€5,000 EPT Kyiv Main Event Day 1a | 2009 PokerStars.net EPT Kyiv

08-18-2009 12:35 UTC+2

You Say Kiev, I say Kyiv

There is a bit of debate here about the correct spelling of the city we're in, the capital city of the Ukraine. Up until 2006, it was commonly spelled K-i-e-v. About half of the population of Ukraine is Russian in origin, so the Russian spelling of Kiev was generally accepted. In 2006, though, the political climate dictated a near-universal change as the Ukrainian government tried to escape the shadow of the former Soviet Union. A number of the world's governments shifted over to the K-y-i-v spelling to mark the transition, using that spelling in all official documents.

Politics aside, we'll be calling it Kyiv for the rest of the tournament.

Level: 2

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

08-18-2009 12:58 UTC+2

A Couple More

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We've found Raoul Refos in the mix of players out there, so add him to your list of notables. And just as we made the walk back to the media room, Alex Fitzgerald also took his seat at Table 10.

On the flip side, it appears that Demidov and Gerasmiova are going to try flight two tomorrow instead, though they're both mulling around the tournament room looking like they're ready to play.

08-18-2009 13:04 UTC+2

Evdakov Chips Up

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There were four players -- and about 3,600 in the middle -- when the flop came {5-Hearts}

. An early position player checked, then Nikolay Evdakov pushed out a pink (1,000) and purple chip (500) for a less-than-half-pot bet. An opponent in the cutoff looked Evdakov over, then raised to 4,500, causing the other two to fold.

The action back on Evdakov, he wasted little time grabbing two yellow (5,000) chips to reraise to 10,000. His opponent thought for about a minute, then let it go.

Evkadov is up to 45,000.

Tags: Nikolay Evdakov

08-18-2009 13:05 UTC+2

Fitzgerald Finds Out

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Alex Fitzgerald didn't waste any time getting comfortable at the table, jumping right in to the first few hands he played. In his most recent tangle, a player in early position opened with a raise to 375, and both Fitzgerald and the big blind came along to the flop.

It showed up {K-Hearts}

, and all three men checked. When the turn card brought the {2-Spades}

, the big blind elected to lead out with a bet of 625. The raiser ducked out, but Fitzgerald quickly flicked in the calling chips. The river revealed the {8-Hearts}

, and the big blind fired again, 1,500 this time. Without any pause, Fitzgerald called again, and his opponent instantly mucked his hand. Alex turned over {A-Spades}

to win the pot, chipping his way up to 34,000 here in the early stages of his day.

Tags: Alex Fitzgerald

08-18-2009 13:20 UTC+2

Falaschi Flops Flush

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Preflop action between two players -- one in the big blind and Luca Falaschi on the button -- had created a pot of about 1,000 when the flop came a provocative {10-Clubs}

. The big blind bet 1,000, then Falaschi raised to 3,100. The big blind then reraised to 6,200, prompting Falaschi to push all in for a total of 24,550.

Falaschi's opponent thought for a couple of minutes, then made the call, leaving himself about 15,000 behind. He turned over {A-Clubs}

for the overpair and nut flush draw. Falaschi tabled {K-Clubs}

-- he'd flopped the flush, and even had a straight flush draw to take away one of his opponent's possible outs.

The turn was the {10-Diamonds}

, giving Falaschi's opponent other ways to take the hand away. But the river was the {5-Hearts}

, and a relieved Falaschi pumped both fists. He now enjoys a stack of just over 49,000.

Tags: Luca Falaschi

08-18-2009 13:30 UTC+2

Refos Retreats

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With the board showing {9-Diamonds}

, Raoul Refos checked from the cutoff and his opponent sitting to his left on the button bet 600. Refos quickly called, then checked in the dark before the turn brought the {3-Spades}