Karim Kaladjou Tops the Final 15 Contenders in France Poker Series Aix-les-Bains Main Tournament
Unleashed at the France Poker Series:
Karim Kaladjou took the lead at the Aix-les-Bains Main Event, following a grueling Day 2 of the FPS tournament at Casino Grand Cercle, sponsored by PokerStars. In a starting lineup of 660 players, only 15 remain, with Kaladjou bagging a whopping 2,940,000 chips.
The Ascension to the Peak
Kaladjou's gameplay was violence personified; at one point, his stack shot past four million chips. However, a questionable bet on a seven-four hand towards the closing stages of play saw his stack dwindle. Despite this setback, Kaladjou clings to his pole position with a formidable 59 big blinds heading into Day 3.
With his strong position, Kaladjou is poised to claim a hefty chunk of the €633,600 prize pool. While his performance has been outstanding, the fight for the coveted title and the €122,150 first prize still rages on, as many skillful players continue their quest.
The Top Dogs at the End of Day 2
- Karim Kaladjou, France - 2,940,000 chips (59 big blinds)
- Zine-Din Benrebai, France - 2,420,000 chips (48 big blinds)
- Quentin Girardet, France - 1,755,000 chips (35 big blinds)
- Robin Engelmann, France - 1,490,000 chips (30 big blinds)
- Damien Noraz, France - 1,485,000 chips (30 big blinds)
- Andrey Golubev, Kazakhstan - 1,460,000 chips (29 big blinds)
- Alain Crettenand, Switzerland - 1,460,000 chips (29 big blinds)
- Angel Insua, France - 1,250,000 chips (25 big blinds)
- Tung Nguyen, Switzerland - 1,095,000 chips (22 big blinds)
- Cyril Peralez, Switzerland - 1,010,000 chips (20 big blinds)
Noteworthy Happenings on Day 2
Of the four starting flights, 152 players returned for Day 2, hoping to navigate their way through the tournament. Anxious short-stacked players drove the initial wave of eliminations, with nearly thirty players being knocked out in the first level alone.
One of the first notable events occurred when Kevin Hasler made an intuitive fold against the set of jacks of Fahad El Mechraa. Despite holding pocket queens, Hasler's keen instincts kept him in contention as the tournament approached the money bubble and saved him an early elimination.
The bubble burst when Michal Polchlopek shoved his pocket queens into Kaladjou's pocket aces, breaking the bubble and setting the stage for in-the-money eliminations.
Team PokerStars Earns Cash
Team PokerStars ended the day with mixed results; Benjamin Bruneteaux and Simon Wiciak both cashed but failed to advance to Day 3. Eliminated in 36th position, Bruneteaux pocketed €2,620. Wiciak, in turn, negotiated his way to a 20th-place finish, receiving €4,580, but ultimately succumbing to Robin Engelmann.
Other Big Names Fall By the Wayside
Star players such as Cassandra Yong (89th, €1,720), Florent Claude (72nd, €1,720), Julien Dupre (37th, €2,620), and Marine Khamvongsa (59th, €1,980) all got a taste of the action before bowing out. Dupre's downfall came at the hands of Filippo Lazzaretto, losing with ace-eight when Lazzaretto made a straight holding king-queen.
A Dramatic End to Day Two
The final hand of the day brought plenty of drama, as Dario Mancuso found himself all-in against Angel Insua's ace-king. Mancuso held the advantage pre-flop, but he was eliminated in 16th place when Insua flopped a queen-high straight on the river, sending Mancuso home with a €6,060 payday.
The Stage is Set for Day Three
Day 3 begins on Sunday, October 6, at 12 p.m. local time with 15 players remaining. As the final table looms, these players face the challenge of a lifetime, vying for a life-altering reward, in addition to the esteemed FPS Aix-les-Bains Main Event title. Stay tuned for live updates as we chronicle the journey towards the crowning of the next Poker Series champion!
As Day 3 of the France Poker Series approaches, Kaladjou maintains his lead with a stack of 2,940,000 chips, positioning him well to win a substantial portion of the €633,600 prize pool. The contest for the €122,150 first prize continues fiercely among the top players, including Zine-Din Benrebai, Quentin Girardet, Robin Engelmann, and others from the casino-games arena of Casino Grand Cercle. The poker series at this casino-and-gambling venue has witnessed intense gameplay, with events like the Aix-les-Bains Main Event captivating both amateur and experienced players alike.
