€5,000 EPT Kyiv Main Event Day 2 | 2009 PokerStars.net EPT Kyiv

08-20-2009 11:47 UTC+3

Welcome to Day 2

Shamus

It's a cool, brisk morning in Kyiv, Ukraine. A few clouds, but a bright blue sky visible behind them, making conditions quite comfortable for that walk into the Sport Palace.

Of course, while the weather might be mild outdoors, conditions should be rough once players enter the arena. A total of 203 return for today's Day 2, all with hopes of lasting into the top forty and the money, and ultimately claiming all of the chips and that €330,000 first prize.

Viktor Ivanov of Russia begins today with the biggest stack of 153,825, with Ukrainian Mihalyo Demidenko not far behind with 145,125. Those two are followed by a half-dozen more with 100,000-plus, and many others still well within the hunt.

Play is scheduled to start in about 15 minutes, although there may be a bit of a delay before the first hands are dealt. Stay tuned!

Level: 8

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 75

08-20-2009 12:09 UTC+3

Here We Go

Shamus

Players are in their seats and the first hands of Day 2 are being dealt. The average stack as we begin play is 43,743.

08-20-2009 12:17 UTC+3

Eight-Handed Play

Shamus

Incidentally, following the custom at EPT events, the tourney is now being played eight-handed, and will continue that way for the duration -- a point which the tournament director was just clarifying for Shaun Deeb.

"Shaun's table is nine-handed, though," chimed Nicolas Levi from a couple of tables over. "Because Sean plays twice the hands!"

Deeb laughed. "Want me to take care of the rail, Sean?" asked the TD facetiously. "Can you have that guy with the crazy hat removed?" laughed Deeb (referring to Levi).

Tags: Nicolas Levi Shaun Deeb

08-20-2009 12:21 UTC+3

One Less

[user66118]

On a flop of {7-Hearts}

, Oleg Shepelenko got the rest of his ~22,000 chips into the middle with {A-Diamonds}

. His lone foe, Valeriy Koka, looked him up, turning over {3-Spades}

for the flush draw.

The flush would never materialize, however, the turn and river came {5-Hearts}

and

respectively to give Koka the come-from-behind trip fives and send Shepelenko off on a head-shaking walk to the rail.

The calls of, "Seat open," are coming fast and furious here to start Day 2.

Tags: Oleg Shepelenko Valeriy Koka

08-20-2009 12:29 UTC+3

Big Blind Special for Kravchenko

Shamus

Elio Fox raised to 1,800 from under the gun, and the table folded back around to Alex Kravchenko who called from the big blind. The flop came {2-Diamonds}

and both players checked. The turn was the {9-Spades}

. Kravchenko bet 1,600, and Fox called.

The river was the {7-Diamonds}

. This time Kravchenko pushed out 6,500, and after about two minutes of deliberation Fox made the call. Kravchenko turned over {9-Hearts}

for the full house, and Fox mucked.

Kravchenko is at 56,000 now.

Tags: Alex Kravchenko

08-20-2009 12:34 UTC+3

Guerra Goes Out

[user66118]

Zhukov Vyacheslav opened the pot with a middle-position raise, and Cristiano "crisbus81" Guerra moved all in for just less than 20,000. When the table folded back around, Vyacheslav quickly called with {A-Clubs}

. "Ugh, that's like my first hand," lamented Guerra, showing up his {Q-Clubs}

.

The board would run out blanks: {10-Hearts}

, spelling the end of the day for the Italian pro.

Tags: Cristiano Guerra Zhukov Vyacheslav

08-20-2009 12:38 UTC+3

Calling the Clock on Andrew Feldman

[user66118]

Andrew Feldman comes into Day 2 with a top-third chip stack, sitting just shy of 100,000. As play concluded last night, he took a moment with Gloria for a little thing we like to call, "Calling the Clock". Check it:

08-20-2009 12:55 UTC+3

Climbing Mt. Evdakov

[user66118]

We join a three-handed pot in progress as the dealer spread out a flop of {9-Diamonds}

. Big blind Albert Iverson checked, and Maxim Lykov made a bet of 3,300 from the cutoff seat. On the button, Nikolay Evdakov put in the call while Iverson quickly ducked out of the way.

Heads up now, the turn card came the {9-Clubs}

to pair the board. Lykov passed this time, and he would eventually call a bet of 6,000 from Evdakov. The last card off was the {6-Diamonds}

, and Lykov checked again. Evdakov slid another 7,000 chips into the pot, and his opponent would ponder carefully before making the call. Evdakov tabled {K-Diamonds}

, and his king-high flush was the winner.

That pot lifts the Russian up to 69,000.

Tags: Nikolay Evdakov

08-20-2009 13:01 UTC+3

Lunkin Sunk

Shamus

Vitaly Lunkin began the day with just 19,500 chips, and during the first half of our first level today was unsuccessful in his attempt to gather any momentum. In short order he found his stack down around 10,000.

Just now the Russian found himself in a hand versus his fellow countryman, Alekseu Tsessarsky. With the board showing {A-Spades}

, Tsessarsky announced he was all in, and Lunkin called with his remaining short stack. Tsessarsky showed {A-Diamonds}

for top pair, while Lunkin showed {J-Clubs}

for jacks and a straight draw.

The river was the {2-Clubs}

, and Lunkin was eliminated. He came around to shake hands with Tsessarsky and wish him well.

We've quickly lost 30 players here in the first level of play today. There are 173 remaining.

Tags: Alekseu Tsessarsky Vitaly Lunkin