€5,300 EPT San Remo Main Event
Day 1b Completed
Day 1b Completed
That's Eight More Hours Under the San Remo Belt
Here we are again at the end of Day 1 of the 2009 PokerStars.it European Poker Tour San Remo event. Today we started play with an even 600 players which, combined with yesterday's 578, makes the total field for this event 1,178 players. Bravissimo!
The pros were scattered throughout the three tournament rooms today. Most of them didn't survive the night. Evelyn Ng was out earliest, but was soon followed by Markus Golser, Johnny Lodden, Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies, Patrik Antonius, Dario Minieri, WSOP Main Event champion Peter Eastgate and a host of others. If you busted on Day 1b, you're in some good company.
Yet for almost every player that busted, there was a player that made it through to Day 2. We scoured the field at the end of the night to make sure we didn't miss any big stacks. We came up with Vincenzo Spinelli as the biggest stack in the field at 75,000, trailed closely by Ljubomir Josipovic and Dan Murariu. Of course, given what happened yesterday, there will probably be a player who amasses the biggest stack in the field by far on the very last hand of the night and then we'll look like jerks for not noting that player in this post or in the counts. Life is just that way sometimes.
With that caveat, we are going to claim the unofficial Day 1b overnight chip leader to be Vincenzo Spinelli. Just don't hold us to that if it turns out to be wrong.
The big board lists 263 players still in today's field. That means that when the field combines for the first time tomorrow, 478 players (minus any last-minute eliminations from tonight) will assemble at 2pm local time to play another full day of poker. Expect roughly 175 of them to not have any chips at the end of the night.
PokerNews is here for the duration to bring you live updates from the San Remo Municipal Casino. We'll see you tomorrow. Until then, you can find us at the bar.
The pros were scattered throughout the three tournament rooms today. Most of them didn't survive the night. Evelyn Ng was out earliest, but was soon followed by Markus Golser, Johnny Lodden, Ilari "Ziigmund" Sahamies, Patrik Antonius, Dario Minieri, WSOP Main Event champion Peter Eastgate and a host of others. If you busted on Day 1b, you're in some good company.
Yet for almost every player that busted, there was a player that made it through to Day 2. We scoured the field at the end of the night to make sure we didn't miss any big stacks. We came up with Vincenzo Spinelli as the biggest stack in the field at 75,000, trailed closely by Ljubomir Josipovic and Dan Murariu. Of course, given what happened yesterday, there will probably be a player who amasses the biggest stack in the field by far on the very last hand of the night and then we'll look like jerks for not noting that player in this post or in the counts. Life is just that way sometimes.
With that caveat, we are going to claim the unofficial Day 1b overnight chip leader to be Vincenzo Spinelli. Just don't hold us to that if it turns out to be wrong.
The big board lists 263 players still in today's field. That means that when the field combines for the first time tomorrow, 478 players (minus any last-minute eliminations from tonight) will assemble at 2pm local time to play another full day of poker. Expect roughly 175 of them to not have any chips at the end of the night.
PokerNews is here for the duration to bring you live updates from the San Remo Municipal Casino. We'll see you tomorrow. Until then, you can find us at the bar.
Ashby Grinds His Way to Day 2
As play comes to a close and the chips are bagged up, one of the shortest stacks that will be making it back for Day 2 tomorrow must be Richard "Chufty" Ashby, who, after grinding a 2-3,000 micro-stack all day, has finished up with a similar 3,100.
Last-Minute Pagano All In Action
A close call for Pagano in one of the last hands of the day.
There was a raise under the gun and a call in mid position. Pagano, on the cutoff, shoved for around 9,000, elicitng a fairly swift fold from the original raiser. The mid-position caller, however, thought about it for a while before making an "oh well, the day's nearly over" face and called. And as it happened, he was dominating.
Pagano:
Mr Mid Position:
Board:
Pagano clapped as the king came down and chanced just a glimmer of a smile, but still looked as though he might throw up until the river was good and dealt -- his double up assured. As he raked the chips in, his icy cool composure quickly returned.
There was a raise under the gun and a call in mid position. Pagano, on the cutoff, shoved for around 9,000, elicitng a fairly swift fold from the original raiser. The mid-position caller, however, thought about it for a while before making an "oh well, the day's nearly over" face and called. And as it happened, he was dominating.
Pagano:
Mr Mid Position:
Board:
Pagano clapped as the king came down and chanced just a glimmer of a smile, but still looked as though he might throw up until the river was good and dealt -- his double up assured. As he raked the chips in, his icy cool composure quickly returned.
Who is LarsLuzak?
During the last break, Glo caught up with Sami Kelopuro (much better known as LarsLuzak) for a quick getting-to-know-you session.
A Late "Oops" for Veldhuis
Lex Veldhuis was obviously making a move when he reraised over an open-raise by a moderately short stack. Unfortunately for Veldhuis, his opponent responded by moving all in. It was only 6,600 back to Veldhuis, with a significant amount in the pot already. He sighed and called with 
and found himself up against 
. Veldhuis made a pair on a flop of 
, but never improved from there. He slipped to 25,000 in chips.
and found himself up against . Veldhuis made a pair on a flop of , but never improved from there. He slipped to 25,000 in chips.Micro Martin Double Up
Those more fortunate than the Italian pirate include reigning EPT London champion Michael Martin.
A player raised from the hijack and Martin pushed from the small blind. A call, and a coinflip for his tournament life.
Martin: 
Hijack: 
Board:
Martin doubles up to a still shaky 9,000 or so, but stays in the game.
A player raised from the hijack and Martin pushed from the small blind. A call, and a coinflip for his tournament life.
Martin:
Hijack:
Board:
Martin doubles up to a still shaky 9,000 or so, but stays in the game.
Arrr! Pirate Overboard
Max Pescatori is one of our late casualties, busto on a classic coinflip.
All in pre with
against pocket queens, there was cause for piratey rejoicing when a king came on the flop -- but a queen came on the river, and Pescatori walked the tournament plank.
All in pre with
against pocket queens, there was cause for piratey rejoicing when a king came on the flop -- but a queen came on the river, and Pescatori walked the tournament plank.Close Now
They're breaking out the chip bags. We're almost to the end of the night. In another five minutes or so, the tournament staff will suspend play and call for a set number of hands to end the night.
A Setback for Luske
Ah, those pesky limped pots. Marcel Luske, sitting in the small blind, was just part of one that was limped four ways. All players checked the 
flop. Luske was first to act when the hit the turn and made it 1,500 to go. All three of his opponents called. The 
that hit the river was a seeming blank, so Luske went ahead and fired again for 2,000. The big blind called before an early-position player raised to 10,050.
Luske was the only one who wanted a piece of that raise. He called, then smiled and shook his head sadly when his opponent turned over
for a turned full house, jacks full of sixes. Luske flashed the 
before mucking. His stack dipped down to 23,000.
flop. Luske was first to act when the hit the turn and made it 1,500 to go. All three of his opponents called. The that hit the river was a seeming blank, so Luske went ahead and fired again for 2,000. The big blind called before an early-position player raised to 10,050. Luske was the only one who wanted a piece of that raise. He called, then smiled and shook his head sadly when his opponent turned over
for a turned full house, jacks full of sixes. Luske flashed the before mucking. His stack dipped down to 23,000.