Expekt.com Norwegian Poker Championships ME : Day One - At A Glance

[JungleCat03]

Two hands later, and he's all in against two players.  He's standing up, looking at a flop of and despairing as the side action kicks off.  Vidar Sabbasen has bet out 2,025, and Andreas Berge (the spiky haired one, we reckon) has raised to 6,525.  A long think...then Sabbasen moves in.  The think now belongs to Berge, who gets very animated, saying "In a cash game I instacall.  Instacall."  He calls, but not insta.

On their backs!

Anthony Nicholls (despairing): 
Vidar Sabbasen (anxious): 
Andreas Berge (also anxious, and covered, just): 

Turn: 
River: 

Giving Anthony Nicholls the side pot of just over 2k, and knocking one of the Norwegians to the felt.

P.S. Literally seconds ago, Nicholls busted, called blind by 9-2 when he held T-J.  "At least I got to play one hand on the feature table...."

Here is the spiky Andreas, leaning over anxiously to see if Vidar has a set or not, after calling with his flush draw...



Er, you're about to be disappointed BUT...

...NOT as disappointed as Vidar as you hit your flush.

How is this picture for a stark delineation of emotion between pain and glory! guess who hit their flush and who had their set busted....

[Djinn]

Chip Counts:

Joachim Lundgård Thorkildsen   22   6   97325
Bjørnar Koss   34   8   73100
Lasse Lien   23   3   70075
Barlien Sondre   23   8   56525
Geir Lian   22   9   55650
Kim Rud Pedersen   24   9   52650
Andreas Berge   21   9   51725
Bjørn Andre Kildalen   32   8   50950
Julian Thew   23   5   44875
Platten Daniel   35   7   41125
Kim-ove Hagerup   35   6   40575
Jan Roger Larsen   35   5   40175
Michael Greco   26   5   38250
Martin Gudvangen   24   1   37900
Arne Kristian Falkenhaug   22   7   37825
Bjørn Andre Hovden   21   6   36975
Kristoffer Ustad   36   5   35825
Michael Mccool   26   2   35650
Waheed Ashraf   23   9   34825
Erik Borkvik   36   8   34275
Ivar Borthen   22   3   34225
Liaquat Javed   26   9   34100
Edvard Hatle   25   6   32725
Brede Sandkjernan   33   2   32600
Daniel Steine   34   1   32550
Daniel Rudd   22   8   32550
Therse Andersen   37   4   32200
Marius Grotan   26   1   32075
Eirik Svanes   23   7   31675
Pål Knudsen   34   7   31075
Andre Hansen   34   3   30150
Paul Gourlay   33   8   30050
Peter Lars Micael Lindstrom   36   6   28250
Acid Nilsen   37   2   28000
David Smith   32   3   27925
Yngvi Bjarnason   24   5   27450
Kenneth Strandli   33   7   27400
John Stanley   25   1   26875
Daniel Gulaker   37   9   25900
Frode Hoel   35   9   25750
James Keys   32   2   25700
Paul Valle   36   2   25525
Jarle Utne   26   7   25325
Richard Larsen   33   9   25200
Mads Aamot   37   3   25000
Christian Berland   21   2   24925
Erik Kindlien   26   6   24550
Bjorn August Lindback   21   7   24500
Glenn Anders Karlsen   33   5   23600
Lars Heldal Bakkevig   34   9   22325
Ken-vidar Sara   35   3   22000
Kristian Heimstad   34   6   21950
Carsten Syvertsen   33   3   20950
Paul Newman   25   7   19800
Jon Somby   37   6   19600
Lars Gaustad   23   6   18775
Martin Rasch   22   4   18725
Kai Danilo Paulsen   26   3   18525
Alf- Eirik Klinge   22   1   18525
Jørund Berstad   37   5   18400
Daniel Molund   25   9   18250
Tage Skare   35   1   17650
Mazhar Latif   34   2   16950
Peter Conduit   32   9   16800
Lars Sverre Wik   25   8   16600
Chriss Jonassen   24   6   15600
Ivar Kleive Voll   33   6   14775
Andreas Forshaug   33   1   14150
William Bugodt   21   1   14075
Borge Sandsgaard   36   1   14050
Kjetil Skau   33   4   13800
Asbjørn Lunde   22   5   13650
Sven Hugo Vian   24   2   12725
Gary Christopher   35   8   12550
Lars Farstad   25   5   12175
Håvard Holder   24   7   12100
Stian Bruheim   34   5   12100
Bjørnar Thomassen   37   1   11850
Magnus Skumsnes   32   4   10800
Jarle Haug   32   6   10750
Anders Brenden   36   7   10600
Alan Stearn   32   7   9700
Geir Ståle Plassen   25   4   9650
Karl Inge Skogholt   23   2   9600
Ole Morten Melby   35   4   9350
Andre Alvarez Brobakken   21   8   9275
Trond-arild Elvan   32   5   8925
Fredrik Alexander Skalmeraas   21   3   8750
Germund Volden   25   3   8650
Frank Porturas   22   2   8150
Stephen Best   37   7   7575
Pal Kristiansen   24   8   7250
Per Erik Løff   21   5   7225
Erling Voje   24   3   7100
Age Spets   32   1   6200
Billy Ngo   36   4   6125
Kai N. Andersen   35   2   6075
Linda Kristin Suhr   36   3   5650
Arild Blålid   25   2   5450
Neil Henshaw   24   4   5325
Efraimsen Oyvind   21   4   5100
Andreas Hagen   34   4   4425
Jørn Eriksrud Bye   36   9   3350

[JungleCat03]

here is an object lesson on the importance of using flash at the tables...

As Andreas the Hedgehog was making his important decision with a pair and flush draw, he moved his head rapidly, fidgeting about as he picked his cards and stack up repeatedly and weighed up the pros and cons of calling.

Whilst I wanted to capture his discomforture, I was keen not to distract him at this critical juncture, so turned off the flash and snapped him. His relentless movement however rendered taking a clean picture of his tortured visage to be an impossible goal and instead I was left with a photo of something resembling a reject from jacob's ladder. The effect is so marked that it looks as though he has actually become transparent! Wierd...

[Djinn]

LEADERWATCH

I think it's probably time to introduce some Norwegians to you whose chipstacks mean that they will quite probably be returning for Day Two and beyond... (notice how I hedge as to whether or not they will actually do so     )

Bjørnar Koss



Lasse Lien



Joachim Lundgård Thorkildsen (cl)



Eirik Svanes and Barlien Sondre



And, yes, Julian Thew.  Even he looks a little sheepish to be up there at the leaderish heights once again.

[JungleCat03]

As the day is gently approaching its conclusion, here are the provisional final tbale payout spots for those who can survive today, Day 2 ( on saturday), Day 3 and reach Day 4 without going busto.

1 £80,925
2) £45,816
3) £28,635
4) £19,920
5) £16,185
6) £11,205
7) £8,715
£6,225
9) £4,980

As you can see the prize money is approaching that of a GUKPT which has double the buy-in. This is a testament to the enthusiasm of so many Norwegians in travelling to another country to play their national championships.

I have to say that thusfar the Norwegians have made a great impression on myself and everyone I've spoken to.

"We're just here to have fun" has been the oft repeated catch phrase of many of the participants and they have been true to their word, a genuine pleasure to watch play and update on, even if we don't have a clue who most of them are!

[Djinn]

Chip leader Joachim Lundgård Thorkildsen doesn't seem to have taken a knock at all during the latter part of the day.  Maybe I just think that because he stacks in those impressive one row deep tall towers like a kind of fortress wall in front of him and I can't accurately gauge his chip count.  But Here's One He Won Earlier:

Bear in mind that this was during the last level...and a 3,650 preflop raise wasn't peanuts... but somehow a fourway flop was seen and a big pot potentially heading towards getting bigger:  .  Without missing a beat, or even blinking, or breathing for all I know, Thorkildsen promptly bet 13k.  Each player in turn frowned a bit, thought about it (one even counted out what looked like it could be about to become a raise) and then passed.  He showed the and calmly built his gravity-defying towers a little higher.

[JungleCat03]

The action has become a little quiet recently. The generous structure afforded to the players means they can happily retreat for periods before getting involved if they so wish and with 20 minutes remaining in the day, it seems quite a few of them have decided to take this option and ensure their survival through to Day 2...

Nonetheless the attrition rate given the generous structure has been relatively high. We expected aggressive poker and on the whole we haven't been disappointed. As it stands 71 players of the original 249 are currently remaining with 8 minutes play left.

[Djinn]

With an excellent structure and plenty of days to use it to its fullest, the Norwegian Championships must be setting a new standard in field shrinkage.  It looks like the number of runners making it through from Day 1A is going to number in the high 60s - pretty good going considering there were 249 starters.  And it's not slowing down in the closing minutes either - this white hoodied Matey (next to Dublin finalist Kai Paulsen) just busted another one with AA vs KK, spiking an Ace for good measure.  You'd think that this particular instance of hand vs. hand would have occurred a phenomenal amount here in DTD, but it hasn't.  The word used most often by the staff (who have been entirely helpful and accommodating, spoiling blonde rotten for pretty much every other event, tbh) is "Bonkers."

[JungleCat03]

And that folks is it!

70 players remain from the initial 249.

We will return tomorrow as a new slew of players arrive to cross swords but for now, we're pretty much wrapping things up as we retire back to out hotel for a good night's sleep.

Thanks for following, we'll see you all tomorrow for the 3pm start but for now...

 

BYEEE!!!!

[JungleCat03]

No sooner do i fork the update than I am forced to withdraw the fork as Julian arrived with some interesting information...

He has finished the day on 120k!!!! - an amazing achievement given his poor start and a stack which will put him well up with chip leaders, if not top of the tree.

"I put a bit of a sick beat on someone in the last hand...he had re-raised me a while ago and once again after I raised with eights he re-raised me. 'Will you show if I fold' I asked him and when he said no, I thought 'right' and set him all in. He called with Queens but then I flopped an eight!" [at this point Julian pulled that classic face that seems almost unique to poker players where they are describing a hand where they sucked out on somone - you know the one i mean, corners of the mouth pulled back, eyes looking upwards]

Julian looked understandably happy with his day's work, wished us the best for tomorrow and departed ready to return on the Saturday...

As soon as we have a final account of the remaining players and their chip counts we'll post them up, but for now, and THIS time, let me do the honours and re-insert the three pronged item of cutlery into myself.

 

[JungleCat03]

Just to bring the day up to speed, here were the final chip counts at the end of the day.  Amongst the slew of Norwegians remaining, a familiar face is at the top of the tree. You might think I'm lying, but no it's Thew!!!!

Julian Thew   23   5   120500
Kim Rud Pedersen   33   1   100600
Barlien Sondre   23   8   97600
Erik Borkvik   36   8   94100
Edvard Hatle   25   6   82600
Geir Lian   22   9   81700
Mazhar Latif   34   2   63100
Arne Kristian Falkenhaug   22   7   62800
Martin Gudvangen   25   8   62600
Joachim Lundgård Thorkildsen   22   6   61600
Waheed Ashraf   23   9   59900
Tage Skare   36   2   52900
Paul Gourlay   33   8   52700
Bjørn Andre Kildalen   32   8   50900
Michael Mccool   26   2   49800
Marius Grotan   26   1   45800
Peter Conduit   32   9   44300
Frank Porturas   22   2   41800
Bjørnar Koss   34   8   41700
Pål Knudsen   34   7   41400
Erik Kindlien   26   6   40400
Platten Daniel   23   3   38700
Martin Rasch   22   4   37700
Jon Somby   33   9   37300
Billy Ngo   36   4   35900
Håvard Holder   23   1   34900
Daniel Rudd   22   8   34700
David Smith   32   3   34700
Frode Hoel   23   6   34100
Paul Newman   25   7   33900
Kim-ove Hagerup   25   5   32800
Kai Danilo Paulsen   26   3   32700
Peter Lars Micael Lindstrom   36   6   32200
Jan Roger Larsen   36   7   31800
Mads Aamot   26   4   31500
Therse Andersen   25   3   30300
Magnus Skumsnes   32   4   30000
Kristoffer Ustad   36   5   29900
Glenn Anders Karlsen   33   5   28600
Neil Henshaw   26   8   28400
Andre Hansen   34   3   27300
Daniel Steine   34   1   27200
Ken-vidar Sara   32   5   26500
Bjørn Andre Hovden   36   1   25200
Brede Sandkjernan   33   2   24300
Stian Bruheim   34   5   23500
Pal Kristiansen   32   1   21800
Lars Heldal Bakkevig   34   9   21700
Gary Christopher   22   3   20200
Kjetil Skau   33   4   20000
Alan Stearn   32   7   19900
Bjorn August Lindback   25   4   19900
Alf- Eirik Klinge   22   1   18600
Stephen Best   36   9   18200
Jarle Utne   26   7   18100
James Keys   32   2   17500
Efraimsen Oyvind   25   9   17400
Ole Morten Melby   34   4   17300
Carsten Syvertsen   33   3   16700
Michael Greco   26   5   16100
Kristian Heimstad   34   6   15900
Sven Hugo Vian   22   5   14100
Karl Inge Skogholt   23   2   13900
Bjørnar Thomassen   25   1   11600
Ivar Kleive Voll   33   6   10000
Linda Kristin Suhr   36   3   9200
Andreas Berge   32   6   6000
Erling Voje   25   2   5200