2008 World Series of Poker Europe

£10,000 WSOP Europe Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker Europe

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k6
Prize
£868,800
Event Info
Buy-in
£10,000
Prize Pool
£3,620,000
Entries
362
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

£10,000 WSOP Europe Main Event

Day 1a Completed

Play Has Ended; Justin Smith Dominates the Field

Justin Smith
Justin Smith
And with that last-minute flurry of excitement and action, Day 1a of the WSOP Europe Main Event is over. Eighty-six players remain of the 159 who started, led by Justin "BoostedJ" Smith on over 150,000, with Andy Bloch, Scott Montgomery, and Andy Black among those also topping the chip counts.

Play resumes with Day 1b at the Casino at the Empire tomorrow at 1pm local time, when a brand new cast of contenders will vie to join today's survivors on Day 2.

Tags: Justin Smith

Montgomery Doubles Through Arieh

As if to shame this blogger so soon after posting that the action had slowed as the day's end approached, the back room is suddenly full of action. Most recently and notably, Scott Montgomery went all in preflop, prompting an eventual call from Josh Arieh in an 80,000 pot.

Montgomery: {A-Spades} {K-Clubs}
Arieh: {A-Clubs} {J-Diamonds}

Board: {7-Spades} {5-Hearts} {A-Diamonds} {8-Diamonds} {8-Hearts}

An excellent end to the day for Montgomery; probably rather less excellent for Arieh who is down to 43,000.

Tags: Josh AriehScott Montgomery

"They've Canceled Your Room Phil"

Telling it as it is, or how he sees it
Telling it as it is, or how he sees it
I approach table Hellmuth and see him reraise all in from the big blind after the small blind had raised. It was another 8,000 for the small blind to call and after some talking to himself, he called.

Hellmuth tabled {A-Diamonds} {K-Clubs} and had his opponent's {A-Spades} {Q-Diamonds} dominated.

The board came {K-Hearts} {K-Diamonds} {5-Diamonds} {3-Spades} {8-Hearts}. That should be enough to double Hellmuth up to 24,800 I think!

Joe Hachem came over and saw proceedings and said, "Phil, you can't win that. They've canceled your room!"

"That's what I've been waiting for and I have them dominated. That's the first time I've been all in today," responded Hellmuth.

"And you doubled up," came back the reply from Hachem.

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

Liebert Makes a Good Fold; Koy Still Has His Room Key

Adrian Koy and Kathy Liebert made it as far as the turn of a {10-Diamonds} {J-Hearts} {A-Diamonds} {8-Spades} board, and Koy checked, a very intense expression on his face. Liebert bet 4,000, leaving herself 20,000 behind, and within what seemed like a microsecond, Koy had announced, "All in," Liebert's hand still hovering over the felt in the act of dropping her bet in. Liebert sighed, and thought about whether to call.

Meanwhile on the next table, Jac Arama had found a hotel key card. "Is anyone staying at the Radisson?" he called across the room. "Does anyone want to stay at the Radisson?"

Suddenly Koy perked up: "Oh, I think it might be mine." The card was passed along to him, at which point he checked his wallet and discovered that it wasn't his after all. "Oops."

The tension had been broken, but Liebert had not yet made a decision. A now-grinning Koy shrugged. "It's a good turn. It's a really, really good turn. It's delicious." Liebert enquired as to whether he might show if she folded. "For £50 I will show. No, let's make it £20." Liebert folded, and declined his offer of a peek for £20. Justin Smith, however, took him up on it; Koy duly showed the {J-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds}.

Tags: Adrian KoyJustin SmithKathy Liebert

West Time

I walked past the very likable Tim West to get a chip count and he told me, "I won a pot, I feel like I have 20,000 again now."

"Nice," I responded. "How many do you have?"

"Err...Oh I actually do have 20,000," he responded as we both burst out laughing.

Tim's enjoying being able to drink Corona out of a glass bottle at the table rather than a plastic cup. I recommended a few European brews for him to try while he's here. When in Rome and all...

Tags: Tim West

Pace Slowing

Perhaps it's the All In drinks wearing off, or perhaps ten levels is just a bit much for your average poker to handle in one day, but the pace of action has slowed considerably, at least in the back room. "Isn't poker exciting?" I heard Kathy Liebert comment as apparently not very much happened, and everyone chuckled wearily. Nevertheless, cards are still being dealt, so we could still see some white-knuckle back room action before the day is up.

"Show the Bluff"

Last year's final tablist, Dominic Kay has just battled with fellow Brit, Chris Moorman. Moorman raised from UTG before Kay reraised from middle position.

The flop came {3-Clubs} {Q-Spades} {J-Spades} and both players checked.

The turn {3-Hearts} brought about a 6,300 bet from Moorman before Kay moved in for over 20,000. Moorman thought for a while and folded reluctantly.

"Show the bluff!" shouted Joe Hachem quickly before Kay mucked. Kay semi-obliged by showing one card, the {A-Clubs}.

"That's not a bluff," added Hachem with a smile.

Kay is up to 45,000.

Tags: Dominic Kay

Koy Flummoxes Bloch and Granstad

Adrian Koy raised to a rather perplexing 900 preflop (blinds at 200/400/50). Andy Bloch in the small blind raised an eyebrow and called, Henning Granstad in the big blind sighed and called as well.

Flop: {6-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} {3-Hearts}

All three players checked.

Turn: {10-Clubs}

Bloch bet out 1,000 and Granstad swiftly called. Koy stared intently at the felt for a while, and then raised to 10,000. Back around to Bloch, and he paused. Pausing turned to dwelling, the expression on his face turning from one of perfect equanimity to total confusion, before a smile spread over his face as he folded. Granstad was nodding cheerfully. "Very good," he commented, as he passed too.

Tags: Adrian KoyAndy BlochHenning Granstad