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

12-09-2008 20:12 UTC+1

Ruthless Ruthenberg

EPT Barcelona winner Sebastian Ruthenberg has emerged as one of the early pace setters, his stack having expanded to just over 60,000.

Tags: Sebastian Ruthenberg

Level: 8

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 75

12-09-2008 20:19 UTC+1

Jelinek Loses Heart

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Steve Jelinek was last seen moping around the corridor, wondering whether to join the cash games or continue vomiting in the toilet. Having raised it up preflop with {K-Hearts}

, Jelinek received four callers, all of whom reached a {A-Hearts}

flop. With all the value in the pot, he saw no reason to get his remaining 15,000 or so in, but was quickly looked up by {A-?}

. No further hearts, and Jelinek was gone.

"It was a good chance to get a 40,000 stack," he said in the aftermath.

Tags: Steve Jelinek

12-09-2008 20:23 UTC+1

Whilst Luke Schwartz and Carstea Ciprian remain near the top with 48,000 and 44,000 respectively, a few other players have emerged as potential end of day chip leaders, in particular Sebastian Ruthenberg with 61,000.

Also close is Daniel Biro (59,500), as well as Peter Hedlund (54,000), Mika Passonen (50,000) and Daniel Mangas (39,500).

12-09-2008 20:27 UTC+1

Ludovic Lacay Loves Ladies

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Ludovic Lacay is now on circa 50,000 after his pocket queens held up against Otto Richard's Big Slick on a raggy board.

Tags: Ludovic Lacay

12-09-2008 20:33 UTC+1

Falling French...

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It's been a bad day for the French, most of their players have surrendered their chips. Anthony Roux was a recent casualty, as was Guillaume de la Gorce. However, the one shining light today has been Ludovic Lacay, who has just gotten into a major pot with Otto Richard. The latter had previously bluffed Lacay off a decent pot with nine-high, so when a raising war began, you could be forgiven for thinking they were playing the player and not the cards.

But in fact, the psychological warfare and dwelling turned out to be needless, as Richard had picked up {K-Diamonds}

at the wrong time of a sickening setup as Lacay flipped over {A-Hearts}

. A

was dealt out and the former WPT Barcelona runner-up Lacay was propelled to about 70,000 at the expense of his compatriot.

Tags: Ludovic Lacay

12-09-2008 20:45 UTC+1

Spanish Rule

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Daniel Mangas is finishing the day strong. Facing a bet of 4,200 on an {8-Clubs}

flop, he wasted no time in pushing all in for around 25-30,000 more. After a wait that made a visit to the dentist's office look swift, his opponent eventually made the fold, emphasizing his reflectance in the process and mumbling something about a flush draw.

Tags: Daniel Mangas

12-09-2008 20:59 UTC+1

Possible Chip Leader

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Following the double whammy of Otto Richard, it looks like Frenchman Ludovic Lacay may well be your end of day chip leader with 75,000.

12-09-2008 21:06 UTC+1

That's A Wrap

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With ten minutes left in the level, the last four hands of the night were declared by TD Steve Frezer and everyone, including the press, were hastily ushered out of the area. Play has now finished for the night, but tomorrow will see many more superstars entering the fray. Those expected to play include EPT Budapest Champion Will Fry, be-hatted Frenchman Nicolas Levi, the diminutive scarf-wearing Italian Dario Minieri, as well as William Thorson, and the winner of the WSOP Main Event, Peter Eastgate. Rejoin us tomorrow at 12pm local time when these players, amongst others, will do battle!

€5,250 Championship Main Event

Day 1a Completed