We've re-invented the wheel, solved pi to a billion decimal places, and found the edge of the universe. Yes, it's true, we have our Day 1a registration numbers just eight short hours after registration closed.
Officially, 339 players have joined this opening flight, up more than 10% from last year's number. Tomorrow is anticipated to have a huge turnout, and it's quite possible that we'll break the record for largest-ever tournament in the UK. We'll need 392 runners for Day 1b to break last year's record, and all signs point to yes, as the magic eight ball says.
The board tells us that just 197 of the starters remain as the final break of the night approaches.
First in from the button, Max Heinzelmann open-shipped his last 4,600 into the pot, and the player in the small blind tanked and called after some time to put Heinzelmann at risk.
It was Max's a small favorite over the of his opponent, and the 60-40 was on! Things were all rosy for Heinzelmann on board as the dealer saved his tournament life: .
A pair of fives isn't much, but it's plenty to keep Heinzelmann in the game with just less than 11,000.
The TV cameras were running past us faster than that high-speed freight train and probably with as much expensive equipment across to the Greg Raymer/Arnaud Mattern table where the former was involved in a pot with against but the board had already come out .
"The queens aren't mine," admitted Raymer to the TV crew as he paid off 20,000 to his opponent. The Team PokerStars Pro still has 45,000 remaining though.
"Do you have any idea what happened to Max Heinzelmann?" we asked a member of the German media upon noticing that the unhappy Mr. Heinzelmann was down to just 7,000 or so.
But imagine our surprise when instead of a brief rundown of the hand, we got to witness it on video! The wonders of modern technology. German poker press, we salute you.
The short version, though, is that Benny Spindler got his whole stack in on the turn of a board with for a straight, Heinzelmann holding for a flush draw and gutshot outs to a chop. The river though was a non-diamond , and Spindler doubled to 125,000, leaving Heinzelmann near the felt.
Tommy Vedes had an opponent all in for his last 2,900 holding to the at-risk player's . The gentleman who was all in stood up to sweat his fate as the dealer ran him a friendly flop. When the landed on fourth street, Vedes said, "Sit down, my friend," but the gentleman did not heed his advice. Instead, the on the river drew slow "ooooh" from everyone at the table, Vedes making his Broadway straight to earn the knockout. He's at about 11,000 now.
A minute later, we watched another all in play out between two players we don't recognize. The shorter of the two stacks turned up , all in for about 9,500. His opponent looked him up with , and the at-risk player wished him luck. "You don't mean good luck. You mean have fun!" came the reply.
"Well I don't want you to win..."
The dealer burned a card and flopped three with the showing right in the window. It wasn't actually a great as it looked, however, as the rest of the flop rolled out to nail both players squarely. The table reacted to the big flop. If the flop was dangerous for the pocket nines, the turn was a fine sight, filling him up to leave him safe to any card except the . The river was the though, and he's found a double the hard way.
"So sick. I door-card my set and I still have a huge sweat."
A bluff gone wrong now for Max Heinzelmann, as Benny Spindler raised to 1,300 and Michel Abecassis reraised to 3,300 before Heinzelmann flat-called in the big blind. Spindler folded, and Heinzelmann and Abecassis were heads up to a flop.
Heinzelmann bet out 4,625 on the flop, and Abecassis called. Heinzelmann bet out another 8,025 on the turn and a further 10,050 on the river, but Abecassis called both times and Heinzelmann immediately folded to the call on the river. Abecassis picked up the pot without having to show his hand, and moved up to 87,000. Heinzelmann dropped to 55,000.
a small favorite over the 
of his opponent, and the 60-40 was on! Things were all rosy for Heinzelmann on board as the dealer saved his tournament life: 
.
but the board had already come out 
.
for a flush draw and gutshot outs to a chop. The river though was a non-diamond 
, and Spindler doubled to 125,000, leaving Heinzelmann near the felt.
to the at-risk player's 
landed on fourth street, Vedes said, "Sit down, my friend," but the gentleman did not heed his advice. Instead, the 
, all in for about 9,500. His opponent looked him up with 
though, and he's found a double the hard way.
turn and a further 10,050 on the 
