€7,700 + 300 German Open Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.net EPT4 German Open - Dortmund

01-30-2008 00:42 UTC+2

Three Players Over 50k

[user52009]

With two more levels to go on Day 1a, there are now three players who have passed 50,000 in chips in the PokerStars EPT German Open. Stephan Wrenger is up to 54,000, Mats Iremark has 55,000, and 19-year-old Andreas Sarling from Åland has re-taken the lead with 56,000. After this level, the players will have the last 15-minute break and then they will play level 8 before the night is over. At approximately 1:45 AM we will know who is still in the running to become the next EPT Dortmund champion.

01-30-2008 00:00 UTC+2

Blanco Eliminated

[user52009]

After almost seven hours of play on Day 1a, Italian poker pro Cristiano Blanco has been eliminated. On a board showing {7-Hearts}

, Blanco went all in with {K-Clubs}

, but was called by Mats Iremark’s {4-Hearts}

, giving him an open-ended straight draw. The pot was 16,000, the river was the {3-Diamonds}

and Iremark made his straight.

“I was kind of lucky to hit it, but I had pot odds for the call,” said Iremark, who is now up to 37,000.

Tags: Cristiano Blanco Mats Iremark

01-29-2008 23:43 UTC+2

Swedish Connection

[user52009]

The two Swedish poker pros, Mats Iremark and Hans Eskilsson, just got tangled up in a big pot. Iremark, with {K-Spades}

, raised preflop and Eskilsson called holding {A-Hearts}

. The flop came {J-Spades}

, Eskilsson bet and Iremark called. The turn came the {6-Hearts}

, and Eskilsson check-called Iremark’s 3,500 bet. The river was the {A-Diamonds}

and Eskilsson bet 4,000, leaving 4,000 behind. Iremark only called, worried about the flush, but his straight held up against Eskilsson’s two pair. The pot was 24,000, Iremark is up to 30,000, and Eskilsson is really short with only 4,000 left in front of him.

Tags: Hans Eskilsson Mats Iremark

01-29-2008 23:29 UTC+2

Tough Table Just Got Tougher

[user52009]

Table 7 has been the center of attention throughout the evening at the Hohensyburg Casino in Dortmund. EPT Prague runner-up Gino Alacqua eventually couldn’t deal with the opposition and was eliminated 20 minutes ago. Even as the strong Italian left, the table got even tougher as Juha Lauttamus and two strong ladies, Christiane Klecz and PokerStars' Katja Thater, arrived at the table. Juha Helppi has the biggest stack with 26,000, Rob Hollink has increased his stack to 13,000, and Alex Kravchenko has dropped back to 8,000. No other table in the room has more spectators and probably we will soon have another elimination on table 7.

Tags: Alex Kravchenko Christiane Klecz Juha Helppi Juha Lauttamus Katja Thater Rob Hollink

01-29-2008 23:12 UTC+2

Jelassi's Full House Beats Thew

[user52009]

On a board showing {J-Spades}

, Ramzi Jelassi bets 3,500 into a 4,800 pot and Julian Thew goes into the tank. After four minutes, he finally calls. Jelassi shows {Q-Clubs}

for a full house and rakes the 12,000 pot. He is now up to 19,000. Thew drops back to 9,000.

Tags: Julian Thew Ramzi Jelassi

01-29-2008 23:04 UTC+2

Biggest Pot of the Day

[user52009]

Jens Voertmann from Germany was in the big blind with a nice stack, and he called a raise from an aggressive player in mid-position with {8-Clubs}

. The flop was {8-Hearts}

, Jens check-raised and the mid-position player went all in with {K-Hearts}

. No more kings on the turn or river and Voertmann won a 35,000 pot. He now sits with the biggest stack of all the players in the PokerStars EPT German Open – 48,000.

Tags: Jens Voertmann

01-29-2008 21:51 UTC+2

Finnish Stars Enjoy Their Dinner

[user52009]

The two big Finnish poker stars, Juha Helppi and Ilari Sahamies, are in Dortmund aiming for fortune. So far, it is Helppi who has been most "fortunate" and he is now up to 18,000. Sahamies is slightly lower. “I was down to 2,000, but now I am all the way back up at 3,200,” says Ilari, laughing out loud. In a few minutes they are back in the poker room, continuing their quest for poker glory.

Tags: Ilari Sahamies Juha Helppi

01-29-2008 21:35 UTC+2

Marek Kolk Punishes Limpers

[user52009]

Estonian poker pro Marek Kolk was tired of seeing a table full of limpers and decided to make a move. One loose player raised, three players called behind him and Kolk re-raised to 2,300. The loose player called again, Kolk went all-in before the flop of {Q-Hearts}

had hit the table and the loose player folded. Kolk showed his {9-Clubs}

and he might get a call next time he makes a move. He now has 13,000 in chips.

Tags: Marek Kolk

01-29-2008 21:18 UTC+2

The Giant Slayer, Rinaldi

[user52009]

In a pre-flop battle, Claudio Rinaldi from Switzerland raised holding {K-Clubs}

, and Sorel Mizzi re-raised with {A-Hearts}

. Rinaldi made the third raise. After a couple of minutes in the tank, Mizzi went all-in and Rinaldi insta-called. The table showed {J-Clubs}

and Rinaldi more or less eliminated the player better known online as “Imper1um.” With 2,000 left in front of him we might see the well-known Canadian going all in pretty soon. Rinaldi has been tough on the stars today as he was the one to cripple Dario Minieri earlier, which resulted in the Italian's departure soon after. Rinaldi is now at a healthy 26,000.

Tags: Claudio Rinaldi Sorel Mizzi

01-29-2008 20:05 UTC+2

173 Players Left at First Dinner Break

[user52009]

25 players have been eliminated during the first three levels of Day 1a at the PokerStars EPT German Open. Half the field will enjoy some food during the one-hour break, and when they return, the other half will also get a well-deserved time-out from the intense competition.