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

09-19-2009 13:32 UTC+1

Will They Ever Slow Down?

Following yesterday's breakneck speed of play, it looks as though we could be in for another super-mega-ultra-fast day. The board currently tells us that we have had 331 entries so far, and barely 20 minutes into Level 2 we are down to 308.

09-19-2009 13:25 UTC+1

Shak Attack

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Circuit regular Talal Shakerchi, who came 13th in the £10,000 Main Event here last year, is off to a flying start. He flopped a flush draw with {A-Spades}

but his hand had morphed into a broadway straight for the nuts by the river. He got paid off, and is up to 7,500.

Tags: Talal Shakerchi

09-19-2009 13:21 UTC+1

JJ No Good for JJ

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The Dragons can breathe a sigh of relief, as JJ Hazan won't be taking home a bracelet this year after being eliminated by Nottingham's Pete Linton.

"Jacks taken out by 6-3," confirmed recent TV celebrity Hazan on departure, perhaps in an effort to share his surprise/frustration. "To be fair, it was only 75 preflop," defended Linton, who'd opted to protect his blind.

Either way, all the chips went in on a {10-?}

flop, Linton avoiding a knave on the otherwise blank {K-?}

turn and

river. "Well played, Pete," congratulated Hazan as he cheekily toppled Linton's stack of greens with a mischievous smirk.

Tags: JJ Hazan Pete Linton

Level: 2

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

09-19-2009 13:07 UTC+1

A-Listers Arriving Fashionably Late

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Recently arrived at the felt are luminaries Antonio Esfandiari, Howard Lederer and Arnaud Mattern.

09-19-2009 13:06 UTC+1

Master Enters the Dojo

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We now have more men (quite literally) here at the Empire, as multiple bracelet winner Men 'The Master' Nguyen has taken his seat as we approach the tail end of level one.

Tags: Men Nguyen

09-19-2009 12:53 UTC+1

Early Shower

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I don't think they supply showers here at the Empire, but if they did, Barney Boatman would be one of few lathering up after an early exit from today's tournament. He only had 400 when he hit the deck, with the largest chunk of his stack going wayward when, according to my source, "he tried to bluff off a set with top pair."

Tags: Barny Boatman

09-19-2009 12:43 UTC+1

...See What We Mean?

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Mr. John Tabatabai, who was famously beaten heads-up by Annette Obrestad in the main event here two years ago, has just seated himself at Barny Boatman's table. He is wearing a very orange shirt today and can thus be seen from a considerable distance.

09-19-2009 12:41 UTC+1

Further Noted at the Felt

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- November Niner James Akenhead
- Player of the Year and triple bracelet winner Jeff Lisandro
- EPT Baden winner Julian Thew
- entertaining Legend Of Irish Poker, Padraig Parkinson
- all-round poker powerhouse Allen Cunningham

All this, and they're still trickling in...

09-19-2009 12:38 UTC+1

Liv-in on the Edge

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If the Table of Doom wasn't doomy enough, it's now even doomier after being joined by Liv Boeree who completes a quartet of queasiness for the other players at the table. One thing's for sure, the table's certainly a lot better looking now.

Tags: Liv Boeree