| Buy-In: | $9,750 + $444 |
|---|---|
| Prize Pool: | $4,111,848 |
| Entrants: | 460 |
You can keep the final from Barcelona back in season one that lasted into the night. You can even forget the final two years ago held in this very casino that saw Denmark's Mads Andersen win as the clock struck 3am and the camera crews frantically searched for scraps of blank tape before supplies run out. Those heads up matches may have been long, but tonight PokerStars qualifier Tim Vance, a 46-year-old contractor from St Louis in the United States, won a four and a half hour heads-up marathon - the longest in EPT history - to become the new EPT champion collecting DKK6220488 or €834,590.
Vance beat Denmark's Soren Jensen, an exuberant character from Aarhus, Denmark, who would have had his own story to tell this week had his opponent's ace-ten of spades not made the winning flush. Like you'd rehearse in your dreams when Soren moved in Tim knew the event was over, saying "It's been nice playing with you sir, I call...." Soren was beaten.
Over the last few days Tim Vance has been the same approachable guy from the start of the day to the end. Easy to pick out in the card room for his tendency to stand up when either playing or not playing a hand, he was down to his last 11k on day 1 when I first talked to him, but survived into day two, then three, and arrived at the final with the chip lead. It was a lead that, despite valiant attempts from opponents, he was not prepared to give up.
The hand that turned the tournament onto his course came yesterday, late in the day against Kristian Pedrersen, as we eeked our way towards a last eight. Pedersen had moved all-in, a colossal amount, with chips sprawled all over the table like some fool had collided with the table and knocked a few stacks over. The reality was much different.
Tim Vance was running things through his head when the camera's picked up on the hand. Tim liked to think aloud and at this moment decided his opponent had ace-king. He was convinced. Again and again he told himself "ace-king" before calling and showing his pocket nines. Pedersen, who had been waiting patiently as the crowds drew closer and cameras from the feature table ignored that tried to tune in to what was being said, turned over his cards. He had ace-king.
From there Tim didn't look back. Despite a slight jolt up early in the day - a hand he lost that that sent him pacing the stage and berating himself for nearly an hour, he never lost sight of the ultimate prize. Later Tim would say that a few years back after defeat in a main event satellite, he would stand in the line and tell people that if they ought him in they could keep everything. He had no takers, but perhaps it was their mistake.
So how did things unfold? It would be no finesse table, although we didn't know that when things started at 2.15pm this afternoon...
Seat 1 -- Rasmus Hede Nielsen -- Denmark 789,000
Seat 2 -- Timothy Vance -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 1,408,000
Seat 3 -- Daniel Ryan -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 557,000
Seat 4 -- Patrik Andersson -- Sweden -- 283,000
Seat 5 -- Simon Dørslund -- Denmark -- 267,000
Seat 6 -- Nicolas Dervaux -- France -- 336,000
Seat 7 -- Søren Jensen -- Denmark -- 500,000
Seat 8 -- Magnus Hansen -- Denmark -- 458,000
Vance had the chips but attention was also on two other players. Rasmus Hede Nielsen of Denmark had started day three with the chip lead and had carefully steered his stack to a place at the final - something that was not always guaranteed to the leader on day three. He was more than capable of using them to maximum effect. As was Danny Ryan.
Danny was another PokerStars qualifier, but is also known as one of the many young masters of internet poker. His calm aggressive style, a million years from the expressive tendencies of Vance and Jensen, always posed a threat an clearly these two and Vance looked likely to dominate from the start.
It took half an hour for the first player to be eliminated. Patrick Andersen was first to go when he pushed all-in behind a button raise from Daniel Ryan. Ryan called showing A-5 with Andersen showing just K-6. A five on the flop did it for the American with no further help for Andersson who left with DKK 569,333 or €76,386.
Nearly two and a half hours passed before Simon Dørslund went next in seventh spot for DKK801,283 (€107,507). After a Tim Vance raise Simon pushed from the small blind leading Tim to make a tank call with A-K. Simon had A-8 and despite a straight draw on the turn found no further help.
Frenchman Nicolas Dervaux had been a quiet player from the outset. Was he caught in the headlights of the TV stage like some thought? Perhaps, but as Nicolas was unable to speak English, he may have been keeping quiet for different reason.
He was eliminated in sixth place for DKK1,012,147 (€135,798) when he moved with J-5 only to be called by Soren Jenson with A-7. He looked happy at that to begin with but less so when a jack hit the flop. He needn't have worried for long - the ace on the turn settled it for the Frenchman.
By now Tim Vance had become a kind of like-him-or-loathe-him figure. It was nothing personal, just that Tim tended to sing a lot (the entire back catalogue of the Beatles it seemed) and think out loud. That was nothing though compared to Soren Jensen.
Rumour had it that Soren had decided not to change his clothing for the entire week - presumably for fear of washing off the luck - and he also tended to celebrate big pots with exclamations of Nordic joy, cheers, air punching and bear hugs with his brother on the rail.
Danny Ryan would not be eliminated next until after the dinner break. Ryan had threatened once or twice to break through and had cleared earlier hurdles the night before to make it hear having lost a large part of his stack to the same Kristian Pedersen eliminated by Vance.
He was ultimately forced to make a move with A-Q only to be called by Rasmus Nielsen with A-K and suddenly we were left with four players.
Rasmus had kept pace at times and struggled at other times. But with four left he could hold on now more. He raised pre-flop only to see Tim Vance re-raising to 350k, putting his chips in before beginning on another chorus of song. Resigned to his fate Rasmus rested his head on the side of the table like he was about to see something nasty. He was. The flop came 9-7-J rainbow. Tim looked over at Rasmus hiding his head and announced 'all-in'. Rasmus had little else to say...
"I call"
Tim didn't want to hear that. "You got a winner man, good call."
Pocket eights for Rasmus with just A-Q for Tim. The jack on the turn paired the board and lead Tim to call out for something he'd only needed a couple of times all week - some luck. An ace on the river duly turned the hand on its head. Rasmus was out in fourth place for DKK1,560,394 (€209,355).
That left three...
Tim Vance - PokerStars qualifier - USA - 2,037,000
Soren Jensen - Denmark - 1,485,000
Magnus Hansen - Denmark - 1,076,000
The final had gradually become a United State v Denmark affair, or specifically Vance and Jensen. The third player in the mix was Magnus Hansen, another Dane who had done nothing wrong up to now and always threatened to sneak past and into a position of authority lying as he did just a few hundred thousand short of Jensen.
On a flop of T-4-9 he raised only to see Soren move all-in. Magnus checked his cards again whilst Soren took time for one of his many walks.
Magnus called.
That brought Soren back who smartly showed 9-4 for two pairs. Just T-6 for Marcus and a pair of tens. The turn helped Magnus with a flush draw possibility but perhaps this final was not meant for him. It had been pre-ordained by the entertainment gods that these two extroverts, from opposite sides of the world, would meet in combat to see out the EPT Copenhagen. Despite a possible 14 outs on the river Magnus Hede Nielsen was out in third place for DKK2,045,381 or €274,425.
What happened next threw everyone. Vance and Jensen each put their foot on the brake. Actually the stood on the brakes. Things seemed to go from 100mph to 20mph in the space of a five minutes break.
Hands taking a regular pattern - a bet, a call, a flop, before both players checked it to the end. It happened again, and again and after twenty minutes it became clear that Tim and Soren intended to make this a battle of endurance.
Flash back to 2006. Mads Andersen and Edgar Skjervold, two of Scndinavia's hottest players at the time fought a volatile match for several hours. It was made memorable by the double ups - both Andersen and Skjervold played with the necessarily gamble to seize a chance when they saw it. The result - swings one way then the other before Andersen eventually prevailed.
Vance and Jensen, however, took the opposite approach. Vance would later say that he knew the longer he could stretch out the final the better his chances. It could have been the fact he was drinking coffee whilst Jensen drank beer. Or, it could have been something to do with experience and an incredible ability to remain patient even when things looked dire - and both players had their fair share of those.
With Hansen gone Vance and Jensen were close on chips with Soren holding the edge.
Tim Vance -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 2,125,000
Soren Jensen -- Denmark -- 2,475,000
Soren began pulling away and soon he was up to 2.8million. But neither player was prepared to throw in the towel. Again, small pots, bet and call checked down to the river. One pot one way, the next the other.
Then, two and a half hours into the head up this happened...
Tim raised pre-flop, his now standard 200k. As he'd done many times before Soren called and the flop came 8-2-T with two clubs. Another 200k from Tim but now Soren re-raised -nothing grand, a minimum bet to 400k. Tim called quickly causing heads on the rail to spark back into life. The queen of spades on the turn and Soren checked, as did Tim for a river card jack of clubs. Tim pushed and Soren called, showing the two pairs he'd made on the turn. But it was Tim's turn to leap up in joy, showing the rivered flush. How things could have been different had Jensen bet on the turn.
"I should have raised you on the turn," said Soren.
"Yes you should have" replied Tim.
But Tim was now back in front - 3.7million to 870k.
Could Soren regain some momentum after such a knock? Well, the answer seemed to be yes when, with hope seemingly lost down the rabbit hole, ten minutes later Soren got the best of it with pocket kings against Tim's K-Q. No luck this time for the American and a double up for Soren.
But thoughts of a comeback would end there. At 1.40am on Sunday morning Soren checked a 2-7-8 flop, with two spades. Both players checked and the turn brought another spade, the three. Soren made it 115k now which Tim called quickly - very quickly. Something was about to go off. Soren moved in on the board showing straight and flush possibilities. Tim stood up. Would this be another internal monologue of possible hands? No.
"It's been nice playing with you sir... I call."
Tim slammed his A-T of spades, the nut flush, onto the table. Soren's hand was immaterial now. After four and a half hours Tim Vance had won the EPT Copenhagen.
Tim Vance had spent all week talking out loud to his three and a half year old daughter Nanzi - her picture being pasted into the inside of his St Louis cap. Of everyone Tim has been one of those guys you wished well merely for the fact he was having a good time. He chatted with everyone, sung constantly, even when his hopes of cashing looked slim. But the shock of winning, the effect that this win will have on his life and his family was a little too much. After winning he did exactly the same as he'd done at every break this week. He went for a cigarette and to talk to anyone doing the same.
Now he'd won he had little to say. His job was done - the job he knew he could do when he landed in Copenhagen on Monday. He'd proved it to himself and the hundreds of people who watched the last hand and that perfect phrase to cap it all off. It was a pleasure watching you sir.
Tim Vance - "I knew I was going to win. I was the best and I wanted it the most. There were times I made mistakes and times I got lucky. But I outlasted him. I knew that the longer it took, the better my chances were of winning. It was a tough competition, as tough as anywhere I have ever played."
Final table result at EPT Copenhagen -
1st - Timothy Vance - PokerStars qualifier - USA -- DKK6220488 or €834,590
2nd - Soren Jensen - Denmark -- DKK3,521,429 or €472,463
3rd - Magnus Hansen - Denmark -- DKK2,045,381 or €274,425
4th - Rasmus Hede Nielsen - Denmark -- DKK1,560,394 or €209,355
5th - Daniel Ryan - PokerStars qualifier - USA -- DKK1,286,270 or €172,576
6th - Nicolas Dervaux - France -- DKK1,012,147 or €135,798
7th - Simon Dorsland - Denmark -- DKK801,283 or €107,507
8th - Patrik Andersson - Sweden -- DKK 569,333 or €76,386
A final wrap from the video blog team...
1.40am -- Soren Jensen from Denmark is eliminated in second place for DKK3,521,429 or €472,463
2-7-8 with two spades on the flop. Soren checks. Tim, now with sleeves rolled up, did the same. The turn is a three, another spade. Soren bets 115k and Tim calls quickly. The river is a four, a spade, giving the board flush and straight possibilities. Soren moves in. Tim gets up, looks over at Soren and says "It's been nice playing with you sir... I call." Tim turns over A-T of spades. The nut flush. It's over.
1.25am -- The same careful game being played by both players. It's a little quieter now. None of the hoopla of celebration that came before.
1.10am -- Soren is all-in on a flop of 6-7-K. Casino Copenhagen was close to sleep but now, from out of nowhere, Soren moves in. Tim calls. It's Q-7 for Soren for a pair of sevens. King-four for Tim which puts him in the lead with Soren covered. This could be it. The turn is a queen. Incredibly Soren jumps ahead. The river a seven giving Soren with a miracle full house. He's doubles up and we play on. Both stacks are fairly even.
1.06am -- You may remember the often referred to final in Copenhagen two years ago with a heads-up match between Mads Andersen and Edgar Skjervold that took us passed 3am before it finished. It seems the official time on that heads up was three hours, which makes this heads-up, between PokerStars qualifier Tim Vance and Soren Jensen, the longest in EPT history.
1.05am -- Blinds are now up to 50k/100k.
12.45am -- Players take another 15 minutes break.
12.30am -- Soren is all-in again, pre-flop. Tim asks for a count... Soren has 1.1million. Tim begins clapping. "What's your pair?" he asks, and thinks some more. But this doesn't look good. "I gotta fold it." Soren takes the pot...
12.25am -- Blinds are currently 40k/80k at the moment.
12.15am -- 7-7-2 on the flop. Tim checks in the dark and Soren bets 80k. Called. The turn, an ace, Tim checks in the dark, Soren bets, 80k. Called. The river is a deuce. Tim checks, Soren moves all-in. For a moment it looks as if Tim might talk himself into calling, but there's little in the pot to risk it and he folds. Soren shows him A-7.
12.10am -- 128 hands in this heads up match. On a J-J-T-T-J board Soren moved in. Playing the board? Tim didn't take the chance, laughing it off and mucking his hand. Good fold, Soren flashed the jack for quads. Heads up play has now entered the fourth hour.
12am -- Anina Gundesen, who became the first woman player to make an EPT final table here back in season two, has just come into the press room after saying hello to a few fellow Danish players. "So have the chips been going back and forth...?" she asks. Well, in a way Anina, but very slowly...
11.50pm -- Pre-flop and a 200k bet from Tim. Soren pushes all-in.
"Are you giving up sir?" asks Tim. Soren walks off. "Won't talk to me? Won't even look at me? You got a hand? Got an ace?"
They both agree they can't beat an ace...
"I can't and I call..." says Tim who shows K-Q. He's in a world of trouble though and Soren shows pocket kings.
"Dumb call...
Q- 7-J-K-2
The queen brought some hope, the king on the turn sat everyone down again.
"Bad call, bad call, bad call," says Tim, like he's scolding a dog. We're back to where we started.
11.40pm -- Tim raises pre-flop 200k. Soren calls. The flop comes 8-2-T with clubs. Tim makes it 200k and Soren re-raises 400k. This gets a quick call from Tim for a turn, a queen of spades. Still two clubs on the board. Soren checks, so does Tim. The river is a jack of clubs. Tim moved all-in and Soren calls, showing his two pair clinched on the turn, but Tim leaps up with joy, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" he has the flush.
Soren claps - there seems little else to do - there's no high five from Tim who is now back in the possession of the chip lead - and it's a big one - 3.7million to 870k.
"I'm a little groggy - I'm just glad I don't have to drive home." says Tim.
"I should have raised you all in on the turn." says Soren.
"Yes you should have."
"Nice hand. You deserved it... an expensive mistake."
Soren is now the picture of frustration...
11.30pm -- The board read J-3-7-6-3. There's no betting and Tim shows a seven whilst Soren turns over trip threes.
11.20pm -- Soren bets pre-flop and Tim calls. The flop comes Ac-7c-5c. Tim now makes it 200k which Soren re-raises - just the minimum though - 400k. Tim calls and someone somewhere falls off their chair. This is now a huge pot of over one million.
The turn is a five of clubs. Oddly both check. The river is a two of diamonds. Another 400k from Tim which Soren calls. A-8 for Soren, just A-2 for Tim.
You might be able to predict Soren's reaction by now. He starts screaming, chest butts his brother on the rail and comes back to high five Tim - perhaps the last person he should be approaching, but Soren's reaction is something along the lines of a tournament win. He now has a one million chip advantage over the American.
The break -- In the break I took a walk around the stage. This is quickly (or slowly) becoming one of the slowest heads up battles in EPT history. It's not yet the longest, unofficially that title goes to one of two other EPTS - Barcelona in season one was a four an a half hour heads-up trawl; and Copenhagen in season two, which saw the heads-up match between two top drawer players in Mads Andersen and Edgar Skjervold - finishing shortly before the Casino closed. The camera crews on that day had just 15 minutes of film left. If you look up the word 'relieved' in the dictionary you see a photo of the camera men from that day.
Yet despite this nobody has moved. The rail birds sit in the same place they were hours ago and only Thomas Kremser seems to be flagging. A colleague brings him coffee and whilst I can't be sure I think he added more sugar than he normally would.
Soren Jensen talks to some friends. Tim is probably outside having a smoke. That as a few minutes ago. They're back now and ready to continue on into the night...
Tim Vance - 2.9million
Soren Jensen - 1.6million
The blinds are now 30k/60k.
10.50pm -- Players take a ten minute break.
10.45pm -- The flop - 6-2-5. Check, check. The turn a seven. Check, check. The river a nine. Tim bets, Soren folds.
10.40pm -- A few pots with a little more action, a hand won on the river with two pairs for Tim. He's back in front with 2.4million to 2.1million in front of Soren.
10.30pm -- A 380k pot develops on a board reading 2-T-8-9 with three clubs. It's the biggest pot of the heads-up. Soren bets. Tim moves all-in. What's this? That's the expression on everyone's lips. Soren starts an involuntary bobble head movement. Tim breaks into another Abbey Road great. He takes the pot with it.
10.25pm -- Tim bets 280k after a lot of thought on a flop of 9-T-J. It's a post flop bet - the first of the final it seems. "I like that bet" says Soren. Tim takes the pot.
10.21pm -- Tim calls for an orange juice - a huge glass of it, full of ice - "Tell them American ice."
10.20pm -- A 180k pre-flop raise from Tim. Soren calls for a flop of 9-K-2. Tim checks blind, Soren checks behind him. The turn is an eight, more checking. The river a king, checked again. Tim wins the pot with a pair a nines that he didn't notice he had.
10.15pm -- A board reading 7-K-Q-2. Tim wonders if he's ahead. Soren announces he needs a bath, going for his towel and wiping his face. Tim passes and Soren shows two pairs for the pot.
10.10pm -- Blinds up to 25k/50k with a 5k ante.
10.02pm -- Latest chip counts...
Tim Vance -- 1.8million
Soren Jensen -- 2.8million
10pm -- Soren wins a pot... "Not everything is free here." he says with the air of menace...
"What? Nothing is free here" replies Tim. "It's the most expensive place I've ever been!"
9.55pm -- A 120k raise from Tim pre-flop. He asks the dealer if he has put the right amount on the table. She confirms. Here comes the re-raise from Soren - the first time this has happened since the heads up began. It's 220k to call for Tim. Tim mucks. Soren shows his pocket kings.
9.45pm -- Two hands come, a raise and a call pre-flop only to be checked down to the showdown. Soren took the last one.
9.38pm -- A full verse of 'Lovely Rita' from Tim.
9.32pm -- Tim raises pre-flop - 90k. Both players sit with one arm draped over the table. Soren sips beer, Tim sips coffee. Soren mucks. He still has 2.7million to Tim's 1.8million.
9.30pm - Soren wins a murmur of a pot with a pair when a jack hits the flop.
9.25pm -- The two players hug. Tim says "Let's roll..." Thomas Kremser says shuffle up and deal... Tim asks for the cards to be shuffled having come back from a break. Thomas obliges. We're underway... blinds 20k/40k with a 4k ante.
9.20pm -- Heads up ready. The chips counts are as follows...
Tim Vance -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 2,125,000
Soren Jensen -- Denmark -- 2,475,000
9.15pm - There's a pause in the action as the chips are set up on the table - Tim's at one end, Soren's at the other. To say the two characters of this final are now playing heads-up is a wreckless understatement and anyone watching on EPT Live should be prepared to spend time watching an empty table as both players go for walks around the stage. Heads up action is about to start...
9.10pm - Magnus Hansen is eliminated in third place for DKK2,045,381 or €274,425
On a flop of Ts-4h-9h Magnus raises, Soren moves all-in causing Magnus to look again. Soren meanwhile goes for a walk raising questions of one rule for him, one rule for Tim. He returns. Goes off again and comes back.
Magnus calls.
Soren shows 9-4 for two pairs. For Marcus T-6 and he'll need help. The turn, the five of hearts, gives Magnus a flush draw and 14 outs, but none hit on the river - seven of spades.
The testosterone in Soren materialises as a kiss on a rail with his brother. From a distance it's like a lunatic has been set loose and officials are scurrying around trying to re-attach his restraints. But he's happy, and why not. He's heads up for an EPT crown.
8.50pm -- The level ends and players take a ten minute break.
8.45pm -- Latest chip counts...
Tim Vance - PokerStars qualifier - USA - 2,037,000
Soren Jensen - Denmark - 1,485,000
Magnus Hansen - Denmark - 1,076,000
8.30pm - Tim bets 83k. Almost immediately Soren re-raises 200k. "Do you have a pair sir?" asks Tim. "If you ain't got a pair you're beat - at this point..."
"It's up to you to decide" replies Soren.
Tim asks for permission to stand - like permission to speak at a court martial from the chief officer. He asks for a count - a count of his own chips...
"Ace queen, ace-king? He's played fairly solid every time I've seen him." This is coming live from the inside of Tim's head. It's 172k to call. "I got a pair, I don't know if I can lay down. I can afford a call - let's see what difference a call makes..." He calls.
The flop comes J-5-K. Soren looks mean and tough. He pats the table to check. Tim does the same. And again on the jack turn - again on the five river.
"I play the board", says Tim turning over pocket threes.
"Soren man!" yells Soren, our first indication he's won the pot. I missed his cards but his kicker is higher than a three. He hugs a man who's screaming back at him on the rail. Only a fool would get between them.
"Nice hand sir..."
8.20pm - Rasmus Hede Nielsen eliminated in fourth place for DKK1,560,394 or €209,355
There's a raise from Rasmus and Tim re-raises 350k. The singing starts from Tim and Rasmus says 'call'. Then he rests his head on the side of the table like he's about to have a car crash. The flop - 9-7-J rainbow. Tim looks at Rasmus still awaiting impact and says "all-in".
"I call".
"You got a winner man, good call."
Rasmus shows pocket eights; A-Q for Tim.
"Ahh well..."
The turn is a jack, pairing the board. Tim then called for some luck for just the second time in the tournament - and got it. An ace on the river. Rasmus out, Tim now past the 2 million mark.
8.10pm -- Tim makes it 73k. Magnus calls for a flop of 7-K-6 with two hearts. Magnus checks and in the course of things says he has trip sevens. Tim makes it 160k, not entirely confident, and Magnus moves all-in.
Now Tim asks to stand, realises he's not allowed but does so anyway. The voice in his head starts talking out loud. We're in his head looking for an empty spot to sit down and listen.
"God I wished I'd played with you earlier than just here. It's a hell of a move man. I need a count."
He gets his count. He's already said he has a king and bursts into a version of Lovely Rita. Magnus sits deadly still, staring at a small spot some distance away.
"Do you want me to call?" asks Tim without reply. "You better move around if you want me to call." Still no word. "You fold you show me?
Silence... Tim mucks. "Nice hand. I need my cappuccino after that..."
8.02pm -- Tim Vance says "I think I'm going to have to get me a cappuccino otherwise I might fall asleep." Meanwhile there's a raise from Magnus which Rasmus calls. The flop brings an interesting looking 3h-Js-Qs which leads Magnus to make it 100k. Good for the pot.
8pm - Rasmus raises to 85k which is immediately re-raised to 280k by Soren Jensen. Rasmus is having none of it and mucks.
7.50pm -- You might have your own opinions of how the remaining four players are performing, no doubt some people might think they could do a better job. There is a more calculated way of winning as the video blog team examine...
7.40pm - Daniel Ryan eliminated in fifth place for DKK1,286,270 or €172,576
Danny Ryan moves all-in and is called almost unnoticed by Rasmus Nielsen. Suddenly it's A-Q of spades against A-K and Rasmus ahead. An ace on the turn but blanks otherwise and no sign of the spades to bail the PokerStars qualifier out. Four players remain.
7.30pm -- "Got a real hand?" This is Tim Vance in the big blind with Rasmus raising from the small.
"I'm raising your big blind of course I have a hand."
"I'll just call." Says Tim.
The flop comes - 9-5-8 rainbow. Rasmus bets 120k, a quick arm move dragging a tower of chips onto the table. Tim folds and Rasmus shows him pocket jacks.
7.25pm - Back from the slightly extended break. Blinds are now 12k/24k with a 2k ante.
As players take a break it's worth taking a look back over some of the video blogs from this week. The team started every day with a plan - which stories to follow, which players to interview and which guy to stick a microphone on for the day... Peter Hedlund seemed like the obvious choice on day 1b...
On day two the team heard from the pros themselves, including Rolf Slotboom, Trond Eidsvig and Annette Obrestad, on what kind of tells they look for in opponents, and whether they had any of their own...
And yesterday saw one of those memorable hands on the EPT, ranking up there with Vicky Coren's read on Barny Boatman in the season three EPT London, and Richard Toth's mis-read of Theo Jorgensen's aces a year ago here in Copenhagen. This one involved current final table chip leader and PokerStars qualifier Tim Vance and had everyone talking...
6.15pm -- Magnus raises 73k pre-flop but gets no takers. It's the last hand of the fourth level of the day and the players now head for a one hour dinner break.
5.55pm -- Rasmus moves in, called by Danny Ryan. Both players show A-J for a split pot.
5.50pm - Tim raises, Danny re-raises and Tim asks for a count. He's been much quieter now and flat calls. It's now a 407k pot and the flop comes 2s-7c-6c.Tim pats the table whilst looking over at Danny. Danny says "140,000" and after a minute or so Tim calls, singing now.
The turn comes an 8d. Tim says he wants to stand up but he's forbidden from doing so. "This is so uncomfortable" he says. Then, "How much you got?"
Tim moves all-in, immediately standing up. It will effectively put Danny all in if he calls. Meanwhile Tim begins singing 'Let It Be'. It may grate on Danny who earlier had said to Tim - "If you lose a pot will you sing Let It Be?" - but Danny doesn't show it. He passes. "Good lay down." Says Tim who shows a nine.
5.42pm - Nicolas Dervaux eliminated in sixth place for DKK1,012,147 or €135,798.
Nicolas Dervaux moves in with J-5 and is called by Dane Soren Jensen with A-7. Soren looks happy with the situation but is soon worried on a flop of K-J-4. He wasn't worried long - an ace on the turn settled it. Dervaux the next to leave. Five players remain.
5.40pm - Blinds move up to 24k/12k with a 2k ante.
5.35pm -- Rasmus has moved in a couple of times without any action. Play has slowed slightly and Tim Vance still has the lead.
5.20pm -- On a flop of Q-7-8 an all-in call sneaks up on everybody. Rasmus Nielsen moves in with pocket nines and is called by Magnus with A-7. A six on the turn gives Rasmus a straight draw also, needless as the nines hold and he doubles up.
5.10pm - Simon Dørslund is eliminated in seventh place for DKK801,283 or €107,507
Tim raises 53k from the cut off spot, Simon moves all in from the small blind. Tim thinks and calls with A-K. A-8 for Simon. The flop comes 9-2-J. A ten comes on the river giving Simon a straight draw but a six on the river gives Tim the pot and eliminates Simon Dørslund.
5pm -- Rasmus is all-in for second hand in a row. It's folded to Simon in the big blind who asks how much? It's 313k. "I call." Rasmus shows pocket fives whilst Simon has A-T. The flop comes K-Q-6 with three hearts giving Simon the flush draw but a straight draw for Rasmus. The turn is another five, the river a queen to pair the board, doubling up Rasmus with a full house.
4.55pm -- Latest chip counts...
Tim Vance - PokerStars qualifier - USA -- 1,263,000
Soren Jensen - Denmark -- 1,022,000
Daniel Ryan - PokerStars qualifier - USA -- 633k
Simon Dørslund - Denmark -- 582k
Magnus Hansen - Denmark -- 551k
Rasmus Hede Nielsen - Denmark -- 313k
Nicolas Dervaux - France -- 264k
4.40pm -- A lengthy discussion starts between Tim Vance and Thomas Kremser. Tim has been told that as long as he is in a hand he must sit down. In reply Tim asks that in the case of him being all-in is he then able to stand? Thomas says yes, this is okay but in the meantime he must remain in his seat. The cards are dealt, next hand, "All-in...." says Tim who immediately stands up. No takers. He sits back down.
Tim's antics have been a controversial issue at this final, but then something of note always seems to happen in Copenhagen. Tim asks the players at the table if he's annoying them and the consensus is that sometimes it's too much. Tim apologises profusely and genuinely doesn't want to cause trouble...
4.30pm -- Players return from the break with blinds raised to 10k/20k with a 2k ante. Tournament director Thomas Kremser talked with Tim Vance at the break asking him to remain in his seat if he's playing a hand. Tim's reply, "This is your house I'll play by your rules."
4.15pm -- Ryan raised with Simon Dørslund calling. On a flop of J-J-T Danny took out a stack of brown chips and bet 75k - enough to take the pot as players go into a 15 minute break.
4.10pm - Magnus Hansen raises and Rasmus Nielsen, the short stack, moves an all-in. Tim sits with his hands on his head - he folds and it's back with Magnus. He passes leaving the pot for Rasmus.
4pm -- Rasmus shows pocket queens to take his second pot in a row. Next hand Soren Jensen makes it 44k from the button. Rasmus Nielsen calls from the big blind. They see a flop of 8-2-K - a raise comes from Rasmus, Soren moves all-in and Rasmus calls. A-K for Jensen, J-8 for Rasmus leaving Soren ahead - more so when a third king hits on the turn. Soren, with a touch of Viking ancestry, thumps the air and chants in Danish (reportedly "Come on the whites!" - the colours of his local soccer team in Aarhus.)
3.50pm -- Danny limped and Simon raised, Danny calls the 40k. Flop - 3-J-3. A check from Danny and Simon bets 60k. Danny says 'raise' - another 95k before a re-raise all-in from Simon. Danny asks for a count as Tim wanders off in the background. There's no future in this - Danny folds.
3.45pm -- Tim Vance is negotiating a free-movement zone with Thomas Kremser. All sorted we're back to the game. He starts back by raising... he soon finds himself making a mistake, assuming he was stealing blinds when there had been action before him.
3.40pm -- Rasmus raises 50k, Tim calls, Simon calls. On a flop of Q-T-6 with two diamonds Simon checks, Rasmus makes it 100k and Tim re-raises 290k after a long stretch of thumping the table and talking to himself. Simon mucks, Rasmus mucks as well.
3.30pm - Tim Vance has only just stopped reeling from the hand against Hansen that saw him lose a large chunk of his stack. No wait, he's still talking about it. He may have to regain some composure if he's to get much further in this final.
3.20pm -- Latest chip counts...
Magnus Hansen - Denmark -- 952k
Tim Vance - PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 894k
Rasmus Nielsen - Denmark -- 822k
Daniel Ryan - PokerStars qualifier - USA -- 634k
Soren Jensen - Denmark -- 569k
Simon Dorsland - Denmark -- 400k
Nicolas Dervaux - France -- 326k
3.05pm - There's a bet of 33k from Tim. Tournament director Thomas Kremser tells him to stay at the table when the cards are dealt. Dervaux, Hansen and Soren call for a flop of Td-4s-Jh. Check, check, check, and Tim bets 112k. Whilst Dervaux folds, Hansen pushes in. Soren folds leaving the cameras on Tim who starts running through hands. He puts him on ace-ten and calls with his ace-jack. Hansen shows pocket tens for a set. A diamond hits the turn, giving Tim a flush draw but despite calling for some luck he misses the river. Hansen doubles up, a big hit for Tim and a pot of 959k to the Dane. "I apologise darling" says Tim, talking out loud to his daughter.
2.55pm - A raise of 33k from Tim Vance. Simon calls, so too Soren. Tim jokes that they're not respecting his raises. The flop comes - Q-K-7. Soren checks, Tim checks and Simon Dørslund makes it 65k. Whilst Soren folds Tim goes into the tank, "I don't think you have a hand, sir" Says Tim. Last time that happened Tim won a pot worth 846k. Tim makes it 260k. Danny Ryan looks at Tim and then at Simon. Tim sings a little more from Abbey Road and Simon passes.
Kara Scott talks with eighth place finisher Patrik Andersson...
2.45pm - Patrick Andersen eliminated in eighth place for DKK 569,333 or €76,386
Dan Ryan raises on button and Patrik Andersson shoves all in. Andersson is the short stack so Ryan calls fast. The American shows A-5, whilst Andersen shows K-6. The flop brings a five for Danny but no six or King for Patrik. We're down to seven players.
2.35pm -- Patrik raised all in after being left close to the felt after the hand with Dørslund -- 129k. He gets no takers.
2.25pm - Simon Dørslund raised pre-flop and Patrik Andersen calls from the big blind. The flop brings 4-A-Q . Patrik checks, Simon bets and Patrik raises. Simon calls. The turn brings a six. Patrik checks and Simon moves all-in. Andersen calls but it's Simon who doubles up with pocket queens. Patrik showed A-8. The five on the river is immaterial.
2.15pm - The first flop of the day is 4-A-9. Patrik Andersen had raised pre-flop and did again afterwards, 60k which leads Simon Dørslund to fold.
Seat 1: Rasmus Hede Nielsen, 26, Copenhagen, Denmark - 789,000 chips
Local boy Rasmus has been a poker professional since last August and was playing part-time for the year before that. His biggest result to date was 31st place in the Danish Championship and $23k in an online tourney. He is already known as one of the best tournament players in Denmark and is very active in the Danish poker community Pokernet.dk where he's known as "Jungleras". He's soon to be giving others a helping hand at the game teaching in an upcoming poker boot camp in Denmark. He played both EPT London and Prague but this is his first EPT cash.
Seat 2: Tim Vance, 46, PokerStars FPP qualifier from near St Louis, Illinois - 1,408,000
Chip leader Tim Vance is a friendly guy who came to Copenhagen hoping to catch up with EPT3 Barcelona winner Bjorn-Erik Glenne who he met at EPT London - "one of the best trips of his life". There's no Glenne here in Denmark, but there is the now super-strong prospect of a €834,000 first prize for the construction company boss from Millstott.
Tim, who's been playing poker all his life, qualified on PokerStars in a 10,000 Frequent Player Point tournament which he entered on a whim. The devoted dad has played the whole EPT with pictures of his daughter - three-year-old Nanzi - tucked inside his baseball cap. "She's my world", he said. Nanzi will be watching Dad from home on eptlive.com. Tim's previous best result was $ 33k in Tunica in 2005. How does he feel about today? "It's done", he said. "It's just a formality now."
Seat 3: Danny Ryan, 24, Grand Forks, North Dakota Alicante, Spain - 557,000 chips
Danny "THE__D__RY" Ryan is ranked as one of the best online players in the world but only really came to notice in live tourneys when he cashed in two WSOP side events last summer. He learned to play poker as a kid with his cousins and then started playing online in college. He studied abroad and is now based in Alicante, Spain, after falling in love with the Spanish way of life.
His incredible run of success in recent months has gone ballistic in the last few weeks. After cashing at EPT Dortmund two weeks ago for €52,200 - and coming 4th in the £2k side event - Danny then won £170,000 for 2nd place in an online $300 re-buy event and €75,000 for winning a PokerStars €5,000 event. He has lost count (quite literally) of the number of EPTs he has qualified for. "I don't know - like maybe 15 or 20 times for the PCA?" he said. Danny believes his strength at poker comes from his ability to stay emotion-free. He said: "I don't leak away my chips or get tilted. My mind stays clear."
Seat 4: Patrik Andersson, 38, from Stockholm, Sweden - 283,000 chips
Patrik works as a sales manager for a food company in Stockholm. His biggest win so far was $75k in an online tournament and he also came 14th in Swedish Championship in 2006. He only plays Texas No Limit and likes online games for the speed of play, and live events because they're "fun". He started poker with five card draw as kid and he started to play online 4-5 years ago. He qualified to the tournament through a live satellite. It's his first EPT.
Seat 5: Simon Dorsland, 24, from Skjern, Denmark - 267,000 chips
Simon is in the last few months of college where he's studying dairy production. He's not sure of his plans once he graduates but, guaranteed at least €76k today, certainly now feels tempted by poker. He's been playing for around four years but this is his biggest result to date - with the best before that being the satellite he won to get into the event. Online he won $15k in an $170 tourney. He said: "I've really enjoyed myself. It's been a lot of fun and I didn't really expect to get this far. My goal at the beginning was just to get through to Day 2 so I've gone way beyond that." Simon is being supported in Copenhagen by girlfriend Jannie.
Seat 6: Nicolas Dervaux, 33, Paris, France - 336,000 chips
He used to be a professional pool player and is currently ranked 18th in France. He also owns a pool hall but plays less now that he's into poker. He is very proud of his pool achievements and is slightly baffled by what he considers "all the fuss" about poker. He said: "It's easy. I just do it." He started playing online after a friend downloaded the software and explained the rules.
He mainly plays cash games and always in turbo games where you have to move within five seconds - Nicolas gets bored if he has to wait more than a minute for a decision. "I don't understand why, it's easy!" Father-of-one Nicolas has been a pro for two years. Best result so far was €15k in an online tourney. This is his first major live tournament. Most of his experience has been in online cash games.
Seat 7: Søren Jensen, 37, Arhus, Denmark - 500,000 chips
Søren Jensen caught people's attention early on in Copenhagen with an amazing emotional outburst after taking down a huge pot on Day 2. Shouting "Come on Jutland" and "Come on the Whites" after his local football team, Søren headed out into the corridor, striding up and down and punching the air with his fist. He said: "If I win a big pot, I have to walk away from the table and calm down. I'm very emotional. It's my personality".
Today Soren, who manages a car painting business in Arhus, says he's focused and "100% sure" he'll win. He's been playing poker for seven years after switching from whist, and now plays high-stakes 10/20 and 20/40 NLHE cash games. He bought in to Copenhagen just one minute before registration closed. Søren cashed at the 2006 WSOP but today's guaranteed win of at least €76,000 is his best result to date. He said: "I work, so I don't really have much time for tournaments and this my first EPT. But I'm very competitive. I'm one of four brothers and we grew up always competing against each other. I'm born to be a winner." Søren is supported today by younger brother Lars and girlfriend Bettina.
Seat 8: Magnus Hansen, 20, Asnaes, Denmark - 458,000 chips
IT student Magnus currently earns around 4,000 Danish kroner a month (about €500) so whatever he wins today is going to make a difference to his life. He's certainly planning to buy a car but if he wins, he's also considering turning pro at the end of his studies. His biggest result to date was qualifying for Copenhagen and he normally plays $100 NLHE cash games. As well poker, Magnus is a keen Counterstrike player and is a member of one of the top 20 teams in the world.
It comes with the territory - international poker travel, jetting in from all corners of the world only to see nothing of the town you're staying in. I'm not looking for sympathy here (not much) but it's a plain fact - if you work here or do well in an EPT your chances of seeing the sights are minimal. Not that the eight players ready to play the final today will be too worried about that.
Whilst some people on the EPT circuit are able to sip drinks and watch the sun go down over the Mediterranean (we salute you Lee Jones) everyone else remains focused on events inside the casino. Even with the start time at 2pm TV crews work for several hours prior that. The players arrive early too, here for interviews with the various media outlets. And the cables, lights and scaffolding that make up the stage take a while to dismantle afterwards. It's all part of the EPT scene.
Tim Vance and Danny Ryan were here in good time this afternoon saving the TV people several bags of stress for when a player arrives with minutes to spare. But this is where the action is - who would want to venture outside? Particularly when the gale is bending flagpoles and the windows of the hotel are shaking.
Actually, Copenhagen seems to be one of the most picturesque stops on the European Poker Tour, something I deduced after a 23 minute brisk walk into a local suburb and back this morning. It's a beautiful city of multi-coloured apartment buildings, golden spire churches, and home to local heroes Lars von Trier, former NFL kicker Morten Andersen and Lars Ulrich of Metallica fame - and the odd successful poker player.
It's more than just a city of cobbles, good cake and bike paths. There's the Copenhagen Jazz festival, the Little Mermaid and the botanical gardens; but also the local version of the hotdog, known as 'polse', which has sustained many of us through the mornings here.
And if you've had enough of Denmark you can get out of here on the Oresund Bridge that stretches across the sea to Malmo in Sweden, making it technically possible to drive from the south western tip of Spain to the north eastern edge of Finland - although it might be cheaper to fly.
All that can wait till later of course. Right now the finishing touches are being made to a final that pits America against Scandinavia against France...
Seat 1 -- Rasmus Hede Nielsen -- Denmark 789,000
Seat 2 -- Timothy Vance -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 1,408,000
Seat 3 -- Daniel Ryan -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 557,000
Seat 4 -- Patrik Andersson -- Sweden -- 283,000
Seat 5 -- Simon Dørslund -- Denmark -- 267,000
Seat 6 -- Nicolas Dervaux -- France -- 336,000
Seat 7 -- Søren Jensen -- Denmark -- 500,000
Seat 8 -- Magnus Hansen -- Denmark -- 458,000
PokerStars qualifier Tim Vance has the momentum, having secured the chip lead with the monster 846k pot against Kristian Pedersen late last night. Tim was, as you'd expect, in good spirits last night and was toasting his successful day with the man he eliminated - Kristian Pedersen. Pedersen was obviously disappointed but happy to share a drink with Tim who talked of having had a call from home saying his family had watched footage of 'the hand' about ten times.
Then there's Danny Ryan, perhaps the most accomplished player at the final and of the internet persuasion. Ryan has a legendary ability to win EPT satellite seats, one of which he turned into a final table in Prague last December. Even with less than half the stack of his countryman Ryan could well leave Copenhagen an EPT winner.
Rasmus Hede Nielsen is the leading Dane and after starting as chip leader yesterday did well to take it to the final. He has just over half of Tim Vance's stack but along with Ryan sits as potentially the biggest threat to the American's dominance.
Keep an eye also on Soren Jensen who you may remember chanted his way through day two and reached this final table with some great poker and the determination of a Pamplona bull. Winning here would be a great win for him, for Denmark and one hell of a story.
But the same goes for most of the finalists. Play starts at 2pm local time and you can watch every hand on EPT Live in one of six languages. We'll also have the details here on the blog as well as video blogs throughout the day.
A reminder of the payouts today...
1st -- DKK6,220,488 -- €834,590
2nd -- DKK3,521,429 -- €472,463
3rd -- DKK2,045,381 -- €274,425
4th -- DKK1,560,394 -- €209,355
5th -- DKK1,286,270 -- €172,576
6th -- DKK1,012,147 -- €135,798
7th -- DKK801,283 -- €107,507
8th -- DKK569,333 -- €76,386
Danny Ryan pushed with K-Q of hearts and found Johan Lund calling with none other than aces - the second time he'd found himself up against aces in the space of an hour. But this time the outcome would be more favourable to the American. He had Lund covered but the flop only brought blanks, albeit with a heart. When the flop came a heart things started to brighten up for Ryan. Then when another hit the turn any anxiety turned to relief. Lund was out in ninth place - we had our final table.
We started the day with 39 players arriving in the aftermath of one of the most manic last few minutes of any day two in a long time. Did that mean a peaceful start to the day that would decide the cash finishes? No sir. Inside the first level half a dozen players had gone, more would follow quick time. Lee Jones and Noah Boeken speculated on an early finish from the EPT Live commentary box but warned of the pending slowdown.
But standing out in the list of starters this afternoon was Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano. The Italian was on course for his eighth EPT cash, equalling the record number set by EPT Baden winner Julian Thew late last year.
Early signs were good. Whilst Scandinavian Rookie of the Year Trond Eidsvig was the shock elimination in the early stages of the day - a stack of over 150k serving him no good - Luca remained on course. Russian pro Alexander Kravchenko would also fall by the wayside along with Rolf Slotboom from Holland and Danish players Peter Eastgate - a chip leader form day two - and WPT winner Christian Grundtvig.
But with 27 players left Luca pushed with a low pair and flush draw. It looked like it might be good but alas his opponent's queens held ending Luca's final table hopes. I can report he's in better spirits now, ultimately disappointed with a cash finish lower down the order than he'd hoped, but in good enough shape to be toasting his performance with supporters in the bar.
As mentioned at the start of the day several PokerStars qualifiers had shown the necessary grit to reach these latter stages. Chief among them was Tim Vance. The contractor from just outside St Louis, Missouri has come across as a man playing in the spirit of someone playing some of the best poker of his life since I talked to him on day one.
Well, today turned out to be his day. From 11k on day one to 1,408,000 waiting for him at the start of tomorrow's final. His success has no doubt surprised a lot of people who wondered how far this man could go, as he walked around between hands, stood up to play them when he returned, and sang songs in a low mid-western twang.
He was already well chipped when the biggest hand of the tournament came to his table, parked up and slapped him across the face. It came late in the day - a dramatic tank-call after Kristian Pedersen pushed in with A-K hardly expecting Vance to call with pocket nines after several minutes of agonising in his head.
When he showed his nines he blasted his hands together, yelled out and then begged the dealer not to ruin this moment. He didn't, and Pedersen watched his tournament come to an end in a blaze in front of him.
Elsewhere the man least likely to make the final was American PokerStars qualifier Daniel Ryan who a few minutes before the Vance hand had deposited most of his stack in the bank of Pedersen (shortly to become the Bank of Vance). Next hand though he doubled up through fellow PokerStars qualifier Tommy Pavlicek and with the Lund hand that ended the day will be back tomorrow with 557,000.
Talking of Tommy Pavlicek he put in his best EPT performance, cashing deep. Whilst he was unable to recover from the Ryan hand he finished in 11th place, three spots off the final, collecting DKK274,123 ($53,353). Prior to Tommy credit was due to Joris Jaspers from Holland who finished a career best 15th place after several attempts and near misses this season.
Tomorrow's final table looks like this...
Seat 1 -- Rasmus Hede Nielsen -- Denmark 789,000
Seat 2 -- Timothy Vance -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 1,408,000
Seat 3 -- Daniel Ryan -- PokerStars qualifier -- USA -- 557,000
Seat 4 -- Patrik Andersson -- Sweden -- 283,000
Seat 5 -- Simon Dørslund -- Denmark -- 267,000
Seat 6 -- Nicolas Dervaux -- France -- 336,000
Seat 7 -- Søren Jensen -- Denmark -- 500,000
Seat 8 -- Magnus Hansen -- Denmark -- 458,000
Few players are able to maintain a chip lead long enough through day three to make it to the final. We've seen the spiralling descent of many a player who previously scorched a path in the baize only to crash out in oblivion before the final. Rasmus Hede Nielsen steered away from this disaster scenario, ending the day on 789,000, a stack of fighting weight that lies second only to Tim Vance.
Denmark's home contingent has reason to cheer with four locals on the final table. For anyone statistically minded this correlates well with the 41 per cent of the starting field hailing from Denmark. That leaves Patrik Andersson of Sweden and Frenchman Nicolas Dervaux filling in the gaps.
France verses Scandinavia versus the United States. Each player has victory on their mind right now and the relief of a long day behind them. It comes with an order to return here at 2pm tomorrow afternoon local time for photos, interviews and an afternoon under bright lights. Whether sleep comes before that for the uninitiated it's hard to say.
You can catch up on all the action from today by clicking on the links below including the great work by our video blog team. You can see for yourself Tim Vance calling the hand of Kristian Pedersen as well as the updates from this afternoon and evening.
You can also see the results from today by clicking here...
Chase begins for a seat in the final
A surprise or two in the first level
Nothing is as easy as it looks
In the shadow of the feature table
Vance on the money with perfect call
For a wrap up on the day's action here's Kara Scott...
It was like one of those Super Bowl highlight reel moments.
"You have ace king. You have ace-king. I don't see you making that call with ace-queen..."
The highlight film will be in black and white with a hefty voice over talking about the tension, the close rail, the TV lights just a few feet away as a player calls his opponent's hand. All that, and the face of PokerStars qualifier Tim Vance, standing almost enraged like someone was trying to make reality bend...
"I think you got ace-king! (Pedersen calls the clock) Okay I call! I have nines... "
The camera shows a mess of chips in the middle. If you took the sound away we could have been watching Tim Vance yelling at Kristian Pedersen for bashing into the table and knocking over close to a million chips.
This was a pot worth 846k and Vance was about to win. Because standing there quietly, probably dreading this public moment of quiet silence of private hell, he had to turn over his ace-king.
Vance now has over 1.4 million. Pedersen went to an interview on the rail as the tournament ground to a halt, a bottle neck as the table was cleared of chips that would now sit in front of Tim Vance.
Copenhagen seems to seek out these slow-motion moments. The Mads Andersen, Edgar Skjervold ten hour final in season two - the Theo Jorgensen 'aces' hand in the final last year, and the mighty comeback of Magnus Petersson over Team PokerStars Pro ElkY Grospellier.
Now add to that Tim Vance calling his opponent's hand. He walks around a lot, sings a bit, talks whether people listen or not, but we like him and that was one for the highlight reel...
With the feature table available live on EPT Live I tried to get an idea of what was going on over on table one, a few feet away, so I watched a round of hands with about 200 railbirds.
Hand 1 -- I got there just as PokerStars qualifier Danny Ryan was scooping up a big pile of blue chips taken from Tim Vance's mighty pile. Whilst he was stacking chips he sipped coffee from a class and the button passed to him. Despite losing the hand Tim Vance is busy telling Ryan a story, a long one, one about crime and the police. I think there was gunfire. It was a good one. Even as the action gets to him he finishes the story before checking his cards - cards he mucks.
It's on Tommy Pavlicek now who calls the big blind for a flop of 3-5-8. They check for a queen on the turn. Patrick Andersen bets, Pavlicek re-raises, pushing his chips in as Andersen folds.
Just then on the feature table double WSOP bracelet winner Jan Sorensen is eliminated in 13th place...
Hand 2 - With the button on Tommy Pavlicek there's an under-the-gun raise from Kristian Pedersen. He gets no action.
Hand 3 - With the button on Patrick Andersson now, bedecked in a green tie, there's a noise in the distance - an "Argh... (thud)." Putting that aside action is folded to Jarle Aasen in seat two, who bets 50k and takes the pot.
Hand 4 - The button is on Haasen and again action finds its way to the button player. He mucks too giving a walk to Tim Vance.
Hand 5 - With the button on Kristian Pedersen the action makes its way to him. He takes out a few brown chips. This suggests looming action and people move a little closer on the rail. They're already standing on the shoulders of players but they were right about the action - Pedersen makes it 45k.
Tim Vance plays with his cards, talks to Danny Ryan - the two are still chatting - the only talkers at this otherwise tense table. Vance mucks "I don't know how to bluff..."
Ryan looks at his cards, his long arms hanging over the table. When you look at Danny Ran you have to concede that the ugly stick clearly missed him and hit everyone standing behind. "I raise to 100,000" he says. Pedersen bounces forwards in his chair, carefully removes a pair of expensive sunglasses and looks over at Danny. It'll be close to his entire stack to call.
"All-in..."
Pedersen shows aces, the last thing Ryan expected to see. His face changes from chipper to something more painful in the drop of two cards. He can only manage K-T. He awaits his face and picks at his beard.
8-9-2-2-9
Kristian Pedersen stands, sipping water in his time of triumph as Danny Ryan's chips are stacked and gift wrapped at the other end of the table. Ryan just lost 460k. Suddenly he has work to do.
Hand 6 - Ryan gets started right away. If he has a 'zone' he needs to be in it. The action is folded to Vance on the button who mucks. Ryan moves all-in causing PokerStars qualifier Tommy Pavlicek to laugh - he'd seen this coming. Tommy has his hand in his hair and is talking out loud to himself.
Whilst Tommy thinks Tim goes walking off again, this time onto the stage to watch a hand is being played and check a few stacks... "I guess I'm gonna have to start playing..."
Tommy is still thinking and Ryan is singing to himself, fiddling with his iPod headphones. Tommy eventually calls with J-6. Danny has pocket nines - they hold. The fight back starts here for the American. Pavlicek, still in good spirit, slides half his stack over to him.
The button gets back to Danny. A full round done, another ready to start. 12 players remain.
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