Scott Margereson Leads Massive Field in Day 1 of the �10,300 EPT High Roller
Day 1 of the �10,300 EPT Paris High Roller event has concluded here at the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris inside Le Palais des Congr��s. So far, 459 entries have joined the field, generating a �4,406,400 prize pool and surpassing last year's field of 431 entries. With late registration remaining open until the start of Day 2, that number is expected to increase even further.
After 10 levels of play, Scott Margereson emerged as the front-runner of the 192 players who made it to Day 2 after bagging 377,000 in chips. Not far behind him is Japanese poker pro Sho Homma, who ended the day with 362,000.
Margereson is no stranger to high rollers, having recently placed 4th at the �10,300 EPT High Roller in Prague last December for �168,850. Despite a few close calls, Margereson has yet to capture an EPT title.
End of Day 1 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Day 2 Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Margereson | United Kingdom | 377,000 | 251 |
| 2 | Sho Homma | Japan | 362,000 | 241 |
| 3 | Robin Ylitalo | Sweden | 344,000 | 229 |
| 4 | Mario Navarro | Spain | 335,000 | 223 |
| 5 | Kalidou Sow | France | 323,000 | 215 |
| 6 | Bert Stevens | Belgium | 310,500 | 207 |
| 7 | Stanislav Zegal | Germany | 308,500 | 206 |
| 8 | Daniel Smiljkovic | Germany | 304,000 | 203 |
| 9 | Romain Lewis | France | 268,500 | 179 |
| 10 | Julien Sitbon | France | 267,500 | 178 |
PokerStars Ambassador Maria Konnikova and Chris Brewer, who placed runner-up in the �50,000 EPT Super High Roller just a few days ago, were among the 66 players present at the start of the tournament. Brewer got off to a rough start and was never able to gain much momentum, while Konnikova benefitted from a lucky flop for a nice double up. Brewer ended up busting two bullets, while Konnikova bagged 167,500.
Irish Open Ambassador Chris Dowling had a solid day, picking his spots and using well-timed aggression to end the day with a respectable 169,000 in chips.
Among the many notables who managed to earn a Day 2 berth were Joey Weissman (222,000), Joao Vieira (200,000), Alex Keating (174,000), Niall Farrell (147,000), Ben Heath, (141,500), Byron Kaverman (79,000), and Benny Glaser (60,000) to name a few.
Less fortunate players who fired two bullets but were still unable to bag include Stephen Chidwick, Leo Margets, Steve O'Dwyer, Dominik Nitsche, and 2019 WSOP Main Event Champion Hossein Ensan, who lost a flip late in the day to bust for the second time.
Day 2 is set to begin tomorrow, February 24th at noon local time. Action will resume on Level 11, which features 1,000/1,500 blinds with a 1,500 big blind ante. Fifteen-minute breaks will be held every two levels, with an extended 65-minute break occuring at the end of Level 16. Play will conclude for the night after Level 21.
Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring all the action from the floor leading to the next EPT High Roller champion! For continuing coverage of other 2024 EPT Paris events, check out our live-reporting hub.