Today's dinner - which will be served momentarily - is likely to taste a little sweeter for PokerStars qualifier Thierry van den Berg after a big double up in the past ten minutes.

A pre-flop raising battle broke out between the Dutch player and Peter Gould, of England. Thierry raised under-the-gun-plus-one, Peter re-raised from one off the button, Thierry moved all in and Peter was pot-committed. The final re-re-raise was about 30,000 more into a pot of around 90,000.

Thierry van den Berg rubs his hands at the prospect of a double up

Peter knew he was behind as he tabled A-K. Thierry, who spent much of yesterday lamenting the absence of pocket aces from his hand, uttered: "For once in my life," before flipping over those bullets. Good time to get them.

The flop, though, was scary for Thierry. It brought a queen and a ten, meaning "any old jack" would do it for Peter, as he repeated through turn and river. It didn't come, though, and Thierry doubled through to around 100,000.


The board keeps Thierry's hopes alive

Scratching the felt on the same table is Jiri Vacek, who lost near enough all his stack with A-2h against Victor Goossens' pocket fives. In fact, Vacek thought he was out, but tablemate Age Spets called him back suggesting he may have had Goossens covered. He did, as it happens, but he has less than 5,000 left and is itching to shove them in.

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Tournament update:

Vacek was all in blind moments after the hand described above. He had jack-nine and couldn't beat K-Q of Thierry van den Berg. He takes €12,860 for 23rd.

Andreas Hoivold just became out 22rd placed finisher, earning €12,860. His A-4 couldn't overtake Gunnar Rabe's K-K and the Dortmund champion is gone. Pascal Perrault is now the lone remaining

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Unrelated picture moment


Alexander Kravchenko under surveillance