60 still in the running, David Gaillard and Ralf Werner have jumped. Marielle Soumoy too.

Acceleration

Fifteen or so exits in the last half-hour, and only 46 remain as the final break of Day 1D takes place in ten minutes' time. The survivors are playing on 2000 - 4000 (4000), while Pascal Masset, Michel Verboven and Matthias van der Perre have joined the rail.

Aurélien Dumont has cracked the Aces and is down to 270,000 chips. Dropped to 30,000 chips, Claude Frisque got the ball rolling again by inflicting this badbeat... he followed this up by finding a river straight against a three of a kind and then winning ace-queen against queens. Frisque has 350,000 chips... probably only beaten to the tournament lead by Rui Da Costa (420,000 ) and Bertrand Libert (400,000). At this table, Giovanni Ventura is keeping calm with his 345,000 chips, while Mehdi Maroufi (230,000) has just moved on to other horizons.

For Mehidi Sahli, things have accelerated too. After an open, the Belgian 3-bet commit in the small blind and saw his neighbor on the left send the box over. Fold from the opener, Sahli calls Ace Valet and hits his kicker to pass the opponent's Ace King. Heading for 290,000 chips and the break. 

Sprint

On the last hand before the final break of Day 1D, Bregt Winters found the Aces to double up against Walid Belmessaoud and eliminate Roger Edain. After a quarter-hour break, play resumed at midnight on blinds 2,000 - 5,000 (5,000). 45 players set out to tackle the final three levels of the fourth of eight opening days!

With an average of 176,000 chips, it's time for the final table with Claude Frisque once again on top!

Chipcount
Claude Frisque 436,000
Bertrand Libert 428,000
Robert Seelen 411,000
Giovanni Ventura 352,000
Bregt Winters 350,000

Kris Coeckelbergh 315,000
FrancescoPillitteri 295,000
Lukasz Brzenzki 263,000
Michael Barbusiaux 255,000
Mehdi Maroufi 251,000

Claudio Tullii 230,000
Maxime Servais 213,000
Mehidi Sahli 210,000
Theo Erkamps 163,000
Harrie Snijders 100,000
Yves Senterre 85,000

Dalil Masaud 65,000
Walid Belmessaoud 55,000

Not Cold in the Eyes

As the final hour of play gets underway, players battle it out on 3000 - 6000 (6000) for the penultimate level of Day 1D, and it's Claude Frisque (below) who's in the lead. "It's a miracle tonight," he says, after a succession of moves that took him up to 630,000 chips. 

Claude has a big VPIP, sending two barrels on Dame Valet 3 7 6 and Giovanni Ventura quickly pays river to be shown a pair of 2's. Ventura shows Roi Valet and climbs to 430,000 chips.

Behind him, Claude sends out two barrels on 3 Ten 9 King with two trefles on the flop and a third turn. His 25,000 bet is met by a 75,000-chip raise fromAurélien Dumont. Frisque snap 3-bets all-in and on reflection Aurelien gives up his cards to fall to 160,000 chips.

The next hand, Claude Frisque opens UTG1 and Giovanni Ventura (below) pays again. Frisque bets 50,000 on Dame Dix 6 with two hearts and Ventura promptly pays. No action on turn 2 and on river 9 Frisque bets 50,000 chips. "Paid" announces Ventura in the second before mucke when he discovers the Aces in front! "It's a miracle," says Claude again... the only player with 100 blinds on this fourth day of the Holiday.

Frisque tucks his treasure under the barrel and the dealer tells him it's his turn again. Claude goes wild. "A breath of fresh air", jokes the dealer after this string of disputed shots. 

Meanwhile, Maxime Servais defended in the blinds and found a straight to squeeze chips out of Robert Seelen. In the Hijack, the Dutchman flashed the Aces and fell to 250,000 chips, while the Belgian climbed to 335,000. A fine fortune at a time when the average is 185,000 chips. 

There are 18 minutes left to play on this 14th level and 40 players since God Lam and Marie Rustan have just given up... 

Last Round

The last level of Day 1D has begun, the game is played over 4000 - 8000 (8000) and there are still 25 minutes left on the clock... 33 players are still aiming to secure their ticket for Day 2 on Saturday, September 7. 

Michael Babusiaux, Mehdi Maroufi and Tony Bitto jumped in the final minutes as Claudio Tullii (510 000), Claude Frisque (615 000), Kris Coeckelbergh (490,000 - photo) and especially Rui Da Costa (700,000) continue to pile up chips. 

Claude Frisque chipleader, 25 qualifiers on Day 1D 

Down to 3,200 chips in blinds 400 - 800 (800), Claude Frisque made an initial climb to the top before dropping back to 8 blinds two hours later. The Belgian finished strongly to end the fourth opening day in the lead! Claude Frisque bagged up 793,000 chips in 7 hours 30 minutes at poker and 15 half-hour levels.

The Belgian was ahead of Luxembourg's Rui Da Costa (679,000 - photo)) and his compatriot Kris Coeckelbergh (630,000) as 25 players finally cleared the hurdle. At the halfway stage of the eight opening sessions, 101 players have validated their ticket for Saturday's 2 p.m. Day 2, which will start on 5,000 - 10,000 (10,000) with 40-minute levels. 

Valentin Bury, Walid Belmessaoud, Yves Senterre and Giovanni Ventura jumped on the last level of Day 1D, but Bertrand Libert, David Kahan, David Masaud, Maxime Servais, Bregt Winters, Harrie Snijders, Claudio Tullii and Francesco Pillitteri did the job.

See you on Thursday for two starting sessions on the Main Event (at 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. for a turbo version) as well as the Mystery Bounty Final Day (from 3 p.m.) and a PLO (at 7.30 p.m.)! 

Chipcount Complete Day 1D
Claude Frisque 793 000
Rui Da Costa 679 000
Kris Coeckelbergh 630 000
Francesco Pillitteri 600 000
Harrie Snijders 593 000
Bertrand Libert 592 000
Claudio Tullii 472 000
Milan Moutiaux 374 000
Lukasz Brzezinski 341 000
Bregt Winters 326 000

Maxime Servais 315 000
Markus Giesen 293 000
Daniel Mueller283 000
Marc Thumelaire 215 000
Clement Godart 210 000
Ugur Cegen 197 000
Robert Seelen 196 000
Markus Sippe 183 000
David Kahan 177 000
David Masaud 169 000

Stephane Kiermeer 147 000
Adil Elmazil 137 000
Theo Erkamps 118 000
Mehidi Sahli 110 000
Aurelien Dumont 88 000