Here are the day-end chip counts for Day 1a of the WPT Montreal, Event 6 of the 2014 Playground Poker Fall Classic. There were a total of 133 entrants in the 1st of 3 starting flights in the event, and 45 players have qualified for Day 2.

Day 1b runs tomorrow (Friday November 21st, 11am) and Day 1c runs on Saturday November 22nd at 11am. Any player who wishes to do so my re-enter the tournament on either (or both) days. Players who qualify for Day 2 from multiple starting flights will have their smallest stack(s) removed from play.

Note that these are unverified player-counted chip counts. All chips have been sealed in bags until they return to play on Day 2.

In the two levels that have been completed since play resumed after the dinner break, almost 20 players have been eliminated and Mukul Pahuja – runner up in this event last year – joined the leaderboard.

By the way, during the last break, tournament staff removed the green T25 chips from play.

Leaders to start level 9

1. Scott Clements – 198K
2. Samuel Chartier – 140K
3. Mukul Pahuja – 135K
4. Yann Dion – 132K

There are quite a few players just behind these leaders in the 100K to 120K range, so there’s still a lot of opportunity for movement today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographs taken during level 8

 

During all three Day 1s in this year’s WPT Montreal, the chip leader at the dinner break will receive an exclusive pair of Partypoker branded Monster DNA headphones.

The chip leader at the end of each Day 1 will also receive a pair of DNAs as well, courtesy of the World Poker Tour. It’s lucky players are allowed to wear headphones at the table at Playground Poker Club (as long as they don’t slow down the game, that is)!

Today’s dinner break winner was none other than Quebec’s own Yann Dion, a core member of what might be called “Team Poker Quebec”.

Congratulations, Yann!

Beyond the chip leaders there are many other notable players in the field. Here are some up-to-date counts for some of these…

• Mike Watson – 39K
• Eugene Katchalov – 30K
• Jonathan Roy – 26K
• Connor Drinan – 75K
• TJ Ulmer – 46K
• Sam Greenwood – 75K
• Jeff Gross – 35K
• Pascal Lefrancois – 35K
• Shannon Shorr – 48K
• Brian Rast – 71K
• Mukul Pahuja – 58K
• Will Molson – 59K
• Antonio Esfandiari – OUT

The chip leaders in Day 1a following level 6 have all managed to build up stacks of greater than 100K while the average is currently just 45.9K and blinds in level 7 will be only 250/500/a75.

1. Yann Dion – 134K
2. Darren Elias – 131K
3. Samuel Chartier – 122K
4. Samuel Barre – 117K
5. Scott Clements – 114K
5. Jean-Manuel Estrala – 114K

In just 3 minutes the (electronic) chime will signal to mark the end of level 6 and players in the WPT Montreal will begin a 45-minute long dinner break. During this break is the last opportunity players will have to register for today’s starting flight, and there are always a few last-minute registrations so we will update the final tally for Day 1a at the other side of the break.

During the break we’ll also compile a list of chip leaders and get some stack sizes for some notable players as well.

Three more local players have joined the action, each of whom has his own kind of notoriety.

First is Jonathan Roy, the champion of the initial WPT Montreal in 2012. Jonathan travels the international circuit extensively and after winning here at Playground made final tables in the PCA Main Event (2013) and the WPT World Championship (2013).

Second is Charles-Alexandre Sylvestre – better known in these parts at “Chucky”. Chucky has been a fixture in local games for many years – and then in 2013 won both a bracelet in the WSOP in Las Vegas and a ring at a WSOP-C event.

The third local of note to have joined the field is TJ Ulmer. TJ – aka ‘1bigacehole’ may not have a high profile as a live poker player, but he’s a certified legend of online poker and in the past has been considered the clear #1 player in the world. TJ actually started the day on the final table of the $1,100 WPT Warm-up, and then joined the WPT Montreal field after he busted in 8th place.

Antonio Esfandiari, Jeff Gross and Brian Rast have arrived at Playground Poker Club and taken their seats in Day 1a of the 2014 WPT Montreal.

In the past couple of levels we’ve also seen Shannon Shorr, Jeff Madsen, and Yann Dion join the action.

Late registration ends at the end of the dinner break following level 6 – which is to say in just about 2 hours.

Photos from level 4

The first 4 levels of play have concluded in Day 1a on the WPT Montreal and players are currently on break. There’s still a long way to go in today’s starting flight – they play 10 levels today, a few players have managed to jump to an early lead.

1. Martin Rauss – 119K
2. Samuel Chartier – 114K
3. Anthony Zinno – 97K
4. Samuel Barre – 91K