2008 Partouche Poker Tour - Cannes

€8,500 Cannes Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 Partouche Poker Tour - Cannes

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
99
Prize
$1,426,645
Event Info
Buy-in
$12,300
Entries
480
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
15,000

Nicest Media Room Ever?

Notice super luxurious mega yacht in the background
Notice super luxurious mega yacht in the background
If we were to design the perfect media room for covering a poker tournament, it would share a striking resemblance to the one we'll be working from this week here at the Palm Beach Club in Cannes.

Seriously -- Where else in the world can you spot a super luxurious mega yacht in the backdrop of your workspace? Set right on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, we've got an unobstructed view of the water and words simply do not do it justice.

Jesus Warming Up

Jesus
Jesus
Chris Ferguson raised the 50 big blind to 150 from under-the-gun and was called by a player in middle position and the two blinds. Ferguson led out for 350 when the flop came {8-Diamonds} {4-Clubs} {4-Hearts} and only the player in the big blind called.

The turn came {7-Clubs} and Ferguson bet 600 when checked to him. The big blind player re-checked his cards and made the call before the river came {A-Spades}.

This slowed Ferguson down as he also checked when opponent did so. Ferguson revealed {9-Hearts} {9-Diamonds} which was enough to take the pot as his other opponent revealed {6-Clubs} {6-Diamonds}.

Ferguson up to 22,000 at this early stage.

Tags: Chris Ferguson

Pace of Play

As expected, the action is very tight here in the early stages of the first level. One thing that is a bit surprising, however, is the amount of aggression we are seeing already. A large percentage of the pots are being won with a preflop reraise or a single large bet on the flop. Very few hands are being limped preflop or played all the way to the river. As play progresses, it will be interesting to see how the mood and pace of the tournament changes thoughout the course of the day.

Today's Notables

As players get down to action a few familiar faces in the crowd include Juha Helppi, Anthony Lellouche, Arnaud Mattern, Ramzi Jelassi, Fabrice Soulier, Theo Jorgensen, Jason Mercier and Chris Ferguson. Best not to forget the ever aggressive Dario Minieri and Gus Hansen.

Tags: Anthony LelloucheArnaud MatternChris FergusonDario MinieriFabrice SoullierGus HansenJason MercierJuha HelppiRamzi JelassiTheo Jorgensen

Level: 1

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

The French Deck

The French Deck
The French Deck
Our modern 52-card deck of playing cards is commonly known as the "French deck," having been altered and modified through centuries of play. This style of card is used worldwide with some slight variations. In the United States, we are familiar with the Anglo-American style of the deck. The face cards, from lowest rank to highest, are labeled "J" for Jack, "Q" for Queen, and "K" for King.

Here in France, we are getting used to their own traditional variation on that format. Face cards, from lowest to highest, are ranked "V" for Valet, "D" for Dame, and "R" for Roi. During our reporting, we will be using the Anglo-American lettering for face cards to avoid any confusion.

Tags: CardsDeckFranceFrench

2008 Partouche Poker Tour - Cannes Main Event

Poker's popularity in France is currently experiencing all-time highs and things are about to get even bigger as the most prolific poker tournament ever held on French soil looms just a few short hours from now.

The Partouche Poker Tour has quietly gained momentum throughout the year, awarding countless seats to its €8,500 buy-in Main Event, and several of the games top players will be on hand when the Palm Beach Club in Cannes, France opens its doors to an anticipated field of 350+ entrants, each with an eye on the €2,000,000 guaranteed prizepool.

Scotty Nguyen, Phil Ivey, Chris Ferguson, David 'Chino' Rheem, Jeff Madsen, Evelyn Ng and Nenad Medic are just a few of the big names expected to play this week. Our live reporting team is on site and gearing up to bring you all of the action as it happens, from 'Shuffle up and deal' to the final hand. Coverage of the event begins at 3:00 p.m. local time (9:00 a.m. EST); you don't want to miss this!

Tags: Phil Ivey