Vilamoura Championship Main Event Day 1b | 2009 PokerStars.com EPT Vilamoura

11-18-2009 14:14 UTC

Break Time

[user46392]

We are exactly one quarter of the way through Day 1b, and all our runners deserve 15 minutes of milling, smoking and/or queuing for the gents'.

11-18-2009 14:22 UTC

Just before the break...

First into the pot from middle position, Dario Minieri opened with a raise to 1,050. On the button, Allan Baekke re-raised to 2,200, and Minieri called.

The flop came out {2-Diamonds}

, and fireworks ensued. Minieri led out into the pot with a bet of 2,250. Baekke raised to 7,400, and Minieri came right back with a re-raise to 17,750. That move took Baekke aback.

"Wow," he said with a big sigh. "I'm not sure I can get away from this hand against you, Dario... I'm all in." With that, Baekke slid his remaing stack into the middle, 22,175 on top of Minieri's raise.

Now it was Dario's turn in the tank. After several minutes of gear turning, he too started talking. "Will you show me if I fold?" Baekke shrugged and said, "Probably not."

"Even just one?" pleaded Dario, flashing puppy-dog eyes. "I can't give you all the information," responded Baekke.

The entire hand had taken at least eight or ten minutes by now, and the tournament clock was ticking down to the break. "I'm sorry, but I need the break," said Baekke. "I have to call the clock. I'm sorry."

Dario understood. "No, you're right." The floor man was just about to give the ten-second countdown when Minieri quietly said, "Okay, I fold."

With that, Baekke took down the big pot, and the table headed off to break. Don't worry about Dario. He's had a fine start to his day, and he still has 46,825 chips to work with after the first two hours.

Tags: Allan Baekke Dario Minieri

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 0

11-18-2009 14:28 UTC

Back in Action

[user66118]

Level 3 is underway.

11-18-2009 14:30 UTC

Darkness Falls

[user66118]

The lights have gone out in the tournament room... Uh oh. Hold everything.

Oh wait, the emergency lights are on now. And the internet is still working, it seems.

Play balls, ladies and gentlemen.

11-18-2009 14:42 UTC

Shut it Down

[user66118]

Registration is now closed for the event.

The big board shows us that 186 players came out to play today, an increase of 50 players over yesterday's flight. That means the two Day 1s combined have assembled a field of 322 runners.

We should have a full prizepool available shortly.

11-18-2009 14:51 UTC

Marco?

[user66118]

Action for this hand folded around to the cutoff seat where Aristidas Couto limped in for 200. Andy Black did the same from the button, but the small blind wanted to play for more. Marco Della Tommasina raised it up to 1,100, and the action wasn't done yet. In the big blind, Amadeu Lima De Carvalho made a re-raise to 6,200, and Couto quickly called. Andy Black gave a long speech before folding, and action came back to the original raiser. After about a minute of thought, Della Tommasina moved all in for 29,800. De Carvalho quickly called all in, and Couto did the same! With both of them all in against Tommasina, the cards were turned up:

Showdown
Couto: {Q-Clubs}

Della Tommasina: {A-Clubs}

De Carvalho: {A-Spades}

The board would run out thusly: {J-Diamonds}

. Della Tommasina's aces hold, and he's notched a big double elimination on just his third hand of the day. He's up over 75,000 now, and he appears to have the biggest stack in the room.

Welcome to the tournament, Marco.

Tags: Amadeu Lima De Carvalho Aristidas Couto Marco Della Tommasina

11-18-2009 15:04 UTC

No Stress for Strassmann

[user46392]

While everyone was going all in over on Andy Black's table, on the other side of the room Johannes Strassmann raised from the cutoff. On the button, 2008 EPT Warsaw winner Michael Schulze reraised to 1,200. Over to Pontus Kers in the small blind - and he re-popped to 3,100.

Strassmann thought about it for a moment, and then made it 10,100 total. Schulze got out of the way, but Kers paused for a while and then made it another 6,100 to go. Strassmann moved all in to cover, looking suspiciously relaxed, and Kers disappeared into the tank for some time. He stacked and re-stacked his chips, scratching his head uncomfortably. Eventually he shook his head and folded.

"Show the bluff, show the bluff!" said tablemate Marcin Horecki, clearly enjoying the show. Strassmann grinned broadly but showed nothing at all by way of cards. He's up to 55,000.

Tags: Johannes Strassmann

11-18-2009 15:16 UTC

Eastgate Gives Up

[user66118]

We joined a hand in progress over on the Table of Imminent Doom. On the turn, the board showed {2-Hearts}

, and there was about 7,000 in the pot already. Dario Minieri was first to act, and he bet out 4,650. Peter Eastgate was his only foe fighting for this pot, and he didn't waste much time calling.

The river brought the {6-Hearts}

. Minieri asked Eastgate how much he had left, and the Nordic pro moved his hands out of the way to show his ~11,000 remaining chips. Minieri then checked. Eastgate considered a move, but he eventually checked behind. And he wishes he hadn't. Minieri tabled {Q-Hearts}

for bottom pair, and Eastgate mucked his hand. He leaned back in his chair and let out a big, "Ohhhhhh, shit," after giving up on what he later said was king-high.

Eastgate is left with those 11,000 chips, while Minieri has moved back up over 50,000.

Tags: Dario Minieri Peter Eastgate

Level: 4

Blinds: 150/300

Ante: 0