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

09-19-2009 14:06 UTC+2

Master Enters the Dojo

[user4144]

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 14:07 UTC+2

A-Listers Arriving Fashionably Late

[user46392]

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

Level: 2

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

09-19-2009 14:21 UTC+2

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

09-19-2009 14:25 UTC+2

Shak Attack

[user46392]

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 14:32 UTC+2

Will They Ever Slow Down?

[user46392]

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 14:41 UTC+2

Obrestad Takes One Down

[user4144]

Looking as menacing and intimidating as a sweet 21-year old woman can possibly be, Annette Obrestad reached the river of a {7-Spades}

board. Her opponent led for 200, which Obrestad raised to 800. As Obrestad remained familiarly stoic, her body frozen and her sunglasses concealing any glint in her eye, her opponent made a reluctant fold and the 2007 Champ picked up the pot.

09-19-2009 14:42 UTC+2

Keine Keiner

[user46392]

It's a pretty big place, the Empire, with tables spread here, there and everywhere -- but until we actually see him elsewhere with our own eyes, we are assuming that Michael Keiner's absence from his original table means that he is busto.

Tags: Michael Keiner

09-19-2009 14:46 UTC+2

Lederer Hovering

[user46392]

An early dip for Howard Lederer has been remedied by picking up a nice pot to put him back up to 3,200.

He raised preflop and got looked up by the young gentleman in the small blind. Said young gentleman proceeded to check-call 200 from Lederer on the {7-Spades}

flop, and checked again on the {K-Spades}

turn. Lederer this time fired out 500, and the kid folded.

Tags: Howard Lederer

09-19-2009 14:59 UTC+2

Ferguson Dominates the Doom

[user46392]

Over at the Table Of Doom, doomiest of the lot right now seems to be Chris Ferguson.

Already up to 6,000 at the start of the hand, he saw a {K-?}

flop and after a brief raising war his opponent was all in and they were on their backs, Ferguson holding {A-?}

and Mr. Opponent holding {K-Diamonds}

. With one diamond on the flop, a second one on the turn gave the all-in gentleman a flush draw -- but the river blanked out and Ferguson is up to 8,000.

Tags: Chris Ferguson