With just a few thousand in chips, Julian Thew has a face reminiscent of a small child being told Christmas is cancelled. Incredibly, his current count is the result of a double through, a Thewy special... "I had 6-3".
"I expect you to have doubled through at least two more times by the time I return," I said... and I wouldn't put it past him.
Just before the current 20 minute break started, Scott Fischman was involved in a threeway pot which ended up winning him around 6k. 1k was bet by one of Fischman, Ross Boatman, or the button (whom I think is Jesse Chinni) on a flop. I caught this hand as those 1ks were being swept into the pot by the dealer. The turn card saw no bet from any of the players, but the river brought a 3k bet from Fischman. Chinni made the call, but mucked when Fischman showed .
There was a raise, and a call, before Gabe Kaplan made it 3,000. Simon John, however, then bumped it up to 6,000, which although was enough to discourage the first two players, enticed Kaplan into making the call.
On the flop, Kaplan check-called a bet of 6,000, but couldn't withstand the heat on the turn when John pushed for 25,000, and duly got out of the kitchen.
Neil 'BadBeat' Channing is looking a bit down in the dumps at the moment, despite having his aching flesh massaged by a beautiful girl.
"This guy raised to 800 from under the gun," he started. "I had kings and made it 2,200 and he called. the flop came something like and I made a standard continuation bet, and he called again. We both checked the on the turn, and then I led for 5,100 on the river. I think I'm always betting this, and I checked the turn so it look like I had and could get a street of value on the end. Anyhow, he check-raised all in and I had to fold"
Later in the level, Channing limp-called a raise with from Josh Gould with four or five other limpers in between. He called a bet on the flop to "see how he reacted to the turn", but folded when Gould pushed all in on the river.
Julian Thew, one of the UK's most successful live tournament players, innovator in manbag fashion and all round nice guy just turned his tiny stack into a slightly-less-tiny one, getting his 2k in on the flop ( ) with a pair'n'up'n'down draw vs. . The on the turn made him a straight though and the river preserved it as his alone. Double through to 4,150 total.
John Tabatabai has near-doubled after busting Peter Wood who seemed eager to get his chips in the middle preflop with until Tabatabai proved just as keen if not keener to do so with . Up over 45k and rising, his day-glo orange hoody attracting members of the press like moths to a garish candle.
Despite the late move of Robert Williamson III onto table 14, it seems that this is one of the less talkative tables during this 150/300 level. A pretty tough lineup is certainly taking no prisoners in vying for early stacks though, and there's a big discrepancy between the haves and have-nots:
Seat 1: JC Tran - 16,000
Seat 2: Richard Austin - 12,800
Seat 3: Jason Summerville - 43,000
Seat 4: Jonathan Reynolds - 54,000
Seat 5: Nick Shulman - 38,200
Seat 6: Markus Ristola - 53,000
Seat 7: Teddy Sheringham - 18,000
Seat 8: Theo Jorgensen - 19,100
Seat 9: Robert Williamson III - 34,000
Jean-Robert Bellande raised it up preflop and received two callers, one of whom was Scotty Nguyen in late position.
On the board, Bellande bet 4,800, only for Scotty Nguyen to two-bet to 10,000. Bellande hesitantly called.
Bellande then checked the river, triggering a bet of 10,000 from Nguyen. Bellande was visibly tortured by the decision that lay ahead, and started mumbling incessantly under his breath. He then turned his attention to Nguyen.
"That three of clubs has gotta be a bad card for you after your raise on the turn," he probed. "I've played one hand the entire tournament, just one hand."
Nguyen remained frozen to the spot, as if his soul had been sucked from his body.
"I really don't want to fold and for you to say, 'I bluffed you, baby.'"
After much dwellements, Bellande did indeed fold. "What you got?" asked Nguyen as his opponent mucked. "I can't say 'I bluffed you, baby,' if I haven't seen your hand."
Nguyen shows the to add further mystery, whilst a frustrated Bellande returned to his now depleted stack of 18,000.