As dusk gives way to the pitiless black of the winter's night, play inside the chandelier-lit grand ballroom of the Casino Barriere edges towards its conclusion.
Cast miserably into the outer-reaches late on day 1a was Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, France's favourite son, Team PokerStars Pro, and on current form one of the best players in the world.
ElkY had been cast in the unfamiliar role of grinder today, slipping to less than 4,000 for much of the eight levels, before tripling up by flopping a straight with A-3 to oust pocket kings and another, mucked, losing hand.
But fate showed her crueller side later in the level when Grospellier's A-K went up against A-Q, all in pre-flop, and the board straightened and straightened towards the queen, until it was complete.
That cut him down to less than 7,000 and they all went in soon after. Grospellier drifted away, with the hottest of hot streaks to keep him warm.
Other eliminations: Sebastian Ruthenberg has also vanished; likewise Alexander Kravchenko and Victoria Coren. It's been a tough day for the notable pros.
