They say that internet players are loose and fast and perhaps thats a reflection of the rapid pace of play during the first twenty hands. With four eliminations (in the first 18 hands), half of the final table has been wiped out.
The real battle begins. Mark Teltscher can smell another EPT championship on the horizon. He has a lot of work ahead of him and must catch up to the chipleader, Greg Dyer, while fending off Mika Paasonen who has been gaining momentum ever since the final table began.
Hand #19: Mika Paasonen raises to 45,000 and wins the blinds and antes.
Hand #20: Sander Lylloff raises to 60,000, Greg Dyer calls from the button and Mika Paasonen calls from the small blind. The flop is . Paasonen checks, Lylloff bets 150,000, Dyer calls and Paasonen folds. The turn is the . Lylloff checks and Dyer checks. The river is the . Lylloff bets 140,000 and Dyer calls. Dyer shows Q-T for two pair while Lylloff shows K-K. Dyer takes the pot.
Hand #21: Greg Dyer opens the pot for 60,000, Mika Paasonen calls, and Mark Teltscher calls from the small blind. The flop is K-3-2. Teltscher checks, Dyer bets 150,000, Paasonen folds, and Teltscher folds 8-8 face up. Dyer takes the pot.
Hand #18: Mika Paasonen raises to 50,000 and Trond Eidsvig calls. The flop is and both players check. The turn is the . Eidsvig bets 70,000, Paasonen moves all in and Eidsvig calls. Paasonen shows while Eidsvig tables . The river is the and Eidsvig hits the rail in 5th place, winning €250,800.
Hand #17: Adam Junglen moves all in for 264,000 from middle position and Sander Lylloff calls. Junglen shows while Lylloff turns up . The flop is , the turn is the , the river is the and Adam Junglen is eliminated in 6th place. He'll take home €196,500 for his performance here in Barcelona.
Hand #16: Mika Paasonen calls from the small blind and Mark Teltscher checks from the big blind. The flop is 7-3-3. Paasonen bets 26,000, Teltscher raises to 62,000 and Paasonen calls. The turn is another 7 and both players check. The river is a 6. Paasonen bets 200,000 and Teltscher folds. Paasonen shows 6-7 for a full house.
Hand #15: Mark Teltscher raises to 55,000 Nikolaus Jedlicka re-raises all in for 132,000 more and Teltscher calls. Jedlicka shows the while Teltscher turns up . The flop is , the turn is the , and the river is the . Nikolaus Jedlicka is eliminated in 7th place, earning €154,700.
Hand #12: Mark Teltscher raises to 51,000 from the cutoff, Sander Lylloff re-raises to 221,000 from the button, and Teltscher folds.
Hand #13: Mika Paasonen raises to 45,000 and Mark Teltscher calls. The flop is J-3-3. Paasonen bets 90,000, Teltscher raises to 240,000, Paasonen folds and Teltscher wins the pot.
Hand #14: Sander Lylloff raises to 55,000 and wins the blinds and antes.
The action during the first ten hands of a final TV table usually features a lot of tentative play. For most of the players, this is the first time they are playing under the hot and bright lights and with a crowd watching their every mood. Some players can adjust while others are caught up in a wave an anxiety and nervousness.
In the early stages of a televised final table, the edge goes to the older pros since they have more experience playing under these unusual circumstances. However, with the elimination of Patrick Bruel, the most experienced player headed to the rail. Mark Teltscher took him out and gained a decisive edge by becoming the most experienced player at the table.. and thereby becoming the "table captain." He's been the most chatty out of anyone else at the table and does not appear to be rattled by the extra pressure of playing at a TV table.