blonde poker forum

Welcome back for Day 2 of the London EPT from here at the Vic.

The survivors from the two Day ones will reconvene in the below formation with several notables near the top of the rankings.

Max Pescatori, Julian Thew and Sorel Mizzi are all lurking with intent near the top of the leaderboard and it will be fascinating to see who can take charge and soar to the top.

Without further ado here's the list of players still in the hunt for EPT glory.

A n absorbing day's poker beckons...

Erik Sjodin   Sweden       139,100    9   2
Axel Albertsson   Sweden      122,200    11   2
Huseyin Yilmaz   Turkey      121,300    2   8
Philippe D'Auteuil   Canada      118,000    2   9
Mohammed Jaber   Lebanon      101,500    4   7
Max Pescatori   Italy      99,300    10   4
Liya Gerasimova   Russia      97,400    7   2
Sorel Mizzi   Canada   PokerStars qualifier   94,300    13   7
Maxim Kats   Russia      92,800    18   4
Joao Barbosa   Portugal      90,500    13   2
Carter Gill   USA   PokerStars qualifier   81,600    9   9
Julian Thew   UK      79,700    6   2
Javier Dominguez   Spain      78,800    12   7
Antony Lellouche   France      77,900    1   8
Bernard Roy   France      76,900    5   4
Walid Rizkallah   France      73,500    2   4
Gus Hansen   Denmark      72,800    5   8
Michael Martin   USA      72,200    17   5
Babbini Simone   Italy   PokerStars qualifier   66,100    15   6
Alexander Roumeliotis   Sweden      64,700    13   1
Jamie Roberts   UK      64,000    9   8
Jeffrey Hakim   Canada   PokerStars qualifier   62,600    18   6
Ian Frazer   UK      60,700    5   5
Peter Eastgate   Danish   Sponsored   59,700    7   8
Andrew Teng   UK      59,400    8   7
Erik Friberg   Sweden      58,400    2   5
Joseph Elpayaa   USA   PokerStars qualifier   57,100    8   8
Atanas Gueorguiev   Bulgaria      55,700    12   5
Panzeri Stefano   Italy      54,500    11   6
Priyan Demel   UK      54,500    18   7
Ali Sarkeshik   Iran      54,300    17   4
Christopher Wolters   UK   PokerStars qualifier   53,600    1   4
Soren Blanner   Denmark      53,500    17   2
Christopher Moorman   UK      52,900    8   1
Ramin Henke   Germany      52,900    8   4
Eric Liu   USA      52,300    3   1
Arnaud Mattern   France      51,800    15   8
Theodoros Aidonopoulos   Cyprus      51,400    15   5
Scott Montgomery   Canada      51,300    2   2
Darrin Flint   Ireland   PokerStars player   50,300    16   6
Gregory Raymer   USA      50,100    6   1
Thuan Nguyen   USA      49,100    14   6
Raphael Kampshoff   Germany   PokerStars qualifier   46,800    11   3
Vicky Coren   UK   Team PokerStars Pro   46,700    13   4
Guillaume De la Gorce   France      45,500    7   7
Tomas Macnamara   UK      45,100    15   2
David Benyamine   France      44,800    10   2
Beth Shak   USA      44,400    4   2
Mohammed Zahour   UK      44,100    14   7
Olof Holm   Sweden      42,800    16   2
Phidias Georgiou   Cyprus   PokerStars qualifier   42,700    4   4
Georges Moussa   USA      42,700    5   6
Marcin Horecki   Poland   Team PokerStars Pro   42,500    9   3
Ran Azor   Israel      41,400    12   6
Vanessa Rousso   USA   Team PokerStars Pro   40,300    1   2
Yaron Malki   Israel      40,200    8   2
Neil Suarez   Philippines      40,100    5   1
Beniamino Speroni   Italy      39,800    4   9
Paolo Compagno   Italy      39,500    15   1
Gicquel Youn   France   PokerStars qualifier   39,200    7   9
Pascal Perrault   France      38,900    15   4
Johannes Strassman   Germany   Sponsored   38,600    11   7
Neil Channing   UK      37,800    8   6
Marcello Marigliano   Italy      37,500    9   6
Steffen Rasmussen   Denmark   PokerStars qualifier   36,900    18   5
Christopher Jetten   Canada      36,900    10   6
Jesper Hoog   Sweden      36,800    16   4
Gunnar Rabe   Sweden   PokerStars qualifier   36,400    13   9
Michael Watson   Canada   PokerStars player   34,200    10   8
Evgeny Serebryakov   Unknown      33,800    9   4
Daniel Albright   Denmark   PokerStars qualifier   33,700    2   3
Ramzi Jelassi   Sweden   PokerStars qualifier   33,100    2   6
Peter Smurfit   Ireland      32,900    8   3
Robert Firestone   USA   PokerStars qualifier   32,700    1   1
Peter Busch   USA   PokerStars qualifier   31,900    9   1
Willie Tann   UK      31,100    1   9
Stephan Kjerstad   Norway      30,800    6   4
Mark Deacon   UK   Promo winner   30,600    7   5
Michael Tureniec   Sweden   PokerStars qualifier   29,500    16   1
Mick Cook   UK      29,200    9   7
Jonas Molander   Sweden      29,000    17   1
Per Mattsson   Sweden      29,000    18   8
Toni Ojala   Finland      28,600    4   5
Jean Bellande   USA      28,600    11   1
Barry Greenstein   USA   Team PokerStars Pro   28,000    5   2
Hafiz Khan   UK   PokerStars qualifier   27,900    1   5
Stephen Ladowsky   Canada      27,900    17   7
Andres Kovacs   Hungary      27,600    14   9
Sebastian Saffari   UK   PokerStars qualifier   27,500    17   8
Rene Mouritsen   Denmark      27,500    14   2
Fredrik Keitel   UK      26,300    12   3
Franklin Diaz   Venezuela      26,200    12   1
James Reid   UK      25,800    18   1
Andrew Rees   UK   PokerStars qualifier   25,700    5   9
Pier Ruscalla   Italy      25,000    18   2
Denes Kalo   Hungary   PokerStars qualifier   24,500    11   4
Gualter Salles   Brazilian   Sponsored   24,300    8   9
Andre Johnstone   South Africa      24,000    14   4
Paul Dack   UK      23,900    12   9
Andre Akkari   Brazil   Team PokerStars Pro   23,700    14   3
Oscar Schweinbarth   Germany      23,500    10   9
Chris Bruce   UK   PokerStars player   23,100    6   9
Tim Witte   Germany   PokerStars player    23,100    13   3
Tony Cascarino   Ireland      22,900    4   1
Robert Willis   Ireland   PokerStars player   22,700    3   7
Kathy Liebert   USA   Sponsored    22,700    11   9
Sondre Horgmo   Norway      22,700    13   6
Christian Grundtvig   Denmark   PokerStars qualifier   22,400    3   8
Frode Gjesdal   Norway   PokerStars qualifier   22,300    9   5
Jerzy Hajdamowicz   Holland      21,900    3   5
Isaac Haxton   USA   PokerStars player   21,400    3   6
Roland De Wolfe   UK   PokerStars player   21,400    7   6
Alex Kravchenko   Russia   Team PokerStars Pro   21,300    2   1
Joseph Mouawad   Lebanon      21,100    3   4
Allan Baekke   Denmark      20,900    10   1
Fuad Serhan   Jordan      20,600    1   6
Davor Lanini   Italy      20,600    3   2
Bruno Martin   France      20,400    4   6
Charles Berreby   France      20,400    5   3
Justin Truesdell   USA   PokerStars qualifier   19,900    8   5
Timothy Pennington   Unknown      19,900    12   4
Carlo Gabriele   Italy   PokerStars qualifier   19,700    10   3
Thomas Fougeron   France      19,600    11   8
Pasquale Braco   UK      19,600    18   3
Michael Ellis   UK      19,500    2   7
Nicholas Romanello   UK      18,800    6   5
Isabelle Mercier   Canada   Team PokerStars Pro   18,400    6   3
Alexia Portal   France      18,400    10   5
Florant Aubert   France      17,800    7   4
Stephen Chidwick   UK      17,700    17   6
Graham Pound   UK      17,100    4   3
Brian Green   Costa Rica   PokerStars player   16,800    7   1
Alexander Jung   Germany   PokerStars qualifier   16,800    11   5
Andrea Benelli   Italy      16,300    12   8
Percy Ward   UK      16,100    14   8
John Dwyer   Ireland      15,900    16   5
Jonathan Heath   UK   PokerStars player   15,600    15   7
Yevgeniy Timoshenko   USA      15,200    13   5
Thomas Puccio   USA   PokerStars qualifier   15,100    7   3
Pawel Chmiel   Poland   PokerStars player   14,900    1   3
Nicholas Levi   France      14,600    15   3
Jeff Kimber   UK   PokerStars player   14,500    16   7
Edward Holden   UK      14,300    16   3
Denis Patout   France      13,700    3   9
Georges Yazbeck   Lebanon      13,300    6   8
Mark Crocker   UK   PokerStars qualifier   13,200    1   7
Charles Chattha   UK      13,000    14   1
Rumit Somaiya   UK      12,400    12   2
Jonathan Aguiar   USA   PokerStars player   12,300    4   8
Jean Frohle   France      12,200    16   8
Antto Lohvansuu   Finland   PokerStars qualifier   11,500    3   3
Colin Leighton   Unknown      11,300    10   7
Paul Parker   UK      11,100    6   6
Joe Grech   UK      10,800    6   7
Fredrick Primileius   Unknown      9,400    5   7
Jannick Wrang   Denmark   PokerStars qualifier   9,100    17   3
Ville Wahlbeck   Finland      9,100    14   5
Victor Ramdin   USA   Team PokerStars Pro   7,900    13   8

Good luck to moomin, julain and stevie444 please :-)

I'm a little bit confused...see post from Day 1:


Then see this from today's chip counts:


Are there 2 Fossilman's in the building??

Hello everybody ! Is it possible to follow those people please ?

Arnaud Mattern   France      51,800    15   8
David Benyamine   France      44,800    10   2
Vanessa Rousso   USA   Team PokerStars Pro   40,300    1   2
Pascal Perrault   France      38,900    15   4
Isabelle Mercier   Canada   Team PokerStars Pro   18,400    6   3
Alexia Portal   France      18,400    10   5
Nicholas Levi   France      14,600    15   3

 :hello: Floppy & JC

 ;goodluck; to Vicky C

Roughly translated as "Tell me how the French and/or pretty players are doing please?" :):)

Anyway, one of your picks Isabelle Mercier has just been all-in.

She shoved UTG with pocket nines, but was looked up and was in bad shape versus her opponent's pocket tens...

The flop fell an innocuous 6-7-Q and it looked like we were about to lose Ms Mercier.

The turn however was a massive stroke of good fortune for Isabelle, a beautiful NINE spiking to make her a set and almost guarantee a double through for the popular player.

Unfortunately what poker giveth, poker taketh away sometimes, and an eight on the river was cruel, completing her opponent's inside straight draw.

Ultimately justice was done in this hand, although it was harsh that the cards conspired to raise her hopes before dashing them so finally...

It's tight in there, tighter than a super tight thing, like an elephant trying to squeeze down the alleyway. Nonetheless, we're struggling onward.

Chris Moorman has not had the greatest of starts, he check/raised all-in on an 8-5-2 board with A-5 only to be called by 4-3 which got there with running clubs. Moorman did his best impression of a sick as a parrot face without even trying.

Meanwhile French friends Arnaud Mattern and Nicolas Levi are sharing the same table, Nicolas telling me a hand where Arnaud raised from UTG, with the big blind calling.

5-3-5

The big blind leads out for 2,200 and Arnaud raises to 6,500. Call.

5

Now the big blind bets 12,000 and this time Arnaud just flat-calls.

6

The big blind checks, and Arnaud moves all-in for 35k. After some serious head-scratchery, the big blind folds. Arnaud cheekily shows A-Q.

Levi, "He played it well, even I was convinced he had it."

Raymer is not in, clearly part of the list is wrong.

who was the opponent who won the pot from isabelle mercier, just wondering cos i know Nicki Romanello is on the same table as her

was it him?

thank you

Yes, a bit of an oddity this one. At first glance at the list of chip counts Pokerstars provided us, it would appear someone had dug up fossilman, polished him up and put him back in the display cabinet, but NO!

The former WSOP Main Event champion was eliminated on Day 1. The player who has been erroneously omitted is Tyler Reiman.

Raymer, Reiman...you can see how it happened.

Good Luck to Julian (not that he needs it) lol.

Bad news in the cardroom for supporters of the UK players as two of the big names have fallen in quick succession.

First up former World Heads Up Champion and GUKPT winner Jeff Kimber is OUT.

With not many chips, K-J in late position looked good enough to make a move with, only for Jeff to be shot down in a hail of bullets( well two of them) as he ran into Aces and failed to get lucky.

GG Jeff.

---

Next up Chris Moorman was found shaking his head on the rail muttering "**** this game" and looking thoroughly distraught.

Following up from the 4-3 hand Floppy described where his opponent hit a backdoor flush for a whopping 90k pot (sick!), this hand happened.

Chris still had 30k left after that and when his opponent raised it up from late position, Chris looked down at A-9 in the big blind.

He felt like he was too deep to reraise so just flat called and they went to the flop heads up.

The flop came 2d 5d 2c (Chris held the Ad.)

He check called a bet...

The turn was the 6d.

"I checked hoping to check raise, but he checked behind..."

The river was the 3d giving Chris the nut flush.

"I bet out and he shoved...I thought I should fold it but f**k it, I just lost a 90k pot, so I called and he showed Qc 4d for a straight flush!"

"That's enough, I'm going on holiday to Greece. No laptops, nothing, just going to get away..."

I suggested maybe Chris should call up his new friend Mike Matusow for advice on how to handle bad beats, but he didn't look too impressed...

So a sick ending for the online prodigy but he'll be back soon I'm sure, new tan and new-found optimism in tow...

Michael Martin has had a real boost to his stack, getting it all-in preflop with Kh Kd against Hafiz Khan's 8c 8d and navigating a 7d 4d 9s 5s Qc board, we'd estimate he's over the 100k mark now.

Meanwhile in a hand between Tomas Macnamara and Theodoros Aidonopoulos, the river goes check check on the 3h 9h Qh 3c Js board with Macnamara flipping Ks Th for the rivered straight after he checked behind beating the Cypriot's Kh Qc. Max Pescatori makes a face like he's stuck in the lift and someone else has farted when he sees the river wasn't bet.

Shark Promises To Bite Back

(http://swimatyourownrisk.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/74094952.jpg)

Humberto Brenes, the shark wielding Costa Rican, played in the EPT but was unable to make an impression.

Humberto often grabs headlines for his outspoken and comical demeanor at the table, but this sometimes masks the fact he is one of the top tournament players in the world. He has $5.5 million in tournament winnings, 2 bracelets and an enormous string of cashes stretching back 20 years.

I grabbed a few words with the controversial star in the Vic today. He was disappointed with how things went in the EPT but had this to say "My record here [in europe] is no good but I promise you this. It will get better. I will be back and you will see Humberto win some poker tournaments!"

There was a steely glint in the Costa Rican's eye as he said that, as if he dared you to defy him.

Personally I believe him!

He may be a dedicated follower of fashion, but dedicated followers of Paul Parker are going to be disappointed with the news that the dapper player is a goner.

He was seen propping up the bar with the also eliminated Jeff Kimber, dazzling with his unique brand of non-stop up beat banter.

Bad luck Paul!

What a nasty start for the Brits. I hope Julian's ok!

Ian Frazer has doubled up to around 90k. Gus Hansen raised to 3,200 in early position, the button re-raised to 9,700 and then Frazier moved his entire 44k stack in the middle. Hansen agonised before passing what I think was A-K before the reraiser called with A-K as well. Frazer shower the slightly surprising but ahead 6h 6s and doubled up on the 3s 7c 3h 2h 9d board.

Willie Tann was seen betting out 4,000 following a check from a player in the blinds into a Q-3-3 board. As the wily veteran played with his chips, Vanessa Rousso, head bowed, asked for a count.

Willie immediately threw his hands away from the table to give her a clear view of his approximately 23k stack remaining.

Vanessa flat called...

Back to the player in the small blind who minimum raise to 8,000...

Willie passed and Vanessa also instantly passed J-Q face up!

The player mucked his cards instantly to scrape in the pot.

Vanessa down to 60k or so after this hand...

Here's Willie:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21691&g2_serialNumber=1)

 "Why have they always got it! Run so bad!"

And the red-hot Vanessa:

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21693&g2_serialNumber=1)

"I'm not a nit...just smart!"

Is it possible to get chip counts on Erik Sjodin, Jon Heath and Tomas Mcnamara (Fionn) ty

Also out, a member of that exclusive club of soon-to-be-millionaires, the November Nine, is Scott Montgomery.

He was seen agonising over a decision for his tournament life following a raise from late position, before finally calling his stack and future chances off with A-9, only to be shown the dominating A-J for his troubles.

With his hopes fading a 8-Q-A-6-7 did nothing to allay this and the Canadian finds himself on the rail, forced to wait a whole month before being handed a 7 figure cheque.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21695&g2_serialNumber=1)

Sigh, neverends

---

Still battling on is the granite figure of Priyan Demel though. He has 54k at present and in contrast to many of the bedraggled characters inhabiting the felt today, Priyan is his usual neatly turned out self and looks composed and ready for anything.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21699&g2_serialNumber=1)

Is Vicky Coren still in? ty

As testament to the fact that some players are finding today's play tough going, here is the normally glamorous Beth, perhaps in need of a coffee to perk her up.

She has circa 45,000 at this point...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21697&g2_serialNumber=1)

---

Another casualty of the early stages is Ramzi Jellassi, the young Swede having to shelve his hopes of EPT glory for now...

Chris/Rod how did Gus get to 72k chips for start of today ? On Wednesday at Level 8 he had less chips than me.
(Prob 12-13k) The banter was that people were waiting to play online - just goes to show how a few hands can change your fortunes around.

Neil Channing is out, as evidenced by the sight of him jumping into the £25/£50 cash games. He may prefer it there given the struggle he went through yesterday and the fact that the Vic cash games are his second home...

Julian raises in midposition and a short stack pushes next to him for only a few thousand more. Thewy makes the call.

Thewy: 9s 8s
Shorty: Ad Jh

2c 7c 6h (Standard Thewy flop...) Qc Kc. Amazingly Julian loses a 40/60. He still has around 80k though.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21701&g2_serialNumber=1)

Arnaud Mattern has been moved to the fierce-looking table that includes Gus Hansen, Barry Greenstein and Michael Martin. The Dane and the EPT Monte Carlo Finalist were just involved in a pot, Martin passing to Hansen's 4,800 bet on the turn of a 6h Ahrt 5d 3c board.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21703&g2_serialNumber=1)

Meanwhile the Roland De Wolfe rollercoaster is over, after eliminating one player with Tc Th vs Kd 7c he then bet 7k on the river of a Kc 6s 5s 9d Td board against Peter Eastgate, Eastgate raised enough to set De Wolfe in and Roland looked puzzled. "What can you have?" he said. Roland made the call flipping Tc Th for the rivered set but the WSOP ME finalist showed Qc Jd for the nuts to eliminate another Brit.

Not a good day for the Britis.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21707&g2_serialNumber=1)

Peter Eastgate

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21709&g2_serialNumber=1)

Eric Liu has been one of the first recipients of the yellow 5k chips. The Card Runners man has about 90k at the moment.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21705&g2_serialNumber=1)

Getting all-in with A-Q vs A-K vs K-K and winning helped. ;) (He four-flushed)

Any news yet on Erik Sjodin, Jon Heath and Tomas Mcnamara (Fionn). Just heard Fionn could be on around 90k.
Thanks :D

Press access is restricted but I'll go and have a look for them shortly.

David Beyamine has been added to this growing table of Doom featuring Gus Hansen, though as soon as he sat down he instigated some prop betting with Hansen and Barry Greenstein, grabbing some pens and paper from a slightly startled Snoopy.

Meanwhile in the hand in progress, Michael Martin raised a 10.5k bet to 50k on a Ac 4s Qs, effectively putting Georges Moussa all-in, but the latter declined to call handy another decent pot to his fellow American.

Ian Frazer then doubled up through Gus Hansen, with Ks Kh against Qd Qc after the board came Ahrt 9s 5s Ad 2s

aha ok thanks very much :) Heard your not going to be doing any more epts for the time being but just wanna say all at blonde do a great job. Met the blonde people at the after party at Ept Monte Carlo earlier this year and you were all top guys and gals :)

Big Stack Watch!

Johannes Strassman - 240k.

Johannes has multiple EPT cashes behind him including a few final tables. The German is definitely one of the up and coming stars of the game and many think he bears a passing resemblance to Jason Bourne.

Not entirely convinced. Thoughts?

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21717&g2_serialNumber=1)

(http://www.virginmedia.com/microsites/movies/slideshow/the-bourne-ultimatum-premiere/img_1.jpg)

And another meaty stack is that of the sometimes controversial, but always accomplished, Sorel Mizzi.

The Canadian is following up his near bracelet miss in the WSOPE where he finished runner up to Dane Theo Jorgensen in the £5k PLO event with another deep, impressive run here.

The man known online as "imper1ium" has about 190k at present...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21719&g2_serialNumber=1)

Who's Hot And Who's not?

With hotties Beth Shak and Vanessa (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=886) Rousso (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=886) still hanging in there, here are two more female poker stars who are in good shape both in chips and in other ways!

Here is Vicky (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=449) Coren (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=449), flying the flag for blighty and looking to pick up her second EPT title at the Vic, a locale she knows well and where everybody knows her name.

Cheers Vicky and good luck with your 80k stack. She'll have to avoid the sticky plundering hands of her adjacent competitor Max (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=660) Pescatori (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=660) though, who'll be looking to get his hands on her booty...as it were.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21713&g2_serialNumber=1)

Also battling on, a report that will please update regular jpean, is former French actress Alexia (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1613) Portal (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1613), member of the accomplished team Winamax.

Alexia has 60k at present.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21711&g2_serialNumber=1)

Some more shots from the floor.

Carter Gill, the verbose American who ruffles feathers sometimes with his abrasive table talk - 80k.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21721&g2_serialNumber=1)

Just out of shot but seated next to Carter we have Scotty Nguyen. The extrovert $50k WSOP HORSE winner is slightly subdued today, with barely even a whisper of a single "baby" to be heard at his table.

He has come slathered in his usual assortment of bling though and it's hard to miss the mulleted star even when he's quieter than usual.

Maybe someone should buy him a beer...ahem.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21731&g2_serialNumber=1)

The man with the hat, none other than Mr Nicholas Levi is still hanging on by his fingertips with 35,000 or so.

Here he is, primed for business, hat squarely on his head.

"I've been up and down all day today" he told me. "Still in the danger zone you know."

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21729&g2_serialNumber=1)

Joe (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=205) Grech (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=205) has a similar stack - 35k - but considering he returned at the start of the day with 10k, this represents a big increase in his good fortunes and as a result we see the laughing, joking Grech so recognizable to players and media on the UK circuit.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21725&g2_serialNumber=1)

Sorry, I can't find any of them. If they've lost their table number cards it'll be impossible to find them without a picture. Their tables are all broken but looking around the remaining tables, I couldn't find any of them. Photos would be helpful and I'll try again on the next trip.

And here's a danger man, Julian Thew.

Julian has been busy but the various stack fluctuations have left him bobbing up and down before coming to rest with almost exactly what he started with - roughly 80k or so.

It sounds like Julian may have a bit of a sniffle germinating in his system too. Let's hope the William Hill sponsored player will just be blowing his nose and not his stack too!

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21727&g2_serialNumber=1)

Beth Shak has eliminated Andres Kovacs with Aces vs Kings. As Kovacs debated the call. Beth Shak DID NOT dance around the area shouting, "I got it, I got it" before singing with Phil Hellmuth "We got it, we got it.

She did have it though and Kovacs departed after a kingless board.

Nooorm ;hattip;

lol quality

And now as we're on a break it's time for............

DWELLATHON 2008!!!!!

Starring !

Gus Hansen and Arnaud Mattern!!

We join the action on the river of a 5c 9s 3s 4s 2h board with Gus Hansen to act after Arnaud Mattern called his 6,600 bet on the turn.

Gus thinks...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21733&g2_serialNumber=1)

No, he really thinks...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21735&g2_serialNumber=1)

Like forever...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21737&g2_serialNumber=1)

But then he checks, and it's over to Arnaud, who thinks...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21739&g2_serialNumber=1)

Readjusts his glasses and thinks some more...

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21741&g2_serialNumber=1)

Before he too checks, Gus says, "I can't win, flipping Jh Ts." Arnaud shows 3h 2d for bottom two pair. Gus, consoling his short stack says, to no-one in particular, "I had Jack Ten and didn't raise it in the small blind." He sighs.

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21743&g2_serialNumber=1)

has stevie444 busted??

We have been told that the play will go to eight levels or 32 players left, whichever comes first.

With a mere 73 players left at his point, it looks more than possible that they will reach that magic point of 32 players first though nothing is predictable in poker!

---

At the moment there are a host of French players still in the mix....

David Benyamine has 60k and countryman Arnaud Mattern, the man capable of stopping trains with a single raised eyebrow, is storming along with 120k!

There are plenty of other French still in the mix. As someone in the pressroom commented "The frogs are doing well!"

French blogger Benjo was quick to retort with his own gentle mock. "The rosbif not doing so well!"

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21723&g2_serialNumber=1)

Apposite timing there...

A huge pot just played out between Steve Chidwick, Julian (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=225) Thew (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=225) and Michael (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=937) Martin (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=937)...

Steve Chidwick has been operating off a smallish stack for much of the day and he just pushed it in, only for Martin to flat call.

Julian now shoved all-in over the top and Martin was put to a decision for his stack.

He elected to call!

Sadly I didn't see Steve's hand but Julian held pocket Kings and was in good shape for a crucial double through as Martin showed down A-Q...

Sadly for Julian, an Ace hit the flop and he never recovered as the board blanked out, meaning we lose Julian and Steve in one fell swoop and Martin scoops a giant 180k size pot.

Sick, harsh beat for Julian and hopes of an english winner are dealt a Thew-ge blow by this exit as two home grown players are banished to the rail in quick succession...

---

Suddenly though, english hopes are raised with the news that Ian Fraser has despatched Danish legend Gus Hansen to simultaneously move "The Raiser" over the 100k mark and remove a big danger man from the roster of potential EPT champions...

It wasn't Michael (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=937) Martin (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=937) in this hand, it was Marcin (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1909) Horecki (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1909). Horecki had gone to raise not seeing Stephen (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1501) Chidwick (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1501)'s shove and decided to flat-call the 20k shove. Julian moved all-in for an extra 50k on top and Horecki called for most of his stack before peeling the aces off. Julian was a bit shocked afterwards, "Perhaps he thought I was steaming?" Chidwick had Q-J btw.

Either way Horecki has about 150k now.

Ian (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=173) Frazer (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=173) has also busted Barry (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=478) Greenstein (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=478).

56 players are going to be paid and we're one table away from the bubble.

Glittering Cash Prizes!!!

1st - £1,000,000
2nd - £525,314
3rd - £303,439
4th - £234,920
5th - £195,766
6th - £153,351
7th - £120,723
8th - £81,569

9 - £50,574
10 - £50,574

11 - £35,891
12 - £35,891

13 - £26,102
14 - £26,102

15 - £19,576
16 - £19,576

17 - £16,313
18 - £16,313
19 - £16,313
20 - £16,313
21 - £16,313
22 - £16,313
23 - £16,313
24 - £16,313

25 - £13,052
26 - £13,052
27 - £13,052
28 - £13,052
29 - £13,052
30 - £13,052
31 - £13,052
32 - £13,052

33 - £11,419
34 - £11,419
35 - £11,419
36 - £11,419
37 - £11,419
38 - £11,419
39 - £11,419
40 - £11,419

41 - £9,789
42 - £9,789
43 - £9,789
44 - £9,789
45 - £9,789
46 - £9,789
47 - £9,789
48 - £9,789

49 - £8,156
50 - £8,156
51 - £8,156
52 - £8,156
53 - £8,156
54 - £8,156
55 - £8,156
56 - £8,156

Sorrel Mizzi has lost a load of his chips after getting it all-in against Ramin Henke's Aces with Ace-Queen. The board never offered 'Imperium' much, coming 7h 5h 6c Jc 4d knocking his stack under 100k and forcing him to rebuild.

Hand for hand...you know what that means guys.

 Pull on your baggy trousers and tell people they can't make tangible contact with this.

(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x175/hawaiiandawn2007/LolCatz/HammerTime.jpg)

Yes, we're on that dreaded bubble. Things could turn nasty!

---

Kathy Liebert is recognized as perhaps the foremost female tournament player in the world with 4.5 million in winnings.

That recognition couldn't prevent her exit at this critical stage though, shoving for 25k with pocket Jacks only to run into Ace Queen which spiked to send her to the rail penniless...

She was philosophical in defeat though.

"I kind of wanted the action, even though we're on the bubble. It didn't work out but that's the way it goes sometimes!"

Kathy is, in my opinion an excellent ambassador for poker. All her talking is done on the table, she always seems humble despite her success and doesn't suffer from the ego problems afflicting many of the top players in the game.

So she goes out but she'll be back soon, racking up another big score and we'll be cheering her on when she does!

While we're on the bubble, all media (apart from Stars) are banned from the area. We'll get info as soon as we can get back in.

Even though we have been prevented getting too close to the players during this delicate period of the tournament, here's a little taster of the tension afflicting the players at the moment.

Huseyin Yilmaz with close to 200k rummages in his coat nervously while a doe-eyed Rousso fixates on the latest flop with her 110k or so....

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21745&g2_serialNumber=1)

When you get an opportunity, could you give updates on Justin Truesdell?  Last time he texted me he had around 140k.  Thanks for all your hard work guys!

He had 143k at the start of this level which had him in about 7th place with around 70 left. When we go back in, we'll look out for him, once the bubble breaks.

Great!  Thanks a lot!

Players are on a 45 minute dinner break because Hafiz Khan is our bubble he had A-Q against pocket J-J. Hit the Ace but his opponent caught a jack on the turn. And with that, we're now on a dinner break.

**************************45 MINUTE DINNER BREAK**********************

We're back and already there's been some action with five combatants falling soon after the resumption.

This is typical of the period post bubble. All those shortstacks who had been protecting themselves from going busto are now more willing to gamble, and we should expect carnage for the first level as a host of s**t or bust moves are either pulled off with aplomb or spell the end of their architect's tournaments.

Buckle up guys, like this guy...

(http://www.pastorkarl.com/uploaded_images/waterslide-me1-723166.png)

...we're in for a bumpy ride!

A few chip counts:

Michael Tureniec -- 40k
David Beyamine -- 280k
Beth Shak -- 110k
Ian Frazer -- 190k
Georges Moussa -- 20k
Michael Martin -- 130k
Rene Mouritsen -- 50k
Anthony Lellouche -- 90k
Priyan De Mel -- 120k
Johannes Strassman -- 310k
Eric Liu -- 200k
Scotty Nguyen -- 95k

Arnaud Mattern's exit can be summed up by Benyamine's giant stack. In a Gallic civil war Arnaud raised with A-9 and bet 20k on the 9-7-2 board before setting Benyamine in on the 7 turn for his remaining 60k. Benyamine quickly called with 8-7 and although Mattern made it through the bubble, he went out against Benyamine shortly after the break with Q-Q being cracked by Benyamine's 4-4.

Winamax teammate Anthony Lellouche did have over 150k but lost out when Priyan Del Mel flopped a straight on a 9-7-5 board and all the money went in on the 5 turn where Lellouche had 7-2 but couldn't house up on the river.

Alexia Portal is doing better though, she just doubled up with 5-5 vs A-Q.

This stage of the tournament is a mixture of the shortstacks either combusting or trying to spin up their bowl of rice into a worthwhile paella and the big stacks cautiously, and in some cases, less cautiously, picking at each other with varying degrees of aggression.

Two examples of this here.

Blinds: 2k/4k/400

First Sorel Mizzi bumps it up to 12k from UTG, only to find Scotty Nguyen re-raising another 15k from the cut-off...

With 128k back and out of position to the multi bracelet winning player, Sorel decided to fold, despite the small raise, perhaps sensing this would mean his stack would be up for grabs if he continued...

---

Next up, another young aggressive player, the big stacked Johannes Strassmann raised it up to 11k, finding resistance this time in the form of Winamax's Anthony Lellouche, who re-popped to 50,000 this time.

Strassmann likes to interrogate players he is in hands with and he did just this here, telling Lellouche..."you are just gambling I know! I don't believe you have a hand..."

Eventually, despite his distrust, he laid down his hand, enabling the Frenchman to sweep up his chips, although Strassmann was eyeballing him very suspiciously...

---

Judging when to re-steal and how much to re-steal by has to be one of the most difficult skills in tournament poker with a fine line between genius plays and just bleeding chips away...Nguyen and Lellouche seemed to be skilled in the art though...

Some chip counts:-

David Benyamine - 270k
Ian Frazer - 170k
Beth Shak - 75k
Vanessa Rousso - 135k
Sorel Mizzi - 128k
Priyan Demel - 125k

any news on Chris Bruce please?

Michael Martin has remaining fairly static on around 100k for the last few hours, he raised from utg to 10.5k and got a call from Ian Frazer from the big blind. The pair checked down the Js 5d Ad 7d 9h board where Frazer's 3d 3c pipped Martin's 2d 2c. Martin rolled his eyes at me in a 'one of those days' way.

Anthony Lellouche has bounced back up to 300k after eliminating one player who pushed after the Frenchman had looked at one card (an ace) and raised from the cutoff. Lellouche then looked at the other card and it was a second ace.

"I felt really bad for him, he thought I was slowrolling but I really wasn't!"

Afraid Chris was eliminated very early today sir.

Just spotted him with about 106k left. Just going to try and get a picture for you.

Great thanks bro!

update on Justin Truesdell please!

Max Payne

Vanessa (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=886) Rousso (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=886) and Max (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=660) Pescatori (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=660) just played out a pot in the region of the 300k mark...

The pre and flop action wasn't seen but Vanessa got her not inconsiderable stack in on an Ace turn, and Max gave her action, holding A-J...

Rousso had the Italian trussed up and bound like a turkey at christmas though, holding A-K and she looked likely to move into close to the chip lead.

That is until a cruel Jack spiked on the river to shatter her ambitions of challenging for the title. Meanwhile the fortunate bearded Italian moves into a dominant position in the tournament...

It's a bad time for the girls with Vicky (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=449) Coren (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=449) also busting soon after...

Vicky raised to 17k preflop, only to face the busy Frenchman Antony Lellouche re-raising another 40k from the small blind.

Vicky called the big re-raise quickly and the two went heads up to an 8 high flop...

Lellouche led out for 55k and Vicky now shoved the rest of her stack in, another 30k on top or so.

Lellouche had an easy call, and as Vicky showed down pocket Tens, Lellouche flipped up pocket Kings and suddenly Coren was in big trouble...

The turn K ended any faint hopes of an outdraw and Lellouche is now MASSIVE as we unfortunately lose the former EPT winner.

Thanks , didn't see drewmas7's post.
would love a picture.

Justin Truesdell -- 98,000

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21747&g2_serialNumber=1)

Antony Lellouche -- 435k, chip leader

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21749&g2_serialNumber=1)

David Benyamine -- 320k

(http://blondepoker.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=21751&g2_serialNumber=1)

Thanks for the update and picture. Glad he's still in it. Goooo truessssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lellouche has eliminated another player, we believe to be Priyan De Mel. De Mel was holding Q-Q, Lellouche had T-9 and a sticky icky T-9-7-J-4 board got put out in the Frenchman's favour. He finished 2nd in San Remo last year, can he go one better?

And as that all happened, were down to just 32 players and finishing for the night. Tomorrow we'll be playing down to the final table from 1.30pm. See you tomorrow.

;stickaforkinme;

Any updates on my favorite American, Michael Martin, would be appreciated.

Thanks guys.

TR23

 ;hattip;     Thanks for the updates.

I think Vicky finished around the same position at WSOPE.  The difference here is that she ended up with nothing at WSOPE, whereas here she finishes with over 11,000 pounds.

Scotty Nugyen just lost a big flip to leave him on life support, his A-Q unable to hit versus his opponent's pocket fives...he was unable to spike though and although he's made it through to Day 3 he'll have his work cut out if he is to mount a serious challenge now...

And we have now reached 32 players left, meaning the day draws to a premature halt and we have a better idea of who the champion will be.

Benyamine, Strassmann and Lellouche appear to be the men to catch at the moment, with Max Pescatori also in good shape as the tournament approaches its sizzling denouement.

Well that's it from us for today guys.

It's been another cracker of a day with every level crammed full of exhilarating rollercoaster poker but the curtain has come down on today's play so thanks for joining us and we hope to see you back at 1.30pm tomorrow for the run in to the final.

With £1,000,000 to the winner, the remaining players will be battling tooth and nail FTW so see you then but for now

;stickaforkinme;

cheers floppy & JC

Click the link below for the overnight chip counts:

http://blondepoker.com/index.php?q=node/21921 (http://blondepoker.com/index.php?q=node/21921)

+1

Antony (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=903) Lellouche (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=903)     France         446,000
David (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=518) Benyamine (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=518)     France         323,500
Alexia (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1613) Portal (http://www.blondepoker.com/blondepedia/blondepedia_view_player.php?player_id=1613)     France         104,500

2of my favorites still in ? very nice !


 I have to thank you a lot for your coverage which talk a lot about frenchies...




There is a long time I've not said that :

;cheerleader; ;cheerleader; ;cheerleader; Go Frenchies ;cheerleader; ;cheerleader; ;cheerleader;