PokerStars.com EPT Warsaw Championship Main Event Day 1a | 2009 PokerStars.com EPT Warsaw

10-20-2009 10:30 UTC+3

Welcome to EPT Warsaw!

donpeters

Welcome to Warsaw, Poland for the next stop on the PokerStars.net European Poker Tour! The marvelous Casino Poland Hyatt Regency will be the host venue to the fourth stop along Season 6 of the EPT. Last year, the event attracted 217 runners with Joao Barbosa besting them all to take home the €367,141 first-place prize.

The first flight of the Main Event kicks off today at 12:30pm CEST. The event is tentatively capped at 400 entrants -- 200 per starting day -- and each participant will be required to pony up 25,000 PLN. For those of you wondering, that's just a little short of €6,000 or $9,000. Big names from Team PokerStars along with other notables are expected to be on hand and once they arrive, we'll be sure to let you know the details.

It may be rainy and cold outside, but there's a toasty buzz circulating around the Hyatt Regency for all poker enthusiasts in the area. We're just a couple of hours from start time, so be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews.com for all the live coverage from EPT Warsaw!

10-20-2009 13:30 UTC+3

Almost Ready To Go

donpeters

The players are scattered around the tournament area while the registration desk is busy checking people in. The tournament staff is getting ready with some last-minute preparations and we're almost ready to go. In a few minutes, we'll be back with all of the action!

10-20-2009 13:35 UTC+3

Notables

donpeters

The field looks to be relatively small for Day 1a. So far, members of Team PokerStars Pro, Arnaud Mattern, Alexander Kravchenko, Marcin Horecki, and Luca Pagano have been spotted roaming around. Carter Phillips and Mihai Manole from the final table of EPT Barcelona are also in the building. Phillips was the winner of that event, taking home €850,000.

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

10-20-2009 13:45 UTC+3

Shuffle Up and Deal

[user66118]

After some quick multilingual opening remarks, the dealers were given the command, and the cards are in the air at the EPT Warsaw.

The floor staff tells us they may cut this day short after level seven due to the small turnout here on Day 1a, though we'll have to see how the day progresses.

10-20-2009 14:02 UTC+3

Atanas Surrendering Early

donpeters

Atanas Gueorguiev called a raise from an opponent to 325. The player was in early position while Gueorguiev was in the cutoff seat. The flop came down {A-Diamonds}

. Gueorguiev called a bet of 425 from his opponent before the {10-Hearts}

hit the felt for the turn, pairing the board. Gueorguiev's opponent bet 1,250. Atanas paused for some thought, but then flung his cards into the muck, dropping to around 29,200.

Gueorguiev finished fourth in this event last year after winning his way in via satellite. He also final tabled the Main Event at the 2009 Irish Open and a preliminary event at EPT Deauville.

Tags: Atanas Gueorguiev

10-20-2009 14:15 UTC+3

Scotty Baby

[user66118]

The Prince of Poker, Scotty Nguyen, is wandering around the casino floor, and we'd assume he hasn't come to Warsaw to play slot machines. He hasn't taken his seat yet, but you can expect to see Mr. Nguyen on the felt either today or tomorrow.

10-20-2009 14:24 UTC+3

Luca Lays it Down

[user66118]

So far, the play seems to be relatively passive, at least preflop. On the corner-most table in the room, five or six players saw a limped flop come {6-Clubs}

. The action checked around to late position where the player on the button put out a small bet. Luca Pagano stuck in a check-raise to 1,300 from the big blind, and two players would make the call.

Three-handed then, the turn came the {5-Hearts}

. Pagano passed again, and the player to his left fired out 3,100. That was enough to fold the third player in the pot, but Pagano made the call.

The river was the {6-Spades}

, and Pagano watched his opponent bet 8,250. After a couple head shakes and scowls, Pagano kicked it in. His opponent flashed {8-Clubs}

for the straight, and Pagano tapped the felt in acknowledgment.

In his typical fashion, Pagano is active here in the early going, down now to about 26,500.

Tags: Luca Pagano

10-20-2009 14:31 UTC+3

The Presence of a World Champion

donpeters

The reigning champion of the World Series of Poker, Peter Eastgate, is in the building. It's still unknown if he's actually playing, but our guess is that he'll play tomorrow. Eastgate is browsing around the tournament floor though chatting it up with some mates. Eastgate just placed runner up at EPT London behind Aaron Gustavson.

Tags: Aaron Gustavson Peter Eastgate

10-20-2009 14:34 UTC+3

Keeping Things Brief

donpeters

The tournament staff has announced that the players will be playing seven levels today. That will bring us through the 50 ante, 300/600 level. There will be a scheduled 15-minute break every two levels and no dinner break. That's right, if you're hungry you're going to have to grab something on the go. The plan is to end right around 8:30pm local time.