PokerStars EPT Dublin Main Event Day 1b | 2007 PokerStars EPT - Dublin

10-31-2007 17:31 UTC+2

"Excuse me, young man . . ."

[user38449]

Media rooms at major poker tournaments are often jam-packed with reporters, stifling hot and relatively uncomfortable. For a young one like Andy Black's son, who appears to be between six-eight, these places are a haven for fun and games as rows of computers wired to the Internet fill the room.

I bring this up only because a few minutes ago, young Mr. Black had taken over my partner's laptop and loaded up some sort of video game involving a lot of rapid mouse clicking and loud sounds. Upon returning to his computer after a round in the field, Mike (or Luckyblind as you know him) stood diligently over the shoulder of this young computer thief, kindly waiting for his little friend to finish up - it was quite the scene.

"Thanks for the computer games!" Mike's friend yelled across the room, as he left the room with the senior Black.

Tags: Andy Black

10-31-2007 17:34 UTC+2

Official Numbers

[user38449]

The late registration period is officially over and the tournament staff has informed us that 132 runners started the day, creating a total field of 221.

Prizepool and payout information should be available shortly.

10-31-2007 17:54 UTC+2

How to Play Exposed Aces

[user38449]

A very strange hand just took place at Roland de Wolfe's table in which a player's pocket aces were somehow exposed pre-flop and he was forced to play the hand face-up.

The flop came J-9-5 and the player with aces got all of his money in against one other opponent, who tabled J-9 for top two pair. Though behind on the flop, the turn and river came 2-5, which gave the aces a second pair, counterfeiting the jacks and nines to take down the pot.

10-31-2007 18:04 UTC+2

Surinder Sunar Off to a Quick Start

[user38449]

British poker pro Surinder Sunar just demonstrated why he's one of the best tournament players in the world. In a pot that was raised pre-flop, the big blind led out for 700 after the flop had come {J-Diamonds}

. When the action got around to Sunar, he put in a raise, making it 2,100 to go; the big blind called.

The turn brought the {9-Diamonds}

and the player in the big blind checked to Surinder, who tossed 2,800 worth of chips into the middle; again, the big blind called.

The last card off the deck was the {8-Clubs}

, and the big blind passed the action to Surinder, who fired a 5,200 bullet. The big blind called rather quickly and Surinder revealed a hidden set of sixes which was good enough to take down the pot.

After the hand, Sunar stacked up just over 27,000 in chips.

Tags: Surinder Sunar

10-31-2007 18:19 UTC+2

Flood Flushed By Bruel!

[user50492]

The board reads {Q-Diamonds}

and there is already 3,000 in the pot. Liam Flood bets 3,000 first to speak and Patrick Bruel, the French Pop star turned poker player, calls.

The river is {A-Spades}

and Liam bets 4,000 from his 6,000 stack and Patrick calls.

Liam {A-Hearts}

Patrick

Liam is now very low on 2,000 chips.

Tags: Liam Flood Patrick Bruel

10-31-2007 18:28 UTC+2

15-Minute Break

[user38449]

The players are currently on a 15-minute break.

10-31-2007 18:34 UTC+2

No Repeat for de Wolfe

[user38449]

Just before the first break of the day, last year's EPT Dublin champ Roland de Wolfe was eliminated from the tournament in decisive fashion. All of the money went in after the flop, which contained the jack and nine of diamonds and an irrelevant deuce. Roland tabled J-9 for top two pair and his opponent showed the {Q-Diamonds}

for an up and down straight flush draw.

There would be no drama this hand, as the {K-Diamonds}

settled things on the turn, giving Roland's opponent a king-high straight flush and the check mark for the hand.

Tags: Roland de Wolfe

Level: 3

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

10-31-2007 18:46 UTC+2

Play Resumes

[user38449]

The players have returned from break and the cards are in the air.

10-31-2007 18:58 UTC+2

Julian Thew Lets One Go!

[user50492]

The most recent EPT champion, Julian Thew was just forced off a pot by Richard Ashby. The board read {5-Hearts}

and Julian bet 1,200 into a 2,000 pot, Richard raised to 2,800 and Julian reluctantly let it go.

At the break Julian revealed to me that he failed to recreate the start he had in his Baden win because of the larger chip stack, despite his best efforts. He was down to 5,000 after two levels in Austria, this time he only managed to lose 3,000 by the break leaving himself on 12,000, more than double the amount. Who say's poker players are not superstitious?

Tags: Julian Thew