Main Event
Day 1a Started
Main Event
Day 1a Started
The European Poker Tour has left the sunny, sandy shores of the Bahamas and has descended on an equally sunny, if much colder Deauville. The Normandy coastal town is normally in semi-hibernation this time of year, but an expected 1000-player plus poker players is enough to shake awake any town.
Last year it was Parisian "Rat man" Lucien Cohen who bested an 891-player field to claim the €880,000 first prize, and became the first Frenchman to win an EPT title in his home country.
The word is getting out that this event offers great value to poker players and because of that we're expecting the field to grow from last year's already impressive number. Amongst that number, taking their seats today, include Team PokerStars Pros Arnaud Mattern, Pierre Neuville, Marcin Horecki, Jonathan Duhamel, Ana Marquez, Nacho Barbero, and Team PokerStars SportStar Fatima Moreira de Melo.
Play is due to start at midday local time, which is a little over ten-minutes away.
The start of the tournament has been pushed back slightly as players continue to take their seats.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Cards are in the air here in Deauville. The plan is to play eight one-hour levels, with no dinner break scheduled.
After a player in early position raised to 300, Sam Chartier called from the small blind. The player in the big blind called as well and an flop came down.
It was checked around, landing the on the turn. Chartier checked it over to the big blind who bet 400. The original raiser ducked out of the way, but Chartier put in a raise to 850. The big blind folded, giving the pot to Chartier.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Sam Chartier | 31,000 | 1,000 |
Being a WSOP Main Event Champion certainly has its perks. There's millions in prize money and sponsorship deals, worldwide celebrity and much more.
However, the downfall is just about everyone is gunning for you and bluffing becomes a difficult task, as 2010 WSOP Main Event winner and Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel found out here in Deauville in just the first few minutes.
We caught him firing 1,600 into a 2k pot on an board and while his heads-up opponent thought about it for a minute, he made the call.
"Ten high," claimed Duhamel, dropping on the felt as his opponent showed a bluff-catching to take the pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jonathan Duhamel | 27,400 | -2,600 |
Former EPT TV Hostess and keen poker player Kara Scott has made the trip to Deauville for this event.
The early going has been slow tournament wise, but Scott told PokerNews she's certainly enjoying all Deauville has to offer.
"I love it here," she said. "But I think I've eaten too much Foei Gras."
Apparently fattened duck liver will slow down just about anyone's game.
After a wander around the room we spotted some familiar EPT faces in the crowd.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Constant Rijkenberg
|
30,000 | |
Ruben Visser
|
30,000 | |
Anton Ionel | 30,000 | |
Jan Collado | 30,000 | |
Paul Berende | 30,000 | |
James Dempsey | 30,000 | |
Tom Macdonald | 30,000 | |
Mathew Frankland | 30,000 |
Picking up the action on a board with 650 in the middle, Jonathan Duhamel check-called 350 from an opponent to see the river. Duhamel check-called 800 this time and his opponent turned over .
"Flush," said the dealer.
"Straight," said the winner player.
Duhamel chuckled as he could beat neither, losing the small pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jonathan Duhamel | 26,000 | -1,400 |