Farid Jattin Surges to PSPC Chip Lead at End of Fast-Moving Day 2

Jeff Walsh · January 8, 2019

Not only did the PokerStars Players NL Hold’em Championship destroy the record for the largest $25K in live tournament history, but the number of players returning for Day 2 was also more than the previous record holder.

Of the official 1,039 entries, 781 players returned to the Imperial Ballroom at the Atlantis Hotel & Casino to continue their journey to a final table where six players will earn no less than $1 million dollars.

The record-setting field created a mammoth prize pool of $26,455,500. When the payouts were posted, first place was promised $4.1 million with another $1 million added by PokerStars for a total of over $5 million. The runner-up will also earn a life-changing score of just under $3 million.

A total of 181 players will make the money and a min-cash is worth $25,450 (181-152st place.)

Players proceeded to bust at an incredible pace on Day 2. Whereas, Day 1 was filled with celebration and excitement, and a palpable buzz all day long. Day 2, the PSPC took a serious turn as players settled into their tables and were forced to open up and play more.

Only 207 players survived the day as the rate of bustouts accelerated during midday. Hundreds of disappointed players made their way out of the PSPC and into side events poolside.

At the end of the day, Colombian pro Farid Jattin captured the overnight chip lead. With nearly $3 million in live earnings, Jattin is known for being able to build huge stacks and on Day 2 he amassed 921,000 in chips. Right behind him on the leaderboard is Italian pro Mustapha Kanit (888,000). Kanit, followed throughout the day by a camera crew, is no stranger to playing high rollers. He travels the world playing high rollers and his over $11 million in earnings makes him Italy’s All-Time Money Leader.

Canadian professional and part-time poker commentator, Griffin Benger (885,000) surged to third in chips on a big hand toward the end of Day 2 play. He is followed by France’s 2018 WSOP bracelet winner Julien Martini (832,000) and Athanasios Polychronopoulos (797,000) from the United States.

Plenty of other top pros cruised through to Day 3 including Day 1 chip leader Talal Shakerchi (691,000), Kristen Bicknell (631,000), Dan O’ Brien (622,000), Christoph Vogelsang (493,000), Ryan Riess (334,000), Richard Seymour (280,000), Matt Affleck (230,000), Sam Greenwood (214,000), Christian Harder (122,000), Tony Gregg (120,000) and Parker ‘tonkaaaa’ Tablot (101,000) among others.

While the pros soared to the top of the chip counts that does not mean the dream is dead for many of the Platinum Pass winners. France’s Alexandre De Zutter (700,000) tops the list of those Platinum Pass holders who survived the player exodus. Spain’s Adrian Samu (698,00) and Felipe Olivieri (694,000) joined De Zutter in bagging a healthy amount of chips. Joining them are Team USA’s Jacqueline Burkhart (285,000), Clifford Ellefson (218,000) and Anthony Maio (189,000).

However, there were far more players who had to make alternate plans after failing to make Day 3. Pros including the likes of Chris Moneymaker, Kelly Minkin, Jaime Staples, Jason Somerville, Ole Schemion, Connor Drinan, Steven van Zadelhoff, Justin Bonomo, Stephen Chidwick, Joey Ingram, and Phil Hellmuth.