Day by Day

394 players validated their ticket for Day 2 on the 7 starting days. You have to register before Thursday 1pm to get 50,000 chips and start again on the blinds 1000 - 2500 (2500) with levels of 70 minutes...

Day 2 of the BPC Challenge kicks off on Thursday May 16 at 1pm, with 393 qualifiers for the 7 opening days.

1,223 entries and registration open until Shuffle up and deal!

Redraw and full chipcount

36 latecomers make 1,259 entrants

Registration is now closed for the 2024 edition of the Belgian Poker Challenge, priced at €1,100 per entry. Day 2 resumed a few minutes late, as 36 additional players had to be placed. These players put a buy-in on the table at the end of the 7 starting days, enough to boost the final prize pool to €1,196,050.

These newcomers included Jensen Bernard, Samy Khaled, Fred Hebette, Fabien Perrot, Mehidi Sahli, Farukh Tach and Jonas Viaene...

With 20 blinds on 70-minute levels, there was plenty of time to get going... the late reg' option didn't pay off for Farukh Tach. Winner of the Namur Classic's here and WSOPC champion in Venlo last week, Farukh fell to Guy Goossens with Roi Valet suité. Tach (pictured) sent in 5,000 on Queen 2 9 and paid when he got raised, everything went to the middle on a brick turn and Guy turned over ROi Queen, a hand that held on one last brick. Exit Farukh.

Mike Niegho also decided to return on Day 2. A good choice, as Mike took pawns to start his day in the best possible way... before climbing to 160,000 by eliminating Noah Alem with two Aces against two Kings. 

Top 400

70-minute levels, but many don't have the time. Jonas Viaene re-entered just before the start of Day 2... he was the first to reach the rail on Thursday.

Abdoulaye Gaye, Jens Hermes, Super High Roller BPC runner-up Xiaohua Yang, Carole Hubert, Yves Thalmann, Burak Dogan, Dimitri Devert and Patrick Rietveld have all given up and won't be slipping into the 183 paid places. No €1,750 min-cash either.

Rens Buijs is also out, on his birthday. Andreas Gondrom had 11 blinds at the restart, but failed to make the comeback. Finito also for Jorden Verbraeken, at the end of a blind battle in which he called King 7 on Queen 4 7 9 3 with a flush draw on the flop. His opponent showed Dame 5 to take him out...

200,000€ to be won on the BPC 2024

The payout and breakdown of the nearly €1,200,000 prize pool has not yet been officially released, but the top prize is known... The Top 5 will also win a CPS Main Event ticket worth €2,200 in addition to a large cash prize.

On the poker side, after an hour of play, the field has lost 58 candidates to Omar Lakhdari! The pace is insane for a tournament featuring 70-minute levels and an average of 70 blinds!

Fred Blehaut is up to 220,000 chips, Tobas Peters is just behind and Aurélie Dassi is in survivor mode at the Dutchman's table with just the starting bankroll. Evangelos Charalampous got off to a good start, piling on a little more to reach 470,000 chips, while Frank Reichel lost a little ground (460,000).

Xavier Dupuy didn't move too much in the first hour and now has 480,000 chips, still at the top of the leaderboard. Walter van Camberg has also got off to a good start and is now over 300,000 in chips, or more than 100 blinds, while the move to 1500 - 3000 (3000) is imminent. 

The eliminated players include Luc Gillard, Super Mario Oguz, Laurent Barrague, Lois Dufouleur, Fabien Perrot and Antonius Roberts... There are now just 365 players in the running for 183 paid places. 

Live with Felix

Martin Schneiders and his team are broadcasting their game at the Belgian Poker Challenge. Follow the BPC live with Team Pro PokerStars... who are also preparing a little money animation for the restart following the first break at 4pm. 

Break

The first break of Day 2 is underway... with 309 survivors, the pace was intense over the first two 70-minute levels.

119 bustos in 140 minutes of play - no time in Namur! Sébastien Matrige joined the rail after opening with two Aces. Two calls later, Rami Awad moved all in with the big blind and hit a pair on the flop and an eighth river to climb to almost 200,000 chips just shy of the break.

Matrige joined Ruben Tack, Dang Nguyen, Yannick Ansenne, Carina Voncken, Nicolas Kojovic, Mehidi Sahli, Cup winner Wesley Peinen and many others in the rail.

Finito also for PLO champion Kader Slila, Idir Haiche, Min Sung Lee, Micka Erbil, or Tonio Ruggiu...

Play resumes at 4pm on 2000 - 4000 (4000) at 126 places from the money with an average of 51 blinds... 

BPC 2024 Payout

There are 183 paid places with a €2,200 CPS ticket for the Top 5 of this tournament, which attracted 1,259 entrants. Min-cash at €1,750 and the win at €200,000... always better than a slap or a bad-beat...

Chips

Half an hour of play on blinds 2000 - 4000 (4000) and the field was down to 280 players. Pierre Neuville got off to a good start, cracking Yannick Ansenne's Aces, while Xavier Dupuy continued his flawless play, even if he slowed down a little after the restart and the waffle offered by PokerStars at the break.

Samir Boudeliou started with a 4 all-in at the beginning of Day 1F, and is also keeping up the pace... as is Mallory Frere, who arrived almost an hour late!  

Chipcount 
Xavier Dupuy 685,000 (photo)
Samir Boudeliou 600,000
Mallory Frere 530,000
Fabian Rolli 530,000
Rico Roumen 530,000
Frank Reichel 490,000
Mihaita Georgita 480,000
Romain le Dantec 480,000
Miro Alilovic 465,000
Guillaume Navarro 450,000
Djamal Boutaleb 430,000
Adrien Di Grande 420,000
Artan Dedusha 380,000
Reda Belkhou 375,000
Yassine Romain 360,000
Yves Sergeant 330 00
Jean Yip 300,000
Guy Goossens 300,000
Brandon Leetz $300,000
Vincent de Neve 280,000
Samy Barka 280,000
Walter van Camberg 260,000
Jay Hoebe $250,000
Omar Lakhdari 225,000

Bustos

No money for this group of players... who can fall back on Event #20 Freezout Championship BPC 2024 at €800 per entry. This tournament has a €50,000 guarantee which is set to explode, with participants receiving 30,000 chips and competing in 45-minute levels from 6pm. Scheduled over two days, Event #20 features 9 levels of late reg'...

Andrea Caizzi, Pasca Honai, Greg Biermans, Pascal Vos, Patrick Hutsch, Fred Hebette, Patrick Prijot, Mihai Stinca, Lagdar Sadoudi, Yann Nasse, Stefan Albu, Jensen BErnard, Theo Milioni and Aurélie Dassi may be in for a treat after skipping the Main Event Belgian Poker Challenge.

There are still 271 players in the running and 25 minutes to play on level 14. The average is 58 blinds, as there have been 157 eliminations in 185 minutes of play since the start...

In The Family...

Alilovic, I ask for the brother! You're probably familiar with Frenchman Miro Alilovic, whose 7-figure live winnings include the €512,000 Estrellas Barcelona in 2022... so he was joined by Christian.

The little brother clicks, his best result was 5th place for €19,000 on the High-Roller of the Belgian Poker Challenge 2023, and he's just positioned himself to deep-run the BPC 2024. This is thanks to a daring all-in 5-bet on which he chatted.

From the hijack Fabio Percio opened to 9,000 chips and 4-bet 105,000 when Christian Alilovic placed a raise from the button. The Frenchman ends up sending 300,000 chips and making the Belgian tank opposite. It's finally paid by ace-queen suite... the dealer will unpack a ten in doorcard; and despite a flushdraw on the turn, the worst hand will finish ahead. Heading for 600,000 chips, right at the top of the leaderboard for Christian. I promise, the photo of the brother is in progress. 

There are 256 players left and only 5 minutes left to play before the switch to 2500 - 5000 (5000). The average is 61 blinds. 

Vers l'Argent

With 45 minutes left to play on 2,500 - 5,000 (5,000) and 235 players in contention, the paid seats are approaching, as is the second break of Day 2 of the BPC 2024.

For JS Denissa it's all over, as it is for Dario Sorrenti, Mihaita Georgita, François Louis Vlassis, Antoine Stacko, Aram Ali and Djamal Boutaleb. For Guy Goossens, things are going well even though Omar Lakhdari (345,000) and Daniel Tordjmann (300,000 - below) are just to his left.

Guy has just doubled up after finding Ace Ace at the Cutoff. Open under the gun from Davide Marchix, call from Anthony Bui Ngoc and raise to 35,000. Davide raises to 105,000 and Guy begins his acting, as you know he has the best game on poker. Omar Lakhdari gets up to warn me. "It's going all-in," says the titleholder. A minute later Guy pushes in 155,000 and is snapped up by two Kings, heading for just over 300,000! 

At the next table, Mathias Moutaoukil shows up to discuss strategy and introduce a player from his table to Omar. "I've already got my info," replies Lakhdari, who has apparently already scanned his table very well indeed. Mathias heads off to sit down with his 50-blind block at a table featuring Samir Akhoullou. The Belgian entered at the start of Day 2 with 380,000 chips at a table where Miguel Coussement is having a little more trouble.

Before my very eyes, Antonio Cabanas loses Ace-King to Ace-King, Fabri Cardenia makes a flush with his Ace-of-Hearts to get back to 250,000 chips. Antonio falls to 270,000 with a smile on his face. 

As for the big stacks, Miro Alilovic is up to 900,000 chips, obviously aware of his brother's antics. Things are also going well for Raoul Kanme (900,000) and Romain le Dantec (700,000). 

High Five

Pierre Neuville and Namur are an eternal love story. The WSOP Main Event finalist signed the first of his 300 HendonMob lines right here... on the 2007 Belgian Poker Challenge!

Pierre Neuville finished 31st in Jamel Maistriaux's €300,000 victory (entry was €1,600, editor's note), opening his record at poker... since then, he has signed up for three more paid places on the BPC and is aiming for 5th place in 2024.

111th in 2022, 60th in 2014 and 32nd in 2008, Pierre Neuville now stands at 140,000 chips after checking-call 35,000 turn and check-fold river in a confrontation where he had defended his blind on an open Fabian Rolli from the Cutoff. Pierre left himself 135,000 river or 27 blinds at the end of this level... Rolli is up to half a million, at least.

Anything is still possible for a baffling player with 215 players left in the field, and this ITM would allow him not only to make the pass of 5 on the BPC but also to cross the $5 million mark in live winnings.

The second break of Day 2 will take place in a quarter of an hour, without Johnny Nedved, Sam Tropez, Walter van Camberg, Amaury Marechal or Fabio d'Annolfo...

Vacant throne

Finito for Omar Lakhdari just before the break. Coup d'état in Namur, the Parisian fell. First, Omar lost a flip after 3-betting 40,000 from the button with Ace Dame following an open and call. Reda Haidar had opened at the beginning of the hand and put in his 150,000 chips with the Jacks... Omar doesn't hit and Reda climbs to 340,000 chips. 

Then, on the last hand before the break, Omar Lakhdari opened on the button. Johan Roosen defended in the big blind and checked-raised all-in on a Queen 9 3 flop. "Hurry, hurry", Omar was announcing, wanting to go for a break. Omar will pay to go all in, as the self-styled "Dutch Fish" has gone all in with King Ten. 

"He had 60,000 left behind, I got an over and the gutshot," says Roosen, who hits a King on the turn and the straight with the Jack river to also climb to 350,000 chips. Omar leaves empty-handed, on a definitive break from the Belgian Poker Challenge, which he won in 2023. 

Money and Bed

Play will stop at the money. The Belgian Poker Challenge won't stop until the last 183 players are guaranteed a €1,750 prize. There are 35 minutes left to play on 3000 - 6000 (6000) and the screws have long been tightening on Carlos Lopes (80,000) and Vincent Gabel (80,000). For two-time BPC winner Arne Coulier (440,000), it's a straight shot, as it is for Raoul Kanme, who's been scalping one scalp after another - he's just jumped Nicolas Desfrennes to regain the tournament lead!


There are still 194 players in the running, i.e. 15 victims to be found at the Circus Casino Resort in Namur... Ludovic Poullet (below), Thomas Jansen, Yves Sergeant, Evert Rosseel, Daniel Pirlot, 

Chipcount
Raoul Kanme (below)below) 1,200,000
Yoann Ramaekers 1,021,000
Romain Le Dantec 850,000
Adrian Baltariu 844,000
Samy Barka 780,000
Mohamed Daher 740,000
Samir Boudeliou 700,000
Rico Roumen 650,000
Quentin Hupliez 627,000
Julien Duveau 580,000
Adrien Di Grande 536,000
Xavier Xavier Dupuy 500 000
Fabian Rolli 500 000
Erwin Vu Duc 500 000
Simon Wiciak 350 000
Reda Haidar 343 000
Martin Schneiders 180 000
Jay Hoebe 175 000
Anthony Bui Ngoc 150 000
Pierre Neuville 130 000
Guillaume Navaro 90 000
Carlos Lopes 80 000
Vincent Gabel 70 000

Bubble

There are 184 players left for 183 paid seats and 10 minutes to play on blinds 3000 - 6000 (6000) and Vincent Gabel has given himself some breathing space (145,000).

Anne Trebitsch gave up the ghost on a flip with queens against ace-king, a river king ending her run (191st)... also down for Chris Rubini (189th), Florin Bilan, Ken Claessens and Soufiane Abbouti (185th)... 

Christian Alilovic doubled up after 5 minutes of tanking with Fabio Percio on an Ace Jack 9 Ten 5 board with two clubs on the flop and a final club on the river. At the end of the time, Fabio called Ace King to discover Ace 5 in Alilovic, who took advantage to raise to 600,000 and overtake his brother Miro (400,000). Fabio has just enough left to bet a little less than the big blind, but things are moving fast... 

Fabio Percio Day 3 bubble-boy

One hand dealt at a time, and 183 players were guaranteed a €1,750 payout as they left to enjoy their evening. After the exit of Brussels' Soufiane Abbouti (4th in the 2017 BPC) in 185th place and a quick table count, play was paused to ensure no one was disadvantaged. On the first deal, Fabio found himself automatically all-in, big blind down to 6,000 after paying the ante.

The cutoff opened to 15,000 chips and the button called... so it was three-handed on a Ten 9 2 flop. The original raiser sent 15,000 to provoke a showdown... Fabio then turned over Ten and 5 while his tormentor and room liberator would turn over Ace Ten. A 3 and a 4 later, everyone is ready to go after 7 hours of poker and 6 effective levels of 70 minutes.

Day 3 resumes at 1 p.m. with 9 minutes to play on 3000 - 6000 (6000) and 343,000 average chips. Survivors are guaranteed a €1,750 payout. 

The comeback of Mike Niegho, 183 ITM players and Day 3 

With a further 36 players deciding to register at the end of the seven starting days, the Belgian Poker Challenge finally gathered 1,259 entrants to build up a prize pool of €1,194,791.

There were still 428 players at the start of Day 2 and it took 7 hours of play to get down to 183 players. Fabio Percio finished in worst place after a complicated day in which he played and lost a few key moves against Christian Alilovic. Miro Alilovic and his brother will be in action on Day 3, Friday from 1 p.m. for a shot at the €200,00 first prize! 

Belgian Mike Niegho (above) only has the second-largest stack of the 183 survivors of the Belgian Poker Challenge, but that's the story of Day 2. After bagging 50,000 chips, the starting stack on Day 1A, Mike had a dream day to bag 1,339,000 chips.

The final spot sums up his day... open, 3-bet from Mike, call from Miro Alilovic, all-in from the opener for 600,000 chips, all-in from Mike for the same amount and fold from Miro and his Jacks. Mike turns over the Aces, faces the Kings and stays ahead at the end of a table where Miro (with his brother Christian below) would have made three of a kind! 

Dutchman Raoul Kanme came out on top with 1,369,000 chips in a tournament that still features many of the top players from poker Belgium and Europe. WSOP Europe winner Romain le Dantec is in the provisional Top 5. Ludovic Ruperto and Mohamed Daher are in the Top 10.

Sandro Pitzanti, BPC 2022 winner Samy Barka, Yassine Romain and two-time BPC winner Arne Coulier are among the Top 30 survivors. Tom Dingenen, Raphael Canta, Julien Duveau, Jean-Marie Vandeborne, Adrian Baltariu, Rico Roumen, Antoine Vranken, Robin Fournez, Abdessamad Ayyad, Xavier Dupuy, Reda Haidar, Team Pro Pokerstars Simon Wiciak, Davy Huyst, Artan Dedusha ,and Adrien Fraiture are in the top third. Enough to dream of a huge performance tonight!

Guy Goossens, Rayane Mokhtar, Mathieu Alciato, Daniel Tordjman, WSOP champion Tobias Peters, Eric Olausson, Jean Yip, Brandon Leetz and François Grossmann are also in the running. Samir Akhoullou, Mathias Moutaoukil, Moh Razab Sekh, Sandro Gangi, Miguel Coussement, Fabian Rolli, Slva Barone, Rachid Oufaska, Rami Awad or Adrien Di Grande also found a bag. 

Like Martin "felix" Schneiders, Antonio Cabanas, Frank Reichel, Farid Azarkan, Vincent Gabel, Damien Hupé or Slavatore, anything is possible. 133rd in the provisional rankings, Orhan Serbes packed in 20 blinds for the restart.

Denis Charlier, Pierre Neuville, François Heine, Freddy Godel, Jay Hoebe, Robert Seelen and Anthony Bui Ngoc can all dream of a Mike Niegho-style comeback... Guillaume Navaro is also in shorts, and he knows the recipe for success on the BPC, having already finished on the podium at this tournament!

Last in the class, Mallory Frere resumes with 3 blinds for 9 minutes... good luck and see you tomorrow.


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