£20,000 High Roller Event | PokerStars.com EPT London £1m Showdown

10-06-2008 14:46 UTC+1

Debate-for-Debate

There's a smidgen of controversy down in the cardroom at the moment as Scotty Nguyen raised a paw to complain about hand-for-hand. With the tables unbalanced at five and six, the initial plan of action was to play hand-for-hand two away from the money. However, even though the EPT main event was hand-for-hand with 58 remaining and 56 getting paid, the rules state that hand-for-hand should occur one place away from the prize money. Nguyen, himself on the more populated table, was the sole protester to this decision, and so it was ruled that normal play would continue until 10 remained.

"That's a bad idea," moaned Isaac Haxton.

"We could just play slowly," threatened Benyamine.

"I'm sorry, but all players need to agree to go hand-for-hand now," was the inevitable reply.

10-06-2008 14:30 UTC+1

New Table Standings, Hand For Hand Play In Progress

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With 11 players remaining, the tables look like this:

Table 6

1 Michael Watson -- 131,000
2 Dennis Phillips -- 112,000
3 Isaac Haxton -- 123,000
4 Jason Mercier -- 150,000
5 David Benyamine -- 233,000

Table 9

1 John Juanda -- 211,000
2 Alexander Roumeliotis -- 240,000
3 Peter Jetten -- 99,000
4 Masaaki Kagawa -- 180,000
5 Scotty Nguyen -- 92,000
6 Isabelle Mercier -- 104,000

It was announced that when they got down to 10 players (the actual bubble) they would play two five-handed tables, hand for hand. At the players' request, though, they decided to go hand for hand with 11 players left. Action may slow down a little, with the difference between 9th and 10th places being the difference between going home with over £50,000 and going home empty-handed.

10-06-2008 14:25 UTC+1

The Bitar End

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In mid position, Isaac Haxton raised to 10,000. In the big blind, a short-stacked Ghassan Bitar moved all in for 45,000 total. After a brief period of rumination, Haxton called. "I have sixes," he said.

Haxton: {6-Diamonds}

Bitar:

Board:

We are thus down to a total of no Ghanaian citizens in this tournament as we reach the bubble-bubble.

Tags: Ghassan Bitar Isaac Haxton

10-06-2008 14:22 UTC+1

Tables Balanced, Announcer Dices With Death

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Could clearly beat you up if he wanted to

With Feldman's elimination, they were down to 12 and Peter Jetten was moved into Feldman's old seat to balance the tables. Said the announcer, "You have to sit next to Masaaki instead of Isabelle, I'm sorry." Brave comments, with Ms. Mercier's big and intimidating gentleman friend, er, Dario Minieri at the rail...

Tags: Dario Minieri Peter Jetten

10-06-2008 14:19 UTC+1

Andrew Feldman Eliminated

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Andrew Feldman, with only 40,000 to his name in spite of knocking out Jani Sointula, open-shoved under the gun with {K-Clubs}

, and after some brief deliberation, small blind John Juanda called with the dominating {A-Spades}

.

Flop: {6-Hearts}

-- "Yesssss," said Feldman.

Turn: {4-Clubs}

-- no comment from either.

River: {A-Clubs}

And with that, Feldman is out of contention, while the running-good WSOPE champion is muttering something about not having lost a hand in two years...

Tags: Andrew Feldman John Juanda

10-06-2008 14:08 UTC+1

Tales from the Rail

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Italian stallion Dario Minieiri is assisting his loved one from the sidelines. Still armed with Roma scarf, Minieri summoned Isabelle Mercier to the rail to offer some strategy tips and tactical advice. Either that or he was whispering sweet nothings into her ear. A loving embrace may hint at the latter.

10-06-2008 14:03 UTC+1

Jetten Pushes

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Ghassan Bitar raised from the button to 12,000, only for Peter Jetten to make it a total of 62,000 from the big blind, leaving just a few bits of shrapnel behind. Bitar made the pass, and Jetten survived.

10-06-2008 14:02 UTC+1

Juanda Running Well

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On a board of {6-Clubs}

, Masaaki Kagawa led for 14,000 and John Juanda, studying his opponent intently, made it 44,500 to play. Kagawa called leading to a {5-Hearts}

river, where Junada took it down with a bet of 43,000.

10-06-2008 14:00 UTC+1

Ace High Good... Baby

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With the board reading {10-Hearts}

, Masaaki Kagawa check-called 20,000 from Scotty Nguyen before checking down the {J-Diamonds}

river. Thinking his foe had a jack, Nguyen resisted a bluff, but may have got it through as Kagawa showed {A-Spades}

to take the pot. Kagawa now on 165,000.

10-06-2008 13:58 UTC+1

Hang Tough

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To quote a famous '90s boy band, Andrew Feldman is doing his best to 'hang tough' as the current short-stack. He just pushed all in from early position and, after John Juanda revealed a queen in the big blind, picked up the blinds and antes uncontested.