blonde poker forum

Ok, welcome to the penultimate day of the Irish Open where the remaining 52 players and an average stack of 16BB's mean that hopefully the remaining few will be whittled down to the nine (eight?) players for tomorrow's final.

Here's the remaining players with their seat draw.

Mark Spellman 337500
Lars Hougaard 295500
John Kabbaj 282000
Peter Linton 266500
Iam Van Trinh 264500
Donal Norton 255000
Hassan Mohammed 250000
William Haughey 244500
Tim Blake 214000
Eric Larcheveque207000
Thomas Finneran 193000
Sorel Mizzi 185000
William Martin 167000
Julian Thew 164000
Neil Channing 156500
Conor Tate 155500
Nariman Faramarzi-Rad 144000
Thomas Dunwoodie 142000
Kieran Small 133000
Padraig Parkinson 130000

Knut Rysstad 126500
Mazhar Nawab 120500
Kiko Lacasa 117500
Edwin Tournier 113000
Kristoffer Nyberg 112500
Tony Salmon 112000
John Conroy 109000
John Keown 100000
James Daly 99000
Danilo Paulsen 97500
Thomas Fourgeron 95000
Bill O’Keefe 93500
Philip Stards 93000
Anthony Fagan 92000
Nick Goodall 91000
John Moran 89000
Carsten Joh 89000
Frederic Levy 82000
Andrew Grimason 80500
David Dean 74000
Charlie Harvey 66000
Kenneth Greaney 64000
Tominari Kobayashi 56500
Surinder Sunar 56000
Emmett Davis 47500
Thomas Dempsey 41500
Belkacem Laouar 40500
Brian Antoniotti 31000
Jaka Faraz Quddus 24000
Willie Clynes    20000
Sebastien Caleechurn  15000
Dominic Heaver   13500

Peter Linton 1 1
Sorel Mizzi 1 2
Kenneth Greaney 1 3
Kieran Small 1 4
Emmett Davis 1 5
David Dean 1 6
William Martin 1 7
Tim Blake 1 8
William Haughey 1 9

Philip Stards 2 1
Danilo Paulsen 2 2
Julian Thew 2 3
Lars Hougaard 2 4
Knut Rysstad 2 5
Willie Clynes 2 6
Thomas Fourgeron2 7
Jaka Faraz Quddus 2 8
Thomas Dempsey 2 9

John Conroy 3 1
John Kabbaj 3 2
Mazhar Nawab 3 3
Thomas Finneran 3 4
Anthony Fagan 3 5
Brian Antoniotti 3 6
Tony Salmon 3 7
Edwin Tournier 3 8

Andrew Grimason 4 1
James Daly 4 2
Charlie Harvey 4 3
John Moran 4 4
Donal Norton 4 5
Kiko Lacasa 4 6
Belkacem Laouar 4 7
Sebastien Caleechurn 4 8
Neil Channing 4 9

Hassan Mohammed 5 1
Padraig Parkinson 5 2
Mark Spellman 5 3
Thomas Dunwoodie 5 4
Frederic Levy 5 5
Nariman Faramarzi-Rad 5 6
Conor Tate 5       7
Carsten John 5       8

Nick Goodall 6       1
Eric Larcheveque 6 2
Surinder Sunar 6 3
Tominari Kobayashi 6 4
Bill O’Keefe 6 5
Kristoffer Nyberg 6 6
Dominic Heaver 6 7
Iam Van Trinh 6 8
John Keown 6 9

We're off guys!

And it doesn't take long for the fireworks to commence. Brian Antoniotti shoving allin on the feature table and getting a call from Maz Nawab. On their backs gentleman.

Brian Antoniotti 7-7
Maz Nawab A-J

(http://www.jonco48.com/blog/How_20many_20blondes_20does_20it_20take_20to_20finish_20a_20race.jpg)

Let's race folks!

FLOP: A-J-T

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12834&g2_serialNumber=1)"I liiiiike...." thinks Maz.

TURN: Q (split maybe)

RIVER 2 (blankety blank)

....meaning Brian Antoniotti is OUT! An early casualty of the day and Maz increases his strong position yet further.

Surindar Sunar has knocked out Dominic Heaver with A-J vs J-2

Thewy just busted the awesomely named Jaka Faraz Quddus with 7h 3h vs 3d 3c...Seven first card.

Belkacem Laouar has doubled up his meagre stack to 70k with Ac Td vs Kc Qh on a 2h 4h 6h Jc 7s board.

What if I told you he was just all-in vs Lars Hougaard with Aspades Kc vs Ahrt Kh blind on blind and the flop was 5c Qh 9h...

Fortunately a 7s and Td turn and river and it was chop chop!

Pete Linton has knocked out David Dean with Ahrt Qd vs 2h 2s on an Ac 4c 6d 7s Qh to add another 50k to his stack.

So much action! So much action!

John Conroy shoves on the feature table and is called by John Kabbaj...

Conroy - 5-5
Kabbaj A-J.

Another race...

FLOP: Q-J-2 Kabbaj races into the lead, hitting middle pair

TURN: 3

RIVER: 7! No 5 on the river and rockstar John Conroy bites the dust after a commendable performance. Well played, good game sir!

Kabbaj marches on...

Next up, we have Willie Clines shoving his stack in and getting looked up by Phil Stards.

What kind of match up will we have this time I wonder...

A-K for Willie

8-8 for Stards

Oh look another race! This is getting ridiculous!

FLOP: 8-7-5 a pretty decisive flop catapults Stards into the lead and his tattoed arm clenches as he bellows his approval.

TURN: 7 ! That wraps up this hand and a 4 on the river completes the deal but once more we have an elimination on a race...meaning....

Willie Clines is OUT and Phil Stards receives a welcome boost to his stack.

Willie Clines and celebrity stalker intrepid updater Dana awaiting what will prove an unfavourable flop.


(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13109&g2_serialNumber=1)

Phil Stards raking in his new collection of chips...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13111&g2_serialNumber=1)

Surinder Sunar has just now been moved on to the TV table. With a 10-big-blinds-tastic 85k, I expect there will be some action soon, eek.

By the way, what with some people busting out and all, the average stack is now up to almost 19 big blinds...

Neil Channing just won a big pot to knock out James Daly with Ad 8d vs Jc Js, the vital Aspades appearing on the flop. Elsewhere Pete Linton is picking up a few pots here and there, the latest one with a small bet on a Qh 9s 7c board vs William Martin.

Thomas Dempsey just doubled up with Ace Jack vs Lars Hougaard's priced-in 7-5 on a Aspades 7s 2c Qh Ts board.

Nariman Faramarzi-Rad is OUT. All-in with Jc Tc vs Padraig Parkinson's Aces on a Jack high flop. Ace on the turn sealed the deal.

Julian Thew has just lost a big chunk of his chips having Ahrt Jh in the small blind vs Danilo Paulsen's button-raising Ac Ad and failing to win the race.

Knut, at least, is behaving most raisy-ly. Most recently he tried it on from the small blind with big blind Tominari Kobayashi, who folded leaving himself just 40k or five big blinds. Knut showed A-K...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13135&g2_serialNumber=1)

Ty sir!

---

Neil Channing has been a busy beaver so far today and gets involved in another pot, and this one's a biggie...

Raising to 20k from late position, he finds young gun Grimason, who has been shoving with some regularity shoving for 90 odd k behind him.

The BB also briefly considers getting involved but ultimately passes leaving Channing mulling his options over. He ums and ahs and counts the stacks, before saying "OK I CALL!"

Channing turns 9h 9d and Grimason is ecstatic as he tables his dominating Td Ts.

A board of 8d 3d 2d 6d 3c ensues, meaning "Bad Beat" Channing can't live up to his name, whilst Grimason, who fellow blogger Gary "Don't call me Mclovin" Clarke (aka Mclovin) has tipped for greatness, sweeps up the pot with a ten high fliush to channing's inferior 9 high flush.

Here's Channing looking less than ecstatic as his stack is dented considerably.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13142&g2_serialNumber=1)

Grimason, happy as larry to be int he lofty realms of 190k now...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13144&g2_serialNumber=1)

Thomas Dempsey has doubled through Knut Rysstad with Kc Jc vs 8s 8h on a Jh Qc 4d Ac ("Royal Flush!" shouts someone enthusiastically, but they've obviously got the wrong Dempsey) then Ts.

Sorrel still can't lose a race, he's just busted Kenneth Greaney with 8h 8d vs Aspades 9d. Pete Linton says that he and Sorrel are taking it in turns to steal the other players blinds. Pete keeps going after William Martin's blind, a fact not lost on the latter:

"You like my blind, don't you?"

"I just play my cards," protests Pete. As William folds his Q-5, Sorrel and Pete giggle like schoolboys.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13146&g2_serialNumber=1)

Thomas Fourgeron has knocked out, I think, Tominari Kobayashi with Kings vs Ten. A king on the river sealing the deal for the amiable Frenchman (and Ghostbusters 2 Villain lookalike).

Padraig Parkinson was on 180k last I checked.

Danilo Paulsen - 220k


Not massively well, I'm afraid. He was doing massively well, but now he's not.

He just unavoidably doubled up Hassan Mohammed on a classic coinflip - Ac Kc against Qd Qs.

Board - Th 5h Jd Jc 8h

Hassan now has around 400k, and Lam is down to a less-massively-well-doing-but-still-thoroughly-manageable 250k.

John Moran is OUT, his A-7 failing to beat the A-9 of table partner Donal Norton on a 6-8-3-K-T board...

gg sir!

One gentleman doing even less massively well in the sense that he is OUT is the improbably named and incredibly difficult to spell Belkacem Laouar. I think it's difficult to pronounce as well because he told Mr Announcer to call him Belka for announcing purposes...

Anyway, he shoves with pocket Fours, and Donal Norton calls him with Kd 9s. "I have to call," he is saying, which may or may not be true, but anyway he is delighted to discover that he is coinflipping.

Belka - 4h 4s
Donal - Kd 9s

Board - 7d Ac Qd Ad 9h

He has about 400k, though he's probably the second most happy person in the room after Sorrel Mizzi doubled up William Martin with K-J vs A-Q on a Q-J-7 board. Mizzi is now pretty short.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13165&g2_serialNumber=1)

Meanwhile Kiko Lacasa is OUT. Andrew Grimenson raised and Donal Norton flat-called, now Kiko Lacasa moved all-in , Andrew passed and Norton tanked before calling with 9s 9d. He must have been delighted though to see that Spaniard only showing the meagre 2s 4c, a 8d 3d 2c board left the railers shouting, "Quatro!!" but a Jh and 3h later and it was Donal shipping in the 300k pot.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13169&g2_serialNumber=1)

Frederic Levy has doubled through Padraig Parkinson with Ks Qs vs Ts Tc, hitting trip Kings on the flop. He's happy about it. Honest.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13167&g2_serialNumber=1)

Don Fagan has doubled up on the TV table.

-------------

Conor Tate now not faring so well - he's just doubled up Carsten John, making a good call but un-lucking out.

Conor Tate -  Ahrt 5h
Carsten John - Jc 9c

Board - Kc 4d Jd 7s Qc

Double-up for Phil Stards/Stars/alternate spelling of your choosing -

Starrrrdrdrdrdrrrs - 7s 7c
Lars Hougaard - Ahrt Qs

Board - 6d 2c Jd 8h 9c

A gentleman I have through my awesome deductive powers identified as Mr John Moran (I think) is OUT, moving in with Ac 7c and meeting the unwelcome call-age of Donal Norton and his Ahrt 9h.

A split is a distinct possibility, but it doesn't happen on this board - 3d 8s 6s Kc Ts - and he's a goner. No more on Moran.

He's just something that could be very daft.

Conor Tate pushed after Sorrel Mizzi had himself shoved. Conor's A-Q held vs Sorrel's A-T for a 220k pot leaving Sorrel with a bowl of rice that soon went in. William Martin made a small raise and Haughey called.

Both checked the Kd 5c Jh flop before Haughey bet on the Qc turn, Martin passed a pair of 4's and Sorrel showed what he thought would be a behind A-9, but Haughey had Tc 8c and bizarrely bet the 4's out of the pot. The river was another Qd and Sorrel triples up when he really should be out.

However, Sorrel Mizzi is OUT now, Pete Linton found his 9-6 to be dominating Sorrel's 6-4 and last year's 3rd place finisher is gone.

We can barely keep up with this frenetic action...

I'm going to look like this by the end of the day.

(http://www.afunnystuff.com/pics/funny/2769.jpg)

latest coup is Lars Hougaard shoving with J-7 and getting looked up by the A-4 of Knut Rysstad...

Tense moment for the allin Lars Hougaard...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13179&g2_serialNumber=1)


FLOP: 6-7-8 Hougaard races into the lead...

TURN: T  "No A, no A, no A" cry some enthusiastic Hougaard supporters on the rail...

RIVER:.....A! Knut has the LARS laugh and knocks yet  ANOTHER  player out.

CARNAGE CARNAGE CONSTANT CARNAGE WHEN WILL THE BLOODSHED END!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thewy/Phil Starrs/Knut Rysstad's table is the next feature table after the break.

On his tv release form, Thewy bizarrely put Tikay as his favourite player. We're really questioning this lack of judgement...  :dontask:

Pete Linton has 460k. He tells me this with a little nod that says, if nods could say anything at all, "yeahhhhhh".

------

Mr Donal Norton limps, and Mr Hassan Mohammed maked it 40k. Mr Padraig Parkinson makes it All In For 59k Total. Donal gets out of the way and Hassan obviously calls.

Hassan - Aspades Js
Padraig - Kd Kh

Hassan and Padraig have their arms around one another. Most friendly, sportsmanlike etc.

Board - Ks Qc 5c ("That's enough, no more" says Padraig, but Dena is sort of obliged to deal a turn and river) 9c 7c

And Mr Parkinson stays in, to enormous cheering from the crowd.

*****the TD has just announced a short 15 minute break for the cleaners to come in and clean the assorted bloodstains (metaphorical) and hacked off limbs (metaphorical) off the carpets (real)*******

Current counts 33 players left average 202,100 6k /12k / 1k.

Here's some luvly ladies to keep you going...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13181&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13183&g2_serialNumber=1)



and here is a picture of a hacked off foot. No not really! It's a shot of the carpets to prove their existence and a "GUESS THE UPDATER'S FOOT" competition.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13185&g2_serialNumber=1)

Clue: He's not rigid.

For the gentleman asking after John Keown earlier, he's currently on 101.5k, give or take. Or exactly.

Tim Blake -- A cool 250k

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13187&g2_serialNumber=1)

Julian just raised on the feature table, John Carston sets him in and....Julian CALLS!!!

Julian : A-K
Carston: T-T

It's a race! (again)

Julian doesn't lose races as we all know so what will happen here I wonder...

FLOP: 3-T-4

OMG, bad news for Julian as Carston flops the nuts...

TURN: 7 - looks irrelevant BUT it actually gives Julian a flush draw. He needs a club on the river to survive...

RIVER:........Jh!

It's NOT a club and Julian loses the race for his tournament life...

WOWZER that wasn't supposed to happen!

Great game Julian, going deep again, but the William Hill sponsored goldenboy's tournament has finally come to an end.

He departs with his usual dignity and Carston is left feeling on top of the world!

The very well-dressed Mr Knut Rysstad is all in on the TV table with pocket Tens, and it's looking good for him against Phil Starrdrdrdrds' pocket Fives, but oh the cruelty!

Board - 7-5-Q-9-8

And he and his cravat/Norwegian drinking bear combo have hit the rail.

John Keown moves all in on the TV table for his last 97.5k, but finds no callers. Picks up the HUUUGE blinds instead.

Lam Trinh has just been moved on to the TV table too. He's doing about averagely on 235k.

Phil Starrrdrrdrrdrdrds goes all in on the TV table...

And Lam Trinh calls! [Actually I now believe Lam raised it first and Phil re-raised all in. Anyway...]

Phil - A-K
Lam - A-9

We're hoping for a Lam chop for no reason other than that it would make us an awesome pun, but the board comes down as follows:

7-5-A-A-8

And Lam, slaughter, etc insert your own pun here, he is OUT.

More Phil Starrsssssssssssss action, he's got Jc Jh against Frederik Levy's 4d 4s

9d 5d 8d Qd 7s

A literal four-flush for Levy doubles him up and it's Starrs who has his overpair cracked this time.

Mr Charlie Harvey, most heartlessly photographed by me, below (was going to say "flashed in the face by me" but thought better of it) shoves from the small blind; he is instantly called by Donal Norton in the big blind.

Donal - Ad Jd
Charlie - oops, most unlucky time to shove in that it couldn't be much worse for him with his 2h Jh

Board 9s Ac (Charlie putting his coat on) 7h 4d 8h

So Mr Charlie Harvey is OUT and trying very hard to walk away in a dignified manner without me taking photos/flashing him. Sorry Mr Harvey.

Thomas Fourgeron has doubled up once more, with Kings vs the J-T of chip leader Donal Norton, a Jack on the flop had the Frenchman nervous, but a welcome King on turn brought much relief. He's now on 215k. Norton still very much the leader with about 550k.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13211&g2_serialNumber=1)

Tim Blake has just won a big pot off Nick Goodall leaving the latter crippled. Tim bet 40k into a pot of about 160k on the river of a Td 6s 9c 7d 6h board leaving Nick very short.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13213&g2_serialNumber=1)

In fact, it's just been announced that Tim has now knocked Nick out, we think with Ace Queen vs Tens, hitting two pair.

Willie on Willie action!!!!!

- resulting in a double up for Mr Willie Haughey with  Ahrt Ks against William Martin's 4h 4d

Board - 3s Jd 9h Ad 7d

Wow. I run so good today.

I walk over to randomly check on john Kabbaj and find him embroiled in a mega pot versus Maz Nawab!

The flop is Qd 7s 4s and Maz is busy saying "I liiike"....(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12834&g2_serialNumber=1) the flop as he holds Qs 6s for top pair and a flush draw...

But John is also a fan of the flop as he holds Qh 7d for top 2!

The turn is the 3c to give Maz a gutshot out as well...

And the river is the...2d! No spade, no straight card means we lose the superbly consistent Maz Nawab after a monumental effort and John Kabbaj bolsters his stack yet further, pushing him up near the top of the leaderboard...

Here is Maz as he departs the table...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13217&g2_serialNumber=1)

and John telling Surinder "This many times..." as he prayed for his top 2 to hold.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13219&g2_serialNumber=1)

Not entirely sure of the relevance of this picture BUT after that superb pot, I think you have to say...

(http://papernapkin.typepad.com/papernapkin/images/baby_likes_cabbage_5.jpg)

I'm afraid we can't get chip counts for people on the TV table, but we heard announced over the tannoy that he has just doubled up, moving in on a 7-8-T, two spade flop and getting himself insta-called by Phil Starrdrrrdrdrdrdrds.

Dempsey - 9-J for the nut flush
Starrrdrdrdrdrds - 2s 4s for the flush draw

And there's some kind of pun-able situation whereby a Dempsey could be destroyed by a Flushy Starrrr... Something tenuous like that, but this is what actually happened -

The turn is initially the 7h but it turns out that this is actually the burn card that has been mistakenly flipped - will there be controversy??

Er, no, the turn is the Ac and the river is the Tc - which means that Thomas Dempsey has doubled up.

Tim Blake is now one of the chip leaders with over 500k, also note the belated entry of the yellow 5k chips.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13226&g2_serialNumber=1)

Hassan -- 300k

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13224&g2_serialNumber=1)

Quick reminder of the remaining payouts awaiting our final 25 runners.

Prize pool - €3,001,400

1 € 801,400
2 € 420,000
3 € 275,000
4 € 220,000
5 € 175,000
6 € 135,000
7 € 100,000
8 €  75,000
9 € 50,000
10 -12 €32,500
13-18  €24,000
19-27  €18,000

On the feature table, Phil Star jsut called Andrew Grimason's allin, with A-T only to find Grimason dominating him with A-K.

The flop of Qs 9s 5c 8s 8d meant Grimason's hand held to double up the young Irish player and leave Star star(r]ing into a black hole of despair...

I'm afraid Conor Tate is OUT. Mark Spellmen's Queens held vs Conor's Ace Jack.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13232&g2_serialNumber=1)

We've also lost Don Fagan in a battle of the 5BB's survival versus Neil Channing. Channing's T-8 overcoming the K-7.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13228&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13230&g2_serialNumber=1)

Double up for John Keown on the TV table with A-8 against Frederic Levy's K-9. Board an exciting but ultimately-not-changing-anything A-5-K-2-7.

--------

Also I'm sorry Mr Sealey Jr/Sr depending on your perspective and/or relation to that microwave and the pot noodle, but your dad/son is OUT. Not sure what he was holding, but as I legged it to the table I saw him wandering off, and Mark Spellman, holding pocket Queens on a Queen-high board, was raking in his chips.

Pete Linton has lost 100k or so trying to bluff Surindar Sunar. He made a face like someone who has just smelt a fart whilst in a lift.

He still has about 350k though.

Oh yeah, Floppy already said about Conor Tate. Sorry.

-------------------------

Our Remaining Players, As Cunningly Deduced By Us:

Mark Spellman
Thomas Dunwoodie
Donal Norton
Eric Larcheveque
Wiliam Martin
Tim Blake
Willie Haughey
Surinder Sunar
John Kabbaj
Neil Channing
Thomas Finneran
Pete Linton
Tony Salmon
Edwin Tournier
Hassan Mohammed
Phil Starrrdrdrdrdrrrdrds
Danilo Paulsen
Thomas Fougeron
John Keown
Frederic Levy
Andrew Grimason
Mate E. Boy x 1 on the TV table that I don't recognise/can't deduce from earlier postings, sorry. We'll find out soon, hopefully.

Double up for Thomas Dempsey on the TV table, and possible identification of our sole remaining Mateyboy? ? ?

Dempsey moves in with pocket Nines; Matey calls with A-K. Matey is announced as something that sounds like "Kai". I deduce from the original player list that it is Kiko Lacasa. After a brief argument between me and Phil from AWOP as to whether he went out some hours ago, I decide that it is he, until James comes back and tells me that Kai is in fact Danilo Paulsen's first name. Most disappointing.

Board - Q-6-7-J-Q

Surinder raises and Pete Linton re-raises enouogh to set him in...

He counts and shuffles and stand sand scratches his beard, counts his stack once more, and ultimately CALLS!

Pete shows Ahrt 2h, whilst Surinder shows the surprisingly strong Ad Ks!

It's looking bad for Pete, who is dominated BUT a flop of Qh 8d 5h brings succour in the form of a flush draw.

Surinder shakes his head and flexes a tendon in his neck.

TURN: 8s Pairing of the board opens up some split outs for Pete and....

RIVER: Qc ! A double pairing of the board saves Pete's bacon.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13234&g2_serialNumber=1)

Surinder looks unhappy at this, but there's nothing he can do about it.

(http://www.healthyhomestylecooking.com/sites/tmurphy/_files/Image/bigstockphoto_Lamb_Chop_Barbecue_1288249.JPG) it up folks!

More from Table TV -

Thomas Fougeron shoves, and Carsten John calls.

Carsten - A-Q
Lord Vigo - not looking good with Q-T

Board - 8-K-A-Q-8

And it is not enough for Vigo!!!! Slams fist on table and roars!!!!! No, he doesn't really. But he is OUT. Sorry, Frenchies...

Channing has just knocked out Tony Salmon, who played like a fish, ah ha ha ha. No he didn't really, but a spot of bad luck there for him, as he ran his pocket Nines into Channing's pocket Tens. The board a very irrelevant 4c 2s Js Jc 7h.

Tim Blake is the new chip leader, Donal Norton has been raising his blind constantly and did so again to 40k. Tim re-raised to 100k and Donal called.

The flop came down K-J-7 with one clubs and Donal called Tim's 100k bet. Another small raggy club on the turn and again Tim bets 100k. Donal passes. Tim shows 5c 2c, Donal is slightly tilted. Tim has 700k.

Thomas Dunwoodie has picked up a helpful double up, he open-pushed in early position but Willie Haughey hadn't seen the push and said call. He was forced to call with 9-8o but wasn't in too bad shape vs Thomas' J-T. Both hit a pair, so Thomas doubles up.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13236&g2_serialNumber=1)

***************1 HOUR DINNER BREAK******************

Frederic Levi has fallen victim to John Keown, his A-T good enough for a shortstacked push but no match for John's superior A-J...

Frenchman down...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13240&g2_serialNumber=1)

We lost Willie Haughey, he pushed with Ahrt Jd and was looked up by Mark Spellman's Aspades Kc, the board bricking out 4c 6h 5h 2d 7h.

Now a big pot...

John Kabbaj raises to 50k from the small blind. Pete Linton announces, "All-in," from the big blind. John thinks for a while and then calls for his stack.

John:

Ad Qd

Pete: Th Td

John stares dispassionately at the table whilst Pete doesn't know where look and just has his hands on his head.

Board:

Ks Kc 4d 4c 3d

John Kabbaj is out in 19th place, Pete looks like he might faint, but is now in 2nd place behind Tim Blake with around 660k.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13252&g2_serialNumber=1)

Rough chip count (before we broke to two tables, and already slightly out of date):

Phil Starrs -- 230k
Kai Danilo Paulsen -- 210k
Andrew Grimason -- 350k
Carsten Joh -- 560k
John Keown -- 233k
Tom Dempsey -- 240k

Surindar Sunar -- 170k
Neil Channing -- 470k
Thomas Finneran -- 215k
Pete Linton -- 660k
Edwin Tournier -- 220k
Mohammed Hassan -- 500k

Mark Spellman -- 660k
Thomas Dunwoodie -- 215k
Donal Norton -- 300k
Eric Larcheveque -- 360k
William Martin -- 260k
Tim Blake -- 720k

These are all rough from around the time of John Kabbaj's exit.

Nope. He was saying before that he didn't want to be on there because he was certain he was going to make the final, but then changed his mind when he became less certain that he was going to make the final. Anyway, he hasn't, and he will indeed have to make the final six if he's going to get his face on TV this Irish Open...

Surindar Sunar is OUT.

A shortstack push with 7c 7s found Donal Norton pushing behind him with Ad 6d.

A Qs Th Ks Jh 8c board later and we lose the WPT champion.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13258&g2_serialNumber=1)

Edwin Tournier has doubled up through Tim Blake with Ac Ks vs Ts Th. Board: 9h Kh Qs Qc 8h. Tim drops about 160k in that hand, but it's not a disaster.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13260&g2_serialNumber=1)

Pete Linton rebuilds his stack a bit re-raising William Martin's early position raise of 58k right up to 120k. Martin folds, Pete shows Queens.

A few chip counts -

William Martin - 176k
Channing - 730k
Mark Spellman - 643k
Donal Norton - 439k
John Keown - 195k
Eric Larcheveque - 401k
Carsten John - 579k

Tim Blake raises from the cut-off, Thomas Finneran moves all-in from the big blind. Tim calls in the classic 57-43 battle.

Tim: Ad Ks

Thomas: Qd Qc

Board: Kd 2h 2d 7d Ac

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13265&g2_serialNumber=1)

Andrew Grimason just tangled with Thomas Dempsey.

Both players had a big part of the Ad Qs 8d flop, Thomas holding A-J and Andrew Kd Qd.

The diamond on the turn however left Thomas drawing dead, busto and out of the competition.

GG Thomas

Andrew's many supporters cheered loudly and gustily from the sidelines as their champion marched on relentlessly and enhanced his credentials as a candidate to take down the title...

My, what drama! Pete can barely look...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13267&g2_serialNumber=1)

Hassan Mohammed announces all in on the TV table, but no-one is up for it and he takes the amazingly huge blinds.

-------

Now Carsten John nicks those good blinds on Table TV.

-------

It folds to the Joker on the small blind, who raises and thus steals Mark Spellman's big blind.

We've lost William Martin from the feature table to Eric Larcheveque. Martin helds Eights, the Frenchman had Ace King, flopping one pair and turning a second. 13 left.

Danilo Paulsen moves all-in under the gun. It's passed around to Andrew Grimason in the big blind who thinks for two minutes, before calling. Paulsen shows him the Aces and Grimason makes a face like he's just been forced to taste Marmite as he shows Ad Qs.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13269&g2_serialNumber=1)

A Jh 2s 9s 8h Jd board later and it's Grimason who is now short.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13271&g2_serialNumber=1)

John Keown and Eric Larcheveque see a J-x-4 flop and Eric bets - John Keown goes all in! But Larcheveque folds. Keown shows J-4!

It is all pretty much preflop action, the average stack started today with about 16BB's being the average, but now it's about 21BB's. But that's still not enough to play a flop really unless both stacks are deep.

Carsten and Hassan see an Ahrt-Jh-A flop, which they both check.

The turn is the 5d and Carsten bets 75k; Hassan folds.

The railers are applauding everything, cheerful types that they are.

Lots of nicking of blinds, punishing of limping etc. Few interesting big hands that do not result in either an exit or a double up, as the average is still around 20 big blinds...

TV Table counts

Mohammed Hassan -- 283k
Neil Channing -- 819k
Mark Spellman -- 491k
John Keown -- 153k
Erik Larchevque -- 692k
Carsten Joh -- 646k

Dana is just getting the other table stuff.

Big stacks kick off!!!!

I join the table on a Qc 8s 8h flop contested by two of the larger stacks, Pete Linton and Tim Blake...

Check from Pete, bet by Tim of 50k or so...CALL by Pete...

TURN: Kc

Check Pete, check Tim...

RIVER: 4c

Pete now picks up what looks like about 100k in chips and bets it and Tim flat calls his bet after a small pause...

Pete shows A-K confident that his 2 pair value bet is ahead BUT Tim shows K-Q for a superior 2 pair, sweeping up the pot to much applause whilst Pete shakes his head a little disappointedly and licks his wounds disconsolately...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13273&g2_serialNumber=1)

The Tim-inator...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13275&g2_serialNumber=1)

I counted the chips after that big pot that Pete Linton lost to Tim, by the way - just to clarify, he has 470k after that.

...And another one bites the tournament dust, this time Andrew Grimason.

Blind-on-blind action, Grimason shoved with 8-3 and Kai Paulsen found Fives to turn Andrew into a Grim weeper (totally Junglecat's pun).

Hassan Mohammed is out, running Ahrt 8h into Carsten Joh's Aces.

An eight came on the flop, but to no avail. 11 players left.

Carsten John just had John Keown ALLIN on the feature table...

John Keown Ac 4c
Carsten John Ad Qs

John was in bad shape with his tournament life on the line but Carsten's strong advantage was utterly reversed by a flop-tastic, flush-tastic and pair-tastic 6c 2c 4s flop

Pair and flush draw for John left Carsten drawing thin and a Ks 7s pair of blanks on the turn and river completed the outdraw, doubling John up crucially to some lusty bellows from the enthusiastic rai!!!!

RAILER OF THE DAY

Dana, "The pattern on the trousers looks like he nicked a logo from a health club or something..."

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13277&g2_serialNumber=1)

Sadly, Pete Linton is out, 5-handed, he pushed for about 350k from under the gun, Tim Blake asked for a count, before passing. Edwin Tournier snap-calls and shows Queens. Pete is in hot-water with Q-J.

A A-T-A-4-3 board later and Pete is OUT in 11th place winning €32,500. Which seems scant consolation at the moment for him.

Tim Blake says afterwards that he passed Tens!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13279&g2_serialNumber=1)

Carsten John raises to 82k preflop, called by Neil Channing on the button.

The flop comes T-8-x where x might have been a Queen... sorry for lack of this card, but it only got interesting when Carsten check-raised Neil's 90k bet on the flop up to 240k...  A brief pause, and Neil moved all in!  Covering his opponent, he then caused Carsten to pause a bit longer as he debated calling for his tournament life...

Carsten passed, and another quarter mil plus headed for the Joker's stack - which might well now be the chip leader's...

The Joker is deadly serious about winning this now.

He, Carsten John and Eric Larcheveque limp in to see a flop; it is K-6-6. Eric checks and Carsten bets 100k. The Joker calls and Eric doesn't.

The turn is a Four and Carsten checks. Channing does not call all in as the confused announcer says, but rather he moves himself all in to absolutely no betting from Carsten. In other words, he bets very large. Carsten folds. The Joker cackles evilly and brutally murders everybody in the room.

I made that last bit up, sorry.

A full chip count should be forthcoming since there are now nine players left.

Suffice to say, Neil Channing has been drinking the Thewyade...

ooh ooh oohh action!!!!

Mark Spellman just had 6d 6h allin in great shape versus the 5s 5h of all-powerful mega-villain and new target of Dana's fixated photoshop obsessions Neil Channing...

FLOP: Qd Kd Ad

AN all diamond flop gave Spellman a flush draw to go with his overpair.

TURN: 2h

All over bar the shouting as Channing draws to one out on the river.

RIVER: 5c!!!

OMG, Channing hits his one out to send Spellman crashing to the rail in an invisible puff of smoke. Spellman took his one out final table bubble beat in remarkable spirit though, managing to shake everyone's hands and smile as he left the table, without any enforced insistence from Neil Channing (like this...

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/robin91939/jokerbermejomanip2copyar4.jpg) )

Great game sir!

We have our final 9 players and final table!

Although we are having a short break, we will be playing down to 6 players tonight and we will see if Channing will continue stomping all over all the other players like an unstoppable collossus...

Payouts:

1st -- €801,400
2nd -- €420,000
3rd -- €275,000
4th -- €220,000
5th -- €175,000
6th -- €135,000
7th -- €100,000
8th -- €75,000
9th -- €50,000

Chipcounts:

Seat 1 Neil Joker Channing - approx. 2 MILLION!!!!!
Seat 2 Carsten John - 425k
Seat 3 Tim Blake - 850k
Seat 4 John Keown - 300k
Seat 5 Eric Larcheveque - 380k
Seat 6 Kai Danilo Paulsen - 720k
Seat 7 Thomas Dunwoodie - 280k
Seat 8 Edwin Tournier 860k
Seat 9 Donal Norton - 780k

Some shots of the final table...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13285&g2_serialNumber=1)

---

And from the other side, we see Neil Channing desperately trying to ward off any further borderline offensive photoshop creations by insane caricaturist, Dana "Sedate me immediately" Immanuel.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=13287&g2_serialNumber=1)

John Keown steals the blinds with a 100k raise.

Neil has been wandering off to the rail; as he comes back, he says to Keown, presumably concerning something he did before he wandered railwards, "I'm really sorry about that. I never do that." ??? Raise six times in a row? Murder everybody with poison gas? Bask in a glowing golden aura? We will never know.

Now Eric Larcheveque steals the blinds.

Pete Linton is at the rail. He is making the Universal Sign Of The Noose at me, like an absolutely random man I have picked off the internet to illustrate but then removed because someone didn't like it, sorry. :(

Tim Blake has lost maybe half his stack to the Golden Joker Neil Channing.

He checked the 3d 9d 9c flop, and then called the 85k bet from Neil.

Turn - Jc and Tim bet out 100k; Neil flat-called.

River - 4h and Tim bets a giganto-140k. Neil flat-called, and Tim just mucked when he turned over Js Qs...

And now Tim has got all his chips back in a nice little double-up. Neil (shock!) raises, Tim moves in with 9c 9d. Neil calls with Ad Jc.

Flop:

6s 9s 6d

And I don't even need to add the 2c turn and 7h river, but I did it. Just for you guys. :)

Basically nothing happened for a bit - some blinds were nicked, some walks were granted, some French updaters were urging Eric Larcheveque to go all in with 6-2, etc.

Then action! It happened so fast I'm not certain who did the shoving, but Thomas Dunwoodie was in the big blind and John Keown was on the cutoff, so let's assume that Keown raised and Dunwoodie pushed, then the calling. Anyway.

Thomas Dunwoodie - Ahrt Td
John Keown - 3d 3s

Board - Th Ks Qd 7c 8d

Double up for Dunwoodie! With the blinds up to 20k/40k though, he's still not in great shape with a now 400k or so stack...

The original plan was to move the Final Eight to the TV table, then move the Final Final Six to sleep for the night and come back tomorrow.  But the TV stage is totally dark and the table appears to be wrapped in plastic.  SO, playing all the way down. 

Neil Channing just peered at everyone's stack on his left when it passed to him, and made it 150k, probably intending to play this hand all the way... Tim and Carsten passed, but Eric Larcheveque found 8d 8h and moved in for 250k more.  Neil made the call with Qs Js.  "It's of SPADES - he clarified for the audience."  Suited and all...

Flop:  Qc 4s Kh
Turn: 2c
River: Jc

And Eric Larcheveld is OUT in 8th place winning €75,000.

I leg it over to the table where Thomas Dunwoodie is all in with Ahrt Th to Edwin Tournier's massively-dominatey Ad Jc. Eek!

Board - 2d Kc Jd wait for it... Qs !!!! And Thomas is rather overcome with emotion and runs away. River an irrelevant 7s, and he doubles up off the rather unimpressed Dutchman.

Sorry, John Keown is OUT, eliminated in 9th spot, winning €50,000 for his troubles...



His A-4 shortstack push ran into the powerhouse of A-K in the hands of Paulsen.  Good game sir, well played...

Donal Norton raises to 140k, Carsten Joh moves in over the top and Norton calls.

Norton: 3-3

Carsten: A-Q

Board: K-8-7-2-6

Carsten Joh is OUT in 7th place winning €100,000

FINAL CHIP COUNTS:

Kai Danilo Paulsen - 716k (button)
Thomas Dunwoodie - 544k (SB)
Edwin Tournier - 562k (BB)
Donal Norton - 1.164 MILLION!!!!
Neil Channing - 2.748 MILLION!!!!!
Tim Blake - 912k

That's in very poor taste, Kev, and it's 2pm. We have just acquired some food, so until 2pm,  ;stickaforkinme;