As it turned out, most players who headed out to the balcony on the break said something that sounded like, "Arrghhh!" and immediately headed back inside before they turned to dust. Nevertheless, a few folks braved it, and this is how they looked.
Dmitry Stelmak just was eliminated calling all-in with on a board against Joe Ebanks' which missed the turn but hit the river to bust the Russian who had gone deep in San Remo earlier this year.
Luca Pagano, never reaching the upper chip echelons in Day One, has been calmly plugging away today slowly building upwards. He just took a pot from Karolis Grybauskas on the turn of a board betting 9,300 into the now 18k pot and getting a reluctant-looking fold from the Lithuanian.
As he stacked with professionally quick fingers, another Italian on the table, Antonio Tarantino, muttered cheerfully at him, the only word of which I'm pretty sure I understood being, "Momentum!"
Pagano, one of the Italian forerunners of big tournament poker in his home country, has been gracing the EPT with his final table attendances and series of stylish glasses since the very beginning, and the popular player has so far made an eye-opening six finals and 15 cashes.
Team PokerStars Pro Arnaud Mattern started this level in great shape on 118,000 - but following a few mishaps he's managed to lose half of those chips.
We witnessed at least some of those chips heading across the table in this manner. Mattern opened for 3,000 under the gun and it folded right around to Tobias Heinsdorf in the small blind, who reraised. In the big blind, Rumen Nanev shoved for around 25,000. Mattern re-shoved, Heinsdorf folded, and they flipped their cards.
Mattern:
Nanev:
Board:
Nanev doubled to 55,000 or so, and Mattern dropped to 60,000. "Nice shove," Mattern told him sadly.
Update
We just received a text message from Mr. Mattern expressing his displeasure with how this level has gone so far. It ended, "Lost every single pot except a set of tens that did not get any action. Doomswitch please."
Sorel Mizzi opened to 2,700 from the cutoff. Allan Baekke called from the button and last year's winner, Antonio Mattias called in the big blind.
The flop came and Mattias led out for 3,000. Mizzi folded but Baekke called to see a turn. Now Mattias led out for 6,400 and again Baekke made the call.
The river was and Mattias snap-checked, Baekke carefully slid out 16,800 and Mattias immediately called but looked disgusted when the Snowfest winner turned over , Mattias threw his into the muck and paid off his Danish opponent.
The former champion from last year couldn't mount a comeback after this hand and was busted soon afterwards.
Oscar Pelayo raised to 2,700 from the hijack and William Thorson reraised to 6,200 from the button. Dominik Traeger then 4-bet in the small blind to 11,800 and Pelayo moved all-in. Thorson folded but not without some serious dwelling and annoyance and Traeger nodded and called off his other 15,000 or so.
Traeger:
Pelayo:
The flop came and suddenly Traeger was ahead, but the turn followed by the river made an unlikely straight for Pelayo who jumped out of his chair and cheered.
Immediately after he sat back down and apologised, "I am sorry my friend, but that flop was not good for me!"
Vicky Coren turned to her left, inquiring about Thorson's hand, "William, did you make a set as well?"
A slightly disgruntled Thorson responded, "I made a good hand by the river."