March 2008 Archives

The name may already be familiar to you –a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York; a town in New South Wales, Australia; a former Las Vegas hotel or even as a fictional Caribbean Island in the TV series Airwolf - but this here is the real San Remo, the seaside town at the tip of north western Italy which, for this week only see’s something different altogether put its name in the headlines – the European Poker Tour has found its way onto Italian soil for the first time.

Players have been arriving all day for what is tournament eve, off the freeway that runs parallel to the horizon in the sky, down through the hair pin turns that bottle neck around houses and into San Remo itself.

It’s a town not unused to large sporting events. San Remo stages a motor rally and also marks the finish line for the prestigious Milan-San Remo classic cycling race. Away from sport San Remo has hosted film festivals and is home to the Italian Song Contest, used to select Italy’s entry into the Eurovision song contest.

That’s the third time this season the Eurovision Song Contest has had a mention on the blog – check out EPT Dublin, where the Royal Dublin Society was a former venue for the show, and EPT Warsaw where singer Michel Wisniewski formerly represented Poland. This San Remo reference should be the last of the season.

First stop for most in San Remo, including Team PokerStars Pros and PokerStars qualifiers is the Royal Hotel which harks back to the last century – with gilt statuettes, ornamental interiors and those real room keys rather than swipe cards. Even the rotating door at the entrance is manually operated rather than automatic, for a glimpse of how things used to be. Also the windows open all the way, even on the fifth floor - a small courtesy from our hosts that assumes you didn’t come here to jump.

From here, from anywhere, the view is the same. Large beautiful houses – the type you’d expect Hemingway or the governor of American Samoa to call home, are stacked up on the hillside, each with shutters on the windows, palm trees in the garden, a walled fence and ornate gates keeping the Vespas at bay.

The main route through the town is a rat-run of urgent traffic, lined each side by palm trees and others of varieties a northern European is never likely to know. There’s also one of the most welcoming April climates in Europe, with light cloud and t-shirt weather forecasted.

The only thing to disturb this idyll is the rough burp of old motor-scooters and the toned hum of new ones, motoring up narrow roads – about the width of a Ferrari – towards suburbs built into the side of 80 degree cliffs; the terracotta, pink and yellow painted buildings being home to the courageous locals who must abseil to work each morning.

That’s an exaggeration of course, but at least the other direction – the way down – conveniently leads towards the Victory Morgana Bay club on the beach front, across from large yachts bobbing expensively up and down in the harbour. The club hosted tonight’s EPT San Remo welcome party– a wall-to-wall night spot packed with this many of this week’s players - half of which could be found at the circular bar at any one time.

Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano welcomed players and press to San Remo

Team PokerStars pro Luca Pagano, who has played an integral part in organising EPT San Remo, addressed the crowds, thanking them for making their way to the Riviera on the eve of the biggest poker tournament Italy has likely ever seen.

Meanwhile, with success at the bar, there was chance to dig in at the buffet, mingle with old friends and new, chat a while with one of the Team PokerStars Pros playing this week, and then watch the circus act.

The what?

Three hoops suspended from the ceiling had been visible all evening, raising a few heads and eyebrows. I’d been tipped off, but to anyone else the arrival of three girls about to bend in adventurous ways - as well as a big bare-chested guy with a pitch-fork ablaze and wearing a devil costume - this was the last thing they expected to see from their side of the pasta salad.

Fifteen feet above our heads the girls twirled and twisted whilst we watched, trusting in their evident expertise and us doubting our chances of catching them should they fall. The former prevailed though with a nervy crescendo of manoeuvres in the rafters before the show wound down, giving way to the thumping beats of youth which automatically shimmy people towards the dance floor.

A bar, buffet, acrobats and pyrotechnics – not a bad way to welcome an EPT.

But we’ll leave that for tomorrow when the field, bursting at the seams, will sit down for what many predict will be a long day at the Casino San Remo. As usual we’ll be bringing you updates from play on the PokerStars blog, as well as photos, chip counts and video blogs as play goes on.

Team PokerStars Pros Daniel Negreanu, Tom McEvoy, Vanessa Rousso, Raymond Rahme, Lee Nelson, Dario Minieri, Luca Pagano and Katja Thater will make up just part of the field. At 3pm tomorrow afternoon we’ll find out who else has come to find success in the sun.

The final days of March lived up to their lion-like reputation. The quarterly $1,050 Sunday Million went off with 1,869 players and offered a potential $366,000 prize. Instead, the top three players in this week's Sunday Million cut a deal and earned more than $200,000 apiece!

All the final table results are below. Congratulations to this week's winners.

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up Final Table Results
Based on finishing order and four-way deal

1. Karoly_NL (Netherlands) $63,059.91
2. Slick_Shik (Netherlands) $76,579.12
3. Kikken (Norway) $70,000.00
4. XXTickerXX (United Kingdom) $477,41.77
5. ralex555 (France) $26,969.60
6. dvash9 (Israel) $19,952.00
7. Kid Blaast (United Kingdom) $14,448.00
8. Pghfan987 (United States) $9,081.60
9. IDOLLS (Greece) $5,366.40

PokerStars Sunday Hundred Grand Final Table Results
Based on finishing order and three-way deal

1. ahsert (United States) $15,543.28
2. messerone (United States) $13,335.25
3. mankonspank (Germany) $9,011.47
4. jkillntime (United States) $5,085.00
5. derrickhand (Canada) $3,060.00
6. Adea (Germany) $2,047.50
7. $upremacy (United States) $1,642.50
8. Henle22 (United States) $1,327.50
9. dcooke666 (United Kingdom) $1,012.50

PokerStars $5,200 Freezeout Results

1. steamraise (United States) $100,000.00

PokerStars Sunday Million Final Table Results
Based on finishing order and three-way deal

1. UH Big Tex (United States) $245,736.57
2. Governator (United States) $237,199.67
3. BrokenTPot (United States) $200,370.16
4. dannyred99 (United States) $106,533.00
5. playmeandpay (Canada) $83,544.30
6. driverseati (United States) $62,985.30
7. quadducks (United States) $44,295.30
8. Eeedz (Bermuda) $27,474.30
9. mendieta19 (Sweden) $16,447.20

Note: Last Sunday, Team PokerStars Pro Hevad Khan took down the Sunday Warm-Up for nearly $100,000. Brazilian PokerStars blogger Maria took the opportunity to chat up RaiNKhAN and get his take on the win and everything that's happened to him since the 2007 World Series. For the original version of this story, visit the PokerStars Brazilian Blog. A translated version of her story and interview is here.

Don’t be surprised if you are shocked when you meet Hevad Khan, better known online as RaiNKhAN. This is not a metaphor -- you may literally feel an electric shock when you shake his hand, because this 23-year-old player from Poughkeepsie, NY, may just be the most energetic person that the poker world has ever seen.

But don’t be fooled by his enthusiastic celebrations at the 2007 WSOP, where he went on to make the final table and take a brilliant sixth place with a good sense of humor and charisma. Hevad is a machine when it comes to poker. His insane ability to play several tables at the same time at one time led to suspicion that it could not be a human playing, but a bot. This poker bulldozer, who has been an elite member of the PokerStars Team Pro since August 2007, took down one of the most coveted Sunday tournaments held on PokerStars, the Sunday Warm-Up. He won a bit more than $97,000 and was kind enough to share some words with us while he took it “slow” and only played 12 tables.

Maria: Hi Hevad, how are you?
HEVAD: Fine, taking it easy, only got 12 tables up now.

Maria: Hehe, I can imagine that must very boring. Well, since multi tabling is one of your many talents, why don’t we start off with you telling us a little bit about this knack you have for playing a ton of tables at the same time, and how you were once accused of being a bot.

HEVAD: Ever since I started playing online poker during fall semester at school [University of Albany, where he majored in pre-med, then accounting then math, but then dropped out to become a poker professional--something which did not thrill his father, a doctor, at all] it was 8 tables at once. I busted my bankroll about 15 times before I finally got into a groove. I would love to have one of those stories you often hear of people who deposit like 5 bucks and never look back, but that was far from my case. I think I am privileged that my family is well off so I never had to worry much about the money, but also that may have hindered me in the beginning. Learning how to bankroll manage is just about the most important lesson a newbie can and must have.

But anyway, I’ve always played many tables at once, like 30-36 tables, 20 being a minimum. So at this time the other players, who would see me on all these tables at once, started reporting me to PokerStars, saying I was a bot, and that it was not possible for one person to play this many tables. So PokerStars, who takes their security very seriously, closed my account in order to investigate what was going on. But they did this on a Sunday, the most +EV day for any professional player, so obviously I went nuts because I wanted to play. I mean, I understand they are looking out for their player’s safety, but I hadn’t done anything wrong. So I decided to solve the problem right then and there, and my roommate took his camcorder we did a little intro video for Stars, and then he filmed me playing 26 tables and we sent it to PokerStars. They were impressed with what they saw, even sent me an email saying “Congratulations” and immediately unblocked my account so I could play on Sunday. I am sure that this initiative is the reason for the amount of tables that sites allow players to open at once nowadays (24 tables).

Maria: So how did you start building your bankroll online?
HEVAD Well, after I busted like 15 times, I started really dominating the $16.00 sitngos, up until a point where I had a 7% ROI in the course of 7,000 sitngos played. This may not seem like an impressive ROI, but if you do the math, you’ll see that it’s plenty of money for 7,000 sngs.

Maria: 7,000 sitngos?
HEVAD: That is nothing. I have now played over 27,000 sitngos, 2,000 tournaments, and 150,000 hands in cash games, all meticulously accounted. And that’s just online, not counting live, of course.

Maria: Thump (noise of me falling of my chair)
HEVAD: That’s part of who I am, as a player and as a person. Playing many tables always came natural to me, and I can’t say that playing this many tables has made me win more money, because it certainly hasn’t, but it has made me a better player. Honestly, I think I have seen every situation possible in poker -- and taken every possible bad beat -- and I’m still learning. And playing many tables is what keeps me focused, because I always have to be “on” making several tough decisions on different levels, so for me it works.

Maria: I’ll be honest, I’m not a big fan of sitngos because it’s so mechanical and so difficult (maybe I’m just a bad sitngo player,), but I really admire people who make a living out of it and still enjoy it. What is it about SNGs that appeals so much to you?
HEVAD: What I like the most about sitngos, which, by the way, I rarely play at the moment, since I am so focused on tournaments and cash games, is the “game of chicken” involved. Like, who loses their head first. It’s a game of all-ins, and knowing when to call and when to fold at the right moment, correct decisions based on math, but within these correct decisions (which should pay off in the long run) there is a lot of short term gamble, and I enjoy the gamble involved in sitngos. The important thing for a sitngo player is to try and reduce the gamble factor by constantly improving and trying to make the “most” correct decisions, but once the chips go in, it’s out of your hands, even if you are a favorite in the hand.

Maria: So, getting back to your bankroll, how did it finally start growing?
HEVAD: With this volume of sitngos, which of course I would not be playing if I were not profiting, I also took down the 5+Rebuys on Stars, and that upped my bankroll, and from then I never looked back. At the moment, I am very focused on the tournament circuit, and I am playing a lot of cash games. I feel very comfortable at cash game tables because it is so deep stacked and I feel like people mostly play their hands instead of their opponent’s hands. I am making a nice profit in cash games, live and online.

Maria: And how did you start entering the live tournament circuit?
HEVAD: In 2006 I won a seat for the WSOP Main Event on PokerStars. When I won it I started to scream in my room, my dad came running thinking I was injured or something, and got angry when he realized the screaming was because of poker. At that time, playing the WSOP main event was huge for me and my 5K bankroll.

Maria: But with only 5K in your bankroll, you still decided to play a 10K tournament?
HEVAD: At the time you couldn’t unregister if you won the seat, but even if you could, I would’ve played it anyway. I wouldn’t trade that experience and opportunity for anything. That was my chance to live the dream and make things happen. I was never a person who sits back and waits around for things to happen at the “right moment”. Maybe that’s not so good in some aspects of my life, but generally, if I want something, I go for it. Get it while it’s hot. But 2006 was just a build up of all that was going to come in 2007, and an important experience to allow it all to happen.

In 2007 I won 5 packages for the WSOP main event on PokerStars, and when I arrived in Vegas I still won another 6 or 7 seats in the live satellites (I don’t remember exactly how many, it was around that number). I made like 50K in equity just from playing these satellites (taking out travel and other expenses) and they allowed me to play all the other tournaments I wanted to during the Series, including the two $1500 Events that I went deep in (one was the one that Hellmuth won) and also a 6th place in a Bellagio $1,000 tourney. But the Main Event was still to come, and we all know how that turned out!

Maria: Yes, congratulations, that is a huge achievement for any poker player. What was the most memorable moments of your 2007 WSOP?
HEVAD: Well, other then the final table, of course, Day 3 was pretty sick, because I had the sickest possible table you can think of. Of the ten chip leaders, three were at the same table, and they were tough players. I had Gus Hansen to my immediate left, and Sorel Mizzi (Zangbezan24) across the table from me. We were all stacked and nobody was willing to back down from a pot. Once I made it through that table, and chipped up to about 600K, I knew I was going deep.

When the final table formed, I couldn’t have been more thrilled with my seat. I had the very good players to my right, and the shorter stacks to my left, but I lost some very decisive coin flips that could’ve made all the difference, and when my AQs did not improve against Jerry Yang’s Jacks, I had to be happy with my 6th place and US$956K in prize, which of course is the big score that every poker player chases after. And then came the offer to join Team PokerStars Pro, which was another victory within the victory, so it was all reason to celebrate and enjoy.

Maria: Congrats! And how has your life been since the WSOP?
HEVAD: Well, right after I took a much needed 2 month break from poker, and then returned full force to the live circuit. I started off at EPT London, then EPT Baden, then Foxwoods, the APPT Macau (by winning a seat in a $3.30 satellite on PokerStars), then 5 Diamond Bellagio, then PCA, then Borgata, then LAPC, and now I am relaxing a bit getting ready Foxwoods next week, then heading straight to 5 Diamond at the Bellagio, and then two months in Vegas for the WSOP. I have big goals for myself in 2008.

Maria: And in the middle of all of this you still find time to win one of the biggest events online, the Sunday Warm Up.
HEVAD: Yeah, that was fantastic. I really wanted that big online win, because I have been running terrible in online tournaments. I have been going deep in many of them, but in the end I have been losing those decisive pots that take you to the finish line, but this Sunday it was a different story.

When we started the final table, I was 4th in chips, but I had absolutely nothing to play with for a few orbits, and my stack whittled down, and when we were six-handed I was in 6th place and having to pick a spot to make a move. This is where so many sitngos come in to play, because of course at a final table you have more reads on your opponents and the table dynamics, but overall, it comes down to math when you have like 12 big blinds and need to go for the win. Finally the table folded around and I had Qd8d on the button, and pushed my 12 BBs all in, the big blind woke up with Jacks, but I sucked out on him, making a straight on his set, and after that I came back with new life to the tournament and did not let up anymore until I took 1st place.

When I won it, I started to yelling and running around the house in my boxer shorts wanting to celebrate, and my brother, who was on the couch playing Halo 3 barely looked at me, so yeah, winning online has it’s disadvantages when it comes to the celebration. But hey, I’m not complaining, if I always have to celebrate winning $97,000 this way, I’m fine with that!

Maria: Well, congratulations Hevad, it seems like you have more then earned your success and I hope it keeps coming your way, because you certainly have the right energy and outlook to be a constant winner at poker and at life. Any last words for your fans, which are many?
HEVAD: For anyone who plays this game, no matter how old you are, you have to have the passion. You can’t just grind it out if you don’t love the game. And also, have a lot of determination and put in the effort and work, because it is very VERY hard work. Look at the people you most admire in the game, they have a lot of love and respect for the game and for the other players, and the way they carry themselves shows that love and respect. I think the key is to take it seriously, even if the ride is fun as hell!

In the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona sits a man who holds a unique distinction. George Lind III, also known as jorj95, can claim something no one else can: he is officially the first PokerStars VIP Club Supernova Elite of 2008.

Supernova Elite is the highest rung of the ladder in the VIP Club. Players have to earn one million VIP Player Points to earn the distinction. Last year, only 39 players managed the achievement (Team PokerStars Pro, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier was the first of that year).

In April of last year, a friend told Jorj95 about the Supernova Elite program. " I thought it would be a fairly easy thing for me to accomplish while making some money along the way," he said. "Then I earned over 500,000 VPP in just the month of May and pretty much coasted the rest of the year to make it to Elite."

He makes it sound pretty easy, no? Well, that was last year. Consider this. He has been married for less than a year and he's already made it to the Elite level...twice.

Taking a look back at jorj95's poker history, it's hard to imagine him failing at anything. In 1998, he started playing low limit games recreationally in casinos. In early 2000, he took a shot at 20/40 hold'em.

"Within about six months I was playing as high as 400/800 mix games," he said.

He played big bet seven card stud games and made enough money that, by April 2001, he had quit his computer programming job and started playing cards fulltime. It seemed he had found his calling. Or maybe not.

"In early 2004, I pretty much quit playing poker because I got bored with it and I got into sports betting," he said. "I did this for a few years, but a lot of the opportunities with sports betting have dried up."

What's fairly amazing is that jorj95 didn't start playing cards again until he learned about the Supernova Elite program this time last year. So, he got married, made Supernova Elite, and set his sites on 2008.

As 2008 began, jorg95 didn't log on to play. He relaxed for a few days, went to the Bahamas for the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, and didn't worry about the Supernova Elite program for nearly two weeks. He didn't play a single hand online until January 13.

Two months and five days later, on March 18, jorj95 became the first Supernova Elite of 2008.

As for what he's going to do now, that's still up in the air. Whatever he decides, there is certainly more poker to be played this year. By virtue of making Supernova Elite, he gets free entry into the World Championship of Online Poker main event, as well as two big buy-in live events...all for less than three months work.

Congratulations to jorj95 for the achievement.

Among many a parent, the idea of introducing their children to horses is among the best and worst ideas they will ever conceive. Introduction to the equine world provides a sense of responsibility, discipline, and enjoyment that is unparelleled in an age of video games and televised pablum. At the same time, horses aren't the cheapest forms of entertainment. It's one thing to buy your kid an expensive gift. It's another thing entirely to have to feed that gift every day.

These are all things that PokerStars player blego151 had to have thought when his teenage daughter came home from summer camp. There, she had been riding a horse all summer.

"She just loved him to death," he said.

Of course, it was easy at first. The horse belonged to somebody else. Blego151 simply couldn't buy it for his daughter. Then things changed.

"When he came up for sale," he said, "she just had to have him."

Money what it is today, blego151 was having a hard time justifying the expense of actually buying a giant animal for his daughter. And then he happened upon an idea: the PokerStars VIP Concierge Service.

A few e-mails later and belego's daughter had her beloved horse. "They go to jumping lessons once a week and are getting ready for the local shows in the summertime," he said.

In just the past several months, PokerStars players have used their Frequent Player Points for a safari, plane tickets, homes, and cars. This marks this first time in history someone has traded a collection of FPP credits for an animal.

Oh, and for what it's worth, the gift horse's honest to goodness registered name?

Midnight Gambler.

The Easter Sunday holiday didn't put much of a dent in the crowds at PokerStars tournament tables, nor did it slow down one member of Team PokerStars Pro. Hevad "RaiNKhAN" Khan took down this week's Sunday Warm-Up for nearly $100,000. In other Sunday news, well-known player pbdrunks pulled a double-shot that had the rail screaming. Pbdrunks made the final table of the Sunday Million and the Second Chance event at the same time.

Also of note this weekend, PokerStars increased the cap on the Sunday Hundred Grand to 22,500 players, making it the biggest poker tournament anywhere, at any time.

The final table results for all the big ones are below. Congratulations to all the winners.

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up Final Table Results

1. RaiNKhAN (United States) $97,856.32
2. ubon1 (Switzerland) $49,579.20
3. M® FE®G (Canada) $33,002.72
4. Qcity1 (United States) $26,542.40
5. sami31 (United Kingdom) $21,033.60
6. hAAj_fkp (Sweden) $15,975.52
7. gambler2k4 (United States) $11,468.32
8. THDNB (United States) $7,211.52
9. ShowM4n (Germany) $4,206.72

PokerStars $5,200 Freezout Results
Based on finishing order and two-way deal

1 ADZ124 (Canada) $46,000.00
2 bigegypt (United States) $54,000.00

PokerStars Sunday Hundred Grand Final Table Results

1. bubbaloo2 (United Kingdom) $20,520.00
2. Aila.dk Kolding Denmark $10,260.00
3. bignoyes london United Kingdom $7,110.00
4. concept.c Gau-Odernheim Germany $5,085.00
5. raionegros nova lima Brazil $3,060.00
6. Schlönske Wolfen Germany $2,047.50
7. just_go_in (Canada) $1,642.50
8. otschn27 (Austria) $1,327.50
9. pridefc.com (Denmark) $1,012.50

PokerStars Sunday Million Final Table Results
Based on finishing order and three-way deal

1. Tsipor (Canada) $147,561.06
2. Maluko0 (Portugal) $122,670.00
3. Djemps (Netherlands) $119,886.94
4. Big_Col11 (United Kingdom) $59,560.00
5. soren2006 (United States) $44,670.00
6. mayer zs (Hungary) $32,758.00 1,162.99
7. jaywks (United States) $23,079.50
8. blanconegro (United States) $13,401.00
9. pbdrunks (United States) $8,785.10 .

This Sunday of tournaments was one in which people wanted everything they earned at the tables. For the first time in a while, each one of the big Sunday contests finished without a chop. As a result, the people who won this weeekend...won big. C00LHandNuke took down the Sunday Million for more than $200,000. Neblogas bested the field in the Sunday Warm-Up for a $100,000 finish.

Congratulations to all of this week's winners. Final table results for all the Sunday tournaments are below.

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up Final Table Results

1. neblogas (Lithuania) $100,997.88
2. busto_soon (Netherlands) $51,350.20
3. leoro santos (Brazil) $33,995.48
4. IFiNishfish (Finland) $28,009.20
5. PURPLEPILS99 (Canada) $22,517.20
6. d0nKKKKKKKKK (United States) $17,025.20
7. VILLASC-LAG (Sweden) $11,972.56
8. g00by (France) $7,578.96
9. admonsali (United States) $4,393.60

PokerStars Sunday Hundred Grand Final Table Results

1. seba0001 (Brazil) $20,000.00
2. -0-tjqkas-0- (Germany) $10,000.00
3. Maizeruba (Sweden) $7,000.00
4. The_N_V_T_S (United States) $5,000.00
5. #61's Van (United States) $3,000.00
6. GGarcia222 (Switzerland) $2,000.00
7. jaymomoney (United States) $1,600.00
8. Prof Of Pain (United States) $1,300.00
9. _^_TTMF_^_ (United States) $1,000.00

PokerStars High Stakes Showdown Results

1. supernova9 (Canada) $25,000.00
2. philivey2694 (United States) $15,000.00

PokerStars $5,200 Freezeout Results

1. Sir_winalot9 (Norway) $100,000.00

PokerStars Sunday Million Final Table Results

1. C00LHandNuke (United States) $208,510.80
2. Shark'Le (United States) $104,994.80
3. RaSZi (Netherlands) $73,940.00
4. Vorcirion (Finland) $59,152.00
5. LennyL (United States) $44,364.00
6. idlehours (United Kingdom) $32,533.60
7. pusteblume (Germany) $22,921.40
8. FrgzAnonymus (United States) $13,309.20
9. debrisfish (Italy) $8,724.92

It was not the late night epic of the EPT Copenhagen two weeks ago but the final of the EPT Warsaw had all the tension, the drama, and notably the long hours you’d expect from one of the major tournaments of the world. As the hour struck well past midnight German businessman Michael Schulze successfully over came Ricardo Sousa heads-up and was crowned EPT Warsaw Champion, picking up a cheque for PLN 2,154,000 or € 609,782.

After a final table that lasted over ten hours the 40-year-old held up his A-6 hand for the cameras, the hand that had overcome pocket sevens after a heads-up that had seen his initial chip lead escape him, and the momentum swing to the Portuguese.

To say that Michael had no prior expectation of winning in Warsaw is classic understatement. So confident was he that he would not make it to day two, or day three, or the final for that matter, Michael re-booked his flight each day, his room each day and even his dinner voucher each day. How’s that for optimism.

But he did arrive here today as chip leader, and his tight and considered style would always leave him as a favourite as the hours grew longer. “I only play for fun, the money doesn’t really matter to me.” He’d said earlier today. But regardless of that the title of EPT Warsaw champion cannot be bought.

As play began he was up against some formidable opposition...

Seat 1 -- Trond Erik Eidsvig – Norway – 220,000
Seat 2 -- Christian Öman – Sweden – 110,000
Seat 3 -- Mehdi Ouakhir – France – PokerStars qualifier – 360,000
Seat 4 -- Niclas Svensson – Sweden – 174,000
Seat 5 -- Dan Woolson – USA – PokerStars qualifier – 164,000
Seat 6 -- Juan Maceiras – Spain – PokerStars qualifier – 437,000
Seat 7 -- Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,162,000
Seat 8 -- Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 756,000
Seat 9 -- Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 229,000

One name immediately stood out, that of Trond Erik Eidsvig. The Norwegian was making his third final table appearance in season four alone, fresh from EPT Copenhagen where he cashed and also won Rookie of the Year at the Scandinavian Poker Awards. It also featured Ricardo Sousa aiming to become the first winner from his home country of Portugal. His play the day before had secured him a solid stack, second only to chip leader Schulze. A word should also be said for the four PokerStars qualifiers who had made it this far. None of whom looked out of place in these latter stages.

To the final, where the absence of television cameras allowed the old fashioned close rail environment last seen when Arnaud Mattern won in Prague. The table was surrounded by a press rail and that by a spectator rail, consisting mostly of people standing on seats for a two-tiered coliseum effect.

It took just ten minutes for the first player to fall, that being PokerStars qualifier Dan Woolson. He bet out on a Q-3-5 flop only to find fellow PokerStars qualifier Mehdi Ouakhir moving all-in. Dan did the same and incredibly so did another PokerStars qualifier Mathias Viberg in seat nine. Woolson must have felt confident turning over aces but Mehdi turned over K-Q of clubs for a flush draw and Mathias pocket fives for a set – a set that held, sending Dan out in ninth place for PLN 122,060.

An hour later it was Rookie of the Year Trond Eidsvig sent to the rail. He moved in with A-T and was ahead when Juan Maceiras called with A-9. But a nine on the river left Trond pondering how long it will be before he takes down an EPT crown; out in eighth place for PLN 201,040.

Niclas Svensson went in seventh moving in with pocket fours and called by Mehdi with Q-T. The flop came 5-8-5 and the turn was a deuce. The river though, an eight, made a second pair on the board, neutralising Niclas’s pair, sending him home with PLN 272,840.

After a series of all-ins that had both the crowd and Juan himself jumping up and down with joy, Juan Maceiras went next. The young Spaniard, who had held the chip lead earlier in the week, couldn’t hang on forever and pushed with pocket deuces, getting called by Mathias Viberg with A-K. The flop was fine but the ace on the turn quashed hopes of advancement for Juan, out in sixth place with PLN 344,640.

At the dinner break it was still Michael Schulze way ahead, with Frenchman Mehdi Ouakhir in pursuit.

Christian Öman – Sweden – 228,000
Mehdi Ouakhir – France – PokerStars qualifier – 747,000
Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,526,000
Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 510,000
Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 581,000

Over three and a half hours later and young Swede Christian Oman, who had survived a six hour day two spell to the right of Andy Black, was out in fifth place. He called an initial raise by Michael and checked to the turn – a board by now reading K-Q-7-9. Whilst Christian checked Michael moved all-in leaving Christian to call for his last 250k and showing K-5. Michael had A-9 with the river bringing another to match the one on the turn, sending Christian out to face the cameras with PLN 437,980.

Mehdi Ouakhir had played an aggressive game all day, at some points surging ahead, at other points struggling to keep up. By now he had become the short stack and pushed from the small blind with Q-3 – Michael Schulze calling with pocket tens. The tens held and now just three players remained with Mehdi out with PLN 538,500.

Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,750,000
Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 800,000
Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 940,000

The three final players had each shown themselves to be capable of winning the event, regardless of chip count. No sign of impatience, no zealous over-ractions either, just careful play. But someone had to go next.

Mathias had found himself unlucky before his elimination. Just moments before he’d called Ricardo’s all-in with pocket jacks to Ricardo’s J-T. But the Portuguese had found himself a straight draw on the flop, and flush draw on the turn which he made on the river. Mathias was left with shock and just 100k to deal with, which he pushed in a few hands later. A ‘gamble’ he’d said, showing 6-2 to Michael’s pocket fours. The flop gave him miracle straight draws but his day was at an end. Third place for the PokerStars qualifier, and PLN 718,000.

That was a full two hours before the heads-up reached its final hand. Thoughts of a quick heads-up had faded away long ago with neither player, to their credit, prepared to let go of any momentum they’d gained. Ultimately it would come to two hands, within the space of five minutes.

First Michael made it 150k to go, which Ricardo called. On a 3c-4c-7s flop Ricardo checked, Michael made it 200k and Ricardo re-raised, 400k in total. When Michael moved in the crowd got to their feet, regardless of how tired they were feeling after a long day. Ricardo thought for a while, spinning his card protector around as Michael sat waiting. But the longer he waited the more he seemed less likely to call. He couldn’t go on and mucked his cards.

Now the momentum was back with the German...

Ricardo -- 1,400,000
Michael -- 2,200,000

Five minutes later Ricardo led out, 150k from the small blind. Michael then re-raised, a massive 500k which seemed out of step with the previous betting. Things kicked off further when Ricardo announced he was all-in. Michael was never going to do anything else than call and when he did he shook the hand of his opponent before turning over A-6 of spades. For Ricardo pocket sevens.

The flop came 4d-2c-5h, leaving Ricardo ahead but with Michael needing either an ace or a three. Ricardo’s luck had evidently run out with an ace hitting the turn. Now left looking for a seven the deuce on the river was no good for Ricardo. No jumping up and down, no fist punching, just a job well done by Michael Schulze who shook hands once more with Ricardo before thanking the crowd.

Naturally Ricardo’s face was the picture of disappointment but he had played a great tournament, chalking up his best results at an EPT for himself and for his country. It was especially impressive when you consider he only began playing poker six months ago - PLN 1,220,600 is not bad for a rookie.

Michael stood patiently for pictures, allowing himself a glance or two at the suitcase full of money that adds up to PLN 2,154,000. The money may not always matter but the reputation as a winner has got to feel good. He’s already booked in at San Remo next month and as an EPT winner has his seat at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo in the bag.

We’ll see him there.

Final table result at EPT Warsaw -

1st -- Michael Schulze -- Germany -- PLN 2,154,000
2nd -- Ricardo Sousa -- Portugal -- PLN 1,1220,600
3rd -- Mathias Viberg -- Sweden -- PokerStars qualifier -- PLN 718,000
4th -- Mehdi Ouakhir -- France -- PokerStars qualifier -- PLN 538,500
5th -- Christian Oman -- Sweden -- -- PLN 437,980
6th -- Juan Maceiras -- Spain -- PokerStars qualifier -- PLN 344,640
7th -- Niclas Svensson -- Sweden -- PLN 272,840
8th -- Trond Eidsvig -- Norway -- PLN 201,040
9th -- Daniel Woolson USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- PLN 122,060

Photos © Neil Stoddart

12.40pm -- Ricardo Sousa from Portugal, eliminated in second place for PLN 1,1220,600
Ricardo makes it 150k from the small blind and Michael quickly re-raises, 500k in total. Ricardo announces all-in with Michael is ready to call, showing As-6s to Ricardo's black pocket sevens. Both players are on their feet and after a handshake watch the flop - 4d-2c-5h. Ricardo is ahead but Michael could win with an ace or three. The turn card is that very ace, flipping the fortunes of the hand in his favour, with Ricardo needing a seven that would ultimately not come. A deuce on the river and the EPT has a new champion in Michael Schulze.

12.35am -- Michael bets 150k pre-flop and Ricardo calls. The flop comes 3c-4c-7s and Ricardo checks. Michael makes it 200k and all of a sudden Ricardo re-raises, up to 400k, Michael moves all-in and the crowd get to their feet. Ricardo thinks for a while, spinning his card protector and asking questions of Michael that he'll never answer. He mucks.

Chip counts...

Ricardo -- 1,400,000
Michael -- 2,200,000

12.30am -- More tentative play. Ricardo wins a small pot showing an eight for a pair.

12.20am -- Play resumes with blinds now at 30k/60k.

There may be a break in the poker but there's no let up in the action from the bar...

12.05am -- The level ends and players take a 15 minute break. The latest chip counts...

Ricardo -- 1,990,000
Michael -- 1,600,000

11.50pm -- Ricardo makes it 125k and is called. The flop comes 2c-7d-3c and Ricardo makes it 200k. Michael folds.

11.35pm -- The same pattern re-emerges. Bets or reraises are good enough to take down the pot.

11.20pm -- Ricardo bets 120k pre-flop and Michael makes it 100k more. Ricardo calls for a flop 4c-8s-3c. Both players check. The turn is a five of diamonds. Ricardo makes it 120k now and Michael calls. The river is a ten of clubs and Michael moves all-in. Ricardo looks at his cards again and then thinks things over for a while. "You have the ace of clubs?" he asks. Michael says nothing and Ricardo mucks.

11.10pm -- A lot of hands now involve nothing more than a bet and a fold.

11pm -- Blinds go up to 25k/30k.

10.50pm -- The heads-up chip counts...

Ricardo Sousa -- 2,200,000
Michael Schulze -- 1,400,000

10.35pm -- Mathias Viberg, PokerStars qualifier from Sweden, eliminated in third place for PLN 718,000
After a quck double up Mathias says "let's gamble" and turns over 6-2, moving all-in behind a bet from Michael of 120k. He shows pocket fours and makes a set on the 8-5-4 flop. It also gives Mathias a double gutshot straight draw. The turn is a jack, the river a queen. Nothing more for Mathias and the EPT Warsaw is heads-up.

10.25pm -- Mathias makes it 110k pre-flop and Ricardo calls to see a flop of 8d-9s-3d. Ricardo checks but Mathias makes it 170k as Ricardo was busy re-checking his hand. Ricardo then points at the pot, saying 'all-in'. He shows J-T of diamonds to Mathias' pocket jacks. A set against open-ended straight draw. The turn promptly delivers a queen of diamonds for Ricardo, the river the ace of diamonds giving Ricardo the flush, a pot of 742k total and leaving Mathias with just over 100k.

10.05pm -- Players take another short break.

Approximate chip counts...

Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,750,000
Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 800,000
Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 940,000

10pm -- Michael is on the button and makes it 130k to go pre-flop. Ricardo moves all-in and Mathias folds. It's 456k in total but he gets no takers.

9.45pm -- Play resumes with Ricardo moving all-in but with no callers.

9.25pm -- Players are now on a 15 minute break. The latest chip counts are below...

Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,952,000
Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 458,000
Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 1.070,000

9.20pm -- Now it's Mathias moving all-in, his A-K against the call of Ricardo with A-4. Nothing on the board to stop Mathias doubling up.

9.15pm -- Mehdi Ouakhir, PokerStars qualifier from France, eliminated in fourth place for PLN 538,500
Mehdi, now the short stack, pushed all in from the small blind with Q-3 and found Michael calling with pocket tens. There was no help on the board for the Frenchman and the tens held. We're down to just three players.

9.10pm -- Mehdi raises pre-flop and Ricardo moves all-in for around 420k more. Mehdi calls with Q-J of hearts which Ricardo shows pocket nines. No cavalry on the board for Mehdi and Ricardo gets a big boost to his stack.

8.55pm -- Few hands are getting to a showdown. Mathias moves all-in over a bet from Ricardo of 85k. It's 350k to Ricardo who folds.

8.30pm -- Christian Oman from Sweden, eliminated in fifth place for PLN 437,980
Michael led out, betting 80k pre-flop which Christian called in the big blind. The flop came K-Q-7 which both players checked before the turn card nine. Christian checked and Michael moved all-in. Christian thought about it and called for his last 250k, showing K-5. For Michael, A-9 but the river saved him, was another nine, sending the pot Michael's way and sending Christian to the rail.

8.20pm -- Blinds are up once more to 15k/30k with a 3k ante.

8.10pm -- Ricardo's blessed life continues, this time againt Michael. He'd raised 80k pre-flop and again Ricardo moved in. Michael called showing Ac-Jc. Ricardo was behind again but could count on a Q-Q-T flop. Not even a king would help Schultz who was resigned to watching Ricardo celebrate.

8.05pm -- Mathias bets 70k pre-flop. It's folded around to Ricardo who announces all-in. Mathias looks at his cards again and asks for a count. It's 177k in total. After Mathias counts his stack several times Ricardo calls the clock on him. A few seconds later Mathias calls, showing A-9. Ricardo is behind with A-2. The flop comes A-7-T. The turn is another ten, pairing the board making a split pot likely. A queen on the river and Ricardo dodges elimination,

7.55pm -- On a board reading K-5-A-9 Michael makes it 50k which Ricardo calls. The river is a three and Michael this time makes it 100k. Again Ricardo calls, showing A-7. But the German has A-5 for wo pair. Ricardo looks annoyed, whilst Michael keeps adding to his stack.

7.50pm -- Christian doubles up with A-9 against the pocket fives of Mehdi. The board helped out the Swede, coming 7-8-T-6-J to keep his tournament alive.

7.30pm -- Ricardo makes it 56k pre-flop which Mathias calls. On a flop of 9c-Qh-Ac Ricardo checks. Whilst Mathias counts out some pink chips a friend of Christian's on the rail lobs him some lip balm. Already leaning back on his chair Christian topples over as he lunges for the hail mary pass, landing on the table behind him. Helped back up by Lee Jones the hand continues. Mathias bets 75k. Ricardo pats him on the arm and folds his 2-2.

7.25pm -- Christian Oman moves all-in twice without getting any takers.

7.20pm -- Play resumes with blinds now at 10k/20k with a 2k ante and Lee Jones on the mike.

Kara Scott has the latest at the level 22 break...

6.20pm – Play stops for a one hour dinner break. The latest chip counts are below...

Christian Öman – Sweden – 228,000
Mehdi Ouakhir – France – PokerStars qualifier – 747,000
Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,526,000
Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 510,000
Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 581,000

6.05pm -- On a flop of Ac-8d-8s there’s a bet of 22k from Christian. Mehdi re-raises, 52k total before Christian tops that with a re-re-raise of 100k more. Mehdi calls. The turn is 8c, which gets an “oooh” from the rail. Both check for a king on the river. Christian checks and Mehdi makes it 200k. He’s been playing with aggression and it pays. He takes the pot.

5.55pm -- Ricardo makes it 41k pre-flop and it's folded ot Mehdi who asks 'how much?' Ricardo has over 300k left. He calls. The flop comes A-4-T. Mehdi checks, Ricardo makes it 55k and before Kara Scott has finished saying "fifty-five thousand" Mehdi thumped a stack of pink chips in. Lightening fast and Ricardo gets the message. He folds.

5.45pm -- Mathias makes it 45k pre-flop form the button. Christian calls in the small blind, so doe Mehdi in the big. the see a flop of 6h-4s-5h which all three check. The turn is an ace. Christian makes it 70k, chasing out the others for the pot. He showed K-Qd

5.27pm – Another pre-flop bet by Ricardo, this time of 41k. Mathias Viberg sitting next to him re-raises, making it 150k in total and it’s folded back to Ricardo. The Portuguese checks his cards again but folds.

5.20pm – Blinds are now increased to 8k/16k with a 2k ante.

5.15pm – Christian gets his chips all-in again against Michael, with the board showing 2-3-4-8-5. Both players have A-6 though, splitting the pot.

5.10pm – Christian Oman moves all-in, 253k to call, but gets no takers.

4.50pm – Juan Maceiras of Spain, eliminated in sixth place for PLN 344,640
It couldn’t last forever. Juan pushed again with pocket deuces and was called by Mathias with A-K. The flop was safe enough but the turn brought the ace to end Juan’s joy ride. We’re down to five.

4.41pm – “Alright” says Juan, all in a fourth time. The applause is louder now and he initiates some call and response. It’s 97k to whomever wants to call. Mathias does so with pocket tens. A-T of spades for Juan who gets an ace first card on the board. “Hey!!!” he cries and the rail join in. “I’m back in the game guys” he says.

4.38pm – Juan all-in a third time. More applause and this time Juan joins in with it. He’s on the ropes but he may as well enjoy himself. This time he hasn’t looked at his cards. His chips are counted at 109k, a bit more than he’d expected. Ricardo folds with a smile and the action works its way to Mehdi who thinks but folds A-7.

4.36pm – Juan moves all-in again. More cheers from the rail which now has a heavy Spanish flavour. Christian Oman thinks about it this time be folds, sending more blinds to the Spaniard.
4.35pm – Juan Marceiras moves all-in with a battle cry of “llegando!” which gets the crowd on his side. It’s folded to Mathias who folds, showing 3-4. “3-4 of diamonds?” asks Mehdi. “That’s an insta-call.”

4.30pm – Niclas Svensson from Sweden, eliminated in seventh place for PLN 272,840
Niclas moved all-in with pocket fours, called by Mehdi with Q-T. The flop comes 5-8-5, the turn is a deuce but the river, an eight, puts a second pair on the board, eliminating the Swede.

4.25pm – EPT Presenter Kara Scott takes over the mike from Lee Jones. Blinds are now 6k/12k with a 1k ante.

4.10pm – Players are on a fifteen minute break. The latest chip counts are as follows...

Christian Öman – Sweden – 261,000
Mehdi Ouakhir – France – PokerStars qualifier – 404,000
Niclas Svensson – Sweden – 128,000
Juan Maceiras – Spain – PokerStars qualifier – 87,000
Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,315,000
Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 648,000
Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 749,000

Kara Scott has the update at the break...

4.05pm – On a flop of 7s-Ks-2d Ricardo bets 100k which Michael calls. The turn is a nine which both players check for an ace on the river. It’s checked again and Ricardo tentatively shows a king. Michael has A-4 for the pot.

4pm -- Niclas Svensson doubles up, pushing in from the cut off with K-3 of clubs and called by Juan Maceiras with pocket jacks. A king hits the flop, saving Niclas.

3.55pm – A three way pot develops for a flop of 6c-9c-6h. Niclas, Juan and Mehdi all check for a turn card 3c. Niclas and Juan check again but Mehdi makes it 25k. Niclas folds but Juan calls and they see a river card – 4h. 35k from Juan, called fast by Mehdi who shows a jack high flush. For Juan 7h-Ts for ten high.

3.40pm – A series of hands follow where a bet pre-flop is good enough to win the pot. First one for Ricardo then another Michael Schulze, who has been quiet up to now.

3.20pm – Trond Eidsvig of Norway, eliminated in eighth place for PLN 201,040
An EPT title eludes Trond once more. He moved in over a raise of 27k pre flop from Juan – for 59k more. Juan called with A-9; Trond was ahead with A-T. An ace hit the flop and the crucial nine came on the river. Trond out of his third EPT final this year.

3.15pm – Christian Oman makes it 28k pre-flop and Juan re-raises 72k more making it 100k in total. It’s folded back to Christian who moves all-in. It’s 112k more to Juan but after a few minutes in the tank he folds. “What d’you have?” he asks. “2-3 off of course...”

3.10pm – Niclas Svensson now moves all-in, 57k in total. Ricardo thinks about calling for a few minutes but passes. Niclas tries the same thing again a few hands later with the same result.

3.08pm – The blinds are now up to 5k/10k with a 1k ante.

3.05pm – Mehdi moves all-in but gets no takers. He shows aces. On the next hand Michael Schulze makes it 25k from under-the-gun. Mehdi calls as does Juan. The flop comes J-7-9. Juan and Michael check but Mehdi moves in once more. Again its good enough to take the pot.

2.55pm – After the quick elimination early on things have slowed somewhat.

2.40pm – Christian Oman moves all in for 93k and is called by Juan Maceiras. Pocket fours for Oman, Q-T for Maceiras. The board misses both of them and the fours hold, doubling Christian up.

2.20pm -- Daniel Woolson, a PokerStars qualifier from the United States, eliminated in ninth place for 122,060
Four players saw the flop of Qs-3h-5c. Daniel Woolson made it 65k, Ricardo Sousa passed, Mathias Viberg called before Mehdi Ouakhir moved all-in. Woolson then did the same, as did Mathias, getting a huge 'whoa' from the packed rail. Woolson turned over aces, but Mathias showed pocket fives and Mehdi K-Q of clubs. The turn, six of clubs, gave the Frenchman a flush draw but the king of hearts on the river tripled-up Mathias, sending Woolson to the rail with his busted aces.

2.10pm – A short delay before play begins with blinds at 4k/8k with a 1k ante. The first pot goes to Mehdi Ouakhir. On a flop of 7-5-5 Niclas Svensson raised to 32k only for Mehdi to re-raise, 100k in total.

Seat 1: Trond Erik Eidsvig, 23, Aalesund, Norway – 220,000 chips
Trond is truly a poker phenomenon. The young Norwegian is on his third final table in one season of the EPT – a record. He won €250,800 for 5th place in Barcelona at the start of EPT Season 4 and €127,630 for 4th place in Dublin. In November, he won the Master Classics in Amsterdam for a further $896,912. Trond hails from the tiny village of Ǻlesund on the west coast of Norway and only turned professional two years ago. He also cashed at EPT Copenhagen (37th place for €8,491) just a few days after winning the Rookie of the Year Award at the PokerStars Scandinavian Poker Awards.

Seat 2: Christian Öman, 27, Sweden- 110,000 chips
Christian lives in Stockholm where he is a well-known poker club regular. The 27-year-old has played poker full-time for a few years now after taking up the game five years ago. His biggest live win so far has been €6,000 in a local club’s monthly final. This is Christian’s third EPT and so far he has never survived Day 1. He said: “I’m really looking forward to winning today (!) as my shopping trip to Milan has taken a big part of my bankroll.” Before any tournament starts, Christian practices yoga. He considers himself a good “folder” - and we don't disagree after seeing him survive as a short-stack for so many hours in Warsaw.

Seat 3: Mehdi Ouakhir, 22, Montpellier, France - PokerStars qualifier – 330,000 chips
Business school student Mehdi is having the best tournament of his career so far. He mainly plays tournaments and Sit and Goes online, but the most he’s won so far is $10k. Yesterday was sweet revenge for the former chess player – he busted Sebastian Ruthenberg , payback for when Sebastian busted him at EPT Dortmund in January. Although a French national, Medhi now lives and studies in Agadir, Morocco.

Seat 4: Niclas Svensson, 30, Gothenburg, Sweden - 174,000 chips
Niclas is a full-time poker player and has been for a few years now. He first took up poker five years ago and only plays Texas Hold'em, mainly cash games. This is his second EPT; the last time was London where he was actually bubble boy. He bought himself into both events. When not playing poker, he spends hour after hour watching The Sopranos. Niclas’s biggest win so far was online where he won a tournament for $30k. Niclas lives in Gotheburg with his six-year-old daughter.

Seat 5: Dan Woolson, 22, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA – PokerStars qualifier - 164,000 chips
Dan has had a roller-coaster tournament so far. On Day 1, he quickly amassed 30k, but then bluffed off nearly all his stack and ended the day on 18k. At that point, he was pretty dejected and expecting to bust. But Day 2 he doubled up early with Aces, and then later beat Kenneth Hicks Jr’s AA with 99. Soon after he busted Tyler Netter, again with 99 v AA and ended the Day in 6th place with 188k. In the quick-fire Day 3, he was doubled up Trond Eidsvig but then got some back from Trond with AQ 77. Dan turned pro after graduating from UMAS university a year ago. This is his biggest result so far but he won a PokerStars nightly $100k tourney for $30k last summer. This is his second EPT and he plans to play at the Monte Carlo Grand Final; he busted out of the PCA on Day 1.

Seat 6: Juan Maceiras, 23, La Coruna, Spain - PokerStars qualifier - 437,000 chips
Juan Maceiras narrowly missed the final table at EPT Barcelona (went out in 9th). He comes from La Coruna in Galicia but is currently studying international business in St Louis, Missouri after getting his law degree in Spain. He is now seriously considering turning pro much like his sister Maria - the Spanish poker champion - and his father Juan Antonio “Vietcong01” Barros who won the PokerStars Sunday Million last July, and a week later the PokerStars Warm-up. What is truly remarkable is that the whole family only took up poker two years ago.

At present, Juan mainly plays live games in casinos in St Charles. About his prospects today, he said: “I was really disappointed at EPT Barcelona. I made a big mistake there, but I’ve learned from that and aim to win today.” Juan is being supported in Warsaw by his girlfriend Beatriz.

Seat 7: Michael Schulze, 40, Schleswig , Germany – 1,162,000 chips
Chip leader Michael bought in direct to EPT Warsaw having already played in Copenhagen and Dortmund without much success. He only took up poker four years ago and is strictly a recreational player. He sid: “I only play for fun, the money doesn’t really matter to me. Even if I win first prize today, it won’t affect me too much on the financial side of things.” Asked about his play so far, Michael replied: “I got lucky and get good cards, and they help up.” Whatever happens today, Michael is already planning to play in San Remo as well.

Seat 8: Ricardo Sousa, 30, Oporto, Portugal –756,000 chips
Ricardo has attended almost all this season’s EPTs but this is his first cash and the best tournament result of his career so far. The former financial risk management consultant only turned pro in September 2007 and normally only plays high-stakes cash games. He said: “Because I usually play cash, wining just a few thousand isn’t what I came here for. All I’ve been thinking about is making the final table.” Ricardo’s wife Florbella and two-year-old son Gonçalo are supporting him from home in Oporto. He said: “I feel pretty confident about today, but these are really good players and anything could happen. The skill level is very high – I’ll need some luck as well.”

Seat 9: Mathias Viberg , 23, Sweden - PokerStars qualifier- 229,000 chips
Mathias is 23 years old and lives in Boden in the centre of Sweden. He has been playing poker for four years and qualified through PokerStars to EPT Warsaw – his first EPT. He has lived on his poker skills for the last two years and mostly plays cash games. His biggest win so far was $35,000 in an online tournament. When not playing poker, he spends a lot of time with his friends and his girlfriend.

Happy faces everywhere. Sure, they’re in the bar but the EPT Warsaw is cocooned by the sense that it’s been one of the most enjoyable on the tour so far. Excellent service, welcoming staff and the casino officials breaking tables to allow room for press and spectators alike.

The short day yesterday, which confused everyone at first, gave people normally used to late casino nights some free time to venture outside for the first time in several days. A short taxi ride from the Hyatt Regency hotel is the centre of Warsaw , sprawling around the Palace of Science and Culture that marks downtown, an ornamental ‘Proof of Friendship’ gift from the former Soviet Union back in the fifties.

Modernisation spread throughout the entire city, now a landscape of neon and skyscrapers not unlike those you’d see in London or New York. Contrast that with the ‘old town’ of Warsaw, postcard streets, colourful houses, bars and restaurants, built over several decades to replace sections of town destroyed after the uprising in 1944. The last part of the Royal Castle in Plac Zamkowy was completed in 1971.

That was all yesterday, and on this the fourth day there is still a champion to find form the last nine, four of whom are PokerStars qualifiers...

Seat 1 -- Trond Erik Eidsvig – Norway – 220,000
Seat 2 -- Christian Öman – Sweden – 110,000
Seat 3 -- Mehdi Ouakhir – France – PokerStars qualifier – 360,000
Seat 4 -- Niclas Svensson – Sweden – 174,000
Seat 5 -- Daniel Woolson – USA – PokerStars qualifier – 164,000
Seat 6 -- Juan Maceiras – Spain – PokerStars qualifier – 437,000
Seat 7 -- Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,162,000
Seat 8 -- Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 756,000
Seat 9 -- Mathias Viberg – Sweden – PokerStars qualifier -- 229,000

Back on day one 359 players started, each having paid PLN 21,000 (€5,750 approx) for the privilege. Yesterday 26 were left with nine surviving a day lasting just two hours six minutes, 54 second.

PokerStars qualifier Juan Maceiras had made it there as chip leader with 388k, a natural favourite to make it into the last night. The same could have been said for second place man Claus Nielsen but last night he may have had the worst night’s sleep of his life after he exited on the final table bubble; his early departure helped in part by a huge hand against Ricardo Sousa, on a blazing run of cards, that left Nielsen short stacked and with little option than to pick a hand and shove all-in.

Amidst the blur Andy Black was eliminated, so too PokerStars qualifiers Ken Hicks Jr, Craig Hopkins and Willian Johnson. And PokerStars sponsored player Sebastian Ruthenberg narrowly missed a second final table appearance, busted in 13th place by Mehdi Ouakhir who as Sebastian left the room had chance to mention that it was the German who eliminated him in Dortmund.

That brings us to today.

Among the last nine is Norwegian Trond Eidsvig making his third final table appearance in season four alone (an EPT record incidentally), having recently won the Scandinavian Poker Award for Rookie of the Year. He’s already helping his campaign for the sophomore of the year, although he starts today as one of the shorter stacks.

German player Michael Schulze, who sent a few players to the rail yesterday, boosting his stack, starts as chip leader and the only player with over a million - he has 1,162,000. Behind him is Portuguese player Ricardo Sousa on 756,000 and at the back, in ninth spot, is Christian Oman on 110,000. He can take some heart though from the fact he has been a short stack all week.

A reminder of payouts...

1st – PLN 2,154,000 or €609,782
2nd – PLN 1,220,600 or €345,543
3rd – PLN 718,000 or €203,261
4th – PLN 538,500 or €152,445
5th – PLN 437,980 or €123,989
6th – PLN 344,640 or €97,565
7th – PLN 272,840 or €77,239
8th – PLN 201,040 or €56,913
9th – PLN 122,060 or €34,554

Play gets underway at 2pm local time.

Photos © Neil Stoddart

There may not be an official record book but I think it’s correct to say that this was the shortest day of play in EPT history. From Raul Paez’s elimination in 26th all the way to Claus Nielsen’s departure in tenth took just two hours 40 minutes – including breaks. It’s still daylight outside.

So when the smoke clears here’s how the final table will look tomorrow...

Seat 1 -- Trond Erik Eidsvig – Norway – 220,000
Seat 2 -- Christian Öman – Sweden – 110,000
Seat 3 -- Mehdi Ouakhir – France – PokerStars qualifier – 360,000
Seat 4 -- Niclas Svensson – Sweden – 174,000
Seat 5 -- Daniel Woolson – USA – PokerStars qualifier – 164,000
Seat 6 -- Juan Maceiras – Spain – PokerStars qualifier – 437,000
Seat 7 -- Michael Schulze – Germany – 1,162,000
Seat 8 -- Ricardo Sousa – Portugal – 756,000
Seat 9 -- Mathias Viberg – Sweden – 229,000

It ended with Claus Nielsen, whose prospects at the start of play were certainly more rosy than in the last ten minutes. His miserable day was concluded by German Michael Schulze holding red pocket jacks. Claus had A-K but was left helpless as he watched the flop bring three diamonds, the turn bring a fourth and then a jack appear on the river. It was as if the gods were giving Claus a message in no uncertain terms that this was not to be his day.

For the other nine it’s a last day of work tomorrow starting at 2pm. In the meantime you can catch up on the action from today by checking the links below...

Just three tables for day three

Flying the flag for PokerStars

The first half hour

Confusion reigns – down to 15

Players take a break

Action continues into the break

Finally, a wrap up of the day from Kara Scott and the video blog team...

At this stage there’s a tendency for pots of note to be those that include either an elimination or a double up. But Ricardo Sousa and Claus Nielsen – two of the big stacks on table one – tangled in a hand that would have serious ramifications down the line.

Claus started it all with a bet of 28,500 on a Jd-3s-5c flop, which Ricardo called. The turn brought a ten of diamonds, with Claus making it 56k this time. Ricardo called after a short spell in the tank. The river, a deuce, put three diamonds on the board. This time Claus checked leaving to Ricardo to bet out, a menacing tower of brown chips worth 100k.

Attention was now with Claus who had taken to rubbing his head and pulling a series of faces linked to hellish discomfort. He looked in pain, squirming in his seat.

“King-jack?” asked Ricardo. “You’re thinking so much... queen-jack?”

Claus was having none of it, distracted already by his own inner turmoil, the cost of having gone from second place to this point here – potential disaster at the outcome of this hand. Ricardo calls time. Claus slams down his fist, a loud noise accompanying his fold. A huge hit for the Dutchman despite being a good fold – Ricardo had made the nut flush on the river.

As that hand had gone others players had been eliminated, including PokerStars Sponsored player Sebastian Ruthenberg. There was confusion in the hand as to which player was all-in, Sebastian or his opponent Mehdi Ouakhir. The German learned his fate after a few minutes of counting. Out in 13th place. As Mehdi pointed out, Sebastian had knocked him out back in Dortmund.

Italian player Antonio Battisti followed him in 12th place and Jean-Claude Perrot, the man with the broken hand, finally departed in 11th...

Players now take a 15 minute break...

Michael Schulze – Germany -- 930,000
Ricardo Sousa – Portugal -- 830,000
Juan Maceiras – Spain – PokerStars qualifier -- 492,000
Mehdi Ouakhir – France – PokerStars qualifier -- 325,000
Mathias Viberg – Sweden -- 245,000
Claus Nielsen – Holland -- 237,000
Trond Erik Eidsvig – Norway -- 210,000
Daniel Woolson – USA – PokerStars qualifier -- 173,000
Christian Öman – Sweden -- 122,000
Niclas Svensson – Sweden -- 90,000

Whilst players take a 15 minute break here are the latest chip counts...

Ricardo Sousa -- Portugal -- 850,000
Niclas Svensson -- Sweden -- 90,000
Mathias Viberg -- Sweden -- 220,000
Claus Nielsen -- Denmark -- 325,000
Christian Öman -- Sweden -- 105,000
Jean Claude Perrot -- France -- 100,000
Trond Erik Eidsvig -- Norway -- 205,000
Michael Schulze -- Germany -- 360,000
Mehdi Ouakhir -- France -- PokerStars qualifier -- 160,000
Jari-Pekka Juhola -- Finland -- 70,000
Antonio Battisti -- Italy -- 360,000
Daniel Woolson -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 180,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg -- Germany -- PokerStars sponsored player -- 170,000
Juan Maceiras -- Spain -- PokerStars qualifier -- 390,000

No one is quite sure what happened, but in the space of twenty minutes nine players were eliminated, reducing the tournament from three tables to two in quick time.

Dan Pedersen finished next in 23rd place ahead of Henrik Gwinner and Italian Piergiorgio D’ancona. PokerStars qualifier Ken Hicks Jr. went next, capping off a great performance by him for his second cash in season four - he moved with A-K but ran into Ricardo Sousa in the midst of a tear, holding pocket queens. Craig Hopkins, the PokerStars qualifier form the UK, followed him soon after, out in 18th place.

Ricardo Sousa is getting everyone’s attention with a run of cards that even he is having trouble coping with, joking with the rail that he favours cash games more than a tournaments. He was responsible for PokerStars qualifier William Johnson’s exit, pocket fours against William’s K-Q. A queen and a four on the flop kept William’s hopes alive, but standing up and seeing a hoard of cameras pointed towards him, he waved and said “See y’all” before leaving the tournament.

The results so far...

15th -- William Johnson -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- Zl57,440
16th -- Seppo Parkkinen -- Finland -- Zl57,440
17th -- Christoffer Sonesson -- Sweden -- Zl43,080
18th -- Craig Hopkins -- UK -- PokerStars qualifier -- Zl43,080
19th -- Janusz Petlic -- Poland -- Zl43,080
20th -- Kenneth Hicks Jr -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- Zl43,080
21th -- Piergiorgio D'ancona -- Italy -- 43,080
22nd -- Henrik Gwinner -- Denmark -- Zl43,080
23rd -- Dan Pedersen -- Denmark -- Zl43,080
24th -- Andy Black -- Ireland -- Zl43,080
25th -- Andreas Hagen -- Norway -- Zl28,720
26th -- Raul Paez -- Spain -- Zl28,720

There’s a five minute delay at the start as the dealer stacks Juan Mercieras’ chips which, with him still en route, are tipped out in a big mess on the table. That took five minutes - the first elimination took another five - an unsurprising one in Raul Paez Corral who started the day on just 28k.

Raul spoke to the video blog team shortly after...

More all-ins would follow but not all were taken. Trond Eidsvig tried once and tried twice before keeping his hopes alive with a double up. In between those Norwegian Andreas Hagen exited in 25th place when his A-Q move was stopped dead by A-K.

PokerStars qualifier Ken Hicks Jr. was in a few pots early on, helping Christoffer Sonesson to
double up when he called Sonesson’s pocket jacks with A-T. But it was a different story for Andy Black. His story ends in 24th place in a hand against PokerStars qualifier Criag Hopkins – Q-J for Andy, A-5 for Craig. Aces on the flop and turn left Andy drawing dead.

The video blog team caught up two PokerStars qualifiers before the start of play. First chip leader Juan Macieras from Spain, and Craig Hopkins of the UK...

Just 26 players return for day three of the EPT Warsaw where our final table will be decided. Spain’s Juan Lapido Maceiras leads into today, the PokerStars qualifier finishing on 388k last night, a full 43k ahead of second place Claus Nielsen, a press room blogger in a previous life, who starts today on 345k. They are the only two players with over 300k and will start as favourites to make it through to the last nine.

A few places back is another of the five PokerStars qualifiers still in the running, 20-year-old Ken Hicks Jr who, as we pointed out on the blog yesterday, has a name that often features on an EPT player list. He cashed in Dublin and is looking to improve on his 13th place there. Then there’s Daniel Woolson, another PokerStars qualifier, making his first EPT cash finish whilst local representation comes in the form of Poland's Janusz Petlic, hoping to win on home soil from a position of 50k today.

One of the big stories of yesterday was the progress of Andy Black. The Irishman plays with what some would call a rock and roll style; a speed freak one minute, a pensive and reflective soul at others. His early progress yesterday that had taken him to over 100k was cut short by a bad spell, triggered by an aces mugging. He was all set to exit before making the money but flipped his fortunes in the later levels, turning it around, and finishing the day on 85k.

PokerStars sponsored player Sebastian Ruthenberg is set for his best result since his tenth place finish in Baden a few months ago – he starts today with just under 100k, whilst the last Englishman Craig Hopkins, who made the final table at the PCA in January, flies the union flag on 69k. A tall order for him to challenge the likes of Maceiras and Nielsen but incredible things can happen at this stage – a reassuring thought for Raul Paez Corral of Spain, last on the chip count list with just 28k.

A full list of chips at the start of day three...

Juan Maceiras -- Spain -- PokerStars qualifier -- 388,000
Claus Nielsen -- Denmark -- 345,500
Mathias Viberg -- Sweden -- 284,000
Ricardo Sousa -- Portugal -- 239,000
Kenneth Hicks Jr. -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 225,000
Daniel Woolson -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 188,500
Dan B. Pedersen -- Denmark -- 178,000
Henrik Gwinner -- Denmark -- 165,000
Willian Johnson -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 158,000
Christian Oman -- Sweden -- 147,500
Piergiorgio D'ancona -- Italy -- 138,000
Antonio Battisti -- Italy -- 105,500
Mehdi Ouakhir -- France -- PokerStars qualifier -- 95,000
Michael Schulze -- Germany -- 95,000
Jari-Pekka Juhola -- Finland -- 95,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg -- Germany -- PokerStars sponsored player -- 93,500
Niclas Svensson -- Sweden -- 89,500
Andy Black -- Ireland -- 85,000
Trond Erik Eidsvig Norway -- 79,500
Christoffer Sonesson -- Sweden -- 76,000
Craig Hopkins -- UK -- PokerStars qualifier -- 69,000
Seppo Parkkinen -- Finland -- 64,500
Jean Claude Perrot -- France -- 62,500
Janusz Petlic -- Poland -- 50,000
Andreas Hagen -- Norway -- 48,000
Raul Paez Corral -- Spain -- 28,000

The first two players to leave today will each receive €8,130 before the payouts start to increase...

1st -- Zl2,154,000 or €609,782
2nd -- Zl1,220,600 or €345,543
3rd -- Zl718,000 or €203,261
4th -- Zl538,500 or €152,445
5th -- Zl437,980 or €123,989
6th -- Zl344,640 or €97,565
7th -- Zl272,840 or €77,239
8th -- Zl201,040 or €56,913
9th and 10th -- Zl122,060 or €34,554
11th and 12th -- Zl100,520 or €28,456
13th and 14th -- Zl78,980 or €22,359
15th and 16th -- Zl57,440 or €16,261
17th to 24th -- Zl43,080 or €12,196
25th to 32nd -- Zl28,720 or €8,130

When Andy Black started today his stack of just over 40k was about average. Pretty soon he’d be climbing high at close to 100k and whilst he never really got above that, his role at the EPT Warsaw was never in doubt - part jester, part adrenalized bully, part tournament favourite expected to not only make it through the day but to still be here come Saturday when the final nine battled it out to find a new champion.

Eight hours later that might still be the plan, but it came not without a rough journey of close calls and calamity, that saw the Irishman at one point down to just 15k, all-in a few times, and then bouncing back to threaten once again.

In today’s eight levels 130 players were reduced to just 26. After a tense bubble play finish and a short period of free-for-all, play ended leaving the survivors to bag up chips in preparation for the business end of an EPT tomorrow afternoon.

Chip leader going into that day will be Spaniard and PokerStars qualifier Juan Maceiras ahead of Claus Nielsen. Maceiras excelled whilst Nielsen manoeuvred his way through one of the more difficult tables today, surviving where Thierry van der Berg, Theo Jorgensen and PokerStars qualifier James Honeybone couldn’t. PokerStars Sponsored Player Sebastian Ruthenberg kept his seat, finishing the day on 93,500. Also in the fray are Henrik Gwinner and Trond Eidsvig as well as Christoffer Sonesson and Andreas Hagen.

Performances by other PokerStars qualifiers stood out, notably that from Ken Hicks Jr., who kicked off our reports today, and put in a well crafted day at the office to keep him at the head of the pack and out of the limelight. He finished the day on 225,000 having also been responsible for sending Italian Cristiano Blanco out of the competition on the bubble. PCA final table finisher Craig Hopkins, another PokerStars qualifier, finished on 69k.

But the big story was undoubtedly Andy Black’s rise and fall, and rise again, ending day two on 85,000. The flip side of that coin was the elimination of several big names. Former EPT winners Julian Thew, Mads Andersen and Magnus Petersson were all sent packing, as well as Liz Lieu, Woody Deck, Johnny Lodden and Danny Ryan.

Along the way we put a face to the name of Ken Hicks Jr., reinforced the fact that Joseph Serock is not Joseph Sebock, and followed Mel Judah in his first EPT day two in eight attempts. We also played witness to a new record being set by two players; each becoming the first to record four cashes in one EPT season. They would be Thierry van den Berg (Baden, Dublin, PCA and Warsaw) and Trond Eidsvig (Barcelona, Dublin, Copenhagen and Warsaw) who will both finish in the money.

So to tomorrow - another 2pm start where we shall play down from 26 to nine. Here’s a reminder of the payouts...

1st -- Zl2,154,000 or €609,782
2nd -- Zl1,220,600 or €345,543
3rd -- Zl718,000 or €203,261
4th -- Zl538,500 or €152,445
5th -- Zl437,980 or €123,989
6th -- Zl344,640 or €97,565
7th -- Zl272,840 or €77,239
8th -- Zl201,040 or €56,913
9th and 10th -- Zl122,060 or €34,554
11th and 12th -- Zl100,520 or €28,456
13th and 14th -- Zl78,980 or €22,359
15th and 16th -- Zl57,440 or €16,261
17th to 24th -- Zl43,080 or €12,196
25th to 32nd -- Zl28,720 or €8,130

For anyone looking to catch up on the posts from today, click on the links below. You can also get an up to date list of chip counts by clicking here or on the link at the top of the page.

Day 2 about to begin

The Silver Fox returns...

Faces to names

He’s Joe Serock and you’re not

Robinson aiming to pick up where he left off

The unofficial feature table

The situation at the dinner break

Bad Beats and Bad Breaks

The Black Death Watch

The Art of Riffling

Play reaches the bubble

And finally, the video blog team have a wrap up of the days action...

Railbirds on one side, press on the other. The last thing you wanted to do was move all-in because people already standing close to you found ways to get closer.

That must have been what Italian Cristiano Blanco thought as he was eliminated in 33rd place by PokerStars qualifier Ken Hicks Jr. – pocket Queens for Blanco, A-K for Hicks Jr who caught his ace on the turn.

With Cristiano gone the railbirds disappeared along with the hefty caution a lot of players have been relying on as they navigated their way to a cash finish. First Giuseppe Caciolo shoved, his A-Q against pocket nines – out for €8,130.

Then Andy Black moved in, dispelling the myth that only short stacks make such a move. His A-T went very nicely with a board reading 9-T-T-3-8; sweeter still when you consider it was against Christoffer Sonesson, the man who’d caused Black all that grief earlier.

Hecham El Sayed went out next and then a few more. The queue was clear at the cashier, relax your grip, push in, make or break.

A new record has been set at EPT Warsaw - cashing four times in the same EPT season. The record goes to two players – Dutchman Thierry van der Berg and Norwegian Trond Eidsvig who won Rookie of the Year at the Scandinavian Poker Awards last month.

Play continues until just 24 players remain. Elimination up to that point guarantees €8,130. It shouldn’t take long.

Photos © Neil Stoddart

It’s the first thing you learn in order to blend in at the table. Get it wrong and you’ll look all shades of bad. Chip riffling, done by some of the best, courtesy of the video blog team...

It happened in Dublin and in Warsaw it looks to be happening again. A forward march to the top of the hill by Andy Black only to march all the way back down again. Had he suffered such a mugging out on the streets the crowds would have parted for the arrival of two trucks with sirens blazing - a team of armed police in one truck; a team of psychiatrists in the other.

Instead the poker world shows little remorse in circumstances like these, not even from the guy responsible for this sudden calamity. This is the table of death after all where the vultures circle preparing for another feast.

Christoffer Sonesson was responsible in part, the man who doubled up within ten minutes of the start of play on day one, taking a few pots from Andy before the big one, a 50k ka-boom hand against Christian Oman – aces for Black, eights for Oman who then caught runner-runner for a flush.

Now the question is much simpler. Will Andy self-destruct or is there something left in his stack of 15k for a comeback?

It didn’t seem like it at first. In between an uncomfortable silence - no more talking and no more jokes - he called bets and mucked a hand on the showdown. More chips gone. The cameras and press still hover around the table, as they have done each day this week, but these are the vultures I mentioned, waiting for a blurry shot of the Irishman leaving the tournament area – surely any minute now. In the distance someone strikes it rich on a slot machine for a perfect melodramatic reminder of how fortunes change.

I’d stopped by this table to see PokerStars qualifier Craig Hopkins. Instead I’d joined the Andy Black Death Watch. Hopkins, from the UK, made the final table of the PCA in January, a fifth place that netted him €321,429, but right now he’s just waiting for things to calm down.

Another hand for Andy, all-in with K-J, called by K-J. The comeback stalls. Craig then calls a bet from Christopher Sonesson. They see a flop of 6-A-J but Craig is chased away by a big bet. Another all-in by Andy over a raise from Leszek Krawczynski who then calls. Andy has pocket nines, Leszek shows J-9.

“That’s not the hand I was expecting to see...” smiles Andy, raking in chips.

Another hand, and Craig makes it 7,200 to go this time. It’s folded round to Andy again who re-raises to 17,200 in total. It’s on Leszek again who asks Andy how much he has left. It takes a few moments but Andy is determined to oblige, replying and then holding his head in both hands, face down, his forehead going pink. Leszek goes through his stack, re-piling it neatly before announcing ‘all-in’.

Craig Hopkins had been waiting patiently during this theatre, watching Black in the brace position and Leszek stand up to chat and joke with friends. He points over at him to ask how much - 53,600 in total, and too much. He shakes his head and lets it go.

Cue Andy Black...

“Call”

It must have been nice to flip over those aces. For Leszek just A-Q; puzzling everyone. But least among those who cared was Andy Black. Taken to the brink by bullets just a short time ago, brought back from that place by the same hand.

He’s talking again now - the Andy Black Show is back on air...

Photos © Neil Stoddart

PokerStars qualifier James Honeybone now fills the spot left by Theo Jorgensen. The mighty have fallen in numbers today and Jorgensen is just one in a long list that includes the likes of Johan Storakers, Marc Goodwin and Daniel Carter.

PokerStars Sponsored Player Danny Ryan caught the unluckiest break when he moved in with kings, and was called by Q-J. He may have been ahead pre-flop but when two more queens hit the board hopes of another EPT cash were done with.

Woody Deck joined him on the rail – his A-K beaten in a pot against queens and eights that ultimately finished ahead of him. Whilst the Silver Fox himself Mel Judah, making a rare EPT day two appearance lost out with his K-J against his opponents A-K.

Staying in the tournament is not without risks though, as Jean Claude Peron found out...

Play has now reached the dinner break at the end of level 12. For the latest chip counts click here.

The video blog team have the details...

There may not be cameras at the EPT Warsaw but there’s little doubt which table would be the feature one had there been. It’s table one, squeezed into the far and dark recesses of the tournament area, beneath electric fans vaguely trying to push the flow of fudgy warm air through the dungeon. This is where PokerStars sponsored player Sebastian Ruthenberg, Henrik Gwinner, Thierry van der Berg, Theo Jorgensen, Claus Nielsen and Andreas Hagen sit.

It was already heating up when I arrived, Claus Nielsen having made a raise of 20k on a board of 7-J-9-Q. Andreas Hagen was in the tank, the slowest riffler in the game in these moments, his lip loaded heavily with Snus (nicotine based) and his eyes hidden behind wrap-around sunglasses and a black baseball cap. He may be a primary school teacher in a previous life, but he can still manage a fierce look at the table.

He goes for his chips, then changes his mind and goes back into the tank. Theo Jorgensen calls time and Hagen gets his minute. Half way through he calls.

The river is an ace. Nielsen bets again, 26k this time. Hagen doesn’t need anywhere near as much time to fold.

“River?” Thierry van der Berg asks Claus, without an answer.

“Nobody will ever know...” says Theo Jorgensen.

Whilst Claus now sits with over 190k and the chip lead, there’s little doubt this puts Andreas Hagen’s tournament on the line. But he didn’t take long to plug the lump leads and electrify his stack back to average, all coming in a hand against Henrik Gwinner.

The board read 9-6-J-J-5. Notably Gwinner checked the turn, soon discovered to be a suicidal move when Hagen moved all-in on the river. Gwinner called, showed his A-J for a set, only for Hagen to show him 7-8 for a river made straight.

“Ouch! So sick” said Thierry van der Berg. And as if Henrik wasn’t feeling bad enough... “And you checked the turn! My god...”

It’s a huge pot for Hagen and cripples Gwinner who to his credit makes little fuss in paying the Norwegian off. Thierry van der Berg was still “wowing” to himself some time later, comforting Gwinner with some well meant pats on the back.

That was until Thierry’s own big hand came along...

An all-in with A-Q, called by Theo Jorgensen with A-K. It pushed Van der Berg to the brink of elimination as he stood to watch his fate. He said a few words, something about bad hands and bad flops – in the same way you’d say a few words at a funeral - and prepared to leave.

Until a queen hit the flop that is, saving Thierry and spinning the fickle beast of bad fortune towards Jorgensen.

“Sorry Theo” said Thierry, all of a sudden back from the dead.

Photos © Neil Stoddart

David Robinson is just one player here via the PokerStars.com qualification route. On a late night surge yesterday he finished day one on over 50k. He caught up with the video blog team earlier today...

“I’ve only played about 85% of hands.” This is Andy Black who has just seen off another player and is calling on authorities to provide more body bags. PokerStars Sponsored player Danny Ryan is also at this table – Andy Black’s table of death.

Everything Andy does is at speed – folding, betting, making change for someone or simply stacking chips. It’s all done as if any minute now someone will close the casino, or come to tell him his car is double parked and has been towed away.

He makes it 2,200 from the cut-off pre-flop. This time Danny Ryan re-raises to 6k and stacks his chips neatly and according to colour, for Andy to count. “Fold” he says instead, the first pot in a while not to go the Irishman’s way.

“You can’t have that many hands” says Danny.

On the next table is Tyler Netter, moved from his starting spot opposite Ken Hicks Jr. Also here is Joseph Serock.

Serock had had a lot of attention thrown his way over the last few weeks, not least because of an impressive 14th place performance in Copenhagen and for his steady climb up the chip list here in Warsaw. There’s something else though, an important part of Joseph’s life, the fact that he’s NOT Joe Sebock.

For sake of a consonant Serock’s has been tagged as the son of Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein more than once. So how much of an issue is this? Enough for a website to spring up explaining the situation - albeit tongue-in-cheek.

There’s room for one more twist – Joseph denies the website is his.

“Yeah, I heard about that. I haven’t checked it out for a while” said Joseph before the start of play, with Danny Ryan asking about it too. “That’s a lot of work for someone” he said.

It could be a joke, but for now I’ll take Joseph’s explanation, if only for the thought that somewhere some random fan in the blogosphere is doing all this on Joseph’s behalf – an even better story.

Meanwhile at his table countryman Tyler Netter has called an all-in by Daniel Woolson by moving in his tower of blue chips without counting them. He shows jacks, but Woolson has aces. In an episode reminiscent of Ken Hick’s hand earlier, Woolson makes quads.

“Nice hand bro...”

A few hands later and it’s Serock moving all-in. The hand followed one in which Ulrica Skonnemark had been pushed off of a hand by Aleksandr Gorelik. Now, having made another raise, Ulrica watched as Serock counted his chips, announced “26,900” and then nodded to the dealer his intention to move all-in.

Ulrika mucked again, with a touch more venom this time when she flicked her cards to the dealer, perhaps getting rid of them before changing her mind.

Photos © Neil Stoddart

In the course of reporting on an EPT you might not notice a player’s name. You may even read over it the second time when he plays another EPT a few weeks later. Shame to admit it, but you might pay no attention to it the third time either. This stops right here though for Ken Hicks Jr.

Ken’s story is not that different to a lot of other young guys on the tour, now making their living playing poker, who often play in Europe, qualifying with tidal consistency on PokerStars. We can now put a name to a face.

From West Virginia in the United States, Ken has been playing for two years having dropped out of a business course at Marshall University as his game reaped a more healthy income. Warsaw marks Ken’s fourth EPT with his best result coming in Dublin earlier his season where he finished 13th for €20,420.
Right now he has 41k and the level nine table he finds himself at consists almost entirely of fellow PokerStars qualifiers, including World Cup of Poker Team USA player Tyler Netter, Jeffrey Petronack, Mirko Kirner, Azem Elezaj, Rene Gisbertz and Robert Lipkin. It would be weird not to mention the other player – Italy’s Antonio Battisti.

Azem Elezaj was first to move all-in, cursing when Battisti called with good reason on a 9-7-T flop. Battisti showed two pairs, to Azem’s pocket queens, sending him out inside the first ten minutes, leaving quickly and quietly.

Next to move was Rene Gisbertz, pushing for no more than around 5k. Ken Hicks pulled out his earphones - the poker equivalent of bouncing the ball a few times in tennis before a serve - and called from the button. The small blind folded but the big blind, Jeffrey Petronack, moved all-in too, a few grand more. It’s not much so Hicks called, showing A-K, whilst Gisbertz had pocket nines, Petronack pocket eights.

The first card out was a nine, but the second and third cards were aces - a nice leap frog over the others for Ken. The turn was a six leaving both Gisbertz and Petronack looking for help. The river made both players a full house, but it was an ace, giving Hicks quads - a hand that garnered a few “ooooofs” from the rail, including a nearby tournament official. Two gone in one hand and a nice pot for the West Virginian.

Elsewhere our PokerStars qualifier Mark Hirleman, who featured in the video blog yesterday on a stroll around Warsaw with Kara Scott, will go no further into day two. He moved all-in with A-4, only to be called by A-T. Also, EPT Baden winner Julian Thew has gone inside the first few minutes having started with a stack of around 8k.

30 minutes played, close to 20 players gone...

Photos © Neil Stoddart

As touched upon yesterday poker legend and WSOP bracelet winner Mel Judah has played eight EPT events but has never made it through to day two. This time is different though, as he explained to the video blog team...

The EPT Warsaw steps up in seriousness today as the two fields from days 1a and 1b unite on a forward march to the money. From 359 starters 130 remain, and a further 98 of those will leave the Casino Poland today empty handed, unless a loose headed distraction spin on the roulette tables by the casino exit turns fruitful. Of those, 35 players are PokerStars qualifiers, with Keith Donais the furthest north on the chip list, whilst PokerStars Sponsored players Sebastian Ruthenberg and Danny Ryan return today, Ryan with the aim of beating his fifth place from Copenhagen two weeks ago.

Swedish player Robert Flink is the chip leader on 113,300, pursued as he is by day 1b chip leader Dan Pedersen on 98,500. Robert spoke to Kara Scott before the start of play...

Whilst at the other end Jan Stefan Smolarcyk has the work to do with just 2,800 between him and a trip home. We play until the field reaches the money or eight full levels are played. Reaching day two can be an achievement in itself but the reality is that the money that makes this business pay is still some way off.

That’s the technical detail done. It’s a grey day in Warsaw, not that many players will see the daylight today, and a brisk wind bends the trees 45 degrees in the hotel car park. But to use one of those great weather and poker analogies – the sun will shine on at least one player today.

We’re about to get started. The list of starting players, and their chip counts, is below...

Robert Flink -- Sweden -- 113300
Dan B. Pedersen -- Denmark -- 98500
Michael Schulze -- Germany -- 87900
Anio Alcaraz -- Spain -- 78000
Keith Donais -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 76200
Hecham El Sayed -- Denmark -- 66700
Alp Okumus -- Germany -- 62100
David Robinson -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 55800
Jospeh Serock -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 55000
Andreas Torbergsen -- Norway -- 53000
Daniel Hofmeister -- PokerStars qualifier -- Germany -- 51900
Theo Jorgensen -- Denmark -- 50300
Jean Claude Perrot -- France -- 50100
Henrik Gwinner -- Denmark -- 48500
Dennis Petronack -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 48100
Sebastian Ruthenberg -- PokerStars sponsored player -- Germany -- 45100
Tyler Netter -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 42600
Andy Black -- Ireland -- 42400
David Burn -- PokerStars qualifier -- Uk -- 41700
Kenneth Hicks Jr. -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 41200
Willian Johnson -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 40900
Mehdi Ouakhir -- France -- 40700
Christoffer Sonesson -- Sweden -- 39800
Victor Escudero -- Spain -- 39100
James Honeybone -- New Zealand -- 38700
Bernard Boutboul -- France -- 37000
Fredrik Haugen -- PokerStars qualifier -- Sweden -- 36800
Giuseppe Caciolo -- Italy -- 36600
Anton Smolyanskiy -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 35800
Andrea Benelli -- Italy -- 35700
Andreas Hagen -- Norway -- 35100
Jari-Pekka Juhola -- Finland -- 34400
Michael Hogbom -- PokerStars qualifier -- Sweden -- 34400
Taras Mikulik -- 34400
Trond Erik Eidsvig -- Norway -- 34400
Dennis Bejedal -- Sweden -- 33900
Darcourt Guillaume -- France -- 33600
Antonio Battisti -- Italy -- 32900
Roberto Nateri -- Italy -- 32500
Kenneth Matsson -- Sweden -- 32200
Magnus Petersson -- Sweden -- 30100
Woody Deck -- Lithuania -- 29700
Juan Lapido -- PokerStars qualifier -- Spain -- 29600
Azem Elezaj -- PokerStars qualifier -- Sweden -- 29200
Ricardo Sousa -- Portugal -- 29200
Cristiano Blanco -- Italy -- 28800
Robert Lipkin -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 28800
Niclas Svensson -- Sweden -- 27800
Alon Mizrahi -- Unknown -- 27500
Aleksandr Gorelik -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 27200
Leszek Krawczyński -- Poland -- 27100
Derek Montgomery -- PokerStars qualifier -- Canada -- 26600
Jean François Rigollet -- France -- 26600
Ilja Smid -- PokerStars qualifier -- Germany -- 26200
Miika Karjalainen -- Finland -- 26100
Seppo Parkkinen -- Finland -- 25900
Juan Manuel Pastor -- Spain -- 25700
Steve Bromley -- PokerStars qualifier -- UK -- 25100
Jurgen Stumpmeier -- Germany -- 25000
Rowad Hadrous -- Sweden -- 24900
Ulrica Skönnemark -- Sweden -- 24900
Johan Storakers -- Sweden -- 24800
Nico Behling -- Germany -- 24500
Brian Jensen -- PokerStars qualifier -- Denmark -- 24300
Johan Lund -- Sweden -- 24000
Mats Rahm -- Sweden -- 24000
Risto Ailamo -- Finland -- 23900
Antonio Gomez Ribera -- Spain -- 23800
Christoffer Egemo Hansen -- Sweden -- 23700
Mads Andersen -- Denmark -- 22900
Mohamed-Azam Razab-Sekh -- Holland -- 22800
Jacek Ładny -- Poland -- 22500
Joao Quintella Teixeira De Freitas -- Portugal -- 22200
Jeffrey Petronack -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 21700
Christos Kravaritis -- Sweden -- 21600
Hans Eskilsson -- Sweden -- 21100
Kostadin Anakiev -- Bulgaria -- 20900
Daniel Carter -- PokerStars qualifier -- UK -- 20800
Cameron Macmillan -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 20100
Thierry Van Der Berg -- Holland -- 19900
Daniel Ryan -- PokerStars sponsored player -- USA -- 19800
Julien Boue -- PokerStars qualifier -- Germany -- 18800
Marc Goodwin -- UK -- 18700
Daniel Woolson -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 18400
Jose Picazo -- Spain -- 18400
Dino Dinler -- Finland -- 18300
Janusz Petlic -- Poland -- 18300
Stewart Chantler -- Canada -- 18300
Raul Paez Corral -- Spain -- 18200
Blair Smith -- PokerStars qualifier -- Canada -- 18100
Claus Nielsen -- Denmark -- 18000
Tomasz Krzesiński -- Poland -- 18000
Daniel Mangas -- Spain -- 17900
Hans Ritburg -- Holland -- 17500
Casey Kastle -- USA -- 17200
Mark Hirleman -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 17200
Antti Ropponen -- Finland -- 16900
Kosta Anastasyadi -- Holland -- 16700
Torgeir Husevaag -- Unknown -- 16600
Christian Öman -- Sweden -- 15700
Kim Öfverström -- Finland -- 15500
Melvyn Judah -- Australia -- 15500
Nikolaj Fabricius -- Denmark -- 15400
Morten Holm -- Denmark -- 15300
Craig Hopkins -- PokerStars qualifier -- Uk -- 15000
Jorund Soma -- Norway -- 14700
Nikolas Avlonitis -- Greece -- 14300
Remy Biechel -- France -- 14000
Joel Gunnarsson -- Sweden -- 13800
Łukasz Wasek -- Poland -- 13500
Piergiorgio D'ancona -- Italy -- 13100
Patrick Arba -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 11500
Mathias Viberg -- Sweden -- 11300
Stephan Thiele-Bolivar -- PokerStars qualifier -- Germany -- 10500
Henrik Lennholm -- Sweden -- 10300
Mike Leah -- Canada -- 9900
Elizabeth Lieu -- USA -- 9100
Joao Manuel Nunes -- Portugal -- 9100
Julian Thew -- UK -- 8900
Marek Piecha -- Poland -- 8700
Kai Leurer -- PokerStars qualifier -- Germany -- 8600
Gino Alacqua -- Italy -- 8000
William Olivieri -- PokerStars qualifier -- Italy -- 8000
Eugeniusz Licznarowski -- Poland -- 6900
Mirko Kirner -- PokerStars qualifier -- Germany -- 6700
Sami Leino -- Finland -- 6300
Johnny Lodden -- Norway -- 6000
René Gisbertz -- PokerStars qualifier -- Holland -- 5200
John Gibson -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 3900
Jan Stefan Smolarczyk -- France -- 2600

For a full list of combined chip counts at the end of day one, click here.

That’s the door closed on day one. 359 players over two days, with the remnants, numbering 58, looking back on the last eight hours wondering what all the fuss was about. Actually that’s not exactly true - more a glance forward at 14 full duvet hours between now and the start of day two.

Day 1b had a musician, just like day 1a; it had its extravagant showman, just like day one; it had a few Scandinavian orchestrators, just as day1a; as well as a visitors from stateside barnstorming the EPT for a shot at high priced silver wear. Which player fits which description I’ll leave to someone else, but it also left a chip leader without dispute, performed well by Robert Flink on day 1a, finishing with 113k.

It was a volatile day for Andy Black, who ran through a succession of formidable foes, each more than capable of denting the Irishman’s karma. Dave Colclough started the day alongside him, fairing no better than Thomas Wahlroos who was sent packing because of Black. EPT Prague winner Arnaud Mattern had a front row seat to these Black arts before his own demise. As play ended on the day it was Liz Lieu arriving at his self described table of death – a day of no let up perhaps, but it’s just show from a man who thrives in his level competition –just as much as the cowardly might resist it.

Team PokerStars Pro and former World Champion Greg Raymer probably had a longer stay planned before his exit before dinner – A-K versus A-K with a flush quickly turning Raymer into a tourist. Fellow Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano survived a little longer but found himself on the less fun side of the rail in quick time.

As players such as Thierry van den Berg, Liz Lieu, Mads Andersen and PokerStars sponsored player Sebastian Ruthenberg prepare for day two tomorrow it’s worth giving a quick heads up to poker legend Mel Judah who after eight EPT attempts has finally made it to a day two of an EPT, instead he says, of his traditional finish at some point in the last half hour of day 1.

Whilst they toast their initial success others climbed the 36 steps to ground level one by one. Among them the bankable William Thorson, Joris Jaspers, Soren Jensen, Soren Kongsgaard, Dave Colclough, Thor Hansen, Thomas Wahlroos and all the way back in level one Ed de Haas.

Whilst all that kicked off inside Casino Poland, EPT presenter Kara Scott and PokerStars qualifier Mark Hirleman hit the sidewalks of Warsaw for a glimpse of the local custom, a rare treat for people normally confined to hotel limits. Kara then returned in time to examine the delicate issue of poker fashion.

61 made it through today, joining the 72 from yesterday, making for a day two field of 130 tomorrow at 2pm local time; 1pm in the UK or 8am back on the East Coast.

And for anyone wanting to catch up on posts from today click on the links below...

A guide to Poland... or an EPT day 1b

Play underway on day 1b

Big names and long names

Piotr Marzec centre stage

One step at a time

A tale of two tables

The world beyond the casino walls

Friends will be friends

Hats, hoodies and high fashion...

The last few pages of day1b

A wrap up of day 1b courtesy of the video blog team...

The button moves to Andy Black. He checks his cards, mucks, hops up and limbos to the other side of the rail just six feet away. It’s cigarette time – paid for in some part by a colourful bar chart stack of 50k.

Across from him Johnny Lodden is all-in, and digging in for the wait whilst his opponent goes into a laboured spell in the tank. Liz Lieu stands up, stretching her legs, looking over at the commotion on the table next to them which gets a few players from all corners crowding round to watch either a brave or foolish man lose 60k in a single pot, calling it seems with rags. I suppose sometimes you just have to go.

Back to Lodden though, who hasn’t moved since his push which was followed by a lengthy counting process by the dealer. He has that expression on his face, one that’s obviously using all its might to avoid slapping the table and demanding someone make their mind up. But he’s a good man and simply says something along the lines of ‘please call’ - not counting on his opponent speaking not a word of English.

More waiting. The clock is called - usually enough to sway a doubter, which it does. He mucks showing A-K. Lodden shows A-K as well. The table is broken, ending this standoff, with a little over half an hour left to play.

It’s been a table of carnage on Andy Black’s patch, something he admits himself as Liz Lieu arrives to fill the vacant two seat.

He’s on his feet with the intention of speeding things up a little. Not one to pedestrianize the game Andy wants a highway built straight to the final table, and intends to fast lane his way all the way to Saturday afternoon. The clock is called on a hand, Black calls it on another...

“Are you being the trouble maker again?” She asks.

“As much as possible” replies Andy. The hand eliminates another player, forced out by a bad case of aces.

“More bodies!” cries Andy. He’ll get one soon enough. There’s now less than half an hour left on day 1b...

Another aspect of the poker world examined in detail by the video blog team...

Despite Thomas Wahlroos doubling-up any sense of camaraderie between him and Andy Black would soon disappear when the Irishman saw him off with a rapier thrust from the ugliest of hands. Calling Wahlroos’s all-in with A-K; Andy showed T-6, catching a ten on the flop to send the Finn to the rail. No hand shake, and Thomas has a long memory.

Back to the table where we started in level one and to French actress Alexia Portal who was all-in - with Miika Karjalainen, complete with spiky hair preparing to call. The table doesn’t look that different to how it had started over six hours ago, with just big Ed de Haas and Henri Boutboul missing. Dariusz Paszkiewicz is still in seat one, complete with his glass stuffed with orange slices, and Dutchman Joris Jaspers has also made it this far.

Miika Karjalainen mucked - Alexia survives a little longer.

Joris then tried the same move for himself and again it was Miika with the option to call. This time he took it, unsurprising really given that he was ably armed with two aces, aces that made Joris wince and Miika smile; the Dutchman’s hopes for a second EPT cash gone with A-Q.

“Will you be in San Remo?” Someone asks him.

“Yeah, see you there...”

Confirmation of the payouts from a total prize pool of Zl7,180,000 (Euro amounts are approximate)

1st -- Zl2,154,000 or €609,782
2nd -- Zl1,220,600 or €345,543
3rd -- Zl718,000 or €203,261
4th -- Zl538,500 or €152,445
5th -- Zl437,980 or €123,989
6th -- Zl344,640 or €97,565
7th -- Zl272,840 or €77,239
8th -- Zl201,040 or €56,913
9th and 10th -- Zl122,060 or €34,554
11th and 12th -- Zl100,520 or €28,456
13th and 14th -- Zl78,980 or €22,359
15th and 16th -- Zl57,440 or €16,261
17th to 24th -- Zl43,080 or €12,196
25th to 32nd -- Zl28,720 or €8,130

Sightseeing? During an EPT? A totally ludicrous suggestion to some players but for others the chance to get away for a few hours and experience the town it took you 18 hours to get to is a welcome opportunity to relax, as PokerStars qualifier Mark Hirleman and Kara Scott found out...

Chip counts into level six...

Michael Högbom – Sweden -- 43 K
Andreas Hagen – Norway -- 40 K
Mads Andersen – Denmark -- 31 K
Andy Black – Ireland -- 24 K
Henrik Gwinner – Denmark -- 20 K
Claus Nielsen – Denmark -- 15 K
Theo Jörgensen – Denmark -- 15 K
Thomas Wahlroos – Finland -- 15 K
Liz Lieu – United States -- 11 K
Kenneth Mattsson – Sweden -- 9 K
Johnny Lodden – Norway -- 9 K
Thierry Van Den Berg – Holland -- 8 K
Sören Kongsgaard – Denmark -- 8 K
Ghena Dawoud – Sweden -- 6 K
Stephan Kjerstad – Norway -- 6 K
Michael Tureniec – Sweden -- 6 K
Henrik Lennholm – Sweden -- 5 K

Two tables get the attention in level five. First, what can only be described as the ‘stress table’. Thierry van den Berg at one end having the tension massaged from his shoulders; Mads Andersen at the other end getting the life massaged back into his. Duelling pros. Duelling masseuses. We’re only short a banjo.

The other table is making cheery noises but has perhaps the toughest roll call of any right now, featuring as it does Thomas Wahlroos, Andy Black and Arnaud Mattern (in that order) sat line abreast and facing the dealer. On their right flank sits PokerStars qualifier Michael Dunn.

An intimate hand had developed as I arrived; Andy Black reaching over, his hand on Thomas’s, on a full K-A-T-4-Q board. This was Black’s attempt to get a little information. Thomas though was zoned out, music pulsing through his head, leg bouncing up and down with a 1,700 bet at stake - he was letting the Irishman do the talking.

“Jack-nine?” asks Andy. Nope. “You win” says Andy, mucking his card. Still no words from Thomas, although by now he’d stopped bouncing his leg.

Michael Dunn’s was next to get the Andy treatment and he could only hold onto his hat as Andy turned up the speed, rapid bet after rapid bet, an all-in over a Dunn raise taking the pot.

“I got worried when you looked at your watch...” said Andy, but this hand was always going his way, restoring the karma from the last hand perhaps, or the application of brakes before things started spiralling out of control. All done pretty quick regardless. Andy on 23k now, with Wahlroos and Mattern on 10k.

It’s the dinner break and players have to walk up 36 steps to reach ground level, the bar, or the lift back to their room for an hour of rest before heading back down the 36 steps to the tournament room.

But for some, it’s the first seven steps that are important, steps taken long ago before the tournament even started. For anyone who doesn’t know 'Steps' is the brand new way of winning an EPT package (or any other package for that matter) on PokerStars – that’s buy-in, hotel accommodation and flights in one.

The process is simple. Five (or six depending on the event) 'steps' to qualify, starting at as low as $7.50 or 500 FPP. Each step is effectively a sit and go with the first and second place finisher advancing to the next step whilst the third place player gets another go at that step. Do that all the way to the last stage and the seat is yours!

You don’t even have to start at the bottom of the ladder - you can buy-in at whichever level suits you. It’s proven already to be one of the most popular ways to qualify, with 53 PokerStars qualifiers at the EPT Warsaw alone getting here via the Steps way – adding up to $1.3 million total prize pool from step six tournaments just to Warsaw.

San Remo may be wall-to-wall but there’s still time to give Steps a whirl – the ultimate goal being a ticket to the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo next month. You can also use Steps to secure a seat at the World Series main event. Click here for more details.

There’s a brief roar – one of those victory noises that can’t be helped and always leave the roarer feeling bad afterwards. But it signals the end of Luca Pagano’s tournament. In a three way pot with Niclas Mattesson and Azem Elezaj Luca had A-Q, to the A-J of Azem and 7-7 of Niclas – with Azam covering the other two. A jack on the flop suited him nicely, heralding the end of the day for both Niclas and Luca.

Liz Lieu has had better fortune. She doubled up with pocket sevens, making a set on the flop whilst her opponent missed his straight draw. It did more than that for Liz, pairing the board giving her a full house.

Brynja Bjorg-Sassoon is getting into his flow, reading a book between hands now and calling on the massage services of Frida to help him work up an appetite.

Two tables along sits Polish player Piotr Marzec. He cuts an impressive gib at his table, with tattoos running up one arm, around the back of his head, and back down the other arm. He has a goatee beard too and a cleanly shaved head that shines under the lights. A shot of something sits in front of him, close to running on empty, but as if by magic another one is brought to him by a branded girl. An aperitif before dinner.

By appearances Piotr could be in charge of security at a rock concert, but actually Piotr goes by another name – that being Leroy O and he happens to be a top selling Polish R&B musician.

Famous for being one of the first Polish rap acts to rock the country, he’s something of an icon in these parts with famous songs including “Scyzoryk” (apparently meaning a small knife) and “East On Da Mic”.
Will that talent bridge the gap to poker? It’s hard to tell right now but after a slow start Piotr/Liroy has taken a couple of pots, survived and all-in and taken a couple more. Good enough to make it to the dinner break at least, keeping his bet with Michel Wisniewski from yesterday alive – an inter-Polish-musician last longer.

Dave Colclough is out in level three; a couple of big hands sending him to the rail, although some would say that with the number of times he’s finished on the bubble this was the humane option.

With a name like Brynja Bjorg-Sassoon you can’t help stopping by his table to see how things are going. Not great, but not bad for the Swede who over the last two hours has watched his table grow more fierce. First, internet dynamo Sorel Mizzi arrived, then the fearless William Thorson. The table already featured Pascal Perrault and Andreas Hagen. Still, even with a hand lost to Thorson as I dropped in the Swede is still on average health.

The same goes for Mohamed-Azam Razab-Sekh. He’s on a table devoid of the players that attract crowds, using upthe fresher air from the no-smoking zone. It allows play to progress at a steady and quiet pace - something Greg Raymer’s table is now experiencing now they don’t have Greg Raymer next to them anymore. The Team PokerStars Pro is out thanks to one of those rotten deals – ace-king against ace-king. Sadly for Greg the board was greased with four cards to match the suit of his opponent’s king. This brazen regicide sending the former World Champ out in the early levels.

Meanwhile things haven’t gone too well for the other Team PokerStars Pro playing today, Luca Pagano. Luca is still in but his stack is a lot shorter now he’s sent a chunk over to Soren Kongsgaard; a tens against kings situation.

Latest chip counts...

Andy Black – Ireland-- 18 K
Claus Nielsen – Denmark -- 18 K
Ghena Dawoud – Sweden -- 16 K
Michael Högbom – Sweden -- 16 K
Reijo Manninen – Finland -- 15 K
Michael Tureniec – Sweden -- 15 K
Christopher Ulsrud – Norway -- 15 K
Andreas Hagen – Norway -- 15 K
Thomas Wahlroos – Finland -- 13 K
Mads Andersen – Denmark -- 13 K
Pascal Perrault – France -- 12 K
Theo Jörgensen – Denmark -- 11 K
Sören Kongsgaard – Denmark -- 11 K
Petri Pietila – Finland -- 11 K
William Thorson – Sweden -- 10 K
Kenneth Mattsson – Sweden -- 10 K
Luca Pagano – Italy – Team PokerStars Pro -- 9 K
Liz Lieu – United States -- 9 K
Henrik Gwinner –Denmark -- 9 K
Thor Hansen – Norway -- 8 K
Thierry Van Den Berg – Holland -- 8 K
Stephan Kjerstad – Norway -- 7 K
Henrik Lennholm – Sweden -- 5 K
Johnny Lodden – Norway -- 5 K
Magnus Söderholtz – Sweden -- 5 K
Sorel Mizzi – United States -- 4 K
Niclas Mattsson – Sweden -- 4 K

Tuesday was one of those days on Walll Street that makes everybody happy. The markets rallied and just about everybody ended the day on a high note. When the closing bell rang on the NASDAQ, one Montel Williams did the ringing. Just behind him stood Team PokerStars Pro Victor Ramdin.

As you might remember, Williams had a banner day at the 2007 World Series of Poker. For a period of time during Day 1, Williams held the chip lead and the attention of everybody in the Rio Amazon Ballroom. During the Ante Up For Africa charity tournament, Wiilliams ended up chatting with Ramdin. After a brief Chat, Williams busted Ramdin out of the event. While the game was over, their friendship remained. It took them all the way to Wall Street.

Williams and Ramdin met on Wall Street yesteday to close the NASDAQ and promote the Montel Williams MS Foundation's Gala and Pro Celebrity Poker Challenge on Thursday, March 13th at 5:30pm ET. Ramdin and Williams will both be playing in the event in an effort to raise money for the study of Multiple Sclerosis. For more information on the event, visit the MS Foundation website.

by Dustin Mele

EPT Copenhagen was great. The tournament was very well structured and the hotel and casino were very nice as well.

The first day I arrived, I was exhausted from a friend's birthday party the night before and there was no room for sleep because the PokerStars welcome party and the Scandanavian Poker Awards were being held that same night. Fortunately I was starting on Day 1B of the tournament, so I would have a full day to recover from all the partying. The party and awards were held together at a very nice club located in Copenhagen and the awards were hosted by Daniel Negraneu. It was all around a great time.

Dustin Mele in Copenhagen

The tournament was very fun. I played solid the whole time, eventually getting my chip stack over 50,000 from the 10,000 starting stack. I took a bad beat on Day 2 when everyone folded to the button while I was in the big blind. The player was a very loose player and I knew he would most likely raise in that position with any two cards. He raised 4 times the big blind, the small blind folded, and I looked down at pocket jacks. I had about 10,000 chips more than the button and I was very sure--in my mind--I had the better hand. So, I put him all-in. He auto-called me with pocket nines. Unfortunately, he turned a set of nines to beat my pocket jacks.

If the hand held, I would have had almost 100,000 chips close to the money. I managed to be patient and start a comeback when we were down to 55 players from the 250 or so that started. They were paying out the Top 40, so I had to make it through 15 more players to cash. But I wasn't trying to just cash. I was trying to win the tournament or at least final table. So, when I looked down at pocket nines, I had to go all-in. With the blinds and ante's getting so large, I was in great possition with pocket nines in the cut-off when every one else folded. The small blind called with AK. My hand held the whole way...until an ace hit on the river.

I finished 53rd. I am not too upset because I am on my to Italy on March 30th to play in EPT San Remo on April 1st and EPT Monte Carlo on April 12th. I am very dedicated and determined to get my first poker title under my belt.

Dustin Mele won the 2007 PokerStars Passport Tournament Leder Board competition. He is traveling around the world on PokerStars' dime playing in big buy-in tournaments and recounting his experiences for the rest of us. His next stop is the EPT event in San Remo, Italy next month.

by Chris Capra

Cards are in the air with 160 players on day 1b...

Down two flights, turn right into the casino, around the first bunch of tables, down a small gangway, down four steps, turn left past two tables and you run into table one. Here sit Polish player Dariusz Paszkewicz as well as Henri Boutboul, Ed de Haas, Joris Jaspers and Alexis Portal.

Alexia is new to the tour this season, better known in her native France as a television actress; she has on an Alice Cooper t-shirt. Yesterday it was KISS. As Alexia and Polish rocker Michel Wisniewski proved on day1a, the glam rock spirit is alive and well on the EPT.

But it’s Pole Dariusz tearing up the stage in these opening exchanges, as big Ed de Haas found out. It all started when the Dutchman put his sunglasses on ready to play a hand...

K-Q-3 on the flop.

A bet form Dariusz, which Ed calls. The turn brings a nine. Ed picks off some chips with his big hands, flipping them together a few times. It’s hard to see how much there is back there – his hands cover his stack and his cards - but suddenly 3,700 fires out.

Dariusz, in black cap and black sunglasses, shows little emotion at this and goes on with his tooth-pick chewing; a glass of water in front of him stuffed full with six slices of orange.

He calls. The river is a queen.

Ed checks his cards again and gently taps the table. Dariusz already has his 4,500 bet stacked and ready and almost hands it to the dealer - the kind of spontaneity that would cause anyone to remove glasses, headphones and audibly sigh, taking a few minutes to re-evaluate the whole scene. Dariusz continues working the tooth pick in the side of his mouth. Ed calls...

Pocket kings for Dariusz. That does it. Ed watches in slight pain. He looks again and again, but there’s no change. It’s a big pot for the pole that leaves de Hass with just a few hundred with a little over half an hour played.

***

Elsewhere the distinguished figure of Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer, complete with Panama hat, is back up the stairs, along the gangway and among the bunch of tables near the casino entrance. He spoke to the video blog team before play began...

Its boundaries are always changing, thanks to a flexible rail. Certain levels are trickier than others. Smooth periods are easily managed until suddenly, and from out of nowhere, you find yourself trapped in a dry patch wondering what the hell happened, struggling to get out. Take the wrong turn and things get worse, but choose well and your hopes pick up with greener fields ahead. And all the while you sense this huge mountain to climb on the way to the final, always in the distance, hard to ignore.

That could also be a walk from one side of Poland to the other. Historically its boundaries have always been changing, most recently in 1945. In the south is the Beldow desert, not something you expect to find in Eastern Europe, whilst further south stand the Tetras mountains, part of the Carpathian ranges. And finally, running like a main artery through the country’s lush countryside is the Vistula River.

And what kind of world would it be if you couldn’t link two descriptions together to form some kind of shaky analogy? Regardless of that it does raise two points - that not only is Poland a beautiful country, but that until the two flights of day 1 are completed, things are still wide open.

So what happens today? Well, the same as yesterday. Another close to 200 strong field playing eight levels with a dinner break after four. The only change in the tournament area will be the faces, beyond that day 1b offers a chance to try the cheesecake at dinner rather than the chocolate mousse. A further 52 PokerStars qualifiers play today with that option, accompanying not only Luca Pagano of Team PokerStars but WSOP 2004 World Champion Greg Raymer.

Greg is one of the great analysers of the game, at least until Irishman Andy Black turns up. The two met over drinks last night as day 1a was in full swing. In terms of poker strategy we’ll let you decide who came out tops...

And what happened yesterday? Well it was Sweden’s Robert Flink ahead of the surviving 71 on 113,300, a long way ahead it seems with second placed Anio Alcarez of Spain on 78,000. In fourth place was Joseph Serock, a PokerStars qualifier from the United States who had an equally good start a few weeks ago in Copenhagen.

Whilst we lost Team PokerStars Pros Dario Minieri and Katja Thater, as well as EPT presenter Kara Scott, we hung on to former EPT winners Julian Thew, Magnus Petersson and Prague runner up Gino Alacqua along with 28 of the 76 PokerStars qualifiers who started.

Among those playing today...

Liz Lieu – United States
The Californian made the final table of the APPT in Macau last November and did the same again three days later in the high roller event. Liz makes her first Warsaw appearance.

Andy Black – Ireland
Popular Irish professional who came fifth in the WSOP main event back in 2005 as well as final tabling in 1998 when Stu Ungar ran out as winner. He has EPT cashes to his name but remains in pursuit of an elusive EPT title.

Arnaud Mattern – France
Winner of the EPT Prague last December and an established French pro based in London. One of several former EPT champions playing today.

Soren Jensen – Denmark
The runner-up in the recent EPT Copenhagen. Known for his extravagant big pot celebrations which made for a noisy tournament room two weeks ago.

Theo Jorgensen – Denmark
One of the best chip rifflers in the game, Jorgensen has made two EPT final tables. He has a bundle of WSOP, WPT and other cashes to go with it.

Thor Hansen – Norway
The legendary Norwegian who started out in Vegas over 30 years ago. Well respected and well liked there would be few more popular winners should he be successful this week.

Ed De Haas – Holland
Possibly the tallest player on the tour Ed stands close to seven feet, dwarfing everyone else. An excellent player also, looking for his at least his second EPT cash in a row.

Rolf Slotboom – Holland
Former press man Rolf is an author of books on Omaha as well as an established hold’em player. He finished on the final table of the Master Classics in Holland in 2006 and cashed last month in Copenhagen.

Thierry van den Berg – Holland
Season four has been good to Thierry who has cashed three times, two of which coming from final tables in Baden and Dublin.

Mel Judah – Australia
Old time pro Mel has played against all the greats for over 20 years. He has two WSOP bracelets, a WPT title and over $3million in tournament winnings.

Mads Andersen – Denmark
Another former EPT winner from Copenhagen in season three, with a couple of close calls in the WPT including a fourth place at the Five Diamond in 2006.

Greg Raymer – United States – Team PokerStars Pro
Fossilman won the World Series main event in 2004 securing his place in the history books. An approachable fan of the game as well Greg has nine WSOP cashes since his championship year including four final tables. He was also part of the winning USA team at the PokerStars World Cup of Poker in Barcelona last year.

Luca Pagano – Italy – Team PokerStars Pro
A familiar member of Team PokerStars Luca, along with Julian Thew, holds the records for having eight EPT cashes to his name.

Sebastian Ruthenberg – Germany – PokerStars Sponsored player
Sebastian made the final table in Dortmund last season and narrowly missed out on a second final table in Baden this year, eliminated in tenth.

Pascal Perrault – France
A winner in season one in Vienna Perrault is one of the most respected players in France as well as in European poker.

Johnny Lodden – Norway
A perennial EPT cash finisher over the last two seasons, Lodden has yet to make an EPT final table since he made the switch from internet to live player. Normally spotted with a lot of chips.

William Thorson – Norway
An incredible tournament record, most recently punctuated by a 9th place finish at the PCA. Before that came numerous cashes in WSOP and WPT events and finished 13th in the WSOP main event in 2006.

Chip counts from day 1a in Warsaw...

Robert Flink -- Sweden -- 113,300
Anio Alcaraz -- Spain -- 78,000
Alp Okumus -- Germany -- 62,100
Jospeh Serock -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 55,000
Andreas Torbergsen -- Norway -- 53,000
Daniel Hofmeister -- Germany -- PokerStars qualifier -- 51,900
Jean Claude Perrot -- France -- 50,100
Tyler Netter -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 42,600
David Burn -- Uk -- PokerStars qualifier -- 41,700
Kenneth Hicks Jr. -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 41,200
Willian Johnson -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 40,900
Christoffer Sonesson -- Sweden -- 39,800
Victor Escudero -- Spain -- 39,100
James Honeybone -- New Zealand -- PokerStars qualifier -- 38,700
Fredrik Haugen -- Sweden -- PokerStars qualifier -- 36,800
Anton Smolyanskiy -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 35,800
Andrea Benelli -- Italy -- 35,700
Jari-Pekka Juhola -- Finland -- 34,400
Trond Erik Eidsvig -- Norway -- 34,400
Dennis Bejedal -- Sweden -- 33,900
Roberto Nateri -- Italy -- PokerStars qualifier -- 32,500
Magnus Petersson -- Sweden -- 30,100
Woody Deck -- Lithuania -- 29,700
Cristiano Blanco -- Italy -- 28,800
Robert Lipkin -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 28,800
Niclas Svensson -- Sweden -- 27,800
Aleksandr Gorelik -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 27,200
Derek Montgomery -- Canada -- PokerStars qualifier -- 26,600
Jean François Rigollet -- France -- 26,600
Juan Manuel Pastor -- Spain -- 25,700
Ulrica Skönnemark -- Sweden -- 24,900
Johan Storakers -- Sweden -- 24,800
Mats Rahm -- Sweden -- 24,000
Johan Lund -- Sweden -- 24,000
Antonio Gomez Ribera -- Spain -- 23,800
Jacek Ładny -- Poland -- 22,500
Jeffrey Petronack -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 21,700
Christos Kravaritis -- Sweden -- 21,600
Hans Eskilsson -- Sweden -- 21,100
Daniel Carter -- UK -- PokerStars qualifier -- 20,800
Daniel Ryan -- USA -- PokerStars sponsored player -- 19,800
Julien Boue -- Germany -- PokerStars qualifier -- 18,800
Marc Goodwin -- UK -- 18,700
Daniel Woolson -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 18,400
Stewart Chantler -- Canada -- 18,300
Janusz Petlic -- Poland -- 18,300
Dino Dinler -- Finland -- 18,300
Daniel Mangas -- Spain -- 17,900
Hans Ritburg -- Holland -- 17,500
Mark Hirleman -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 17,200
Casey Kastle -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 17,200
Antti Ropponen -- Finland -- 16,900
Kosta Anastasyadi -- Holland -- 16,700
Christian Öman -- Sweden -- 15,700
Kim Öfverström -- Finland -- 15,500
Nikolaj Fabricius -- Denmark -- 15,400
Morten Holm -- Denmark -- 15,300
Craig Hopkins -- UK -- PokerStars qualifier -- 15,000
Jorund Soma -- Norway -- 14,700
Joel Gunnarsson -- Sweden -- 13,800
Łukasz Wasek -- Poland -- 13,500
Patrick Arba -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 11,500
Stephan Thiele-Bolivar -- Germany -- PokerStars qualifier -- 10,500
Julian Thew -- UK -- 8,900
Marek Piecha -- Poland -- 8,700
Kai Leurer -- Germany -- PokerStars qualifier -- 8,600
Gino Alacqua -- Italy -- PokerStars qualifier -- 8,000
William Olivieri -- Italy -- PokerStars qualifier -- 8,000
Eugeniusz Licznarowski -- Poland -- 6,900
Mirko Kirner -- Germany -- PokerStars qualifier -- 6,700
Sami Leino -- Finland -- PokerStars qualifier -- 6,300
John Gibson -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 3,900

It’s only after play ends that the day one landscape can be evaluated. 190 players began today, some with fire in their heart others with fear in their bones. The trick was to forget all that and make it through eight full hours of play ahead of the man or woman sitting next to you, and for 78 it was job done.

As tables broke players were moved towards the far end of the card room – the cozily packed tournament area we started with had by the end of level eight become a dense filled smoking room with the longer of the craned necks getting the better view. This is the close rail I talked about that gives the EPT Warsaw its own individual charm.

It was a quick start for Christoffer Sonnesson who doubled up, whilst the defeated opponent Essan Haji Chaib was on the flip side of that brutal scenario. a 15 minute tournament for him. James Honeybone of New Zealand, who arrived after a 21 hour three-stop flight from home, found the journey worthwhile, finishing the day with close to 30k after one or two shaky spells, whilst another PokerStars qualifier, and second placed man on the PokerStars.com tournament leader board Mark Hirleman also wound up in the black, surviving a tricky table that had featured Johan Storakers and Marc Goodwin.

Sadly, it was not so glorious a day for EPT presenter Kara Scott. It’s back to work for Kara who was busted in level four. She’s now back in front of the camera for some working therapy and has the temperament not to snap, at least not with the cameras rolling.

We also had a brief introduction to the world of Michel Wisniewski, the Polish Pop-Rock musician who started well but fell by the wayside before he had chance to take it to the bridge. Still, he was a welcome addition of colour on the day.

There were some big names eliminated, including Team PokerStars Pros Dario Minieri and Katja Thater as well as the likes of PokerStars Sponsored player Johannes Strassmann, former EPT winners Sander Lylloff and Peter Jepsen, as well as Christian Grundtvig and Jani Sointula.

Tomorrow flight 1b takes center stage and final chip counts tonight will be on the blog before the start of play. In the meantime for anyone wanting to catch up on the events of the day click on the links below...

Poles, players, press and day1a

A start for some, and end for another

21 Hours later

The Quasifiction story of poker

Kara Scott tests her game face

It’s not all poker

End of the road for Kara Scott

The calm after the storm

The Scott post mortem

It’s all in the body language... and the cards

Meet Michel Wisniewski

Easing into the end of day 1a

Finally, the video blog team wrap up the day...

The closing stages of day 1a and a final five hands to finish the day - and all as table line ups begun to get interesting. Julian Thew, armed with a beer, switched tables to sit opposite Trond Eidsvig, whilst behind him Daniel Ryan sat with Magnus Petersson and Daniel Carter, as well as two of the biggest stacks on the day.

PokerStars qualifier James Honeybone of New Zealand looks set to reach his early waypoint of surviving the day. He came through a post dinner stumble to regain a 30k foothold ready for day two. Christoffer Sonesson, he of the early double up fame, ended on a high note after a day that included some impressive lay downs. He added a few thousands more near to the close of play with an excellent read with ace-high.

But mantel of most relaxed player at the end of the day goes to American Aleksandr Gorelik. As reported to us by Danny Ryan, who sat alongside him for most of the day, Gorelik was into an alleged fourth hour of a massage, and his second masseuse, presumably having worn out the first. He was still getting his head squeezed as the last five hands were dealt.

But if that’s what it takes to survive then so be it. Play on day 1a comes to a close.

He wears glasses that would ordinarily be seen wrapped around the head of a spitfire pilot, his hair is pink and he once represented Poland in the Eurovision song contest. It doesn’t exactly make him Dylan but he’s one of the highest selling musicians in Poland and can handle his drink, as the video blog team found out when they met Michel Wisniewski...

For viewers in the United States 12 points in the Eurovision song contest is the equivalent of full marks from a judge.

A selection of the latest chip counts...

Trond Erik Eidsvig – Norway -- 43 K
Andreas Torbergsen – Norway -- 35 K
Mats Rahmn – Sweden -- 33 K
Christoffer Sonesson – Sweden -- 32 K
Dennis Bejedal – Sweden -- 30 K
Ulrika Skönnemark – Sweden -- 24 K
Magnus Petersson – Sweden -- 23 K
Danny Ryan – United States – PokerStars Sponsored player -- 19 K
Joel Gunnarsson – Sweden -- 19 K
Hasse Eskilsson – Sweden -- 18 K
Andreas Haugen – Sweden -- 18 K
Julian Thew – England -- 11 K
Marc Goodwin – England -- 11 K
Johan Lund – Sweden -- 9 K
Mark Hirleman – United States – PokerStars qualifier -- 8 K
Johan Storåkers – Sweden -- 7 K

Meanwhile the tide of good fortune smothered others, each of the following finding their way to the rail...

Johannes Strassmann – Germany – PokerStars Sponsored player
Katja Thater – Germany – Team PokerStars Pro
Christian Grundtvig – Denmark
Dario Minieri – Italy – Team PokerStars Pro
Juha Lauttamus – Sweden
Sander Lylloff – Denmark
Joseph Elpayaa – United States
Kara Scott – England – PokerStars Sponsored player
Peter Jepsen – Denmark
Jani Sointula – Finland
Patrick Bueno – France
Paul Testud – France

Gino Alacqua pinches his temples with his finger tips. This is the pose we saw on the final table in Prague; his concentration pose – his attack pose, primed as he is to demand that his chips unleash hell. No wait, not this time. He folds behind another pre-flop raise.

Gino is among the extravagant players on the tour, subtly so in Gino’s case, but none the less he’s a man capable of flashes of brilliant high drama. He re-adjusts his cuffs, realigns his chair with the table and is ready to give it another go.

Another Italian, Cristiano Blanco, wanders over to Gino, making gestures universally known around the world and in any language to mean the same thing – things aren’t going well.

Meanwhile news spreads that another Italian, Team PokerStars pro Dario Minieri, is out, his journey from on high to on low complete in level six, leaving Katja Thater as the remaining Team PokerStars Pro on day 1a.
The table next to Gino features Marc Goodwin. The Englishman has just seen a flop of 2-8-6 (two diamonds) and likes what he sees, or perhaps not. He checks blind and watches as Mark Hirleman makes it 1,000 to play. “I’m all-in.” says Goodwin,

Unable to hide his disappointment (“ahhh!”) Hirleman asks for a count, buying him the few seconds it takes his mind to re-boot. He asks Goodwin something but the wise old pro is giving nothing away, he just grins a little.

“I call.”

6-8 for Goodwin, and two pairs. A-7 of diamonds for Hirleman, the flush draw that is nowhere to be seen on the turn, and the same on the river. Goodwin doubles up with a welcome 7,300 from the Hirleman fund.

Back to Gino, who from out of nowhere claps three times taking everyone by surprise. You sense the claps were for himself; a reminder perhaps to stay focused, or a rallying cry to the rest of the table to stay chipper. After all the essential truth remains - there are worse ways to spend a Tuesday night.

We’re closing in on the last break of the day and level seven, with blinds at 200/400 with a 25 ante.

The end of the road tournament wise for Kara Scott but that just frees her up to do video blogs for the rest of the week! Starting with this one...

There’s been something like a low in this level after the dinner break. Normally after dinner you might watch TV for a while, take a nap, and at the very least let your digestive system restore your energy levels to standard. That process is taking its toll in level five.

Englishman Julian Thew is in the midst of a chip turnaround. He was down to just 600 earlier today but has proudly regained a total of over 16k. He sits next to Swedish pro Patric Martensson who last year scorched his way to a 7th place finish. Team PokerStars Pro Dario Minieri on the other hand has faced the opposite; earlier having established a stack of 30k before falling down to just 8k.

James Honeybone caught up with us during the dinner break, in the queue for dessert. He’s up to 30k now after a successful hand with a king. He made a pair on the river which irked his opponent into one of those out loud tirades. Not that this bothered the New Zealander who is beginning to look favourably on a day two appearance on Thursday.

A short walk away is PokerStars Sponsored player Danny Ryan. The American, who now lives in Alicante, Spain, is in the midst of a category six massage to try to force some life into his game. His table is one of dour faces, each struggling to come to terms with no break for at least another hour. Most of these guys rest their chins on a hand; one parts his breast pocket reassuringly to confirm his smokes are still there whilst play continues at a bet-fold pace.

It can take a level to get back up to full speed, a level that is fast approaching. Level six, with blinds at 150/300 with a 25 ante.

Sadly it’s not going to be Kara Scott’s day. The EPT presenter is out, head held high but walking towards the rail in level four.

It all started in a hand that cost her dearly against a player new to her table. In a jacks against queens situation Kara was behind with the jacks, eventually doubling up her opponentand leaving herself short. Shortly after Kara moved in with A-9 and the small blind called with A-K and hopes of debut EPT success were through.

It leads us into the dinner break, a buffet of various meat and desserts to strain the best of belts. Players will return for level five, with blinds at 150/300.

On table 11, talk is of soccer...

Johannes Strassmann is discussing his plans with Joe Elpayaa to see games at the European Championships in Switzerland and Austria later this year, and then, via a subtle link, talk returns to poker. How exactly? Well, general chit-chat about soccer often includes Brazil – a hot bed of international footballing talent. And if you’re talking about Brazil you’re going to conveniently wind up talking about the new PokerStars Latin American Poker Tour, announced this week, with fixtures in Brazil, Costa Rica and Uruguay. “Finally I have an excuse to visit Brazil!” says one player before attention switches back to the cards.

On the next table is local man Jacek Ladny. He just won a pot with a king and superior kicker to his opponent's king, a haul worth a few thousand. You might remember two years ago Jacek was part of the winning Polish team that took honours at the PokerStars World Cup of Poker in Barcelona in 2006.

A lot of work still to do though as level four gets underway. Blinds now stand at 100/200. The state of play looks something like this...

Christoffer Sonesson – Sweden -- 30 K
Trond Erik Eidsvig – Norway -- 25 K
Dario Minieri – Italy – Team PokerStars Pro -- 24 K
Mark Hirleman – United States – PokerStars qualifier -- 23 K
Johannes Strassmann – Germany -- PokerStars player -- 20 K
Anthony Chatelain – Sweden -- 19 K
Hasse Eskilsson – Sweden -- 18 K
Johan Lund Sweden -- 18 K
Mats Rahmn – Sweden -- 17 K
Katja Thater -- Germany -- 17 K
Ulrika Skönnemark – Sweden -- 16 K
Christian Öman – Sweden -- 15 K
Patric Mårtensson – Sweden -- 13 K
Danny Ryan – United States – PokerStars sponsored player -- 13 K
Andreas Haugen – Sweden -- 12 K
Johan Storåkers -- Sweden -- 11 K
Anders Henriksson – Sweden -- 11 K
Magnus Petersson -- Sweden -- 10 K
Kara Scott – England – PokerStars Sponsored player -- 9 K
Sander Lyloff -- Denmark -- 7 K
Samir Shaktoor – Sweden -- 7 K
Marc Goodwin – England -- 7 K
Christian Grundtvig – Denmark -- 7 K
Julian Thew – England -- 7 K
Lars Bonding – Denmark -- 6 K
Anders Berg – Norway -- 4 K

Warsaw marks EPT Presenter Kara Scott’s first glimpse of the tour from the other side. Usually found in front of the camera talking to the players this time she is one, and the video blog team tracked her progress before the start...

True to his online form Mark Hirleman is getting stuck in. This may be his first EPT but he’s no stranger to the tournament scene. I have a slight amendment to make to my earlier post - I originally said he was top of the PokerStars.com tournament leader board – well, that’s turned out to be untrue. He’s actually second on the TLB behind none other than his brother. A Hirleman one-two. Just what the heck is going on?

Playing under the name ‘Quasifiction’, the name of his first novel, Mark quit college as a senior and lived off credit cards to write a book, only to rack up debts of $30k. Meanwhile his brother was playing online and making money. So using this as a backup plan Mark joined him, getting out of the hole making $50k in six weeks, enough to wipe off his debts and finance his second novel, a sequel.

But, the same thing happened as before and it was back to playing poker – sit and go’s and multi table tournaments. When he made $100k in six weeks he figured “I should pretty much be playing full time.”

That brings him to now, sitting in the ETP Warsaw, taking a break from the 20-30 tournaments he plays at weekends and the 25 year-old is clearly enjoying the change of scenery. From the novels, to poker, to novels and back to poker again, Mark tends not to give up regardless of how it turns out. “If I say I’ll do something I’ll stick to it” he says. We’ll see how far that takes him this week.

In other news last year’s champ Peter Jepsen is out. The video blog team caught up with him to get the detail...

James Honeybone has perhaps the best name on day 1a and has also travelled the furthest to get here. The New Zealander took three flights over 21 hours to reach Warsaw and this morning put aside the jet lag to talk to the video blog team...

Play is underway in Casino Poland. As touched on earlier, it's a basement den two floors into the ground beneath the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Over 20 tables have been shoehorned into all corners and into space between the other features you’d expect in a European casino –principle activities being roulette, blackjack, smoking, slot machines, and drinking at the bar. It’s lost none of the charm of last year but makes it a snug fit for the starting field.

One player making his EPT debut might not be well known to the live tournament world but the chances are you’ve collided with him if you play regular tournaments on PokerStars.com. Mark Hirleman heads the Tournament Leader Board and interestingly his brother is not far behind. For the record his sister doesn’t play poker.

Anyway, he makes his EPT debut on day 1a. From Arizona in the United States, he’s an author of three books and now plays full time. Today his immediate future features Marc Goodwin and Patrick Bueno.

Whilst Gino Alacqua and Kara Scott play on table three it’s table four that’s putting together some early excitement just fifteen minutes in, kicking off with a call of “all-in.”

It’s a table laden with familiar faces such as Woody Deck, Lars Bonding and Robert Binelli. The board is reading T-K-Q-A with two hearts. Essan Haji Chiab pushed, followed into the middle by Swede Christoffer Sonesson on his immediate left. As expected both players turn over a jack but for Chiab the sight of Sonesson's two hearts must have flooded his frontal lobes with panic. A split pot had now morphed into something more sinister - an early exit; for Chiab to be exact, when the eight of hearts hit the river.

“Nice” said one player, just glad to have played no part in the carnage. A few other players come over for a post mortem in Swedish. Relief for the victor, an uncomfortable silence from Chiab, forced into a painful minute waiting for the stacks to be counted before his demise was set in stone.

A few tables along in the far corner sits last year’s winner Peter Jepsen, having his shoulders sculpted like play-dough by girlfriend Frida. Team PokerStars Pro Dario Minieri sits next to him, altogether more relaxed having shown up late.

And in another corner, behind a pillar and out of sight of the rail, is Katja Thater, who earlier shared her insight into the ideal pre-tournament preparation with the video blog team...

Warsaw was once a brutalised city, beholden to the whim of various powers, but now its buildings reach into the sky, a symbol of if anything, it’s new found aspiration in the middle of the European Union. On the banks of the river Vistula on the Masovian Plain, the twenty-first century is in full swing.

On the flight in, over the scruffy gap tooth apartment blocks, the landscape quickly gives way to construction cranes - new builds, shiny designs and in the distance, the sky scrapers of downtown Warsaw.
Arrival means passing through Chopin International Airport, sparkling with a makeover. Named after the famous Polish composer his name now adorns a modern terminal, complete with computerised baggage carousels which sends out baggage in quick time – the type of thing that impresses the weary world traveller.

And amidst all that, people go about their daily business as the largest force of poker playing mavericks arrive at Casino Poland. Across the road is a park with the Stawy Lazienkowskie lake in the middle - a sprawling green lung surrounded by day time traffic, where seemingly hundreds of strollers, with kids wrapped in hats and scarves and pushed by grandparents, do laps of the park for some sunshine. Yes, it’s a beautiful day to be outside.

Cut to Casino Poland where there’s little time for that. Down two flights, into a subterranean poker grotto, close to 200 players from around the world sit ready to play. This town has played host to the Warsaw Pact, the Treaty of Warsaw, the Warsaw convention and even the Miss World Competition in 2006. But this week the place sparks into life thanks to the European Poker Tour - back for a second time.

This is days 1a. A few of those playing today...

Gino Alacqua – Italy
Quickly becoming a regular on the EPT after his second place finish in Prague. Gino came close again, cashing in Copenhagen two weeks ago.

Marcel Baran – Germany
In a similar way to Gino, Marcel has been a regular feature on the tour following his third place finish at EPT London.

Katja Thater – Germany – Team PokerStars Pro
The WSOP bracelet winner and fearsome pro found Warsaw to be the high point of season three when she finished fifth.

Kara Scott – UK – PokerStars Sponsored Player
Her day job is presenting the EPT, as well as fronting the PokerStars video blogs. But in Poland, with the TV crew absent, Kara plays her first EPT as a PokerStars player. Known will be no push over, having recently won Sky Sports Poker Challenge worth over $50k.

Daniel Carter – England
An unassuming Englishman who is quickly gaining a reputation in the UK as a solid player. Twelfth in Dortmund, second last year at the World Heads-up Poker Championship, and fourth in the Walsall leg of the GUKPT.

Woody Deck – Lithuania
Now a resident of Lithuania the EPT Warsaw is just a short trip across the border for a player never too far from his laptop. His EPT record lacks a first cash which would fit nicely with a WSOP final table and various cash finishes around the world.

Trond Eidsvig – Norway
Rookie of the Year at the Scandinavian Poker Awards last month, Trond has made two EPT final tables in this season alone as well as winning the prestigious Amsterdam Master Classic event last November.

Phidias Georgiou – Cyprus – PokerStars qualifier
A popular and charismatic PokerStars qualifier from Cyprus. He cashed in London and came close a few weeks later in Dublin.

Marc Goodwin – England
Famous for playing golf with Phil Ivey to a point where, had he been a pro, his winnings would have secured him a place on the European Ryder Cup team; Goodwin is an accomplished poker pro, having ditched his past life as a double glazing salesman. To date his tournament winnings are close to a million dollars.

Christian Grundtvig – Denmark
The quiet Dane is a former WPT Paris winner looking to capture an EPT crown to go with it. Known as a rock, he’s also (as a slightly interesting aside) an avid stamp collector.

Peter Jepsen – Denmark
Jepsen is the defending champion here in Warsaw, having won the inaugural event 12 months ago. Also known as the boyfriend of Frida - one of the massage therapists working the tour. The former soldier, who was wounded out of Iraq several years ago, filled his rehab time with online poker and since then hasn’t looked back.

Sander Lylloff – Denmark
EPT Barcelona winner a few months ago he also made the final table of the EPT Grand final in season one.

Dario Minieri – Team PokerStars Pro – Italy
The Team PokerStars Pro and boy-faced internet champion, Dario is in pursuit of a title to better his third place finish in Baden in season three.

Magnus Petersson – Sweden
Winner of the EPT Copenhagen in season three, Magnus has become a regular feature on the tour, one of those handful of candidates that start an EPT looking to become the first to win two EPTs.

Daniel Ryan – United States – PokerStars Sponsored Player
The rugged American, who looks more likely to be seen in a fashion shoot than a poker tournament, is back to repeat his performances from earlier in the season. Tenth place in Prague and a fifth place finish in Copenhagen.

Johannes Strassmann – Germany -- PokerStars Sponsored Player
A final table finish in Dortmund that many thought was a premature exit. Despite dominating the chatty German pro missed out on home turf. Time to avenge that day in Warsaw.

Julian Thew – England
Widely regarded to be the nicest bloke on the tour, Julian won in Baden late last year, won a GUKPT event shortly before that and currently sits second on the EPT Tournament Leader board behind Team PokerStars Pro and PCA winner ‘ElkY’ Grospellier. All that could change though with another good performance here.

Downtown Warsaw and the Foksal nightclub. It’s the premier venue for night time entertainment in the heart of the Polish capital and whilst there may be little to differentiate between the clubs that host EPT welcome parties, be it Warsaw, Copenhagen, Dortmund or Prague, there is always the anticipation of a tournament to come.

For some it marks the eve of the biggest moment of their poker careers. For others this is a chance to relax before business as usual and for the rest the meter starts the moment they hear someone speaking in Swedish – it’s the cue to get into ‘the zone’.

So, amidst the dancing girls, the canapés, the opulent bar and heavy dance music, Warsaw welcomed the EPT to town for the second time tonight, looking to repeat the success of last season when, in the basement casino of the Hyatt Hotel, Danish Iraq war veteran Peter Jepson won the inaugural WPT Warsaw crown and €423,323 ahead of Frenchman Farid Meraghni.

The main feature of that week was of course the final – an intimate close rail scrap that included Team PokerStars Pro Katja Thater who finished fifth in a standing room only poker dungeon.

So the intention will be to create the same bygone atmosphere this week. No TV cameras but an event worth winning just as much. As usual the PokerStars blog will bring you regular reports from Warsaw with play beginning at 2pm local time tomorrow – that’s 1pm GMT or 8am ET.

For now though a few more hours of local ale or a quick nip of the drink of choice in these parts – vodka.
Will Peter Jepson successfully retain his crown? Will Team PokerStars Pro Katja Thater go even further than last year and secure her first EPT win? Or will someone new, a lesser-known face soon to be recognised around the world, triumph in this historic city?

We’ll find out soon enough...

Over the past seven years, PokerStars players have had an opportunity to go just about everywhere. PokerStars has sent players to the United States for the World Series and produced champions. PokerStars has sent players to the European Poker Tour and created even more champions. Just last year, the Asia Pacific Poker Tour kicked off and gave players a chance to be champions in a totally different part of the world. Now, PokerStars players have a chance to play in some of the most exotic places in the world in the inaugural season of the Latin American Poker Tour.

The LAPT kicks off May 3-5, 2008 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil , then moves on to San José, Costa Rica before moving on to the final in Punta del Este, Uruguay in August.

Players at PokerStars will have an opportunity to qualify for these $2,500 events via numerous online satellites. These satellites will launch on March 10 and start from just $2.20, with players competing for $5,000 prize packages. You can find the qualifiers under EVENTS and LAPT in the PokerStars tournament lobby.

The PokerStars Blog is excited to be along for the ride, as well. Starting with the first event in Brazil, we plan to cover all the events in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Visit the LAPT website for all the information you need to get in on the hottest new poker circuit on the planet.

Just the one chop in the Sunday Million on a weekend that saw the United States emerging as the big winners in the big tournaments. Crowded fields once more and some hefty prizes, as well as the obligatory late finish bringing the weekend to a close.

Here are all the results from the weekend’s major events, and congratulaions to the winners.

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up Results

1. LukeFromB13 (United States) $108,524.68
2. cdbr3799 (United States) $ 55,362.04
3. Zpaceman (Netherlands) $ 39,777.72
4. KOLOKOS (Cyprus) $ 31,420.00
5. Kaiser5 (Norway) $ 24,633.28
6. portlander (United States) $ 18,223.60
7. gino47 (United States) $ 13,196.40
8. superbugsly (United States) $ 8,294.88
9. Skämmes (Sweden) $ 4,901.52


PokerStars Sunday Hundred Grand Results

1. NOXQZEZ (United States) $20,000.00
2. royalcrown66 (United States) $10,000.00
3. skipbro (United Kingdom) $ 7,000.00
4. RobDaBank (United States) $ 5,000.00
5. MoyMoy63 (France) $ 3,000.00
6. K_Kaminski (Netherlands) $ 2,000.00
7. NDbucks15 (United States) $ 1,600.00
8. TomTomGo112 (Netherlands) $ 1,300.00
9. wellunger (Germany) $ 1,000.00


PokerStars Sunday Million Results
Based on finishing order and two way deal

1. tpir90036 (United States) $170,798.80
2. Kometen1 (Norway) $140,798.80
3. tsarrast (United States) $ 73,490.00
4. Gullars85 (Norway) $ 58,792.00
5. JEUX D PLAGE (France) $ 44,094.00
6. psyduck101 (United States) $ 32,335.60
7. gabyhorowitz (Germany) $ 22,781.90
8. NabtheAce (United Kingdom) $ 13,228.20
9. Reverse (United States) $ 8,671.82

A few weeks back, I asked in this forum, "How long will it be before the Sunday Million hits 8,000 players?" I guess the answer was, "Just a few weeks." This weekend, the PokerStars Sunday Million welcomed 8,063 players to its virtual tables for the big event. The first weekend in March drew huge crowds to the tables as PokerStars kicked off its first qualifiers to the World Series Main Event.

Here are all the results from this weekend's major events.

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up Results
Based on finishing order and two-way deal

1. TheKaas (United States) $96,352.96
2. Kid Wonder (United States) $80,000.00
3. Riepers (Turkey) $42,803.46
4. TenthPlanet (United States) $33,810.00
5. busto_soon (Netherlands) $26,507.04
6. djk123 (United States) $19,609.80
7. Blotzilla (Germany) $14,200.20
8. lilfaithisal (United States) $8,925.84
9. Rabbiej (Netherlands) $5,274.36

PokerStars $5,200 Freeze Out Results

1. nordlending (Norway) $100,000.00

PokerStars Sunday Hundred Grand Results

1. Annette_15 (Norway) $20,000.00
2. joeshambles (United Kingdom) $10,000.00
3. am-crm (Switzerland) $7,000.00
4. pudandsteff (United Kingdom) $5,000.00
5. to tall (United States) $3,000.00
6. solace8686 (United States) $2,000.00
7. Urdum57 (United States) $1,600.00
8. Dirk905 (Canada) $1,300.00
9. DDP67 (Canada) $1,000.00

PokerStars Sunday Million Results
Based on finishing order and two-way deal

1. s0stndrd (Australia) $160,102.98
2. vm1124 (United States) $150,000.00
3. DrunkPPlaya (United States) $70,954.40
4. ShipThatIsh (United States) $52,409.50
5. himpapawid (United States) $40,315.00
6. colonelkosta (United Kingdom) $28,220.50
7. ckingusc (United States) $19,351.20
8. Moneylives (United States) $13,707.10
9. hummylun (United States) $9,353.08

Today is like a holiday you can't mark on your calendar. You know it's going to happen sometime around this date, but you can't say exactly when. That simple fact almost makes it more exciting. It's like someone saying, "Christmas morning is coming but I'm not going to tell you when." Then you wake up this morning and--boom--a whole bunch of presents are waiting for you.

Today, PokerStars launched satellites to the 2008 World Series Main Event.

Here's what the package looks like:

If that were the whole of what you could win, it would be enough. Turns out, that's just the minimum.

PokerStars is also giving up to $50,000 to qualifiers who make it to a TV table and...wait for it...up to $1 million bonus cash for players who make the Main Event final table.

Oh, and you get a free shuttle to from the Palms to Rio every day, which isn't anything to sneeze at.

Of course, getting these packages will take a little work on your part. Starting today, PokerStars is running a full compliment of satellites to suit just about any bankroll. Cash satellites start at $2 and go up to $1,050. You can get in through any of the daily Frequent Player Point satellites, too.

Among the most popular qualifiers for all big events are the PokerStars Steps satellites. For the World Series, the Steps satellites start at $7.50 or 500 Frequent Player Points.

The first qualifiers to the World Series start just after 4:30pm today.

Merry World Series, everyone!