blonde poker forum

The Final Table will begin at 3pm (2pm UK time)

Final Counts and Seats.

Thierry Van Der Berg -- 227k
Manfred C. Hammer -- 369k
Julian Thew -- 610k
Vladmir Poleshchuk -- 624k
Ted Lawson -- 81k
Thomas Fuller -- 190k
Denes Kalo -- 468k
Anton Allemann -- 254k

Sverre Sundbo is here to do the English commentary. He has a stockpile of 'Hammer' jokes ready... :D

And here's that delicious delicious payout again -

1   €670,800
2   €375,000
3   €225,000
4   €160,800
5   €132,900
6   €105,000
7   €83,600
8   €60,000

For all the Julian Thew fans out there, his biggest ever win, at the Plymouth GUKPT, was £59,500. At an exchange rate of €1.44312=£1, that's €85,865.62, which means that he has to make it to a paltry 6th place for his biggest ever cash. I find this very impressive.

They will be starting literally any second now with blinds at 5k/10k with a 1k ante. Current "Hammer Time" count from Sverre = 3.

Seat 1: Thierry (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1133) Van Der Berg (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1133) -- 227,000

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2132&g2_serialNumber=1)

Seat 2: Manfred Hammer -- 369,000

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2142&g2_serialNumber=1)

Seat 3: Julian (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=225) Thew (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=225) -- 610,000

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2128&g2_serialNumber=1)

There has now been some shuffling up, and indeed a degree of dealing. Good luck all!

Seat 4: Vladmir Poleshchuk -- 624,000

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2140&g2_serialNumber=1)

Seat 5: Ted Lawson -- 84,000

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2126&g2_serialNumber=1)

Seat 6: Thomas Fuller -- 190,000

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2138&g2_serialNumber=1)

And we've already had an exit! First hand!

Swiss Anton Allemann raises to 40k preflop, and chip leader Vladimir Poleshchuk calls.

The flop comes 8-9-K, and Anton bets a good chunky 70k or so, only for Vlad to go all in; instacall from the Ramonesque young Allemann.

Anton - A-K

Vlad - K-9!

And another Nine on the turn seals it.

We are now Seven.

Anton Allemann is OUT in 8th place winning €60,000

Oh my gods we're going to be out of here by lunchtime.

Here's Floppy with the second exit, on the second hand. Unbelievable. We're going to the bar.

And Ted Lawson is all-in the second hand with Kc Qc after Vladmir raises, Vladmir makes the call with Ahrt 9h.

Board:

Th 7h 3h Td 4h

Two hands and two exits, at this rate we'll be done by 4pm.

Ted Lawson is OUT in 7th place winning €83,600

He's a little profile of our two early exiteers.

Anton Allemann is one of two psychology students sitting at today’s final table. He took up poker 18 months ago after a mere glimpse of the payout structure at an EPT event showed how much money could be won. He started playing online but now likes both online and live events. He said: “My previous biggest win was a cash game in Vegas during the World Series – I made $40,000 in one night. I think I’m an aggressive player, but I can also be flexible and adapt to the table conditions”

Despite Baden being his EPT debut, Ted Lawson, from South Florida, is well known on the international poker scene. The married father-of-three has ten World Series cashes  including three final tables and a bracelet. He has made 12 final tables this year. Describing himself as a poker professional, Lawson runs 21st Century Holding, the NASDAQ-listed company he founded with his wife in 1983.

Vlad The Impaler takes the blinds with a 30k raise preflop.

Vladmir limps UTG, Fuller passes, Kalo raises it up a little folded back to Vladmir, but the Russian says "Niet" and passes.

Thomas Fuller raises utg, Vladmir calls in the big blind.

Flop:

4h 8s 7c

Check check.

Turn:

Qh

River:

4s

Vladmir bets a very small 30k on the river, but it looked as though Fuller had paired the Queen on the turn, we couldn't see if it was A-Q or K-Q and checked to induce the bluff on the river.

Js 9h Td Kc board between Julian and Vladmir, the King on the turn killing the action for Julian's Qh 8d but still picked up a decent sized pot, although he'll be rueing that turn.

Hammer shoved and was called by Vladimir "I Impale You On My" Poleshchuk.

Hammer - 5c 5h

Poleshchuk - Ad Qd

Board -  Ahrt (that's the Dark Forces!) 6h 8c Jd Td

And it no longer matters what his middle name is because Manfred Hammer is OUT in 6th place winning €105,000.

Looks like Vladmir is now on around 1.4 million chips, about half the chips in play.

Thomas Fuller shoves, but just takes the (admittedly fairly hefty) blinds.

Then next hand, Vladimir raises, and again Fuller shoves. "That's a man who's got Aces," says Floppy. There is some Poleschuk consideration, before a slightly reluctant call. It's not Aces though.

Vladimir - Jh Jc

Fuller - 7d 7c

Board - 7h 6h Ts 5s Th

Looks like someone's not paying those Dark Forces enough. Double up for Thomas Fuller.

A quick flash of the chip counts, guestimates on my part:

Vladmir -- 1 million
Julian -- 727,000
Demes -- 520,000
Thomas -- 447,000
Thierry -- 168,000

It's been a while since we had an exit. 10 minutes at least. Oh no, actually, another one has bitten the dust!

Thomas Fuller raised from the button, and Thierry Van Der Berg shoves. After some minor deliberation, Fuller calls.

Fuller - Ac Th

Van Der Berg - Js 9s

Board - Qh 8d Ks 8c 7c

Which means that Thierry Van Der Berg is OUT in 5th place winning €132,900.

Blinds are 6k/12k with a 1k ante, by the way. Average stack is 705k.

Here's a few shots of our final four.

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2148&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2150&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2152&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2154&g2_serialNumber=1)

Vladmir limps, Thomas Fuller raises to 47k, Julian Thew re-raises 65k more from the big blind. Thomas calls.

Kd 6c 2h

Check check.

9s

Julian bets 90k. Thomas really thinks for a while. And then lays it down, and Julian takes a 330k pot.

Just 100k difference between Vladimir and Julian's stacks now after that last big pot.

9c 9s 9h flop between small blind Demes and big blind Julian, again checked-down to the river, where Julian's King High is good.

After a small blind limp from Vladimir and a big blind check from Thomas Fuller, the flop comes down 2d Qh 5c. Vladimir check-calls Fuller's 15k bet. They both check the 3c turn, and then also check the Tc river (although Fuller looks a bit like he wants to bet it).

Fuller shows 6-5 to take the pot.

Haven't heard much lately from Hungarian non-wrestler the Great Kalo, but he now hands a few chips to Vladimir.

Kalo calling Vladimir's raise, the two of them see a 4c 7h Td flop, which they both check. When Vladimir bets the 2h turn, Kalo quickly gives it up.

9s 5s 8d 8s 7h

Julian bets 25k on the river, Sverre states Julian is betting a Nine or a rivered 6. Denes calls. "King high" says Mr Yo-yo, Denes shows a Seven for the pot.

Chip Counts:

Julian Thew -- 823,000
Vladmir Poleschuk -- 871,000
Thomas Fuller -- 602,000
Denes Kalo -- 538,000

And with continued involvement in the game, like he's properly woken up now, Denes Kalo finds himself in a hand with Vladimir Poleshchuk again. Not that it does him any good - when Vladimir bets 40k on the river of a 7c 8c 3h Kc 9d board, Kalo folds.

Revised chip counts, thanks to Mad and the TV Crew:

Julian -- 808k
Vladmir -- 984k
Thomas -- 569k
Denes -- 459k

Julian takes the first pot down from the small blind and then the next one from the button too. With the blinds now 8k/16k with a 2k ante each time, that's an extra 32k.

Vlad raises to 40k and Fuller calls, Vlad bets 50k on the Aspades Td Jd flop and Fuller passes.

Fuller raises to 45k, Denes, Julian and Vlad all pass.

Denes raises to 50k, Julian and Vlad pass. Fuller reaches deep...and makes it 150k total. Denes counts out his chips , and mucks.

Sorry, brief hiatus in my updating while my laptop was hijacked by Sverre Sundbo to play slime volleyball.

Anyway, in the meantime, Vladimir has once again nicked the blinds.

Fuller makes it 41k to play from the button. Denes calls in the small blind. And Julian calls from the big.

Flop:

2d 5c 7c

Denes checks, Julian bets 65k which seems like a weak lead of some sorts. Thomas folds, and, after a dwell, Denes passes too.

Fuller raises around 40k utg, and Kalo moves all in. Quick folds from Julian and Vladimir on the blinds, and then Fuller folds too.

Fuller makes up the blind, and Kalo checks.

They check down the Ks 8c 6d Kh 7c board, and Fuller's Ace high is good.

Fuller raises, and Julian flat calls him from the small blind. A trap, perhaps?

They both check the 6h Jd 5c flop.

The turn is Th and Julian bets 65k. Fuller eyes him up. Julian eyes Fuller up. Fuller eyes Julian up again. Fuller's hand is covering his mouth, as if to stop himself shouting, "Don't flat call me and then bet the turn!" Or something much less blonde-compliant. He folds and Julian takes it down.

Fuller bets 70k on an 8-7-6-J-9 rainbow-y board. He bets it in 5k chips, so it looks like loads. Vladimir drinks some water. He eyes up the gurning Fuller from behind his sunglasses. He counts out 70k (in fuschia chips). Then he folds.

Thomas Fuller looks really smug.

Continuing with the smugness, he takes down the next pot with a pair of Kings.

Chip Counts:

Thewy -- 934k
Vlady -- 1 million
Tommy -- 428k
Err.. Denesy -- 361k

Denes moves all-in on a Ks Qd 9c flop and Julian and Vladmir quickly pass.

Kalo takes the blinds with 60k preflop.

Then it's Fuller's turn to steal.

Julian and Denes see a Jc Qs Jd flop, both check. They also check the Ahrt turn. Booooring. Denes checks the 5h river to Julian who bets a small 30k into the pot. Which Denes calls. Julian's Q-T scoops the pot.

Vladmir limps, Fuller makes it 66k, Vladmir calls.

Flop:

7d 7c 7h

Vladmir checks and Fuller bets 74k. Vladmir minimum raises. Fuller moves all-in, and Vladmir folds. Fuller shows Ace King.

Chip Counts:

Thew -- 986k
Poleschuk -- 744k
Fuller -- 762k
Kalo -- 331k

************** 1 Hour Dinner Break ****************

And we've restarted.

Julian taking down a nice first pot with a 70k bet on a K-7-2 board against Vladmir.

Thewy is over a million in chips now.

Qh 8c 4s flop after Denes limps in from the small blind and Julian checks his big blind. 40k from Julian after a Denes check is enough to take it down.

5d Td 3h board in another small blind, big blind battle.

Qs

check from Julian, 20k from Vlad which is instantly called.

8s

Check check. Julian's fives are good.

Thewy takes down the next pot from the button too. Seems he's decided to up the aggression and no-one is wanting to play back just yet.

Julian raises again, Vlad called. Denes moves in. Julian calls and Vlad passes.

Julian:

9c 9h

Denes:

Jc Js

Board:

Ks Kc Th 8h 7d

We're guessing Thewy is down to about 900k, and Denes up to almost 700k.

6s 4c 3h flop between Fuller and Kalo goes check check.

6d on the turn, doesn't seem interest either player.

2d river. And Kalo's solitary three is good enough at showdown.

Next hand, Kalo limps in for 10k, Julian makes it 70k. Kalo decides he's not going anywhere and calls that too.

Flop:

5d 5c 3d

The obligatory check from Kalo, and the obligatory bet from Julian and that pot is over quickly. Putting Julian back over a million again

Fuller limps in the small blind, and Kalo checks.

Td 9c Th

Fuller, who seems to have his hand glued to his face, gurns a little and throws out a few chips. Enough to take the pot down.

Thomas Fuller raises from UTG, Julian and Vladmir call in the blinds.

5c 2d Ts

Checked to Fuller, he bets 90k. Sverre and Lee Jones talk up all the exciting action that could happen!

Blinds fold. More chips for Fuller.


3d Kh 4h flop between Julian and Thomas. Thomas check/calls Julian's bet.

3h is checked by both.

8d is the river. Thomas checks, and Julian gives it up. Sadly, there's a lot of noise in the press room so we can't hear what Thomas showed, but we know he won.

Ahhh, Julian had K-7 to Thomas' K-J

Kc Jh 6h 8c Js board is checked to the river after Julian raised to 70k from the small blind.

Julian bets 70k on the river. Vladmir desperately wants to know what Julian has, but folds. Julian keeps it schtum and doesn't show.

Thomas Fuller is now chip leader with almost a million chips.

Julian bets out on a 4c 3d Tc flop, and takes it down.

MASSIVE POT ALERT!!!!

Raised pot between Julian, Vladmir and Thomas.

Kc 6c Qh

Julian and Vladmir check, Thomas bets 100k, Julian raises 150k more. Vladmir gets out of the way. Thomas moves all-in and Julian calls.

Julian:

Qc 8c

Thomas:

6d 6h

Turn:

Ac

River:

5c

And Julian takes down the biggest pot of the night which we reckon is over 1.6 million chips.

The pot was actually 1.8 million.

And with much handshaking and excellent sportsmanship all round, Thomas Fuller is OUT. He shoves for not very much with  Ahrt 6c and Denes Kalo calls him with 7c 7d.

Board - 2c Ts Qc 7s

and I miss the river because everyone in the press room is cooing at the turned set for Kalo and Fuller is anyway drawing dead.

Thomas Fuller is OUT in 4th place winning €160,800.

Sorry, Julian re-raised 300k more with about 400k left. Not 150k. My bad.

Kalo raises, and tossing a chip in the air, Julian asks for a count, but folds.

I briefly spoked to Julian as Thomas was knocked out, at this point, I think the money has become less important than now just winning the tournament, and once he'd check/raised he wasn't going to pass. At the same time, he was gutted for Thomas, who he really rates as a great player, who didn't make a mistake during the final.

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2184&g2_serialNumber=1)

And oh my Lord we're Heads Up.

I believe that Kalo raised preflop, possibly from the button, but anyway, Vlad moves all in, and Kalo calls.

Vladimir -  Aspades Qs

Kalo - Kc Jd

Board - a fairly unlikely Ts 9h 7h 9c 8d for a Hungarian Straight, knocking out our Russian in 3rd place.

So Vladimir Poleshchuk is OUT in 3rd place winning €225,000.

We are now, therefore, obviously, Heads Up, Thewy V The Great Kalo. I believe they may be discussing some kind of deal; Floppy's run upstairs to eavesdrop...

First hand - Julian raises, Kalo calls.

Flop - 8s 3s 4c

Kalo checks, Julian bets 85k. Kalo raises, and Julian folds.

Julian just told me, he's getting €550,000 with €450,000 for Denes and they'll play for the title and last €45k or so.

vwp sir. Now the final hurdle...

Both players check a 7s 8d 5s flop.

Julian bets the 2h turn, and Kalo flat calls.

The river is the 6h and Julian bets around 100k. Kalo looks unhappy but calls - his set is no good against Julian's rivered straight. Surprise among the commentators that both players checked the flop...

Final Table Images

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2186&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2188&g2_serialNumber=1)

For those wondering who Denes Kalo is...

Dénes Kaló was born and lives in Budapest, Hungary. He works as the sales manager of a broker company and has been playing poker for 3 years. His best poker result to date was coming second in the 2006 EPM Vienna. Outside of poker, Denes is a sailing enthusiast.

Kalo checks the Jc Qs 4d flop. Julian bets 90k, and Kalo calls.

Turn - 9c and they both check.

River - Js and now Kalo bets. Julian calls, and takes it with his A-Q, Kalo showing K-9.

Julian limps from the button and Kalo checks. They both check also the 2s Ts 7s flop, and when Kalo bets the 2h turn, Julian quickly lets him have it. The pot I mean. He doesn't like go crazy or anything. He just folds.

Now the flop comes 3c 5d 6h.

The turn comes a Four and Julian bets; Kalo folds. Julian shows a Two for the straight.

Kalo folds to Julian's small bet on a 6h Th Tc flop.

Kalo limps preflop and Julian makes it 80k more. Kalo calls.

Flop - 4c 7h Kh and Julian bets 200k. Full Wilson for Thewy? Either way, Kalo folds.

Kalo bets 70k on a previously un-bet Js 9h Qc Kd board. Thewy folds.

And Thewy takes the next one with a button raise. It seems as though Julian is happy to play small pots in position and grind his opponent down.

Julian raises preflop and is called; he bets 90k on the 3c Ad Jd flop when Kalo checks to him, and Kalo folds.

3d Ad 7d Ac

A small 45k turn bet from Julian takes this one down too.


Rough counts:

Julian -- 2.1 million
Denes -- 700,000

Julian limps and Kalo checks. They check all the way down the Qd Ahrt 6h 2h Td board to a showdown, when Julian takes it with a Six in his hand.

They're on a short break now and Floppy's run upstairs to see if he can get Julian to gurn into the camera.

Was chatting to one of the TV people who has access to the hole card cams in the smoking area out front, and he said that Julian's been actually hitting a fair bit.

Julian raises and takes the blinds. He waves an Ace around.

The next hand is checked down and Julian takes it.

Now Julian raises from the button. Kalo reraises. Julian gurns. He looks pained. But...

 All in! Call!

Julian - Ad 8d

Kalo -  Aspades 5h

Board - 2s 6s Th Kc 9c

Thus Denes Kalo is OUT in 2nd place officially winning €375,000

which means that Julian (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=225) Thew (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=225) is the WINNER of the Pokerstars.com EPT Baden officially winning €670,800!

So many congratulations to both, but particularly to Julian, who can now pay off that mortgage before his 40th birthday, and buy himself another house too as a treat if he fancies it! Very well played, couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke either. Well done that man.

Trophies are being handed out, photos and whatnot to follow before we all hit the bar. :)

Here's some photos.

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2190&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2192&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2194&g2_serialNumber=1)

Odd feeling of 'deja vu' for me personally, considering the last place I updated was Plymouth. I think it speaks volumes of how well liked Julian is that everyone in the pressroom seems geuninely made up for Thewy and are glad he has won.

We're off to the bar now.

;stickaforkinme;

LOL Thewaments.