An Exciting Day at 888poker LIVE Coventry: The £888 Main Event Surpasses £500,000 Guarantee
A Thrilling Start to Day 2
Saturday marked an exhilarating day of poker at the 888poker LIVE Coventry series, as the final turbo flight of the £888 Main Event drew a considerable crowd of players eager to take their shot at the lucrative prize pool. The last of six opening flights commenced the morning with an impressive 217 entries. Each player was keen to secure their chip stacks for the next challenge that awaited them later that afternoon.
The air was thick with anticipation as 44 survivors from the turbo flight joined 86 players who had already qualified for Day 2. Adding to the excitement, 23 new entries emerged before late registration closed, ensuring an action-packed day at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Record-Breaking Prize Pool
As the dust settled, the total number of entries had skyrocketed to 812, resulting in a remarkable prize pool of £617,120. This figure marks the largest prize pool for an 888poker LIVE Main Event since 2020, significantly eclipsing the initial £500,000 guarantee and ensuring that players had much to play for in the concluding rounds.
As play progressed, the formidable field of competitors was gradually trimmed to the final 16 players, all vying for a coveted place in history, not to mention the prestigious £125,000 first-place prize.
The Leaders of the Pack
Leading the charge into Day 3 is the seasoned poker player, Sunil Mistri, who amassed a notable chip count of 3,000,000. With a tournament career spanning back to 2008, a deep run in this Main Event could potentially see Mistri achieve his best-ever tournament performance.
Hot on his heels is fellow veteran Chris Da Silva, who holds 2,650,000 chips. With an impressive history that includes multiple final table appearances in 888poker LIVE events, Da Silva is a formidable competitor and is certainly not one to be taken lightly.
Other notable players to have reached the final day include Alex Todd, who famously triumphed in last year’s £150 GUKPT Goliath for £176,860. Todd will be returning to the final day with 775,000 chips, looking to recreate that triumphant feeling.
Day 2 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunil Mistri | United Kingdom | 3,000,000 | 60 |
| 2 | Chris Da Silva | United Kingdom | 2,650,000 | 53 |
| 3 | Conor Odriscoll | United Kingdom | 2,275,000 | 46 |
| 4 | Muhamed Mia | United Kingdom | 2,200,000 | 44 |
| 5 | Jiang Pu | United Kingdom | 2,015,000 | 40 |
| 6 | Lei Wang | China | 1,800,000 | 36 |
| 7 | Mindaugas Kurlenskas | United Kingdom | 1,730,000 | 35 |
| 8 | Matthew Bonham | United Kingdom | 1,600,000 | 32 |
| 9 | Brandon Harris | United Kingdom | 1,550,000 | 31 |
| 10 | Jack Jaeger | United Kingdom | 1,105,000 | 22 |
The Money Bubble and Player Highlights
The first order of business on Day 2 was to navigate the tense moments of the money bubble, with only the top 101 players earning a minimum payout of £1,700. After a brief hand-for-hand session filled with tense double-ups for several short stacks, Zhicheng Miao found himself all-in from the big blind but failed to connect against three opponents, ultimately becoming one of the unfortunate eliminations just before the money began to flow.
Among those who fell short of the money were renowned 888poker Ambassadors Vivian Saliba and Ian Simpson. Both players began Day 2 with high hopes, but their chips evaporated before they could secure a cash finish.
Conversely, Ricardo Mateus and Lucia Navarro successfully navigated the bubble and found themselves in a payout position, although their runs ended outside the top 50.
Remaining Payouts for the £888 Main Event
The anticipation surrounding the final day is heightened by the enticing payouts on offer. The breakdown of remaining prizes is as follows:
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £125,000 | 8 | £11,970 |
| 2 | £91,900 | 9 | £9,810 |
| 3 | £60,720 | 10 | £7,710 |
| 4 | £37,770 | 11 | £5,860 |
| 5 | £23,760 | 12-13 | £4,570 |
| 6 | £16,290 | 14-15 | £4,130 |
| 7 | £14,140 | 16 | £3,890 |
Looking Ahead: The Final Day
The thrilling conclusion to the £888 Main Event will kick off at 1:00 p.m. local time. The remaining 16 players will return with only 39 seconds left in Level 24, and the blinds will jump to 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 big blind ante.
As the excitement builds, the PokerNews team will be on-site, bringing live updates as a new 888poker LIVE champion is crowned. With such a significant prize pool at stake and a talented final table, next Sunday promises a captivating showdown in Coventry.
