€8,500 Cannes Main Event Day 1a | 2008 Partouche Poker Tour - Cannes

09-03-2008 22:56 UTC+3

Hush Hush

[user66118]

The tournament area has been rather quiet right from the start of play today. It is a bit warm in the room, which may have been partially to blame for the lack of conversation and energy in the room.

Returning from dinner though, a true hush has fallen over the players. There are very few conversations taking place around the room, as most players stare blankly at the table or fiddle away with some miscellaneous hand-held electronic device. There is only the occasional plea to the dealer and the background noise of chips being absent-mindedly shuffled. Maybe it's the after-dinner coma to blame. Or perhaps the players are simply ready to get down to the business at hand now.

09-03-2008 23:00 UTC+3

First Pot of the Day

MarcC

A player from early position made a raise to 800 and found callers from three players including Ramzi Jelassi in the big blind.

The flop came down {J-Clubs}

before the player in the small blind led out for 1,000. Jelassi then moved all-in for his last 7,775, a bet that only the small blind player called.

Both players tabled A-K and as the turn and river blanked they chopped the pot.

Jelassi looked up to me and said "That's the first pot I've won today!"

Tags: Ramzi Jelassi

09-03-2008 23:08 UTC+3

Giving a Little Bit Back

MarcC

We approached the table with the turn dealt showing a {3-Spades}

board. The small-blind player had just bet 1,000 into Gus Hansen, who was sitting on the button. Hansen promptly raised this up to 3,375.

The small-blind player called so the dealer gave us a {4-Spades}

for the river. This time the small-blind player checked to Hansen who counted out a bet of 6,625 and gently tossed it over the line. The small-blind player made the call without too much thought.

Hansen paused, hoping to see his opponent's cards first, but he was forced to show {4-?}

for two pair. His opponent's {7-Spades}

completed a flush, though, and won the pot.

Hansen on 53,000 right now.

Tags: Gus Hansen

09-03-2008 23:28 UTC+3

Nguyening Back the Fans

MarcC

Scotty Nguyen wanted to enter the tournament area but had to talk around the security guard who wasn't too keen to let him in. Once in the room, Scotty then started going round to every player still left in and either shook their hand or gave them a hug. In Juha Helppi's case he got a hug while Scotty fiddled with his short stack. The introverted Finn didn't quite know how to take this.

Scotty recently published an apology online for his behavior at this year's WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E final table. Maybe this next step is the beginning of him personally making it up to every single Scotty fan he meets, baby.

Tags: Scotty Nguyen

09-03-2008 23:29 UTC+3

Chopping Pots Reluctantly

[user66118]

With four players limping in front, Gus Hansen knocked the table from the big blind, and half the table got to see a cheap flop. It came down {4-Hearts}

. The Great Dane led out with 600 chips and got one caller.

Heads up, the two men went to the turn. It came the {9-Diamonds}

, and both players checked.

Fifth street was the {4-Spades}

. Gus fingered a few chips before re-stacking them and checking his hole cards one more time. After a moment, he bet the rainbow -- one chip of each color, totaling 725. His opponent made the call, and Gus flipped over the {A-Clubs}

. The other player turned over the {A-Spades}

. Gus chuckled and began to slide his other card towards the muck slowly, face-down. The other player mirrored him, pushing his unexposed card towards the middle of the table as well. Gus grabbed his kicker card back and flipped it over, revealing the {5-Clubs}

. The other player showed his as well, the {3-Spades}

-- good enough to split the pot with aces up, nine kicker on the board. The two men shared a bit of a laugh as the dealer split the pot for them.

Tags: Gus Hansen

09-03-2008 23:38 UTC+3

Playing it Safe?

[user38449]

While we hate to speculate, Chris Ferguson just played a hand against an unknown opponent that if played out 100 times with 100 different opponents, the action would've played out differently than it did just moments ago:

Pre-flop, Ferguson came in for a reraise from the small blind and made it a total of 1,250 to go. His lone opponent called and they saw a flop of {6-Diamonds}

.

Ferguson then made a continuation bet of 2,000 and his opponent quickly called. The turn brought the {8-Clubs}

and both players knuckled the table, opting to see the river for free.

The {5-Diamonds}

was the last card off the deck and Ferguson fired a bet of 4,500. His opponent tanked for some time before eventually making the call. The man they call 'Jesus' turned over {10-Diamonds}

for a full house and his opponent sluggishly revealed the {A-Hearts}

for... that's right... quads.

Although he lost the hand, Chris was all smiles afterwards, presumably thinking about how bad things could've been. He was left with a still-manageable 40,700 after the hand.

Tags: Chris Ferguson

Level: 6

Blinds: 150/300

Ante: 25

09-03-2008 23:53 UTC+3

Moving the Right Way

MarcC

A player sitting under the gun raised it up to 1,000 before Ramzi Jelassi moved all-in for 3,625. A player two along from the Swede called before everyone else including the original raiser folded.

Jelassi flipped over {5-Spades}

and was happy to be racing his opponent's {9-Hearts}

.

The board ran {7-Spades}

to double Jelassi up to 8,925.

Continuing his commentary from before, Jelassi said, "That's bad news for them."

Tags: Ramzi Jelassi

09-03-2008 23:55 UTC+3

'Are you lonesome tonight?'

[user38449]

Mademoiselle Julie Donnaz was the only woman to register for today's Day 1a starting field. She is still alive and well in the tournament and currently sits with 45,000 in chips.

Scotty Nguyen even stopped by to greet Donnaz personally, saying, "Show them how to play some poker, alright baby!"

Of note is the fact that this is Donnaz's very first time playing live poker. In fact, she has never even held poker chips before. In an interview with a French television crew, she mentioned that she is familiar enough with the game, but has only ever played with dry pasta.

Tags: Julie Donnaz

09-04-2008 00:15 UTC+3

Scoreboard Update

[user38449]

Pierre Eugene Charil - 84,000
Gus Hansen - 73,000
Jacques Zaicik - 64,700
Roger Roses - 49,600
Jerome Zerbib - 47,600