Friday, 29th March 2024 06:47
Home / Uncategorized / FPS Monaco: Turn me on, Deadman

For a time yesterday, the France Poker Series Monaco Main Event had all but taken over the spacious main tournament room and second room (also large) dedicated primarily to cash games and smaller side events.

Such was necessary with more than 700 here for Day 1B, but with just over 300 returning for Day 2 the tournament occupies just over half of the main tournament area, making today’s first walkthrough less arduous than was the case a day ago. And the field is shrinking quickly as just over 50 players busted during the first level today.

John Bizzaro busted, but there wasn’t anything strange about it.

Adrien Casanova went out, but we won’t overly romanticize that.

And Govert Metaal hit the rail as well, though only figuratively as in truth he just walked right past it.

Amid those knockouts, a scene over at Table 8 halted our progress early during the first level, as Team PokerStars Pro Christophe De Meulder was intently studying what appeared a knotty situation involving himself and two others (as pictured below).

EPT_GrandFinal_FPS-252_Christophe de Meulder.jpg

Tough spot for Christophe

With about 12,000 in the middle and a board showing Q♣ 3♠ K♣ , De Meulder had led for 7,600, watched Simon Deadman call from a few seats over, then saw Rony Halimi, one of many who won his way into the event via a live satellite, set out four blue chips for a raise to 20,000. Looking wary as he did, De Meulder called the raise, and with less hesitation Deadman did as well.

The 10♥ on the turn earned a cautious check from the Belgian, and again Deadman responded with a less circumspect version of the same action. This time Halimi pushed his remaining stack of about 40,000 all in, and De Meulder didn’t take long to fold. Deadman didn’t need much time to make his decision, either, calling right away.

Halimi had flopped a set with 3♣ 3♦ , but the turn was right on for Deadman as he held A♣ J♣ — his flopped flush draw having become a Broadway straight.

Halimi wasn’t a dead man to Deadman yet, but then a jack on the river sent him off as an early Day 2 casualty.

Post-hand table talk suggested it might have been ace-king giving De Meulder fits on the flop, though he avoided trouble on the turn. He fights on with about 85,000, while Deadman is now challenging for the chip lead with more than 230,000.

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Simon Deadman, looking lively

Key FPS Monaco Main Event Facts:
– At the start of Level 14, 261 players remain from the starting field of 993
– Eliminations during the first hour included Yury Gulyy, Bryan Paris, and Team PokerStars Pro Matthias De Meulder (who began the day with 8,000)
Click here for a complete list of chip counts to start Day 2
– The tournament is scheduled to play 8 one-hour levels today, with 15-minute breaks every two levels (there is no dinner break)

To get all the latest news, chip counts and payouts, don’t forget to download the EPT App on both Android or IOS.

Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

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