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

10-06-2008 12:54 UTC+1

Play Due to Restart at 1pm Local Time

Welcome back to the Grosvenor Victoria Casino, or "Vic" in the parlance, where we will shortly be resuming the high-rolling action. We have 14 players remaining and just nine places pay out, so expect the fighting to be furious.

Our remaining contenders:

David Benyamine - 295,900
Alexander Roumeliotis - 229,400
Jason Mercier - 161,200
Scotty Nguyen - 159,100
Masaaki Kagawa - 159,000
John Juanda - 138,900
Michael Watson - 118,000
Peter Jetten - 105,100
Isabelle Mercier - 99,200
Isaac Haxton - 83,200
Dennis Phillips - 73,200
Ghassan Bitar - 58,700
Andrew Feldman - 33,000
Jani Sointula - 6,500

And what they're playing for:

1 £516,000
2 £327,000
3 £241,000
4 £189,000
5 £137,000
6 £103,000
7 £86,000
8 £69,000
9 £51,000

Level: 12

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 400

10-06-2008 13:32 UTC+1

Jani Sointula Eliminated

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As expected, with less than two big blinds, Jani Sointula wasted no time and got his unfortunate microstack in first hand. Perhaps he though he was in with a chance -- he found {A-Diamonds}

in the cutoff -- but Andrew Feldman found {A-Hearts}

in the big blind and called him.

Board: {7-Diamonds}

and we have lost our first player of the day. Down to 13...

Tags: Andrew Feldman Jani Sointula

10-06-2008 13:44 UTC+1

Early Action A Little Slow

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Since the rather predictable early exit of Jani Sointula, play has been a little cagey, with virtually no flops seen and the chunky blinds and antes going to whoever raises first.

At one point Alexander Roumeliotis raised to 10,500 under the gun and it folded around to John Juanda on the big blind, who turned to Scotty Nguyen. "He got you out of trouble, Scotty," he said. "If he doesn't raise, then you raise, and then I would have moved all in." He folded.

Indeed the most action we have seen so far is a button raise to 10,000 from Roumeliotis, only for him to fold to a reraise to 29,000 from big blind Masaaki Kagawa. Kagawa was spotted out in the smoking section this morning doing windmill exercises apparently to warm up his raising arm, though, so perhaps this was to be expected.

Tags: Masaaki Kagawa

10-06-2008 13:55 UTC+1

Super Intense

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With the EPT in the bag and the casino barely open, it's as quiet as a mouse nunnery down there and super intense as hardly a word is spoken. But with £516,000 up for grabs and an inevitable stream of publicity, it's with good reason that they are focused, especially considering the mammoth obstacles standing in the way.

It's been a long month with so many festivals on offer, and consequently there are a few tired faces out there. This one could be a case of endurance more than anything and a test of mental stamina.

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.

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 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 14:03 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 14:08 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.