Bubble boy: Hiroshi Shimamura
The bubble has burst! The unfortunate man to leave empty-handed was Hiroshi Shimamura from Japan. Down to his last 40,000, he pushed with 4-4, but was called by 10-10. He had travelled here with his friend Masaaki Kagawa to be the first Japanese players to take part in an EPT event. While it's unlucky for Hiroshi, Masaaki is still going strong.

Soon after Christer Johansson, of Sweden exited, pocketing €5,800 for his two days' work. Markus Schlepphorst also bit the dust in 47th for the same amount of cash.

But first to bust after the bubble was Norway's Sverre Sundbo. The PokerStars player had been crippled shortly before, then pushed with 8-9 suited but found a willing caller with 10-10. He may have been disappointed, but this was a player down to his last 525 chips at one stage yesterday.

The action will speed up now as the short-stacks, now safely in the money, put their gambling hats on.