We started today with an eye on Tom Bentham and Justin Francis, two PokerStars qualifiers drawn together on an table that featured Tony Cascarino, Liam Flood, Patrick Bruel and Roy Brindley. Now, six levels later and these two warriors are still having their say at a table that hasn’t changed a lot since 2 o’clock this afternoon. Cascarino has moved to another table but in his place has arrived Michael Durrer. It doesn’t get any easier.

Meanwhile Liam Flood sees off Roy Brindley, sending his to the rail with a quiet good luck from his countryman.

So how do things look now? Tom recovered well from initial set-backs, now comfortable and up to 28k he may have expected a short working day like that in London, but has managed to keep his hopes alive to within sight of day 2. The same goes for Justin, a patient player with the dignified look of a retired General. He’s kept pace with the chip average all day at a table that could have caused problems.

Another player goes, this time Patrick Bruel has called a move putting himself all-in. Pocket eights for Patrick to his opponent’s A-K.

“Do you want to take a photo?” he says to a French photographer who moves in to capture the moment of despair - that moment coming at the second the king hit the turn.

“Ah (expletive removed)!” It summed up a disappointing day for the virtuoso, who gathered his belongings, shook the hand of his assassin, and left for the rail.
It’s been a tough table alright, but both Tom Bentham and Justin Francis look set to make it through day 1b.

Tournament update:

Or so I thought. It may have ben my fault for forgetting to respect the gods of ‘speaking too soon.’ Tom is now out, his tournament coming to an abrupt end in one of those hands that no one seemed to capture. He then left quickly in search of consolation.

Another PokerStars qualifiers to have become a surprise casualty is Daniel Tarnopol. The Californian was last seen on his way to the exit after descending rapidly from what appeared a safe perch.