blonde poker forum

 :hello: and welcome to Day One of the Irish open!

The City West Hotel should prove a fitting locale for this prestigious tournament. With the grandiose forecourt, plush decor and no less than FOUR helicopters parked in close proximity, even the glamorous characters of poker such as Doyle Brunson in attendance will feel at home here in Ireland.

Doyle was predictably a big draw for the players last night as they flocked round the poker luminary like moths to a light, all hoping to meet their idol and pick up signed copies of Supersystem 2 (something tells me e-bay may be a tad busier than usual tomorrow!)

Other players of note who will be playing in the main event include Roland De Wolfe, Ran Vaswani and many other regulars of the UK circuit such as the inform Jen Mason, Mickey Wernick, Ian Woodley, Steve Jelinek and Jeff Kimber. Let's not forget the goldenboy himself, William Hill sponsored Julian Thew, who will be a danger man as always.

With such a star studded field, there will be undoubted fireworks even without the unpredictable local Irish talent aiming to shoot down the big names. A field of 750+ runners is expected and an epic five day's poker is the tantalising prospect in store for us all. I don't know about you but I'm salivating already!

One final word before the start of proceedings. One more star name will be gracing us with his presence. Initially pencilled in as an updater,  this titan of the poker world picked up a last minute seat to the main event by crushing the assembled media, leaving his colleagues (including myself and Dana) trailing in his wake. He will soon be appearing to tell you of his achievement but for now, let's all pay homage to the man with no equal.  I give you...

(http://www.justinbrothers.com/Images/drooling_homer.gif)

HOMER!

What a guy...

Join us at 2:00 pm for the start of the first day. It should be a cracker!

Go my assorted percentages, and Trond!

I worked out how to make the internet work from Jen's room.  ;topofclass;

Muchos congratulationes to El Senor Floppy, and good luck to all, particularly those still drinking in the bar when we left, eek. Should be a fantastic tournament. I'm afraid we won't have any of this new-fangled GUKPT/EPT namby-pamby player card nonsense, so welcome back Mr Mateyboy, and please get in your shout-outs/boks now for anyone you know for sure is playing, so that Junglecat and I have something to distract us from our mission to find breakfast...

I'm off to sleep fro a bit now. See you at 2pm!

By the way, lots of people are milling in the unbelievably huge, garishly be-chandeliered tournament area/ballroom, but there is absolutely no sign of them starting on time.

By the way what with the €3million guaranteed and all, there is currently a half-million overlay. Could well change by roughly this time tomorrow, though.

Concerning your picks -

The seating draw is up, and it looks like none of the Frenchmen are playing today, nor Chris Welsh, nor Jeff Schnettler. Will keep an eye on Rory Matthews and Graham Clarkson though.

In fact, here is the seat draw -

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12049&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12051&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12045&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12047&g2_serialNumber=1)

Less than 30 minutes in and we have an elimination.

A fierce debate is running through the press camp as to the unfortunate players' name but Bruce Fern seems to be the consensus. As he is not down on the official list, we can only surmise he was a last minute entry. No brucie bonus today, bad luck sir...

I somehow luckboxed into witnessing what I beleive was the 2nd elimination of the day.

1106, Paul Baird had set 1108 (Leo Kam on the list, although as I know Leo, I can promise you it WASN'T him) allin on a K-K-Q-5 board. Player 1108 called and showed K-J for trips, only to find Paul holding the superior Q-Q. He didn't even stay to see the river muttering "merde, merde, merde"(French player i presume!) to himself as he barrelled out of the arena.

The river changed nothing, in fact a Q gave Paul four spanking quads and a big double-up, whilst the unknown Frenchman departed so fast, this was the only shot i got of him(not much to go on I know...)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12124&g2_serialNumber=1)

This part of the update is a bit ike crimewatch. Do you know this man? Have you heard him muttering obscenities to himself after suffering a cooler? If so call our hotline...or failing that, just post on here and let us know.

Thanks chaps!

Mr Liam Flood has just now told us that there's going to be another €300 rebuy super-sat at 6pm tonight, for anyone who fancies it. Same rules as yesterday, although the tickets are absolutely non-transferable, so I wouldn't play it if you already have a ticket/have no intention of playing the main event tomorrow.

Slow start for Carloline, sitting on 8k or so at the moment...

Here she is, looking watchful and perhaps just a tad furtive!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12128&g2_serialNumber=1)

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Ram has fared better in the early stages, up to 14 or 15k. Heard laughing and joking with the waitresses as they passed, he is sporting a trendy haircut with highlighted tips.

I captured him during a contemplative moment in which he seems to be running an internal philosphpical debate on the nature of the poker chip...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12126&g2_serialNumber=1)

few random counts...

Timex 11k
Todd Brunson 12k
David Rudling 15k

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A quick word on David. We had a chat in the bar last night where he was kind enough to buy all the blonde updaters a drink following his success in finishing 4th at the recent London GUKPT.

He told me he was looking to start fast and apply pressure early today and from the looks of his chips stack, he might just have been doing that with aplomb. Good luck David and thanks for the drinks!

Updater Update

Chris has more or less been folding his way to victory so far. He has played two hands so far. In one of them he made it a mere 75 with Pocket Jacks, only for their resident table crazy raiser to make it 500. The big blind called, and so did Chris. When crazy raiser bet over 1k on the Q-7-3 flop, both Chris and the big blind gave up. Mr Crazy Raiser was apparently holding A-Q. The big blind had been holding A-K...

The other Floppy hand played involved him holding 6-7 suited on an A-6-6 flop, but wussed out a bit when another Ace came on the turn, and failed to get paid. The other guy was holding K-Q though.

He's on a like-he-never-played-a-hand-at-all 9.5k.


Other Updater Update

Jen has around 7k remaining. She snuck some chips back from Praz, but not as many as she previously lost to him, and looks angry. I am not going to massage her shoulders because others may also sk me for massaging services and I am Not Up For That.

(http://www.drudabear.com/grumpybearaward.jpg)

A double up for the below finger-sniffing gentleman, apparently one Lorenzo Maestro (AWESOME).

The further below gentleman, one Fuat Can (AWESOME) according to our possibly-no-longer-accurate seating plan, bet 2k on a 9d-4h-Jc-2c board, for Mr Maestro to go all in for another 6 or 7k. After some dwellage, says Mr Can, "I gamble." And yes he does.

Mr Can - Kc Tc
Mr Maestro - Js Jh

And the 5s river must have been music to the ears of Mr Maestro. Double-up!

Players are on a short break. Also, we found us a lovely waitress lady, and we have given her some money to bring us sandwiches! This truly is the land of the, well, not free, but moderately priced when compared to Copenhagen.

We are down one big star...

50-100, Devilfish raised to 350 from the cut off and was re-raised to 1,000 by Kieran Small from the SB.

Shove from the Fish, insta call from Small with his A-A (unsuprisingly) whilst Devilfish's A-K looked highly unlikely to win and that proved the case as a board of blanks ensued, meaning Kieran had caught himself a

(http://www.tackletour.com/images/picanglerofthemonthq3-2004.jpg)

and Devilfish leaves the tournament at this early stage...

Jen was just involved in a decent pot...

...After Paul Marrow made it 325 preflop from the hijack, Jen raised to 1k from the button. Marrow... short dwell...call.

FLOP: Kh Kd 8h

Paul Marrow: CHECK
Jen Mason: 800
Paul Marrow: CALL

TURN: 2d

Paul Marrow: CHECK
Jen Mason: 1600
Paul Marrow: RAISE to 3200...

I have intentionally left description of the actions to a bare minimum as up to this point all bets and actions were done with the minimum of fuss. Once Jen was check, min-raised on the turn, her shoulders slumped, she exhaled in a disappointed manner and eventually quietly slid her cards over the lone in submission. Down to 5.5k now.

---

I grabbed a quick word with hitsquadder Praz Bansi in between hands at his table. "Good luck...but stop taking chips off Jen. It's not allowed!" I politely requested. "Well she keeps raising my blind...what am I supposed to do??? Isn't that right Jen?" asked Praz leaning over to chat to Jen. "What can I do?"

"You could fold!" was the chirpy response from Jen. Much laughter did follow.

---

I realise we have already posted up a few pictures of Dena but if there is a camp who beleive you can have too many pictures of Dena, I've yet to encounter it.

Once more, here's the ever popular Dena in action, professional as always.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12164&g2_serialNumber=1)

Not yet reported on here, but now reported OUT in unknown circumstances by Mr Mike Lacey, Marc Goodwin.

A few chip counts and whatnot...

Mr Craig Owen - as I walked up to his table, he was in the process of raking in a fairly sizeable pot, possibly taken off of Sorel Mizzi, as Mr Mizzi wasn't looking happy. Craig's on around 17k now, Mizzi on 9k.

Trond Eidsvig - a magnificent 13k
Joe Grech - 9k
Brunson Jr - 25k
Brunson Sr - 17.5k
James Honeybone - 8k
Roberto Romanello - 12k
Thomas Fougeron - 13k
Peter Gould, not content with Hoodie Of The Day, also possessor of T-Shirt Of The Day and Suki's arms underneath that glorious shirt, 7.5k

Ali Mallu...11k
Andy Black 10.5k
Nick Gibson....11.5k
Sorel Mizzi... 20k
John Duthie...20k

---

Chris told me how John acquired most of these chips...

After Soren Konsgaard limped from MP, John Duthie also limped behind.

The flop came 6 6 x.

Bet from Soren (who unbeknownst to John was holding 6-7)
Call by John (who unbeknownst to Soren was holding 9-9)

TURN: 9 !

A dramatic card prompting another turn bet from Soren and a flat call by John again...

RIVER: 4

A further bet from Soren was now RAISED by John and Soren couldn't get away from his trips, paying off the EPT maestro's raise.

Dave Colclough calls me over, and takes my pad and pen. When he gives it back, it reads as follows:

"Matey boy seat 3 [may or may not be Tony Nimeh] raises KK
Ram calls JQ
9 10 4 flop
bet call
3 on turn"

At this point he is dealt some cards and has a peek. I know what he has but I'm not telling! Anyway, he continues scribbling...

"bet call"

There has been a bunch of limping around to Dave's big blind, by this point. He raises to 1k. Everyone folds. He continues:

"river King
all-in call
Ram doubles up to 24k?"

Thanks, DC! El Blondie himself was at the time of scribbling on around 13k.

I seem to be running bad at finding interesting hands sooo, for now I can only bring you more pictures.

First off we have Roland De Wolfe with a mountain of chips, that actually only adds up to 19k or so. Nice amount still but less than it seems due to his bulging stacks of 25s and 100s. (I'm guessing this is an indication that shock horror, the Wolfe, has been busy thieving away)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12190&g2_serialNumber=1)

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This character was seen snoozing away at the table earlier allegedly but seems to have perked up considerably since then.

Here is the now fully conscious Doyle Brunson, taking time out to chat to a fan on the rail.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12192&g2_serialNumber=1)

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Finally we have American (I think?) Cory Albertson, owner of the most prominent sweat band in the tournament. After the tournament he's off for a quick game of doubnles with Bjorn Borg (possibly...)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12194&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://hubpages.com/u/44105_f520.jpg)

The more eagle-eyed among you

(http://thumbs.photo.net/photo/2230387-sm.jpg)

may have noticed that just after I posted Sorel Mizzi's chip count as 9k, Junglecat posted his chipcount as 20k. I hunted him down, and he has indeed doubled up somewhere along the line. He's been moved to David Rudling's table, Rudling currently on a similar 20k or so.

And Mr Nick Gibson, who is on 15k and tells me that he mustn't grumble or something terrible will happen. Myself, I like grumbling.

Does anyone recognise either of these chaps? Mr National Championships bet 700 on a 2c 5c Jd flop, only to lay it down when Mr Full Tilt Brownshirt Man made it All In, or 2,375 total.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12223&g2_serialNumber=1)

There is a 7-piece Cajun band in the bar now, with washboards and mandolins and accordions and everything. The washboard player's wearing an Irish Open hat which makes him look like a trucker. Most pleasing.

Sick Hand Alert!

**********Disclaimer: Before I continue, I would like to say the accuracy of the reporting within this hand is highly dependent upon the players having remained in their original seats. **********

A flop of 8d 2c 6s caused carnage on Jen's table with Danilo Paulsen moving in only to be insta-called by the silver barneted Peter Malbasha.

"You've probably got eights haven't you?" asked Peter, a bit unnecessarily as he tabled 6-6 for the 2nd nuts.

"No" said Danilo quietly, resigned to his fate as he tabled his overpair Q-Q...

TURN: 9h

RIVER: Qc !

Yup , this 2 outer saved Paulsen's bacon and he was a mightily relieved man as he swept up his chips. Malbasha meanwhile took his beat well in silence, but stepped away from the table to vent some steam in his own unique way...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12234&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12236&g2_serialNumber=1)

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Is that these two? (free pretty dealer bonus)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12238&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12240&g2_serialNumber=1)

If so they are both doing a bit poorly on less than 7k...

Sorry, man. I think Horneris bokked your headphones. Take the rest of the day off to fume, won't you? We'll see you in the bar later...

El Blondie's on 12.5k, Jen's on her dinner break. They're having a staggered break today - also on that break is Mr Rory Matthews.


Hold your horses, Mr Lucky! He's on around 17k. Also, Graham Clarkson has 13k. Photo coming as soon as I've uploaded it, I have a bit of a backlog I'm afraid...

An interesting hand from Table Mizzi...

SB Mate E. Boy (photo below - does anybody recognise this man?) and BB Todd Brunson check a 9s Qh 2s flop to Sorel Mizzi on the button, who bets 675. They both call.

Turn - Qs - and now Mr Boy bets 1150. He looks nervous, like he has a big hand. His hands are sort of shaking as he throws his chips in. Todd Brunson calls, and Sorel gets out of the way.

River - Qc. Now Mr Boy is rubbing his chin. He checks. Brunson bets 2200 and Mr Boy calls, but mucks when he sees Brunson's Qd 4d for rivered Quads.

Any guesses as to what Mr Boy might have had? Flush? Set on the flop? Nothing at all? Anyone?

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12251&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12253&g2_serialNumber=1)

Crazy band, last heard performing a barn dance version of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades."

People shouldn't be able to jig along to "That's the way I like it baby I just want to live forever" imo..

Dana loves them though and as she is currently in possession of our entire cigarette supply, I must concur with her worldy wise opinion.

---

JJ Liu just doubled up James Beardface (I kid you not*)

I joined the hand at the preflop stage with both players having their cards on their back, Liu holding A-K and Mr Beardface the all powerful preflop nuts A-A.

No suprises, Aces hold for our hairy-faced hero and he doubles through, reportedly for the 5th time at this table since he joined. (Although Padraig Parkinson may have been exaggeratiing for comic effect) Literally bristling with excitement, he survives what turned out to be a not-so-close shave and Liu's previous towers of chips are reduced to mere stubble

(*I lied, I kid you...I don't know his name....sorry)

Here are the two....a disconsolate JJ Liu...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12255&g2_serialNumber=1)

...and a contrastingly happy Mr Beardman with his new (mou)stash of chips...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12261&g2_serialNumber=2)

Many Frenchmen in evidence, as follows:

Pascal Perrault on around 13k, and wouldn't look up even though I waited for ages.
Thomas Fougeron on about 30k
Paul Testud, on 20k and a bit glum.

I did less well on the Spanish front, I'm afraid - only Maria Maceiras was obvious when I did the rounds. She's on around 14k, and very surprised to be having her picture taken.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12284&g2_serialNumber=1)

Also please note the pointy finger above the empty chair - this is because the chair's former occupant, Michael O'Cuanaigh, and, I'm afraid, Matt Kay, both busted out the hand before I arrived to Mr Tony Hackett. Not sure of the details, but it was they and not he who couldn't hack it. Sorry, whoever was asking after Mr Kay...

By the way the super sat has made 41 runners and a total €27,600 prize pool, which makes, umm, 6 seats? I think? Something like that.

Mr Eidsvig has not been just Trond-ling along, he is not afraid to get his chips in the middle and beat everybody else to a bloody pulp!!!

Um, he just knocked Jean Jose Ville - Ville moved in on a 9c 7s 9s flop, and Trond announced, "I guess I'm behind" in that incredibly attractive Norwegian accent before calling.

As it turned out he wasn't behind, holding 9h 6h against Ville's 4s 5s

Turn - 2c

River - The absolute very cruelest card in the deck for Ville; namely the 6s

And he's OUT.

Apologies for any confusion arising from the clock switching levels. We don't have it formatted for the Irish Open structure so are adapting it slightly.

Just to clarify we are now on the 150/300/25 level which introduces antes into the equation for the first time.


Mingling amongst the tables, I watched several hands, many of which consisted of late position raises followed by short stack shoves.

First off random Mateyboy raises from late position to 1k, meeting an allin shove from Daniel Kelly in the big blind to 5.5-6k. After grimacing and wincing and generally going through the full gamut of uncomfortable facial expressions, Mateyboy ultimately passes and Daniel moves up to the giddy heights of 7k...

Next up Jen Mason fancies a bit of this action and pops it up to 900 from late position. Unknown older, grey-haired mateyboy now shoves for a similar amount to Daniel  (5,750) and after a small pause, Jen spins her cards toward the muck, conceding the hand to gray-tey boy.

---

Next up Mcenroe Cory Albertson raises from late position, only to find Waterford Winter Festival winner Michael Trimby shoving for 6k or so yet again!

"You com after me big bloind, Oi'll set ya in!" warns Michael to the former tennis star.

Cory creates a bit of a racket as he interrogates Michael further and ultimately nets enough information to let him make the call with Ks Qs.

Michael flips over Ts Tc.

Ladies and gentlemen start your engines, it's a race!

Cory storms into the lead, fistpumpiing the air with delight at the Qh Qd 8c flop.

A 9s turn opens up the possibility of an outdraw and I'm semi rooting for a J or T river just to see if Cory comes out with "You cannot be serious!" but it fails to arrive as the blankiest of blanks 2s hits the river.

"Well played" says Michael, grabbing his coat and leaving the table...

Random bits of news!

Roland De Wolfe - giddy heights of 50k+ after check rasiing with 5d6d on a two diamond A-Q-T board, only to be called by A-4.

The river Td was good for the 20k pot and the slightly fortunate RDW may well be the chip leader at this stage, tearing it up as he is.

---

It was overlooked at the time, unforgiveably, but Praz Bansi is out. No details are available for his exit, but the bracelet-holding hitsquadder reportedly left looking a tad dismayed at his exit, so possibly some grievous misfortune was involved.

---

Ram Vaswani looks to be going along great guns with a 30k or so stack. Those funky new highlights are clearly doing the job for him.

Mr Rory Matthews. Just as I was about to take a photo of him, his table was broken, so I followed him around the room to his new table. He got there, and there was some sort of problem - not sure what, but I followed him back around to the room to his original table where he spoke to a floor person. Then he went back to the same new table and sat down. Sigh. I feel like I've worked off most of the buffet cheesecake already.

Anyway, he's on 11k.

Here are some assorted chip counts. Apologies if a requested player's count is not amongst this list, it is proving a little tricky locating certain players.

Pascal Perrault - 10k
Todd Brunson - 12.5k
David Colclough - 18k
Caroline Manson - 19k
J Kabbaj - 7.5k
Nick Gibson - 7k

More to follow in a bit...

A curious hand from the Now Defunct Table Rory Matthews.

With an amount in the pot preflop that I can describe as lots, but not absolutely LOADS, Hassan Mohammed and Nick Gibson check a Ks Jc 7c flop.

The turn is the dangerous  Aspades - Mohammed bets 3k, and Gwibbo calls.

River - 9d - says Hassan, "Any other time I'd bet," and checks. Gwiboo checks too, which is the correct move as Mohammed shows Kh Kd and Nick mucks.

Oh no, disaster! Jen is OUT!

This is what I wrote down as Jen told me what happened:


SB limps, Jen BB checks

2-5

flop 2-5-4

SB bets, Jen goes all in 8k

SB has 3-6


...Which means, the small blind limped and Jen checked the big blind with 2-5. The flop was 2-5-4 rainbow, and the small blind bet out. Jen, with her two pair, shoved for 7 or 8k, and the small blind called, which is fair enough, as he was holding 3-6 for the flopped straight. No full-housing for Jen, and she's gone. And all my percentagey hopes with her. :(

Not great I'm afraid...

I joined his table as he was on 8.5 or 9k.

James Honeybone had raised to 1200, flat called in one spot and Mickey popped it up to 3,500.

James thought about it and MOVED ALLIN!

The cold caller passed and Mickey thought about it and also passed, leaving himself just 5.5k or so.

Here he is with Albert "HoneyMonster" Sapiano, who found the developments of that hand far more amusing than Mickey did, for obvious reasons...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12310&g2_serialNumber=1)

Players are on a short break.

Jen informs me that she's going back to the room to look at the internet from the comfort of her pyjamas. I am fairly certain she will post soonish.

Roland De Wolfe is on around 40k, but says he could have been on 75k - he raised with A-Q and then folded to a 22k shove from Mateyboy. Mateyboy was holding A-T.

Re: Billy Johnstone, Juan Fernandez, Raul Paez

I'm afraid that a number of circuits of the room later, I still can't see any of them. It is admittedly a bit difficult to find people I've never seen before in a giant room full of poker players, but I studied the photos pretty hard, so until hard evidence proves to the contrary, I'm assuming they're OUT...

We are now playing Level 7 - 200/400/25. Floppy's going to sort us out a new clock structure asap...

Oh no, hang on, our clock's right for this level. Still, we will present you tomorrow with a brand new reliable clock, which i'm sure will fill you with joy.

Reports have arrived that Nick Gibson is OUT!

Bad luck Nick.

Roberto Romanello is looking a bit short. Doesn't have many chips either.  ;hide;

He told he the sad story, which went something like this:

He raised Mateyboy's blinds with 3-2. Mateyblind re-raises all in, and Roberto folds, showing his rubbish hand.

An hour later, he raised Mateyblind with Queens, and Mateyblind again re-raised all in, this time with K-T. King hit, obviously. ROberto dropped 15k on that one, and is down to around 7k.

At this point Joe Grech, who hadn't been listening to any of this, piped up, "Whatever he just told you is completely true." And laughed hysterically.

Maria Maceiras is now sharing a table with Dave Colclough. She is on 15k. He is on a little over 30k.

Oh joy! Trond Eidsvig has been re-seated next to Rory Matthews, giving me another excuse to post his photo.

Rory Matthews - 15k
Trond Eidsvig - 25k
By the by Mr Doyle Brunson has 19k

Disaster for Ram Vaswani!

Not sure what happened, but I saw him making his exit with A-9 against Ergun Macit's Q-K, with a board that read Q-7-9-8-Q.

And with a Ram, bam, thank-you ma'am (actually a "Good luck, guys" and a resigned sigh), he's gone, leaving Mr Macit probably feeling pretty Va-smarmy about it.

Back to the poker...Doyle and his iconic hat have been busy, striking down Anthony Young, his J-9 holding on a J-9 x board against Young's A-J...The old guard will not be denied!

A small but perfectly formed selection of chip counts:

Brian O'Keefe - 28k
Andy Black - 40k
Roland De Wolfe - 30k

An absolutely

(http://www.bhopal.net/march/archives/m20---black-tea-at-dawn.jpg)

I arrive at roughly the turn of a 5h Qs Jc Ad board. Thomas Fougeron checks,and Sorel Mizzi bets an amount that is between medium and massive; let's call it large. Fougeron calls.

River - Tc and again Fourgeron checks. Mizzi now bets an amount that is between massive and all in; let us call it exactly 12.5k. Fougeron calls.

Fougeron - Td 9s
Mizzi - 9h Kh, thus winning the

(http://[img]http://www.bhopal.net/march/archives/m20---black-tea-at-dawn.jpg)[/img]

No he was OUT, level 3 i believe so he actually did worse than you guys really! Not Timex's day...

---

Meanwhile Roland De Wolfe has knocked out Mateyboy.

On a 3s 4c 6h flop, Matey shoved for 8k, Roland called showing 8-8.

Matey's A-6 was behind. "One time" yelled the wolf, and for what is probably the 7,000th time in Roland's illustrious career, his overpair held vs Matey's top pair.

After a little wobble, Roland is back up to 35k.

---

Patrick Murray looks to have picked up a few chips too and is in the region of 10k again, making a mini recovery there.

Kieran O'Leary is doing well...

Facing a push from John McEnroe Cory Albertson on a 3s 5s Td flop, he eventually called, showing As 8s...

Cory had Kd Th for top pair.

"Spade or Ace, Spade or Ace!" shouted Kieran and his exhortations were rewarded in the form of a 6s on the turn. "Yes!" + classic fistpump followed shortly.

Cory was drawing dead but didn't go down the route of his tennis playing doppleganger, choosing instead to simply shake hands with Kieran before departing in his comical oversize baggy shorts. Bad luck sir!

"Gotta win a few of those!" said Kieran happily sweeping up his flushtastic gains.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12361&g2_serialNumber=1)

CHIP COUNTS FROM FLOPPY WHO SEEMS TO BE FEELING MUCH BETTER AND HAS NOW GOT OVER US MAKING FUN OF HIS CHEAPO HEADPHONES:

Trond - 24k
John Duthie - 20k
Maz Nawab - 30k
Andy Black - 40k
John Conroy - 22k
Reyaaz Mulla - 33k
Pascal Perrault - 13k
Doyle "Supercool" Brunson - 45k
Roberto Romanello - was up to 25k, then down to 16k, then further down to his current 9k
James Honeybone - 25k
Roland De Wolfe - 23k

Floppy also witnessed Mr Patrick Murray double up in a 40k pot with Ks Qs against Albert Sapiano's Ad Kd - I'm guessing from the Notes Of Floppy that they were all in on the flop, which was a spadey Kc 8s 7s.

Turn - an irrelevant 5d
River - not a spade, but the Qc for the double up.


PAGE 2 OF CHIP COUNTS ETC A LA FLOPPY

Graham Clarkson - 36k
Sorel Mizzi - 50k
Thomas Fougeron - 7k
Maria Maceiras - 22k
John Wong - 21k
John Kabbaj - 30k
Dave Colclough - 24k

Maria Maceiras has so many chips and Dave Colclough has so few because the two of them got involved in a raising war, which Maria won. Maria made it 2.1k, I believe from the button, and big blind DC made it 6.3k, to which Maria moved in for 18.65k. Colclough laid it down.

Padraig Parkinson has doubled up, apparently shoving his micro-stack in utg and getting himself called by the unimpressed gent in blue.

Padraig P - 6h 6c
Unimpressed Blue Guy -  Ahrt Kd
Board - 5s Jd 5h 4c 8s

And Padraig is back up to the heady heights of, um, around 10k.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12363&g2_serialNumber=1)

Roberto has been up and down, and further down, like a dangerous lift in dire need of maintenance...

Chris reported him as being up to 25k, but when I passed him a little while ago he was down to 16k. Then he called one Mr Nick Coon all in on a 5d 7h 4c flop.

Roberto - 8s 8h
Nick Coon - Jh Jc

Turn - 5s
River - Ad

Which is how he got down to 9k or so.

Andy "Chub" Grinason has just doubled through.

On a 5c 7h 8d flop, he led out for 1.5k, raised to 6.5k by Eric Barker, back to "Chub" and he ramped it up another 12k putting himself allin.

Eric felt committed to call wtih his 5-6 now and did so, Andy tabling the superior 7-7 set.

"Pair the board!" said Andy, but although that didn't happen a pair of blanks on the turn and river were sufficient to double up the popular "young gun" to 32-35k or so, and dent Barker, who looked to be down to 16-20k...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12368&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12370&g2_serialNumber=1)

The entertaining and eccentric Andy Black is a late casualty.

He must have been crippled from his earlier heights of 35-40k as he was down to 7.5k when he shoved over a raise to 1800 and a flat call with A-9.

Unfortunately for him he was looked up by mateyboy's dominating A-Q and although a 9 on the flop propelled him temporarily into the lead, the colourful Irishman was sent crashing to the rail as Matey hit a back door straight.

Bad luck Andy, the tournament won't be quite the same without you!

Play has now finished for the night. Some stuff I saw before that though -

The below gent pictured leaving is OUT with Js Jh no match for the also-pictured Young American who held Qs Qc.

They were all in on the flop, but here is the whole board for your edification - 9c 5c 7c 7h Aspades

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12377&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12380&g2_serialNumber=1)


Also, on Brunsonwatch, Doyle has 50k :) but Todd has only 10k :(


John Duthie is OUT last hand, KK v QQ, and the dude hit a Queen.


Trond looked to have around 40k. Here he is:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=12374&g2_serialNumber=1)

Yes folks play has ended on level 8 and we are finisihed for the day...

Chip counts will be forwarded to us at some point later tonight and we will post them up asap but for now thanks for following us guys, much appreciated. It's been a fun day with some great poker as expected.


We'll be back tomorrow for more folics, carnage, bizarre hoodies, trond references from Dana and bad beat stories from floppy! Bet you can't wait! (Oh an you may get an update on Yoda if you're lucky)

See you at 2:00pm for the start. Be there or be somewhere else!

 ;stickaforkinme;

Yesterday's chip counts, courtesy of Nic 'Derren Brown' Whelan.

82,250 Jay Renehan
78,700 AlexanderFitzgerald
72,375 Carsten Joh
69,325 Mazhar Nawab
60,100 Thomas Dempsey
59,275 David Gregory
59,150 Keith Littlewood
56,225 Sorel Mizzi
55,225 John Keown
53,800 Doyle Brunson
51,300 Graham Clarkson
47,075 Andrew Grimason
46,925 Reyaaz Mulla
46,000 Michael Finn
45,650 Ciaran Burke
43,950 Tyler Reiman
43,875 Philip Gurian
43,150 Trond Eidsvig
42,625 Jack RosenFeldt
41,975 David Albertsson
41,725 Timothy Barany
41,650 Hassan Mohammed
40,450 Soren Konsgaard
39,200 Magnus Hulden
39,150 Eric Barker
39,075 John Conroy
38,750 xuantien Nguyen
38,325 John PaulFox
37,800 NicholasRomanello
35,575 Anthony Fagan
35,375 Kyle Johnston
35,200 Thomas Bichon
34,875 John Kabbaj
33,525 Michael McCool
33,100 Daniel Bolton
32,975 Hartmut Renken
32,600 John Wong
30,075 Brian O’Keefe
29,050 Ciaran O’Leary
28,925 Dick Phelan
28,275 Javed Abrahams
28,025 Padraig Parkinson
27,750 Andreas Hedman
27,350 Juuso Leppanen
27,100 David Brennan
26,825 Kenneth Greaney
26,675 Anthony Wetherall
26,575 Kieran Small
26,200 Paul Baird
26,125 Janne Ruotsalainen
25,450 Pat Murray
25,150 ChristopherO’Connor
24,700 TominariKobayashi
24,650 James Honeybone
23,975 Roberto Romanello
23,075 Tony Cooney
22,975 Thomas Fourgeron
22,700 Anders Knudsen
22,450 Cuong Le
21,825 BelkacemLaouar
21,275 George Mc keever
20,225 Dave Colclough
20,050 Carmel Dunne
19,975 David Dean
19,825 Nick Coon
19,375 Joeseph Sullivan
19,100 Danilo Paulsen
18,500 Taylor McFarland
17,700 George Devine
17,500 Pauric Ryan
17,075 John Juliano
16,600 John O’Reilly
15,425 Roland De Wolfe
15,300 Thomas Finneran
15,125 Steven Silverman
14,975 Adam Elpayaa
14,375 Mark Phillips
14,350 Jaka Faraz quddus
14,175 John Spinella
13,850 Marcel Baran
13,750 Annette O’Carroll
13,500 Robert Willis
13,175 Oliver Boyce
13,100 VladimirBotto
13,025 Edwin Tournier
13,000 Ivan Donaghy
12,925 Ergun Macit
12,775 CarolineManson
12,650 Graeme Newman
12,525 Peter Malbasha
12,450 Ville Nyman
12,025 Peter Mansson
11,900 Jan Larsen
11,425 David Lindstrom
10,625 Michael Guttmann
10,400 Robert Cazali
10,275 Todd Brunson
10,175 JonathanRich
10,100 Des Wilson
9,800 Antonio Maestro Lorenzo
9,775 Rune Sletten
9,575 JohannesStraussman
8,700 Kazimer Strupinski
8,600 Maria Maceiras
8,600 Eoghan O’Dea
8,050 William Kervick
7,975 Samuel Lethonen
7,875 Noel Mc pike
7,250 Greig Crawford
7,200 FredericLevy
6,750 Adrian O’Donahue
6,400 John Hanaphy
4,125 Albert Sapiano
3,700 Tino Lechich
3,700 Giovani Safina
3,600 Michael Nolan