A little luck never hurt anyone -- even tournament reporters. We headed over to Michael McDonald's table to get an ID on a player and saw him play a decent-sized pot against two opponents. McDonald was the aggressor, making it 300 to go preflop. The small blind and a player in late position were the callers for a flop of . McDonald bet 600, but couldn't shake the player behind him. The turn brought a bet of 1,300 from McDonald. His opponent asked McDonald for a count and then tanked for more than a minute before silently sliding a call into the center of the table. Both players checked the river. McDonald tabled to collect the pot.
In response to a question from another player at the table, McDonald admitted, "If he goes all in on the turn or river, I fold."
Unimproved aces are holding up more than their share so far today. After seeing Marcin Horecki's ace-jack hold up against ace-king, we walked past Casey Kastle's table to see him at the river in a big pot against one opponent. The board showed . Kastle's opponent checked and then turned over after Kastle checked behind. Kastle peeked at his cards, made a disappointed face, and then mucked.
A sad figure is lurking in the hallway: it is English pro and EPT regular Steve Jelinek, who couldn't get himself a seat in the tournament. I politely inquired whether he'd managed to get his name on to the alternates list, but he merely sighed, "I can't even get into the room to register."
Marcin Horecki is one of several Team PokerStar Pros who are in today's field. So far he's playing great. It also helps to run good. Sitting with the button, he called a middle-position player's raise to 300. The big blind also came along for a three-handed flop of . The action checked all the way down, with the turn and river coming running fours. Each player showed down an ace for a three-way chop.
Alex Kravchenko: "Looking at this field, this is a good table."
David Saab: "So are you saying we're all bad players?"
Kravchenko: "No, you are all good players. It is a good table, but bad for us."
Glad that's all making sense. David Saab has now actually been moved away from the good/bad table and is now seated in the back room next to PNC Alpine champion Marc Naalden, where he was heard to announce to the table, "You know the best thing about Italy? The quality of the women..."
There are two former World Series of Poker Main Event champions in today's field. Greg Raymer, who has become one of the greatest ambassadors for poker since winning the Main Event in 2004, is seated at a table in the far corner of the tournament area. A few tables away is a player who accomplished the same feat as Raymer but more than 20 years earlier -- Tom McEvoy, who won the Main Event in 1983. Some of today's poker young guns weren't even born in 1983. As for the bling, McEvoy is wearing his bracelet. Raymer is not.
Last year's EPT San Remo champion, Jason Mercier is also playing today. Mercier pocketed €869,000 for taking down the inaugural San Remo tournament. We expect that this year's winner will take home even more.
The field is continuing to thin, albeit slowly. As we were making our way back to the media room, a dealer's voice cried out, "Seat open! Table 21."
George Danzer has taken down a sizable early pot after flopping a set of deuces and getting a decent payoff from an opponent who just mucked. Danzer is up to around 14,000 already.