Pokerstars.com EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final - Day 1a - Interactive

[danafish]

The bizarre-o parade-type thingy is accomplished, it rather disappointingly involved a bunch of Pokerstars pros sitting at a table on a big stage while "I Like The Way You Move" pumped out of the stereo and pictures of this year's EPT winners popped up on a big screen. Also a bit disappointingly for your sleepy updaters, but probably just marvelously for you lucky readers at home, Thomas Kremser then announced that they will be playing 7 levels today instead of the advertised 6.

[danafish]

And they're off!

[LLevan]

I've just popped into the cardroom, and although the majority of players are seated, my guess is that it's going to be at least another 15 minutes before we kick off. Earlier on, Jen threatened to eat one of her fingers (which digit wasn't decided) if they started on time, and it looks like she's going to be spared her fingery feast this time around. What I can tell you is that it truly is hustle and bustle in there and the 1,000 players probably isn't an exaggeration. It would take me to the end of Level 1 to list the famous faces, but I did notice that most, if not all of the PokerStars sponsored players are here, as is superstar Erick Lindrgen, not to mention the likes of Thomas Wahlroos, Roland de Wolfe and William Hill's Julian Thew. Most eye-popping of all, well, to the middle-aged female railers anyhow, Boris Becker is stealing the limelight, his tall gingery frame luring in the flash of the camera like a magnet at a piercing convention and letting everyone know that he's here.

With 2 Day 1's this could be a mammoth field, how many are they expecting?
Oh yeah wheres the norkage!!

[danafish]

With 2 Day 1's this could be a mammoth field, how many are they expecting?
Oh yeah wheres the norkage!!

We don't actually know yet, the clock is running but no number of runners is evident. I've taken down my earlier guess of 1,000,000 and put up a more realistic 500 until we know for sure.

Also, I can report that we did see one lady in a bikini through the window of the indoor swimming pool as we arrived, but we have been a bit busy with trying to get accredited, attempting to cover tournament etc so far. We'll do our best when circumstances allow though...

UPDATE - Mad Harper has announced that total number of runners registered so far for the two days is 745, with people still buying in for Day 2.

UPDATE - Daniel Negreanu has appeared in the press room saying something very loudly about eating brains??

UPDATE - Jen would like it to be known that's experiencing some Technical Difficulties but will hopefully be back online soon with poor blurry photos etc from the cardroom.

[Dewi_cool]

 

[danafish]

Severe can't connect problems here - this is Jen - currently unable to get online at all, employing emergency switch-it-on-and-off measures.  With less than a third of the first blind level gone, it shouldn't really matter, although I have a cool picture of the mirrored ceiling of the entrance to the Salle des Etoiles which is coming soon...

Spotted on the rail: Marc Goodwin, Chris Smith, looking too detached to be playing today.  Also Ben Grundy, Roland de Wolfe, Ross Boatman, Greg Raymer, Barry Greenstein, Vanessa Rousso, Katja Thater, Mike McDonald...

Boris Becker is apparently in the players' lounge playing people heads up online, so will be bringing you a screenshot portrait photo soon.  Team Pokerstars are out in force - I wonder what the betting is that one of them will win.  Anyone seen Neil Channing?

[snoopy1239]

Plenty of big names have come to watch me update today, one of whom is equestrian expert Freddy Deeb.

[LLevan]

Plenty of big names have come to watch me update today, one of whom is equestrian expert Freddy Deeb.

Do me a favour snoops.........................

ask him if he's ever gone south

[snoopy1239]

A tangoed Greg 'Peter Griffin' Raymer seated nextdoor to recent Betfair acquisition Sorel Mizzi.

[snoopy1239]

Plenty of big names have come to watch me update today, one of whom is equestrian expert Freddy Deeb.

Do me a favour snoops.........................

ask him if he's ever gone south

You mean, like, down to the London area?

[ariston]

very strange start to the updates today guys- how are the hangovers today?


gl to all the brits and blondes. My early picks:

goodwin (had a strange dream he finalled but god knows where that came from)
thewy and channing (form guys)
isa (course specialist)
oh and roland (hasnt won a million for a few months so is probably due)

[snoopy1239]

The now world famous Craig 'The Apple' Hopkins, posing for the camera like the true pro he is.

[snoopy1239]

very strange start to the updates today guys- how are the hangovers today?

But we'd miss the opening day if we started them tomorrow. 

[snoopy1239]

Some people call Josh Arieh 'The Aggressor'.

Don't think they've ever played Julian...

[snoopy1239]

Patrik 'Doooooh Matt Damon' Antonius.