In what has turned out to be a very swift day, the Paris World Poker Tour has whittled down its star-studded crowd to just 6 participants, all of whom will be appearing on tomorrow's T.V. table.
And to say that they're all in with a good shout would be one hell of an understatement. Nobody has a clear lead, and nobody is down and out. In fact, the top three of Whalroos, Witt, and Sointula, are seperated by just six thousand in chips. And even then, Christian Grundtvig is just a gnat's breath away with 625,000.
The overnight chipcounts are as follows:
Thomas Wahlroos -- 653,000
Henrik Witt -- 649,000
Jani Sointula -- 647,000
Christian Grundtvig -- 625,000
Philip Yeh -- 456,000
Patrick Schuhl -- 455,000
My initial tip with two tables left was the impressive Thomas Wahlroos, a young agressive player who never looks unnerved, whilst also holding some valuable big money experience that he picked up in the Monte Carlo Grand Final, a venture which saw him just miss out on that desired final table spot.
However, I have a sneaking suspicion that the ever-consistent Jani Sointula will pull the rabbit out of the hat and serve up a repeat performance of his Monte Carlo Millions victory from a couple of years back. The Finnish online star has looked solid throughout, and rarely seems to make any unforced errors. I just hope that the pressure of snoopy's backing doesn't get to him thereby causing him to lose his nerve.
So, as we move into the Final Day of this Paris WPT, I must confess that, whilst it's been uncomfortable surroundings for us updaters, we've certainly had an enjoyable time, and I'd be delighted to return next year.
As much as they blast his derrogatory attitutde, you can't fault Mr Phil Hellmuth for entertainment value. Personally, I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to his endless rants, moans, and childish tantrums, and, quite simply, the tournament just wouldn't have been the same without them. It's just a shame that he couldn't quite make it into the final six, as the final table will certainly be a less abrasive affair as a result of his absence.
Good luck to the remaining players.