£10,000 WSOPE Main Event Day 1a | 2009 World Series of Poker Europe

£10,000 WSOPE Main Event

Day 1a Completed

09-27-2009 01:14 UTC+2

Day 1a Concludes; Day 1b Is Yet to Come

[user46392]

156 runners started Day 1a; 79 remain.

It's been a long day and a frankly terrifying field -- virtually everyone who is anyone was here today, and those who are someone and were not here today are expected tomorrow.

Phil Ivey did the rest of the field the favour of busting out relatively early, as did Dario Minieri, Patrik Antonius, Huck Seed and David Pham. Players who lasted a little longer but still bit the Day 1 dust include luminaries Roland de Wolfe, Mark Teltscher, Vanessa Rousso and Ben Grundy.

Some folks had a rather better day though, and made it through to Day 2 with chips in their possession. The close of play saw Jason Mercier and Brian Powell vying for the chip lead; it looked as though Powell had just pipped Mercier at time of writing. A number of other big stacks are not far behind either, though -- Jonathan Aguiar, Viktor Blom, Tommy Pavlicek and Sami "LarsLuzak" Kelopuro are all hot on their heels. Also still in the field, although on rather more modest stacks, are names to strike fear into your average qualifier's heart -- Joe Beevers, Andy Black, James Akenhead, Nick Schulman and Jeff Lisandro are among our remaining runners.

All these folks will have to wait until 5.30pm on Monday to continue battle though -- tomorrow at noon a whole new field of hopefuls will be handing over their £10,000 for a shot at the money, the bracelet and the WSOPE immortality. Join us here when we'll be getting down and dirty on the casino floor for Day 1b.

09-27-2009 01:11 UTC+2

It's O-Kay, Dominic's Doubled Through

[user4144]

With the level, and day, drawing to a close, Dominic Kay open shoved for 5,500 and was given a spin by Viktor Blom on the button.

Blom sensed he was behind with {A-Spades}

, and indeed he was as Kay tabled {A-Diamonds}

for the dominating ace.

The {K-Diamonds}

flop reduced the Swede's outs to two, no change on the {4-Clubs}

, and the

for the rivered flush sealed the deal.

The 2007 finalist survives.

Tags: Dominic Kay

09-27-2009 01:05 UTC+2

Not a Goodwin

[user4144]

Marc Goodwin is shaking his head in disappointment as his once meaty stack drops down to 50,000. His attacker was Viktor Blom, the Swede raising it up preflop and Goodwin flatting in the blinds with kings.

The {K-Hearts}

flop looked as safe as houses, so Goodwin opted to check call. On the {6-Hearts}

turn, Goodwin check-called again, but another heart arrived on the river. Although Goodwin checked, he was unable to get away from a 32,000 bet and duly called, before being given the bad news... He'd let his foe catch up with {10-Hearts}

.

"That flop was about as safe as it gets," he later mused. "Anything else and I'd probably play it more aggressively. On the turn, I just called because I knew that if it came a blank that he'd definitely fire again and do his nuts."

Tags: Marc Goodwin

09-27-2009 00:51 UTC+2

Feature Table Washed Clean of Sudworth

[user46392]

More action on the feature table, as short-stacked and (debatably) sartorially challenged young Englishman James Sudworth got his last 6,000 in, called by Thor Drexel.

He was ahead.

Drexel: {A-Diamonds}

Sudworth:

Nevertheless, board: {J-Spades}

Thus we lose Sudworth, and his place at the feature table has been taken by Martin Hansen -- Hansen's second stint in the TV limelight today.

Tags: James Sudworth Thor Drexel

09-27-2009 00:45 UTC+2

Grundy Bust, Chip Lead Back to Mercier

[user46392]

Over on the main feature table, Ben "Milkybar Kid" Grundy got his last 30,000 or so in preflop, called by Jason Mercier.

Grundy: {J-Clubs}

Mercier:

Board:

Grundy's coat was on and he was shaking hands with the table as soon as the flop came down. With that chunky pot, Mercier moved on up to 188,000, top of the chip count pops at this time.

Tags: Ben Grundy Jason Mercier

09-27-2009 00:43 UTC+2

Going a Little Crazy

[user4144]

Men Nguyen: Do you drink?
Andy Black: Yeah, I drink, I got a little crazy when I drink.

If any table's "a little crazy" here today, it's this one. It's certainly the most entertaining.

Jeff Madsen - 23,000
Christian Harder - 48,000
Andy Black - 62,000
Alex Kravchenko - 38,000
Men Nguyen - 37,000
Jonathan Plens - 11,000
Erik Seidel - 12,000
Jens Kyllönen -- 76,000

09-27-2009 00:42 UTC+2

And Now for Something Completely Different

[user46392]

If you were lucky enough to be on the streets of Central London today, you may have noticed an unusual sight. We are reliably informed that 800 people dressed in gorilla suits went for a collective run through the streets of the City and West End, ostensibly in a bid to raise money for endangered gorillas, but probably more just for the sheer hell of it.

Gorilla-suited weirdos, we salute you.

09-27-2009 00:39 UTC+2

Aguiar Loses Small Pot, Regains Chip Lead Anyway

[user46392]

Jonathan Aguiar made it 1,350 from the hijack and Tommy Pavlicek called on the button. The gent in the big blind called too, and they saw an {8-Diamonds}

flop.

It checked around to Pavlicek, who bet 3,500. The big blind folded, and then Aguiar folded too.

This upped Pavlicek's stack to 140,000 while Aguiar dropped to 155,000 -- but since erstwhile chip leader Brian Powell dropped a few chips, 155,000 is enough to put Aguiar back at the top of the counts.

Tags: Jonathan Aguiar Tommy Pavlicek

09-27-2009 00:23 UTC+2

Peter Jetted Off

[user4144]

I joined the action with the board reading {7-Hearts}

. Sami Kelopuro, as quiet and pensive as ever, led out for 4,000, only for Peter Jetten to make it 13,000. Surprisingly, the small blind, who had initially checked, cold called, returning the decision to Kelopuro. After a brief pause, he made it 40,000.

Now the decision was on Jetten, and although he didn't seem overly confident, he duly pushed his remaining chips over the line for a total of 40,000. The other player looked equally perplexed, and after more dwelling than a chess master, he made the fold and cards were placed on their backs.

Kelopuro = {3-Spades}