European Poker Tour Cyprus: Day 2 Overview
The atmosphere was electric on October 16, as players from around the world geared up for Day 2 of the PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus $5,300 Main Event at the luxurious Merit Royal Diamond Hotel and Spa. Having fought through intense competition in the first two flights, a total of 405 players emerged from the initial 1,230 entries to return and vie for a piece of the impressive $5,994,600 prize pool.
A Growing Prize Pool
As late registration remains open until the start of Day 2, the prize pool is set to grow even further, raising excitement among participants. Once registration closes, official payout information will be released, giving players a clearer picture of the rewards that await them.
Chip Leaders: Who’s in the Running?
At the end of Day 1b, Russian player Viktor Ustimov held the lead with a staggering stack of 379,000 chips. His strategic play, which included skillfully bluff-catching towards the close of Day 1b, established him as a formidable contender. Ustimov is no stranger to high-stakes poker; with professional earnings exceeding $2,000,000, he is determined to surpass his previous best EPT finish—a second-place win at EPT Sochi in 2018.
Trailing Ustimov is Italy’s Salvatore Camarda, who bagged 325,000 chips. Camarda’s largest cash in recorded history was a 12th place finish at a $1,100 event during the 2011 Barcelona PokerStars Championship, earning him $45,000.
Ali Al-Kubasi from Iraq is not far behind, resting comfortably with a stack of 301,000 chips. Although relatively new to tournament poker, with his first recorded cash only in 2021, Al-Kubasi already boasts a six-figure payout after a stellar second-place finish in a $5,000 high roller event at the Merit Poker Series in 2022.
Top Ten Chip Counts
As players returned for Day 2, here were the top chip counts:
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viktor Ustimov | Russia | 379,000 | 253 |
| 2 | Salvatore Camarda | Italy | 325,000 | 217 |
| 3 | Ali Al-Kubasi | Iraq | 301,000 | 201 |
| 4 | Kirill Shcherbakov | Russia | 284,000 | 189 |
| 5 | Darius Gadeikis | Lithuania | 266,000 | 177 |
| 6 | Ren Lin | China | 264,500 | 176 |
| 7 | Stephen Song | USA | 261,500 | 174 |
| 8 | James Crawley | United Kingdom | 261,000 | 174 |
| 9 | Yevhen Pavlenko | Ukraine | 253,000 | 168 |
| 10 | Ahmed Abdellatif | Australia | 249,000 | 166 |
Notable Players to Watch
Several notable names continue their quest for glory in the tournament. Stephen Song, who recently clinched the title at the last EPT stop in Barcelona, hopes to achieve an unprecedented back-to-back victory in the Main Event. Meanwhile, Ren Lin, currently ranked as the fifth-best tournament player globally with nearly $12 million in live earnings, is undeniably a threat in the ongoing competition.
On the PokerStars ambassador side, Simon Wiciak, Barny Boatman, and Fintan Hand, among others, will strive to make significant progress despite each holding below 50,000 chips as they returned for Day 2.
Defending Champion and Former Winners
The defending champion, Gilles Simon, faced early elimination and unfortunately will not have the chance to defend his title. Other former winners like Lucien Cohen and Hossein Ensan also aim for another shot at EPT glory, though their chip counts reflect the high-stakes battle unfolding on the felt.
What’s Next?
Today, players will grind through 90-minute levels, starting from Level 11 at blind levels of 1,000/1,500 with a 1,500 big blind ante. A minimum of five levels must be navigated to secure a spot for Day 3, with 20-minute breaks following every level and a 65-minute dinner break after Level 14.
Conclusion
Day 2 promises to be filled with intense competition and high-stakes poker action. With the potential for the prize pool to increase and numerous skilled players in contention, fans and participants alike can expect a thrilling continuation of the EPT Cyprus. Stay tuned to PokerNews for real-time coverage of this exhilarating event!
1
20
20
