£10,000 WSOP Europe Main Event Day 2 | 2008 World Series of Poker Europe

09-29-2008 13:15 UTC+1

2008 WSOPE Presented by Betfair.com: Main Event - Day 2

Welcome back to the Casino at the Empire in Leicester Square for our continued coverage of the 2008 World Series of Poker Europe Main Event. Day 2 is upon us and a total of 179 players survived their Day 1 flights to earn a spot here today. The field, now merged into one body, will play five two-hour levels of poker today.

Keep it locked on PokerNews.com for all the latest updates, chip counts, photos and videos direct from the tournament floor.

We're live at the Empire -- right now!

09-29-2008 13:15 UTC+1

Not Many Fashionably Late

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

With very, very few exceptions, every player still in with a shot at the £10,000 WSOPE Main Event title has shown up on time, taken their seats with determined expressions, and waited patiently for the "Shuffle Up and Deal" to echo through the brightly lit casino. Chip leaders and those making desperate bids for stack increases are all aiming for another day's play and potentially one of those most valued pieces of poker jewelry.

The atmosphere in here today is quiet (apart from Neil Channing whose chat function is undaunted despite having a short stack), but expect that to change as coffee is ordered and players like Stuart Fox, Johnny Lodden, Vicky Coren, Jeff Garza, Karl Mahrenholz and Florian Langmann face off against each other.

Level: 6

Blinds: 250/500

Ante: 50

09-29-2008 13:20 UTC+1

Welcome to the Table

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

With the players setting down in, Phil Hellmuth can't resist needling his H.O.R.S.E. foe Sherkhan Farnood.

"How did you get through Day 1? You must have left a bloody trail in your wake. All in with fours against aces? All in with fives against kings?"

09-29-2008 13:20 UTC+1

First hand...

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

First hand, Ville Wahlbeck raises and Bengt Sonnert moves all in with Andreas Berggren moving in behind.

"Is this the first hand?" inquires Hellmuth.

Wahlbeck calls and shows {10-?}

, Sonnert flips {J-?}

and Berggren has {A-?}

. The board comes out {3-?}

and Berggren trebles up, while Wahlbeck is eliminated by Sonnert who still makes a profit.

09-29-2008 13:37 UTC+1

Walk in the Park

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

There are a few tables out there that are easier than a Sunday morning (copyright Lionel Richie). Check out this line-up of nobodies:

Table 18...

Devilfish
Juha Helppi
Steve Zolotow
Andy Black
John Kabbaj
Antony Lellouche
Andrew Hadden
John Juanda
Vanessa Rousso

If anyone has head of any of these, then please let us know.

09-29-2008 13:37 UTC+1

Hellmuth Waxes Lyrically

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

"They're putting in 20 dimes with jacks in the first level...These young internet players, they don't know how to build mountains properly, you have to build them in the right way..."

Phil Hellmuth, poker player, philosopher, poet.

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

09-29-2008 13:37 UTC+1

Early All In...No Call but Still Interesting

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Heads-up to the flop, cutoff David Lawrence bet out on the {A-Diamonds}

flop, and button Dominic Kay threw in a calm 4,325 on top. A long pause, and then Lawrence said, "I call." The turn brought the {5-Hearts}

, and again a small bet out from Lawrence. "Raise," said Kay, before measuring the call (3,000) and then considering the correct amount... he settled on a further 8,250.

Back to Lawrence, who then announced all in, which set Kay off on an internal monologue, externalized with these comments:

"Can you tell me if he's got me covered...oh, I've got him covered, but I don't want to get crippled [the bet for him to call 28,175]...Only sixes. When I raised, you looked disgusted, like you wanted to throw up..."

With no comment from his all-in opponent, eventually Kay tapped the table, giving up the large pot but remaining in contention.

Tags: David Lawrence Dominic Kay

09-29-2008 13:39 UTC+1

Persson Besmirches the Knaves

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Magnus Persson has doubled through early doors. He found himself all in preflop with the speculative hand of {Q-Spades}

, but managed to unravel his foe's {J-Hearts}

when the board came an eventful {A-Clubs}

for the ever-popular runner, runner, runner, runner flush.

Tags: Magnus Persson

09-29-2008 13:45 UTC+1

Somebody Call a Medic

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Nenad Medic is struggling during these opening rounds, predominantly after tangling with Sargon Ruya. With the board reading {J-Hearts}

, Medic check-called a bet of 14,000 before checking again on the {4-Hearts}

turn. This time Ruya led for 28,000, a bet which forced Medic to pitch up tent in the think tank. After a long pause, that was met with a highly respectful silence from the other players, Medic sighed, mumbled frustratedly to himself before eventually folding {K-Spades}