1.50am: Valentino in pole position, leads Day 1B field
After nine levels of action Bulgarian Valentino Konakchiev made a late surge to emerge as the Day 1B chipleader. He bagged 107,600 just edging out Desislav Velikov (106,400) and Roman Kagan (104,200) although all three trail Day 1A chipleader Ted Stolzenbach (136,800).
They will have their eyes firmly fixed on the first prize of €61,170, whilst a total field of 246 (123 players on both Day 1A and Day 1B) means that 27 players will be paid. A min-cash is worth €2,000 and you can see the full payout structure here.
For so long it looked as if the chipleader was going to be from, of all places, Panama. For much of the latter part of the day Alberto Dayan was in the lead but he lost a huge pot to Velikov with a flush draw against two pair and ended the day on just 8,500.
Romanian Toni Judet was the sole representative of Team PokerStars Pro today, but in truth he struggled for much of the day, never seemingly able to get his stack above 20,000. He gainfully battled on though before perishing during the last level of the day.
He was not the only big name to depart as Eureka champions Alija Filipovic and Antonio Dieguez Rodriguez also failed to make Day 2. In fact Rodriguez failed to make level two as he was the first out!
But, 44 players did make it through and they will combine with the 41 survivors from Day 1A at 2pm on Saturday. The plan tomorrow will be to play first to the money and then as close to the final table as possible. You can find the start of day seat draw here.
Until then you can catch up with level 5-9 updates below and find a re-cap of levels 1-4 here. Until tomorrow later today goodnight for Golden Sands.
1.10am: Play has ended
That's it, play is over for today. Somewhere in the region of 45 players have made it through to join the 41 survivors from Day 1A and it appears the overnight chipleader is Valentino Konakchiev from Bulgaria with 107,600. A wrap of the day's play will be with you shortly and overnight chip count will be available before the start of Day 2.
12.50am: Last three hands
The clock has been paused and players are now playing the last three hands of the day.
12.40am: Also doing well
Is Roman Kagan, he's up to 97,000 now and is challenging Alberto Dayan for the chiplead.
12.25am: Judet crashes out
The only Team PokerStars pro in the event has been sent to the rail during the last level of day one as Toni Judet has just been eliminated. From under-the-gun Kiril Kochov opened to 1,600 with [A][10], Judet then moved all-in for ,13,700 with [K][Q] and Kochov made the call. The flop of [J][10][4] gave Judet plenty of outs, but he missed them all on the turn and river.
12.10am: Chipleaders
As the last level gets underway the chipleaders are:Alberto Dayan (98,000) Catalin Corocaescu (83,000) and Nagy Barnabas (75,000).
12.05am: Back from the break
Players are now back in their seats and the last level of the night is underway.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 400-800 ante 100
12am: Just before the break
These two hands took place just before the break and extended into it.
Hand One: Marius Volovei was all-in for his last 15,000 with [Qc][Qs] and got a call from Deyan Stanev who had [Ad][Kd]. The [5s][Kh][9h] flop saw Stanev do a little fist pump. And his hand held on the [3h] turn and [2s] river to send Volovei to the rail.
Hand Two: From middle position Ricardas Vymeris raised to 1,500 both Liszkovics Joco (cut-off) and Daniy Parlafes (small blind) flat called. On the flop of [Jh][7c][5d] it checked to Joco, he bet 2,200 and both players called.
The turn was the [Js] again it checked to Joco, he bet 3,900 and Vymeris was the only caller. The [Jd] completed the board, both players checked, Joco showed [8s][8h] which bested Vymeris's [Ah][Qh].
11.45pm: Break
Players are now on their last 15 minute break of the day, when they come back they'll play one more level.
11.35pm: Win for Ion
Ion Dragomir looked very pleased with himself and well he might has he just scooped a sizable pot.
From the cut-off Leonid Stashevskyy opened to 1,500, Dragomir flat called on the button only for Plamen Todorov to raise to 4,200 total. Back on Stashevskyy he moved all-in for 15,075, Dragomir then re-raised all-in for 34,175 and Todorov tank folded.
Dragomir [Kc][Kd]
Stashevskyy [Qs][7s]
The [3d][9c][5h] flop had barely touched the felt before Stashevskyy was on his feet, resigned to his fate. The [jd] turn left him drawing dead and the meaningless [2h] completed the board.
11.20pm: Judet at the double
Team PokerStars Pro Toni Judet has got his double up and now has 18,000. From the button Predrag Kecojevic moved all-in with [Kd][9d] (he covered both blinds) and Judet made the call for his last 8,500 with [As][10c]. The Romanian's hand held-up on a blank board and he's now very much back in it.
11.05pm: Chip counts
A few chip counts for your delictation: Alain Medesan (23,000), Nir Levy (10,100), Matej Marinovic (26,200), Plamen Todorov (26,200) and Valentino Konakchiev (50,000).
10.50pm: Judet clinging on
Team PokerStars Pro Toni Judet is very much in the danger zone as level eight gets underway. The Romanian, who has over $800,000 in lifetime winnings, is down to just 9,200.
That stack of 15 big blinds is well below the average stack which is 30,245 (50 big blinds).
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 300-600 ante 75
10.35pm: Ace high holds
I joined the action on a flop of [8d][9h][7s] Tim Davie bet 1,025, Magardich Sarkisian raised to 3,075 (leaving himself 3,525 back), Davie set him in and after tanking for an age Sarkisian made the call. On their backs:
Davie: [Qs][10d] - open ended straight draw and two over cards
Sarkisian [Ah][Qh] - two over cards and a back door flush draw
Turn: [5c]
River: [4s]
Davie's draw missed and ace high held up to boost Sarkisian's stack to 14,000 whilst Davie slipped to 28,000.
10.20pm: Take Hat! Panama leads
Alberto Dayan is now the clear chip leader after winning a huge pot with aces. He told me: 'My opponent raised to 800, i raised to 2000 with aces and he called me with king-queen. The flop was [K][10][8] with two hearts and I have the ace of hearts. I bet 3,000, he made it 9,000, I set him all-in for 30,000 and he called. The turn was the [Qh] to give him the lead but the [2h] came on the river.'
With that pot Dayan is up to 97,000 and ahead of the chasing pack.
10.10pm: Exits
Four exits since the break, Ivan Boykov Vatev, Zoran Srbulović, Krasimir Koev and Gheorghe Gradinaru are all out and free to watch Russia versus Czech Republic.
9.55pm: Chip leaders
These ladies and gentleman are the current top five on Day 1B of Eureka Bulgaria:
Yulian Mirchev 59,000
Catalin Corocaescu 57,250
Andrejus Jakovlevas 54,000
Vymeris Ricardas 51,300
Alberto Dayan 50,000
9.50pm: Back from the beak
The 76 players are now back in their seats and cards are in the air.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 200-400 ante 50
8.47pm: Dinner break
The players are now on a one hour dinner break, during the break chip counts will be done by tournament staff so I'll bring you a list of the chip leaders upon resumption of play.
8.45pm: Exits
Amongst the latest to exit are: Aleksandar Kaludercic, Viliyan Petleshkov and Dan Williams.
8.30pm: Kovacevic doubles through Zafirov
Down to just 3,850 Bogdan Kovacevic moved all-in with [Kd][Ks] behind him
Nikolay Zafirov re-raised to 12,000 with [Js][Jh] and everyone else folded. The board ran [7d][9h][9c][Kc][Qc] and Kovacevic, who has a great beard - easily the best facial hair in the field today - is back in it.
8.15pm: The tap of the table
In most spots tapping or banging on the table means one of three things There's the frustrated tap - perhaps when you get outdrawn. In pool or snooker it can be an acknowledgment of a fluke por or snooker and then there's the respectful table tap, the 'nice hand/shot/play sir. That's the one we like to see.
From the hi-jack Valentino Konakchiev made it 700 to play, Desislav Velikov re-raised to 1,900 and then when it was back on Konakchiev he made it 4,100 to play. After about a minutes thought Velikov mucked his hand, Konakchiev showed the [7s] as he took the pot and Velikov tapped the table in appreciation.
8pm: Chip counts
I just did a lap of the card room and got chip counts of the names, notables and big stacks: Dan Williams (21,000), Nir Levy (12,000), Toni Judet (12,200), Alain Medesan (23,000), Matej Marinovic (26,000) and Plamen Todorov (23,400).
The new chipleader appears to be Alberto Dayan from Panama who has 63,000.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 150-300 ante 25
7.45pm: With friends like these!
At the start of the level Ben Wolbers, from the Netherlands, was the chip leader. Turns out he's best friends with Day 1A chip leader Ted Stolzenbach. The latter, who is in the casino, told me that the two of them used to run a poker club together in Amsterdam and when asked how long they'd known each other he simply said: "Ooh, a long time!'
7.35pm: New chip leader
Just like yesterday the chip lead is changing hands frequently, the new chip leader is Yulian Mirchev, the Bulgarian has 54,000.
I didn't see how he got to that amount but he's definitely playing agressively, I just saw him open to 750, another player then raised to 1,950, Mirchev came back over the top making it 5,750 and his opponent folded.
7.20pm: Exits
Plenty of exits to tell you about: Ondrej Drozd, Jovic Jovan, Alexandru Popovici, Matej Kalčič, Vladislav Donchev, Srefan Ianuszewicz, Ionut Cristea, Oshri Cohen, Geerkens Ricardo, Mate Gergely Mecs and Ivan Dimitrov have all busted out.
7pm: How goes the champ?
With the early elimination of Antonio Dieguez Rodriguez (see post at 2.45pm) Alija Filipovic is the sole remaining Eureka champion left in the field.
The Croatian, who won in home soil, back in April has lost some ground so far as he's down to 12,000 although I just saw him take a small pot.
6.45pm: Back from the break
The players are now back in their seats. The current chip leaders are:
Ben Wolbers 46,000
Liszkovics Joco 45,000
Andrejus Jakovlevas 45,000
Ruud Van de Goor 40,000
Marius Volovei 35,000
Ruud Van De Goor finished fifth at Eureka2 Croatia and is making another tilt at the title here.
If you missed it earlier the winner of Eureka Bulgaria will take home € 61,170 a full payout structure is available here.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Bulgaria:Nick Wright. Photos by Thomas Stacha.