Reigning FPS Main Event Champion Mateusz Moolhuizen Bags Big in Day 1b
Day 1b of the €1,100 French Poker Series Main Event, running as part of the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour at the Sporting Monte-Carlo has now reached its conclusion. A total of 225 entries were made, but after 18 levels of play, only 34 advanced to Day 2 and secured a minimum cash.
As this chaotic flight died down, Hugo Machado bagged the overall chip lead taking through a total of 437,000 for the Day 2 restart. Following close behind Machado is Saam Pishvaie with a stack of 405,000; the only other player to eclipse to 400,000 chip mark.
Mateusz Moolhuizen, who won the FPS Main Event in Paris just two months ago, continued his hot streak tonight bagging a stack of 296,000. Moolhuizen's prior win secured him a payday of €470,830 for besting a field of 4,149 and is set on continuing his campaign for back-to-back titles.
Day 1b Top 10 Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hugo Machado | Portugal | 437,000 |
| 2 | Saam Pishvaie | France | 405,000 |
| 3 | Andrew Hawkins | United Kingdom | 388,000 |
| 4 | Pieter De Necker | South Africa | 374,000 |
| 5 | Gaspare Sposato | Italy | 360,000 |
| 6 | Sokratis Linares | Greece | 300,000 |
| 7 | Mateusz Moolhuizen | Netherlands | 296,000 |
| 8 | Julien Pavon | France | 276,000 |
| 9 | Arnaud Enselme | France | 270,000 |
| 10 | Alexandre Suss | France | 262,000 |
Day 1b welcomed some of the best players in Europe and beyond, including PokerStars Team Pro members Alejandro Lococo, Fintan Hand and Parker Talbot. Although all three manage to accumulate chips earlier on in the day, both Hand, Lococo and Talbot failed to materialise a Day 2 stack, firing a combined four bullets between them.
Other notable names to hit the rail included EPT Prague Main Event runner-up Jon Kyte and veteran of the European circuit, Alexandre Reard.
Day 2 will kick off on the 26th of April, but before then, players have plenty more opportunities to get into the mix with flights 1c and turbo flight 1d happening tomorrow at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. respectively.
The PokerNews live reporting team will return to bring you more coverage of the French Poker Series Main Event here at EPT Monte Carlo, so stay tuned.