2008 World Series of Poker Europe

£10,000 WSOP Europe Main Event
Day: 3
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

The Art of Positive Thinking

Paint it Black
Paint it Black
"Come on, don't do it to me," pleaded an animated Andy Black as he turned over {K-Diamonds}{K-Clubs} to Thomas Bentham's {A-Clubs}{K-Spades}.

The flop came a harmless {8-Spades}{J-Spades}{3-Diamonds}, and the Irishman was looking good for a double through.

"That's a good start," he added.

"Just be positive, Andy, and that shit won't happen to you," came the wise words of Sensei Matusow.

Heeding the words of the Mouth, Black began chanting to himself: "Think positive, think positive, think pos..."

Turn = {A-Diamonds}

"Aaaaaah shit."

Matusow remained silent.

As a {4-Diamonds} river hit the felt, Black rose from his seat, wished his opponents good luck and exited stage left. As I write, he's most likely setting fire to Matusow's entire collection of 'positive thinking' literature and mumbling, "I should have stayed negative."

Tags: Andy BlackMike Matusow

All Quiet On The Western Fr....Oh, Wait A Sec...

In the main room, it's been fairly quiet also, only the riffling of chips would allow you to know a poker tournament is going on. There are not too many hands going to showdown, while on Table 3 we've hardly seen a hand that made it to the flop...

Though just as I am typing this Phil Laak is getting up out of his chair wishing everyone good luck. It seems Daniel Negreanu is the recipient of his chips as his {10-Clubs} {9-Clubs} hit the {7-?} {7-?} {J-?} {10-?} {10-?} board better than Laak's {A-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} leaving Kid Poker to stack his chips.

Hoff Hassled...

While doing the rounds at the other two tables, I went to turn around only to see an empty space where Steve van Zadelhoff was sitting. In a sneaky moment, he'd gone and got himself busted while I wasn't looking, it seems.

J.Lo Gets it from the Bloch

I use to have a little, now I have a lot...
I use to have a little, now I have a lot...
Johnny Lodden is sitting on a much healthier 145,000 stack now after doubling up against the chip leader at the start of the day. Ross Boatman raised in early position, Lodden reraised from middle position and then Ivan Demidov thought for a while before flat-calling this bet.

The action was passed around to Bloch in the blinds who moved in forcing players to play for their stacks if they want to get involved. Boatman passed, Lodden called all in and Demidov also folded. Lodden's {K-?} {K-?} was in good shape vs Bloch's {Q-?} {Q-?} while Boatman and Demidov claimed to have passed {A-?} {10-?} and {A-?} {Q-?} respectively.

Lodden survived the board despite it coming with both an ace and a ten which might have been a little galling for the Hendon Mobster. Bloch still has around a quarter of a million though.

Fraser's Bell(am)y Aches

Fraser Bellamy is the next to go from the competition after being all in with {J-Hearts} {10-Diamonds} on a {J-Spades} {6-Diamonds} {3-Diamonds} flop, only to find himself in trouble against Chris Elliot's {Q-Diamonds} {Q-Spades}. No help on the turn {9-Clubs} or {2-Diamonds} river and he left for the rail, a camera tracking him as he left. Meanwhile Chris racked up his chips with an expressionless face, though in his head he was most likely dancing more jigs than his namesake Billy.

On the Move

Willie Haughey has managed to double-up to 36,000 couroesy of Christofer Williamsson.

Williamsson raised from UTG before Haughey moved all in from the big blind. Williamsson didn't like it too much was but never going to fold and was happy to see he was in a race.

Williamsson: {7-Hearts} {7-Spades}
Haughey: {A-Hearts} {10-Diamonds}

The board came {K-Diamonds} {9-Spades} {J-Diamonds} {A-Spades} {5-Spades}

An ace on the turn was good for the pot. Scott Fischman then commented, "On the move now. Watch out, we might have a new chip leader."

Zomg!111!! Hax!!

Isaac Haxton made a push from the small blind for 27,900 and Negreanu made the call from the big blind.

Haxton shrugged and said, "Eights," showing {8-Spades} {8-Hearts} while Negeranu turned over {A-Hearts} {9-Diamonds}. The board came out {9-Hearts} {4-Hearts} {K-Clubs} {3-Hearts} {K-Hearts} making the nut flush for Negreanu as he eliminates yet another stack today.

Tags: Daniel NegreanuIsaac Haxton

Choppety Chop Chop

The camera crew may have charged over as if Britney Spears had sat down at the table, but it was all in vain, an A-Q versus A-Q showdown between Harri Pehkonen and Thomas Bentham leading to a rainbow board and an inevitable split pot.

Bentham -- 33,000
Pehkonen -- 94,000

Mantis Preyed on by Two Opponents

Mahrenholz's look says it all
Mahrenholz's look says it all
The biggest pot of the tournament has just been played out.

Frenchman Jean Thorel raised to 8,000 from the cutoff before Justin "BoostedJ" Smith reraised to 22,600. Karl "Mantis" Mahrenholz then called all in from the small blind for 21,200 and Thorel also made the call.

The flop came {6-Spades} {Q-Hearts} {6-Clubs} and in flash of action Thorel moved all in, a big overbet compared to the pot, and a snap-call by Smith created a huge pot.

Mahrenholz: {A-?} {K-?}
Thorel: {J-?} {J-?}
Smith: {A-Spades} {A-Diamonds}.

The turn came {8-Spades} and river {Q-Clubs} to confirm Smith rockets to the top of the leader board as his two opponents made their exit.

The TD broke the table straight after this so Smith headed off into the main room with more racks than a torture chamber. I think he has around 390,000 chips though.