EPT Barcelona Open Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona Open

09-10-2008 20:12 UTC+3

River is Unkind to Chad Brown

[user40108]

We caught up to this hand on the flop. The board read {10-Spades}

and there was just under 1,500 in the pot. Chad Brown was first to act against two opponents and pushed out a bet of 1,200 from middle position. Both of his opponents called and it was on to the turn.

The {4-Hearts}

hit the turn and Brown fired again, this time 3,000. His middle position opponent folded but the player on the button called all in for his last 2,825. The players showed:

Brown: {Q-Clubs}

Opponent:

Brown's queens were best but his opponent had plenty of outs including the {8-Spades}

that hit the river. Brown doubled his opponent up, but is still a force with just over 22,000 chips.

Tags: Chad Brown

09-10-2008 19:59 UTC+3

"The Prince of Poker" Makes His Entrance

[user40108]

Scotty Nguyen has made a recent appearance in the tournament area. The 2008 WSOP H.O.R.S.E. champion has been walking around, glad-handing old friends and acquaintances alike and enjoying his celebrity status.

While there's always the chance Scotty was on vacation and stumbled in and saw some familiar faces, it's probably a safer bet that we'll see Mr. Nguyen on the felt as part of tomorrow's Day 1b field.

Tags: Scotty Nguyen

09-10-2008 19:47 UTC+3

Clock Nearly Runs Out on Kravchenko

[user25067]

On a flop of {8-Diamonds}

, Alex Kravchenko decided to look at a turn card, calling his opponent's 600 chip lead bet. The {9-Diamonds}

fell next and Kravchenko's opponent led again, this time for 1,450 and Kravchenko called. The river was the {Q-Clubs}

and the young man tossed in his remaining 3,025, sending Kravchenko deep into the tank. Ultimately a clock was called on him, Kravchenko waiting until 58 of the 60 seconds he was given to make his decision had ticked off, and he mucked his cards.

After the hand, Kravchenko was down to 7,500.

Tags: Alex Kravchenko

Level: 4

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 0

09-10-2008 19:30 UTC+3

Annette_15 Takes Another Hit

[user40108]

Online Phenom Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad

Five players, including Annette Obrestad, limped in to the pot and saw a flop of {J-Clubs}

. The small blind led out for 300 and after the big blind passed, a middle position player called. A late position limper folded before Obrestad made it 1,550 to play from the cutoff seat. The small blind made the call as did the middle position player.

It was three players to the turn and they all checked when the {A-Spades}

came off. The river fell the {5-Clubs}

and the small blind led out for 2,200. The middle position player opted out but Obrestad made a quick and confident call. The small blind tabled {4-Spades}

and Annette mucked in disappointed fashion. She slipped to about 7,300 chips on the hand.

Tags: Annette Obrestad

09-10-2008 19:29 UTC+3

Martin Wendt Doubles Through

[user4144]

Martin Wendt, who was down to 4,125 at the time, is back in contention after enjoying a recent double through. Leading out on a {Q-Diamonds}

flop from under the gun with a bet of 1,500, Wendt was raised by the button who made it a few thousand more. Martin called all in and was relieved to see his {A-Clubs}

comfortably ahead of his opponent's {K-Spades}

. An

turn and

river improved neither hand, and Wendt took the pot.

Tags: Martin Wendt

09-10-2008 19:25 UTC+3

It'll Be Okay, Lacay

[user4144]

Ludovic Lacay, who came second in last year's WPT Spanish Championship, has seen his stack drop to 4,100 after he tried to bluff his neighbor off a dangerous board.

"The board was 5-6-8-9-A with a potential flush," he started, "and after I checked, he made what looked like a value bet. I raised trying to push him off it, but he made a good call with A-5."

"A good call or a lucky one?" I probed.

"Well, I think he's a good player," he replied. "Against your average player it might have worked, but not him."

Tags: Ludovic Lacay

09-10-2008 19:17 UTC+3

Chipped Up

[user4144]

This may not get your adrenaline pumping, but this week PokerStars is showcasing its brand spanking new chips. There has been the odd murmur of "The purples look the same as the blacks from across the table," but, nevertheless, their values are as follows:

Red = 1,000
Purple = 500
Black = 100
Green = 25

PokerStars has yet to unveil the color of their 5,000 chips, but the excitement is already starting to build. What color will they be? Yellow, blue, beige, terracotta, maybe even a combination of two - we just don't know.

09-10-2008 19:12 UTC+3

Haxton Bests Obrestad with Second Pair

[user25067]

We picked this one up on the turn with the board reading {J-Diamonds}

. First to act, Isaac Haxton led out for 600 only to have Annette Obrestad pop him to 1,750. With only about 7,000 behind, Haxton thought for quite a while before making the call. The river came down the {Q-Spades}

and Haxton checked. Obrestad remained motionless behind her huge Bulgari sunglasses for nearly a minute before almost imperceptibly checking behind.

Haxton revealed {K-Clubs}

in the hole and Obrestad mucked. Both are now nearly back to square one with slightly more than their original 10,000 in their stacks.

Tags: Annette Obrestad Isaac Haxton

09-10-2008 19:06 UTC+3

Rockets on the Rise

[user40108]

Tables #17 and #25, which sit adjacent to one another, both recently experienced some simultaneous "all in" action. At table #17, it was the classic {A-?}

vs.

showdown whereas table #25 saw the less dramatic, though still ironic, {A-?}

vs.

matchup.

It was all-in preflop on both tables with the aces holding up in both instances. The player with the jacks took a substantial hit to his stack, whereas the player with kings was not so fortunate and was left with nothing but directions toward the exit.