Thrilling Action on Day 2 of the $3,000 Mystery Bounty at EPT Cyprus
An exhilarating Day 2 of the $3,000 Mystery Bounty has wrapped up at the Merit Royal Diamond Hotel Casino & Spa, part of the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour in Cyprus. The day saw the player count significantly reduced from an impressive starting field of 305 players down to just 15 remaining competitors. This thrilling tournament continues to captivate both players and spectators alike, offering not just the thrill of poker but the prospect of significant cash prizes via its unique bounty format.
The Bubble Bursts
As the day progressed, tension mounted as players awaited the bubble to burst. Ultimately, fortune did not favor Lukas Zaskodny and Fabian Schmidt, who found themselves on the wrong side of Lady Luck, busting right on the money bubble. However, their exit opened the gates for a total of 128 players to cash in, albeit at the minimum payout level, allowing the tournament to continue its momentum.
Chip Leaders and Key Players
When Day 2 drew to a close, Uladzimir Zhyharau from Belarus emerged as the chip leader with a staggering 4,920,000 chips. Zhyharau began the day on top and solidified his position by doubling up with pocket tens against Krum Polihronov, significantly bolstering his stack. The night culminated in further victory as he managed to navigate a crucial hand against Aren Bezhanyen, pushing his pocket eights into a formidable position and maintaining his lead.
It wasn’t an uneventful day for Zhyharau, but his consistent play has set him up for a shot at what could be his largest cash prize in live tournament history. Close on his heels is Ryhor Karapanau, who bagged up in second place with 3,225,000 chips after making some solid plays that eliminated several contenders. Nicolae Paunescu capped off the trio of players with stacks over 3 million, closing out Day 2 in third position.
Top Chip Counts at End of Day 2
| Position | Player | Country | Chips | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uladzimir Zhyharau | Belarus | 4,920,000 | 98 |
| 2 | Ryhor Karapanau | Latvia | 3,225,000 | 65 |
| 3 | Nicolae Paunescu | Romania | 3,020,000 | 60 |
| 4 | Marius Kudzmanas | Lithuania | 2,735,000 | 55 |
| 5 | Matthias Lipp | Austria | 2,325,000 | 47 |
| 6 | Valeriu Rosca | Romania | 1,340,000 | 27 |
| 7 | Stoyan Obreshkov | Bulgaria | 1,295,000 | 26 |
| 8 | Karen Nazarian | Russia | 1,300,000 | 26 |
| 9 | Guo Liang Wei | Hong Kong | 1,155,000 | 23 |
| 10 | Hadi Khordbin | Iran | 1,050,000 | 21 |
| 11 | Aziz Efe | Turkey | 1,005,000 | 20 |
| 12 | Boris Kolev | Bulgaria | 1,000,000 | 20 |
| 13 | Morten Klein | Norway | 965,000 | 19 |
| 14 | Anze Smajd | Slovenia | 905,000 | 18 |
| 15 | Maroun Jazzar | Lebanon | 490,000 | 10 |
The Mystery Bounty Format
One of the significant draws of the Mystery Bounty format is the potential for players to win substantial prizes simply by eliminating opponents. The tournament introduced its bounty tokens at Level 15, announcing impressive prizes, including three top prizes of $75,000 and a second tier featuring two $40,000 envelopes.
Among the highlights, Alik Zazian snagged one of the initial $75,000 prizes during the bubble, and even though he finished in 116th place for $3,400, the bounty will undoubtedly linger in his best memories of the tour. As the excitement heightened, Matthias Lipp emerged as a runaway success, pulling not one but two $75,000 bounty prizes, thrilling both himself and onlookers. Completing his haul along the way, Lipp has amassed a total that far exceeds many of his competitors, all while staying in contention with a solid stack.
In addition, Stefan Uebber and Alessandro Pichierri each claimed $40,000 prizes, while numerous players, including Hadi Khordbin and Patrick Leonard, scored additional $25,000 envelopes.
Looking Ahead to Day 3
As the tournament shifts focus to Day 3, the remaining participants will be eyeing a total prize pool of $1,509,072, with significant payouts that include $265,972 for first place and $166,330 for second. With the major bounty prizes already claimed, the remaining action might resemble a more traditional freezeout format.
Day 3 kicks off at midday local time, with blinds at 25,000/50,000 and a 50,000 big blind ante, promising brisk action with many players returning to more than 30 big blinds per stack.
Keep an eye on PokerNews for continuous updates and live coverage from the heart of this thrilling tournament as it progresses to its conclusion!
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