BlueSq.com GUKPT Grand Final - Day 1a

[Djinn]

loads of MOOOOOOOOOOOOOMin updates plz

Ready...steady... GO!

Moorman off to a flying start, up a few thousand and recently betting off an opponent on a spade-filled flop and showing for the general amusement of JP, it looked like.

Just now he bet 350 on a board of xDiamond and in-position opponent Ross Boatman raised to an even 1k.  Moorman called, the turn brought the .  Check from both of them.  The river brought the and a bet out of 1,500 from Moorman, and a flat final call.  Over sailed Chris' for the flush, and an early accumulation period seems to be treating him well.

[NoflopsHomer]

Go everyone I know. Boo hiss to people I've don't.

[Djinn]

Karl Mahrenholz:

Click to see full-size image.

He did not look like this, however, when losing a hand in the first half of the first level.  His composure didn't crack an inch as I caught him betting the river with a board reading to the tune of 1,125.  His opponent merely flat called - Karl's hand immediately appeared face-up; I can't see so well at the best of times when not actually looming directly over the table, and was just about to write down that his bluff had been called with by for second set, when Junglecat informed me that the speed at which Karl's hand first was shown and then mucked signified an early set-over-set situation.  Could have been costlier, in that case...

[danafish]

Surprise Entrant Of The Day

Yes, imagine our surprise at finding European Deepstack chopper and erstwhile blonde Irish correspondent Gary "Mclovin" Clarke at the tables. He won a seat online and is very pleased to be here. Probably. He didn't say.

[Djinn]

Spaces originally left with chips signify latecomers who've paid the £3,000 - slowly the full picture emerges.  Every table seems to have a previous GUKPT winner sat on it somewhere, which isn't surprising as they all got seats to this event as part of the winners' packages, along with a suitcase of Sterling and a nice trophy.  And a watch, I think.

Anyway, this table pictured above was six-handed when the tournament started but now has JJ Hazan (Seat One - OK, he made it on time), Praz Bansi (prior winner) Andrew Teng (seat 4, just won one), Steve Jelinek (seat 6).  Full list of players coming as soon as Alternate Hour draws to a close.

[danafish]

Dude In The Cash Game Striking Monkey Pose Of The Day

With extra value added Akenhead.

Click to see full-size image.

[Djinn]

Also spotted, but who don't deserve a photo yet because I haven't got any relevant stories:

Dan Carter
Davood Mehrmand
Tim and Pippa Flanders
Paul Jackson
Richard Gryko
Ian Woodley
Iwan Jones
Barny Boatman
Michael Ellis
Ben Grundy
Marc Goodwin
Stu Rutter
Sam Trickett

[Djinn]

Dude In The Cash Game Striking Monkey Pose Of The Day

With extra value added Akenhead.

Click to see full-size image.

Um, are you sure you want to phrase it like that?  The press isn't meant to insult the players, and I heard Mr. Akenhead's second preparing the duelling pistols on the Terrace... 

[danafish]

Although this tournament is about as UK-star-studded as they come (player list shortly!), the atmosphere is currently a bit muted, with little of the party atmosphere that sometimes pervades GUKPTs. Currently at this prestigious championship  event, there are exactly three railers, of whom one is reading the paper, one is nursing a pint and staring at the floor and one appears to be chewing on his wallet. This is tense stuff.

Nevertheless it's early days yet, with the number of runners on the board still slowly creeping up rather than dropping down with not a single player eliminated thus far (or "kicked out", as the dude from Gutshot put it). I expect the party atmosphere to kick in roughly when they start handing out glasses of wine...

Butters says: "Woo, par-tay."

Click to see full-size image.

[Amy Winehouse]

Although this tournament is about as UK-star-studded as they come (player list shortly!), the atmosphere is currently a bit muted, with little of the party atmosphere that sometimes pervades GUKPTs. Currently at this prestigious championship  event, there are exactly three railers, of whom one is reading the paper, one is nursing a pint and staring at the floor and one appears to be chewing on his wallet. This is tense stuff.

Nevertheless it's early days yet, with the number of runners on the board still slowly creeping up rather than dropping down with not a single player eliminated thus far (or "kicked out", as the dude from Gutshot put it). I expect the party atmosphere to kick in roughly when they start handing out glasses of wine...

Butters says: "Woo, par-tay."

Click to see full-size image.

Is there a bar I can sit at within viewing distance of moormans table? Is there a suitable toilet area to do hard drugs in? if yes to either of these questions I will be down shortly to ensure a party atmosphere of the highest class.

[JungleCat03]

Two players who stand out as big hitters even amongst this celebrated field are Ben Grundy, whose online Omaha stats are legendary, and John Tabatabai, who allies a superstrong NLHE poker game with an almost Roberto Romanello-esque ability to maintain a constant stream of table-talk while playing.

Ben is in fine fettle - "I'm not hungover for a change!" - and was last heard challenging Tabatabai to a last shorter bet.

"I'm great at those!" said Ben with perhaps undue pride and Tabatabai agreed heartily with the Milkybarkid's assessment.

John often wears eye-catching, dramatically emblazoned t-shirts and hoodies to poker events and today is no exception. Here is some sort of  bling-encrusted death moth for your enjoyment. Sweet dreams!

[sofa----king]

paul jackson for the win,,,,.,.,,..

[JungleCat03]

Though the exact number of runners and prize pool remains unconfirmed, here is an early indicator of the sorts of renumberations the top players can expect. Nice chunk of change eh?

[Numpty Dumpty]

Go Stuart Rutter! - due a big result!

...and GL Dan Carter and John Butters too!

[JungleCat03]

You could spend all day picking out top poker players in this field.

Here's one of them, Iwan Jones, the dangerous Welshman, who looks battle-hardened and ready for some tough poker out there.

Iwan's a top man but I couldn't help but find this comparison a little spooky?