Event 1 - £1,000 No Limit Hold'em Day 1a | 2009 World Series of Poker Europe

Event 1 - £1,000 No Limit Hold'em

Day 1a Completed

09-19-2009 00:46 UTC+2

Day 1a Complete

[user4144]

Along with the chips, Day 1a is now in the bag after a fast-paced, action-packed eight and three quarter levels. In that time, we lost a remarkable 254 players, of which included the likes of Barry Greenstein, Erik Seidel and champion bullet-dodger Phil Hellmuth. But whilst the stars passed without so much of a glimmer, more local names shone bright: Richard Kellett, Andrew Seden and WSOP hero JP Kelly all taking this opening event by the scruff of the neck and flying the flag with pride.

But, of course, this is just part one - tomorrow sees a second batch of salivating poker fanatics enter the fray, all bracelet hungry and eager to surpass Kelly's achievements from today. So, on that note, join us again tomorrow afternoon, same bat time, same bat channel (12pm and PokerNews... just in case).

09-19-2009 00:44 UTC+2

Razor Slices Up the Opposition

[user46392]

Wow, in what looks to be the biggest pot of the day, Ian Frazer has doubled up to around 60,000.

It seems that Rowan involved himself in some sort of bluff gone wrong -- either way, Frazer was all in preflop, and Rowan was already counting out the chips to hand over before they flipped their cards.

Frazer: a very premium {K-Clubs}

Rowan: a somewhat less than premium {J-Diamonds}

There were a total of zero nasty surprises on the board, and Frazer enjoyed a full last-minute double up. Rowan, meanwhile, was crippled to 14,000.

09-19-2009 00:36 UTC+2

Kellett Eliminates Madsen

[user4144]

Just as we thought JP Kelly was going to run away with the day, Richard Kellett won a 50,000 pot, and earned the scalp of double bracelet winner Jeff Madsen in the process. According to my source, "Kellett called a four-bet shove from Madsen with T-T, which held up against A-K."

As a result of his coin flipping talents, Kellett is now up to around the 65,000 mark.

Tags: Jeff Madsen Richard Kellett

09-19-2009 00:27 UTC+2

Greco Gone

[user4144]

Down to just 225, Michael Greco didn't have enough for the 600 big blind, and was forced to witness the rarity of the dealer creating a sidepot without a preflop raise.

With two limpers to the flop (Richard Kellett relinquished the small blind), Swee Chai bet 1,000 on the {10-Hearts}

flop and Andy Kyprianou made the call.

After both players checked the {5-Spades}

turn, Kyprianou led for 3,500 on the {2-Hearts}

river and Chai made the call. Kyprianou insta-mucked, leaving Chai to reveal {A-Hearts}

, which was beating Greco who threw his cards into the muck and exited stage left.

Tags: Andy Kyprianou Michael Greco Swee Chai

09-19-2009 00:21 UTC+2

Bowl of Rice

[user4144]

They say it's all about timing (others call it "luck"), but when Michael Greco pushed all in, his timing seemed a little off. Sadly, he doesn't possess X-ray vision, and with an even shorter stack picking up {K-Spades}

, and Swee Chai finding {A-Hearts}

, Greco was in a spot of bother and fully braced for the inevitable duff duffs.

An uneventful board later and Chai was back up to the 35-40,000 mark. Greco, meanwhile, was left with what is commonly known as a "bowl of rice."

Tags: Michael Greco Swee Chai

09-19-2009 00:13 UTC+2

Everybody Loves Raymond...

[user46392]

...Particularly Rory McHugh, who has just now doubled through the downswinging Raymond Rahme.

We didn't see the preflop or flop action, but a pretty hefty pot had developed by that point. So with the board reading {4-Diamonds}

board, we caught up with the action as McHugh bet out 4,000, leaving himself just 2,000 behind, and Rahme raised -- "All in," he said, unnecessarily when a simple min-raise would have done.

Nevertheless:

Rahme: {A-Hearts}

McHugh:

for the made full house

River: {3-Spades}

and thus not a jack

McHugh doubled to 15,000, while Rahme dropped again to 24,000.

Tags: Raymond Rahme Rory McHugh

09-19-2009 00:04 UTC+2

49 Remain

[user4144]

With 49 players remaining, we're just 9 more exits away from the end of the day. If those exits don't arrive, play will cease at 1am. One way we go home on the tube (yay - fast, quiet); the other we take the night bus (booo - slow, full of drunks).

09-19-2009 00:03 UTC+2

Rahme Takes a Hit

[user4144]

Former WSOP finalist Raymond Rahme raised to 1,775 from UTG+1, only for a short stack to push all in for 12,450 two seats along. After requesting a count, Rahme made the call and showed {A-Clubs}

. His opponent tabled {K-Clubs}

. An

board later and Rahme was down to 35,000.

Tags: Raymond Rahme

09-18-2009 23:50 UTC+2

Off They Go

[user46392]

Let's see some high-speed action!