September 11 2012, Rich Ryan

Season XI of the World Poker Tour continued on Monday with the start of the Grand Prix de Paris, hosted by the world famous Aviaton Club de France. A total of 96 runners paid the “7,500 entry fee to play on Day 1a. After seven one-hour levels of play, Jacques Enjoubault and his 225,200 chips lead the other 5 players who made it through to Wednesday’s Day 2.

Enjoubault, who only has $8,390 in career earnings according to the Hendon Mob Database, won a massive pot at the end of the evening against Mickael Layani. Layani, Enjoubault, and Tony G all saw a flop of . Tony G led out for 5,000, Layani moved all in for 29,100, and Enjoubault made a quick call. Tony G got out of the way, and the hands were opened.

The turned, giving Enjoubault a straight, and the completed the board. Layani was eliminated, while Enjoubault saw his stack rocket to over 200,000 chips.

Other high-profile casualties on Day 1a included Aubin Cazals, Vanessa Selbst, Will Failla, Samuel Chartier, David Benyamine, Guillaume Darcourt, and Roberto Romanello. Failla, a WPT Championship Club member, ran into Jason Mercier‘s quads on a board. Failla nearly folded to Mercier’s shove on the river, but he called and Mercier tabled two sevens for quads. Failla will have to re-enter on Day 1b if he wants to win another WPT event, while Mercier progressed to Day 2 with 70,000 chips.

Joining Mercier and Enjoubault on Day 2 are Antony Lellouche (178,000), Basil Yaiche (142,475), Kara Scott (67,200), Tristan Wade (64,000), Marvin Rettenmaier(37,900), Marko Neumann (69,000), Andrew Seidman (69,875), Justin Bonomo (69,725), and the winner of this event in Season X; Matt Waxman (37,900).

The PokerNews Live Reporting Team is in Paris covering the event so be sure to follow their excellent live updates from 3 p.m CEST on Tuesday.

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