Lex Veldhuis opened the betting with a raise to 400 from UTG+1 and he received two callers. The first was Italian pro Andrea Bellini on the button and the second was the dangerous American David Peters in the big blind. A flop reading was greeted with a check from Peters, a continuation bet of 750 from Veldhuis, a quick fold from Bellini and a call from Peters.
The turn was the and Peters checked to his now sole opponent. Veldhuis rarely needs an excuse to bet and this time was no different and he stuck to his story and made it 1,800 to play. Peters paused for the count of 10 before mucking his hand.
We were just doing the rounds on the tournament floor when we heard Team PokerStars Pro Victor Ramdin, who is currently being massaged, making table talk with his friends. According to what we heard, Ramdin flies from New York to Toronto every Sunday just so he can play online poker and revealed that on the flight there are usually at least 25-50 fellow poker players present!
Although dedicated to the cause it appears Ramdin may have a penchant for stealing eggs at breakfast time. head over to our friends the PokerStars Blog to find out more!
Ivo Donev has been in trouble a few times on the EPT before, and he's not making many friends at his table today, dealer included.
He wasn't involved in a hand that was playing out between the uber-aggressive Cecilia Pescaglini and another player. The turn was out to leave a board and Pescaglini led for 4,100. Her her opponent in the cut-off called to head to the river. Pescaglini stared at the board for a few minutes before she finally checked.
Donev immediately spoke up to say she had checked and it was her opponents turn. The dealer told him to be quiet and let him do his job, and the player in the cut-off told him to be quiet as well as this was not his pot and was the biggest pot of the day so far. The said player then bet 8,650 and took the pot as the Italian lady folded after she picked up her cards, gesturing a lot whilst spouting Italian.
Faraz Jaka made the unusual play of open-limping from under the gun which looked like it may spark a domino effect of a series of limps because the player to his immediate left, Andreas Vlaghos limped behind. To his left was Santiago Nadal and he reached for chips but they totalled more than 150, they were worth 900. His raise saw everyone fold around to the limpers, who both called.
The flop came down , Jaka checked, Vlaghos checked Nadal continued with a bet of 1,500 and both of his folded almost immeidately.
Kenny Hallaert opened to 400 preflop and was called by Roman Mulyk before Calvin Shane Anderson made it 1,400 in the next seat along. Friedrich Raz then cold four-bet on the button to 2,400 and the action folded back around to Hallaert who slid out a five-bet to 6,700.
Mulyk and Anderson quickly folded and Raz soon followed suit, Hallaert is up to about 35,000 without even having to show a card.
A good start for Britain's Alex Goulder after he three-bet to 900 versus a 325 open from Marco Gambini. The latter called to see a flop. Gambini checked and Goulder bet 1,150 only for the Italian to raise to 3,800 which Goulder called to see the on the turn.
Gambini now bet 7,000 and Goulder flat-called to see the on the river - now Gambini bet 12,000 with just 7,000 left, Goulder moved all in and Gambini opted to fold.
At least two players were eliminated in the first level of the day.
Guillaume Darcourt was very unlucky indeed. He got all his chips with pocket eights after hitting set on the flop and found a willing customer holding pocket kings. A nasty king appeared on the river and that was that for the pink-haired Frenchman.
Simon Boss was not so unlucky. He committed his last 15,000 on the turn of a board with and was called by an opponent holding pocket kings. The river bricked and he was gone.
Massimiliano Mo does not seem too bothered that he has a former EPT champion in the shape of Toby Lewis and the World Series of Poker Main Event runner-up Martin Staszko at his table as he just took the latter on in a hand.
It was Staszko who opened the betting to 150 from middle position then called as Mo, in the big blind, three-bet to 700. Mo checked in the dark as the dealer put out the flop and Staszko checked behind. The turn brought the into play and Mo fired a bet of 1,500, which was too much for Staszko to pay and he was done with the hand.
was greeted with a check from Peters, a continuation bet of 750 from Veldhuis, a quick fold from Bellini and a call from Peters.
and Peters checked to his now sole opponent. Veldhuis rarely needs an excuse to bet and this time was no different and he stuck to his story and made it 1,800 to play. Peters paused for the count of 10 before mucking his hand.
board and Pescaglini led for 4,100. Her her opponent in the cut-off called to head to the 
river. Pescaglini stared at the board for a few minutes before she finally checked.
, Jaka checked, Vlaghos checked Nadal continued with a bet of 1,500 and both of his folded almost immeidately.
on the turn.
on the river - now Gambini bet 12,000 with just 7,000 left, Goulder moved all in and Gambini opted to fold.
flop and Staszko checked behind. The turn brought the 
into play and Mo fired a bet of 1,500, which was too much for Staszko to pay and he was done with the hand.