Joao Vieira started the action with a raise from the hijack and Carlos Chadha three-bet jammed for 160,000 chips out of the small blind with the 
.
Vieira took the flip with pocket sevens and the board ran out 
to send the Portuguese to the rail a mere minute before the second break of Day 2.
It has been a very unfortunate last few minutes for JC Alvarado. After his two double ups almost in a row, he had Keven Stammen at risk with pocket tens versus pocket deuces and "Stammdogg" found a deuce on the board. The rest of it went in with the 
and Manuel Blaschke rejammed with 
.
The board ran out 
to make the kicker ten worthless and Alvarado quietly left the tournament area.
Rasmus Agerskov raised to 9,000 and Adam Jaguscik flat-called from one seat over, Brian Yoon defended his big blind. On the flop 
, Agerskov checked and Jaguscik bet 18,500 to claim the pot once his opponents had folded.
Jason Wheeler had to shoot a second bullet but is still in and on his way to cash all three High Roller tournaments here during the EPT12 Malta. The American grinder came fourth in the €25,000 High Roller and then third in the €10,000 Single-Day High Roller a few days ago. Right now, Wheeler sits behind a stack of just under 40 big blinds, more than enough to work some more magic.
Both Julian Stuer and Pascal Hartmann have been eliminated within a matter of minutes.
Stuer was first to go in a big pot against Mukul Pahuja after raising the button for 9,000 and getting called by Pahuja. On the flop 
, Pahuja check-called a bet of 12,000 and the came on the turn. Pahuja check-raised from 32,000 to 78,000 and Stuer called before the fell on the river.
Pahuja jammed with 130,000 remaining and Stuer called with the 
only to see his opponent flip over 
for a full house.
Hartmann's chips went to Bryn Kenney. He defended his big blind and they checked down the flop 
. On the turn, Hartmann check-called a delayed continuation bet worth 17,000 and then check-raised all in after the 
on the river. The 
of the German found an unlucky timing to make the nut flush, as Kenney had rivered the full house with 
to scoop the pot.
Niko Soininen had more than doubled up his short stack and was back up to 70,000. Byron Kaverman then raised to 9,000 and the Finn jammed out of the big blind with only to receive a snap-call by Kaverman with pocket kings. There was no major upset on a dry board and Soininen headed to the rail.
Dan Smith had just been moved to the table and there was some question as to whether he had taken the right seat.
"I told them no," he said. "I'm right where I need to be. Right beside JC."
In fact, he had been given the seat right next to JC Alvarado and when Alvarado opened up in the very first hand to 9,000, Smith came over the top.
"Gotta do it," he said, pushing in a three-bet of 27,000. Everyone else got out of the way and Alvarado promptly pushed in for 81,000 total.
Smith called with 
and was trailing in a less-than-classic race against Alvarado's 
.
The board ran out 
and Alvarado doubled up.
John Andress was one of the several players that bought into the tournament before the start of Day 2 and just now his media card found the way to our desk.
EPT11 London champion Sebastian Pauli lost the last few chips with against the 
of his table neighbor on the board 
and departed while Patrick Uzan's move on the flop 
backfired.
The Frenchman raised and then had to call off the shove of table neighbor JC Alvarado in a battle of the blinds with 
only to find himself in desperate shape. Alvarado had the 
and doubled on 
turn and 
river.
The details escaped us, but the fact remains that Roberto Romanello was just seen stacking chips with two nines in front of him and a third on the board.
It also appears that Sebastian Pauli is the one who paid off his set, because he had one foot out the door and just an unlucky 13 100-denomination chips in front of him a few seats over.
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