As we await the start of today's Omaha final, a large crowd is huddled around the feature table, goggle-eyed as Europe battle America in the Betfair Caesar Cup.
As expected, it's a rather low profile affair, with a bunch on amateurs making up either side. Representing North America are Greenstein, Ivey, Negreanu, Seed, Harman, Juanda and Hellmuth, whilst for the home continent, we have Antonius, Ziigmund, Hansen, Obrestad, Minieiri, Eastgate, ElkY and one star-struck Betfair qualifier (your reporter was cruelly overlooked).
Currently locking horns at the felt are Antonius and Ziigmund versus Ivey and Seed, located at each end of the table like a a double date between two married couples. The process is simple: they take it in turns to play a street, and by the looks of, it appears as though the Americans currently have the edge.
After Roberto Romanello took down the first couple of pots preflop, and then latecomer Jani Vilmunen, it was the end of the road for Robert Williamson III who found himself all in with versus Romanello's . The looked safe, but the turn provoked doubt (despite a flush draw), and justifiably so as the river came the to send Williamson III crashing out.
Aarno Kivelio raised to 35,000 from the button, only for fellow countryman Jani Villmunen to bump it up to 80,000 from the small blind. After brief deliberation, Kivelio made the call.
On the flop, Vilmenen took it down with a bet of 240,000.
Neighbours Howard Lederer and Jeff Kimber reached a flop where Lederer led, and Kimber called. Both players checked the turn, only for Lederer to lead out on the river. Kimber shoved, and Lederer called.
Lederer =
Kimber =
... and Lederer takes both the pot, and the scalp with a bigger full house.
After 30 minutes, Patrik Antonius and Ziigmund have triumphed over Phil Ivey and Huck Seed. Next in the dock for North America are Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu (will there be harmony in that team?). They're taking on ElkY and one very nervous looking online qualifier. Game on!
In a preflop limpathon, Jani Vilmunen, Ross Boatman, Ville Haavisto and Howard Lederer all saw a flop of . With two checks before him, Vilmunen took it down with a bet of 25,000.
Jani Vilmunen kicked things off again, raising to 25,000. Howard Lederer and Aarno Kivelio both called. On the flop, Lederer check-raised Vilmunen's conintuation bet of 50,000 to what looked to be around the 175,000 mark. The Finn quickly folded.