Bluesquare.com London GUKPT Day 2 - At A Glance

[danafish]

I have a cocktail here, so I shall be brief.

We'll be back down at the Grosvenor Vic at 2pm to see the survivors of Day !a and Day 1b clash poker horns until we are left, as I understand it, with a Final Table. The collective chip counts are follows:

Jerome Bradpiece   164450
Talal Shakerchi   134100
Mark Friedman   125350
James Keys   117325
Joseph Grech   107450
Maria Demetriou   95025
Brian Johnson   94675
Jonathon Baylis   93400
Inil Abraham   89875
Alessandro Meoni   85750
Stewart Clutterbuck   82850
Mark Rayson   81675
Dave Colclough   79650
Willie Tann   69900
Jeremy Longley   67400
Jonathan Martin   66000
David Ulliott   64725
Colin Kennedy   64350
John Conroy   64150
Steven Chandler   60075
Jen Mason   57800
Craig Owen   57375
Niall Charlton   55475
Frank Pini   53550
Anthony Quinn   51700
Steve Townsend   50650
Carlton Joseph   50250
Jan Lundberg   49250
Davood Mehrmand   48100
Anthony Chapman   47325
Dave Anderson   47225
David Rudling   46900
Terry Chapman   46800
Terry Simpson   46750
Ian Cox   46525
Erik Svanes   45450
Samuel Wan   45000
Thomas Dunwoodie   44425
Ketul Nathwani   44200
Fabio Esposito   44025
Nick Gibson   44000
Antony Phillips   43750
Marius Hogtun   43200
Jonathan Kalmar   43100
John Rigolli   42325
Simon Wickenden   40350
Jeff Buffenbarger   38950
Julien Leonard   38600
Yilfer Shevket   37650
James Sudworth   37150
Jim Reid   36625
Richie Allen   35500
Peter Maier   35325
Helge Stjernvang   34925
Ashley Gorman   32975
Daniel Burgess   32875
Nik Stylianou   32225
Edward Cahill   29725
Steve Jelinek   29500
Andy Slater   29375
John Burberry   27700
Kai Paulsen   27675
Alan Rawling   27650
Chris Rhodes   27600
James Kazal   26275
Darren Pearce   26175
Derek Miller   25575
Koroush Nikkhahe   25550
Sebastian Saffari   24825
Victoria Coren   24200
Keir Fitzgibbon   23450
Julian Thew   23150
Hugo Martin   23050
Fran Egan   22425
Paul Rosati   21050
Leo Kam   20800
W Cheung   20325
Mike Fisher   20225
Anthony William Hardy   19975
Lloyd Rees   18950
Daniel Samson   18700
John Gardner   18675
Barney Boatman   18625
Lee Squire   17650
Mike Panteli   17450
Piers Whyman   17200
John Falconer   16950
Neil Channing   16525
Louise Fennell   15800
Mark Segal   14950
Paul Mendes   14875
Christoffer Nilsen   13325
John Eames   12600
Martins Adeniya   11275
James King   8925
Daren Braddick   8750
Daniel Kerridge   8525

Take your picks now! I'm keeping shtum in case I accidentally curse my investment...

[danafish]

We're here! After a short the-Tube-is-suspended-at-Hampstead-for-no-reason cab ride, we're at the Vic, we've got Danish and instant coffee, and Mr Jon "Bluesquare" Raab has sent us our remaining 99 players in seating-plan order:

Table   Seat   Player   Chip Count
1   1   Daniel Kerridge   8525
1   2   John Gardner   18675
1   3   Craig Owen   57375
1   4   Steve Townsend   50650
1   5   Joseph Grech   107450
1   6   Mark Segal   14950
1   7   Steven Chandler   60075
1   8   Stewart Clutterbuck   82850
1   9   Carlton Joseph   50250
2   1   Mark Rayson   81675
2   2   Jeff Buffenbarger   38950
2   3   Talal Shakerchi   134100
2   4   Lloyd Rees   18950
2   5   Barney Boatman   18625
2   6   W Cheung   20325
2   7   Jonathan Kalmar   43100
2   8   Steve Jelinek   29500
2   9   John Conroy   64150
3   1   Willie Tann   69900
3   2   Dave Colclough   79650
3   3   James Sudworth   37150
3   4   Anthony Chapman   47325
3   5   Jerome Bradpiece   164450
3   6   Derek Miller   25575
3   7   Simon Wickenden   40350
3   8   Anthony Quinn   51700
3   9   Leo Kam   20800
4   1   Hugo Martin   23050
4   2   Daren Braddick   8750
4   3   Erik Svanes   45450
4   4   Victoria Coren   24200
4   5   Alessandro Meoni   85750
4   6   Richie Allen   35500
4   7   Thomas Dunwoodie   44425
4   8   Mike Panteli   17450
4   9   Niall Charlton   55475
5   1   Koroush Nikkhahe   25550
5   2   Helge Stjernvang   34925
5   3   Dave Anderson   47225
5   4   Martins Adeniya   11275
5   5   Julian Thew   23150
5   6   James Keys   117325
5   7   Daniel Burgess   32875
5   8   Anthony William Hardy   19975
5   9   Ketul Nathwani   44200
6   1   Jim Reid   36625
6   2   Julien Leonard   38600
6   3   Daniel Samson   18700
6   4   Fran Egan   22425
6   5   John Eames   12600
6   6   Paul Rosati   21050
6   7   Louise Fennell   15800
6   8   Christoffer Nilsen   13325
6   9   Jonathan Martin   66000
7   1   Yilfer Shevket   37650
7   2   Alan Rawling   27650
7   3   Keir Fitzgibbon   23450
7   4   Darren Pearce   26175
7   5   Brian Johnson   94675
7   6   Mark Friedman   125350
7   7   James Kazal   26275
7   8   Sebastian Saffari   24825
7   9   Jeremy Longley   67400
8   1   Maria Demetriou   95025
8   2   David Ulliott   64725
8   3   David Rudling   46900
8   4   Chris Rhodes   27600
8   5   Terry Simpson   46750
8   6   John Burberry   27700
8   7   Jen Mason   57800
8   8   Jan Lundberg   49250
8   9   Ashley Gorman   32975
9   1   Fabio Esposito   44025
9   2   Colin Kennedy   64350
9   3   Nick Gibson   44000
9   4   Edward Cahill   29725
9   5   Terry Chapman   46800
9   6   Andy Slater   29375
9   7   Antony Phillips   43750
9   8   Paul Mendes   14875
9   9   Nik Stylianou   32225
10   1   James King   8925
10   2   Frank Pini   53550
10   3   Davood Mehrmand   48100
10   4   Piers Whyman   17200
10   5   Kai Paulsen   27675
10   6   Jonathon Baylis   93400
10   7   Inil Abraham   89875
10   8   Mike Fisher   20225
11   1   Samuel Wan   45000
11   2   Neil Channing   16525
11   3   John Rigolli   42325
11   4   Marius Hogtun   43200
11   5   Lee Squire   17650
11   6   John Falconer   16950
11   7   Ian Cox   46525
11   8   Peter Maier   35325

[danafish]

Aside from Table Chili/Jen/Devilfish, please note Table 3 - Dave Colclough, Willie Tann, Jerome Bradpiece, Leo Kam. Eek.

[JungleCat03]

  people.

The tournament is bubbling up nicely as we await the start of Day 2.

Lots of great players remain. Jen and Maria's table looks very exciting with the devilfish in tow. Feathers aplenty will be rustled there I suspect!

Julian Thew has negotiated his way through to the latter stages once more and if he can get a few chips going, will clearly be a threat for the title. Ditto Jim Reid, who is following up on his final table appearance in Brighton and who also has the game to run deep and possibly taste victory.

Former 2007 Walsall GUKPT winner Jerome Bradpiece strolled laconically through the day yesterday but accelerated through the last few levels in imperious fashion to find himself returning today as the clear chip leader. Whether he can equal Julian Thew's impressive feat of winning 2 GUKPT titles remains to be seen.

Last year's winner Leo Kam is still in there, although with a 20k stack, he will need to  fairly quickly. Many other seasoned campaigners remain including maltese Joe Grech, who also finalled in Brighton, the laid back Willie Tann, and hendon mobster Barney Boatman.

The opening action is traditionally quite hectic, so I'm off to join Snoopy and Dana to catch all the thrills and spills of the start.

[JungleCat03]

Barney Boatman raises it up to 3.2k from early position, only to find Steve Jelinek moving allin behind him for what looked to be 22-25k.

No drama here though as Barney folded pretty quickly and Steve showed a pair of Queens.

"Eights" said Barney. "You overplayed them" Steve told him as they rib each other have a laugh.


Just for your delectation, here are the likely final table payouts...

1) £119,780
2)  £69,960
3)  £50,880
4)  £33,920
5)  £26,000
6)  £20,140
7)  £15,900
  £12,720
9)   £9,540
10) £6,360

[danafish]

Confirmed OUT thus far:

Simon Wickenden
John Gardner


Score Of The Day So Far:

My Hair Of The Day pick from yesterday, Mr Davood Mehrmand, stopped me to tell me that he likes my hair. Score!

[danafish]

Jen is taking no nonsense from the Fish. Mr Ulliott bets out 3k on a flop. Preflop limper John Burberry gets out of the way, and Jen raises to 8k. Devilfish folds with the minimum of fuss, claiming, "I got a Seven, guess that's no good..."

[snoopy1239]

He doesn't look too happy about it, but Darren Pearce was the recipient of an early double up, his A-7 surviving against A-6 when a 7 hit the Flop.

----------

Now I don't possess the supreme bokking powers of booder, but I'm still capable, my bok of level one exit John Eames surefire proof of that. His assassin was Scandinavian Christoffer Nilsen, the Pocket Cowboys landing in his lap at just the right time and effortlessly seeing of the inferior A-T of Eames to leave the youngster heading dejectedly to the rail.

----------

As the action folds round to the Devilfish in the small blind, the all-singing all-guitar playing all-woman-wooing Hullian made it up 2,200 before being looked up by Dave Rudling in the big. On the Flop, the Devilfish check-called 3,200 before check calling, once again, 7,600 on the Turn. An on the River triggered a 12k bet from Devilfish, which led to a swift all-in from Dave Rudling for 20,200 more. Devilfish didn't look particularly happy about it, but called nonetheless, announcing "I have a Jack" in the process whilst quietly praying that his opponent hadn't hit the nuts. However, as you can see from the amusing expression on the 'Fish's face, Rudling did indeed have the nuts, his for the Flopped straight leaving the Devilfish with not only 20k in chips, but also a face like a firmly smacked bottom, and understandably so. "I had Q-J," revealed a disgruntled Devilfish.

[snoopy1239]

I'm afraid Nick Gibson is OUT. The hand that made the biggest dent was an unfortunate Nines versus Aces encounter with Nik Stylianou, the 2-K-8-2-3 rainbow board offering no help.

---------

As correctly predicted by Mystic Chili (I think I had a vindaloo called that once), the Devilfish is now OUT, his push with an open ended straight draw being called by Ace high to leave the former WPT winner rocking and rolling towards the door.

---------

We've more departures than Waterloo here today, the latest Level 1 casualty being the slick Mark Segal, his K-Q receiving no divine assistance against Joe Grech's A-Q.

[danafish]

The Thewster is down to just 13k or so, what with the blinds and I believe he may have raised once or similar...

[danafish]

Shortly before the departure of Devilfish (table now re-christened Table Jen, seeing as Chili has been moved to Table 9; otherwise I would obviously have re-christened it Table Hot Blonde Girl-On-Girl Action), a double-up for John Burberry. I think what may have happened (missed the very earliest part of the hand) is that Ashley Gorman raised and then Burberry re-raised, leaving himself around 13.5k behind. Gorman re-raised all in to cover him, and after a surprising amount of dwellage, Burberry called.

John Burberry -
Ashley Gorman - As

Board -

Gorman is down to just 13k or so.

[JungleCat03]

Big Joe Grech has eliminated the shortstacked Mark Segal. Joe's hoding of T-T was crushing the A-5 of Mark and   a Q-6-T-Q-5 flop only further cemented the dominance of Joe's hand, sending Mark off to the rail.

Joe has seen it all in poker and quietly swept the chips neatly into his stack.


Many people would slow down after winning a pot, but Joe was straight back on the attack, raising it up to 3.2k before the stripily shirted Niall Charlton pushed for 20k or so.

Joe began a muttered monologue to himself at this point.

"Big raise, big raise, hmmm. What have you got? You're very quiet. Do you think I'm ahead?"

"Depends what you've got" was the terse reply from the statue-esque Charlton.

"I'll give you a break....just this once though! Everyone deserves ONE break" ....Joe passed flipping the but his chat was obviously intended to warn people off from re-stealing off him.

[snoopy1239]

I didn't catch the hand, but Sebastain Saffari has been spotted on the rail, retelling a hand to someone on his mobile, and donning the disappointed expression of someone who had just been eliminated. I'm no Hercule Poiroit, but I'd say he's OUT.

--------

As Koroush Nikkhahe pushes in from early position with Pocket Tens, he probably had mixed feelings when Dave Anderson moved all-in behind him. Possibly expecting to be coinflipping at best, that's exactly what happened, Anderson showing A-K for a classic 50-50 encounter. With both players poised and ready for celebration, more so the enigmatic Koroush as he rose anxiously from his seat, the dealer lay a raggy 2-5-2 onto the felt. At this point, you could sense both hearts beating fast, and whilst Koroush's mouth quivered rhythmically, probably repetitively mouthing the words "No ace or king, no ace or king no ace or king", the tension on Dave's face was just as evident. However, on the Turn, it was the latter's wishes that came true, but only temporarily so, the dramatic Ten on the River making Koroush's step towards the door an unjustified one and resulting in thee forms of celebration: a punch of the air, a "yes, thank you, yes, thank you" verbal celebration, and a firm pat on the back for the dealer.

-------

Like a quick bout of midget wrestling, two shorties (chip-wise) locked horns in Hugo Martin and next door neighbour Daren Bradick. On this occasion, it was Hugo in need of a win in order to stay in the tournament, and his survival never really looked in jeopardy as his battled Rhodes' [Braddick's] on a seemingly harmless board. Unfortunately, the Two on the River resulting a split pot to leave both players with circa 15k in chips.


----------

"I don't think you're ahead," observes Mark Friedman as Brian Johnson all-in encounter with Piers Whyman leads to the latter revealing Kings.

"I don't think I'm ahead," jokes Brian as he places his inferior Pocket Fives onto the felt.

A Q-9-3-K-J board later and that was that.

[JungleCat03]

Jerome Bradpiece has had a torrid time in the early stages.

I joined his table to see a large pot being mvoed away from him toward the stack of his neighbour Anthony Chapman.

The cards were swept up almost as soon as I arrived but I thought I saw in front of Jerome and the in front of Anthony with 3 or 4 clubs on board.

I heard Anthony mention to someone "I got a bit lucky there" suggesting he perhaps rivered a superior flush to beat Jerome...

This knocked Jerome down to 110k or so...


Next up, Leo and Jerome became involved in a pot.

The two players saw a flop of .

Jerome checked to Kam who quickly tapped the table and checked behind.

TURN:

Jerome: CHECK
Kam: a quick bet of 8k
Jerome: CALL

RIVER:

Jerome: CHECK
Kam: 14.5k allin bet
Jerome blinks a few times before announcing he is calling.

Kam flipped over 6-6 for a set and Jerome nodded his head and mucked his hand.

Two big hits in a row have knocked Jerome back from the chip lead down to circa 75k...

Here is teh upwardly mobile Kam with his newly acquired chips.

[danafish]

Thomas Dunwoodie makes it 5k to go, and small blind Hugo Martin moves in for 11.5k total. Super-shortstack big blind Daren Braddick decides he's live and comes along for the ride for his remaining 7.9k (including his blind). A short argument follows regarding the main pot, the size pot, and who has and hasn't received change. Eventually Dunwoodie throws in another 10k on top of his 5k raise to cover any eventuality, and they're on their backs.

Hugo Martin - 
Daren Braddick - er,
Thomas Dunwoodie -

Board - a totally decisive

Hugo Martin - OUT
Daren Braddick - OUT
Thomas Dunwoodie - says something like "yippee!" and takes possession of no fewer than two shortstacks.