WSOP Europe Main Event at Cannes the Biggest Ever!
Day Two Resumes with Lari Sihvo from Finland as Chip Leader
Defending Champion James Bord Still Alive
The early chip leader is Lari Sihvo, from Finland. He is a professional poker player with nearly two dozen major tournament cashes on his resume. All of his in-the-money finishes have taken place in Europe since 2009. He’s won five major tournaments since the start of 2010, a pedigree which certainly makes him a serious threat to make a deep run in this tournament. Should he continue to play well and keep his chips, this would be Sihvo’s first time to cash in a WSOP event. Sihvo currently has 144,725 in his stack
Also in the running is seasoned tournament veteran Tommy Vedes, from Queens, NY (USA). He has more than $2.6 million in lifetime tournament earnings – including 17 WSOP cashes. Like many accomplished pros, Vedes is still seeking his first WSOP win. Entering Day Two, he is within a few blinds of the chip lead, currently with 142,775 in his stack.
Close on the tails of both Sihvo and Vedes is Jamie Rosen, from Orlando, Florida (USA). He is a professional poker player with several notable in-the-money finishes at major tournaments, held both in the United States and Europe. Although he has made several final table appearances since his first recorded cash in 2007, he is still seeking his first tournament win. If he were to choose the perfect breakthrough victory, this would certainly be one of the best tournaments in the world to win.
This 10,000 +400 (Euro) buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold’em tournament -- officially listed as Event #7 since it’s the seventh and final gold bracelet event on this year’s schedule -- attracted an all-time record number of entries.
There were 593 entrants, which was the most ever for any WSOP Europe Main Event Championship in its five year history. In fact, the huge turnout at Cannes represents a stunning 71 percent increase of the same event played last year in London. Not many tournaments can ever claim to jump up 71 percent in attendance from one year to the next. But as is typical, the World Series of Poker stands as the exception to just about everything.
Furthermore, this is the richest poker tournament ever held in France. The total prize pool is 5,692,800 (Euros). The winner will receive about 1.4 million (Euros), another record for the host nation.
Among the 163 players who also survived the starting day was James Bord, the defending champion from Great Britain. Bord won last year’s Main Event Championship in London. He returns to Day Two in the middle of the pack and will most certainly face a monumental task in pursuit of a title defense.
The tournament began on Saturday at noon with 310 players who participated in the first of two starting sessions. The second session with 283 starters was played and completed on Sunday. Day Two, which is to be played Monday, will combine the two fields from the starting days into one group for the first time.
This year’s Main Event Championship attracted just about every top player in the game. Indeed, if anyone ever needed a reason to visit the fabulous French Riviera, this was most certainly the perfect occasion. Perfect weather, an exciting international city, and an exceptional venue have all contributed towards what many are labeling one of the best poker tournament series ever held, anywhere.
All the action takes place at the Hotel Majestic Barrière, located on the famous Le Croisette esplanade facing the Mediterranean Sea. The tournament is being played in the same ballrooms which customarily show top movies entered in the annual Cannes Film Festival. The G20 Economic Summit is scheduled to take over the host hotel once the WSOP ends. In fact, various national leaders are reported to being staying in the Hotel Majestic Barrière after the tournament conclusion.
Each of this year’s seven tournaments played at 2011 WSOP Europe was record-setting. Event #1 was up 48 percent. Event #2 was up 32 percent. Event #3 was up 50 percent. Event #5 was up 21 percent. As stated, the Event #7 was up 71 percent. Event #4 and Event #6 were first-time additions to the schedule. The total amount of prize money awarded for all events amounted to 10,620,330 (Euros), which is equal to about $14,740,285 (USD).
Coverage of WSOP Europe continues through Thursday, 20 October when the new Main Event Champion will be determined. The finale will be televised and shown later all over the world on ESPN and other networks.