Pokerstars.com EPT London: Day 1A - Interactive

[NoflopsHomer]

Welcome to the first day of the sold out EPT London, the city overly blessed with some of the greatest poker players the last couple of weeks, though sadly not blessed with the greatest poker rooms ever. The truth is that today will be an insanely tight squeeze, the Vic's pressroom is smaller than the chance of Junglecat not choosing duck on any menu. This combined with the long walk, plus the news that each media team will, at least at the start, be only allowed one press person in the media room and one on the floor at any time should make this week's reporting a little more of a challenge.

So, the cunningly scheduled event features a guaranteed first prize of £1 million pounds, which, funnily enough the WSOPE doesn't have, as Pokerstars have announced they're adding £250,000 to the prize pool. Plus on the last day, there's a £20,000 high rollers event with a £1 million guaranteed prize pool, why you'd almost think they'd scheduled these events to entice everyone to stay after the WSOPE...

In other news, I have to announce that this will be the last EPT blonde will be covering for this year, rising costs and more events have pretty much priced us out of being able to afford to cover these events. It's a real shame because, the EPT has ostensibly become the premier poker tour in the world over the last year, pretty much increasing its numbers every year while the WPT Bogota dropped percentage-wise from last year. These events are now the ones everyone wants to play and the access is also excellent, it's just a shame blonde can't be at any more this year.

Play is scheduled to start at 1.30pm today. We are in the UK though, so you may want to add several hours.

Finally, look out for October 4th, the day when we discover which reporter is 'King of the Hood'...

[Royal Flush]

Been feeling ill all weekend and so was holding off on this, went to sort registration earlier today and find out that its sold out with a lost of 50+ FML one EPT i HAD to play this year and its sold out! heghddhgojdshosd


GL Mr Parker ship me £150k plz!

[Tonji]

GL all the blondes playing this. Surely one will final in this last blonde EPT update.

Cheers Floppy & crew for past updates. Always been quality from you guys 

Looking forward to this one.

[littlemissC]

maria ftw

good luck to pab,pete linton and the in form mr sam trickett.

[ripple11]

GL all the blondes playing this. Surely one will final in this last blonde EPT update.

Cheers Floppy & crew for past updates. Always been quality from you guys 

Looking forward to this one.

 +1

[NoflopsHomer]

Because we've all mostly been working for PokerNews at the WSOPE this last week, it's good to be able to come back to blonde and use headlines that perhaps we wouldn't be allowed to do on other sites.

Witness these possible Chris Ferguson exit titles I never used:

Jesus Nailed
Jesus Dies For His Poker Sins
Christ Crossed Off
Jesus Now Just A Holy Ghost
Jesus Ascends To Railbird Heaven

[NoflopsHomer]

Junglecat here!

Due to the Vic's insistance on one laptop per media outlet, I will be commandeering Floppy's fine machine from time to time using his log-in.

Yes, we're here at the Vic with the re-assuring sounds of a typical morning on Edgware Road echoing in the background...hurried chatter, constant engines being fired and of course sirens wailing away as the world goes about its business.

For us though, the real business is here. With its sick overlay, historic location and tough field, the London EPT is guaranteed to be a cracker.

There'll be plenty of blondites to follow, not least of which will be Maria Demetriou aka Chili, who stormed to a final table berth and big score in her last big tournament here. We'll be tracking her along with a host of others as day 1a goes someway to deciding who will be The Champ.

So, buckle up, strap in and lock down while we dive headfirst into what should prove an adrenaline-fuelled ride. Enjoy!

JC

[Pab]

hello updaters,

please can you keep an eye on stephen 'allinstevie' devlin please, tyvm and see ya 2morrow

[Madone]

updates on Alan Vinson and Jeff Duvall please

[NoflopsHomer]

To say it's rammed in the Vic, would be an understatement.

The initial provision was for there to be 250 players today and the same tomorrow. They've already added an extra three tables, (soon to be four we think). The list of alternatives is longer than the extended edition of Lord of the Rings and so far includes Dag Martin Mikkelsen, Tom 'Durrr' Dwan and Michael Martin. The latter of these arrived last night and was desperate to play, he hoped if there was enough Germans or Italians he might get in quicker or if there was a table of Finns, they all try and take each other out (of the tournament, not like to the cinema on a date).

It looks like there will at least 600 people in this event, possibly more. It's incredibly hectic in the cardroom so player names etc are just going be so difficult to sort out, please bear with us.

[NoflopsHomer]

Packed Vic





"Hello, yes I'd like to buy 1,625 lines for this week's lottery?"





Shockwaves around the nation as UK-based tournament starts less than 15 minutes late.

[littlemissC]

i spoke to maria about an hour before the comp and she was really excited but nervous to see who she had on her table."dont expect many updates on me for the first four hours" was what she said when i told her id be glued to the updates all day.

good luck bird have a great time and win it all pls

[JungleCat03]

i spoke to maria about an hour before the comp and she was really excited but nervous to see who she had on her table."dont expect many updates on me for the first four hours" was what she said when i told her id be glued to the updates all day.

good luck bird have a great time and win it all pls

Yes, I caught up with Maria in the early stages and she's more excited than a moth in a cupboard-full of dusty tweed jackets. I made sure she didn't have too much fun at the opening party last night but she told me she had been on best behaviour.

"Bit of champagne, then water, then some vodka, then some water. One more vodka and that was it for me! It was a good idea really as it sent me to sleep; I often get pretty wired before these big events!"

She's clearly extremely hyped up for this and the great result she got the last time she was at the Vic - final tabling the London GUKPT - has given her a lot of confidence today.



She has an interesting table for sure. Three seats to her left is Hendon Mobster Joe Beevers, who is following up a pretty packed schedule at the WSOPE with an appearance here. Neverends!

Also, sat directly to her left, pictured, is Winamax member Anthony Roux, who, although he has yet to post a big live score, has a burgeoning reputation as an excellent player.

[psychocopy]

anyone know where I can obtain a seating plan for this please ?

I would like to know who is on RealDeals ( Mark Deacon) Table

[JungleCat03]

The tournament's credibility and strength is only enhanced by the presence of the diminuative, but ferocious and accomplished Norwegian, Annette Obrestad.

I always find Annette a captivating character at the table. On the face of it, she is just a small, quiet young lady, but there is an intangible aura about her, some sort of presence, that magnifies her stature and transforms her at the poker tables from little girl to poker titan.