WATCH: Aces Fall to Quads on Opening Day of WPT Prime Cyprus Championship
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There’s nothing quite like looking down at pocket aces and getting it all in preflop—especially in a three-way all-in. It’s the dream spot every poker player hopes for, and Simone Pascucci found himself living it early on Day 1a of the WPT Prime Cyprus $1,100 Championship at Chamada Prestige Hotel and Casino.
But as any seasoned player knows, poker can be a cruel game. Pascucci’s aces were up against Onur Unsal’s suited ace-king and Dory Saade’s pocket eights, and with both opponents at risk, he was in prime position to scoop a monster pot.
Then came the rollercoaster. Saade flopped a set, Unsal made his flush on the turn, and just when it looked like Unsal had sealed it, the dealer dropped the case eight on the river. Quads for Saade. Unsal hit the rail, and Pascucci was left wondering how on earth his dream spot had turned into a nightmare. At least he could take solace in the $19,460 he’d won just days earlier in the NLH Old School side event.
That wild hand set the tone for an action-packed Day 1a in Cyprus, where the chips were flying and players were fighting for a shot at WPT glory. Here’s how it all went down…
Kyprianos Kyprianou Bags Best in Day1A
Of the three players in that wild hand, only Unsal managed to survive the day—albeit with a much smaller stack than he had hoped. He bagged 239,000, a respectable count but far from the top of the leaderboard.
Meanwhile, at the top of the charts, Kyprianos Kyprianou was busy stacking chips all day long. By the time the dust settled, he had built an enormous 1,286,000 stack, putting him well ahead of his closest rivals, Ali Fikh (853,000) and Mehdi Yazdanpanah (789,000). It was a dominant performance from Kyprianou, who found himself in the driver’s seat heading into Day 2.
Day 1A of the WPT Prime Cyprus Championship drew 356 entries. By the time the chips were bagged, only 45 players remained, all securing a minimum cash.
Other notable names moving on to Day 2 include Laurent Vauquelin (526,000), Ioana Apostol (315,000), Fabian Rolli (254,000), and Philippe Souki (196,000), who has already banked a trophy at the festival. These players can now enjoy a well-earned break while the remaining Day 1 flights play out. Day 2 is set to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 16.
The day wrapped up in fitting fashion when Pascal Foged shoved his final few big blinds with suited jack-ten, only to run straight into Irakli Gavasheli’s pocket aces. Unlike Pascucci’s earlier heartbreak, Gavasheli’s aces held up, bringing an end to the opening flight.
Day 1A Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyprianos Kyprianou | 1,286,000 |
| 2 | Ali Fikh | 853,000 |
| 3 | Mehdi Yazdanpanah | 789,000 |
| 4 | Jonas Eriksson Silfler | 694,000 |
| 5 | Adrian Quevedo | 674,000 |
| 6 | Dan Borlan | 623,000 |
| 7 | Baris Topuz | 571,000 |
| 8 | Laurent Vauquelin | 526,000 |
| 9 | Leonard Dirlewanger | 491,000 |
| 10 | Dan Hila | 450,000 |
Joseph Haddad Sprints Through to Day 2
Day 1B brought a different kind of energy, running as a speed flight with fast-paced action from the jump. The field attracted 113 entrants, and just 15 players had survived the rapid-fire play to book their seats in Day 2.
Leading the way is Joseph Haddad, who bagged 966,000, putting himself in a strong position moving forward. Not far behind him is Oliver Bosch with 722,000, who brought Day 1B to a close, eliminating Mustafa Simsek on the bubble. Simsek moved all in with ace-jack, Bosch looked him up with ten-five. A full house on the turn for Bosch sealed the deal, securing his spot as the second-largest stack of the flight.
Cenk Nigbolu rounds out the top three with 568,000, while other notable names making it through include Dan Charlton (418,000), who has already made three final tables at this series, Scotland’s Richard Hare (295,000), Guy Gorelik (240,000), and Koray Korkmaz (234,000).
A total of 60 players from the 469 entries have successfully cleared the first hurdle. With the prize pool already nearing the halfway mark and three more Day 1 flights remaining, the $1 million guarantee is well on track to be surpassed. Day 1C is set for Friday, March 14, followed by Day 1D and 1E on Saturday, March 15.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joseph Haddad | 966,000 |
| 2 | Oliver Bosch | 722,000 |
| 3 | Cenk Nigoblu | 568,000 |
| 4 | Dan Charlton | 418,000 |
| 5 | Serkan Demirkol | 340,000 |
| 6 | Richard Hare | 295,000 |
| 7 | Guy Gorelik | 240,000 |
| 8 | Koray Korkmaz | 234,000 |
| 9 | Jan Lagestrom | 162,000 |
| 10 | Walid El-Khoury | 162,000 |
WPT Prime Cyprus Results
| Event | Buy-in | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize | Places Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLH Welcome Event | $660 | 75 | $50,000 | Matthew Gray | $13,000 | 11 |
| NLH Take-Off | $825 | 253 | $183,488 | Tanju Karayiğit | $40,000 | 35 |
| NLH Turbo Bounty K.O. | $440 | 98 | $35,280 | Philippe Souki | $5,550 | 11 |
| NLH Bounty ITM | $550 | 117 | $52,640 | Anil Olgun Özdemir | $11,000 | 15 |
| PLO 5 Card | $800 | 82 | $61,500 | Chadi Rizk | $18,000 | 12 |
| NLH Old School Event | $880 | 85 | $61,190 | Simone Pascucci | $19,460 | 11 |
| NLH Mystery Bounty | $825 | 502 | $200,000 | Ittai Zions | $35,900 | 64 |
| NLH Speed Up | $440 | 68 | $26,384 | Senol Sener | $8,084 | 10 |
| NLH Monster Stack Speed | $550 | 187 | $90,695 | Davit Mikhanashvili | $21,195 | 24 |
Images courtesy of World Poker Tour/Chamada Poker
Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum has written for various poker outlets but found his home at PokerNews, where he has contributed to various articles and live updates, providing insights and reporting on major poker events, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
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