Pokerstars.com EPT London: Day 1A - At A Glance

[NoflopsHomer]

Brandon Cantu, who always seems to amass a big stack in tournaments, has a face like a smacked bum after his A-K was outdrawn by A-T for a 30k pot. I didn't see where the money went in, but Cantu wasn't looking too happy, though he still has another 30k left.

[NoflopsHomer]

People on the non-stop service to Bustoville; Calling At No Chips, Donked Out, Outdraw City and Lost Coinflip Boulevard.

Dag Martin Mikkelsen
Henning Granstad
Greg Howard
Nick Gibson (set over set)

[NoflopsHomer]

David Benyamine had about 8,000 about half an hour ago. He now has around 50,000. I hadn't seen the earlier double up but on the turn of a Benyamine check/raised his opponent's 2,000 bet to 6,500. The button thought for a good minute before setting Benyamine in, to which the Frenchman called instantly. Benyamine flipped for the flopped nuts while his opponent showed the not entirely drawing dead just yet . But the river was a blank and Benyamine was found to just have his opponent covered, consequently busting him.

[JungleCat03]

I was watching Jim Reid's table, getting a few counts, when Jim raised it up on the button to 3k or so...

The blinds both folded, and it looked like Jim went to muck his cards, only for them to flip over and reveal J-6 offsuit...

OOPS!



Anyway he had a bit of a laugh over it with neighbour Kathy Liebert. When I asked him if he meant to flip them over, he said "Yes. Of course!" I think he might have been bluffing though...

Here he is giggling away like a naughty schoolboy as he sweeps up the blinds.

[JungleCat03]

David Benyamine has watched his missus go busto and to be honest he wasn't far off it himself not so long ago, but as Homer pointed out, he has spun it back up to 50,000.

Time to chill now....



Ian Frazer was just seen raking in a big pot.

I didn't see the action preflop but he seemed to have got a bit funky from middle position with Q-9 and with a Q and 9 on the flop had got someone to give him their chips. Good job Ian! Up to 45,000.

[JungleCat03]

Apologies for claiming Jason Mercier was busted earlier. He isn't.

Click to see full-size image.

He doesn't have loads of chips but with around 16,000, he is still in contention and continuing his policy of stacking his chips in symmetrical form...



Jeff Kimber is short with only 10,000 or so, but he needn't worry as he has a guardian angel on his shoulder to guide him to poker heaven!

[JungleCat03]

Beth Shak has been steady if unspectacular at the tables today. I managed to snap her, although judging by the sultry glance she gave me, I was being a distraction so moved swiftly along. Keep up the Shak Attack, Beth!



And I moved along to Priyan Demel. Perhaps overdue a result in a big tournament, this may be the one, Priyan with 50,000 at the moment, which will have him in the upper echelons of the leaderboard.

Well played sir!

[NoflopsHomer]

Poor old Jeff Kimber, reraises Gavin Griffin all-in with 3-2, Griffin calls with K-Q.

Board: A-3-A-3-A

Sighaments.

[NoflopsHomer]

Annette Obrestad and Erica Schoenberg are both out.

[NoflopsHomer]

Jason Mercier really is out now, Nicolas Levi's short stack push with 4-3 was called by Mercier's equally short A-6. A 4 came out first card and Levi has 20k and a little smile now.

Not smiling so much is Michael 'Don't Call Me Beppe' Greco who committed himself with a raise for half his stack on a board after Vanessa Rousso had led out. Liya Gerasimov set Greco in and Rousso got out of the way.

Greco:
Gerasimov: Erm...

No spade for the Grecster, he's outta here!

[JungleCat03]

Here is our chip leader, Carter Gill.

Carter is a regular motormouth, filling every spare moment at the table with chatter.

I was informed by a follically challenged colleague in the press room that he was much the same during the recent APT tour, where he finished just short of the final table berths but got himself into contention through some aggressive play, matched by equally aggressive tabletalk.

Here he is with his giant 100,000 ish stack. Now that's a whopper!

[JungleCat03]

As we approach the last few moments of the night, here's a shot oozing menace.

First we have Nicholas Levi, somewhat tired perhaps in a day which has been quite a grind. He had 16,000 just before the level end, which will mean he'll be looking for an early double through tomorrow...

But notice the menacing looking Arnaud Mattern lurking in the lower background.

The villainous look on his face seems to be saying "I am ze only Frenchman allowed in zis photo!!"

Finally, to complete the ominous tone of the shot, we have Davood Mehrmand, the slightly wacky (now that's diplomacy) German player giving veritable daggers to someone just off camera. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes!

Feel free to fill in your own captions!

[JungleCat03]

And with the end of level nine, thus ends our coverage for today!

Thanks very much for following the tournament progress.

We'll throw up the official chip counts as soon as PokerStars send them to us, but for now  because myself and Mr Homer are done!

Bye guys

[JungleCat03]

Pokerstars have provided us with a list of some of the notable players still in with their stacks.

Here they are: apologies if someone you requested is not there. We'll chase them up on day 2.

Max Pescatori        93000
Sorrel Mizzi       92500
Scott Montgomery       86000
Carter Gill       78000
Gus Hansen       74000
Walid Rizkallah       65000
Michael Martin       63000
Joe Alpayaa       60000
Arnaud Mattern       43000
Vicky Coren       40000
Vanessa Rousso       36000
Pascal Perrault       34000
Alan Smufit       33000
Isaac Haxton       32000
Michael Watson       31000
David Benyamine       30000
Kathy Liebert       27000
Joseph Mouawad       20000
Alex Kravchenko       18000
Victor Ramdin       10000
Erica Schoenberg       9100
Ian Frazer       6300