EPT Polish Open Main Event Day 1b | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT Warsaw

11-16-2008 21:24 UTC+1

Recent Eliminations

High-stakes PLO aficionado Markus Golser, WSOP-E bracelet winner Theo Jorgensen, and controversial online poker figure Josh "JJProdigy' Field have all recently exited the building.

11-16-2008 21:22 UTC+1

When we last checked in with young Dario Minieri, he had just eliminated Ramzi Jelassi and had taken his micro stack up to a more workable 7,500. Twenty minutes and six flights of up-and-down the stairs from the media room to the casino floor later, the scarf-loving Italian was sitting on a rather hefty stack of 34,000.

Dario's first leap in chip count came when he landed on the good end of a coinflip, his {A-?}

flopping top pair against his opponent's {9-?}

. One more double-up and a few small pots later, he's good for second in chips, behind Roland de Wolfe, who has ground his stack up past 40,000-- all while enjoying a massage that has now past the six-hour mark.

Tags: Dario Minieri Roland de Wolfe

11-16-2008 21:13 UTC+1

Germany vs. Sweden

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On a flop of {9-Hearts}

, the big blind checked, Sebastian Ruthenberg bet 1,100, William Thorson called and the big blind folded. The turn brought the {10-Hearts}

, which both players quickly checked, and on the {Q-Clubs}

river, Ruthenberg fired out an additional 4,200. Thorson tanked for a short time before dribbling in a call and saw the bad news when Ruthenberg rolled over {9-Clubs}

for a set.

Ruthenberg is now on 23,000 while Thorson dips to 8,500.

Tags: Sebastian Ruthenberg William Thorson

11-16-2008 21:02 UTC+1

The Ups, Downs, and Ups of Nicolas Levi

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As I count the stack of the be-trilby'd one, he announces to me, "A ton." He looks down and counts his chips before qualifying his statement: "A small ton." The small 'ton' is in fact a below average, yet still manageable, 13,000.

I wander off for a moment and come back to find Levi doubling up an opponent, his {Q-Hearts}

no good against the opponent's {3-Clubs}

after the board came out {2-Clubs}

. "Not a ton any more," says Levi sadly, examining his remaining 6,000 in chips. "But plenty."

And in fact, he got his 'plenty' chips across the line in the very next hand, shoving from the button to an under the gun raise from Jonas Molander.

Molander: {A-Hearts}

Levi:

Board: an exciting-on-the-turn but ultimately surprise-free {6-Spades}

Levi doubles back up to a ton (13,000 in the usual terminology).

Tags: Jonas Molander Nicolas Levi

11-16-2008 20:54 UTC+1

Ruthenberg Rues His Aces

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Sebastian Ruthenberg has had to pack up move out of his penthouse -- he's down to 13,500 after doubling up an opponent at some point before or along a {Q-?}

board.

Ruthenberg: {A-Spades}

The lucky doubler-upper: {Q-?}

Tags: Sebastian Ruthenberg

Level: 6

Blinds: 150/300

Ante: 25

11-16-2008 20:42 UTC+1

Hot in Herre

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The Casino Poland Warsawza has quite an expansive poker area-- twenty some-odd tables with a few cash games running at the moment. Most of those tables are spread out on the main gaming floor. The ones being used for this tournament, however, are all packed into a tight back corner of the room for reasons passing understanding. The temperature in said corner is rising by the minute, despite a couple of portable air conditioners attempting to cool the area down.

It may be 39 degrees outside, but in here, players and media folks alike are rolling up their sleeves and chugging down water like it's Vegas in July.

11-16-2008 20:36 UTC+1

Assorted Chip Counts

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Penthouse:

Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier 45,000
Roland de Wolfe 37,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg 31,000

Outhouse:

Dario Minieri 7,000
Michael Martin OUT
Markus Golser OUT

11-16-2008 20:29 UTC+1

Minieri Doubles Through Jelassi; Jelassi Can't Recover

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The Wall Of Media materialized almost instantly and formed a solid barrier around Table Minieri/Jelassi as the table's namesakes clashed, Dario Minieri all in for his tournament life with his {K-Clubs}

dominating Ramzi Jelassi's {Q-Clubs}

. A hairy flop and turn for Minieri:

Flop: {7-Clubs}

Minieri: "Wow."
Jelassi: "Sorry, Dario."

Turn: {3-Clubs}

Whistling noises from the Wall Of Media.

River: an absolute blank in the shape of the {4-Spades}

.

Minieri doubled up to around 7,500; Jelassi meanwhile was down to a similarly sized 7,000 stack. Indeed Jelassi couldn't make a comeback and got his chips in with {10-?}

against an opponent's {A-?}

on a jack-high board a few hands later. Out he goes.

Tags: Dario Minieri Ramzi Jelassi

11-16-2008 20:22 UTC+1

Who's Afraid of De Wolfe?

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Roland De Wolfe has knocked out an opponent who pushed from the big blind. De Wolfe, who'd either limped or raised small in early position, called the 3,500 push, and the coinflip situation turned into a pleasing win for De Wolfe as blank after blank on the board sent the hapless pusher to the rail.

De Wolfe: {5-Clubs}