Ian Simpson has traveled the world representing 888poker since joining the team in May 2022. One thing he’s yet to do, however, is capture the title at one of their signature live events. He has a shot at bringing the trophy home today when Day 3 of the €888 888poker Live Madrid Main Event begins at 3 p.m. local time.
Simpson starts the day in eighth place with 860,000 among the 23 players who’ve made it this far. The €62,000 top prize would be the largest score for the UK pro with more than $1.2 million in live earnings since he won the Irish Open in 2013.
He’ll first have to track down chip leader Jorge Alvarez, who sits alone in the 2,000,000-chip club with 2,110,000. Justinas Fiseris (1,905,000), Carlos Diaz (1,820,000), Angel Perez (1,700,000), and Jonas ten Cate (1,580,000), who’s already made the final table of this event before, round out the top five.
Day 3 Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jorge Alvarez | Spain | 2,110,000 | 84 |
| 2 | Justinas Fiseris | Lithuania | 1,905,000 | 76 |
| 3 | Carlos Diaz | Spain | 1,820,000 | 73 |
| 4 | Angel Perez | Spain | 1,700,000 | 68 |
| 5 | Jonas ten Cate | Netherlands | 1,580,000 | 63 |
| 6 | Tiago Peuguino | Spain | 1,455,000 | 58 |
| 7 | Yakiv Syzghanov | Ukraine | 1,260,000 | 50 |
| 8 | Ian Simpson | United Kingdom | 860,000 | 34 |
| 9 | Michaelangelo Serra | Italy | 700,000 | 28 |
| 10 | Alvaro Murciano | Spain | 665,000 | 27 |
Other players still in the hunt for the trophy include inaugural EPT champion Alexander Stevic (650,000), Tarmo Tammel (525,000), and Tom-Aksel Bedell (395,000).
The action on Day 3 picks up on Level 22 with blinds of 10,000-25,000 and a 25,000 big blind ante. Levels will once again be 60 minutes long, with a break after every two levels. Everyone left has already locked up €2,435. By the end of the night, one player will walk away with the top prize and the 888poker Live trophy. Action from the feature table will be streamed on 888poker’s official YouTube and Twitch channels on an hour delay, with live updates provided to match the stream.
Just 23 remain from the 403 players who once packed the Casino Gran Via. The first step today is to make it to the final table, then it’s onwards to the crowning of a champion as PokerNews brings you all the action from the event’s final day.