blonde poker forum

I think we're all photoshopped out today, so you're going to have to make do with mere chip counts:

Antonio Esfandiari (USA) -- 1,198,000
Robin Keston (UK) -- 916,000
Denes Kalo (Hungary) -- 642,000
Johnny Lodden (Norway) -- 623,000
Maxime Villemure (Canada) -- 600,000
Mostafa Belkhayate (Morocco) -- 523,000
Gerasimos Deres (Sweden) -- 494,500
Henrik Gwinner (Denmark) -- 487,000
David Shade Kruger (USA) -- 486,500
Thomas Boekhoff (Germany) -- 465,000
Rami Boukai (USA) -- 425,000
Eric Liu (USA) -- 398,000
Noah Siegel (USA) -- 388,500
Stig Top Rasmussen (Denmark) -- 373,000
Glen Chorny (Canada) -- 344,000
Oyvind Riisem (Norway) -- 340,000
Pablo Ubierna (Spain) -- 316,000
Peter Traply (Hungary) -- 300,500
Valeriy Ilikyan (Russia) -- 295,000
Claudio Pagano (Italy) -- 291,000
Jonathan Dwek (Canada) -- 282,000
Luca Pagano (Italy) -- 279,500
Amit Makhija (USA) -- 269,500
David Miara (France) -- 249,500
Isaac Baron (USA) -- 236,500
Joe Hachem (Australia) -- 214,500
Michael Martin (USA) -- 141,500
Freddy Deeb (USA) -- 140,500
Alexander Morozov (Russia) -- 133,000
Raymond Rahme  (South Africa) -- 133,000
Walid Bou Habib (Lebanon) -- 127,500
Benjamin Sprengers (USA) -- 127,000
Anders Berg (Norway) -- 124,000
Andrew Luetchford (UK) -- 116,000
Vincent Secher (France) -- 92,500
Anthony Chatelain (Sweden) -- 83,500
Tomas Brolin (Sweden) -- 74,000
Andreas Fluri (Switzerland) -- 61,000
Stefan Geim (Germany) -- 58,000

Play commences at 1pm.

What would be your ideal final table? My favoured line up would be as follows:

Antonio Esfandiari (USA)
Robin Keston (UK)
Johnny Lodden (Norway)
Claudio Pagano (Italy)
Luca Pagano (Italy)
Isaac Baron (USA)
Joe Hachem (Australia)
Tomas Brolin (Sweden)

I like to think I've got a bit of everything in there. A famous pro, a Brit, an aggressive Scandie, a father and son combo, an online genius, a World Champ and a pie eating former International footballer.

Oooh this is fun.

Mine is -

Denes "The Great Kalo" Kalo - he runnered-up in Baden, y'know
Johnny Lodden - he wandered into the ladies' toilets earlier this evening and sat down for a chat with us; didn't seem bothered when Jen and I told him he was in the ladies' toilets, and that impressed me
Joe Hachem - for comedy shouting when he doubles up etc
Michael Martin :) :) :) - to maintain my current status as TheReader's favourite updater
Freddy Deeb - to allow Schwarzenegger/Shaun Deeb photoshopping etc to continue
Anders Berg - because his name sounds like a European city
Henrik Gwinner - for Gwinner's The Winner punning possibilities if he wins
Andrew Luetchford - because he's a Brit and he's somehow managed to completely duck under our radar this whole week - no mean feat

Good luck, all!

I will go for:

Anders Berg
Johnny Lodden
Oyvind Riisem
Henrik Gwinner
Isaac Baron
Michael Martin
Antonio Esfandiari
Eric Liu

Half Scandie/Half American/mainly online.  Let's put money on it, team!!

rhooo none of you think that a frenchie is able to go in Final Table ??? OK, I can understand that... none of the best french players is alive now...

Mine is :
Antonio Estfandiari
Johny Lodden
Luca Pagano
David Miara
Stig Top Rasmussen
Maxime Villemure
Robin Keston
Michael Martin

Question : I think that none of the WPT winner has won an EPT... I'm I wrong ?

If I'm right, it will be Esfandiari's challenge...

I'm afraid last year's winner Gavin Griffin recently won an EPT. Roland de Wolfe has also done the double.

 :o

OMG! What's happened to them? Did they eat the fish and die of food poisoning?

So let me understand this.....Snoopy is the only one who doesn't have Michael at the final table.  Bad Snoopy!!! ;madasahatstand;

TR23

impossible, he's not here this week... so no frenchie could have (b)eat him...
(http://blondepoker.com/blondepedia/images/photos/photo_6055.jpg)

Maxime Villemure to win because he is best all round cash game and tourney player with gunning reads.get ur stats right and radar up. he's winning it.

Ideal FT:

Antonio Esfandiari (USA) -- 1,198,000
Johnny Lodden (Norway) -- 623,000
Eric Liu (USA) -- 398,000
Luca Pagano (Italy) -- 279,500
Isaac Baron (USA) -- 236,500
Joe Hachem (Australia) -- 214,500
Michael Martin (USA) -- 141,500
Benjamin Sprengers (USA) -- 127,000

Will never happen though.

Should be good day 2mo!

when will table draws get posted?

Go Jonny Lodden!

At San Remo he put in most impressive drunken performance at the wrap party, Mad having to repeatedly stop him from dropping his trousers in the bar. When Mad is restraining people for outrageous behaviour, you know you have a bit of a legend on your hands!

Also go Isaac Baron, following up his deep run at the last EPT with another strong performance here.

Also go Benjo. Nice to see him chipped up and deep. I heard people were walking up to Antonio Esfandiari, asking for autographs, telling him "Benjo you're my favourite player." Is this true?

Also go Freddy Deeb because he's an awesome player and he's the only player on the EPT circuit shorter than me. Take it down for the oompah loompah team imo.

Also will be interesting to see if Dana completes her mission to discover every combination of mixers IN THE WORLD capable of re-creating Dr Pepper. My offering...cherry coke and Dr Pepper tastes a bit like Dr Pepper. Also Dr Pepper and water. Strike those two off your list.

Who will be next to have their head photoshopped onto a zombie?

SO much to look forward to. Massively excited about today!!!! I'm as happy as a cat can be! (almost...)

(http://static.flickr.com/134/323197997_5176664a77.jpg)

Would like to see Isaac Baron take this down!

Has there been a delay? When is this due to start?

Glen Chorny   1   1
Andreas Fluri   1   2
Amit Makhija   1   3
Anthony Chatelain   1   4
Alexander Morozov   1   5
Miara David   1   6
Raymond Rahme   1   7
Johnny Lodden   1   8
Eric Liu   2   1
Benjamin Sprengers   2   2
Tomas Brolin   2   3
Claudio Pagano   2   4
Rami Boukai   2   5
David Shade Kruger   2   6
Stig Top Rasmussen   2   7
Antonio Esfandiari   2   8
Oyvind Riisem   3   1
Robin Keston   3   2
Denes Kalo   3   3
Gerasimos Deres   3   4
Stefan Geim   3   5
Henrik Gwinner   3   6
Peter Traply   3   7
Isaac Baron   3   8
Joe Hachem   4   1
Noah Siegel   4   2
Walid Bou Habib   4   3
Valeriy Ilikyan   4   4
Andrew Luetchford   4   5
Mostafa Belkhayate   4   6
Maxime Villemure   4   7
Pablo Ubierna   4   8
Luca Pagano   5   1
Jonathan Dwek   5   2
Thomas Boekhoff   5   3
Freddy Deeb   5   4
Michael Martin   5   5
Vincent Secher   5   6
Anders Berg   5   7

Players Down, Courtesy Of The Pokerstars Fairies:

40 Stephen Kjaerstad Norway 38,000
41 Michel Carvin France 33,700
42 Pierre Hall Canada PokerStars cash qualifier 33,700
43 Haward Speer Germany PokerStars cash qualifier 33,700
44 Simon Faure France 33,700
45 Csaba Toth Hungary 33,700
46 Martin Rask Denmark 33,700
47 Borge Dypvik Norway 33,700
48 Andreas Hagen Norway 33,700
49 Mark Keightley UK PokerStars cash qualifier (DS) 29,400
50 Benjamino Speroni Italy 29,400
51 Gordon Vayo USA 29,400
52 Woody Deck Lithuania 29,400
53 Ricardo Sousa Portugal 29,400
54 Domenico Tinnirello Italy 29,400
55 Sorel Mizzi Canada PokerStars cash qualifier 29,400
56 Kari Somer Finland PokerStars cash qualifier 29,400
57 Sami Ovaskainen Finland 25,200
58 Massou Cohen France 25,200
59 Matthew Kurtz USA PokerStars cash qualifier 25,200
60 Cyril Bensoussan France 25,200
61 Brian Green USA 25,200
62 Rahal Kalil France 25,200
63 Clayton Maguire USA 25,200
64 Nikolaus Panopoulus Greece 21,000
65 James Campbell USA PokerStars cash qualifier (DS) 21,000
66 Giovanni Nervo Italy 21,000
67 Jan Heitmann Germany Sponsored 21,000
68 George Lind USA 21,000
69 Tom Stig Ahlberg Finland 21,000
70 Ian Prevost USA 21,000
71 Torbjorn Jonsson Sweden 21,000
72 Giovanni Bigoni Italy PokerStars cash qualifier 21,000
73 Morten Lokken Norway 17,000
74 Tommi Horkko Finland 17,000 75 Benjamin Kang Germany Sponsored 17,000
76 William Martin UK 17,000
77 Sean Bruder Canada PokerStars cash qualifier 17,000
78 Felipe Ramos Brazil 17,000
79 Ed De Haas Holland 17,000
80 Trond Erik Eidsvig Norway 17,000

And they're off!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=14357&g2_serialNumber=1)

Still to nip play for  ;nipnip;:

1    € 2,020,000
2    € 1,179,000
3    € 715,000
4    € 589,000
5    € 421,000
6    € 337,000
7    € 253,000
8    € 168,000
9+10    € 126,000
11+12    € 101,000
13+14    € 76,000
15+16    € 55,200
17-24    € 46,300
25-32    € 42,100
33-39    € 38,000

Joe Hachem gets in to the zone (or stabs self in eye) as the button is drawn in seat five (fascinating detail, eh?).  He raises first hand to 18k only for Valeriy Ilikyan (bottom) to re-raise to 45k.  He passes.  Going well, otherwise.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15723&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15725&g2_serialNumber=1)

Phezz - radar up and Maxime Villemure spotted.  But not first hand.  On which he was big blind and AWOL.  Never mind, what's 6k when you have those nice stacks of 5ks eh?

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15727&g2_serialNumber=1)

jenn please keep your eyes peeled for mr AMIT MAKHIJA!

First out today was Andreas Fluri, who was closely followed by former International footballer Tomas Brolin. "He's been pushing his shortstack in for three days," observed a Danish blogger on the rail, but this time he was given a spin courtesy of Antonio Esfandiari. On their backs and the magician needed to pull something out of the hat, his Ad Qs in bad shape against Brolin's Ac Kd. However, if you're always the one all-in, it's unlikely you're going to survive them all, the second Lady on the Qd 4h 3c Flop provoking a ripple of disappointed aahs from the crowd. Stoic as always, Tomas sat motionless as the 4d Turn and 5c River sealed his fate. A quick tap of the table and he was gone.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15729&g2_serialNumber=1)

Live TV coverage now on http://www.eptlive.com/ .. am I allowed to post that here? If not, sorry - and feel free to remove this post. :)

Antonio Esfandiari
Johnny Lodden
Peter Traply
Luca Pagano
Isaac Baron
Joe Hachem
Michael Martin
Freddy Deeb
Rami Boukai

We've got more exits here than a jumbo jet!

(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/492199743_eae2b2dc01.jpg)


And indeed it must feel a bit like this for Mr Benjamin Sprengers right now:

(http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n41/dt67821/EmergencyExitAircraft.jpg)


He shoved with Ad Qh and got himself called by Stig Rusmussen with a dominated Ahrt Ts. Nevertheless Sprengers immediately announced, "Right, great game, guys. You know what's coming." Indeed - 9s Th 3s Js 3d

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15743&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15745&g2_serialNumber=1)

Just moments before the Brolin exit (I was dodging through the tables like a slalom skier), I witnessed the fiery Joe Hachem double through. On this occasion there was a distinct lack of emotion, his refusal to view the board as it is being dealt and his state of temporary meditation perhaps an effort to  display more composure after yesterday's Wood Deck kafuffle.

Up against Mostafa Belkhayate, the 2005 World Champ had good reason to feel composed, his Queens in cracking shape against the Moroccan's Pocket Jacks. A rainbow 9-4-8-2-9 and the Hach was bag, a slight clench of the fist his only show of emotion in what was a crucial hand at a crucial time.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15735&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15741&g2_serialNumber=1)

Yes yes, you are - in fact there's an EPT Live thread on blonde, so you never have to leave the comforting warmth of your blonde home. I'm afraid I can't post the link to it as for some reason when I open that thread my Mac crashes for some reason, but I understand it works just fine on PC.

Also OUT is Russian gentleman Mr Alexander Morozov - somehow finding himself all in with Ahrt Kd against the Ac Ad of Raymond Rahme. No miracle on the 3d 7h Qc 4d 6d board, and Mr Morozov has hit the rail, and also shortstacked Mr Rahme enjoys a virtual double-up.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15747&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15751&g2_serialNumber=1)

You mean here: (High Quality) http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=32581.0

And here: (Low Quality) http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=32582.0

Whilst Michael Martin pushes all-in uncontested on the feature table (Freddy Deeb took an age over his decision before eventually folding), Robin Keston (pictured below) is getting involved early doors. He called a 20k bet from Oyvind Riise on an A-6-4-2-J before checking down the River and showing a Six. Unfortunately, Oyvind revealed Pocket Queens to take the pot.

What I have seen thus far is that the structure is displaying a great deal of generosity, the players enjoying ample room to see some flops and play the streets. Of course the shorter stacks are still looking for opportunities to raise all-in pre-flop, but when two giant stacks lock horns, you can be treated to a number of interesting, and less formulaic battles.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15733&g2_serialNumber=1)

Stig Top Rasmussen makes it a double (pretty much)...

On the small blind, the green'n'yellow sporting Rasmussen, on a roll with the calling (why stop when you're on to a good thing?) just knocked young David Shade Kruger down to the felt. 

I caught the action from when Rasmussen was standing up and thinking about whether to call all-in on a flop of 3c 5d 9d.  He had c. 300k behind and the pressure was on him after button Kruger had made the push.  "Wow," he said, bringing the audience in on his thinking process, "Wow. Wow wow wow."

Then, having finished the process, "I call."
Stig Top Rasmussen:  7c 7d
David Shade Kruger: Qd Td

Turn:  6s
River: 8c

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSS!!!" screams Rasmussen.  "YES YES YES!" for emphasis.  He punches the air and turns to talk to the rail in Danish (what is it about the Danes - they produce the only expressive winners/losers amongst the Scandinavians ;)   )

Kruger moves almost his entire stack in the direction of Rasmussen, who now must be on over 800,000.  Pictured:  David, who said not a word while watching his dream of EPT victory recede into the really-not-likely distance.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15455&g2_serialNumber=1)

I don't know if it will be OK on your MAC, but you can try this way to see the EPT live :
1. Open your Media Player Sowtware
2. Like you would open an mp3, or a video, try to open as it were a file : "http://tinopolis-PokerStarLive-Eng-500k.wm.llnwd.net/tinopolis_PokerStarLive_Eng_500k"

I it's the way I do because like that, I'm able to resize de window and watch with the size I want without be in full screen...

One of only two Brits remaining in the event, the other, of course, being London's robin Keston, this chap is Andrew Luetchford, currently sharing a table with enigmatic Aussie Joe Hachem.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15737&g2_serialNumber=1)

Hey Favorite Blonde Reporters --

Unfortunately I have to go to work for three hours so I'm going to miss some of this coverage.  In the meantime......GO MICHAEL!!!! ;cheerleader; ;cheerleader; ;cheerleader;

Also, I went to the ept live site and couldn't find any button to click on to watch it.  Does anyone know how to do this?

Thanks.  See you later.

TR23

Yep, as expected, David Shade Kruger is now OUT, so this is the last opportunity, really, for me to post this new pic of him from earlier today, when he had a nice stack.  Here it is:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15756&g2_serialNumber=1)

The main site works fine for me.

http://www.eptlive.com/high_en.html

Quote Of The Day

Ms Jen Mason: "I've just done the whole of Table 2."

 :o

Mustafa Belkhayate points out to Brit Andrew Luetchford that the Monte Carlo Bay Resort and Casino is located in the Monegasque equivalent of Area 51...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15760&g2_serialNumber=1)

Took their photos, their photos.  Honestly.   >:(

hum hum... easy... ;angel;

Wow, Jen..a Frenchman calls you easy! Now that's saying a lot! ;)

;gobsmacked;
no that's what not what I wanted to say...
 ;tightend;

Go the guy wearing the bath robe  ;applause; ;applause;

Valeriy Ilikyan raises utg to 22k, called by The Great Kalo.

Flop - 4s 5h Ks - Valeriy bets 25k, and The Great Kalo calls.

Turn - Kh - now Valeriy checks. The Great Kalo also checks.

River - Qd - and neither of them feels like betting any more, they just check.

Showdown!

Valeriy - Ad 5d (interesting utg raising there, imo)
The Great Kalo - Jc Js

The Great Kalo is victorious!

(http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/9738/khalics6.jpg)

I thought it was a lab coat.

Btw that's Vincent Secher, right? (You guys watching the live feed probably know more about what's happening on the tv table than we do.) Mr Secher, and this might be a lie, is allegedly currently staying in a tent in Nice owing to having no money, or general eccentricity, or something. Most odd.

At this stage in the tournament, you simply have to win your coinflips, but unfortunately for Swedish player Gerasimos Deres, his coin was buttered the wrong side. Re-raised all-in by Frenchman David Miara, Gerasimos made a reluctant call with A-J, but was elated to find that he wasn't dominated, Miara and his Pocket Fives needing to avoid a Bullet and a Knave to survive. And with the board coming 9-4-7-K-2, that's exactly what happened.

And now for something completely different - some Names and Numbers.  Facts.  Cold, solid, facts.  All right, chip approximations by me...

Table 1

Glen Chorny -- 322k
Noah Siegel -- 490k
Amit Makhija -- 220k
Anthony Chatelain -- 85k
Walid Bou Habib -- 105k
David Miara -- 290k
Raymond Rahme -- 325k
Johnny Lodden -- 630k

Table 2

Eric Liu -- 380k
Isaac Baron -- 465k
Maxime Villemure -- 390k
Claudio Pagano -- 470k
Rami Boukai -- 430k
Andrew Luetchford -- 120k
Stig Top Rasmussen -- 820k
Antonio Esfandiari -- at least 1 mil but possibly more

Table 3

Oyvind Riisem -- 600k-800k dependent on whether the stacks behind the visible stacks were brown or blue
Robin Keston -- c. 1 million
Denes Kalo -- 670k
Stefan Geim -- 290k
Henrik Gwinner -- 340k
Peter Traply  -- 350k
Valeriy Ilikyan -- 290k

After the aforementioned clash, Gerasimos Deres found himself with just 63,000 and looking for the earliest opportunity to push, and when he was dealt Pocket Fives, he made his move. Unfortunately for him, nemesis Miara woke up with Queens, and a 4-T-3-3-T board later he was gone.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15764&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15762&g2_serialNumber=1)

For anyone having trouble with their links/who doesn't like moving images and prefers words:  Freddy Deeb has busted out over on the TV table.  A-T (?) vs. JJ which hit a set for good measure.

yep, vincent secher. he got a room sponsored by pokerstars in the meanwhile though, nice PR for pstars. "he only played a $7 qualifier and now already has $60k" they told the story as advertisement on the stream. (yeah, in USD the number is higher than EUR :p).

An interesting hand on Table 3...

Robin Keston raises utg. Peter Traply calls him. Have to say Robin looks a bit nervous to me. Read into that what you will.

Flop - 8d 2c Ts and Keston bets 30k. Traply considers, and calls.

Turn - Qs - and now they both check.

River - and Mr Keston fires out 45k. Mr Traply considers for a while, and passes. Mr Keston's hands seem to be shaking a bit as he rakes in the chips. Massive bluff? Excitement from actually having an awesome hand? Rheumatism? We will never know.

On a 3d-7h-5c board, Rasmussen (big blind) bets out 50k only for Claudio Pagano (button) to make it 155k. Rasmussen asked for a count, which, incidentally, was circa 235k, before eventually passing.

yeah gogogo Vincent  ;hattip;

just saw our montreal boy maxime villemure pull in chips from a guy who just went busto. w00t w00t!!!

Daniel and his companion on EPT live telly keep saying Vincent sleeps in a tent during this tourney...so the Stars hotel must be shit :)

Chip leader Antonio Esfandiari showing off his monster stack:

Something tells me that Antonio might be joining the photoshop queue for Dana's zombie pic.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15772&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15802&g2_serialNumber=1)

Yep, Maxime Villemure indeed busted someone (Dana has all the details coming).  But seeing as he seems to be getting involved a bunch - here's another hand he just won:

He raised in the cutoff and found Stig Top Rasmussen playing back at him from the big blind.  It looked like a re-raise of 26k, which was either a min-raise or close to it.  Action back to Villemure, who slowly and deliberately raised again, a further 68k.  Suddenly it looked like two deep stacks were going to go to war...

Tank for Rasmussen, and an evenutal pass.  Villemure showed the Js 2d. 

"I KNEW it!" exclaims Rasmussen, against all the evidence.

[X] obv.
[X] standard.

Almost Last Brit Standing Mr Andrew Luetchford, armed with 9c 9h, shoves his shortstack into the place where shortstacks go when they shove - that is, the middle, or, as it turns out, into a world of pain, as Maxime Villeneuve calls him with Kc Kh.

Board - 3h 2h Qd Tc 7s

Almost Last Brit Standing = not standing any more. I mean, he is, but only for purposes of leaving:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15798&g2_serialNumber=1)

Antonio Esfandiari showing off his chip skillz.  The camera loves him, but Claudio Pagano has seen it all before...

Incidentally, can any of you viewing do this trick?  I don't think my hands can be trained.  I've tried.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15803&g2_serialNumber=1)

Lame Blind-On-Blind Limp/Checkage Turns Into Quite Big And Aggressively Played Pot Shocker

I think people take my posts more seriously if I put tabloid-style headings on them.

Anyway, Stig Rasmussen limps from the small blind and Antonio Esfandiari checks the big blind.

Flop - Td 5c Kh - and Rasmussen bets 10k. Antonio calls.

Turn - Ad and now Rasmussen bets a WHOPPING (I said a WHOPPING) 60k. Antonio calls.

River - 5s - Rasmussen sort of gives up and checks. Antonio bets an UNBELIEVABLE!!! 150k or so. Mr Rasmussen half-laughs in a way that suggests that if he doesn't, he might cry. "I can't call," says he. And instead he does the other thing you're allowed to do, the one that isn't calling, but rather is folding.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15792&g2_serialNumber=1)


Antonio Esfandiari has the freedom!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15784&g2_serialNumber=1)


...The freedom not to wear shoes in a public place!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15786&g2_serialNumber=1)


He only brought slippers with him anyway.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15788&g2_serialNumber=1)

I can do this one, it gets easier once sum1 shows you how to do it

Creative Backward-Sitter Of The Day -

Mr Stefan Geim

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15795&g2_serialNumber=1)

TV Table Of The Day

- featuring in a standy-uppy position my mad scientist/health spa escapee Of The Day, Mr Vincent Secher.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15796&g2_serialNumber=1)

how is the Frenchie David Miara ?

a photo please ?

Just for a change, I decide just to keep track of one table and see how the action panned out. After watching a few hands, one thing that I noticed was that no one received a walk, and rarely would a raise go by without another player re-raising behind. The first hand I witnessed involved Johnny Lodden and David Miara, the combination of which had created a 150k pot. With the board reading 2h-5h-2s, David took it down with a suspicious 80k bet.

Believing that most of hands I was about witness would follow a similar pattern, the very next hand we were treated to a double through. With big stacker Noel Siegal raising it up to 22k from the button, an inevitable move considering the lesser stacks of the blinds, Amit Makhija passed and Walid Bou Habib called. On the Tc-5s-6c Flop, it all kicked of, Walid check-calling an all-in from Seigal who had nonchalantly made the gesture with a mere wave of his hand.

After Siegal revealed a vulnerable Pocket Twos, Walid punched the air and showed 8c-5c. "Yes!" he exclaimed, if a little premature. However, the Poker Gods didn't spit in his face, the Ace of Clubs on the Turn sealing the deal and making the River academic. In victory, Walid leapt over to the rail to shake the hand of a fan in the crowd before returning to his seat jubilant. Siegal, meanwhile, remained calm, simply asking "how much?" and handing over the wonga. Still on 800k, Siegal remains in great shape, but will still be disheartened to have doubled Walid up to 265k and made him more of a threat than he previously was.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15817&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15819&g2_serialNumber=1)

Pablo Ubierna is OUT. He made a move with 7-2 on a J-T-J Flop on the TV table, but was swiftly looked up by Luca Pagano who had J-9.

;bp;

I caught this pot from where it wildly escalated (in a way reminiscent of Danafish's last post)...

Threeway on the turn, the board:  6h 3h Jc...9h  Looks like Mr. Liu might have started this all off after Stig Top Rasmussen checked in the big blind.  But Isaac Baron (pictured) ran with it, raising to 125k.  Back to Rasmussen, who did the second part of the checkraise to the tune of a further 160k.  Liu (if he was in this at all, which I  think he was but can't be sure - lots of tall people in my way) left it, but when it got back to Baron, he thought for a little while, and then moved all in!  A ripple of excitement went through his railers, and everyone, it appeared, except Isaac, who remained totally impassive.

Rasmussen, on the other hand (having rollercoastered today a little bit, and currently on the down part) stood up, crouched behind his chair, stood up again, ran a tortured hand across his face and dwelled until he had the clock called on him.

[Amusing Esfandiari/Frazer aside:  TD Steve Frazer talked him through his one-minute-to-decide in a very clear, firm way, at which Antonio goes, "Very professional."  He replies, just as seriously, "Thank you.  I practice in front of a mirror."]

Back to Rasmussen who has 160k to call, and has around 350 behind.  Whispers behind me indicated the general impression that folding wasn't an option, but it was, and he took it. 

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15815&g2_serialNumber=1)

Peter Traply finishes in 26th.... We thought it was safe to leave and write about stuff in the press room with 1 min to go until the break.  But it wasn't, so we don't have any hand details.  Sorry.  He gets € 42,100, though. 

Back on Table Lodden, the action continued with Lodden himself, raising to 52k pre-flop but briskly folding to an all-in from Amit Makhija on the button. The next hand, Wallid Bou Habib himself folded to a pre-flop re-raise from David Miara, the Frenchman's raise to 110k making it to much for Walid to play. Then, a hand or two later, Glen Chorny proudly showed a bluff to the crowd, his 60k on the River of a 8d-Jc-3h-Ks-2h forcing David Miara to fold. Chorny showed 7c-4c.

Mr Raymond Rahme was getting bullied. He bet out 24k on a Jd 9s 6h Kh board, but passed when Johnny Lodden made it another 50k.

I lost interest in that table, and moved over to where there was a Qh Ac Ad 2d board out, and Stig Rasmussen was betting 40k. Eric Liu was calling him. The river came the 3d and they checked it - Stig showed Kh Ks, and Eric Liu nodded impassively and mucked. Then Stig went a bit crazy. "Oh my God!!! Why can't a Queen come high? Why can't a Queen come high? I don't believe it!!!"

Obviously I am busy scribbling down this outburst, so I don't notice that across the way, Mr Raymond Rahme is all in, and, indeed, busted out, courtesy of Mr Frenchie David Miara (who I've been accidentally calling Midori in my notes like the melon liqueur; sorry Miara fans). Like I said, I was distracted - shame on me! - but I believe it may have been the ol' Kings v Aces. Either way, Mr Raymond Rahme is OUT, like so:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15824&g2_serialNumber=1)



Er, yes, that photo was dedicated to jpean. :)

The players have just come to the end of a short fifteen minute break. Play is due to start very shortly.

thanks Dana  :D


 ;popcorn; ;popcorn;

Damn !

I'm watching EPTLive in French to have French commentaries and who is speaking with the commentator ???? Barry greenstein in ENGLISH

 ;frustrated;

ATTN. NAS

Ms Kara Scott has entered the building. In a corset.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15826&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15828&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15830&g2_serialNumber=1)

2    8    Antonio Esfandiari                1,640,000
3    2    Robin Keston                   900,000
2    2    Isaac Baron                   815,000
2    3    Maxime Villemure                   790,000
3    3    Denes Kalo                   680,000
3    1    Oyvind Riisem                   650,000
1    6    David Miria                   645,000
5    7    Joe Hachem                   633,000
3    6    Henrik Gwinner                   600,000
5    1    Luca Pagano                   554,000
5    3    Thomas Boekhoff                   533,000
1    1    Glen Chorny                   520,000
2    7    Stig Top-Rasmussen                   460,000
1    8    Johnny Lodden                   420,000
1    2    Noah Siegel                   410,000
2    4    Claudio Pagano                   370,000
2    1    Eric Liu                   324,000
5    6    Vincent Secher                   312,000
1    3    Amit Makhija                   278,000
5    8    Mostafa Belkhayate                   232,000
3    8    Valeriy Ilikyan                   202,000
5    5    Michael Martin                   195,000
3    5    Stefan Geim                   180,000
2    5    Rami Boukai                   150,000
1    5    Walid Bou Habib                   145,000

Whilst my eyes were unavoidably distracted by the consecutive bare-feet in Seats 7 and 8 (is this a first in EPTs?), the second of the shoe-rebellers, Stig Rasmussen, suddenly jumped up from his seat like a kangaroo on a trampoline and paced around the table, in a fashion that we have become more than accustomed with. The reason for his latest bout of fidgetitus was an all-in with Rami Boukai, the latter in steaming hot water with Ac 9c versus Jh Jd and in desperate need of an Ace.

"No Ace! No Ace!" commanding the booming voice of Rasmussen.

Board = Kh Qd 6s Th Ks

"Yes!" he bellowed as he raced to the rail.

Meanwhile, Rami shook the hands of his opponents and quietly left stage left as an ever-excitable Rasmussen continued to celebrate.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15836&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15834&g2_serialNumber=1)

I just have seen a weird spot on EPT live where I have seen you updaters... but why Jen and Dana were perfectly visible while snoop's face was hidden when he spoke ???

 :D

REDRAW - with approx counts...

David Miara -- 660k
stefan Geim -- 235k
Vincent Secher -- 318k
Thomas Boekhoff -- 540k
Joe Hachem -- 630k
Isaac Baron -- 740kish
Robin Keston -- 970k  (Started the day dropping 150k, then "decided to stop haemorrhaging.")
Noah Siegel -- 255k

Glen Chorny -- 568k
Mustafa Belkhayate -- 105k
Amit Makhija -- 270k
Michael Martin -- 342k   (Pictured because he offered his chip count.  Always appreciated.)
Johnny Lodden -- 444k  (Not pictured because he broke the rail rope and then blamed it on me.)
Claudio Pagano -- 360k
Denes Kalo -- 705k
Luca Pagano -- 480k

TV table:  everyone else

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15838&g2_serialNumber=1)

I'm not a huge fan of Lee Jones commentary.

Can you do me a favour and organise a coup to take the ept live commentary box? ;surrender;

Yes, literally facing each other across the table are Claudio Pagano and Luca Pagano – father and son.  I don’t want to have to have dinner at their house if one knocks the other out.  Actually, on second thoughts, looking at them, they both look unbelievably cheerful – guaranteed a payout of € 46,300 each. 

Wonder if they swapped a percentage?

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15844&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15846&g2_serialNumber=1)

Tee hee!

In case anyone missed that, which would obviously be a great tragedy, here it is again:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTCkYeOaiAE

rotflmfao..top class stuff!...They could have just shot Snoops from behind though..he would have been hidden by that giant lump on the back of his neck ;)

There's a lot of luck in poker, and none more so when it comes to winning the coinflips at those vital times. Yesterday, Robin won a couple of races that put him in great stead, and today the Poker Gods have continued to smile upon him. Unwitting to what was about to occur behind him, Isaac Baron's pre-flop raise of 57k triggered a domino effect that led to, first, a re-raise to 102k from Robin Keston and, second, an all-in for around 230k from Noah Siedel. Knowing that Noah had to have a big hand to make such a move, but simultaneously acknowledging that he'd already invested 100k into the pot, Robin made the correct call with Pocket Queens, surely delighted to see Robin reveal A-K. A 6-6-8-7-4 board was good enough for the Ladies to survive, leading to Noah exiting stage left to a nice round of applause. Robin, meanwhile, glanced over at me and released a big sigh of relief, clearly relieved to have won the race.

Playing well and winning those crucial 50/50s, Robin Keston is looking increasingly likely of making that final table.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15858&g2_serialNumber=1)

We are down one rainbow stripey shirt in this Grand Final - it is that of Mostafa Belkhayate, and it is one Johnny Lodden who is now in possession of Mostafa's chips. Shirt remains with Mr Belkhayate.

Mr Lodden makes it 30k, and Mr Belkhayate makes it All In for 82k more from the small blind. A reasonable amount of dwellage from Lodden, and then just the right amount of call-age to have 'em on their backs, as it were.

Mostafa Belkhayate - Ac Kc
Johnny Lodden - 3s 3c

Board - 3h 9c 4d Kh 6d

And with a massive "WOOOAAAARRRR!!!!!" from the Betsson railers as the Three hits the felt, Mr Belkhayate is OUT.

Johnny ponders whether to call the all-in as Mostafa awaits his fate, probably not helped any by the gentleman blowing raspberries at him behind his back:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15875&g2_serialNumber=1)


A-leaving, with Steve Frezer looking sort of creepy, like he can see into my soul.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15878&g2_serialNumber=1)

Mission Underway.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15879&g2_serialNumber=1)

That's Otis from Pokerstars. Say hello to him from me if you have a chance.

Can you ask Mad if I can do it? ::)

Ach you've frightened him off with the photoshopping  :(

 But there's luck he said he may return to card call later, we will get him then  ;snoopy'sguns;

Just before the exit of Mr Belkhayate, total Pagano Jr bullification of table.

Mr Amit Makhija made it 26k from mid-position and Johnny Lodden called from the cutoff. Luca on the big blind spotted an opportunity, or found a hand, or just for the sheer hell of it, went all in. Both Amit and Johnny passed.

Johnny then turned to his neighbour Pagano Sr and made an odd gesture like he was swatting flies. Not sure what that was about. Perhaps he was asking Mr Pagano to give his son a slap from him later. Perhaps not.

Amit Khan, with extra value-added Michael Martin:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15851&g2_serialNumber=1)


Johnny Lodden and Pagano Sr:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15867&g2_serialNumber=1)


Pagano Jr:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15855&g2_serialNumber=1)

Amit Khan, with extra value-added Michael Martin:


Dana -- Thanks for the pic.   :)

TR23

If my maths is correct, sole remaining Brit Robin Keston has 1,340,000.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15885&g2_serialNumber=1)

A

(http://www.bybb.com/images/products/ag146.jpg)

betwee Isaac Baron and Joe Hachem. I caught it on the river of the 6d 9d Aspades 9h Js board. With around 200k in the pot, Isaac bets a WHOPPING!!! 155k. After much extended dwellage, Hachem folds. As the chips are pushed towards him, Isaac, who has apparently been holding his breath the entire time, lets out one massive sigh.

Double-up for Eric Liu on the TV table just now, as all you live feed junkies will already know. He pushed with 9d Th and got himself called by 7s 7d (must confess, was only watching it with one eye while I used the other to look at what I has typing - so I can only 60% confirm that the dude with Sevens was Oyvind Riisem).

Board - Ts Jd Qs 2h 5c

Woop!

Sadly, it looks like we're going to have to wait until next year before witnessing our first ever father and son final table as Pagano senior has just been eliminated. I was unable to fully battle through the assortment of onlookers, but I did manage to see that Denes Kalo was the assassin with A-Q all-in on the Turn of a 6-Q-K-A board. I believe Claudio had a weaker Ace, but I can't be sure. Either way, he's gone, and we're down to 21.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15881&g2_serialNumber=1)

Amit Makhija DOUBLES UP... to the delight of his very supportive (and critical of anyone whom they aren't railing sotto voce, but I can hear, most amusing) railers:

Henrik Gwinner raises to something like 30k preflop, called by big blind short stack Amit.  Actually, he overpaid by 5k, and Gwinner kindly pointed this out to the dealer, who returned the excess chip.

"Thank you," said Amit, before check-raising all in on a Jh 5s 3h flop (from 25k to just over 100k).

After a bit of a think Henrik sighed and called, with Ad 5c.  He was only up against some value-maxing Ahrt Aspades, though and the turn and the river bricked and gave him a new lease of life.

Amit Makhija - Are You Looking At Him?

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15887&g2_serialNumber=1)

Chop chop... although it almost wasn't. All-in with Ahrt Qh, Stefan Geim almost toppled Isaac Baron's Ad Qc, the Jc Tc Th 4h and, in particular, 5d River leading to a rye smile and "oooooooh" from the German amateur.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15883&g2_serialNumber=1)

Over on the feature table, there was a mammoth hand between Antonio Esfandiari and Stig Top-Rasmussen of Denmark. On their backs, the Magician was in great shape with Pocket Queens against Rasmussen's inferior A-T of hearts. Stig looked resigned on the 7-3-4 Flop, but the Ace on the Turn was greeted by a gasp from the crowd and a gentle punch of the air in front of him from Stig. A Jack on the River would have made his heart flutter a tad, but he ultimately survived to take a huge dent out of Antonio's stack.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15807&g2_serialNumber=1)

The action apparently:  Stig raise, Antonio re-raise, Stig shove for lots, Antonio call.

Mr Stefan Geim of Germany shoves from the cut-off for around 50 or 60k - Mr David Miari of France, who must have limped in/slightly raised before him, calls.

Mr Geim - Aspades 8s
Mr Miara - Ac Th

Board - Tc 7c 5c Kh (Geim still looking hopefully at board even though he's drawing dead) 7s

Don't feel too bad for Mr Geim, though - Kristen from Pokernews tells me that he got in on a genuine, honest-to-God freeroll, and he's just made himself €46,300 out of nothing. :)

The play went limp antonio two other limpers. The Stig in BB dwelled long time and pushed all in (shocker). Antonio insta-cal (gasp from crowd) and got muffed for 700k, sweet.

Joe Hachem makes it 30k from the cutoff, and Isaac Baron calls from the button. Robin Keston, on the small blind, goes and spoils the party - he makes it another 100k. Both Hachem and Baron fold. Slightly disturbingly, Hachem says, "One day, kid - I'll find you one day..." as he folds.

 ;hide;

lol this was so sick. He overshoved 70 big blinds... after Antonio limped UTG and button and SB called. He's only getting called if dominated.... deffo worst play of the day!

Absolutely shocking.  Feel very bad for Antonio.  Even my niece wouldn't have made a play as bad as that and I don't even have a niece.

Was awful why do they always get away with it? If i did that in a live £5 freezeout i'd hit nada  :P

GL antonio at least he gets a break to cool off.

Happened to catch that hand live on EPTtv. Feel so sorry for Antonio, he was really tearing up the table and Stig fell right into his trap. Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh!!!

Hello all you lovely guests reading the updates, why don't you take just a moment to sign up to blondepoker? You'll be able to harass us, make requestaments, fill us in on the minutiae of the live feed action etc. Plus awful things will happen to adorable furry kittens if you don't and that will be sad.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=5649&g2_serialNumber=1)


And while you're in the mood for signing up to stuff, why don't you open an account at blondepoker's own online cardroom too? The revenue from there pays for all the stuff that our lovely sponsors William Hill don't, so you can try and take back all our hard-earned cash from us on there, all while taking advantage of the awesome 30% "loyalty bonus"... Arnie and Junglecat say - do it! Do it now!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15891&g2_serialNumber=1)

"loyalty bonus"?

"Roughly equivalent to 30% of the rake, tournament fees etc generated by you as you play on the site."

 ::)

Play has restarted, and right from the off, there's an all-in on the feature table from Eric Lui. With his hood scrunched over his face and concealing various facial features in the process, Eric waits patiently for his opponent to come to a decision. Eventually, Eric takes down the pot uncontested and lives to fight another day.

Snoopy - "Why's Junglecat's head so small? He looks more like a testicle." ???

Weep! for the assault on my photoshopping skills.

For those watching the live feed of the feature table, feel free give us the low-down on how the play's going, who looking strong, who seems to be trying to climb the ladder and so on,

how come kev hasn't PMed me yet? been nearly 15mins

As long as no one gets the idea to leave the original cat head and photoshop 2 copies of my "testicle"-sized head to the rear underside of the cat I will be happy.

If such a scenario does arise, i will wreak photoshop war!!!!!!

Great job guys, very funny stuff.

Action on the feature table as Valeriy Ilikyan and Wallid Bou Habib find themselves coinflipping, Lebanon's Bou Habib making the final call with two red Eights, 8d 8h. Valeriy, meanwhile, flips over Ac Kh and quietly whispers sweet nothings into the ears of the Poker Gods. With announcer Lee Jones leaning over the shoulder of the dealer, Bou Habib rises from his chair in anticipation and is soon joined by Ilikyan who quickly follows suit.

The board itself is a rollercoaster, the Ahrt 3d 2d Flop placing the Russian in the lead, but the 5d Turn giving his opponent an extra nine outs. However, although some members of the pressroom were chanting diamond as if replicating the mind-numbingly annoying insurance advert, it was the straight that appeared, the 4c River resulting in a chop chop and an understandable gesture of frustration from Ilikyan.

Valeriy Ilikyan must have ants in his pants (either that or, er, a short stack) as just moments later he's all-in again. for the second consecutive time, he finds a caller, this time in the form of young Eric Liu who has A-T. Relieved not to be dominated, Ilikyan shows K-Q, which goes on to hit not only trips on a Q-Q-5 board, but also a full house on the 5 Turn, and an even bigger full house on the K River. Pure greed!

Latest chip counts from the last break courtesy of Mad Harper of PokerStars.com:

Stig Top-Rasmussen    Denmark     1,427,000    1    2
Robin Keston    UK      1,390,000    2    7
Isaac Baron    USA    Cash                   1,112,000    2    6
Denes Kalo    Hungary       1,040,000    3    6
Oyvind Riisem    Norway       993,000    1    6
Antonio Esfandiari    USA      975,000    1    4
Maxime Villemure    Canada    671,000    1    7
David Miria    France      660,000    2    1
Glen Chorny    Canada    Cash                     635,000    2    8
Joe Hachem    Australia    Team PokerStars Pro                     554,000    2    5
Luca Pagano    Italy    Team PokerStars Pro                     553,000    3    7
Michael Martin    USA       512,000    3    3
Thomas Boekhoff    Germany     448,000    2    4
Johnny Lodden    Norway    390,000    3    4
Amit Makhija    USA    Cash                     340,000    3    2
Henrik Gwinner    Denmark    340,000    3    5
Vincent Secher    France    Cash                     290,000    2    3
Eric Liu    USA  255,000    1    5
Walid Bou Habib    Lebanon     177,000    1    1
Valeriy Ilikyan    Russia      154,000    1    8

EXIT – this time it is Amit Makhija, who falls in 20th spot, winning € 46,300…

It was a bit of a strange one.  Denes Kalo raised under the gun to what looked like 32k.  Over to Glen Chorny, who flat called.  Button Amit now put in a re-raise, making it an even 100k.  Back to the original raiser, who freezes in place and stares, before deciding he’s better off out of this one.*  But Chorny pretty much instantly moves all in – Amit is covered so he makes the call all in, and faster than we would have expected:

Glen Chorny shows:  Qh Qd
Amit Makhija shows:  Tc Th

They stand, as is traditional, and pictured below.  The board comes out all rags with the Ahrt on the river and thus busts Makhija.

*Thus would have won Denes Kalo, who passed, quite correctly, A-J.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15893&g2_serialNumber=1)

Lee Jones is on my screen again  :redcard:

Mission can recommence  ;surrender;

Just in case he didn't get a pic before he moved (shortstacked) to the Feature Table:  Ilikyan -

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15725&g2_serialNumber=1)

I have to miss the rest of the day's play- congrats to your son The Reader- he has obviously played well even though it hasn't been reported on much. I hope he makes it to the final table.

s


Awwww thanks Gobbomom......we're both proud of our boys!!!

TR23

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15895&g2_serialNumber=1)

Seeing as they've made it all the way to the final 19, the players in the Main Event are being given an extra long dinner break -- 1hr 15mins no less!  This is both good and bad.  Good because they will be able to go out, get some air, enjoy some local cuisine and refresh themselves.  Bad, because we can't afford to eat anything in the area and we are therefore going to photoshop lots of stuff and play arcade games. 

We just haven't really seen him play a hand, I'm afraid.

Here are some photos of him to make up for it:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15864&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15850&g2_serialNumber=1)

Has he been auditioning for the remake of Space Camp?

(http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/1/17/180px-Spacecampmovie.jpg)

Approximate chip counts:

David Miara -- 260,000
Vincent Secher -- 410,000
Thomas Boekhoff -- 215,000
Joseph Hachem -- 910,000
Isaac Baron -- 1,030,000
Robin Keston -- 1,535,000

Glen Chorny -- 935,000
Michael Martin -- 400,000
Johnny Lodden -- 430,000
Henrik Gwinner -- 340,000
Denes Kalo -- 815,000
Luca Pagano -- 830,000

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15899&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15897&g2_serialNumber=1)

If you look in ept monte carlo thread on 2+2 there are some pointers to cheaper places nearby the hotel that sell good food.

Edit: Found it

"Jeff,
If you go up the hill from the hotel, then a few blocks off the
main square down a small alley is an EXCELLENT sandwich shop
with good fresh food and fresh fruits. And cheap too. Its where all
the local office workers go for their takeout lunch.

You can eat extremely well in Monte Carlo. Just not at the
MC Bay Hotel

Good Luck all."

Just before the dinner break, I did catch one interesting hand between Thomas Boekhoff and Joe Hachem. Both players were in the blinds, small and big respectively, with, I believe, Thomas raising it up pre-flop and Joe smooth calling. Both players checked the Ad-6d-Td Flop before Thomas bet out 40k on the As Turn. Joe called and then bet 105k on the 5s River after Thomas had checked. Thomas looked befuddled by this play, but equally tortured by what decision to make. Eventually he did indeed call, only to be shown Ac-5s, which was obviously good enough to take the pot.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15901&g2_serialNumber=1)

Here are some photos of him to make up for it:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15864&g2_serialNumber=1)

Dana --  This is my favorite picture ever!!!  Thanks.

TR23

Am I dense??? I don't know what this means?  lol

TR23

Ty ty.  Previously it was tough to get out as they staggered the dinner break i.e. as far as the press is concerned didn't have one, but it should be possible tomorrow.  I know there is delicious French/Italian food lurking in town, I am just trying not to think about it today.  :)

Robin Keston of the United Kingdom is your current chip leader with 1,408,000.

I'm just saying he looks a little like a trainee astronaut... ;)

Whilst Jen and Dana have been keeping a close eye on the outer tables, I've been watching the feature table out of the corner of my. I haven't spotted any huge pot as of yet, but I do recall them stating that Denmark's Stig Rasmussen was chip leader at that particular table with 1.3 million, predominantly due to that enormous A-T vs. J-J hand from earlier.

Double through for Thomas Boekhoff - much needed - with A-Q vs. K-Q (that of Isaac Baron) all in pre.
________________________________________

Innnnteresting 4-way flop News Now:

Glen Chorny raises to 32k in the cutoff, called by button Michael Martin and both small blind (Lodden) and big blind (Gwinner).
Flop:  Th Tc 2h   Slow, deliberate check to Martin, who bet 80k.  As one might expect...no one was interested past this point, however, and he picked it up right there.

What do you reckon Michael had on the button there... this little bird told me...

(http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/housemartin_300_tcm9-139927.jpg)

Joint winners of hoody of the day week month year are John Tabatabai and Josh Gould.  OMG.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15903&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15905&g2_serialNumber=1)

Offering them a fiver for the pair?

There's about 200 or 300k in the pot by the river - the board is exactly Qs 6h Kc 8h Jh and Isaac Baron bets 215k - almost half his remaining stack. Robin Keston deliberates. There is some huffing. He stands up. He puts one foot up on the chair (how come players are allowed to put their feet on the chairs when updaters get in trouble for standing on them to see what's going on? Oh, could be something to do with all the lovely money the players are about to win :) ).

Disappointingly, he passes. :(

Play has either slowed down a bit all round, or I run bad at this updating lark. Most of the action I caught on my last circuit of the Inner Rail Press Area involved nicking of blinds, and the occasional nicking attempt foiled by a re-raise. Loosen up players, say I, like this unusual monkey thing! (http://blog.creativethink.com/weblog/images/loosen_up.gif) Have you no amazing Monte Carlo Bay suites to go to?

Do you have a chip count for Baron?

I don't think his chip counts has changed much since the dinner break. In fact, there appears to be very little in the way of action to report at the moment, most players seemingly tightening up as the final two tables beckon. Also, the action as a whole has ground to a near halt, every decision becoming a perhaps overly dramatic and consequently time-consuming one. I guess that's understandable though.

OK cool, thanks for the quick response. :)

Watching Joe Hachem's table, I did notice that Thomas Boekhoff won four consecutive pots, and would surely have been tempted to go for that monumental fifth. The first one was simple; Ace King under the gun, raised, won. The second hand he found Sevens on the blind and pushed small blinder Vincent Secher off the pot with a bet of 77k. Then, after winning a battle of the blinds confrontation with Joe Hachem with a small bet on the River of a checked board, he went on to raise the button and nick the blinds, the big blind being Isaac Baron who folded without much hesitation. Incredibly, I think I was the only one who noticed this little succession of victories, no one commenting on his four hands in a row achievement. He is kinda quiet though.

How are the two Frenchies ? (table Hachem)

another question...
This time the player are OUT is less quickly than last time... is there a hour limit ?

The clock is 90 minutes as this event, jpean, as opposed to just the one hour. Also, the players starting with 15k in chips rather than 10k.

The media event has just commenced, so much of the pressroom has been emptied. However, your blonde warriors have decided to plod on. Hurrah... mainly because if we see any more cards, raises, pots, etc we're going to cry.  :'(

Maybe I have not clearly explain my question...

Supposing they are still 13 players at 2am... Do they continue to have the final 8 ? or is there a moment where they could stop without have the final table?

For those of you watching the live feed, what is the action like? Are they seeing may Flops? Does the structure seem good?

The big stacks are dictating the play, with every pot being raised pre. A good number of flops are being seen.

Are the shortstacks mostly folding them, waiting for a big hand or an opportunity to push all-in. I only ask, because it's difficult to get an overall feel of that particular table when we have the two outer tables to keep an eye on too. Have any players on that table impressed you? I understand Stig received a bit of stick from Daniel Negreanu for his A-T hand.

yep... one of them has just raise to 5BB (stack around 10BB) and has steal the blinds they wait and really didn't want to be out...

How's Vincent doing? If he makes the FT you guys can let him pitch his tent in your luxury blonde suite of rooms!!!!

Watching it and can't help but be impressed at how well Antonio has played after the QQ v AT hand. The structure has definetely allowed plenty of play at this stage. 1 small query is that the ante has only just risen from 1k to 2k after 3 levels or so with a 1k ante any reason for this other than for allowing more play at this stage of the event.

Not very exciting to be honest. The small stacks are picking their spots... Antonio and Stig are butting heads every once in a while...with nobody the clear winner. Maxime is the only player to really use the re-raise...it's worked, and it's backfired with a re-raise all in.
Just listening really, nothing to peak interest.



EDIT: OF course as i write the above we lose a player pushing with 10-8..... i see dead people

Yeh, that was abs terrible play. Two ppl limp for 10k and SB completed then he just shoves for 700k+....really good.

It looks more adventurous than the outter tables but esfandiari is trying to boss it and the chemistry between him and the Stig is bubbling nicely. They are going to share a big pot soon me thinks.

Counts from the outer tables:

David Miara -- 405,000
Vincent Secher -- 325,000
Thomas Boekhoff -- 370,000
Joseph Hachem -- 875,000
Isaac Baron -- 970,000
Robin Keston -- 1,500,000

Glen Chorny -- 1,100,000
Michael Martin -- 640,000
Johnny Lodden -- ?
Henrik Gwinner -- ?
Denes Kalo -- 820,000
Luca Pagano -- 770,000

If you look back at our last chip count, you'll notice the differences are few. However, you may also have noticed that Johnny Lodden and Henrik Gwinner have question marks next to their name.

Dum dum dum...

according with EPTLive Johny Lodden (and David miara) are OUT but I don't know How... if you have any news...

Johnny Lodden is the player whose stack has changed most dramatically during the start of Level 22 (just think about that for a moment - this is the 22nd 90 min level of this tournament!), but not in an upwards direction.  For a start he raised with Jc Jh, found Henrik Gwinner moving in behind with Kc Qd, called, and lost.  That Qc on the flop cost him dearly - now down to 245k. 
_________________________________________________________

But elsewhere, moments later - Jh Jd won a pot for Boekhoff off Joe Hachem, who doesn't appear to be taking the downswings in luck with the same calm as some of them.  He is getting a massage, though, which surely must be a soothing thing.  Although he didn't seem delighted to see v. short stack Vincent Secher get it all in with Kh Kd vs. Ac Tc - his shout of 'one time!' getting my attention as the bathrobe-wearing superqualifier doubled to just over 400k.  Pictured, pre and post double up.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15907&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15909&g2_serialNumber=1)

Yes indeed, and just to confirm, that player was Wallid Bou Habib from Lebanon.

Patience.... they just have to look at a screen - we're in a different room to the tournament with a notepad... details with you soon (don't worry we are unlikely to miss a non-TV table exit :)    )

Poor old Johnny, he is so due the biggy.

Disaster!

Isaac Baron makes it 44k one off utg, which is all fine, until David Miara on the button makes it another 120k, leaving himself around 220k behind. Isaac dwells up for a bit, and we poor updaters are sort of resigned to the fold, when suddenly Baron announces all in! And Miara calls!

Isaac Baron - Ahrt Js - expression very stern
David Miara  - Td Ts - expression absolutely impassive

Board - 7s 5c 7c 9c - wait for it - Jh

Miara's head actually drops to the felt. He looks like he's going to cry. :'( All this to the accompaniment of some unbelievably rowdy cheering etc from Baron's railers."RAAAARRRRR!!!" is what it sounded like. Baron-railer expressions - all a bit like this:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15911&g2_serialNumber=1)

Isaac Baron now on around 1.4 million, we reckon.

Seems like the updaters are being given the run around today. How are you guys fairing?

ps Lee Jones is still around did the mission fail? any noble heroes lost in the heat of battle?

Johnny Lodden is OUT. Plenty of Norwegian railers blocked my view somewhat, so I was unable to catch the full hand, but when managing to peek a look through some random girl's legs, I was able to witness Johnny Lodden calling the all-in of Henrik Gwinner for what looked to be about 225k. As he slid in the individual columns, Johnny kept his eyes peeled on his opponent, awaiting him to reveal his hand. In doing so, each column toppled forward and a domino effect of chips slid into the pot.

To the relief of Lodden, although ideally he would have liked to have seen a small pair, Gwinner showed Ac Jh, meaning he was racing against Johnny's 8c 8h. "Surely he can't win another race," commented a fellow Norwegian from the crowd, clearly hinting that Johnny's luck in those crucial coinflips hadn't been favourable. And it wasn't this time, the board coming 5h Ks Ahrt Qd 3d to give Henrik the pot and Johnny the door. A calm, composed player at all times, Johnny uncharacteristically expressed how disappointed he was, his whole body sagging dejectedly as the Ace hit the Flop. But that's poker, as they say, and Johnny's out in 17th. Henrik, meanwhile, is the Gwinner and it'll be hard to wipe the Gwin off his face.

Two tables are currently being formed.  Bear with us.

(http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~ef/MagicLantern/CanadianPacific/ManSawing.jpg)

Too busy watching this excellent near-final period...plus we don't have a cohesive plan.  As to the viewing of the hands, the press get a kind of 'inside rail' behind the 'acutal rail' but in front of the 'spectators' rail'.  You see?  It's not too bad actually.  But I am saying that because I have been playing with photoshop for the last half hour while Dana and Snoopy have been standing in it.

I thought we established it was impossible. There's some kind of horrible monster guarding the gates of hell the live feed room. :(

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15388&g2_serialNumber=2)

This is a lie. There is no bear here, unless you count Barry Greenstein of course.

If late in the night, they are still more than 8 players do they continue until have enough players ? or do they stop in example at 4am or other... ?

Im disappointed - Tom Cruise always finds a way. Can we destroy his credibility with clever use of photoshop. If that fails im calling in the airstrike  ;popcorn;

I think that sort of decision lies in the hands of the Kremster.

;whistle;

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15913&g2_serialNumber=1)

Good grief, Johnny runs bad. So many near final tables, it's pretty harsh.

Gotta root for Michael Martin now, he's a nice enough chap.

on EPT Live they said that he seems to be very very very sad...

Mr Eric Liu OUT on the TV table; announcers saying that we're definitely playing down to eight tonight.

Have to say, worst case scenario, as far as your weary updaters are concerned, would be not playing down to eight tonight and having to come back early tomorrow. The thought of an extra two hours' lie in tomorrow is all that's keeping me going. That and the endless tea.

if that can helps you to hang out...

(http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:HAiEh-PaWK4i-M:http://www.communicance.fr/tasse.gif) (http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:HAiEh-PaWK4i-M:http://www.communicance.fr/tasse.gif) (http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:HAiEh-PaWK4i-M:http://www.communicance.fr/tasse.gif)

Hi guys!

Aren't there any high stakes SNG's running this week? If so could you please post a pic? Also I want you to share in my misery.

I just lost a $ 7200 pot on 10/20NL when I flopped a set of nines on a  Js  9h  3s flop. I hoped he had AJ or QQ and absolutely not  Ts  8s ......

Gotta root for Michael Martin now, he's a nice enough chap.
[/quote]

 :) :) :) :) :)

I think I have to agree!!!!

TR23

Exit!  That of Eric Liu, in 16th place, winning him € 55,200.  Like this.

Valeriy Ilikyan, who seems to get involved (although fairly slowly) quite often – not sure about how he played on the feature table, but as soon as he hit the off-camera one it was the case – limped in mid-position, and Eric Liu raised on the button (+34k).  Ilikyan thought for a while, then called.
Flop:  Th Ahrt Ac.  Ilikyan checked, Liu bet 70k, and received a swiftish check-raise of another 75k.  Ilikyan had not-so-much behind after this, but Liu had slightly less, and when he eventually came back over the top for his whole stack, and was instacalled, he can’t have been too happy to be covered.

Liu showed:  Qd Jd
Ilikyan showed:  Ad 5d

The turn and the river:  Qh 2h and a round of applause sprang up for the American as he hit the rail, while Valeriy leapt out of his seat like it had just been electrified and started some high-speed Russian-sounding talking-to-self-in-joy.

I'm back, and just catching up. Those are AWESOME hoodies.


YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Michael is doing well!!!!!!!!!!!   

POLL

- Is this hamburger going to poison me?

I paid €20 for it so I'm going to eat it either way, but I'd like to know what to expect stomach-wise tomorrow.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15915&g2_serialNumber=1)

A burger shop at my university years ago got closed down for serving food like that! ;kev;

An interesting hand just developed between Stig Top-Rasmussen and Valeriy Ilikyan, and one that I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on.

Raising it up from under-the-gun, Stig was called in the big blind by Valeriy, who the checked the 4h Qs 2h Flop. Stig bet 60k and Valeriy insta-called. A Jh on the Turn and again Valeriy checked, although after a dwell, and again Stig bet, this time 110k. Valeriy called for the second consecutive time. The River was the Jc, and after Valeriy had checked, Stig announced all-in and pushed in 300k in chips, which, incidentally, wasn't enough to cover the 400k of Valeriy.

After a lenghty pause, Valeriy gave up the hand, but my questions would be:

(1) Do you think Stig was bluffing?
(2) If you were Valeriy, how big would your hand need to be to call?

Thank you lovely Mad Harper and lovely Pokerstars for these chip counts from the middle of level 22.


T    S    Name     Chips
1    6    Robin Keston               1,470,000
1    1    Isaac Baron               1,370,000
2    7    Stig Top-Rasmussen               1,304,000
1    3    Antonio Esfandiari               1,080,000
1    5    Glen Chorny               1,015,000
1    2    Oyvind Riisem                   920,000
1    8    Joe Hachem                   900,000
2    8    Denes Kalo                   820,000
2    5    Luca Pagano                   715,000
1    4    Maxime Villemure                   702,000
2    4    Michael Martin                   635,000
2    3    Henrik Gwinner                   576,000
1    7    Thomas Boekhoff                   320,000
2    1    Eric Liu                   316,000
2    2    Vincent Secher                   300,000
2    6    Valeriy Ilikyan                   270,000

Jon purchased that hoody whilst commentating on a poker tournament in South Africa and he bought one home as a gift for Josh. He promises that they didn't go hoody shopping together... honest, guv!

Josh Gould really looks like Mike McDonald there...

With three minutes left of this level, again, the action has slowed down as we await that 14th man to drop. However, there is a short 15 minute break coming up, so I might spike their drinks with copious amounts of Red Bull.

Hope it's not too late to tell you, DON'T EAT THE BURGER. It's not properly cooked. If you have already eaten it, expect to need medical attention tomorrrow. My sympathy.

Breaktime report from Jen: "It's slow and tense".

Which, from my perspective, translates as "No big pots and everyone's taking ages to make a decision."

Sorry, you're too late. Nothing can stop Dana when it comes to meat.

Did you order the steak tartar burger ?

This needs to be posted on the hamburger analysis board....

Just before the break, Jen also reported that Michael Martin was getting bullied.

(http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/images/set1/_40831531_schoolbody.jpg)


Not by small children as my illustration might suggest, but by a variety of people at his table. Twice in a row he raised in late position only to be re-raised off the pots.

I watched quite a bit of the feature table through the afternoon. Valeriy was a (very slow) weak-passive calling station there too!

Have to say I do feel pretty queasy right now, but that could be down to the general grossness of the hamburger rather than actual food poisoning. I'll keep you updated through the night...

I probably should have gone for something else on the menu.

(http://www.oovy.net/dayold/graphics/QueasyBakeProducts.jpg)

Very Rough Chip Estimates of the Non-TV Table, from Jen, whose internet connection has died:

Vincent Secher – 240k
Henrik Gwinner – 455k
Michael Martin – 680k
Luca Pagano – 800k
Valeriy Ilikyan – 440k
Stig Top Rasmussen – 1.52 mil
Denes Kalo – 700k

Isaac Baron seems to have taken a big hit somewhere along the line - down to about half his peak stack we reckon.

Yay!!! We have an exit!

I mean in the sense of course that it's getting late and your humble updates would love nothing more than to go back to their bedsit and go to sleep.

On the TV table, Thomas Boekhoff is all in with pocket Sevens against Antonio Esfandiari's A-J.

Board - an Aceful and Sevenless 8-A-8-2-9, and the German is AUT.

Oh NOOOO!

Vincent Secher is gone. Imagine if he'd won it! Winner's photos with him in a bathrobe! :(

Here are he and his bathrobe in happier times.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15861&g2_serialNumber=1)

Dana, strong strong alcohol will normally fight off those nasty bacteria, its a common medical procedure.

Can't afford the €300 a shot or whatever it is. :( Oh no, I'm going to die of hamburger poisoning! :'(

From The Virtual Pen Of Mad Harper Who Does Not Use Capital Letters So I Must Use More To Compensate:



dear all

chips at end L22

 
T    S    Name     Chips
2    2    Vincent Secher                   194,000
2    3    Henrik Gwinner                   595,000
2    4    Michael Martin                   783,000
2    5    Luca Pagano                   900,000
2    6    Valeriy Ilikyan                   502,000
2    7    Stig Top-Rasmussen               1,610,200
2    8    Denes Kalo                   580,000
1    1    Isaac Baron               1,490,000
1    3    Antonio Esfandiari               1,538,000
1    4    Maxime Villemure                   845,000
1    5    Glen Chorny               2,156,000
1    6    Robin Keston                   703,000
1    7    Thomas Boekhoff                   222,000
1    8    Joe Hachem                   819,000


This email has been sent to you by Mad Harper

Yes, yes, it's true, the Hugh Hefner of poker is forced to return to the Playboy Tent, Vincent Secher pushing all-in over the top of Denes Kolo's 52k pre-flop raise for just 120k more. It actually took Denes quite a while to call, but when he did, he meekly revealed a sure-to-be-behind A-8o, inevitably dominated by the A-Ko of Vincent.

However, as we all well know, anything can happen in this game, and the cruel 8-3-3 Flop was proof of that. The Ten Turn and Five River was no good, and Vincent was gone. Denes celebrated loudly, whilst a graceful Vincent shook the hands of his opponents and left the playing area 70k richer.

At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I love the first of the following pictures. This is the precise moment when Vincent saw the Eight hit the Flop, but what I particularly like about it is all the different reactions and facial expressions from the members of the crowd.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15923&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15921&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15919&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15917&g2_serialNumber=1)

No 'Spunk' left over?

I think that he begins to have his poker nick :

Vincent "Camping Man" Sécher...

Michael Martin’s tournament hung in the balance just now (no knowing which way it would have been swinging, though)…

Michael raised to 50k preflop, found big blind Stig Top Rasmussen re-raising a stack of pink 10k chips.  It was about 185k… Michael then moved in.  The rail (now three deep including a layer standing on chairs) held their breath as Stig requested the full countdown.  It was another 371k to call.  I sort of anticipated the tortured dwell that would follow, complete with crouching in front of his chair, staring at Michael, standing up arms behind head, nudging of a stack equalling the call towards the line, then nudging his hand there instead.  He started to mutter numbers:  “I need 30%.  I have 20%.  You give me 50/50?  2, 3, 5,7,11,13,17…”*

Eventually he passed, handing a considerable pot to the young American, no showdown.


*last bit not true

Hello, Dana here on Jen’s computer because mine freezes up while I’m importing photos, sigh.

As you might already know, Michael Martin :) :) :) has just doubled up off of Stig Top Rasmussen.

Henrik Gwinner made it 55k utg and Michael called. Stig on the small blind asked for a count on Gwinner – it’s around 360k. Stig re-raises 180k. Gwinner gets out of the way, but Michael flat calls. Interesting…

Flop – 2s 9c Jc – and it goes superfastMichaelcheckStigallinMichaelcall

Stig – 7h 7s
Michael – Ahrt Aspades

“I knew it! I knew he had that!” Stig is saying, which rather begs the question why did he do that, but no matter.

Turn – Js
River – Kd

Photos a-coming…

Can you guys do me a favor?  It's saying on Cardplayer that Michael doubled up in that last hand and they even reported that on the EPT Live reporting.  Can you check to see if that's true?

Thanks so much as you're the only one I can count on for accurate reporting.

TR23

Go the Astronaut!!

P
U

K
o
O
L

:)

updaters... what do you think about Joe Hachem's activity actually (or his inactivity...) ?

Michael Martin Doubles Through Stig Top Rasmussen

Martin doubled his stack to 1,610,000.



YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, I didn't write this. I think someone used my computer uninvited whilst I was away.

Approximate counts from the outer table:

Valeriy Ilikyan -- 350,000
Henrik Gwinner -- 465,000
Michael Martin -- 1,675,000
Luca Pagano -- 1,000,000
Stig Top-Rasmussen -- 695,000
Denes Kalo -- 880,000

The hand before the double up -

Michael shoves:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15925&g2_serialNumber=1)


Stig dwells while Martin waits:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15932&g2_serialNumber=1)


Stig is actually sitting on the floor while he dwells. Martin waits:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15929&g2_serialNumber=1)


Now Stig stands up to dwell. Martin still waiting. Doesn't he look small in these photos?

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15935&g2_serialNumber=1)


Joy! For Stig has folded.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15938&g2_serialNumber=1)


From the double-up hand -

Henrik Gwinner receives encouragement/threat from Gus Hansen for some reason:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15941&g2_serialNumber=1)


This is the face of a man who has smacked himself right into Michael Martin's Aces. Seems also to have stolen a camera from somewhere:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15944&g2_serialNumber=1)

Guys, get yourselves over to the EPT Live thread;

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=32581.0

Vicky Coren's in the Com Box.

Daniel Negreanu has just conducted a poll in the press room. "How many of you in here are potheads?" Some sniggering, but he comes to a figure of 40%. "Wow, 40% of the press are potheads. No wonder you get it all wrong."

BOOOO!!!  ;grr;

I spoke to Michael Martin soon after his double through. He was understandably jubilant and celebrating quietly with his friends on the rail, two of whom included Brandon Schaefer and Dani Stern. Michael seemed particularly pleased that Stig Top-Rasmussen had been the recipient of his double up, mainly because he'd called the clock after no time at all on Eric Liu when Eric was making a decision for his tournament life. Moving off on a tangent, I asked him about some of the other players in the tournament. He agreed that Johnny Lodden's loss was a bonus (although they remain good friends), but claimed that Johnny stopped messing with him after one specific hand. Moving on to the Paganos, Michael was amazed at how loose Claudio was compared to his son, thereby disproving that famous cliche 'like father like son.' Finally, he picked out Maxime Villemure, Antonio Esfandiari and Isaac Baron as particular dangermen, the latter "one of the best tournament players around".

those are just great, great pics.

Henrik Gwinner made it 55k utg and Michael called. Stig on the small blind asked for a count on Gwinner – it’s around 360k. Stig re-raises 180k. Gwinner gets out of the way, but Michael flat calls. Interesting…

I love how he played this.  He wasn't going to be happy getting just 180K from Stig and played it to double up.


TR23

Robin Keston is OUT on the TV table, a mere matter of I believe re-raising Isaac Baron all in with 6c 6h and getting himself called by Baron's Js Jh.

Board - Kh Ahrt 8s 7d Jd

And with that, the UK's last hope is headed for the rail. :( Er, go America! (http://knowledgenews.net/moxie/moxiepix/a1177.jpg)

Yes, I think that big hand that Jen reported just before probably influenced him some.

Why thank you Ms Gobbomom.  ;hattip;

OK... Go the French Canadian...
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Flag_of_Quebec.svg/225px-Flag_of_Quebec.svg.png)

And with that, the UK's last hope is headed for the rail. :( Er, go America! (http://knowledgenews.net/moxie/moxiepix/a1177.jpg)
[/quote]

Dana --

Lovely, just lovely.  Thank you.

TR23

I don't know if this is going to tickle the ribs of Mrs Martin or make me her least favourite updater on a permanent basis, but Michael looks so happy in that picture that he reminds me of this picture of a chimp I found.  ;angel;

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15938&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.maddogmedia.com/chimp.gif)

Yes indeed! And Italy! And Hungary! And Denmark! Everyone has someone to cheer but us Brits. :'( At least we've got Vicky Coren doing the commentary.

Guys am absolutely fucking wrecked, becuase celtic beat the h**s but these are the best updates on the web!

I wish I could send theblonde poker update teams to do the football I fthink it would be greayt!  If i make BB6 which I hope to do i owe you all a drink!

rhoooo it was only a joke Dana... ;tightend;

There are great brit players a like watching : Sunar, Hussein, and some others...

Mr Joe Hachem is OUT on the TV table, must admit I wasn't paying a massive amount of attention - possibly all in on the flop?

Aaanyways, Joe Hachem - Td 6s
Isaac Baron - Jd Ts

Board - 4c Tc 3s 5s Ac

Tee hee, Snoops just went out there to get some more hands from the non-TV table but it's just gone on break. He runs so bad.

Great reports guys.

Good Luck to Michael Martin  :)

Oooh, we're done! Still 11 people left in, but they've decided to call it a night. Please Mr Kremser don't make us come back at 1pm...  ;pokergods;

Don't race off just yet, plenty of photos to come. Hold that thought...

pics. of Menlo (Isaac) busting Hatchem please please please.

Many thanks guys, wonderful updates.

I gotta a feeling Mr Martin may well win this, Good Luck to him.

I'll be here tomorrow, if I can think of another excuse not to do any work.

THIS IS THE VOICE OF THOMAS KREMSER


Tournament players, we will play down to the final Eight starting at 1pm.  Players on the Feature Table, please make yourselves available at half twelve.  All press should report to the press area for the start of the Final Table at 1pm, and they will be issued with special passes to enter the Press Area by the tables.  Except for Jen, who deserves to sleep in for the first two levels, and has carte blanche to go wherever she wants.

Mr Thomas Kremser, you are a liar!

My cousin lives in Monaco... Do you want that I ask him to bring you coffe, croissant, and whatever you need to be a perfect little princess ?


 ;D ;D

Just for The Reader...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15963&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15955&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15953&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15947&g2_serialNumber=1)

And some more pics from the outer table...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15949&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15951&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15959&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15961&g2_serialNumber=1)

Just to confirm, play has now finished for the day with 11 players remaining. There was a request from Luca Pagano and a few other players for them to commence the final day with one table of ten. Initially not keen on the idea, Thomas Kremser said it was a possibility and that they would think about it. Here is John Duthie's reaction upon hearing that.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15957&g2_serialNumber=1)

Before we head to our beds, let me leave you with this sad, poignant snap of recent eliminee Joseph Hachem, his lonely and dejected figure leaving the arena as the other players celebrate making the final day.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15945&g2_serialNumber=1)

Cheer updaters... the end is soon and genuine thanks for the great job you're doing...

 ;applause; ;applause; ;popcorn; ;popcorn;

Does anyone else see what I see?...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15963&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.penguin.com.au/covers-jpg/9781846462931.jpg)

Well done guys. Isaac Baron also made the final two tables of San Remo, scarily good...

Special thanks for today's updates go to masseuse Tina, who just gave me a free massage in exchange for a cigarette. :) Go Tina!

----------

Oh oops, I think I said there were 11 left when there aren't. Just to clarify, there are 10 left at this time. 10. Not 11. 10.

We're going to have to make something special for tomorrow's photoshop (and I have a couple of my own to finish) but first...

mind the gap...

We need to get a speedy taxi back to the flat, where our rambling will continue over homemade pasta and wine.  Mmm.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm yummmy! I wish you could get virtual wine and pasta :)

As you wished... For you updaters...

(http://farm1.static.flickr.com/58/396644293_626f30364a.jpg)
(http://www.jpeannet.com/DPT/vin.jpg)

Isaac Baron (USA) -- 2,365,000
Luca Pagano (Italy) -- 705,000    
Antonio Esfandiari (USA) -- 735,000
Maxime Villemure (Canada) -- 1,220,000
Glen Chorny (Canada) -- 3,370,000
Henrik Gwinner (Denmark) -- 466,000
Michael Martin (USA) -- 1,579,000
Valeriy Ilikyan (Russia) -- 650,000
Stig Top-Rasmussen (Denmark) -- 590,000
Denes Kalo (Hungary) -- 957,000

Sweeeeet, 2 of my picks after day 1 in last longers with LeKnave still in

gogogogogoogo

Luca Pagano (Italy) -- 705,000 
Michael Martin (USA) -- 1,579,000

lets doooooooooooooo this 1 time.

Would like to see Antonio win still, but has spewed a bit. Was watchin that big hand he was in, we came to conclusion he must have had 99. Sickkk.

On behalf of the team, I'd like to thank you for your kind words. It's a pleasure as always.

As a final treat, I asked Michael if he had any words for his fans, and he simply said, "Please thank them for all their support."   :)

Late night requestament, especially for Junglecat - I give you Otis from Pokerstars:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15974&g2_serialNumber=1)

i thought that esfandiari had won ept and wpt both in close proximity..2003 i think

Estfandiari ? are you sure ? It's sure that he has won a WPT but I don't think he has won some EPT...Updaters ? who's right ?

Estfandiari's winning in the CardPlayer's Database here (http://www.cardplayer.com/players/results/Antonio-Esfandiari/1283?state_change=true&order_by_order=forward&order_by=date)...

He's won a WPT, but never an EPT.

To Dana, Jen and Snoopy once again a big

(http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s235/revmyspace2/graphics/greetings/thank-you/007thankYou129.gif)

top updates guys!