Level: 9
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 100
2011 European Poker Tour Grand Final Madrid
Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2011 European Poker Tour Grand Final Madrid
Buy-in
€10,000
Prize Pool
€6,860,000
Entries
686
Level
31
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000
Weis Move
![[user46392]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
We just caught the very end of the showdown; not sure what Sebastian Ruthenberg had been holding but it was insufficient against Melanie Weisner's 
by the end of the 
board, and he was glumly counting out the call when we got there. Weisner doubled to a very healthy 125,000. Ruthenberg meanwhile dropped down to less than his starting stack - just 25,000.
Wolfe at the Door
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
Some slight problems for Roland de Wolfe after the break of the last level. The Triple Crown winner had gone outside the tournament area while there was a shift change in security and the new set of staff harshly adhered to the casino's strict policy on dresswear.
De Wolfe's clothing obviously didn't fit within their exceptionally high standards and he was forced to argue the toss for about 10-15 minutes before PokerStars staff intervened and managed to get the Brit back into the tournament.
Off the Chartiers
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
John Eames raised preflop to 2,300 and got called in two spots - by the player to his immediate left and also the button. Sam Chartier then moved all in from the small blind for 15,600 and Eames and the first called both folded. The button had other ideas though and made the call with 
- Chartier flipped 
and held to double back over his starting stack when the board came 
.
Same Table, Opposite Ends of Spectrum
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
Unlike yesterday's flight, Day 1b hasn't shoved forward any monstrous stacks early on, leaving it to the last levels for players to jostle for the leading positions. Currently it looks like just one has managed to top 200,000 - Jean Noel Thorel, who's been in the same seat all day and accumulating nicely. Meanwhile his tablemate Raul Mestre has hit the rail at the eleventh hour, the field now dropping under the 200 player mark.
Short on Years, Big on Chips
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
He may look as though he's not old enough even to be playing in this tournament (trust us for now; photo coming), but Ole Kristian [Removed:332] looks to be our chip leader at the moment on 155,000.
Most recently we found him betting 2,500 when his opponent checked on a 
flop. His opponent called, before they both checked the 
turn. Come the 
river [Removed:332]'s opponent checked again, before folding to a 9,100 bet from the young Norwegian.
Big Chips Watch
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
185,000 | |
|
|
165,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
155,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
150,000 |
Last Few Hands
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
The call has gone up and the clock has been stopped with nine minutes remaining. We're now playing the last few hands and then finishing for the day.
Never Surinder
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
There was around 18,500 in the pot by the 
flop when one player bet out 7,000. Surinder Sunar calmly pushed a stack of yellow 5k chips across the line - enough to put his opponent in. A few moments later his opponent had folded and Sunar took the pot.
A couple hands later we strolled by Sunar's table again and this time found him betting a slightly-bigger-than-pot 19,500 on the river of a 
board. His opponent folded, and it was another chunky pot for Sunar.
Fresh off his second place finish at the Irish Open, Sunar is now firmly among our chip leaders - he's at over 180,000. The only gentlemen we can see with more are Jean Thorel (185,000), Ole [Removed:332] (180,000) and Ivan Demidov (190,000).
End of Day 1b
Level 9
: 500/1,000, 100 ante
![Ole Kristian [Removed:332]](https://s.pnimg.net/IQXpXiAHJe9KTdZ4KXZGgQTiQ5qb8GOfC1vPsp2O86A/pr:reporting-leading-desktop/aHR0cHM6Ly9wbmlt/Zy5uZXQvbHJlcC8x/Nzk2Lzg4L3g3NjUz/YzRjYmU1LmpwZw.webp)
Day 1b is in the bag and the players are shuttling off to get the er...shuttles back to the centre of Madrid. It was a scramble at the death for the chip lead but it looks as though it's Norwegian wunderkind Ole Kristian [Removed:332] who has finished the day as chip leader with 198,200. He is just inches ahead of Mattias Bergstrom with 198,000 and Team PokerStars Pro Ivan Demidov who sits with 197,800 - just a further 200 chips behind.
Surprisingly, although we had 82 players more today we did not have anyone break the 200,000 barrier at the end of the day which will mean Day 1a chip leader David Sonnelin will be the overall leader going into Day 2.
Other players will good stacks are Jean Noel Thorel (180,500) and Surindar Sunar (179,200) while there are still many big names involved such as Carter Phillips and Florian Langmann who are hovering about the 100,000 mark. Former EPT Champions who did not make it through the day included Michael Martin, Jeff Williams, Kevin MacPhee and Salvatore Bonavena. We also lost some of the big stars from across the pond including Team PokerStars Pros Daniel Negreanu, David Williams and Vanessa Rousso as well as PCA winner Galen Hall.
Do not despair however as the tournament is still packed to the brim with stars and they'll all be back tomorrow for Day 2 which will be beginning at 12pm (CET) - we'll see you then!