€10,000 EPT Grand Final Main Event Day 1a | 2009 PokerStars.com EPT Grand Final

04-28-2009 13:12 UTC+2

Minieri Outkicked

30,000 might sound like an almost overly generous starting stack, but the blinds are 50/100 and the players here aren't shy about getting some chips in the middle right from the start. Less shy than most is hotly-supported Italian Dario Minieri, who is here in characteristic sunglasses and scarf, despite the summery conditions.

Just now he was involved in a hand (this happens a lot), threeway, with a flop of {10-Clubs}

. The big blind checked, there was a bet of 1,000 called by Minieri and one other in-position opponent. The turn brought the {6-Hearts}

and three checks. The river {6-Spades}

saw it checked to the in-position player, who bet 2,000. Minieri called, but was shown {A-Diamonds}

and mucked his hand, flipping the {10-Hearts}

for all to see.

Tags: Dario Minieri

04-28-2009 13:13 UTC+2

Hougaard? You Gaard!

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We have not one but two Hougaards here today -- not only the ever-present Jesper, but also his rather lesser-known but possibly equally fearsome at the felt brother Lars. What are the odds they've got themselves a last longer?

Level: 2

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

04-28-2009 13:19 UTC+2

William Reynolds not Shuffling

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Passing William Reynolds' table it was hard not to overhear him telling his table something about a bet that he couldn't keep himself from riffling his chips. "€50 if you catch me shuffling the chips!" he was saying to his bemused table, his hands tensely hovering around his stack. This is the poker player equivalent of not being allowed to scratch a particularly vicious itch, or bite one's fingernails: chip riffling is contagious and unconscious - the whole huge tournament room is humming with the click of people compulsively threading, stacking, and doing tricks with their gaming tokens.

Tags: William Reynolds

04-28-2009 13:34 UTC+2

Minieri Maximizing his Stack

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A nice big pot for a very small Italian.

With the flop reading {8-Diamonds}

, it checked to Dario Minieri, who bet 1,400. A swift call from the gent in the hijack seat a couple places down, and a slower call from the gent in the small blind.

Turn: {6-Clubs}

Again, the small blind checked, and this time Minieri bet 6,000. A swift fold from the hijack, a much slower one from the small blind, but a fold nevertheless. Minieri, whose hat label is sticking out proclaiming the rather optimistic legend "S-M", showed {K-Spades}

.

Tags: Dario Minieri

04-28-2009 13:44 UTC+2

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

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Right at the beginning of the day, Daniel Negreanu spotted one of the waiters floating around the room and shouted, "Cocktails!" While this is well known to mean, "Beverages!" in places like Las Vegas, a few European eyebrows lifted at the idea of one of Pokerstars' flagship players hitting the booze before lunchtime. He ordered water. But rumour has it that he's been taking on an odd prop bet or two - the press room Chinese Whispers say that he's been challenging goalkeeper Pepe Reiner that he can get by 8/10 penalties...

Tags: Daniel Negreanu

04-28-2009 13:44 UTC+2

One Down Already

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Wow, €10,000 really doesn't last very long in Monaco, does it?

The sad demise of Mike Vesia came largely on a board that read {3-Clubs}

when his opponent, Erik Cajelais, turned over {K-Clubs}

to take the sizable pot. "Seat open!" cried the dealer, but tablemate Richard Ashby suggested to her that she perhaps ought to count both players' chips. Indeed, Vesia had change and was called back to the table.

Disgruntled, he open-shoved in early position the next hand and doubled through big blind Ashby who called with {Q-Diamonds}

; Vesia's

stayed good on the {A-Diamonds}

board, and he was up to 1,125.

1,125 isn't much when you started with 30,000 though, and Vesia shoved again the next hand, this time under the gun. It folded around to the gent on the button who called, and announced as they flipped their cards, "You're really in trouble here. I'm sorry, I just picked up this great hand..."

Button: {4-Clubs}

Vesia:

Board:

This time the cry of "Seat open!" was absolutely true, and as Mr. Vesia loses the last of his chips, we lose Mr. Vesia.

Tags: Mike Vesia

04-28-2009 13:50 UTC+2

Overheard at the Tables

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It's an international field downstairs on the tournament floor. French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Dutch and English are just a few of the languages we were able to pick out. Not speaking more than three of those languages makes it difficult to eavesdrop on many of the conversations but this is what we've overheard so far:

"You haven't added me on Facebook, have you?" Jesper Hougaard asked a dealer. "'No, that guy's too ugly. I can't add him.' To be fair, I've got long purple hair and am wearing glasses that say '2009'."

"We're playing straight through today. It's good, you know? I was here two years ago and we played until 2am..."

"You must be a 'City' watcher."
"It help me. It does. It helps me connect the dots a lot of the time."

04-28-2009 13:53 UTC+2

Inaugural WSOPE Winner Right Next Door to Runner Up

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On neighbouring tables sit John Tabatabai and Annette Obrestad, who were last seen in such close poker proximity when heads up on the final table of the £10,000 WSOPE Main Event in 2007. Obrestad won the bracelet, breaking all sorts of records, but Tabatabai has clearly been practising, as this January he just took down the $5,000 Heads Up Championship title at the Aussie Millions. It would be interesting to see them play on the same table once again here in Monte Carlo, but there's a lot of table shuffling which needs to happen before that's likely - won't hold my breath until Day Three.

Tags: Annette Obrestad John Tabatabai

04-28-2009 13:58 UTC+2

Poker Widows

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It's an enduring image in the poker world: the image of the poker player as a grizzled loner, making his lonely way through the world one poker game at a time. Yet in every poker room in the world -- including the tournament floor here in Monte Carlo -- you'll see at least one woman standing by her man. More aptly she's usually sitting behind her man.

It's a phenomenon we've never understood but one we've witnessed time and again. A male poker player's female companion will sit quietly in a chair directly behind him, bored to tears as he plays poker. And we'll admit it -- watching poker is not always exciting stuff. We have the luxury of moving from table to table and following the action, but a poker widow doesn't. She just sits there and reads a book or files her nails or does nothing at all but look bored.

There is one notable exception. Ray Rahme is often shadowed by his lovely wife Teresa. Teresa Rahme is not the typical poker widow. She stays quite alert while Ray plays his poker and seems to really be pulling for him on every hand.

UPDATE: The player who inspired this post busted just before the end of Level 2, presumably to the relief of his companion.