A few new faces to grace the Twin Peaks-esque red velvet curtained Poker Room in the last few minutes are Michael Binger, already deep in conversation with Mike Matusow at the next table, Irish poker pro and greyhound enthusiast Mick McCool, and British circuit regular Ryan "Pretty Boy" Fronda.
Fronda in particular has wasted no time in getting involved, betting a pot-sized 2,000 on the river of a and forcing his opponent, the same hapless gentleman who failed to extract any chips from Howard Lederer earlier in the day, gave an enormous weary sigh and folded.
With one seat remaining empty for the first two and a half levels, a crystal ball wasn't required to uncover the mystery as one man, and one man only is world renowned for his late entrances. And low and behold, in he came, with a bounce in his step and a twinkle in his eye.
With Andy Black sniggering like a naughty teenager as He11muth snapped up the seat opposite, the Devilfish skipped over to greet his American buddy and share any early tales of woe. Meanwhile, the Poker Brat gleamed at his table before shaking the hands of each and every one of his opponents, all of whom happily returned the smile with the exception of Kevin O'Leary who reciprocated begrudgingly.
Forget Elvis from earlier in the week, He11muth has entered the building.
Fuad Serhan has just KO'ed Ouday Hikary from the tournament in a classic aces v. kings preflop all-in confrontation.
Serhan held the aces and spiked a third in the door to send Hikary packing. After the hand, Serhan piled up just over 13,000 in chips and assumed an early chip lead over the field.
Heads-up champion Jeff Kimber just doubled his stack, busting Hubert Attali in the process. I caught this hand as Kimber was in the process of raising all-in over the 1,375 bet in front of Attali, who was quick to make the call. The flop which set this all off: .
Kimber showed , Attali for the lower flush draw but the made pair of Jacks. He looked comfortable with the turn but the river pushed Kimber in front and him off the table.
Further joy for Thomas Marchese -- he's just knocked out an opponent who got his short stack in preflop with against Marchese's . Some excitement from the board but ultimately the best hand won as it came down to give Marchese the flush and prompt his opponent to make a dignified and gentlemanly exit.
Yes indeed, they just keep on arriving. The latest to turn up is affable Robert Williamson III, taking his place at Mike Matusow's table and thus prompting an increase in volume from the Mouth. It should be a most interesting table to watch...
Yeah, baby!
Devilfish raised it up from early position, and received two callers in Andrew 'Greekfish' Andreou and Joe 'The Joker' Grech. On a rainbow flop, Devilfish led out, Greekfish raised it up and Grech folded. After a few moments of deliberation, Devilfish made a disciplined fold.
"How did he get away from that," I asked Greekfish. "Well, I did tell him what I had," he replied red-faced.
In what would be a foreign phase to a stallion like myself, or indeed to fellow Casanova the Devilfish, Michael Craig has 'fallen out with the ladies' after running head first into the dreaded pocket rockets. No threesome on the board, and the acclaimed author was gone.
Old friends Mickey Wernick and GUKPT winner Maz Nawab don't feel the need to keep any secrets. Wernick limped in early position and it then folded around to Nawab's big blind, at which point he attempted to fold before realizing what was going on and checking instead. "You're giving away the strength of your hand there," commented Wernick and Nawab grinned. "I could be trying to make you think that," said he. Nevertheless he checked the flop, and folded instantly to a bet from Wernick. Wernick duly showed him the pleasingly strong -- and Nawab sheepishly turned over the bad-as-can-be .
and forcing his opponent, the same hapless gentleman who failed to extract any chips from Howard Lederer earlier in the day, gave an enormous weary sigh and folded.
.
, Attali 
for the lower flush draw but the made pair of Jacks. He looked comfortable with the 
river pushed Kimber in front and him off the table.
. Some excitement from the board but ultimately the best hand won as it came down 
to give Marchese the flush and prompt his opponent to make a dignified and gentlemanly exit.
flop, Devilfish led out, Greekfish raised it up and Grech folded. After a few moments of deliberation, Devilfish made a disciplined fold. 
flop, and folded instantly to a bet from Wernick. Wernick duly showed him the pleasingly strong 
-- and Nawab sheepishly turned over the bad-as-can-be 
.
