It’s down to the top 50 players as the field approaches the third break of the night. Chip stacks have grown significantly in the last few levels as the smaller stacks have not been able to survive the increasing blinds along with the pressure from the big guys. There are still three 30-minute levels to be played before competitors reach level 14 to qualify for Day 2.
Here’s a look at some of the remaining players:
The chips are flying between the 80 remaining players in the ninth level of play. There’s been a complete shift in the leaderboard and it’s now populated by a new handful of players.
Renaud Conti is the current leader with a massive stack of 157,000, good for 196 big blinds. Conti more than triples the chip average of 50,500. Alon Messica is a close second with 155,000, which is worth 193 big blinds.
It’s still anyone’s game because there’s plenty of poker left to be played tonight.
| First Name | Last Name | Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Renaud | Conti | 157,000 |
| Alon | Messica | 155,000 |
| Steve | Pouliot | 133,000 |
| Richard | Catellier | 120,500 |
Tonight’s flight was able to attract a total of 163 entries, including 27 re-entries, before the late registration period closed at 10:15pm. A number of new competitors joined at the last minute to try and get in on the action and qualify for Day 2. Many players seem to be using a slow and steady mentality to survive 14 levels while others are using a more aggressive approach in hopes of winning some big pots. Time will tell.
Here’s a look at some recent action:
Players are back at their tables following the first break of the night. So far there’s been a total of 139 entries, including 12 re-entries, into tonight’s flight. Late registration is still open for another 45 minutes until 10:15pm at the beginning of level seven.
Christian Drouinaud is the first chip lead with a stack of 59,000, which almost doubles the chip average of 29,000. Sanghyun Lim follows closely behind in second with 57,500 and Pierre-Hugues Faulkner rounds out the top three with 55,500. It’s a tight race at the top.
Here’s a look at the full leaderboard:
| First Name | Last Name | Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Christian | Drouinaud | 59,000 |
| Sanghyun | Lim | 57,500 |
| Pierre-Hugues | Faulkner | 55,500 |
| Nabil | Nahoul | 51,300 |
| Mohammed | Naceri | 49,000 |
Day 1C is off to a great start with 97 entries just two levels in. Players still have a little over two hours to enter, or re-enter, until the beginning of level seven at 10:15pm.
Here’s what’s happening on the floor:
Day 1B of the Playground 200 attracted a total of 112 entries (including 20 re-entries) who played through 14 30-minute levels. The day started off slow and steady and by the time the first break came around, it was Benoit Martineau who had taken the early lead. Throughout the day the lead changed hands many times as players were doing their best to build their stacks. Martineau lost some steam along the way but was still able to bag 101,500 chips.
At the end of level 14 when it was all said and done, with the 2,800,000 chips that were put into play, it was local Karim-Olivier Kamal who bagged the lead with 314,500 chips. Here the top four stacks from Day 1B that will be returning with the other Day 2 qualifiers on Sunday at 1:00pm:
Day 1C has just started and late registration will remain open until 10:15pm.
Day 1D plays out tomorrow, Saturday at 11:00am, and the final starting flight, Day 1E plays at 7:00pm.
Day 2 is on Sunday at 1:00pm, and Day 3 will play down to a winner on Monday evening at 7:00pm.
Day 1C of the $200 + $20 Playground 200 just kicked off at 7:00pm. Event #2 of the February Power Weekend features a guaranteed prize pool of $100,000 and offers five starting flights. This is the third flight of the tournament, Day 1D and 1E will take place tomorrow at 11:00am and 7:00pm.
Players begin with 25,000 in chips and play 10-handed through 30-minute blinds. Each Day 1 flight will play through 14 levels, those who can make it to level 14 will advance to Day 2 of the tournament on Sunday, March 1 at 1:00pm. This is a re-entry event with unlimited re-entries permitted until the end of the late registration period at the beginning of level seven. Re-entry is permitted for any player who loses all their chips or chooses to forfeit their stack. Competitors may enter additional Day 1s even if they have survived with chips. Those who qualify for Day 2 more than once will resume play on Day 2 with their largest qualifying stack.
Good luck to all players!
Play is now down to the wire as the last 30-minute level of the day has just begun. Moves are being made on the remaining four tables as players are putting pressure onto each other, trying to muscle their opponents into a fold. Some have been successful, but sometimes it’s also been costly.
Play is now in level 12 meaning that there is just another 90 minutes left to go in Day 1B. With the average stack now at just under 70K (43 big blinds), Matteo Carelli is in the top spot, playing a stack of 145,100 chips, good for just over 90 big blinds. David Smith is right behind him with 143,600 chips.
Here is the last leaderboard of the day (play will end at the end of level 14):
| First Name | Last Name | Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Matteo | Carelli | 145,100 |
| David | Smith | 143,600 |
| Francis | Fortin-Chevalier | 138,800 |
| Ray | Mohomed | 125,600 |
With the blinds at 500/1,000, after a limp, Dave Bolduc-Hamel raised up to 3,200. It folded to Matt O. on the button who three-bet to 7,000. When it was Julien Lemay’s turn to act out of the big blind, he four-bet to 21,000, prompting those not in the hand to look up and watch the action unfold. Bolduc-Hamel let go of his hand, and Matt O. kept munching on his snack while trying to decide what to do. After a few more bites of his celery, he smiled and mucked his hand.
Lemay was second in chips at the last break and is playing a healthy stack. Matt O. appears to still have about 36,000-38,000 chips, easily enough chips to continue on to the next battle.
The average stack is now 45,900 chips (57 big blinds) and one player has climbed above the 100K mark; Samuel Wong is playing a stack of 101,300 chips, equal to 126 big blinds!
Here are the players with the top stacks out of the 45 remaining players:
| First Name | Last Name | Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel | Wong | 101,300 |
| Julien | Lemay | 95,100 |
| John | Pentefountas | 83,100 |
| Jean-Pascal | Gauthier | 79,200 |
All the chips got into the middle between Kevin Javier and Yvan Gravel, both of whom were holding premium hands:
Javier: 
Gravel: 
With no help to Gravel on the 
board, Javier’s pocket-queens hold as he sends Gravel to the rail. The ladies definitely made him happy.
