Kramer Leads Last 14 of MPNPT Vienna Main Event

We returned for Day 2 of the MPNPT Vienna Main Event yesterday at the Montesino and it proved compelling throughout.
 
Both Day 1 flights and a few last minute registrants were merged into a seamless 156-strong field to take to the felt and battle to earn their final table berth. Ten brutally contested levels later, the field had been sliced, diced and shorn down to just 14 players still in contention for MPNPT glory.
 
Leading this tightly-bunched pack at the close was Kilian Kramer with 2,070,000 – the laid back German wielding a big stack throughout most of the day with skill and practiced expertise.
 
Before we reached the close however, there were a number of key issues to be settled at the felt. Sixty-two players were destined to get a cash return for their efforts in the tournament and the early stages saw an avalanche of eliminations, aggressive play dominating as a multitude of hopefuls were bounced to the rail.
 
As a result, the bubble period was reached quickly and the man to suffer the actual bubble was Michael Welland – missing out on a pay spot by the narrowest sliver, his misfortune was tempered somewhat with the news that he had earned a seat at the MPNPT Malta Main Event.
 
Interestingly, the man who bubbled this event last year, Severin Schleser, was the first man to be eliminated INSIDE the money this year! Some beautifully elegant symmetrical justice delivered.
 
Following the bubble, there was a more cautious, intense period of poker, bustouts at a premium surprisingly. A continuous trickle of eliminations however meant that after ten levels, just 14 players were left battling for the title.