Rupert Elder raised to 105,000 in the cutoff and it folded around to Kamal Choraria in the small blind who snap-shoved for 475,000. Back to Elder, who asked him, "Do you want me to call?" There was no response from Choraria, but after a moment or two Elder told him, "All right," and dropped the requisite chips across the line.
Choraria:
Elder:
Board:
The two shook hands and Elder took possession of his fellow countryman's chips. As they broke a table and the players dispersed, Elder was the last player to leave - he had to rack up an astounding 5.2 million in chips, our clear chip leader by a mile. Britain is looking in a great position to score its fourth EPT title of the season.
Almost everyone had deserted the theatre area as we had reached the end of level 25. However, Team Pokerstars Pro Joe Cada had just just beaten the clock with a raise of 90,000 from under the gun. Rupert Elder would eventually be very thankful that Cada did in fact get that raise in. It was Elder who called on the button and Choraria also called in the big blind.
3 x way flop:
Choraria checked to Cada who bet 100,000; Elder called from the button and Choraria folded.
Turn:
Cada put out a very strong bet of 245,000 and Elder very quickly called.
River:
Cada was in a horrible spot with Elder just waiting to pounce, nevertheless the American pushed a tower of 20 x orange chips across the line. That tower equated to 500,000 chips and Elder calmly called for the third successive time. The look on the face of Cada said it all - it was the look of a beaten man.
Elder
Cada
Elder is now up to 4,700,000 and Cada a smudging over 2,000,000.
It folded around to extreme short stack Marco Fabbrini in the small blind, who shoved - he'd actually called a raise a hand or two before, meaning that he had only 300,000 or so. Luigi Pignataro in the big blind asked for a count, and sat back in his chair for a moment, considering his options. He called.
Fabbrini:
Pignataro:
There was a queen on the door, but it was quickly followed by a king on the flop. Pignataro had straight outs as well, but the full board ran out and Fabbrini's pair of kings held. He wandered away from the table, overcome with emotion, but he is still very short - he'll have just 700,000 or so when we come back from the break, with the blinds at 25,000/50,000.
A three-way pot between Joe Cada (suspected initial raiser), Max Heinzelmann and Rupert Elder (the latter two in the blinds) was believed to have gone check-check on the flop. Heinzelmann now led out for 98,000 on the turn and Elder made the call, Cada rechecked his cards and opted to muck. The came on the river and Heinzelmann quickly checked, Elder dwelled briefly before betting 125,000 and the German made the call.
Elder turned over and Heinzelmann mucked. Could we be heading for back-to-back British winners in Italy?
Max Heinzelmann is a proverbial pain the the backside for his fellow poker players. He really does know how to exert the utmost pressure on his opponents and this hand demonstrates
Kamal Choraria opened under the gun with a bet of 86,000 and Heinzelmann peeled one off on the button which brought Antonino Venneri along in the big blind. The three of them saw a flop of , Venneri checked, Choraria bet 140,000, Heinzelmann called and Venneri folded.
The turn was the and Choraria checked to Heinzelmann who announced all-in. His body language screamed fold and that is exactly what he did.
Luciano Longhitano is the latest player to fall, he moved all in for around 420,000 preflop against Massimiliano Manigrasso's preflop raise to 95,000 and got called very quickly.
Longhitano:
Manigrasso:
The flop came , Longhitano momentarily delighted since the ten was the door card but then crestfallen when the king also appeared. The came on the turn and the short stack picked up a flush draw but the river was the and it was Manigrasso celebrating. He's up to about 1.7 million.
Man
Francesco De Vivo is making a habit of doubling up, he's now up to 1.2 million after getting his 582,000 in preflop with against Constantino Russo's , the board coming and the now traditional loud shouting and fistpumping commenced.
Joe Cada opened to 90,000 and Max Heinzelmann flat called behind. It then folded around to Luca Cavecchi in the big blind, who announced all in. Cada called, Heinzelmann got out of their way, and the various media types rushed the table.
"Aces?" asked Cavecchi. It wasn't aces, but it would be enough.
Cada:
Cavecchi:
Board:
Cavecchi was gone, and the 2009 World Champion is now in serious contention. Cada's new buddy Nicolas Yunis (they met at dinner here in San Remo the other night and are apparently getting on famously) called over to ask how much he had now. "Uhhh... Dunno," Cada told him. We can tell you that he now has around 3 million, roughly tying for the chip lead with tablemate Rupert Elder.
![[user46392]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
came on the river and Heinzelmann quickly checked, Elder dwelled briefly before betting 125,000 and the German made the call.
and Heinzelmann mucked. Could we be heading for back-to-back British winners in Italy?
, Venneri checked, Choraria bet 140,000, Heinzelmann called and Venneri folded.
came on the turn and the short stack picked up a flush draw but the river was the 
, the board coming 
