The PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus: A Thrilling Start at the $5,300 Main Event
The stunning backdrop of the Mediterranean welcomed poker enthusiasts to the PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus, as Day 1a of the highly anticipated $5,300 Main Event kicked off at the luxurious Merit Royal Diamond Hotel and Spa. A palpable excitement filled the air as 474 entries flooded the tournament floor, slightly surpassing last year’s figures. As the day concluded, 106 players successfully navigated through this initial flight, leaving a burgeoning prize pool of $2,682,050 in their wake. With the busiest flight, Day 1b, still ahead, the atmosphere promises to intensify.
Aiming for Unprecedented Glory
The stakes have never been higher in the realm of poker, as history is on the brink of being rewritten. To date, no player has ever won an EPT Main Event twice consecutively. The challenge is formidable, with only three players in history achieving double championship status, each with significant gaps between their wins. Yet, reigning champion of the EPT Barcelona Main Event, Stephen Song, is back at the tables with aspirations to defy the odds—securely seated in a top three stack at the end of Day 1a.
Song demonstrated formidable prowess early on, taking the chip lead with a fateful hit of trip queens that sent fellow competitor Ryan Mandara to the rail. Repeated success saw his stack swell to over 200,000, culminating in a final bag weight of 261,500—placing him in a strong position as the tournament progresses.
The Battle for the Chip Lead
As the final hours of the flight approached, Song found himself in a tight race against two fierce competitors, both registering impressive stacks of their own. Ren Lin showcased his unique combination of charisma and skill that has earned him nearly $12 million in live tournament winnings. He initiated his journey by racking up pots early and executed a crucial runner-runner strategy to stack Mikhail Iakovlev during Level 8. Lin concluded Day 1a with a solid chip count of 264,000, good enough for second place.
In a surprising twist, the honor of topping the flight ultimately fell to Kirill Shcherbakov, a Russian player boasting a track record of close to $750,000 in winnings. Shcherbakov, who recently secured a second-place finish at a poker series at the same venue, demonstrated both skill and confidence, concluding Day 1a with an impressive 284,000 chips. His control of the table throughout the day solidified his status as a player to watch.
The Top Contenders
The competition is boiling down to a few notable figures as chip counts differ only by thousands. Below is a snapshot of the top ten chip counts at the end of Day 1a:
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kirill Shcherbakov | Russia | 284,000 |
| 2 | Ren Lin | USA | 264,500 |
| 3 | Stephen Song | USA | 261,500 |
| 4 | Yevhen Pavlenko | Ukraine | 253,000 |
| 5 | Ahmed Abdellatif | Australia | 249,000 |
| 6 | Sergei Varnaev | Russia | 248,500 |
| 7 | Ivan Zabiiakin | Russia | 233,000 |
| 8 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | 222,000 |
| 9 | Rongshan Li | China | 215,000 |
| 10 | Artsiom Lasouski | Belarus | 210,000 |
Among the notable players who also survived Day 1a include Niklas Astedt, the world’s number one ranked online player, who finished just outside the top ten, bagging 186,000 chips. PokerStars ambassadors including Felix Schneiders (172,000) and Sam Grafton (106,000) also continue their quests for glory.
However, not every hopeful found success in their endeavors. Rania Nasreddine, who has impressively reached the final tables of both the EPT Monte Carlo and EPT Barcelona this year, fell short during this flight. Undeterred, she’s expected to make a strong return in Day 1b, aiming to keep her final table streak alive.
The Road Ahead
Day 1b, the final opportunity for players to make their mark in the Main Event, begins on Tuesday, October 15th at noon local time. With late registration open until the onset of Day 2, players have a unique chance to enter the fray, maximizing their potential with a maximum of two entries across both flights. The excitement continues to build as the event escalates towards Day 2 on Wednesday, October 16th.
For those following this exhilarating journey, PokerNews will provide live coverage and updates directly from the tournament floor, ensuring that you don’t miss a moment as the race to become the next EPT champion unfolds.
Final Thoughts
The PokerStars European Poker Tour Cyprus is shaping up to be an unforgettable event, filled with high-stakes poker action, passion, and determination. As players gear up for the next leg of the competition, all eyes will be on the challengers who dare to carve their names into poker history. Will Stephen Song make history with a second consecutive championship, or will another contender rise to the occasion? Only time will tell.
