Day 1B kicks off

The second of six starting days for the €330 SuperSide has just begun, with just over 70 players in the running.

30,000 chips, 10 50-minute levels and a first round without ante to warm up! Participants will play three levels before taking a half-hour break to enjoy the Circus Casino Resort de Namur

Shuffle up & deal

The 100 Bar

Half an hour of play and the counter now reads 101 entrants for 100 players in contention. David Sabet jumped in and then re-entered, still on blinds 100 - 200...

On Day 1A, the organization racked up 238 entries, well on target to erase the €250,000 guarantee and 939 entries seen on the previous edition of the WaSOP.

For those looking for a little variety, don't forget the 6 p.m. PLO, a two-day tournament with 40-minute levels. Event # has a buy-in of €250 (30,000 chips) and a €10,000 guarantee...

The antes arrive

The second level begins, and it's time for the big blind antes... 103 players are on track for a table showing 107 entrants in blinds 100 - 300 (300).

Jérôme Balthazar, Patrice Libert, Robin Cornet, Zeco Bibujica, François Louis Vlassis, Raphael Canta, Moise Alloun, Johann Compagnon and Daniel Dodet are in the running. Daniel Dodet qualified on Wednesday night's MegaSat, which gave 17 players a ticket to the €550 WaSOP Main Event and a €330 SuperSide ticket.

Adnan Ekeroglu is here too, as is Bruno Englebert. The latter is trying his luck again after an unsuccessful attempt on the first opening day of the SuperSide. These players are hoping to join the first 45 qualifiers for Day 2, which starts at 2pm on Monday July 31... 

Tour de Tables

Guillaume Gillet enters the fray as the field now stands at 109 players for 116 entries.

Luc Gillard and Eric Goffin are here, as are Steven Leempoels and Antonino Mangano, back after an abortive first attempt on Day 1A.

Among the regulars, Daniel Pirlot, Ludovic Pirlot and Philippe Riminucci have also bought-in. Mustafa Yasar, Walter van Camberg and David Yardin are also in the running... 

Bel Canto

Bn start for Raphael Canta who eliminates an opponent on an Ace 8 4 board to confirm. "Didn't you see, I made a four of 6 on A 6 6 Roi Roi... he raised me river with just the Roi but found the fold afterwards," continues Raphael as he now stands at 95,000 chips.

After an open and a call, he completed the small blind with Ace 8 to hit two pair. Check, bet from the player in position, check-raise from Canta, fold from the first player and all-in... Raphael doesn't hesitate, discovering Ace 4 paired with his opponent, who raises to a 9 turn while another player at the table calls a 9 for a split.

On the button, Raphael opens and leads the blinds to a Queen Ten 5 flop with two spades. Check-Check-continue bet to 1,200 from Raphael, call... and check-raise to 3,100 from the big blind. No one gives up their cards and a Ten of Diamonds opening a second flush draw provokes no action on the turn.

On the river 9 of diamonds, the big blind bets 4,000, paid by Raphael... then infinity tank from the small blind who ends up folding. Raphael can only flash King-Queen and slide to 90,000 after the big blind reveals Ten and 7 of clubs.

With three times his starting stack after 80 minutes of play, Raphael Canta can't complain about this little setback...

The table shows 117 players in the running for 134 entrants... 

Getting Tapped

François Louis Vlassis gets tapped with a limp in MP which leads to a call from Robin Cornet in the small blind and a check from Guillaume Gillet in the big blind. Flop Jack 5 3 all in spades and François Louis throws down a bet of 4 times the pot which turbocharges everyone. Vlassis laughs as he returns 8 and Ten without spades... for the show!

The board now shows 122 players for 145 entrants with 45 minutes left to play on 200 - 400 (400). A first break will take place at the end of this 3rd of 10 levels on Day 1B of the SuperSide WaSOP 2023.

Javey Timmer, Fabrice Somers, Martin Raskop, Francesco Pillitteri and Patrick Prijot are now in the game... 

Break approaching

Ten minutes to go before the first break of Day 1B, and a few more players have arrived. Bryan de Riddere is now in the running, as are Agim Altindag and Salvatore Alessi.

Qualified on the MegaSat satellite, Daniel Dodet is now well-endowed with 55,000 chips. Daniel went all-in river on a 2 7 6 2 9 board with 88 and was call-mucked by the small blind...

We meet again during the break for a first chipcount... 

Break

After 3 levels and 2 hours 30 minutes of poker , players on Day 1B of the €330 SuperSide take a half-hour break. Resuming at 6pm on blinds 300 - 600 (600).

126 players are on break for 169 entrants while registrations and re-entries are allowed until the end of level 8, around 11.40pm.

Chips
Jhon Lienard 123,000
Thomas Vandecapelle 120,000
Patrice Libert 114,000
Thierry Aqua 110,000
Joaquim Braz de Oliveira 108,000
javier Rodriguez 98,000
Steven Leempoels 70,000
Michael Verjans 61,000
Adnan Ekeroglu 50,000
Salvatore Alessi 41,000
patrick Prijot 40,000
Antonino Mangano 38,000
Robin Cornet 34,000
Guillaume Gillet 18,500 

Queen Of Namur

Another lost flip for Bruno Englebert as his SuperSide came to an end. His pair of 6's didn't hold up against Roi Dame and Bruno won't be trying his luck again after two balls on this €330 side of the 12th WaSOP festival...

Daniel Pirlot also left the game after 15 long minutes on 300 - 600 (600). Winner of the Big Tuesday in mid-June, Daniel will probably try his luck again in a few minutes...

Having just arrived, Dalil Masaud could have given up the ghost too. Dalil was lucky and can now look forward to joining his brother, who has qualified for Day 1A. Masaud opened in MP and saw the Cutoff send all in for 16,000 chips... in the small blind Patrice Libert simply paid and Dalil shove 17,000, a bet paid by Libert who turned over the Kings.

The Cutoff reveals Ace Ten and Dalil the Queens... a 4 6 Queen Jack Ten board allows Dalil to sit back with 52,000 chips in front of him.

125 players are in the running for 177 entrants, i.e. already 415 entries to the tournament!

New Start

Guillaume Gillet wasn't at his best at the break, he's just launched his tournament in a multiway. On a flop 8 9 Ten with two clubs, Pierre Neuville bets 3,000 chips and sees three opponents pay.

On the turn 5 of clubs, no action... but river the former footballer sends in 6,000 chips from his big blind. Pierre quickly passes, but the player at the end of the hand goes tank-call-muck when he discovers Gillet's ace-jack of clubs. Guillaume's chip count rises to 45,000...

On the next hand, a player opens in MP... and Pierre Neuville sends his box for 8,000 chips. Everyone passes until the opener sticks with the Queens, behind the Aces of the WSOP Main Event finalist.

Neuville's arrows hold up to bring him up to 18,000 chips. A new start for the duo!

15 minutes left to play on blinds 300 - 600 (600).

Call-Muck

A 5 2 Queen 5 Jack board and Aurélie Dassi checks before thinking for a few seconds. The Frenchwoman, who had dealt 3 to finish runner-up of the SuperSide WaSOP 2022, ends up putting down a chip to pay the 8,000 requested by Fabrice Somers.

The latter revealed Roi 5 to provoke a call-muck from the player and climb to 38,000 chips. Aurélie slips to 14,000 chips just before the blinds go up...

The board shows 121 players for 187 entrants. Always big crowds in Namur!

Say 200

The 200-entry mark has been passed on Day 1B of the €330 SuperSide. Level 6 has just begun, and there are still 102 players in the running for 206 entries!

Players are now competing on 500 - 1000 (1000) with an average of 60 blinds... without Daniel Pirlot, a little disillusioned after his second exit.

This time, Daniel pushed 15 blinds after yet another limp from his neighbor on the right. The latter paid with Ace 6 to find an Ace on the flop and an Ace on the river... enough to break his pair of 8s.


The dinner break will take place at the end of this level. A 70-minute break begins a little after 8.30pm... 

Dinner Break

88 players took a 70-minute dinner break, returning to the 500 - 1500 blinds (1500) at 9.40pm.

Registration is still open, and the table already shows 220 entries for Day 1B, the second of the six starting days. The field is approaching 460 entries!

The average is now 75,000 chips, and some big stacks have already formed. Just before the break, Guillaume Gillet gave up the ghost in a 3-way.

Early limp by Iudicello Gabriel, isolation attempt at 3,000 by Fabrice Somers in the hijack and all-in for 23 blinds by Guillaume Gillet in the small blind. It's reshove by Iudicello for a total of 85,000... and Fabrice accepts the invitation with ace-queen. Guillaume Gillet is caught red-handed with King 4 and Gabriel puts everyone in agreement with 9s at the end of a Ten 9 3 7 2 table!

Javier Rodriguez continues his impressive chip collection, and has already built up almost ten times his starting stack!

For more PLO, you're just a click away


Chips
Javier Rodriguez 275,000
Jhon Lienard 268,000
Adonis Philipousis 199,000
Iudicello Gabriel 193,000
Thierry Aqua 167,000
Matthieu Rubini 160,000
Javey Timmer 156,000
Yvel Bereket 152,000
Michael Verjans 146,000
Billy Tuaiva 135,000
Johann Compagnon 134 000
Michael Gadzala 131 000
Bryan de Riddere 121 000
Fabrice Somers 115 000
Jerome Schmitt 113 000
Antonino Mangano 112 000
Pierre Neuville 112 000
Dany Deridder 106 000
Salvatore Alessi 106 000
Daniel Dodet 78 000
Patrice Libert 58 000
Robin Cornet 39 000

Resumption

86 players out of 222 Day 1B entrants, play resumed a few minutes ago on blinds 1000 - 1500 (1500)...

The average is 77,000 chips and Francesco Pillitteri has taken on the role of Davidi... without success. Open from the button, 3-bet shove 13 blinds in Fransesco's small blind with suit Queen Eight.

Button pouts but logically pays with 9s to make one more victim... Heading to the cashier to re-enter for Francesco?

Registration remains open until the first hand of level 9, around 11.45pm. 

Dans Les Hauteurs

Half an hour of play since the resumption and only 75 players left for 224 entrants... the pace is steady and Javier Rodriguez continues to suck in.

This time, Billy Tuiava opens 3,500 chips under the gun and leads the Hijack, Javier on the button and the blinds into a 19,000-chip pot preflop. On the Queen 8 4 flop with two diamonds, the Hijack regains the initiative for 6,500 chips and scratches his head when Javier raises to 15,000.

Everyone turbo folds and the Hijack eventually gives up his cards too, heading for 285,000 chips for Javier.

Rodriguez is no longer in the lead, having been overtaken by Jhonn Lienard at the table just behind. The latter lost a few feathers on a 6 8 9 single-card club flop, but is now up to 310,000.

On the move opened by Duc Nguyen on the button, Fouad Elmouhmouh paid in small and Javier in big... The continuation bet was paid by everyone, but Duc's 20,000 bet on a Jack turn was only paid by Fouad. The latter falls to the starting stack after a double check on the river King of diamonds.

Nguyen reraises to 75,000 with 8s and 9s after Fouad flashes ace of clubs 5s of spades just in case... 

New Level

One hour left to enter or re-enter this second of six opening days of the WaSOP 2023 €330 SuperSide.

The blinds have just increased to 1000 - 1500 (1500) with 73 players in the running for 224 entrants. The average is 92,000 chips and Bart van Heugten has just moved up to 140,000 chips, right on schedule.

Michael Verjans has just dropped Salvatore Alessi with a bet of 12,000 in a pot of 35,000 on a King Jack 9 2 7 board, enough to take him up to 160,000. Salvatore was unlucky on Day 1A, and now stands at 115,000 chips, still with a good block.

Still in this part of the room, Raphael Canta continues his fine day with 180,000 chips in front of him. He saw Adnan Ekeroglu (85,000) arrive at his table a few minutes ago...  

Flip

Adonis Philippousis continues to make a lot of moves. He's just released a short stack when he opens 3,000 chips on the button. It's call by Dalil Masaud in the small blind but Ercan Atmata sends in 31,000 and goes all-in in the big blind.

Adonis pays this 3-bet shove to 21 blinds and Dalil moves all in. Ercan reveals a pair of 6s and stays ahead of the opponent's 7 and 9 of diamonds despite his request to the dealer. His "Quinte flush please" receives a 2 Queen 8 3 Jack board in return, enough to slide him to 220,000 chips.

Atmaca gets a breath of fresh air with 67,000 chips. Enough to play on 1000 - 1500 (1500) with 69 players left...

There's still half an hour to go in this level 8, and the survivors will then go on break for 20 minutes and the final break of the day...

Les Anciens à l'Attaque

There are 8 tables and 8 minutes left to play before the final break, which will mark the end of late registration...

Johann Compagnon tried to bluff Moise Alloun by betting 22,000 chips in 35,000 on a Ten 4 3 Ace Ten table... without success. "I'm a controller, you know that," laughs Moise when his opponent mucks following his call. "I've got Ace I show you I'm nice, I had a little kicker (a 2, editor's note)", Moise finishes to reposition himself to around 250,000 before the break. Compagnon falls to 45,000 as the blinds climb to 1,000 - 2,000 (2,000) after the break...

60 players are still in the game and there's been no outs for 5 minutes... Pierre Neuville has just brought an opponent to his knees. I arrive on the turn of a 5 4 7 Jack board and the WSOP Main Event finalist places a check-raise in what looks like a preflop 3-bet pot.

The button responds by going all-in for 125,000 chips. It's snap by Pierre, who returns 6 and 8 of hearts when the button can only show two Aces. A Jack river double-up sees the Belgian legend climb into the upper echelons too, to around 250,000 chips - just over twice the average. 

Resumption

The resumption is imminent and the counter now reads 61 players for 229 entrants...

Play will resume on 1000 - 2000 (2000), players will contest two 50-minute levels before packing up their chips to join the 45 qualifiers from the first session on Monday's Day 2...

Chips
Jhonn Lienard 284,000
Pierre Neuville 280,000
Michael Verjans 275,000
Moise Alloun 260,000
Javier Rodriguez 250,000
Antonino Mangano 225,000
Adnan Ekeroglu 203,000
Rainer Emde 192,000
Alexander Mujirers 182,000
Valentin Bury 176,000
Gabriel Iudicello 170 000
Matthieu Rubini 165 000
Raphael Canta 155 000
Thierry Aqua 142 000
Daniel Hoffman 140 000
Duc Nguyen 135 000
Yuel Bereket 125 000
Eric Goffin 115 000
Salvatore Alessi 115 000
Ahmed Jirjees 112 000
Javey Timmer 95 000
bryan de Riddere 67 000
Johann Compagnon 50 000

Big Cash-Game

230 entries on Day 1B

Half an hour to play in level 9 and the attendance figures for Day 1B are official. With 230 entries on Friday, the €330 SuperSide has already attracted 468 entries. A superb score given that there are still 4 starting days (including two Turbos, editor's note) to be contested this weekend!

Last year's total of 939 entrants is about to fall, and the €250,000 guarantee will also be wiped out without a moment's hesitation!

58 players remain, with an average of 59 blinds... 

Bustos

25 minutes to go before the final blinds go up to 1000 - 2500 (2500)... and Bryan de Riddere is out of the game. Down to 7 blinds, Bryan sends the cutoff with Ace 7... and impales himself on the Arrows in the blinds. He'll be back at one of the weekend's four sessions to try his luck.

David Sabet and Johann Compagnon will also have to come back if they hope to take part in Monday's Day 2...

For Rudy Francis, there's still hope as he has just doubled up to 40,000 chips by sending in Ace Ten at the start of the word. Rudy was lucky enough to have a generous donor who paid with a mismatched Queen Ten in the small blind...

57 players remain for an average of 60 blinds...

Top 50

There are 30 minutes left on the clock before the end of Day 1B... and 50 players are battling it out in blinds 1,000 - 2,500 (2,500) with an average of 140,000 chips.

Gianni Ferone, Luis Dias, Jordan Barbe, Rudy Francis and Fouad El Mouhmouh gave up in the final minutes, as did Dalil Masaud and Adonis Philippousis...

Baraka on the last 3 hands

As the clock paused and the floor announced the last three hands, Sander Ramaekers, Max Cingu and Jérôme Schmitt surrendered. A few minutes earlier, Adnan Ekeroglu had left Day 1B of the €330 SuperSide.

At the end, Yuel Bereket found the light to wrap up the chiplead. With 250,000 chips in front of him, he defended 6 and 7 big blinds on an open. The Dutchman finds a Queen 6 7 flop on which he checks-raises... and hears all-in from his opponent. It's snap for hold against Ace Dame, heading for 400,000 and the Yellow Jersey! 

43 qualifiers on Day 1B, already 468 SuperSide entrants

Day 1B of the €330 SuperSide WaSOP attracted 230 entrants, bringing the provisional tournament attendance to 468. A great score with 4 qualifying sessions left to play this weekend before Monday's Day 2!

With 43 players having completed the 10 50-minute levels on the opening days, 88 players have already earned their precious pass to the rest of the competition. On Friday, players such as Pierre Neuville and Antonino Mangano put up big stacks, while Raphael Canta, Bart van Heugten, Patrice Libert and Duc Nguyen also cleared the hurdle...

It was Dutchman Yuel Bereket who beat everyone to finish with just over 13 times the starting stack and 400,000 chips. He beat four Belgians including Amaury Guyot and Jhonn Lienard, chipleader for most of the day.


Full chipcount Day 1B
Yuel Bereket 400,000
Amaury Guyot 309,000
Antonino Mangano 306,000
Jhonn Lienard 292,000
Sevan Dallebroux 290,000
Ahmed Jirgees 262,000
Alex Muirers 254,000
Michael Verjans 242,500
Javier Rodriguez 230,500
Jerome Balthazar 227 500

Markus Giesen 218 000
Daniel Hoffmann 216 500
Javey Timmer 212 000
Pierre Neuville 210 000
Raphael Canta 208 000
Eric Goffin 203 000
Rainer Edme 196 000
Moise Alloun 179 500
Salvatore Alessi 159 000

Imad Abouabderrahmane 157 000
Bartjan Van Heugten 151,000
Patrice Libert 147,000
Duc Nguyen 146,500
Billy Tuaiva 131,500
Valentin Bury 129,000
Rick Engelen 128,000
Gabriel Iudicello 125,000
Dennis van der Meulen 124,500
Walter van Camberg 119,000
Joaqim Braz de Oliveira 118,000

Jonathan de Schepper113 000
Tobias Legler 98 000
Thierry Aqua 94 000
Jeffrey Shu 84 500
Matthieu Rubini 81 000
Vincent Selenne 77 000
Maxime Lardau 75 000
Jan Vos 73 000
Chris Bellet 41 000
Ardian Dautaj 39 000

Hans Nujenhuis 39 000
Daniel Dodet 29 000
Ralph Starmans 16 000