Main Event Day 1b | 2010 EPT Deauville

01-21-2010 15:43 UTC+2

ElkY Update

[user46392]

Of course, all this poker is just a distraction from the real question that's on everybody's lips - what has ElkY done with his hair today?

Well, the answer is... Well, actually there isn't much of it left.

The newly-sheared Team PokerStars Pro was involved in a pot when we wandered by. The board read {8-Spades}

and ElkY was betting out 1,250 form the small blind position. Sylvain Calmelet on the button called, and they saw a {7-Clubs}

river. ElkY now bet out 4,325, and Calmelet calmly folded.

ElkY's on around 35,000.

Tags: ELkY

01-21-2010 15:24 UTC+2

Gorodetskiy Going Down

[user46392]

Editor of PokerNews UK & Europe magazine Ilya Gorodetskiy was grinning wildly in the way that only a man who's just lost half his stack can.

Turns out that most of the damage was done when another player limped in and then called a raise from Gorodetskiy, who was holding {A-Hearts}

. They saw a {9-Hearts}

flop and Mr. Other Player bet out 575. Gorodetskiy made it 1,600, Mr. Other made it 3,200, and Gorodetskiy called.

The turn was an {8-?}

and not a heart and Gorodetskiy called a 3,475 bet from Mr. Other who then immediately checked blind. The river was another unhelpful {8-?}

, also not a heart, and Gorodetskiy checked behind. Mr. Other turned over {10-?}

offsuit, and took the pot.

Following another unhappy incident involving a flush-over-flush scenario, Gorodetskiy is down to 14,000.

Tags: Ilya Gorodetskiy

01-21-2010 15:12 UTC+2

Sweet Eames Are Made of These

[user46392]

Another table boasting a high concentration of recognizable faces is Table 22 - Joe Beevers, Nicolas Levi and young British up-and-comer John Eames are all seated there.

Up-and-comer John Eames was actually headed in the direction of down when we strolled by the table, though.

He raised in early position and picked up calls from Alain Fourmann and Jose Demeyre in the big blind to see a {J-Clubs}

flop which they all checked.

The turn was the {4-Hearts}

and Eames now bet 500. Fourmann called, Demeyre passed, and they saw a {6-Clubs}

river, which both checked again. Fourmann turned over {A-Spades}

for top pair, and Eames mucked his hand.

Tags: John Eames

01-21-2010 15:09 UTC+2

Luca Looking Good

[user140525]

PokerStars Team Pro Luca Pagano is showing strength early despite being seated at a relatively tough table with Fabrice Soulier and Melanie Weisner. [Removed:247], sitting on Luca's left, dared to tangle with him in a big hand.

Board: {10-Diamonds}

Pagano bet 5,200 into the sizable pot, and [Removed:250] quickly called. Pagano showed {5-Diamonds}

for 5s full, good enough to pad his stack nicely. Luca is already over 55,000.

01-21-2010 14:52 UTC+2

FFD!

[user66118]

Deeb is here! No, not that one. Shaun is apparently holding fast to his resolution to give up tournament poker for the time being.

But, surprisingly, Freddy Deeb's face has been spotted in the field. Maybe it's not a surprise after all, though; Deeb was here last year too, and he managed to make a small cash for his 52nd-place showing. Deeb's best-ever EPT performance came at the Grand Final in 2008 where he took 30th place for €42,100. He would sure love to add an EPT trophy to his mantle that already boasts a pair of WSOP bracelets and pair of WPT titles.

Tags: Freddy Deeb

Level: 2

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

01-21-2010 14:43 UTC+2

Donating to Donev

[user46392]

Players are admittedly still tricking in, but the table that currently has the highest concentration of recognizable faces is Table 18, currently featuring Tristan Clemencon, Greg Raymer and Ivo Donev.

Strolling by their environs, we were lucky enough to witness a fairly sizeable pot for Level 1.

Raymer raised from the cutoff and Donev made the call from the big blind to see a {5-Clubs}

flop. Donev bet out and Raymer flatted, and they proceeded to the {8-Clubs}

turn, which they both checked.

The river was the {4-Clubs}

and Donev bet out 500. Raymer raised to 1,800 and Donev quickly called, flipping over {10-Clubs}

. Raymer could only boast {A-Hearts}

for a busted flush draw, and dipped to around 25,000. Donev clambers to around 34,000.

Tags: Greg Raymer Ivo Donev

01-21-2010 14:18 UTC+2

Leisurely Level

[user140525]

With action slow and blinds small this level, many of the players are taking their time settling in for the day. Some are milling around chatting with each other between hands. The sponsored players are busy getting branded with various patches. ElKy only saw a few hands before leaving the tournament room for a few on-camera interviews. And despite sitting down to play only half an hour ago, Antony Lellouche took a break to pick up a sandwich at the lobby bar.

Still, action is never quite slow enough for everyone to survive a whole level. The first of many "seat open" calls was just sounded.

Tags: Antony Lellouche Bertrand Grospellier

01-21-2010 14:12 UTC+2

Eu-Ro-Peans! Eu-Ro-Peans!

[user46392]

Completely obliterating the Americans today, in numbers at least, are the stars of Europoker.

Representing the UK, we have Ms. Vicky Coren and Messrs. Praz Bansi, Joe Beevers and Martins Adeniya.

For the Netherlands, we have the legendary Rob Hollink, Michiel Brummelhuis and Team PokerStars Pro Joep van den Bijgaart.

Representing Scandinavia, Messrs. Juha Helppi, Ramzi Jelassi and Stephan Kjerstad are all in attendance.

Portugal has the affable Ricardo Sousa and EPT Warsaw winner Joao Barbosa.

And let's not forget the home country! France has outdone itself, and today is represented at the felt by an absolute bunch of impressive names. Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier is here, as are French Poker Awards winners Ludovic Lacay and Julien Brecard. Young up-and-comer Tristan Clemencon is here, as are (Belgian, and therefore almost French!) WSOP bracelet winner Davidi Kitai and veterans Manuel Bevand and Pascal Perrault.

All in all, this is a very impressive field. Today's going to be fun.

01-21-2010 13:56 UTC+2

USA! USA!

[user66118]

We've got a few Americans kicking around the field today so far.

The aforementioned Greg Raymer is representing his home country for the Team PokerStars Pros. We've also spotted Jon "FatalError" Aguiar, Melanie "Callisto 5" Weisner, and Shane "Shaniac" Schleger.

We're still on the hunt, but it's nice to see at least a few Americans have made the trip across the pond.