Whilst counting Leo Margets' stack (she has 28,425 by the way) a hand unfolded on her table that saw one PokerStars qualifier add 5,000 chips to his stack.
The first two players limped, the man next to act bumped up the action to 400, a bet that the cut off, big blind and both limpers called!
Flop:
The first three players checked, the initial raiser made a rather small continuation bet of 700 chips and only the player in the cut off elected to stay in the hand.
Turn:
Both players checked the turn, leaving the dealer to burn a card and deal the river.
River:
Although the three of spades looked like a brick, the player in early position thought otherwise and tested the water with 1,700 bet. After a brief pause lasting around twenty seconds, the cut off clicked it back and made it 3,600 to play.
Despite getting 3.5-to-1 on his bet, the early position player folded, leaving the cut off to stack up what amounts to 35,050 in total
We're not sure exactly how it came to this, but when we arrived at the table a raising war between Gianluca Gregorini (button) and another player (early position) had culminated in a preflop showdown.
Gregorini:
Gentleman Whose Identity Shall Remain a Mystery:
These were no small stacks, either - with 27,500 to his name at the start of the hand, the gent with the sixes had still had almost his starting stack when he'd chosen to get involved.
Board:
Gregorini tapped the table as he took possession of his opponent's chips, and the other headed for the door. At around 60,000, Gregorini is in contention for the chip lead at this early stage.
There has been plenty of action going on at table 14 and here are some of the key hands.
Michel Abecassis who had already cashed at UKIPT London and EPT San Remo this year opened up with a raise and Lari Sihvd made the three-bet to 1,100 - action back on Abecassis. Who said it is only the internet generation that four-bet? Well it wasn’t Abecassis as he duly four-bet making it 4,200 to play and Sihvd made the fold.
In the very next hand Abecassis again opened up the action making it 375 to play from early position. The action folded around to Thomas Froslev who made the call. Froslev finished in 30th place at EPT Copenhagen this year. The flop was and Abecassis checked and Froslev bet 575. Abercassis made the call and the dealer gave us a turn. Again Abercassis checked and Froslev bet 1,300 and Abercassis folded.
Then Sihvd opened from early position making it 650 to play and the blinds both called. The flop was and Sihvd lead for 1,800. The small blind folded and Abercassis called from the big blind. The turn was the and Abercassis once again checked the action over to the raiser and this time Sihvd checked. The river was the and Abercassis lead out for a bet of 3,300 and Sihvd moved all-in for a total of 10,025. Abercassis made the call and had been rivered when Sihvd showed for a full house. Abercassis showed for a flopped set.
Arnaud Mattern seems to have recovered from his earlier setback and has managed to rebuild his stack to around the 20,000 chip mark. Judging by the sheer number of 25 denomination chips he has in front of him, he has been very active preflop and attacking the blinds.
Looking around the vast poker room here at Casino de Barcelona there are a number of weird and wonderful objects being used as card protectors. Last month at EPT Vienna, brought to you by PokerStars, saw a number of people using yellow rubber ducks to protect their cards, so far I have seen the following being used:
A large silver coin
A strange gold symbol
A child's building block complete with photographs of loved ones on it
A small clay sombrero hat
A miniture bottle of whiskey
No rubber ducks
The gentleman under the gun opened to 450 and got two calls from Ville Wahlbeck in mid position and Nicolas Levi in the small blind. They saw a flop, which they checked around.
The turn was the and Levi checked again. This time the original raiser bet 850, which Wahlbeck called - but back over to Levi, who now check-raised to 3,000. Original Raiser now commenced a long dwell, his hands steepled in front of his mouth, staring intently at the board. Eventually he called, and Wahlbeck called too.
All three players reverted to checking the river, and Levi turned his cards over first - for for the pair on the board with a ace. Original Raiser flipped , beating Levi's hand. But Wahlbeck revealed for the best hand.
The dealer at first attempted to ship the pot to Original Raiser, before being corrected and returning the pot to Wahlbeck. "You are my friend!" cried out Original Raiser to the dealer, but the pot went Wahlbeck's way, putting him back up to 27,000 after an uninspiring start.
We're not sure where the opening raise came from, but when we arrived EPT Monte Carlo finalist Aleh Plauski was putting a reraise to 1,700. Nick Binger now made it 4,700 to go - and was promptly met with an ominous, "How much are you playing?" from Plauski. Binger had around 17,000 left behind, and Plauski expressionlessly five-bet to cover him.
Eventually Binger folded, and Plauski looks as though he may be the chip leader right now, on around 75,000.
![[user46392]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and Abecassis checked and Froslev bet 575. Abercassis made the call and the dealer gave us a 
turn. Again Abercassis checked and Froslev bet 1,300 and Abercassis folded.
and Sihvd lead for 1,800. The small blind folded and Abercassis called from the big blind. The turn was the 
and Abercassis once again checked the action over to the raiser and this time Sihvd checked. The river was the 
for a flopped set.
, beating Levi's hand. But Wahlbeck revealed 
for the best hand.
