Event 2 - £2,500 H.O.R.S.E. Day 1 | 2008 World Series of Poker Europe

09-22-2008 16:22 UTC+2

Unfamiliar Territory

[user46298]

For a lot of the Brits here, a live HORSE tournament can literally be an annual event. Several admit to not having played any limit poker at all since this time last year, although I won't name names. A little plaque next to the dealer tells everyone which game they're currently playing and a countdown of eight hands symbolized by a pile of yellow counters moved by the dealer keep everyone up to speed. However I am sure that there have already been misreads due to game-change neglect and that could be costly for those novice UK players who drift off a little.

The dealers aren't used to spreading Stud games, collecting antes etc., but they're professional and pick it up fast. Plus there's guaranteed to be one American at least per table quite happy to give direction...

09-22-2008 16:26 UTC+2

Deja Vu for Lisandro

[user46298]

Jeff Lisandro took his seat in the HORSE today to discover it was exactly the same table and seat number - the very same six cubic feet of space - allotted to him for the previous tournament. Notably unlikely? Arguably. Coincidence? Definitely.

09-22-2008 16:32 UTC+2

Bellande Owns The Bigger House

[user76023]

Stud 8:

John Juanda raises showing a {4-Hearts}

and Jean-Robert Bellande reraises with {6-Clubs}

. Juanda makes it three bets and Bellande calls.

Juanda makes a board of {4-Hearts}

against Bellande's board of {6-Clubs}

. Juanda calls bets on fourth and fifth before leading out on sixth street when his board makes trip fours, Bellande though, raises him and Juanda calls before calling another bet on seventh. Bellande flips {7-Hearts}

for Sevens over Sixes and Juanda flashes the {3-Spades}

before mucking his smaller house.

Tags: Jean-Robert Bellande

09-22-2008 16:38 UTC+2

Mouth Wants Sleep

[user76023]

On finding out we were already on a break and that the levels were 90 minutes long, Mike Matusow was shocked, "Ninety minute levels? If I'd known that I'd wouldn't have got up so early!"

Tags: Mike Matusow

09-22-2008 16:39 UTC+2

Break Time

[user76023]

Players are now on a short break.

09-22-2008 16:45 UTC+2

Law of the Land

[user38449]

A hand recently took place upstairs between Marc Goodwin and Yuval Bronshtein that would've been insignificant, were it not for a dealer error and subsequent floor ruling that taught us (well, me anyway) something new about Stud Poker.

Goodwin's first upcard was the {3-Clubs}

and therefore he was charged with the bring-in. Action then folded around to Bronshtein who made the call with the {7-Diamonds}

showing. All of the other players folded their cards and in the process of scooping the lot, the dealer accidentally snagged Yuval's {7-Diamonds}

and mucked it with the rest.

Then, not seeing any other upcards around the table, he pushed the rinky-dink pot toward Goodwin and proceeded to move onto the next hand before Bronshtein stopped him.

"Wait! I still have cards!" the youngster blurted.

"Where are his cards? I can't see them?" asked Goodwin.

"They're right here," Bronshtein revealed, adding, "The dealer took my seven of diamonds. I had the seven of diamonds."

Tournament Director Steve Frezer was then called to the scene for a ruling.

"Was it just the upcard that he mucked?" asked Frezer.

The table mates nodded "Yes" in agreement.

"Can everyone verify that it was the {7-Diamonds}

?" Frezer inquired.

No one spoke up.

"I'm fine if ti's the seven of diamonds," Goodwin chided. "Give him the seven of diamonds!"

It was 'The Professor,' Howard Lederer who eventually came up with a solution that everyone could agree on, saying something to the effect of, "Check and see if it's in the muck. If it's in the muck we can probably believe him."

At this point, Frezer went digging, and the first card he pulled out was... the {5-Spades}

. Oops.

"This card has been exposed," Frezer joked, sharing the card with the entire table. Soon after he did indeed find the seven and it was returned to Yuval, the card's rightful owner.

After all that, the story ended quite anticlimactically. Goodwin was dealt the {4-Diamonds}

on fourth street and Bronshtein the {2-Hearts}

. Goodwin then fired a single bet and Yuval promptly said, "OK, I fold."

Tags: Marc Goodwin Yuval Bronshtein

Level: 2

Blinds: 0/0

Ante: 0

09-22-2008 16:57 UTC+2

Carry On My Wayward Son

[user38449]

Play has resumed.

09-22-2008 17:01 UTC+2

Brat In The Building

[user76023]

Phil Hellmuth, with customary timing, has arrived to play the HORSE event. He's joined the table of Paul Jackson and Torsten Iversen, but instead immediately got into a conversation with Matusow who is on the table next to him.

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

09-22-2008 17:07 UTC+2

Edging Ahead

[user46298]

Like little brightly coloured tectonic plates, the chips are starting to shift. The repercussions of an early advantage could be felt as the blinds increase, so here are a few names who've added a noticeable few to their stacks:

Mickey Wernick - 13,800
Barry Greenstein - 13,000
Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliott - 12,500
Ola Brandborn - 12,100
Stephen Pearce - 14,000