We're not sure exactly what happened, but as we strolled by their table we noticed that Antoine Saout and Luca Pagano, previously on roughly equal stacks, had veered off in totally opposite directions - Pagano was up to 175,000, while Saout was down to just 5,400.
5,400 comprises fewer than three big blinds right now, and sure enough he pushed within seconds of our arrival. He got one call, but both he and his opponent held raggy aces and they chopped it up.
A couple hands later Kevin MacPhee opened to 5,500 and Saout pushed again, this time for 8,000. Hugo Lemaire called on the button, as did MacPhee, and they checked down the board. Saout turned over pocket and neither player could beat it - they both mucked, while Saout is back in with a shot on 28,000 or so.
In the one hand that took place between the two where Antoine Saout shoved, Kevin MacPhee took a nasty hit.
He opened to 5,500 and got a call from Andreas Berggren on the button. We must confess that we missed the action on the flop as something that looked interesting was going on on the next table, but when we returned on the , some more chips had made their way into the middle and MacPhee was betting out 19,500. Berggren called.
The river was the and this time MacPhee checked. Berggren bet 27,000 and MacPhee instantly announced, "Call."
"You have ace-king?" asked Berggren, but MacPhee flipped pocket , which had been outdrawn by Berggren's . MacPhee shook his head and dropped to 120,000; Berggren raked in the large pot and moved up to 290,000.
OK, the title is a little misleading but Melanie Weisner and Liviu Ignat have just been in a hand that took almost 10 minutes to complete, despite the fact it never got past the turn!
Weisner opened on the button with a raise to 5,600 and Ignat considered his options for at least 90 seconds before making a raise to 14,600. Another minute and a half thinking time and Weisner called.
Flop: - Ignat sat riffling his chips for a minute or so before betting 13,600, sending Weisner into the tank. She was staring at her opponent intensely, hoping to get some sort of read, eventually making the call.
Turn: - Again, the methodical Ignat sat for more than two minutes, with Weisner still staring at him through her hair, before betting exactly 30,000 chips. At this point the Pink Panther music sounded indicating it was the end of level 13. Most of the table left for a break, meaning they missed the pretty black and purple pattern created by Weisner's chip riffling. They also missed the four minutes of sitting there waiting for her to act. Eventually she did act, she folded.
"Come on! Show me one time!" pleaded Weisner.
"You can choose one," offered Ignat, at which point Weisner flipped a single card over to reveal the
"Nice hand," she said before asking literally dozens of questions regarding Ignat's hand strength. If only she played as fast as she talked!
Spanish Pro Francisco Torres had just doubled up through Dominique Franchi after a raising war preflop ended with Torres all in.
Torres:
Franchi:
The flop gave Torres a set but the on the turn gave his opponent outs to the diamond flush. However, they failed to materialise as the river came down to double up the Spaniard and give hime some much needed breathing room.
Toby Lewis raised under the gun and found himself facing a three-bet from Paul Knebel. Lewis went all in, Knebel called all in, and they were on their backs.
Lewis:
Knebel:
Board:
A nice spot for Knebel - he doubled up to 150,000. Lewis on the other hand was left with just 20,000.
Two hands later and Melanie Weisner raised to 6,900 in mid position. Lewis shoved from the small blind, and Weisner called - as you do with this sort of hand.
Weisner:
Lewis: somewhat behind with
Board:
Yes, that's right - Lewis made a straight to win the pot and double up. It was a real privilege to witness some of that Toby Lewis run-good at close quarters, and although he is still rather short on 45,000, it would be a mistake to rule out the EPT Vilamoura champion just yet.
Play has slowed down dramatically during this level but the number of players with chip stacks still in tact is gradually falling. The screens around the tournament area show there are 117 players left, with only 80 of those being paid.
The plan is to play another 75 minute level and then call it a night. Combined with the half hour still left of this level, that means there is around 1.75 hours of play today, will we burst the money bubble?
board. Saout turned over pocket 
and neither player could beat it - they both mucked, while Saout is back in with a shot on 28,000 or so.
flop as something that looked interesting was going on on the next table, but when we returned on the 
, some more chips had made their way into the middle and MacPhee was betting out 19,500. Berggren called.
and this time MacPhee checked. Berggren bet 27,000 and MacPhee instantly announced, "Call."
, which had been outdrawn by Berggren's 
. MacPhee shook his head and dropped to 120,000; Berggren raked in the large pot and moved up to 290,000.
- Ignat sat riffling his chips for a minute or so before betting 13,600, sending Weisner into the tank. She was staring at her opponent intensely, hoping to get some sort of read, eventually making the call.
- Again, the methodical Ignat sat for more than two minutes, with Weisner still staring at him through her hair, before betting exactly 30,000 chips. At this point the Pink Panther music sounded indicating it was the end of level 13. Most of the table left for a break, meaning they missed the pretty black and purple pattern created by Weisner's chip riffling. They also missed the four minutes of sitting there waiting for her to act. Eventually she did act, she folded.
flop gave Torres a set but the 
