Jonathan Khalifa Claims Overall Chip Lead After Day 1B PMU.fr WPTDS Cannes

180 players showed up for Day 1B of the PMU.fr WPTDeepStacks Cannes, creating a total field of 266 players. After twelve levels of 40 minutes, Jonathan Khalifa (pictured left) has claimed the overall chip lead with 211,000. Khalifa moved away from the pack in the last few levels and was the only player to surpass the 200k mark. He was joined by 77 others who also made it to Day 2.

Khalifa struck a distant gap to the nearest rivals, such as Antonin Teisseire (122,000), Jeremy Saderne (121,000) and Deborah Nizard (87,000). Nizard fired two unsuccessful bullets on Day 1A but stuck around on her third one. Jonathan Therme (70,000) was another player that misfired on Day 1A and successfully made it through Day 2.

PMU.fr Team Pro Johan Guilbert (pictured above) fell on Day 1B, as did WPTDeepStacks Amsterdam winner Thijs Menco. The brand-new PMU.fr Team Pro, Francois Tosques, made it through with 35,000 and was joined by former PMU.fr team pro Brian Benhamou (55,000). Jerome Zerbib (29,000) and Quentin Lecomte (18,000) also survived, although both poker juggernauts have their work cut out for them with their short stacks.

Tomorrow at 2 p.m. local time, the field will come together for Day 2. 117 out of 266 players still have a shot at the WPTDS title. A full list of chip counts will be available tomorrow and the payouts will be announced as well then. Blinds will resume in the level 800-1600 with a running ante of 200.

Follow WPT.com throughout the weekend until the new champion lifts the trophy on Sunday night.