£5,200 EPT London Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT London

10-01-2008 14:46 UTC+1

Random Droppings: Razor Gets a Seat and Girl on Girl Action

John Phan was an alternate and took a seat at Nicolas Levi's table.

French actress Alexia Portal is sitting at Vanessa Rousso's table.

There are currently 280 players registered for Day 1A.

Tags: John Phan

10-01-2008 15:00 UTC+1

Fear the Boatman

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

So far, there has only be one exit. "He gave a little bit to everyone," said former tablemate Barny Boatman.

Meanwhile, Boatman himself has been bumping and grinding, his stack reaching the dizzy heights of 15,000. According to the horse's mouth, he made a squeeze play with pocket fours only for the non-raiser to make the call. On an A-T-7 flop, Boatman bet, his opponent raised, and Boatman raised again. After a brief pause, his opponent folded, and Boatman gleefully showed his paltry pair. "Since then, they've been terrified of me," he added, although that may be due to his lack of sleep more than anything else.

10-01-2008 15:07 UTC+1

More Random Droppings

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

As reported, no major pots to sing and dance about, just a smattering of smaller observations:

(1) Charalambos "Bambos" Xanthos found himself virtually all in, his bet of 6,000 on a {4-Diamonds}

board leaving himself just a couple of thousand behind. After a lengthy session in the think tank, his foe folded {A-Hearts}

face-up, giving Bambos a stack of 13,000.

(2) On a J-J-T flop, Shane Reihill led for 500 and Nik Persaud made the call. Persaud was the aggressor from there on, however, betting 1,400 on the 8 turn and 2,300 on the 6 river. Reihill made the call. "If you have a jack, you're good," declared Persaud perhaps regretting his presumed value bet. Reihill showed A-J.

(3) Shaun Deeb lost a 4,500 pot against {5-Clubs}

on a

board. Deeb wasn't pleased as he chucked his hand into the muck, but he still has over his starting stack.

10-01-2008 15:11 UTC+1

Freddy Deeb Busts a Player

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Freddy Deeb had pocket nines. His opponent held A-J. Deeb flopped a set. Didn't see when it went all in, but Deeb dragged the pot while his opponent walked away from the table. Freddy Deeb is up to 23,000.

Tags: Freddy Deeb

10-01-2008 15:18 UTC+1

Kenny Wong Grinds It Out

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Kenny Wong has been grinding his way back. He had doubled up earlier and then survived an all in against his nemesis Voitto Rintala. Wong was way behind with {A-Spades}

against Voitto Rintala's {A-Diamonds}

. Wong caught a little good fortune and ended up chopping the pot. He was down to 300 and now has almost 1,800.

Tags: Kenny Wong Voitto Rintala

10-01-2008 15:21 UTC+1

Choppy Doubles Up

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Matt "Choppy" Kay was short but doubled up. Player from UTG raised to 350. Choppy called from the button. The flop was Q-9-6. UTG fired out 600. Choppy called. The turn was a jack. UTG bet 1,200. Choppy shoved for his last 2,800. His opponent tanked and eventually called with pocket tens. Choppy showed J-10 suited and was ahead. The river was a queen and Choppy doubled up.

Tags: Choppy

10-01-2008 15:39 UTC+1

Petering Out

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Nottingham based player Pete Linton has seen two thirds of his stack go missing after running kings into aces. "It could have been more," he concluded, his sneaky opponent not only flat calling an opening raise, but also Linton's reraise.

On the J-9-9 flop, Linton bet around half the pot, only for his foe to make the call and then come out firing on the raggy turn. The river made three to the flush, and led to a check from both players.

"He's a solid player, from South Africa, I think," continued Linton. "I was worried about jacks full, it seemed to play out that way, but couldn't quite find a fold on the turn. I almost let it go though."

Meanwhile, fellow running buddy and recent GUKPT winner Sam Trickett has just eliminated a player with A-J versus pocket sevens on an ensuing J-9-3-9-2 board. However, it was only for 2,500, meaning Trickett still has around his starting stack.

10-01-2008 15:44 UTC+1

The Abacus Certainly Has the Balls

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Michel 'Abacus' Abecassis may be down to just 1,500, but you can't deny his testicular fortitude. With the board reading {10-Diamonds}

, Abecassis led out for 1,000 with {Q-Hearts}

before calling an all in for 3,000 more. His opponent showed {K-Clubs}

, which not only held up, but improved on the {J-Clubs}

turn and

river.

"I'm sorry," he said in victory. "No you're not," replied a disgruntled Frenchman.

10-01-2008 15:45 UTC+1

Rockets Fail To Launch

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Mr. Suarez (much like a Brazilian footballer, we don't know his Christian name) just survived an all-in encounter in dramatic style. With K-Q versus the pocket rockets of Alexia Portal (we believe, she was shaking her head dismissively after the hand), Suarez had one foot in the taxi and the other on thin ice, but an eventful {8-Spades}