Just as players were dispersing for the break, a meaty hand unfolded on one of the far tables. With around 2-3,000 in the pot, a raising war took place on a flop of , only for everyone to check round on the turn.
The river, however, was a different story as the small blind led for 150 and Marco Traniello raised to 300. The next player along shook his head, before rising from his seat and showing his hand to a member of the rail. "What was that hand," requested the initial bettor. "Pocket kings," replied Traniello who'd caught an unintentional glimpse. But in the end, it made little difference as the player relinquished his hand, thus allowing Traniello to pick up a big pot uncontested.
Sorel Mizzi has taken a bit of a hit after raising in early position. The gent to his left reraised and a third player called behind; Mizzi flatted too, and they saw a flop.
The flop came down and Mizzi checked. The preflop reraiser bet, and both players called, sending them still three-way to the turn.
The turn was the and Mizzi checked again. Mr. Preflop Reraiser bet once more and this time the third player folded. Mizzi called though, and they saw the river.
The river was another club, this time the putting a potential straight flush on the board. Mizzi bet out and his opponent - expressing his fear of the straight flush with a sigh - made the call.
He had nothing to worry about.
Mizzi turned over for the king-high flush, and his relieved opponent tabled for the ace-high flush. With that, Mizzi was reduced to 3,200.
We have an official Table Of Death here in the Amazon Room - one of the newly-created tables over in the orange section now features Noah Boeken, Lauren Kling, Barry Greenstein and EPT Barcelona finalist Georgios Kapalas.
Victor Ramdin raised under the gun; both blinds called. On the flop, Ramdin continuation bet and received one caller in the big blind. Ramdin then bet both the turn and river, only to take the pot down with to increase his stack to 5,600.
Moments later, a player from the neighbouring table trundled over and bellowed, "Hey, Victor, I don't know what I'm doing, how do you play this game?" "Just raise and reraise," replied Ramdin with a grin.
Five players reached a flop, and although the first three players checked, one player took a stab only for Jeff Lisandro to raise. His foe called leading to a turn where the initial aggressor checked-called a bet, and then one more on the river. The 2009 Player of the Year tabled , which was good enough to pick up the pot.
Despite this win, Lisandro is still below his starting stack with 3,200.
By the time we arrived tableside, the flop read and three players were still in the hand. It looked like there had been at least one raise preflop.
Jimmy Fricke, in the under-the-gun position, checked, and the player behind him bet. The third player in the hand raised, and both Fricke and the original bettor called.
The turn was the and it checked around to the player in position who bet. Back to Fricke, who raised. The player in the middle gave up his hand, but the player in position now reraised. Fricke called and they went heads up to the river.
The river came down the and Fricke checked, before calling one last bet from his opponent.
"Nice call," said his opponent , revealing for a straight draw that never came in. Fricke tabled the ever-so-slightly ahead and took the pot.
I joined the action on the turn of an board, and 2008 Champion Jimmy Shultz was busy calling a 150 bet. The river went check, check, Shultz's foe announcing "Ace-king". "I was hoping we were splitting," gleamed Shultz revealing the same hand.
Given that this is more of a mid-sized event than some of the others, there is some exceptionally strong representation here from Team PokerStars.
The Netherlands are being represented by Marcel Luske and the late-arriving Noah Boeken. For North America, Vanessa Rousso, Victor Ramdin and Barry Greenstein are flying the American flag and Anh Van Nguyen and Daniel Negreanu the Canadian. And representing the nebulous online world, George Lind is here sporting a Team Pro: Online patch.
Friend of PokerStars Bill Chen is also here, as are a few PokerStars favorites from the EPT circuit, most notably EPT London winner Aaron Gustavson. Looks like it could be a good day for the Stars...
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, only for everyone to check round on the 
turn.
river, however, was a different story as the small blind led for 150 and Marco Traniello raised to 300. The next player along shook his head, before rising from his seat and showing his hand to a member of the rail. "What was that hand," requested the initial bettor. "Pocket kings," replied Traniello who'd caught an unintentional glimpse. But in the end, it made little difference as the player relinquished his hand, thus allowing Traniello to pick up a big pot uncontested.
and Mizzi checked. The preflop reraiser bet, and both players called, sending them still three-way to the turn.
and Mizzi checked again. Mr. Preflop Reraiser bet once more and this time the third player folded. Mizzi called though, and they saw the river.
putting a potential straight flush on the board. Mizzi bet out and his opponent - expressing his fear of the straight flush with a sigh - made the call.
for the king-high flush, and his relieved opponent tabled 
for the ace-high flush. With that, Mizzi was reduced to 3,200.
flop, Ramdin continuation bet and received one caller in the big blind. Ramdin then bet both the 
turn and 
river, only to take the pot down with 
to increase his stack to 5,600.
flop, and although the first three players checked, one player took a stab only for Jeff Lisandro to raise. His foe called leading to a 
, which was good enough to pick up the pot.
and three players were still in the hand. It looked like there had been at least one raise preflop.
and it checked around to the player in position who bet. Back to Fricke, who raised. The player in the middle gave up his hand, but the player in position now reraised. Fricke called and they went heads up to the river.
for a straight draw that never came in. Fricke tabled the ever-so-slightly ahead 
board, and 2008 Champion Jimmy Shultz was busy calling a 150 bet. The 
river went check, check, Shultz's foe announcing "Ace-king". "I was hoping we were splitting," gleamed Shultz revealing the same hand.
