Sigi Stockinger (Team Austria)

"I am an open book," Stockinger will respond if you ask him to reveal his hidden personality. Methinks it's a bit of a false tell on his part. Cagey, aggressive, and no slouch at heads-up play the Austrian is no open book at the poker table. Nominated by PokerStars to the Austrian team, Stockinger syas if he wasn't playing poker he'd spend his time organizing a world peace conference. Seems to be a bit of a oxymoronic philosophy for a man who loves to do battle at the poker table. Nonetheless, he is a gentleman on an off the table and who am I to question his desire for world peace?

Age Spets (Team Norway)

Age Spets claims to still go to bed with a teddy bear. I'll let that sink in a moment while I offer that Spets dream world is inhabited by beautiful beaches, good food and drink, and lots of beautiful women. When he's not dreaming of that, he's cleaning up the online poker tables. He qualified for the WCP through PokerStars Frequent Player Point program.

***

About 30 seconds before this match was set to begin, I was called into the commentary booth to provide color for the match. As such, my note-taking on the match was more mental than physical. So, you'll have to make do with my brief recollection.

In short, Stockinger established himself early as the agressor, raising pre-flop with marginal hands and maintaining the aggression as the board played out. In contrast, Spets played a rather tight game. As you might imagine, Stockinger jumped out to an early lead.

Spets had the good fortune to pick up pocket aces twice, big slick four times, and AQ twice. To his misfortune, however, because he played very tight, it was easy for Stockinger to identify when Stockinger had a hand and when he did not. Only once did Spets get any action. He played one pair of aces to a nice-sized pot which allowed him a chip lead for a couple of levels.

In the end, however, Stockinger's read on Spets held on and the Austrian was able to regain his lead and come back for the win.

Team Austria: 1, Team Norway: 0