Main Event Day 1b | 2010 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final - Monte Carlo

Main Event

Day 1b Completed

04-26-2010 23:47 UTC+2

Day 1b is History

[user46392]

The number on the board when the clock was stopped for the last five hands was 252, and so it seems safe to say that when all the bagging and tagging is done we will have lost almost exactly half of our field.

It was a pretty extraordinary field to start with - there wasn't a single table this morning without at least a couple familiar faces lurking at the felt. Indeed, just the list of folks who busted today reads like a who's who of international poker - Erick Lindgren, Jason Mercier, Daniel Negreanu, John Juanda, Tony G, ElkY, Andy Black, Boris Becker and reigning champion Pieter de Korver were among the A-listers who took their shot at EPT glory but failed to make the grade.

On the other hand, just look at who's left! Joe Cada, Shaun Deeb, Isabelle Mercier, Marcel Luske and Joe Hachem will all be coming back to the Salle des Etoiles tomorrow to battle it out with the Day 1a-ers for Grand Final dominance.

Way out in front as we head to Day 2 is Brazilian Thiago Nishijima - the number on his bag as he headed back to his hotel was 264,200, meaning that he will be overall chip leader at kickoff tomorrow. Somewhere in the region of 400 players will be returning for Day 2 though, so whatever happens, there's going to be some serious action.

We'll be back at noon CET, but until then, this is PokerNews at the PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final, signing off for the night.

04-26-2010 23:33 UTC+2

Lacay-ing A Hand

[user76023]

Ludovic Lacay limped in the small blind and Maurizio Baisi made it 3,000 more. Lacay called (otherwise this would've have been a very short and unexciting post).

The flop came {9-?}

and Lacay checked, Baisi bet 3,000 before Lacay check-raised to 11,000. Baisi thought before making a call and both checked the {5-?}

turn.

On the river Lacay now fired out 15,500 and Baisi tanked for several minutes. Lacay called the clock but Baisi made the call and showed {A-?}

which was good against the wily Frenchman.

04-26-2010 23:29 UTC+2

Coren Rides Cowboys into the Day 1b Sunset

[user46392]

Julian Thew has busted out in a massive three-way cold-deck monster which saw another player crippled and Vicky Coren catapult up to 110,000.

We missed the action, but the hands looked like so:

Thew: {Q-?}

Coren:

Player 3:

Kings held up, and Coren looks really rather pleased with herself, and who can blame her.

Tags: Julian Thew Vicky Coren

04-26-2010 23:28 UTC+2

I Call Fives

[user140525]

The clock has been stopped for the last level of the day and a five was drawn, meaning the field will play five more hands before calling it a night.

04-26-2010 23:26 UTC+2

Double Whammy

[user140344]

All the chips were in the middle when we strolled up and saw this hand. Paul Berende had two other players at the table covered and all three hands were on their backs.

Berende: {a-Clubs}

Player A:

Player B:

The board ran out {4-Spades}

and the table was two players lighter and Berende's stack was quite a few chips healthier.

Tags: Paul Berende

04-26-2010 23:25 UTC+2

Gigantic Chip Leader Alert

[user46392]

We have found an enormo-stack in the possession of one Thiago Nishijima, of Brazil. He's on about 245,000 right now, which puts him head, shoulders, and most of the upper body above everyone else right now.

Tags: Thiago Nishijima

04-26-2010 23:23 UTC+2

No Medic Needed - Yet

[user140344]

When we walked up to this table, Nenad Medic had all of his chips in the middle, totaling about 62,000. The board read {9-Clubs}

and he was waiting on his opponent to make a decision.

After some checking and rechecking of his cards, his opponent mucked, and Nenad took the chips from the pot.

Tags: Nenad Medic

04-26-2010 23:22 UTC+2

Not The Gutter For Rutter

[user76023]

Stuart Rutter has just managed to double up after squeezing with {9-?}

against Chrisophe Gross' raise and Marko Neumann's flat-call.

Gross folded but Neumann made the call with {A-?}

but couldn't manage to spike against the young Englishman.

Rutter is up to 60,000 while Neumann is crippled.

Tags: Christophe Gross Stuart Rutter

04-26-2010 23:15 UTC+2

All In Gomes

[user140525]

We heard Alex Gomes let out a whoop and came over to see the dealer counting his chips for another player to double him up. Turns out Gomes also gained a third guy's entire stack in the hand and almost tripled up. We're not sure when the money went in (guessing not preflop), but Gomes held {6-Hearts}

for a rivered boat on a {K-Clubs}

board. The busto player said he had pocket aces, and the player busy paying Gomes was extremely unhappy to lose with a queen-high flush. Gomes is near the top of the counts now with over 110,000.

Tags: Alex Gomes