Team PokerStars pros Katja Thater and Luca Pagano are back from the dinner break in a little better shape than when they left. Both are off the felt after flying lower than is normally comfortable, Luca at times clipping the trees as his stack descended.

Luca moved in on the hand before the break. A chance to eat dinner in peace was at stake – either by double-up or elimination. So if you feel like sticking around Kings are a good way to increase your chances, which is what Luca showed when called by the player on his left who held pocket tens.

Back from dinner and whilst Katja enjoyed a massage and Luca dived under the cover of headphones PokerStars qualifier Daniel Tarnopol was happily adding to his stack, chatting with table mates along the way.

PokerStars qualifier Daniel Turnopol

Daniel, from San Mateo California, turned pro last December after working as an electronics engineer and looks like he made a good decision.

“I played in Baden last month and ran quite badly – I was card dead for a while. Here I have a great table and I busted a player out earlier.

Whether or not he had a read on Alan Smurfit I don’t know but he came out a hand with him better off, chasing away the bracelet winner with a strong bet on the turn.

“There are some good players here” he said, referring to Katja, Luca and Smurfit as well as Andreas Hagen and Ben Grundy. “Actually I like that – they’re easier to read.”