2010 EPT Berlin Main Event Day 1b | 2010 PokerStars.net EPT Berlin

03-03-2010 11:06 UTC+2

Warming Up for Day 1b

donpeters

With Day 1a in the books and 196 players from the 388 that began moving on, it's onto Day 1b here at the 2010 PokerStars.net EPT Berlin.

The ballroom at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Berlin was packed full of players from Germany to the United States and elsewhere. Team PokerStars Pro was in full effect, but you can expect to see even more of them out on the floor today. Some of those planning to play today are Noah Boeken, Lex Veldhuis, Marcel Luske and Chad Brown. Boris Becker will also be on hand as will last year's EPT Dortmund champion Sandra Naujoks.

With even more runners expected in the field today, you can bet that this event will become the largest poker tournament ever held in Germany by a landslide. And with €1 million guaranteed for first place, everyone involved will be on the edge of their seats.

Play wil begin at 12:00 p.m. CET and PokerNews will have all the live coverage from the floor. In the mean time, check out the video from the PokerStars opening party on Monday night. This is just one of the reasons why you need to start making your way to the EPT!

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

03-03-2010 13:15 UTC+2

Shuffle Up and Deal!

donpeters

The cards are in the air for Day 1b.

03-03-2010 13:51 UTC+2

Room of Death

[user140525]

The last group of players to register often end up at the same table. And many of the tour's seasoned pros like to wait until the last minute to register. That can result in some seriously tough table draws. Usually those starting tables aren't a big deal since they're the first to break, but with so many alternates waiting for a seat today, it could be awhile before any tables break. Three new tables were just added in a small room down the hall from the main tournament area. It's crammed with some of the biggest names on the roster.

One table looks more like a Team PokerStars Pro sit-n-go than an open tournament. With Johannes Strassmann, Johnny Lodden, and Noah Boeken, a third of the table is sporting Team Pro patches. Another Team Pro, Marcel Luske is one table over.

The last table to be set up was playing four-handed when we last checked. Bruno Fitoussi, Sandra Naujoks, and Melanie Weisner were playing with one unknown tablemate. Weisner just arrived from LA this morning after deciding to play less than 24 hours ago. "It'll be a great story if I win," she said.

03-03-2010 14:00 UTC+2

Where Were You Yesterday?

[user46392]

We have honestly no idea what the final numbers will be for today, but they will very, very definitely be over the official daily cap of 500. Every available surface on which one could conceivably play poker is currently being utilized for that purpose, and we overheard an unprecedented-in-the-EPT announcement in the hallway:

"Alternates over number 50, we are not going to be able to seat you. We have never lost 50 players in the first two levels of an EPT. Sorry."

Those unhappy late alternates are going to be kicking themselves that they didn't turn up yesterday when we had room to spare. It's just not like the EPT to turn people away; they're usually so welcoming to anyone who's got the buy-in. This must be serious.

03-03-2010 14:15 UTC+2

Almost Out of Time

donpeters

After a player raised up the action, Mike "Timex" McDonald reraised from middle position. The player on the button was [Removed:13] and he four-bet. The original raiser folded and then McDonald made the call.

There was 14,150 chips in the pot and the flop came down {J-Spades}

. McDonald checked and Guiglini checked behind.

The turn was the {10-Spades}

and McDonald fired 8,525. Guiglini moved all in for about 20,000 more. McDonald tanked for about a half of a minute and then made the call with the {K-Clubs}

. Guiglini turned a flush with the {9-Spades}

.

The river was the {6-Hearts}

and Guiglini was shipped the pot. McDonald was left with just 4,600 after the hand. It is still early though and McDonald still has 46 big blinds in his stack.

Tags: "Timex"Mike McDonald

03-03-2010 14:18 UTC+2

Short Stack Grindage Already for Spindler

[user46392]

We arrived just at the tail end of the hand, but there had clearly already been some very serious action, as there was already around 20,000 in the pot already. The board read {8-Clubs}

and there was an 8,000 bet or raise in front of Benny "Emo" Spindler's opponent.

Spindler considered his actions for a long time, and eventually decided to make the call. He pushed his 8,000 across the line, but when his opponent turned over {A-Hearts}

for trips, he quietly mucked his hand and was left with 10,000 - just a third of his starting stack, and it's only level 1.

Furthermore his opponent demanded to see Spindler's mucked cards. The floor had to be called over to explain to the gentleman that SPindler was entitled to muck. Yikes.

Tags: Benny Spindler

Level: 2

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

03-03-2010 14:31 UTC+2

Getting Kruel on Collopy

donpeters

On the flop of {A-Diamonds}

, one player checked to Jim Collopy. He fired 1,275 and Christian Kruel made the call. The other player folded.

The turn brought the {5-Clubs}

and Collopy checked. Kruel fired 1,800 and Collopy made the call.

The river completed the board with the {5-Spades}

and Collopy checked again. Kruel fired 3,000 and Collopy folded, dropping to 27,000. Kruel increased to 42,000.

Tags: Christian Kruel Jim Collopy

03-03-2010 14:42 UTC+2

Veldhuis Movin' Up

donpeters

On the flop of {Q-Diamonds}

, a player acting from middle position fired 500 into Lex Veldhuis who had the button. Veldhuis made the call, bringing the two players to the turn of the {6-Hearts}

. After his opponent fired 600, Veldhuis called. The river was the {4-Clubs}

and action was checked to Veldhuis. He fired 1,775 and won the pot after his opponent folded.

The Dutch member of Team PokerStars Pro is up to 39,000.

Tags: Lex Veldhuis