blonde poker forum

 :hello:

Welcome back to Day 3 of the Dortmund EPT.

Yesterday proved to be chock-a-block full of great poker, exciting hands, big names, some of whom prospered (Marcel (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=642) Luske (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=642)) whilst other well-fancied players fell by the wayside (Daniel (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=515) Negreanu (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=515), Annette (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=902) Obrestad (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=902)) The drama of the day was neatly encapsulated in a tense moment for unlucky German player Stefan Wrengler, whose EPT journey was derailed in agonising fashion as he crashed out on the bubble to a one out bad beat.

Today holds the promise of yet more nail-biting excitement. With the flying Dutchman, Marcel (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=642) Luske (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=642) still in the thick of things and world heads up runner up Dan (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=86) Carter (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=86) and Steve Jelinek still flying the flag for English hopes, there is much to pique the interest of all the fans out there. Spaniard Diego Perez Marco leads the way but the past 3 days' poker have shown nothing can be taken for granted and there will surely be twists and turns aplenty ahead.

Chip counts for the remaining players will follow shortly. Join myself and Jen us as the nerve-wracking battle for the coveted EPT dortmund continues apace through Day 3.

Full chip counts for the remaining 32 players, courtesy of Pokerstars.com and the wonderful Madeleine Harper.

Diego Perez Marco 361,600    
Michael McDonald 335,700
Claudio Rinaldi 278,700    
Marco Liesy    278,200    
Johannes Strassmann 276,400    
Aniol Alcaraz    216,200    
Brandon Schaefer 202,300    
Andreas Gülünay 201,100    
Jan Heitmann    200,400
Manfred Hammer    135,300    
Christopher Rossiter    129,500    
Thibaut Durand 123,200    
Marcel Luske    123,000
Peyman Mohammadzadeh    114,800    
Manfred Bass    114,400    
Daniel Ryan    110,400    
Daniel Carter    105,900    
Christian Harder 101,900    
Alexandar Milanov 96,300    
Tyler Friederich 91,600    
Chabot Cyrille  74,700    
Hugo Marialva Felix   63,000    
Marcel Cesarz    59,300
Steve Jelinek    57,700    
Jioí Kulhánek    53,600
Bernhard Damnik 44,000
Andreas Sarling 38,400    
Torsten Haase    36,800    
Syikrai Istafan 32,100    
Mario Kühl 27,600    
Raul Paez Corral 25,400    
Sebastian Till    16,200

gl jelly & carter!

Have we got another 2pm start time? 

Come on Carter TID 1 time

Pob Lwc i Dan & Steve 8)

free vid coverage on eptlive.com later.. weeee

Good luck to Leo Sayer!

Is there a prize breakdown available somewhere?

shut it mango.


Prize breakdown. 9th-32nd quite a lot

1-8th lots

Today sees the start of the Feature Table, with multi-language commentary and and interesting line-up:

Commentators:

Barry Martin (English)
Benjamin 'Benjo' Gallen (French)
George Danzer (German)

FT players:

1. Brandon Schaefer
2. Jan Heitmann
3. Raul Perez Corral
4. Hugo Marialva Felix
5. Torsten Haase
6. Marcel Luske
7. Andreas Gulunay
8. Jioi Kulhanek

Bear with us (and them) as the start is a little late... as soon as the cards are in the air, we'll be right near by watching them fly.

Have fun Jen and Rod.  I will be thinking of you guys scrabbling around this exciting undiscovered gem of a city while I am holed up in Drogheda.  Off to the airport for me now.

See you in Drog Jen. 

PS Keen and eye on these gummi bears.  If my hotel is anything to go by (see blog) it may be all u get to eat.

f-badger.blogspot.com

1    € 933,600
2    € 528,500
3    € 307,000
4    € 234,200
5    € 193,000
6    € 152,000
7    € 120,200
8    € 85,500
9    € 52,200
10    € 52,200
11    € 41,100
12    € 41,100
13    € 31,700
14    € 31,700
15    € 22,150
16    € 22,150
17    € 17,400
18    € 17,400
19    € 17,400
20    € 17,400
21    € 17,400
22    € 17,400
23    € 17,400
24    € 17,400
25    € 12,650
26    € 12,650
27    € 12,650
28    € 12,650
29    € 12,650
30    € 12,650
31    € 12,650
32    € 12,650
33    € 9,500
34    € 9,500
35    € 9,500
36    € 9,500
37    € 9,500
38    € 9,500
39    € 9,500
40    € 9,500

Here's how the tables which are not the TV table look:

2

1. Mario Kuhl
2. Daniel Ryan
3. Christian Harder
4. Manfred Hammer
5. Marco Liesy
6. Tyler Friedrich
7. Bernhard Damnik
8. Dan Carter

3

1. Manfred Bass
2. Aniol Alcaraz
3. Sebastian Till
4. Michael McDonald
5. Claudio Rinaldi
6. Chabot Cyrille
7. Syikrai Istafan
8. Alexandar Milanov

4

1. Andreas Sarling
2. Christopher Rossiter
3. Diego Perez Marco
4. Peyman Mohammadzadeh
5. Johannes Strassmann
6. Steve Jelinek
7. Thibaut Durand
8. Marcel Cesarz

Thanks for the Prize breakdown and table layouts Jen :)

Are any of Carter's tables 'known quantities'?

Good luck SideShow Bob!! :)

That's not the easiest of table line ups for Carter, I believe Daniel Ryan is The D_RY online.

(http://www.starfleetyachts.com/images2006/fireworks.jpg)

A pictorial representation of the start of today's proceedings is so much more effective.

Yes indeed the day has started at a frenetic pace, with fireworks aplenty. Jen is amongst the players now gathering photos and information but news has filtered through to the press room of an incredible four eliminations at this early stage!

German player Manfred Bass is OUT!

Sadly, english hope Steve Jelinek is OUT!

Chip leader at the start of day 2, Frenchman Cyril Chabot is OUT!

American player Brandon Schafer is OUT!

I have no other information than this at present but Jen will be appearing shortly with more fullsome news of these and potentially other eliminations. Like the rest of you I will be waiting with baited breath.

Wow, what a way to start!

---

28 players left...and counting...

Do Dan!

I think not an easy table for him at all- the two young American internet players are sick, as is the guy in seat 6- he had battled from 4k near the end of the first day to about 250k now!

Anyway, he'll have them

easypickings? who is that? you look familiar? Joe Beevers?...

Hey Matt, lol.

Matt I hope you'll be flying over when Dan makes it to the final table?


ITS ONLY A GAME

No, not going to fly over. Couldn't stand the tension!

While you are all very kind to busy yourselves analysing Dan's table draw, he's just been moved to Table Three... to take the place of Cyrille Chabot, who busted right at the beginning of the first half hour of carnage.  Chips are flying in every direction, sometimes with a finality that sees the losing player shaking hands and doing the Slow Walk.  Steve Jelinek had held on to a smallish stack for a long time yesterday, his grinding paying off and bringing him back for Day Three, but not long enough for us to take a snap of him...

Meanwhile mystery UK player Chris Rossiter has evaded the elimination rush, and seems entirely unfazed by proceedings.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8844&g2_serialNumber=1)

Can you pass on my commiserations to Steve Jelinek, and ask him what he had when he moved all in after I raised his button at Walsall please?

Flirting with the rail in more senses than one is Raul Perez Corral - pictured standing up after he turned his grain of rice into a small bowl - having moved in over the top of a Jan Heitmann raise with Qh Qd, finding Jan with 3c 3d but facing only a tiny dent to his stack if he lost.  Which he did.  Raul has a very enthusiastic crowd of supporters in the stands by the TV Table who shouted "Bravo Raul!" with all their hearts.  They do it quite a lot actually.

Thomas Kremser: "And Marcel raises...Jan Pass, Raul Pass.."
The Railers: "BRAVO RAUL!"

You get the picture.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8846&g2_serialNumber=1)

If and when we find him, consider it done.  He may not have hung around, though...

I see you've finally got a picture of my son Chris Rossiter! I told you he was waiting to pounce  ;)

Manfred Bass was the first eliminated today, with the surprise follower out in the form of Brandon Schaefer, whose stack had suddenly shortened to all-in sized after losing one big pot early doors.  Still smiling as cameras flashed at him upon his descent from the TV table, though - as is Marcel Luske, whose stack looks enormous and I will guess was the winner of that early big pot.

Pictured: Torsten Haase, Marcel Luske and Andreas Gulunay

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8848&g2_serialNumber=1)

PLz wish Mike Mcdonald all the best from me

Ta,

Good luck to Dan Carter, Go go go.

As ever, the easiest way to find out what happened to someone who's busted is to gauge their depression level and then, when it seems they are OK with it, just ask.  I give you - the three-stage knockout of Brandon Schaefer:

(http://www.impawards.com/2005/posters/three_burials.jpg)

1) Aces Cracked:  Short stack Jioi Kulhanek (probably) shoved pre for 60k.  Schaefer has Ac Ad (suits invented because I like the look of the little cards).  Slow flat call to try to tempt in Jan (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=589) Heitmann (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=589)...who's not having any of it.  Shover has 3c 4c and the Aces have been straightened out and are drawing dead on the turn.

2) Flushed by Underpair:  The same guy raises to 15k pre, and Schaefer calls in the cutoff with Ahrt Jh.  Flop:  Aspades Qs Somethingelseofspades.
25k is bet out, and he sets the bettor in for the rest of his 75k or so - he is called with Ts Td and is flushed and drawing dead on the turn.

3) Accidental call:  Now short stacked himself, he shoved with A-3 preflop.  The small blind announced, "Call," before realising that Schaefer had shoved and was made to match the bet with K-9.  You know what must have happened.  At least he wasn't drawing dead on the turn.

"I don't know what happened.  Usually I am the one sucking out."  Expect to see more of the even-tempered American on the final sunny stages of the EPT.

2 more eliminations is quick succession...

First the shortstacked German Sebastian Till found himself with few chips back in the big blind, so when the big stacked Swiss player Claudio Rinaldi raised and everyone else folded, he called the last few of his chips off with 4d 5s, hoping to be holding live cards.

His wish came true as Claudio turned over the ahead, but not dominating Ahrt 9s.

A Jc 7s 3d Qd 8c board was no use however, so it was a case of goodbye "Till" next time for the German as he joined the rail at an impressive speed that denied me any chance to snap a shot.

---

Next a large three way pot was played out. Shortstacked Hungarian Syikrai Istafan shovelled his chips into the middle and was called by the far bigger stacks of Aniol Alcaraz and Canadian Mike McDonald who occupied the small and big blind spots respectively.

A flop of 2d 4c 2h elicited a check from Aniol and a bet of 25k from McDonald....which Alcaraz called.

The turn fell the 3s.

Checked again by Alcaraz, Mike upped the aggression, betting out 40k this time. Alcaraz calmly counted out the requisite number of chips, thought about it...and again called...

RIVER: Tc

Check yet again by Alcaraz, 80k or so bet i think by McDonald and another check-call from Alcaraz.

Mike could barely resist smiling as he flipped over Td Ts for a rivered nut full house, whilst Alcaraz quickly mucked.

Istafan was very unlikely to flip over the required 2-2 to take the pot and indeed showed his A-K ruefully before making another very sharpish exit to the rail.

---

Here is the canadian Mcdonald organising his ever increasing stack, next to tablemate and similarly but not quite as well stacked Swiss player Claudio Rinaldi.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8852&g2_serialNumber=1)

---

Istafan leaving like greased lightning, but luckily my superb camera skills managed to get this great shot of the side of his face.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8850&g2_serialNumber=1)

---

With all this drama, no wonder some of the players are utilising the services of the relaxing massage girls to calm themselves, or like Marcel (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=642) Luske (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=642) here, keeping themselves perky with cups of freshly brewed coffee, possibly Maxwell House, although this is unlikely.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8854&g2_serialNumber=1)

Think I Just saw Dan Carter on the coverage standing up, then sitting down again and raking in some chips. Any news?

Aye, I think I saw that too, followed by a note on the screen that someone went out in 21st place? Could they be related?

DAN WINS A 3 WAY ALL IN KNOCKING OUT TWO PLAYERS

YESSS- come on Dan

Get in!!! Is that you Mr Rutter?

Are you in the casino watching the game, or reading on blonde and watching the feed?

I decided the easier way to do it was Blonde and the feed!

How about this Matt? Amazing.Come on Dan

Yep the feed confirmed Dan took out 2 players in the same hand!

:)

Kev

Argh, I was hoping he'd have some railers! Sure Jen and JungleC are doing that though (even though the are supposed to be impartial). If I was there I'd be drinking the local brew and signing "There's only 1 Dan Carter!! 1 Dan Carter!!"...

Oh yes indeedy!

What a coup for Dan.

Fellow brit Chris Rossiter raised from UTG, only to find Dan applying the pressure with a reraise. The small blind Marcel Cesarz now shoved, reraised allin by Chris Rossiter and CALLED by Dan!

Big hands were inevitable at this stage and that proved to be the case as Chris flipped over a pair of Queens, which had coldeckedly run into Dan's spiffing pair of Aces. Cesarz's timing proved bad as he turned over a pair of Jacks.

For once there was no bad beat story to tell as Dan won the huge pot with his bullets, which will have propelled his stack to the lofty heights of 300k+ and given him a fantastic chance of reaching the final table, whilst German Marcel Cesarz was banished to the rail and Chris Rossiter may have been knocked out, or at the very least was left crippled after this hand.

Go Dan!!!!

---

Whilst typing this, I heard Marcel Luske's multitudinous cups of coffee have not warded off bad luck as he too has also been eliminated at this early stage!

More news to follow shortly...

And offending everyone in the process like only you can ;) LOL

Dont worry Matt, I definitley will be soon- this is why you have to come tomorrow, for a two man singing squad!

Go Dan

Holy moly!! Thanks for the update. That is amazing!!!

Good luck Screech!!!

Jan Heitmann has just been knocked out by Thorsten Haase in 19th spot in a monster coup, the pot swellling to the gargantuan proportions of 260k or so by the river...

---

It looked as though Haase had an overpair of Queens whilst it looked like Heitmann held 68 for some sort of straight and paired combination,

My god the carnage...our eyes are bleeding, not to mention our fingers are being reduced to bloody stumps...

Yet more news from JEN!

Breaking news: Dan's just called me and has been moved to the feature table... Hope they don't fuzz my logo out this time the bast'ds! lol ;)

Oh you better believe it - JC is writing it up now.

Today has been, without a break, mental.  Stacks too big to see over changing hands all over the place - and all three players I was going to pick in a kind of 'encouraging interaction on the forum' way have busted, despite being chipped up at the start! (Heitmann, Schaefer, Luske)...

************New TV Stars************

The TV table lineup is changing...we're going to see featured Messrs. Mike 'Timex' McDonald, Dan Carter and Claudio Rinaldi on the feed, or in our case on a really big pull-down screen in the press room without sound.

Go Dan! Woooooey!

(http://www.cheltenhamtownfc.premiumtv.co.uk/javaImages/4d/fc/0,,10434~3341389,00.jpg)
Go Dan.

Here are the other erstwhile members of Table Carter:

Alexandar Milanov (68k):

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8856&g2_serialNumber=1)

Manfred Hammer (100,000ish) and Aniol Alcaraz (105,000)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8858&g2_serialNumber=1)

TV Table counts:

1 Manfred Hammer 77,000
2 Aniol Alcaraz 139,500
4 Mike McDonald 745,000
5 Claudio Rinaldi 201,000
6 Dan Carter 287,000
8 Alexandar Milanov 113,000

Manfred Hammer was a finalist in Baden, prone to making 40BB open shoves with any pair or two high cards.

Dan's on the feature table, good luck Dan

And right before we restart the action (18 players remain), I snapped young Chris Rossiter on his way out having run his QQ into That Aces Hand of Dan Carter.  He seems to be in good spirits regardless.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8860&g2_serialNumber=1)

Remind me what his middle name was please.

Some more chip counts as we prepare to kick off once more following the short break.

Johannes Strassmann 399,000
Raul "The Bull" Paez (who ran deep at last years Plymouth GUKPT) 64,000
Thibaut Durand 117,000

---

After the frantic opening to today's events, the press room is abuzz with banter, stories and snippets of news. Electricity is crackling through the Hohensyburg as anticipation grows to see who will be the lucky players who will make it through to the final table.

---

Yep... ;goodluck;...... ;slavedriver; give'm hell!

First televised hand he shoves after one limper... and takes the pot. :)

Sadly the perma-sunglassed friend of Tikay, Peyman Mohammadzadeh, has just been eliminated in 18th spot.

Well played sir...

---

he could do with a haircut though

This is crazy.. go Dan!

There's a raise from Rinaldi, followed by a big re-raise from Alexander Milanov, met by a reriase allin from  Aniol Alcaraz!

Rinaldi jumps out of the way, Milanov is committed and calls and the drama grows and grows....up till the point where both players flip their cards to reveal A-K and A-K...

...a random flop of non-flushing cards, means the pot is split between the two players...

---

16 left. table re-draw and break

There is a comical moment during the commentary where Rory asks John Duthie how he reacts to being asked for a chip count where all his chips are on the line.

"Well.....it all depends" replies John.

"I might say something like "Can't you count" or "Is there something wrong with your eyes..."

Classic comedy from the EPT Supremo...

---

Another player has just been eliminated, meaning they are re-drawing the tables...

Who will appear on the televised table is anyone's guess, but it's unlikely to be a quiet, civilised affair given the way events are unfolding today.

Good luck Dan Carter!

Ohhhh....Kara 's got the EPT presenting job!?....nice one! :)up

The redraw was delayed due to Tyler Friedrich moving all in over the top of his neighbour's preflop raise... it was a big stack out in front of him and there was a tortured moment when Friedrich could have been heading to the rail too... but he was rewarded with a pass and a nice extra stack of chips.

They have been repositioned now - I am going back to the non-featured area to scout around, while we think chip counts could be forthcoming any minute.

As the tables and players settle down to restart play, here is a quick picture from our live feed of the lovely Kara Scott interviewing recently elminated Dutch legend, Marcel Luske.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8862&g2_serialNumber=1)

There was just a nice line fluff by John Duthie. He meant to say Sick Tilt and instead said Silk Tit.

Gl Carter

TV Table chipcounts:

Johannes Strassmann -- 464,000
Michael McDonald -- 678,000
Danny Ryan -- 191,500
Dan Carter -- 268,000
Manfred Hammer -- 85,000
Marco Liesy -- 161,500
Andreas Gulunay -- 167,000
Alexandar Milanov -- 97,000

Hey guys.  How about a chip count on Christian Harder? Thx.

Here are the counts, from the non-televised, but equally crucial table.

1 Claudio Rinaldi 280,000
2 Tyler Friederich 250,000
3 Diego Perez 525,000
4 Aniol Alcaraz 144,500
5 Torsten Haase 375,000
6 Christian Harder 100,500
7 Thibaut Durant 216k
8 Jioi Kulhanek 109,000

Marco Liesy cuts out a raise to 15k from the small blind...

Andreas Gulunay re-raises to a rather large 65k, and after some thought Marco casually waves his hand forward to indicate he is moving ALLIN!

Andreas ....CALLS....the additional 100k or so, which is 99% of his stack!!

Cards on their back...

MARCO: Ad 7c

ANDREAS: Kh 9d

Marco shuffles uncomfortably at this call. He is ahead but it is marginal, and he looks disappointed that Andreas managed to make the call with this hand...


His reservations prove well founded as Andreas moves from behind to miles in front on a
9h 5h 2h flop. He shakes his head as a heart on the turn seals his fate, dumping him out of the tournament and leaving his lucky opponent Andreas with a 350k + stack

After some preflop shenanigans Mike McDonald and the hells angel lookalike Alexander Milanov get their chips in preflop, Mike McDonald having his opponent comfortably outchipped...

---

Cards on their backs.

McDonald: Aspades Kh
Milanov   : Ad Kd

Split again?

The flop comes 5h Jd 7h, giving both players a backdoor flushdraw chance of winning the pot...

TURN: 3d...

Suddenly all eyes are turned as Milanov picks up a freeroll to win the pot.

RIVER: Qd!

He does it! Doubling up to 200k, with young canadian Mike McDonald left with a rueful expression on his face as Milanov gleefully sweeps up his newly won chips...

Interesting debate on the annoucements of raises on eptlive.

I agree with John Duthie and Marcel Luske- dealers job is to deal and nothing else (as said in Snoops article in WPT mag)

Interesting to know what Jen thinks as a player, a dealer and a media bod!!!

Andreas Gulunay now raises to 20k, Johannes Strassmann, who has been quiet so far, makes it an additional 49k.

Andreas thinks for a while...

["He's folding" announces John Duthie.]

and calls.....

meaning a large pot is brewing...

The flop comes Ts Ks 7s.

Strassmann fires out a bet of 70k and Andreas thinks a while, trying to interrogate his opponent in German unsuccessfully( as Andreas doesn't speak much German) before flipping over 6-9 a bit strangely before ultimately folding....

hey o'donk

Christian Harder (pictured top) just doubled up with Ad Ac against what looked like Qc Qd - a ring of press meant that I was jumping up and down on the outskirts for this one  and just saw him taking in the chips at the end of the hand.  There were a couple of minutes of mild discussion about some perceived or actual discrepancy between the amount of the stacks - something about earlier bets not being pulled from both stacks, but everyone seemed happy-ish by the end.  Except for neighbour Torsten Haase, who had folded an A-J preflop but would have won the pot with a double Jack-spike.  "Ace Jack, never loses..." was his dodgy advice for us all.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8866&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8868&g2_serialNumber=1)

give me some of your dry brand of chat on msn

(http://ukgamblingforums.co.uk/images/cartaaaa.jpg)

ship it 1 time dan

sorry pal no can do. got 6 sngs going

will get on soon..in an hour

U  >

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8870&g2_serialNumber=1)



?

lol

I <3 (heart) Marcel

Don't you speak internet yet Jen?



I can revert to pirate....

Norkage...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8872&g2_serialNumber=1)

---

Cartage...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8874&g2_serialNumber=1)

He's in good form today, sitting on 248,500 at the moment. "Confident about reaching the final?" I ask him.

He shrugs "well, we'll see what happens. There are still a few weak players remaining!"

Take it from me Carter-maniacs out there, he's confident and chirpy and well capable of doing a job here. And then he'll be able to buy a haircut!

---

The players have just been sent out to dinner so there is an hour's break. We are off to try and rustle up something for ourselves so we'll be back soon for the exciting climax to today's events.

DINNER BREAK CHIP COUNTS - courtesy of Mad Harper, Pokerstars

TV Table

1: Johannes Strassman 461,000
2: Mike McDonald 698,000
3: Daniel Ryan 157,500
4: Dan Carter 247,000
5: Manfred Hammer 100,000
6: Marco Liesy OUT in 16th place
7: Andreas Gülünay 267,500
8: Alexander Milnov 181,000
 

Table 2

1. Claudio Rinaldi 291,00
2: Tyler Friederich 142,500
3: Diego Perez 730,000
4: Aniol Alcaraz 118,500
5: Torsten Haase 385,500
6: Christian Harder 143,000
7: Thibaut Durand 102,500
8: Jioí Kulhánek 92,000

 

Dan's hair doesn't ever need cutting, it's acrylic.

Ok ok...enough of the haircut gag. If everyones hair grew as fast as mine you wouid all have long hair :)

It's not especially long either :D Just fluffy

EDIT** My step dad has threatened to tell blondepoker that my mum still cuts my hair. This is definitly not true! LMAO

Are you trying to set a new trend Dan?.xx

There's nothing wrong with a good Euro hair cut - a European Afro if you will.  I had one once, it gave me an air of sophistication and a sparrow somewhere to rest.

I kinda like the 'do'.  Now forget about yer hair and get the darn thing won!!!

Watching the eptlive, they are going through the 5 greatest ept hands. On the 4 way pot Joe Hachem "folds under protest"

what does this mean?

Geo.

Protesting with himself?  I think it means he's not entirely convinced it's a good fold.

Thanks mate,

it was just when he says, "I want that recorded" I thought maybe he had thought there had been a misdemeanour somewhere in the hand.

Geo

I thought I'd seen that Michael MacDonald fella somewhere before: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqwd6oGFZzE

Good luck Dan!

 ;iagree; ;slavedriver; 8)

I think this Andreas Gay bloke is going to make a mistake pretty soonish. He looks to be playing very reckless.

Spaniard Aniol Alcarez has jsut been eliminated in, I beleive 15th spot.

Whether he got short and decided aniol' cards would do, I'm not sure but well played anyway sir, good game!

---

At this stage, I'll just re-iterate the glittering prizes lying in wait for our remaining protagonists...


1    € 933,600
2    € 528,500
3    € 307,000
4    € 234,200
5    € 193,000
6    € 152,000
7    € 120,200
8    € 85,500
9    € 52,200
10    € 52,200
11    € 41,100
12    € 41,100
13    € 31,700
14    € 31,700

glglgl to:

(http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/a4c20b2375.jpg)

and

(http://www.nndb.com/people/325/000053166/michaelmcdonald_250.jpg)

Go on the Eufro!!!

As those of you watching the Eptlive feed will know, play has kicked off post dinner with plenty of aggression.  Johannes Strassmann has had a pretty good day,


Dan Carter, whose tightness so far has been somewhat remarkable, just raised preflop and found Manfred Hammer shoving the lot in - 80k or so.  Now Andreas Gulunay shoves over the top!  A real decision for Carter?  Not apparently - he chucks whatever it was he'd raised with and let Gulunay's Aspades Js spike some Jacks against Manfred Hammer's 5d 5c.

This is the prize bracket we're looking at for those eliminated in the last stages today:

9    € 52,200
10    € 52,200
11    € 41,100
12    € 41,100
13    € 31,700
14    € 31,700

So M. Hammer takes €31andabit, as did Jioí Kulhánek who finished in 14th place.

Dan folded 99 in that hand. Hard fold?

DAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

sick

Dan on Dan!

Button Mike McDonald looks to have had a go at the Dans' blinds - Ryan thought for a minute and then pushed all in - the Carter moved in over the top!  I was just about to write that that was a little unfortunate for Dan #1, as their hands were..

Ac 2c vs Qh Qc

But then here's what happened:

Flop: Js 3s 5h
Turn:  Jh
River: Ad

"Sick," said Dan, now supershort on 58k.

horrible.

wp sick river

Insta-call if Gulunay doesn't shove behind. Hammer shoves any pair and any two cards higher than a Ten.

 >:( 8)

I feel like puking :(

Poor Dan. So unlucky! :( :(

Dan Carter finishes in 12th place winning €40,100....

JC was on the scene for a quick chat, but he has some money to get and some shrugging at fate to do before we'll get to ask him what his thoughts are. 

Aye, but Gulunay did shove. I mean is it a hard fold after he shoves? I think it's probably quite easy.

Anyway, kind of irrelevant now :(

Not really hard fold if you give them credit for know you have a tight image.

Bad luck Dan. :(

So cruel.

But fair play to the other guy, won it with dignity, NO whooping and hollering when the Ace hit.

Unlucky Dan   :(

Is it just me, or does that Johannes Strassmann lad look a bit like Doogie Howser, MD?

Hi - Steve Jelinek here. Just got back to the hotel after some heavy Germanic type food at a local hostelry. Was very happy to get where I got (31st) considering I had 3 huge 50/50s in the tournament and lost the lot - you have to win a race at some point in these things to go deep.

1st day i had 50k early and lost a 60k+ pot to Maz when i was slight favourite.
End of 2nd day i lose qq to ak otherwise I'm well over 100k.
Today i push with  Th Ts utg. Guy calls all in for his tournament with  Aspades Jd. I thought that was a shocking call at the time, but having read the other updates maybe not!

Anyway I live to fight with the scandies at Copenhagen next month. Tom - I had 88 in the hand you questioned earlier.

Easy,

Steve

Poor Dan.

Due to restrictions on the press, I couldn't get too close to the table during Dan's final moments but here he is shortly after his exit, shaking hands and preparing to leave the table.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8876&g2_serialNumber=1)

I got a super-quick chat with him as he de-miked, and went to pick up his not inconsiderable but probably should be much larger pay check of €41,100 for his 12th place finish.

"Bad luck Dan"

"They don't always hold up..." he told me sounding understandably a little dejected...

---

Hopefully once he's had time to reflect he'll be proud of his great performance in a very strong field. All his fans including us are.

Here he is de-miking.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8878&g2_serialNumber=1)

Thanks very much for all the support guys.

Even if you play really well, you have to be so lucky to have all your hands hold up. I am obviously feeling very sick since the final table money would have meant a lot more to me.

Still, €41,100 is a nice paycheck and I should be grateful I'm doing this for a living and that €41,400 is 2 years wages to some people.

Well I guess venting a bit on here makes me feel better and my paycheck should keep the sponsors happy :)

I've recently qualified online for 2 EPT's (Warsaw and San Remo) so I should be back for more!!!!!!

WP and very unlucky, GL with the two more epts in the pipeline.

I was just estimating Tyler Friedrich's chip stack at around 100k after he'd embarked on a hand against Diego Perez Marco, when he called a bet on a flop of:
Ac Ts 4c, bringing the Js.  A very slow and deliberate check, a very slow and deliberate bet by Marco of 30k, a pretty quick check-raise all in from Friedrich and an instacall!

Friedrich showed:  Td Jd
Marco showed:  Kh Qh

There couldn't have been a more perfect action turn card than that.  It's like today wasn't meant to go on until 3am or something.

So Tyler Friedrich finishes in 11th place, winning €41,100....

An interesting hand pans out between Daniel Ryan and Johannes Strassman.

Strassman raised only to run into a re-raise from Daniel Ryan.

He considered this for a short time....BEFORE PUSHING!

Ryan had a tough decision on his hands and went deep into the tank considering his options.

After some time of Ryan leaning back in his chair and shuffling his chips, Strassman began to talk with him. "If I were you, in your position I would fold. I want you on the final table as you are my friend!

Take your time, take an hour if you like!"

"I don't need that long buddy!" said Ryan, laughing. Ultimately though, he folded saying "I hope you don't have tens or nines!"

He revealed that he had passed A-J, whilst Johannes simply told him "I wasn't bluffing!"

---

Meanwhile Bulgarian player (not Russian as earlier claimed) Alexander Milanov is seen passing K-6 on an Aspades Kc 7s 6d turn to the aggressive German Andreas Gulunay's allin bet. Passing two pair to an aggressive player? hmmm...but was it correct???

Unfortunately for him, it wasn't as Milanov showed Ac 2c for a mere top pair...

He'll never be able to afford that new Harley if he keeps laying down hands like that!

A recap of all the money finishers from yesterday and the first part of today:

15    Aniol Alcaraz    
16    Marco Liesy    
17    Raul Paez    
18    Peyman Mohammadzadeh    
19    Jan Heitmann    
20    Christopher Rossiter    
21    Marcel Cesarz    
22    Marcel Luske    
23    Hugo Felix    
24    Syikrai Istafan    
25    Andreas Sarling    
26    Sebastian Till    
27    Bernhard Damnik    
28    Mario Kuhl    
29    Brandon Schaefer    
30    Chabot Cyrille    
31    Steve Jelinek    
32    Manfred Bass    
33    Thor Hansen    
34    Thomas Petersen    
35    Alexander Clauss    
36    Ramzi Jelassi    
37    Russell Carson    
38    Richard Fohrenbach    
39    Stefan Rotach    
40    Edwin Tournier    

Danny Ryan gets it all in pre, calling for his whole stack in the blind, it looked like, as Johannes Strassmann makes a very large move on the button - he was probably a lot less than delighted when he found Ryan calling with Jc Jd leaving his Aspades Js looking in poor shape.  They stood up and...

Flop:  9h 4c 8d

Turn:  Ac  A very slight frown and ensuing calm descent from the TV table as the River: 5c comes down signalling a very similar demise to that Dan Carter suffered earlier.  He finishes on the Final Table Bubble Bubble (they are consolidating to one table until Nine become Eight which will return to be filmed tomorrow), winning € 52,200.

Great updates guys, thank you very much.

Well Played Dan, and good luck in your future EPT's.

Strassmann finalled in Prague, and Mike McDonald made the final two tables there also.

Strassmann calls a Mike McDonald raise in the blind, and bets out 50k on a flop of 9h 4d 9s - called by McDonald.
Turn: 2d check-check
River: 8h  Now check to McDonald who bets 85,000...

"Do you want me to call?"  Only a slothlike blink from Timex in response.  Johannes Strassmann chews gum with furious intensity for about 30 seconds before mucking his cards.

Here are the chip counts of the last 9 players vying to be the Dortmund EPT champion.

Michael McDonald 752,000
Diego Perez Marco 834,000
Thibaut Durand 157,000
Johannes Strassmann 716,000
Christian Harder 358,000
Andreas Gulunay 455,000
Torsten Haase 383,000
Claudio Rinaldi 280,000
Alexander Milanov 90,000

Alexander Milanov moves allin and Strausmann isolates with a big reraise that leaves him heads up with the shortstacked Milanov.

Johannes shows J-J and Milanov the dominated 4-4.

This could be it folks...the crowds are fixated with the nerve jangling devlopments...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8880&g2_serialNumber=1)

The flop comes ....

Ks .... Qs ..... 9d .... 5s ..... 5c ...!

No shocks, no suprises. Strausmann continues to chew the gum he has been masticating (you heard) all day as he shakes 9th place finisher Milanov's hand.

Alexander Milanov is OUT, eliminated in 9th position, winning €52,200 for his troubles and immediately moves off to find the nearest Harley Davison bike salesman to spend his winnings. Probably.

---

Anyway, this final piece of drama means play has now terminated for the day, with our final 8 players determined.

It has been a frenetic day full of action, and tomorrow's final promises yet more excitement.

So here are the stats being displayed on our screen for the final lineup -

Michael McDonald -- 862,000
Johannes Strassmann -- 827,000
Diego Perez Marco -- 744,000
Andreas Gulunay -- 460,000
Torsten Haase -- 369,000
Christian Harder -- 339,000
Claudio Rinaldi -- 276,000
Thibaut Durand -- 148,000

Awesome, go Timex and Charder. I really wish I could be there to sweat them.

Today was unreal. I started with 202K! and only played 8 total hands, started in the Big Blind and busted UTG before even completing a full orbit.

Jen, I saw yesterday that you asked someone to take a picture of me because I might be out soon. And then I went on a huge rush and quadruped my stack at the end of the day. Today, you tip me for a deep run and I bust in 8 hands. Moral: more pessimism toward me please. =)

See you guys in San Remo. Goooooooo Tomex/Charder.

That's it folks!

Thanks for joining us for today's developments. The last eight players will reconvene at the same time, same place tomorrow (that's 15:00 from the Hohensyburg Casino, Dortmund) as they compete to see who will finally take down the mouth-watering first prize of €933,000 and win the much coveted accolade of the Dortmund EPT title.

---

One last report from the front lines of the Gummi / press war. A temporary truce was called today as both gummi s and press were absorbed by the electric pace the poker moved at.

The ceasefire came to a swift end in dramatic fashion though. One solitary act of violent defiance brought the fragile truce between gummi bears and press crashing down and re-ignited the war.

We've had Hitler.... Poll pot..... Stalin.... Mussolini...a new name has been added to this list of evil, bloodthirsty leaders.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8882&g2_serialNumber=1)

Behold Jen the Gummi gobbler!

---

That's it for now. Seeyou back here tomorrow.

 ;stickaforkinme;

Yes well, an accurate predicter of the unpredictable I might not be, but I can tell you what I am - knackered.

The pace today was crazy, but the finalists now get a night off to rest or go and play in their hotel lobby like sickos, whatever seems most appropriate.

I am flying back to the UK tomorrow, but you'll be in the capable paws of the Junglecat, and if they drop you there's always the live feed.

Good luck everyone I saw play well over the last three days (which includes most of the final table)...

;stickaforkinme;

just back from casino action, gutted to see that carterfish got pwned by the D_RY, nice to see that my name is earl karma owned danny Ryan later on haha.
TY For quality reports BP. UL Carterfish

What?  Did they throw you out because of your raid on the Gummi Bears?

Brandan,

You are a true Gent of the table. Hope to see you soon, it's been an age. Best wishes to your Mum, too.