€3,500 Irish Open Main Event Day 1 | 2009 PaddyPower.com Irish Open

04-10-2009 18:39 UTC+1

Quinn Doesn't Win

Paul Coyle has doubled up to 9,200 after getting his chips in with pocket eights against Patrick Quinn's pocket fours.

Board: a very decisive {6-Diamonds}

Quinn down to around 8,000.

04-10-2009 18:38 UTC+1

A few dominating stacks are starting to emerge from the pack now. Here are a selection of some from the top, garnishing some others:

Maurice Harmon - 40,000
Michael Tureniec - 26,000
John Larkin - 23,000
Albert Iversen - 21,000 (yesterday spotted in the big cash game with Gold, Chufty and Helppi)
Kara Scott - 20,000
John Tabatabai - 20,000 (receiving perma-massage)
Rumit Somaiya - 18,300 (his tiny Rubix cube adorning his chips)
Marc Goodwin - 17,200
Nik Persaud - 15,000
Jeff Kimber - 14,200
Fintan Gavin - 12,200
Mick McCloskey - 11,800
Padraig Parkinson - 10,600
Alan Smurfit - 8,700 (his WSOP bracelet displayed in front of him)
Andy Black - 7,000
Ludovic Lacay - 5,500

04-10-2009 18:35 UTC+1

Saab Splits; Still Short

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David Saab is a blogger's dream, as every time anything happens on his table we are alerted to it by shouting and laughter, giving us just enough time to sidle over and see what's going on.

This time it seemed he got involved with Nick Goodall on a {5-?}

board, but it ended in a split pot as Saab turned over {A-Diamonds}

and Goodall showed {A-Hearts}

. Nevertheless, Saab is on a not-so-hot 3,000.

Tags: David Saab

04-10-2009 18:28 UTC+1

Andy Black Busts

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A very heavily bearded and beaded Andy Black is our latest casualty. With the board reading {K-?}

X, he seems to have check-raised all in with {J-?}

, but his opponent called pretty swiftly with {A-?}

and it was a black day for Andy.

Tags: Andy Black

04-10-2009 18:26 UTC+1

Eskilsson Gets His Rentes Paid

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Hans Eskilsson, one of a small number of players including last year's winner Neil Channing who seem to be talking into dictaphones after every hand they play, has doubled up to 8,000. Eskilsson's pocket tens holding up against Chris Rentes' {A-?}

.

04-10-2009 18:11 UTC+1

Saab Given the Silent Treatment

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David Saab has moved tables and seems a little out of his element -- his new table is populated by very quiet, very serious-looking folk who are absolutely refusing to rise to his cheerful banter.

Nevertheless, he has been getting involved. He checked a {3-Clubs}

flop to Jesper Petersen, who bet 700. Saab raised to 2,000 -- and Petersen grimly pushed his whole stack into the middle. Saab insta-folded. "Nice hand, whatever," he said happily. Noone else said anything at all. Saab down to 5,000.

04-10-2009 18:06 UTC+1

Mars Knocked Out of Orbit

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Jean Jacques Mars was most pleased, managing to get all his chips in the middle preflop with {K-Hearts}

against Rune Thorsen's {A-Clubs}

.

...but disaster lay in wait on the board.

Board: {10-Hearts}

Thorsen said he was sorry, and Mars picked up his cigar and card protector and with a sigh left the tournament area.

04-10-2009 18:02 UTC+1

Kabbaj Gives One Up

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John Kabbaj, just prior to this hand having raised to 400 and taken some blinds, was in a talkative mood: "Four! Four is the number! Every time I raise to 350 I lose..."

Now on a fourway flop (spooky) of {10-Spades}

, small blind Danny McHugh checked and big blind Jude Duffy bet out 425. Kabbaj called, but button Niall Campbell raised to 1,500. Duffy folded, and Kabbaj made the call. He gave it up, however, when Campbell (whose stack is a comfortable 22,000) bet 2,200 on the {5-Diamonds}