We didn’t know this, but it is Finnish custom that, when in Barcelona, and when reaching the last two tables of a major poker tournament , sparkly hats must be sent for, and worn immediately, as the PokerStars Blog reports.
Two hands have put the start-of-the-day chip leader, Tom Middleton, on one of the short stacks.
In the first, we picked up the action on a flop when Andreas Christoforou bet 275,000 from the hijack and Middleton called from the cutoff. Both players then checked the turn and the completed the board on the river. Christoforou check for a second time and Middleton slid out a bet of 550,000. Christoforou snap-called and Middleton sheepishly turned over the . Christoforou then tabled the for trips and the win.
In the very next hand, Middleton opened for 175,000 from the hijack and Anaras Alekberovas defended his big blind. The Lithuanian then led out for 180,000 on the flop, Middleton called and the dealer burned and turned the . Alekberovas bet again ,this time 275,000, and again Middleton came along. When the appeared on the river, Alekberovas broke down his chips, restacked them and then committed for right around 675,000. Middleton, who barely had his opponent covered, decided to fold.
Michel Eid opened from the small blind for 165,000 and Anaras Alekberovas in the big blind made the call. The flop came . Eid counted out some chips but then checked. Alekberovas bet small for 85,000 and was then check raised to 175,000 by Eid. Alekberovas moved all in and Eid tapped the table in appreciation of the move and folded his cards.
Kresten Nielsen moves all-in and is immediately blasted by 600 volts of electricity, or something. Find out exactly what we're referring to over at the PokerStars Blog.
Action folded to Tom Middleton in the hijack and he opened for 160,000. Alejandro Perez, who was next to act, then opted to three-bet all in for 1.365 million from the cutoff. The button and both blinds folded, and Middleton made the call.
Middleton:
Perez:
Perez got it in good, but he seemed nervous to be in a race situation. He sat with an intense look on his face, but as soon as the flop paired Middleton, Perez became downtrodden. The turn, which gave him a flush draw, perked him up a bit, so imagine how excited he was when the river completed it.
"Vamos," Perez shouted as his rail erupted in cheers. Middleton did not say a word.
Pasi Sormunen opened for 160,000 and Niall Farrell shoved all in over the top of him for 925,000. Sormunen made an optimistic call with and was drawing live against the of Farrell. The board ran out and the gamble paid off as Sormunen paired his ten on the river to send Farrell home in 15th place.
![[user252447]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop when Andreas Christoforou bet 275,000 from the hijack and Middleton called from the cutoff. Both players then checked the 
turn and the 
completed the board on the river. Christoforou check for a second time and Middleton slid out a bet of 550,000. Christoforou snap-called and Middleton sheepishly turned over the 
. Christoforou then tabled the 
for trips and the win.
flop, Middleton called and the dealer burned and turned the 
. Alekberovas bet again ,this time 275,000, and again Middleton came along. When the 
appeared on the river, Alekberovas broke down his chips, restacked them and then committed for right around 675,000. Middleton, who barely had his opponent covered, decided to fold.
. Eid counted out some chips but then checked. Alekberovas bet small for 85,000 and was then check raised to 175,000 by Eid. Alekberovas moved all in and Eid tapped the table in appreciation of the move and folded his cards.
flop paired Middleton, Perez became downtrodden. The 
turn, which gave him a flush draw, perked him up a bit, so imagine how excited he was when the 
and the gamble paid off as Sormunen paired his ten on the river to send Farrell home in 15th place.
. Alekberovas held 
