Players began taking their seats, signing TV waivers and examining their free card protectors, as a heavy guitar version of the song ‘Viva Las Vegas’ blasted over the sound system, the opening credits you might say. It was hard to place the version but it lacked the adrenaline of the Dead Kennedys and the panache of Elvis Presley, yet it did the trick. Then, to restore any latent fighting spirit, there quickly followed a few bars of Eye of the Tiger to complete the introduction along with the familiar tones of tournament director Thomas Kremser. Shuffle up and deal – 198 players on day 1a get the slightly delayed PokerStars EPT Dortmund underway.

Photo (c) Neil Stoddart