Team PokerStars Pro Lex Veldhuis is out. We've seen him bust early on in EPTs before by bluffing into a monster, but this time he was unlucky.
He turned a set but his opponent had already flopped a flush. He was philosophical in defeate when he said, "It happens."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
46,000 | 16,000 |
|
|
33,000 | 3,000 |
|
|
33,000 | 3,000 |
|
31,000 | 1,000 |
|
28,000 | -2,000 |
|
24,000 | -6,000 |
Jeff Hakim opened with a raise from middle position to 500 and a player in middle position called. Benny Spindler was on the button and reraised to 1,800. Action folded back to Hakim and he also folded, but the flat-caller made the call to see the flop.
The 
fell in the middle of the table and action checked to Spindler. He fired 2,000 and his opponent called.
The turn was the 
and the first player checked again. Spindler bet 4,200 and his opponent folded.
Registration closed for Day 1a at the start of level three and news had just reached us that the official number of players for today is 346. We expect around 500 players, at least, tomorrow so the final prize pool is going to be very juicy indeed.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
43,000 | 13,000 |
|
43,000 | 13,000 |
|
41,000 | 11,000 |
|
39,000 | 9,000 |
|
38,000 | 8,000 |
|
35,000 | 5,000 |
|
34,000 | 4,000 |
|
33,000 | -3,700 |
|
33,000 | 3,000 |
|
|
31,000 | 1,000 |
|
|
30,000 | |
|
29,000 | -1,000 |
|
|
28,000 | -2,000 |
|
27,000 | |
|
25,000 | -5,000 |
|
25,000 | -5,000 |
|
|
23,000 | |
|
|
23,000 | 1,000 |
|
21,000 | |
|
20,000 | -10,000 |
|
|
17,000 | -13,000 |
|
|
16,000 | -14,000 |
From early position, Bryn Kenney raised to 500. His only customer was Team PokerStars Pro Nacho Barbero who made the call from the big blind.
The two players saw the flop come down 
and Barbero check-called a bet of 750 from Kenney. The turn was the 
and both players checked to see the 
fall on the river. Barbero fired 500 and Kenney gave it up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
41,000 | 3,000 |
|
|
30,300 | -700 |
We arrived at the table just as Matt Waxman was tossing in the chips to make the call of a bet of 3,300 on the final board of 
. His opponent tabled the 
for two pairs, eights and fours. Waxman showed the 
for jacks and fours to win the hand and move over 35,000 in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
35,400 | 10,400 |
We walked up to the turn of a 
board to see Jeff Hakim check. We're guessing Benny Spindler had bet the flop to create the pot of just less than 8,000, but he checked behind here to see the cheap river. It was the , and now Hakim led out with a tiny bet of 2,400. Spindler took pause to mull it over before dropping two yellow chips into the pot for a raise to 10,000. Hakim didn't seem to like it, but he studied Spindler for a few minutes before making what was the correct call.
Showdown
Spindler: 
Hakim: 
Hakim's queens up were good, and he'll drag that pot to knock Spindler down to about 23,500.
Level: 4
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 25
With many thanks to Neil Stoddart, here's a smattering of shots from this Day 1a.
