LIVE EVENTS

Day 1C of the WPT500 brought out a huge field of players and collected 310 entries. The players contributed 65 re-entries throughout the afternoon, which helped put over 9 million in chips in play.

Many different players held the chip lead at various stages in this flight, as it seemed that nobody was able to maintain their momentum for very long. With each passing break, there was nearly a complete turnover of the leaderboard. But once play entered the late stages, the big stacks in the field were much more cautious with their chips, knowing that qualifying for Day 2 and cashing this event was within reach.

The chip leader from this flight, Wai Kit Ngai, bagged 587,500 in chips, good enough for the fourth largest stack to date in the WPT500. Ngai had taken the chip lead in the late stages and, after losing a few hands that put a dent in his stack, found ways to win some big pots during hand-for-hand play that brought him back to the front of the pack.

There are three more starting flights for the WPT500. Day 1F runs tomorrow at noon, followed by Day 1G at 5:00pm and Day 1E Turbo at 10:00pm.

The bubble hand:

Now that the field is less than ten eliminations away from the money and qualifying for Day 2, the mood at the tables has changed. The field was boisterous throughout most of this flight, but everyone has their game face on now.

Several players have accumulated huge stacks, thanks to the massive amount of chips in play, so Mathyeu Provost’s overall chip lead in this event is likely to be challenged.

Here is an updated look at the field from level 16:

Play has just resumed in level 16, and the field is down to only 56 players.

The blinds caught up to many players in the field in the lead up to the last break and started forcing the action. The result was a number of multi-way all in pots that helped shake up the leaderboard. The former chip leaders in this flight are no longer among the biggest stacks in the field, as the balance of power has shifted to a new group of players.

The current chip leader in Wai Kit Ngai, who was quietly accumulating chips until he scooped a big, three-way all in pot after having played pocket aces in position to perfection. Ngai called the opening raise from early position, which opened the door for another player, who cold three-bet all in from the small blind. This raise elicited a flat call from the original raiser, which is when Ngai moved all in and was called. Ngai’s aces stood in the three-way pot and allowed him to collect a major portion of his stack.

Play has just resumed in level 13, following the latest break in the action.

The blinds are beginning to catch up with the field. The current chip average now provides roughly 44 big blinds, which is quite deep for most tournaments but far from the depth of play seen earlier in this flight.

A new chip leader emerged recently. Prosper Azoulay went on a great run prior to the last break, accumulating nearly four times the current chip average to stand head and shoulders above the rest of the field at this stage. Azoulay has his nearest rival, Neil Macleod, outchipped by about an average stack.

The field will be reduced to double digits before long, which will add to the already mounting tension in the tournament hall. Everyone has their eyes set on cashing this event and advancing to Day 2, but only the top 44 finishers will make it.

As play reaches the end of level 12, there are still 122 players in contention.

The top 44 players will reach the money and advance to Day 2. Although the end of the flight is still a long way away, the tension is clearly building at the tables, as three-betting becomes more and more common. The gap between the big and small stacks in the field was grown to its widest point of the day, putting some players far ahead of the blinds but many others are dwindling into the danger zone with only a handful of big blinds.

Here is a look at the field from level 11:

The late registration and re-entry period for Day 1C is now closed. There are 172 players still involved in this flight, from 310 total entries. The 65 re-entries collected this afternoon helped inflate the number of chips in play, putting over 9 million in chips on the felts. The top 44 players will qualify for Day 2 and reach the money.

Many players have more than double the current chip average of 53,000 in their possession, and those at the top of the leaderboard have nearly triple that amount. An average provides slightly more than 66 big blinds, so nearly everyone in the field is still enjoying deep-stacked play.

Day 1C is already the largest starting flight yet for the WPT500. The field continues to grow, as this flight enters the last hour of late registration and re-entries.

There are still over 200 players in contention out of 287 total entries, including 42 re-entries.  There are currently more than 8.5 million in chips in play, and the chip average now provides over 80 big blinds, which has helped the players put on an exciting display of deep-stacked poker.

Here is a look at the action from level 6:

New players and re-entries are rolling in one after the other, making Day 1C the largest starting flight to date, and there are still two more hours of late registration. With more than 7,500,000 in chips in play, it comes as no surprise that many players are well above the current chip average. So far, two players – Christian Barbeau and Mitcheal Ferguson – have reached the 100K plateau, and several others are comfortably out ahead of the blinds with stacks of more than double the current chip average.

There are two levels of play in the books on Day 1C, and there have already been 14 re-entries. There was a large crowd ready and waiting for the opening announcement earlier, with more new players and re-entries joining the field by the minute. The total number of entries just eclipsed the 200-mark, putting this flight on pace to be the largest yet.

The strong early turnout has put over 6 million in chips in play, a figure which will only increase throughout the afternoon, so there is a good chance that this flight will produce a new overall chip leader.

Here is a look at the action from level 2:

The WPT Montreal rolls on this afternoon with Day 1C of the $500 + $50 WPT500.

This epic, multi-day event has already gathered 656 entries through five online flights and two live flights. So far, 94 players have advance stacks to Day 2, which will be held Monday, October 28 at 1:00pm. To see the combined Day 1 results, click here.

Each starting flight of the WPT500 starts players with stacks of 30,000 in chips to play through as many 30-minute levels as needed to reduce the field to one in seven entries, at which point the players will bag their chips for Day 2. Each Day 1 will play 10-handed and move to 9-handed play as soon as possible.  

The WPT500 is an unlimited re-entry event, with unlimited re-entries permitted until the beginning of the ninth level of play on each Day 1, which will arrive at 4:30pm on Day 1C. Players can enter multiple starting flights but only their largest stack can be used on Day 2; all other qualifying stacks will be forfeited, but players will receive the associated cash prize for any forfeited stacks. 

Day 1C gets underway at 12:00pm, with Day 1D following at 5:00pm, and Day 1E Turbo goes tonight at 10:00pm. Good luck to all!