Robert Williamson III, Huck Seed and Justin Smith have all been drawn at the same table and all just battled in a three-bet pot. Williamson III opened from UTG and then called (along with Smith) a Seed three-bet from the next seat. The flop came and all three checked it to the river where the Texan led for 1,600. Only Seed hung around to see the river where he faced another 1,600 bet. Seed went into the tank….
Williamson III sat for a while but soon erupted into table talk with his much quieter opponent. “I think I might be winning with trips, oh lord” he mused. “It’s supposed to be hard to win a pot out-of-position against Huck but I might just do it.” The talk went quiet for thirty seconds and then Williamson’s final words were “Don’t go raising me now. That would be worse than a slow-roll”.
He needn’t have worried as Seed slipped his hands into the muck and quickly reclaimed his final two lammers. He’s on 11,200 whereas Williamson III is up to 21,000.
Phil Ivey takes on Barry Greenstein: heads up after the flop, Greenstein called a turn bet which was being scooped in on the turn as I arrived. On the river, Greenstein checked, and Ivey immediately threw in a bet of 1,200, which was almost as immediately called. Ivey said one word: "Straight," before showing his , which got one of those pause-recheck-own-cards-freeze -muck reactions from his opponent. The old adversaries continue, with Ivey in position and both of them with plenty of chips to battle with...
We could theoretically witness some interesting back-to-back £5,000 PLO final table appearances in the next few days - almost everyone who finalled this event last year has turned up to take another shot.
Robert Williamson III, Ville Haavisto, Roberto Romanello, Ross Boatman, Aarno Kivelio, not to mention eventual bracelet winner Jani Vilmunen - they're all here. We have yet to find Dan Hindin and Howard Lederer, but we wouldn't be surprised if they turn up at one of the far tables before the end of the registration period. We'll let you know if and when things start feeling groundhoggish.
If latecomers could pick their seats, there aren't too many which look like soft spots. They could have, say, a seat next to the neighbours Barny Boatman, Alan Cunningham and James Akenhead, or join the mix at the Tom Dwan, Ben Grundy and Steve Jelinek table, or even try their luck with Neil Channing, Stu Rutter, Shannon Shorr, Javed Abrahams and Vitaly Lunkin. Probably, however, it's this selection which goes to the top of the Table of Doom lineup:
Phil Ivey
John Juanda
Barry Greenstein
Michel Abecassis
Ilari Tahkokallio
It's also the table employing the largest number of masseuses currently.
We found Thomas Bichon going all in for his 3,000 starting chips on a [tsj[x] flop and his opponent calling. Bichon revealed for an up and down draw, but was behind his opponent who not only held a king and a queen for the same draw, but also a ten for a pair.
However, the turn came down the , prompting Bichon to declare, "Spades as well," and before long the had dropped on the river making him a flush. Bichon looked very satisfied with the outcome of this hand and was on 18,000 in chips after that, including all three of his 4k lammers. His opponent looked somewhat less pleased as he became one of the first players in the room to cash in one of his add-ons.
By the by, some the other players at Bichon's table might be somewhat unfamiliar to those overseas, but they are familiar faces on the UK circuit. Bichon might not be aware of what he's up against, but Karl Mahrenholz and Jeff Kimber are among the most talented and feared young players in the UK today. Also at their table is Tim Flanders, a rather more old-school live player, who finished 29th in the $10,000 PLO WSOP event this summer and 15th in the $1,500 PLO event - this is clearly his game, and he is not to be trifled with when he has four cards in his hand.
Ben Grundy is known for his virtual prowess at this form of the game and the real world version has him off to a fine start. Player raised to 150 from UTG and was called by Grundy and the two blinds to see a flop. The pre-flop aggressor continued that line with a 450 bet that was only called by the Brit. The turn came to pair the board but this didn’t stop the UTG player leading again, this time for 1,100. Grundy took longer to make the call this time. The river came and the UTG player moved all-in (neither lamer had been taken). Grundy took a minute before throwing in the calling chips for showdown:
UTG:
Grundy:
The UTG player flopped the nuts but Grundy’s turned full-house was good for the pot and a 18,500 stack.
With that small but powerful pile of rebuy lammers in front of everyone, they're not shy of getting their first batch of 3,000 chips in on flops in the hope of an early build. Just now a flop brought three players in, with the raise all in being made by Ross Boatman, called by Nikolay Evdakov and the original bettor of 1,600. Swiftly the pot was gathered and a crowd formed as the cards we could see were:
Boatman:
Evdakov:
Third Man: four chards which turned a set of Jacks on the turn, but which instantly went face-down on the river.
Chop between the Hendon Mobster and the Full Tilt Red Pro and one more lammer is exchanged for 4,000 chips.
There are only three tables downstairs so far, and not every seat is full, but we recognise almost everybody there. This tournament is going to be fun.
"Shuffle Up and Deal!" has rung out over the broadcast commentary from the first event's final table, focusing today's players on the task at hand - Pot Limit Omaha. Cards are in the air, and being gathered in hands four at a time by this impressive-looking field, growing slightly at every glance around the card room.
Newly arrived:
Michel Abecassis
Jason Mercier
Tim Flanders
Alan Cunningham
Men the Master
Richard Gryko
Chad Brown
Everybody knows the rules about the brightly-coloured add-on chips; most people know how to play Pot Limit Omaha, but for those who don't understand pot limit maths the max raise is helpfully listed on the structure sheet for this event for every level, and no-one knows who will end up three days from now playing for the second bracelet to be awarded here in London. The atmosphere is fantastic as hand one gets underway...
button in Safari
and all three checked it to the 
river where the Texan led for 1,600. Only Seed hung around to see the 
river where he faced another 1,600 bet. Seed went into the tank….
turn as I arrived. On the 
river, Greenstein checked, and Ivey immediately threw in a bet of 1,200, which was almost as immediately called. Ivey said one word: "Straight," before showing his 
, which got one of those pause-recheck-own-cards-freeze -muck reactions from his opponent. The old adversaries continue, with Ivey in position and both of them with plenty of chips to battle with...
[tsj[x] flop and his opponent calling. Bichon revealed 
for an up and down draw, but was behind his opponent who not only held a king and a queen for the same draw, but also a ten for a pair.
, prompting Bichon to declare, "Spades as well," and before long the 
had dropped on the river making him a flush. Bichon looked very satisfied with the outcome of this hand and was on 18,000 in chips after that, including all three of his 4k lammers. His opponent looked somewhat less pleased as he became one of the first players in the room to cash in one of his add-ons.
to pair the board but this didn’t stop the UTG player leading again, this time for 1,100. Grundy took longer to make the call this time. The river came 
flop brought three players in, with the raise all in being made by Ross Boatman, called by Nikolay Evdakov and the original bettor of 1,600. Swiftly the pot was gathered and a crowd formed as the cards we could see were:
river.
