Main Event
Day 1b Started
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
Grand Final Groundhog Day
![[user46392]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Good morning and welcome back to the Casino Gran Madrid where Europe's most prestigious tournament is about to undergo its second Day 1.
Yesterday we saw one of the toughest fields in poker history do Day 1 battle - a total of 302 players that reads like a who's who of international poker. After nine levels, the overall leader was serial EPT qualifier David Sonelin. Recent EPT Berlin winner Ben Wilinofsky was in third place, Team PokerStars Pro Alex Gomes in third.
But today is a brand new day. Among the luminaries expected to play today are Viktor "Isildur1" Blom, Daniel Negreanu, ElkY, Johnny Lodden, Joe Hachem and Luca Pagano. They and an estimated 400 others will be bussing out to the casino from their various hotels across the city in the next 90 minutes or so, and we will be there to watch them alight. In the meantime, pull up a cup of coffee and sit yourself down. It's going to be a long, satisfying day of poker.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
And They're Off
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
Ladies and gentleman, the second start day of our Season 7 Grand Final is underway.
First Arrivals
Day 1b has started with a better turnout at the first shuffle - the early birds have all registered for the second day, it appears. Among those taking their seats at the start of the first level are:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 |
And More Players...
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
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30,000 | |
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30,000 | |
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30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
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30,000 | |
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30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
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30,000 | |
|
30,000 |
High Rollers Roll On
Several of the players gracing yesterday's High Roller final have had an evening off before plunging into the Main Event. Vanessa Rousso (5th yesterday for €100,000), Juha Helppi (3rd - €185,000) and Benny Spindler (runner up - €316,000) are already at the table and we'll be very surprised if Bertrand Grospellier, the winner of the event, doesn't turn up at some point in the next few levels.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 | |
|
30,000 |
Stick to Football
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
PCA winner Galen Hall raised to 300 preflop UTG and Kristoffer Thorsson flat-called next to him, the hijack then raised to 1,100 and former Spanish international footballer Poli Rincon made the call on the button.
The flop was 
and everyone checked to Rincon who bet 1,750 and only Thorsson made the call to see the 
turn. Thorsson checked again and Rincon quickly fired 2,750 but the Swede raised to 9,000 and the Spaniard made an almost instant call.
The 
river made it four to the straight and Thorsson moved all in, Rincon thought for about a minute, took a deep breath and made the call. Thorsson showed 
for the turned nut straight and Rincon flipped er... 
thinking he was being bluffed.
Thorsson is up to about 55,000.
Level: 2
Blinds: 75/150
Ante: 0
No Score for Draw
Level 1
: 50/100, 0 ante
PokerStars Team Pro Johannes Strassmann has increased his stack by around 50% in the first half hour of play, mostly due to this hand: a flop of 
generated a lot of interest from Strassmann and an in-position be-hatted player. Strassmann bet, got raised and promptly pushed out 6,200 total. He was called. The turn brought the and two checks, while the river came . Strassman checked again, and his opponent bet 7,000. He called quickly, showing a set () beating the 
of his opponent.