Brazilian Team PokerStars Pro Andre Akkari is playing his first PokerStars.com EPT. From 50 tables few provide easy draws, not least Andre’s table which throws him up against fellow Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano and PokerStars qualifier Christian Harder.

Luca’s start shone brightly in San Remo last week, the combination of playing and a role in organising the tournament didn’t stop him putting in a stellar day one before sadly crashing and burning a day later, falling short of a record setting ninth cash.

I was at this table to watch a few hands take shape when the familiar “all-in” cry came from behind me, a guy making the move early to the surprise of some who would need a lot to persuade them to move in with a ten grand stack this early.

Most would only consider this move with one particular hand and that’s exactly what he showed, aces to an opponent’s queens who was left with a few greens, a couple of blacks, and a seriously long day ahead after the board brought nothing but low cards - including two nines and a ten.

Katja folded 9-T... “Bad fold!”

Another EPT rookie sits at Katja’s table – Team PokerStars Pro Tuan Lam, second at the World Series main event last year taking in the new surroundings.

“It’s my first EPT... I haven’t seen the sun yet!”

Back on table Harder a hand slowly unwinds featuring Christian engaging in a slow dance of a hand with the young lady opposite who gets the attention from a Polish TV crew for wearing poker themed clothing, with sparkly embroidering covering her form cuff to boot, and for presumably speaking Polish. She stops every now and again to do pieces ‘to camera’ between hands.

Harder had little to show for it at the end, calling her bets, checking when she did and showing pocket sevens that were trumped by a king on the board to match the one his opponent’s hand (and the one sewed into her blouse). A less explosive pot compared to the all-in on the other table you might say, but already seats are empty across the floor, and some players are already collecting their stuff and heading for the door.