LIVE EVENTS

After 18 levels of play, 18 Day 2 qualifiers have emerged from Day 1G.

Today’s turnout contributed a total of 123 entries, bringing the total number of entries to the Grand Prix Canada to 1,217, with six more starting flights to go over the next two days. To see the full schedule, click here.

In today’s flight, Jason Mandanici-Turcot, who is no stranger to success in Playground’s events, found his stride in the late stages of play to run up a flight-leading stack of 1,650,000 in chips. Mandanici-Turcot’s stack puts him in the upper echelon of the Day 2 qualifiers, but he has a long way to go to reel in the overall chip leader, Nathan Henry, who has 3.1 million in chips waiting for Day 2. To see the combined Day 1 results, click here.

Play has just resumed in level xx, and Day 1G is just two eliminations away from the end of the flight. Just 20 players remain in contention, and they are led by two players, Eric Bastien and Robert Turcotte, who are neck-and-neck for the lead. Less than one big blinds separates the two players, who are in great position with stacks in the neighbourhood of 58 big blinds.

Only 28 players remain on Day 1G, bringing the field just 10 eliminations away from the money and advancing to Day 2.

The blinds are slowing creeping up on the remaining players and are beginning to force the action, especially for the smaller stacks in the field. The current chip average provides slightly more than 36 big blinds, which is far more shallow that at any point today but still more than enough for most players to work with.

Here is a look at the action from level 14:

Play has just resumed in level 13, and Day 1G has a new chip leader.

Pascal Vaillancourt has went on a heater prior to the last break, accumulating a flight-leading stack of 93 big blinds. In the process, Vaillancourt surpassed former chip leader Eric Bastien. But Bastien is hot on his heels with the second largest stack in play.

The end of the flight is now on the horizon, as the top 18 of the 39 remaining players will advance to Day 2. So far, 157 players have advanced to Day 2, and the overall chip leader has over 3 million in chips. To see the combined Day 1 results, click here.

The late registration and re-entry period has just ended on Day 1G. There are now 47 players left in contention. The top 18 will reach the money and advance to Day 2.

The blinds are slowly catching up to the field but play is still quite deep at this stage, as an average stack gives players nearly 50 big blinds.

For anyone who fell short in this flight or would like to try to run up a bigger stack for Day 2, the next starting flight, Day 1H Turbo, is just around the corner. Also, the final online flight, Online Day 1E, runs tonight on partypoker. Both start at 7:00pm.

Between Friday and Saturday, there will be six more starting flights for the Grand Prix Canada. Check out the full schedule here.

The timer has just sounded to indicate the start of level 10, meaning that players have only 30 minutes left to (re-)enter this flight.

The field has been reduced to roughly half of the total entries, leaving 59 players to compete for the 12 million in chips in play. An average stack provides players about 50 big blinds, allowing most players to enjoy significant depth of play at this stage.

Here is a look at the action from level 9:

Play is set to resume in level 9, with only 66 players left in contention. The beginning of level 9 means that there is now only one hour left to (re-)enter this flight.

The chip leader at the last break, Eric Bastien, has maintained the pole position and put more distance between himself and the peloton. Bastien’s stack gives him slightly more than 130 big blinds, well more than double the current chip average.

Day 1G has just entered the seventh level of play, and there are 76 players left in contention.

Although relatively few new players have joined the fray since the first break, the re-entries keep rolling in. There have been 20 re-entries so far, which has helped bring the total number of chips in play just shy of 11 million. An average stack gives players roughly 56 big blinds to work with at this stage, enough to allow players to take almost any line they please. Late registration and unlimited re-entries will be available until 5:30pm.

Here is a look at the action from level 6:

Play has just resumed in level 5, following the first break of the afternoon on Day 1G.

New players and re-entries have been steadily adding to the field since the start of play, bringing the total number of entries to 96 with roughly three hours to go in the late registration and re-entry period. This flight has collected a dozen re-entries so far, which has helped inflate the number of chips in play for the 78 remaining players.

The current chip leader, Eric Bastien, more than tripled his starting stack by the first break and now has just shy of 200 big blinds at his disposal.

The Grand Prix Canada continues to pick up speed this afternoon with another popular starting flight. Day 1G got underway at noon, collecting 71 entries after less than an hour of play. There have already been three re-entries, a sign that there will be lots of chips in play by the time the late registration and re-entry period ends at 5:30pm.

As with all other starting flights for the Grand Prix Canada, players will start with 100,000 in chips for an afternoon of 10-handed play. Day 1G will play 30-minute levels until one in seven entries remain, at which point the players will be in the money and bag their chips for Day 2.

The Grand Prix Canada is a re-entry event with unlimited re-entries permitted until the end of the late registration period on each Day 1. Re-entry is permitted for any player that loses all their chips or chooses to forfeit their stack. A player may play additional Day 1s even if they have survived a previous Day 1 with chips. Players who qualify for Day 2 more than once will resume play on Day 2 with their largest qualifying stack; all other qualifying stacks will be forfeited. Players would, however, retain the associated cash prize for every forfeited stack. The combined Day 1 results can be found here.

Good luck to all!