2008 Partouche Poker Tour - Cannes

€8,500 Cannes Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 Partouche Poker Tour - Cannes

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
99
Prize
$1,426,645
Event Info
Buy-in
$12,300
Entries
480
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
75,000 / 150,000
Ante
15,000

Player Count

PPT staff has informed us that a total of 226 players registered for Day 1a and that they expect a similar number tomorrow.

Hypothetically speaking, if Day 1b also draws 226 players, the prizepool would reach an astonishing €3,164,000 -- approximately $4,572,000 USD!

Amazingly, that's after a very hefty fee of €1,500 is removed from each buy-in. We've been told that the tax laws in France are very stringent and that the government takes approximately half of the entry fee right off the top.

Lost in Translation

"How do you say 'All-in' in French?" asked one young British player in today's field.

"Tapis," the dealer replied, pronounced 'tah-pē'.

We asked our French colleagues about the word, and they explained that it's actually three words in one: all, push and felt. Interestingly enough, while 'tapis' may serve as the French translation, many of the locals simply prefer to go with "All-in."

"It's an Easy Game, Sometimes"

Dario Minieri
Dario Minieri
We approached the table and all the board cards had already been dealt giving us a board reading {5-?} {J-?} {5-?} {2-?} {7-?}.

Dario Minieri was heads-up with an opponent and made a bet of 5,500. His opponent thought for a while and made the call but mucked upon seeing Minieri's {J-?} {J-?} for a flopped full house.

As he stacked his chips he commented to table mate, Arnaud Mattern "It's an easy game, sometimes!"

Minieri up to 42,000 now.

Tags: Dario Minieri

Morning Blues

Jason Mercier
Jason Mercier
Jason Mercier has just arrived to the tournament venue early in the second level. He told us that he set his alarm for 1:00pm, but popped awake at 4:05pm, with no assistance from his clock.

Maybe he should have stayed in bed.

In the very first minutes of his tournament, he looked down at {5-Hearts} {5-Clubs} and opened the betting with a raise to 300 from middle position. Action folded around to the button, who moved all in for his last 2,400. Mercier pursed his lips and flicked the calling chips into the pot, as his opponent tabled {7-Hearts} {10-Hearts}, racing with the pro for his tournament life.

The dealer ran out the board: {2-Clubs} {9-Hearts} {J-Spades} {3-Diamonds} {7-Diamonds}. Safe until the final card, Mercier ended up sending a courtesy double up over to his opponent, seeming less than thrilled at the result. He still sits with around 17,000 chips.

Tags: Jason Mercier

Gus Will Settle for That

'They make me look tame Chris'
'They make me look tame Chris'
Five players, including Gus Hansen in the big blind, saw a limped pot where the flop came {9-Diamonds} {2-Hearts} {3-Hearts}.

It was checked to the under-the-gun player who fired a pot-sized bet of 500 into the middle. Only the two blinds called before the turn came {J-Clubs}.

It was checked to the aggressor in this hand who fired a huge 5,000 into the pot. The small blind player folded before Hansen leaned forward to check how many chips his opponent had remaining. He saw he had 6,400 back and made a raise to put the player all-in.

The player called fairly quickly holding {A-Spades} {9-Spades}, but he saw he was drawing dead to Hansen's {3-Clubs} {3-Diamonds}.

The meaningless river came {2-Spades} before Hansen stacked his pile now worth 42,000.

Tags: Gus Hansen

Let's See Flops

British player James Dempsey informed me that the French players on his table love to see flops. "All but one hand has gone at least as far as the flop so far. The one that didn't took a raise of 8,500 to get everyone out!"

Tags: James Dempsey

PPT by the Numbers

41 -- The number of poker rooms owned and operated by the Partouche Group throughout France

2,460 -- The number of €125 qualifying satellite tournaments the PPT held over 10 months for its main event

8,500 -- The price of a buy-in (in Euros) to the Cannes Main Event

24,000 -- The number of players who have participated in a PPT event in its inaugural season

350,000 -- The amount (in Euros) that the PPT added to its prizepools during the eight super satellite tournaments that were held this year

2,000,000 -- The minimum main event prizepool (in Euros) as guaranteed by the PPT

Level: 2

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

Untimely River Knocks the First Man Out

With just a few minutes remaining in the first level of play, we have just lost our first player here on Day 1a. Here's how the hand unfolded after the flop:

The dealer dealt out the first three community cards: {10-?} {5-?} {Q-?}. A betting and raising battle broke out between the two men in the hand. In the end, the ill-fated player moved all in, and Jacques Zaicik made the call. With 40,000 chips in the middle of the table, the hands were turned over:

Unknown - {Q-?} {10-?}
Zaicik - {K-?} {K-?}

Zaicik had his man slightly covered, but was in grave danger of losing nearly all of his chips with just an overpair. The turn was a useless {2-?}. Lightning struck on the river though, as Zaicik found another {K-?} to make the winning top set. The man he eliminated was beside himself with anger, shouting and gesturing violently, as he finally exited the room.

After raking in that big early double up, Jacques Zaicik is now the chip leader with right at 40,000 checks.

Is it Possible to Bluff Dario?

A player made a raise from first position and found a caller in the shape of Dario Minieri in the next seat as well as the big blind.

They all checked the {4-Hearts} {J-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} flop before the under-the-gun-player bet 350 once the {J-Spades} had been dealt. This did not deter Minieri and the big blind player as they both called.

The river brought {7-Hearts}, prompting the under-the-gun player to bet 600. Both players folded though and Minieri stated that he thought his opponent had ace-jack and that it was good. His opponent smiled and flipped over ace-eight.

'I had a pair, very good bet' added Minieri.

Minieri still on 29,000 after what must have been a lightning start.

Tags: Dario Minieri