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25 Advance from Day 1c of the Main Event

Photo: Rami Hammoud

That’s a wrap on the biggest starting flight so far from the MSPT Canadian Poker Championship Main Event. Day 1c drew 219 entries, and by the end of the night, 25 players managed to put chips in a bag and advance to Day 2.

Leading the field from Day 1c is Nicolas Majdalani, who ended the night with 645,000. Others advancing from tonight’s flight include Adil Morkos (612,000), Rami Hammoud (470,000), and William Blais (255,000).

Stay tuned to MSPTpoker.com tomorrow for live updates from Day 1d before the fields combine for Day 2 on Monday to play down to a winner.

End of Night Chip Counts

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
Nicolas Majdalani	645,000	40,000
Louis-Philippe Leblond	642,000	270,000
Adil Morkos	612,000	612,000
Brian Hodhod	558,000	558,000
Eric Lupovich	555,000	555,000
Farhat Akbari	522,000	370,000
Stephane Blouin-Verroeulst	510,000	510,000
Rami Hammoud	470,000	40,000
Jeremy Serfaty	358,000	358,000
Jason Wendt	353,000	375,000
Kalpesh Raichura	350,000	350,000
Nassim-Loic Hafici	344,000	460,000
Danny Boyaci	292,000	117,500
Noy U	287,000	0
Daniel Renaud	277,000	165,000
William Blais	255,000	410,000
Jonathan Brazeau	243,000	243,000
Tomas Larivee Magni	240,000	240,000
Nicholas Belanger	232,000	52,000
George Caragiorgas	230,000	230,000
Marc-Andre Yelle	223,000	223,000
Manuel F	185,000	185,000
Shimon Braun	170,000	175,000
Jongjun Park	121,000	270,000
Alexei Diamond	87,000	87,000

Danny Boyaci spikes the river to bust Eric M. on the Stone Bubble

Eric M. was short-stacked and all-in preflop from the cutoff against the covering stack of Danny Boyaci in the hijack.

Eric M:
Danny Boyaci:

The board ran out giving Boyaci a Broadway straight to eliminate Eric M.

Danny Boyaci - 400,000
Eric M, - eliminated

Bubble Time

With 26 players left and 25 advancing to Day 2, Day 1c of the Main Event is now hand-for-hand!

Park Takes a Chunk Out of Blais

William Blais opened from under the gun, and Jongjun Park defended from the big blind.

The flop came . Park checked, and Blais bet 6,000. Park check-raised to 22,000, and Blais called.

The two players checked the turn, leading to the river. Park shoved for 100,000, and Blais called with a covering stack.

Park tabled for a full house to win the hand and put a dent in Blais’ stack.

Jongjun Park - 270,000
William Blais - 410,000

A look at the Biggest Stacks in the Room

Player Name	Chip Count	Previous	Progress
William Blais	540,000	183,000
Nassim-Loic Hafici	460,000	460,000
Jason Wendt	375,000	148,000
Farhat Akbari	370,000	300,000

Cader Picks the Wrong Time to Hero-Call

Adam Cader limped in from the small blind, and Louis-Philippe Leblond checked from the big blind.

The flop came , and Cader check-called a 4,000 bet from Leblond.

Cader check-called an 11,000 bet from Leblond on the turn. On the river, Cader checked, and Leblond shoved, covering Cader, who had around 60,000 left. Cader thought for a couple of minutes before making the call.

Leblond tabled for the second-nut flush. Cader revealed for just king-high before exiting the tournament area.

Louis-Philippe Leblond - 270,000
Adam Cader - eliminated

End of Registration

After 12 levels of play, registration is now closed in Day 1C of the Main Event. The penultimate starting flight drew 219 entries, and the 55 remaining players have resumed on Level 13, with the blinds now at 2,000/4,000 (4,000).

The day will conclude when 25 players remain, at which point everyone left will bag their chips, make the money, and advance to Day 2 on Monday.

Akbari Knocks Out Ozturk

Photo: Farhat Akbari

Farhat Akbari opened to 6,000 from under the gun. He received calls from players in the hijack, cutoff, and button before Umut Ozturk shoved for 37,000 from the big blind. Akbari called with a covering stack, and the other three players folded.

Umut Ozturk:
Farhat Akbari:

The board ran out , keeping Akbari’s sevens in front to send Ozturk to the rail.

Farhat Akbari - 300,000
Umut Ozturk - eliminated

Ozturk Has Entered the Arena

Shortly after the dinner break ended, MSPT legend Umut Ozturk joined the field to battle it out for a piece of the $1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.

Ozturk has recorded 74 MSPT Main Event cashes in his career so far, finishing 18 times in the top ten and winning twice. Even more impressively, Ozturk recently became the first two-time player of the year winner in the history of the MSPT, winning the accolade twice in a row in 2023 and 2024 before finishing second in the POY race in 2026.

Umut Ozturk - 40,000