257 entries on the WaSOP XII High-Roller

Entries for the High-Roller were still open until the end of the first level of the day, and this enabled 31 new entries to swell the attendance figures for this High-Roller, which will have counted 257 entries, for a total prize-pool of €246,720.

After just over an hour's play on Day 2, and while we wait for the payout to be worked out, there are already just 76 players left in the event.

Among the first victims of the day were Meddi Ferrah, Eric Géraume, Samy Barka, Cornelis Van Gent, Yoan Argence and Kevin Fluegel, 4th in the €330 Super Side Event.

50,000 for the winner of the WaSOP XII High-Roller

Thanks to late entries, permitted until the end of the first level of Day 2, 31 new entries were added to the prize-pool for the most expensive event of this year's WaSOP XII festival, with a buy-in of €1,100.

257 entries were counted for the tournament and only 39 players will not go home empty-handed. The winner will pocket a handsome cheque for €50,000, while the first paid places will offer €1,635 as a consolation prize. 

At the time of writing, only 64 players are still in the running, and we have recently lost Salvatore Alesssi, Stefaan Schippers (3rd in the Super Side Event), Slimane Mamèche and Cornelis Vermeulen.

State of the troops at the break

At the first break of the day, only 58 people were left in the WaSOP XII High-Roller, led by Miguel Coussement, the only millionaire in the field.

The game resumes on blinds 5,000 / 10,000 (10,000) for an average of 443,103, with the paid places getting dangerously close and should be reached before the next break.

Selective chip-counting at the break:

The negotiator

After his victory in the €330 Super Side Event last night, Bart Lybaert took his place in the WaSOP High-Roller in late entry mode at the start of Day 2.

To say the least, he's having a great time on these fields here in Namur.

Before my very eyes, he just cracked Jean-Luc Labryga, who gave him his last 13 blinds with a mismatched King-Ten when he really didn't have to.

In Hi-Jack, Jean-Luc Labryga raises to 20,000. Immediately to his left, Bart Lybaert rushes in and sends his all-in for 180,000.

Everyone passes through, right up to the original relauncher, who holds his head in both hands for several long minutes. A big headache for the French player, especially as Bart Lybaert tries to get him to talk. "Do you have Valet-Dix?" - Much worse, Jean-Luc retorts.

Jean-Luc Labryga speculates on Bart's hand, who assures him that he doesn't have Aces or Kings, but that he has a better hand than he does.

At the same table, Maxence Melin threatens to call the clock. As soon as his desire to interrupt the action is verified, Jean-Luc pushes all his pieces into the middle in fuck-call mode.

He faces the ladies at the Belgian player's home and logic is respected on the board.

Jean-Luc Labryga had already left the play area before the river, and the whole table congratulated Bart Lybaert on his negotiating skills. "You really have to be a good talker to get paid by King-Dix here," one young player said.

Amused, Bart Lybaert will try to sell himself as a real estate agent in case he wants to sell a house in the next few months.

Here's Bart Lybaert at 300,000 chips with 56 players left in this High-Roller, nothing grandiose yet, but knowing the man, the idea of a double is never far away.

Recent releases include Johnny Nedved, Raoul Refos, Matthias de Meulder and Martin Paap.

They won't see the color of the money

Just as I announced Bart Lybaert was on his way to a nice double up, it looks like I jynxed him pretty well, as he walked out the door a few minutes later, on a corner flip pair of 5s against Queen-Jack, who finds a straight on the board.

We also lost Quentin Crutel, who was sitting behind a stack of 60 blinds twenty minutes earlier, so I'll try to find out what happened to make him give up his big stack like that.

There are just 47 players left in this WaSOP High-Roller, and the bubble is about to start acting on some of the short-stacks in the room.

The day's starters :

Rene Schnitzler		BUSTED
Bart Lybaert		BUSTED
David Janssen		BUSTED
Quentin Crutel		BUSTED
Johnny Nedved		BUSTED
Martin Paap		BUSTED
Peter op den Camp		BUSTED
Jean Luc Labryga		BUSTED
Niels de Moree		BUSTED
Jens Hermes		BUSTED
Samir Boudeliou		BUSTED
Raoul Refos		BUSTED
Matthias De Meulder		BUSTED
Len Dijkkamp		BUSTED
Dovidio Monaco		BUSTED
Jonas ten Cate		BUSTED
Sylvain Naets		BUSTED
Eli Fisz		BUSTED
Cees-Jan Vermeulen		BUSTED
Dylan Gessel		BUSTED
Daniel Nicu		BUSTED
Jan van der Stroom		BUSTED
Stefaan Schippers		BUSTED
Savatore Alessi		BUSTED
Simon Nickmans		BUSTED
Slimane Mameche		BUSTED
Cedric Weinberg		BUSTED
Kjelle Baillieu		BUSTED
Sam Hilger		BUSTED
Redouane Abed		BUSTED
Axel Bevers		BUSTED
Yoan Argence		BUSTED
Sami Agel		BUSTED
Hicham Aouraghe		BUSTED
Thierry Penders		BUSTED
Thibault Branly		BUSTED
Bart Maes		BUSTED
Serkan Kaplan		BUSTED
Paul Gresel		BUSTED
Samy Barka		BUSTED
Anoniem		BUSTED
Andrea Agnoletto		BUSTED
Andreas Gondrom		BUSTED
Eric Geraume		BUSTED
Nicky Roeg		BUSTED
Denissa		BUSTED
Meddi Ferrah		BUSTED
Alaettin Keles		BUSTED
Marius Chelin		BUSTED
Ferdinando D'Alessio		BUSTED
Sjoerd Giesbers		BUSTED

The Moundir machine is launched

After a small payout in the €330 Super Side Event (89th for €800), just to warm up the machine, things start to get serious for Moundir with the High-Roller bubble just around the corner.

The Winamax VIP just put his tournament on the line against Jean Ruche and was quite relieved to still be alive after showdown.

It all starts with a 40,000 open from Moundir on the button. He is 3-bet to 145,000 by Jean Ruche from the small blind.

With a stack of 245,000 chips, he seems to be in a tight spot, but ends up putting his chips in the middle with a pair of 8's. Immediately paid by As-King at his table neighbor's house, Moundir doesn't take his eyes off the board as it reveals itself. 

A figure on the river will make him tremble, but it was only a harmless Dame.

A celebratory "Yes!" and Moundir Zhougari takes a breath of fresh air as he approaches the bubble, with over 500,000 chips in front of him in blinds 5,000 / 15,000 (15,000), at a rather tough table with Tobias Peters two notches to his left.

There are only 46 players left in the tournament, and we recently lost Jean-Michel Texier and Tom Dingenen.

Man on the Moundir

As for Bart Lybaert, all I had to do was make a post and Moundir took advantage of the situation to walk out the door.

Unfortunately, the Winamax VIP's adventure came to an abrupt halt very close to the bubble, as he finished 41st in the event for 39 places paid.

I'll let you be the judge.

After yet another raise from Sihao Zhang to 40,000 on the button (a player who has been very active for the last two hours), paid by Francesco Lauria in SB, Moundir Zoughari discovers As-King from the big blind with a stack of 400,000 chips.

Without missing a beat, he sends in the couscous maker and gets paid by two Kings.

No miracle on the board and Moundir Zoughari is eliminated in a cruel way on this WaSOP High-Roller.

Moundir's tormentor Sihao Zhang is probably the tournament's chipleader at the moment, with 1.7 million ahead of him as it's officially the tournament bubble with 40 players remaining.

Romain le Dantec bubble-boy of the WaSOP High-Roller

Joking with Cyril Carpentier de Changy at the table about the possibility of him making the bubble of this tournament (with a stack counted at 500k at the time), Romain le Dantec had no idea that his prediction would come true.

It all starts with a 30,000 open from his neighbor Romain de Bruijn UTG. Romain le Dantec settles for flat UTG+1.

Both players discover an uninspiring Ts-4d-8c flop, as they both tap the table.

The Tc turn awakens the protagonists' ardor as Romain de Bruijn draws a 75,000 warhead. Paid very quickly by Romain le Dantec.

On the river Td, which brings a third Ten on the board, Romain de Bruijn continues to tell his story and takes his opponent all-in.

Romain le Dantec has 300,000 in front of him and won't dither for long before putting them in the middle with a pair of 7s.

His opponent was just above with Js-8s for a superior full house.

Romain le Dantec finished in the worst possible position in this WaSOP High-Roller, while 39 players can rest easy, having already secured €1,635 and still hoping to collect the €50,000 jackpot promised to the winner.

Return from dinner-break

After a much-needed dinner-break, it's back to the tournament room for the continuation of Day 2 of the High-Roller, which won't come to an end today.

There are still 32 players in the field for this WaSOP High-Roller.

The latest departures:

33	Frank Verdonck		€ 1.635
34	Daniel Veloson		€ 1.635
35	Michal Kil		€ 1.635
36	Jean Ruche		€ 1.635
37	Bas van Marwijk		€ 1.635
38	Maxim Bevers		€ 1.635
39	Chris Rubbini		€ 1.635

Aygun sharpens its weapons

Namur regular Aksel Aygun is on his way to a big performance at this WaSOP High-Roller. He has just untacked a new player to climb to 2.4 million, in the leading pack with 29 players remaining.

In Lo-Jack, Santi Sungkapas opens at 60,000 and only Aksel Aygun pays at the button.

On flop 9c 7c 7s, Aksel Aygun is the first to draw, sending a small bet of 45,000, which his opponent checks/calls without batting an eyelid.

Same sequence on turn 2d where this time Aksel Aygun puts 200,000 in front of him. Check/call again.

On an Ace on the river, Santi Sungkapas chooses to take the initiative and sends his 400,000 stack straight into the middle.

He snaps and doesn't look serene as he shows his cards. "You have a seven?". Aksel Aygun replies in the affirmative, revealing 6h 7d for flopped trips, while Santi Sungkapas is mired with a pair of Queens.

How about some water for his Melin?

Finalist in 2022 on the BPC High-Roller and the WaSOP High-Roller, Maxence Melin knows the way around and seems to be one of the candidates to watch on this final day of Day 2.

He has just won the scalp of Van Tran in a fairly standard move where he pays with As-Valet the stack of a short-stack holding Dame-9.

If the short-stack found a Queen on the flop, it was without counting on the 4 diamonds which offered the win to Maxence Melin who thus climbed to 875,000 with 26 players remaining in this WaSOP High-Roller.

Passion for coin tossing

The poker website is often a story of coin tosses. And armoured battles. And sometimes, even, from coin toss to blind battle.

Just ask Mario Van Ackeren and Romain Locquet. A pair of 6s for one, As-Queens for the other, and a pot of 1.6 million fell into Romain Locquet's lap when he found a Queen on the turn while already standing.

His opponent still has a few reserves left after this move, enough to survive on Day 2 of the High-Roller.

Pierre Neuville roars again

A loyal fan of the Casino de Namur, Pierre Neuville already has 21 Hendon Mob lines completed here by 2023, probably a record.

And yet he's been looking for that big 5-figure performance for over four years, without success. And what if this WaSOP High-Roller was the place to do it?

He's off to a good start, to say the least, with a stack in excess of 2 million (80 blinds) with 25 players remaining.

His favorite victim was Mario Van Ackeren, whom he busted in three beats.

After a 55,000 raise from Mario Van Ackeren early in the game, Pierre Neuville paid at the cut-off, as did Jorden Verbraeken at the button.

All three players check the 4s Kc 6s flop.

On turn 4d, Mario Van Ackeren checks/calls Pierre Neuville's 75,000 bet.

Ditto on the 9c river where Pierre Neuville this time offers 250,000. Mario Van Ackeren accepts and is shown a pair of 9s for full river.

His frustration after this showdown suggested that he had a King in this spot, which he confirmed a few minutes later when he came to confide his elimination to my colleague from Poker City.

On the hand that would lead to his elimination, he shoveled a dozen blinds with King-Ten, only to be paid off by Pierre Neuville with As-Queen in the blinds.

It could have been the beautiful story

What if Tonino Schmitz was the story of this WaSOP High-Roller? Chipleader at the start of the day with an indecent stack of over 800k, he suffered an unfortunate blow which dropped him to 5,000 on the 15k/30k blinds.

A chip and a chair, as the saying goes. For good luck, the tournament floor lends him a piece of jewelry in the shape of a shark, which he wears on his tie.

The very next hand, he multiplies his stack by 5.

The next hand, he finds himself all-in without seeing his cards and sees several players get excited throughout a 4h 5c Ts 7d Js board. Finally, only one player faces him on the river, having passed his opponents. He returns T-9. Tonino first turns over a 6... followed by a 3 for the straight and reraises to 125,000.

The next hand, he pushes all-in with Jc-2s in a blind battle. Paid by Jh-8c, a hand that dominates him, he manages to pull off a split.

Standing, wriggling, Tonino Schmitz passes a few hands, without daring to sit down again. "One more hand, and I seat, I promised".

When he finds himself in the big blind with a 125,000 stack in front of him after laying down blinds and antes, he pushes his stack up after a raise from Pierre Neuville paid by Kevin Fluegel.

Both players check until the river Kc Kh Js Ad 2c, Kevin Fluegel returns a pair of 4s, Pierre Neuville Dame-9 suit and Tonino Schmitz ... A-3 for a triple-up.

From 5,000, he's now up to 500,000, 20 blinds and a dream.

I'd have liked the story to have lasted a little longer, but I've just been told that Tonino Schmitz finally busts with A-7 against A-K at Kevin Fluegel's house.

It's a pity, because we'd have liked the story to go on a little longer.

Only 19 players remain on the High-Roller.

Goosens on top

Just before Tonino Schmitz's exit, we also lost a very familiar face from the Namur Casino, Guy "Cadeau" Goosens, a player who had already won this WaSOP High-Roller in 2014, then finished 3rd in 2016 and 11th in 2018.

This time, he finished in 21st place, winning €2,495.

The latest departures:

20	Tonino Schmitz		€ 2.870
21	Guy Goossens		€ 2.495
22	Francois Vlassis		€ 2.495
23	Iman Ghashayar		€ 2.495
24	Romain Locquet		€ 2.170
25	Mario van Ackeren		€ 2.170
26	Tobias Peters		€ 2.170
27	Van Tran		€ 2.170
28	Cedric Schumacher		€ 1.885
29	Mark Roovers		€ 1.885
30	Santi Sungkapas		€ 1.885
31	Wim Verhaegen		€ 1.885
32	Cedric Sevrin		€ 1.635

Status of stacks with 19 players remaining

On the resumption, the last survivors of this WaSOP High-Roller return to the 20,000/40,000 blinds (40,000) for an average of 1,350,000 chips.

I'm Charly

Last year's finalists at this same WaSOP High-Roller, respectively 2nd and 5th in the event, Charly Mouline and Maxence Melin shared the same table on Day 2 of the High-Roller.

And it was even Charly Mouline who sealed his compatriot's fate with a coin flip in 18th position.

With a stack of 430,000 at the start of the move, i.e. 11 blinds, Maxence Melin opens to 300,000 on the button, keeping 130,000 behind for good measure. Charly Mouline quickly moves him all-in.

"Don't worry, I'll pay," Maxence tells him as he tans for the landing, waiting for the action to unfold on another table.

After a good minute, he pays and shows a pair of 2s, which will have to hold against Charly Mouline's A-9 of diamonds.

An Ace falls on the turn to give the advantage to last year's runner-up who, after sailing short-stacked for much of the day, now finds himself with 1.6 million in front of him.

Knowing the solidity of this cash-game player, it's not too difficult to put a coin on him for the final table of the event.

As for Maxence Melin, he'll have to make do with €2,870 for his fine but frustrating 18th place in this WaSOP High-Roller, before tackling the Main Event tomorrow.

The last two tables

The WaSOP High-Roller is down to 16 players at the last two tables.

Jensen Bernard finished the tournament in 17th place. He first made a borderline call with King-6 in a blind battle, before giving up his last 3 blinds with King-Jack against As-Jack. 

Triple Aksel

A huge pot has just propelled Aksel Aygun wide tournament chipleader with 15 players remaining.

After opening with a pair of 8s, he is 3-bet by Antonius Krijn and decides to pay out of position.

He finds a magnificent three of a kind on the Q-J-8 flop and places a big check/raise. His opponent doesn't believe him and sends his 2 million rug into the middle with A-J.

No horrors, and so Aksel Aygun doubles to almost 6 million, while Antonius Krijn finds himself crippled.

A few minutes later, Aksel Aygun took the scalp of Paul Van Oort, with a new pair of 8s in his hand.

He opens and only Paul Van Oort defends from the big blind. He checks/raises all-in on flop 9-5-9 for 600,000 with K-5 in hand and Aksel Aygun opts to call with his pair of 8s.

And that's how he climbed to almost 7 million chips, comfortably ahead of the rest of the WaSOP High-Roller, which ends tomorrow.

Remontada namuroise

Announced as the next busto by just about everyone in the room 30 minutes ago, Antonius Krijn finally came back from the dead, after having fallen at an alarming rate.

On the way to this crazy remontada, where he made A9 > J9 against Charly Mouline, then A8 > KK, he won the scalp of Charly Mouline to climb to 2.4 million (40 blinds).

He opens with a pair of 3s at the beginning of the hand. With fifteen blinds in front of him, Charly Mouline sends his all-in with As-King from the big blind.

One briquish board later and Charly Mouline had to walk away from this WaSOP High-Roller in 13th place for €4,345.

Having already come close in the €330 Super Side Event (12th for €3,510), Charly Mouline will have to wait until the Main Event to hope for a big performance like last year, when he finished runner-up in the High-Roller.

We also lost Patrick Prijot earlier on, to a fine 14th place.

Aksel Aygun chipleader with 11 players left on the High-Roller

The day ends here at the WaSOP High-Roller, with 11 players still in with a chance of claiming the title tomorrow.

The chipleader at the end of the day was Namur Casino regular Aksel Aygun, on course for his biggest ever live performance in this €1,100 buy-in tournament. He bagged up 5,750,000 chips, propelled to the top by two pairs of 8s, one of which enabled him to almost untack Tonnie Krijn, finding a three of a kind in a 3-bet pot.

I say "or almost", because Tonnie Krijn, who had fallen to his death at this point in the story, graced us with a magnificent remontada, the kind you don't forget. The smile on his face as he brought the day to a close was a sight to behold.

Tomorrow's High-Roller final table could be a real mouthful, as Day 3 will feature Team PokerOne and GGPoker member Bryan de Riddere, second in the chip-count with 3,600,000, as well as the steadfast Pierre Neuville, the man in form at the moment Kevin Fluegel (already a €330 finalist), the experienced but short-stacked Jorden Verbraeken and the young Internet wolf Cyril Carpentier, who made a big impression on us throughout the day.

Play resumes tomorrow at 2pm with blinds 40,000/80,000 for an average of 2.3 million.

Chip-count complete :

Players are already guaranteed to take home a minimum of €5,005, but it's a safe bet that the €50,000 promised to the event's winner is all anyone can dream about.

The scale of remaining earnings to be distributed :

The day's losers :

12	Miguel Coussement		€ 4.345
13	Charly Mouline		€ 4.345
14	Patrick Prijot		€ 3.795
15	Paul van Oort		€ 3.795
16	Remi Devin		€ 3.300
17	Jensen Bernard		€ 3.300
18	Max Melin		€ 2.870
19	Fabio Percio		€ 2.870
20	Tonino Schmitz		€ 2.870
21	Guy Goossens		€ 2.495
22	Francois Vlassis		€ 2.495
23	Iman Ghashayar		€ 2.495
24	Romain Locquet		€ 2.170
25	Mario van Ackeren		€ 2.170
26	Tobias Peters		€ 2.170
27	Van Tran		€ 2.170
28	Cedric Schumacher		€ 1.885
29	Mark Roovers		€ 1.885
30	Santi Sungkapas		€ 1.885
31	Wim Verhaegen		€ 1.885
32	Cedric Sevrin		€ 1.635
33	Frank Verdonck		€ 1.635
34	Daniel Veloson		€ 1.635
35	Michal Kil		€ 1.635
36	Jean Ruche		€ 1.635
37	Bas van Marwijk		€ 1.635
38	Maxim Bevers		€ 1.635
39	Chris Rubbini		€ 1.635