€5,250 Championship Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT - Prague

12-09-2008 16:57 UTC+1

Current Chip Leader

Orjan Holt may have topped the pile at some point, but the current chip leader is surely Gaspare Triolo with a whopping 60,500. Far behind but still well above the average is Luke Schwartz with 42,000, whilst Carstea Ciprian is also sitting pretty on 35,250.

12-09-2008 17:01 UTC+1

All Hans on Deck

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Former Swedish footballer Hans Eriksson is down to a paltry 3,000. Earlier in the day hit the crossbar with kings versus aces, all the chips flying in on a raggy flop.

Tags: Hans Eskilsson

12-09-2008 17:05 UTC+1

Neighbours Running Well

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

On a

flop, Mark Friedman raised an opponent's leading bet of 600 to 1,200 before firing out 1,600 on the {10-Diamonds}

turn. His opponent gave up, however, on the {10-Clubs}

river when Friedman led for 2,200.

Freidman now on 24,500. Neighbour Johannes Strassmann, camera crew in tow, is also running well with 21,000.

12-09-2008 17:10 UTC+1

Norinder Doubles Through

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

A bizarre hand played out on one of the near tables as Frenchman Anthony Roux got the ball rolling with a preflop raise of a 800. Master Classics finalist Mikael Norinder made the call, but a Spanish player in seat one had other ideas, bumping it up to a total of 2,500 to play.

Although initial aggressor Roux passed, Norinder was less hospitable, pushing all in for 10,000 more. To his surprise, his opponent took thirty seconds to call with {A-?}

, only to find himself dominated by the Swede's {A-?}

.

An eightless board and Norinder was left to embrace the pot with the most welcoming of arms.

Tags: Mikael Norinder

12-09-2008 17:25 UTC+1

Minor Hit for Elpayaa

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

An 8,000 pot was created by Joseph Elpayaa and one opponent, the flop reading {Q-Hearts}

. The

turn and

river were both checked down, however, allowing his opponent to scoop up the pot with {A-Clubs}

. Elpayaa still has 16,000 though, whilst neighbour Osman Mustanoglu is keeping his head above water with 12,200.

Level: 6

Blinds: 150/300

Ante: 25

12-09-2008 17:51 UTC+1

Roux-ly Lucky

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

There's a raise in the cutoff position to 900 and Anthony Roux makes it 2,700 from the small blind. The cut-off calls and they see an {A-Diamonds}

flop, Roux bets 4,200 which is about half his remaining stack. After a quick thought, he's put in for his remaining stack and calls with {6-Clubs}

which needs to hit against {A-Hearts}

. The turn {8-Diamonds}

is not the card he needs, but the river {8-Clubs}

is and Roux doubles up to over 20,000.

Tags: Anthony Roux

12-09-2008 17:55 UTC+1

A Lodden Lodden Action

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Johnny Lodden isn't usually one for shying away from pots, but today in particular he's endured a roller coaster ride of epic proportions with enough loop-the-loops and cork screws to make even the most thick-skinned of players nauseous.

After being bashed down to just 1,500, Lodden doubled up twice to 8,000, only to sky-rocket right up to 23,000. Moments later he was down to 18,000, then 13,000, before jumping back to 20,000.

Even as I put pen to paper, Lodden was getting his fingers dirty once again. With Daniel Mangas making it 2,500 preflop, Lodden bumped it up to 6,000 from the big blind, only for Mangas to slide his entire stack across the felt. It was 11,875 more to Lodden, but he opted for the fold to leave himself with 14,000.

Phew, I'm getting dizzy just writing about it.

Tags: Johnny Lodden

12-09-2008 17:59 UTC+1

Not Soren Up The Leaderboard Yet.

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Soren Kongsgaard raises to 800 from early position and gets called by one player in midposition and the small blind. The flop is a possible action creating {K-Hearts}

and it's checked to Kongsgaard who bets 2,050. The player in midposition flat-calls before the small blind now raises to 6,650. Kongsgaard folds quickly, as does the other player, the Dane is left with around 8,000.

Tags: Soren Kongsgaard

12-09-2008 18:02 UTC+1

The Hoff Riding High

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Steven Zadelhoff, otherwise known as 'The Hoff' by... well, just me really, is currently riding high with 27,000, well above the current average. When inquiring as to what his double up hand was, he simply said, "lots of small pots."

Meanwhile, I couldn't help but notice that Great Dane Gus Hansen, who arrived slightly later in the day, has already dipped down to 4,000 in chips.