5.46pm: End of play


A seven-handed final table has been set for tomorrow after the simultaneous knockouts of James Obst (courtesy of Humberto Brenes) and Dan Cates (thanks to Bryn Kenney).

Cates had been crippled by Negreanu a few hands earlier trying to bluff him off second pair with a large river bet. The high stakes pro was then finished off by Kenney’s pocket eights. Obst, on the other hand, had shoved with 89 and was subject to a bit of a nit-roll from Brenes in the big blind with KQ. An eight on the flop looked good for the young Australian by a queen on the turn swung the percentages largely into Brenes’ favour. He couldn’t regain the lead and was left to take the walk of shame with Cates.

That double exit means seven players will come back to play down to the money tomorrow. Sandor Demjan and Andrew Lichtenberger are the two shorts stacks with less than 400,000 each. Full wrap and chip counts to come. — RD

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 12,000-24,000, ANTE 3,000

5.20pm: Huge hand for Kenney


Bryn Kenney has just won a massive pot from Daniel Negreanu after a demon draw on a JQ[6s8 board induced the Team PokerStars Pro to move all-in with K10. Kenney insta-called for his remaining 686,000 with a set of jacks and Negreanu failed to spike one of his flush or straight out. Kenney is up to around 1.7 million. Negreanu down to around 1.5 million.

Sandor Demjan and James Obst are our shortest stacks, but Dan Cates and Andrew Lichtenberger are hardly well stacked either. — RD

4.58pm: Three way all in and we’re down to 9


An enormous hand just resulted in a double elimination and a new chip leader in the form of Nick Schulman, who now has close to 3,000,000 chips. It also leaves just nine players


Schulman had opened the pot for 43,000 which Vivek Rajkumar called. The action was folded to Tobias Reinkemeier in the big blind who moved all-in for 270,000. Shulman called then watched as Rajkumar also moved all-in, which Schulman snap called, showing AA. Reinkemeier had turned over AJ while Rajkumar had 1010.

In what were amazing scenes two players stood on the brink, now quite expecting to be departing at such a critical stage.

The board came 29857. Whether Schulman breathed at all during the hand was difficult to judge but Rajkumar was in mild shock, asking questions of Schulman to support his case for how he’d played. Reinkemeier said nothing. He was out, as was Rajkumar, and Nick Schulman takes the chip lead. – SB

4.48pm: Denjan makes a big fold as Kennney doubles


Andrew Lichtenberger opened for 52,000 and Snador Denjan called before Bryn Kenney moved all-in from the big blind for 320,000. Lichtenberger reshoved for around 860,000 eventually forcing Denjan to fold his hand: pocket jacks. Lichtenberger showed AK to Kenney’s pocket threes, which promptly flopped a set on the ten-high board. Had Denjan made the call he would have knocked out Lichtenberger and claimed a huge 1.9 million pot. — RD

4.35pm: So close, yet so far


That’s exactly how the next three players out of this tournament will feel. The action has turned short-handed with just eleven players left across two tables and that will continue to shrink down until we have eight players left. Three players will not make the final table and won’t be in the mix for the $1.5 million first prize payout. Play set to restart in two minutes. — RD

PokerStars Blog reporting team in the Bahamas (in order of likelihood to commit an act of civil disobedience): Stephen Bartley (Never, not even if you put a gun to his head) and Rick Dacey (Never, not even if you offered him a free drink.. Oh, go on then)

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

4.22pm: Colin caught short by Reinkemeier; 11 remain


We’re down to the final eleven and it’s Bryan Colin that has fallen. He failed to flip successfully with pocket sixes against Tobias Reinkemeier’s [a][t]. The German is back up to 310,000, for whom it’s been an extremely swingy day. — RD

4.10pm: Down to 12


Caio Pimenta is out, his all-in pre-flop with jacks falling to the king-queen of Vivek Rajkumar when he caught a king on the turn. We’re down to 12 players. — SB

3.55pm: Helloooooo Uzbekistan!


Yes, it’s time to acknowledge the true pioneers of the PokerStars Blog, those readers from countries we have to Google to find and who selflessly boost our readership figures in isolation while, we imagine, desperately searching for someone to play heads-up. This time it’s the Republic of Uzbekistan, made famous by all sorts of people, the names of which we’ll need you to email us with. — SB

3.49pm: Odds and ends


Bryan Colin is one of the short stacks and is facing a make or break period. He just moved all-in but found no takers. He’ll be trying again before too long.

Meanwhile at the same table James Obst has been forced out of two hands after raising pre-flop. In the first he made it 32,000 on the button which Nick Schulman raised to 90,000, forcing Obst to pass. Then a similar ending against Vivek Rajkumar. Obst opened once more for 32,000 before Rajkumar make it 76,000. – SB

3.36pm: Reinkemeier left short


Overnight chip leader Tobias Reinkemeier is down to just 170,000 after losing a 700,000 pot to Eugene Katchalov, who is fast clawing his stack back after that huge pot versus Negreanu (See 3pm: Negreanu roars into the chip lead leaving Benyamine for dead).

Reinkemeier opened for 35,000 in the hijack and was called by Katachalov in the cut-off. No one else came along for the ride. Reinkemeier check-called 50,000 on the KQ4 flop and a further 100,000 on the 6 turn. The A river was checked by Reinkemeier to Katchalov who bet a final 165,000, half of Reinkemeier’s stack. The German made the call with QA and his head fell when he saw AK. Katachalov is up to 900,000. — RD

3.25pm: No Mercier


Jason Mercier is out of the Super High Roller. The Team PokerStars Pro gave a short account of the hand from the rail, making it 78,000 in early position after a bet of 31,000. Nick Schulman was in the big blind and raised to 184,000 and Mercier shoved for around 600,000 with queens. Schulman turned over aces. – SB

3.15pm: The age gap


Team Pokerstars Pro Humberto Brenes pointed at Sandor Denjan, then at himself. “Two old men,” he said. Excluding Denjan and Brenes the average age in this tournament is somewhere around 24. – SB

3.10pm: Folding for Mercier


Vivek Rajkumar opened for 31,000 which Jason Mercier raised to 73,000 on the button. Ciao Pimenta performed a wide-eyed elaborate count of his green and blue chips and then folded, as did Rajkumar. – SB

3pm: Negreanu roars into the chip lead leaving Benyamine for dead


Yesterday, and for moments of this morning, this Super High Roller had felt like an extravagant home game. Jokes, japes and side bets had ricocheted around the tournament floor like a pinball machine on MULTIBALL MADNESS.

I think we have just seen the moment where this $100,000 tournament shifted from fun to focussed and it was all thanks to Daniel Negreanu and Eugene Katchalov. And I suppose David Benyamine deserves a mention for acting as the catalyst, if nothing else.

Team PokerStars Pro Negreanu opened for 28,000 under-the-gun and was called by Katchalov on the button. A short-stacked David Benyamine moved all-in from the button for just over 150,000 in a nice value-squeezing spot (so he thought). Negreanu looked at Katchalov’s stack (similar to his 1,200,000) and raised to 278,000. It looked likely to be the end of the hand until Katchlov pushed forward a large stack of murky green 25,000 chips for a raise to 528,000 total.

Railers attempted to push past the cordon only to be swiftly rebuffed by security as Negreanu leant back, linked his arms behind his chair with a slight grimace across his face. He looked down at his chips and then moved all-in for 1,200,000 total.

This was not a snap-call situation from Katchalov whose face and lips started silently working overtime; calculating pot odds, hand ranges and equity. He shook his head and, for a moment, I saw the whites of his eyes as the brevity of his situation hit home. If he was to call and win he would have more than 2,000,000 chips and be a runaway chip leader going into the final 14. Call and lose and he would have thrown away a huge stack with a great shot at the big money final five places.

Benyamine by this time was making one of those faces to a friend on the rail. You know the one, it says: “Ahhh, maybe I’m not in great shape after all.”

Katchalov eventually took the tough decision of passing his hand and Negreanu turned over a monster KK. The huge side pot was already his but the 480,000 in the main pot was still up for grabs. Benyamine’s hand was genuine, just not big enough with 99. The flop ran out 24Q33 and if Katchalov had folded pocket queens or some other hand that would have come out on top, he did well to hide it. He’s down to 600,000 while Negreanu sits atop this tournament with 1,880,000. — RD

2.50pm: Kenney hit, Denjan into the lead


A huge pot just took Sandor Denjan past the million mark and left Bryn Kenney shaking his head. It was all down to a set over set encounter with a slight dash of slow roll that takes Denjan up to around 1,200,000 and Kenney down to 340,000.

Denjan opened from under-the-gun which Kenney called in the cut off. Benyamine then re-raised on the button which both players called for a flop of 9Q4. Benyamine bet 80,000, leaving himself around 150,000 behind. Demjan called but Kenney raised all-in. Benyamine passed while Denjan called, putting himself all in for around 470,000.

Kenney showed 44 while Denjan showed nothing, just spend a few moments sliding his chips in like a man with no appetite idly playing with the food on his plate before finally turning over QQ.

The turn 2 and river 3 couldn’t help Kenney. – SB

2.40pm: Seats and chips


The final two tables are as follows with table two hogging most of the larger stacks at the seven-handed table. The chips were harvested at the break so obviously there wil be some changes since then.

Table 1


1 James Obst, 280,000, Australia


2 Nick Schulman, 760,000, United States


3 Vivek Rajkumar, 800,000, United States


4 Daniel Cates, 245,000, United States


5 Bryan Colin, 425,000, United States, PokerStars Player


6 Jason Mercier, 620,000, United States, Team PokerStars Pro


7 Humberto Brenes, 575,000, Costa Rica, Team PokerStars Pro


8 Caio Pimenta, 540,000, Brazil

Table 2


1 Tobias Reinkemeier, 690,000, Germany, PokerStars Player


2 Eugene Katchalov, 1,190,000, United States


3 Bryn Kenney, 980,000, United States, PokerStars Player


4 EMPTY


5 David Benyamine, 380,000, France


6 Daniel Negreanu, 1,100,000, Canada, Team PokerStars Pro


7 Andrew Lichtenberger, 502,000, United States


8 Sandor Demjan, 535,000, Hungary

Play will become increasingly short-handed as we approach the final table (which is of course also eight-handed). Play will break when we’ve lost another seven. — RD

2.32pm: Nothing major


Just small pots so far to start this new level. Andrew Lichtenberger opened for 30,000 in early position and found callers in Sandor Denjan, Bryn Kenney and David Benyamine. The flop came 544 and Lichtenberger bet again, 62,000 this time which was enough to take the pot.

Elsewhere Ciao Pimenta opened a pot from the button and was called by Nick Schulman in the big blind for a flop of 5QQ. Both players checked for a Q turn card. Schulman bet 45,000 and Pimenta thought for a while, stacking his chips for one last push and then folding. – SB

2.22pm: Chips and payouts


Latest chip counts are available on the chip count page, and you can track the order of elimination on the payout page.

2.21pm: Just a reminder


We play down to the last eight players today. They will then return tomorrow for a feature table final in front of the television cameras, competing for a first prize of $1,500,000. — SB

2.20pm: Cards back in the air


Or they will be shortly. Play resumes in level 12, with blinds at 6,000-12,000 with a 2,000 ante.

The Atlantis Resort from yet another angle

PokerStars Blog reporting team in the Bahamas (in order of disorder): Rick Dacey and Stephen Bartley

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

2.05pm: End of the level


Players are now on the first 15 minute break of the day. — SB

2.03pm: Glantz-ing blow


Eugene Katchalov just put an end to Matt Glantz’s tournament, and the latest shift of the massage therapist working on his back.

Katchalov opened for 23,000 before Glantz moved all-in from the cut off for 103,000 more. Katchalov called, showing 66 to Glantz’s 22.

The board ran 4101074 to send Glantz to the rail in 16th place. — SB

1.58pm: Robl rumbled


Andrew Robl has just fallen under the axe of James Obst and his demise marked the last hand played across three tables. Robl was dealt KK on the button and Obst A6 in the small blind. Both players were short stacked with around 15 big blinds apiece and it all went in.

The 354 flop didn’t spike Obst an ace but it did bring a whole heap of opportunity. The 6 brought Obst two more outs for the win, but dropped his straight outs into a chop. The river, however, had only the flush on its mind with the 9. To his credit Robl tried valiantly to look and sound like a gracious loser but he departed swiftly, obviously a little bitter that his kings couldn’t hold in this vital spot. — RD

1.48pm: Buchanan busted


Shawn Buchanan is out, eliminated by an apologetic Bryan Colin who held 10J to Buchanan’s 4Q. The board caused a roar of surprise, coming as it did 1010Q75. “Now go win the main event,” said Mercier as Buchanan departed. – SB

1.42pm: Double for Brenes, death for Buchanan


Team PokerStars Pro Humberto Brenes has just doubled up to 480,000 after getting it in good against a reluctant Shawn Buchanan. The Canadian had opened the pot for 24,000 and Brenes, in the big blind no less, had shipped it in for 241,000.

This was not snap call territory for Buchanan who tanked for maybe two minutes before giving a nod and sliding his chips forward. He had Brenes covered by just one solitary yellow 1,000 chip.

Brenes: QQ


Buchanan : 1010

Brenes’ hand held on the 895K4 board and Buchanan was out the next hand. — RD

Humberto Brenes celebrates with his two sons on the rail

1.35pm: Horecki sporting the summer catalogue


Where’s a photographer when you need one? Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki, who finished third in the most recent EPT, was railing the Super High Rollers in full PCA mode; yellow shirt, yellow shorts and big straw hat. It’s not a look you’d expect from a former champion skier. Put your legs away, Marcin, and get back on the slopes. — RD

1.30pm: Signal and manoeuvre


Vivek Rajkumar opened to 26,000 from the cut off and Daniel Cates, sitting next to him, raised to 62,000 on the button. The blinds folded, sending the action back to Rajkumar who tilted his head and looked at Cates’s chips, like he was checking his wing mirror before pulling out in to traffic. Cates, still asleep as he was yesterday, waited, then folded when Rajkumar made a raise. – SB

Vivek Rajkumar

1.20pm: Check check


Nick Schulman opened from the button before being raised by Ciao Pimenta in the big blind, another 28,000 more. Schulman called for a flop of 73A. Both checked that for a 10 turn card which was also checked. On the 8 river card more checking, Pimenta showing KK to win the hand as Schulman, still on 438,000, mucked. Pimenta up to 420,000 now. – SB

1.10pm: Scores on the doors


Big movers today include Vivek Rajkumar who is challenging for the chip lead with around 950,000 (full chip counts will come after the next break) and Sandor Demjan who has 750,000.

Demjan just doubled through Bryn Kenney on a 23532 board after calling from the small blind with 310. Kenney, who has raised from middle position, didn’t look happy to be shown that hand after calling Demjan’s 225,000 shove on the river. In fact, he was still occasionally shaking his head as I walked back to report this hand. Kenney was a big chip leader at EPT Barcelona but things didn’t go his way later in the tournament, will the same happen here?

We’re updating as we go so click on latest chip counts and hit the refresh button (it won’t do it automatically unfortunately). — RD

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 5,000-10,000, ANTE 1,000

1.01pm: Shining so bright


Bryn Kenney sparkles in three different places. He wears a diamond earring in each ear, a watch that glistens like frost and a gigantic diamond and silver crucifix on what looks to be a thick silver rope around his neck. He’s so colour co-ordinated he must have been getting ready for today yesterday afternoon. He wears a purple shirt, a purple and black “NY” cap which he wears to one side, Stan Laurel style, as if he’s just been slapped in the back of the head by a gang leader.

He just split a pot with Daniel Negreanu. Kenney opened for 20,000 in middle position which Negreanu raised to 60,000 on the button. Kenney called for a flop of 6K10. Both checked for a A turn. That was also checked for a 2 river card.

At this point Kenney announced “98,000,” which Negreanu called. Both players showed ace-queen to get right back to where they started. – SB

12.54pm: Reinkemeier and McDonald, friends forever…


I arrived at the table just in time to see Mike McDonald stand up and say: “Well played, man. Whatever,” and then walk off. I couldn’t see whether Tobias Reinkemeier had sucked out on him or if it was just frustration from McDonald showing through given that Reinkemeier had four-bet him off a hand shortly before the final killer blow. Either way, McDonald, aka Timex, is out and Reinkemeier is back up near the chip million. Both he and Daniel Negreanu are soaring near the 1 million mark. — RD

12.45pm: Tooth and nail


Up for discussion are Mike McDonald’s teeth. Daniel Negreanu, who just dispatched Sorel Mizzi in 21st place when he used aces to dominate Mizzi’s queen-jack of hearts, wants to know how long McDonald has had braces.

Anyone who follows the EPT will remember McDonald’s victory in season five, a gap toothed 18-year-old holding aloft the winner’s trophy. Now, thanks to the miracle of orthodontistry, they’re veneered and revered. “My teeth are probably the most expensive thing I own,” he said.

Mike McDonald

McDonald just lost a pre-flop pot to Tobias Reinkemeier though, costing him a little more. Reinkemeier make it 18,000 from the cut-off which McDonald bumped up to 42,000. Reinkemeier them made it 300,000 to play, forcing McDonald to fold. – SB

12.34pm: Benyamine doubles through Reinkemeier


David Benaymine has just doubled through Tobias Reinkemeier after turning a full house on a JQJ2K board.

Benyamine had opened the pot for 20,000 from the hijack and Reinkemeier had defended from the big blind. Both players checked the flop before the German led 22,000 into the turn, was called by Benyamine, and fired 58,000 into the river before calling the Frenchman’s shove for another 102,000.

Benyamine is up to 400,000. — RD

12.28pm: Another one gone


Shortly after Justin Smith departed Phil Laak was also out. He shoved with K4 only for Ciao Pimenta to call with AJ. The board ran 810J105 to send Laak out in 22nd place. — SB

12.25pm: One gone


Justin Smith is the first player to be eliminated on Day 2. He moved in once more for his last 100,000 chips and was called by Tobias Reinkemeier in the small blind. Smith turned over 97 against Reinkemeier’s goliath AA.

The board ran Q39510 to send Smith to the rail in 23rd place. — SB

12.20pm: Laak bombing on as usual


No sooner than Phil Laak sits down does his table banter begin. Andrew Robl – two seats to his left as yesterday – and Nick Schulman seem to be the main targets for his spiel as he offers $1,000 a year to find out the net worth of high stakes online pros.

“I’m trying to track figures over ten years. I just want to know what I could be making by playing online,” said Laak, who also asked how he would get up to speed in the big online games.

“Go burn $30m,” was Nick Schulman’s suggestion before Robl pointed out that finding players net worth wasn’t a fair reflection of online winnings as it didn’t factor in major leaks such as the pits or extravagant lifestyles.

“Are you going to report us all for tax evasion?” asked Robl to much laughter.

“Maybe he’s going to be the greatest IRS agent ever,” said Schulman breaking a smile (that’s one of the 2011 poker quota used up – he tends to look pretty serious at the table). — RD

12.15pm: Colin power


Bryan Colin is the next to move all-in, shoving with QQ and called by Shawn Buchanen with 88. The board runs 33J95 to double up Colin, who is now up to around 250,000. — SB

12.14pm: Obst looking casual


Okoay, it’s normal to turn up a little late for a tournament and what does missing a hand or two actually mean really? But in a $100,000 buy-in tournament? James Obst casually arrived a few minutes late with just a plastic bag of chips marking where he should be sat, just to the right of Nick Schulman. — RD

12.12pm: Early action


A first all in, Justin Smith shoving for 100,000 but getting no callers. — SB

12.07pm: Cards in the air


Play begins.

12pm: About to start


The clock has ticked (tuck?) down and we haven’t started. — SB

11.50am: Ten minutes


The first players are beginning to arrive, all chatting together. The clock is ticking down – ten minutes until the start. — SB

11.20am: Hello fireball my old friend


Day 2 of the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure also marks the return of a familiar friend, the Ferrara Atomic Fireball. Fireball everyone, fireball… — SB

11.15am: What’s the buzz, tell me what’s-a-happening


Well, not much at the moment. We’re still 45 minutes from the start of Day 2 in the Super High Roller. The three remaining tables have been cordoned off along one wall of the vast tournament room while at the other end the television set continues to be assembled.

Chip leader today is Tobias Reinkemeier and you can find his chip count, along with all the others, on the chip count page. — SB

10.30am: Day 2 of the Super High Roller


There’s a small gale blowing across Paradise Island today. This morning, after an extremely optimistic woman tried to sell me a sarong as I walked along the coast, I watched nine guys launch a rescue attempt on a life guard chair that had been blown over in the night and was being washed out to sea. Two of the group had been volunteered to mount the rescue operation and were sheepishly edging along the shore, occasionally looking back at their foreman to make sure he was serious. They returned soon after with wet boots and without the damn chair.

This is no time to take unnecessary risks

If there was ever a day to stay indoor in Paradise this might be it and with Day 2 of the $100,000 buy-in Super High Roller schedule to play down to a final table there’s really no reason to look anywhere else for your dose of pokering Paradise. A total of 38 players bought in yesterday for the noon start and nine levels later just 23 remained. Like the men on the beach this morning, returning empty handed will be par for course today as we work our way to the final table, starting at noon.

We’ll have coverage from the start here on the PokerStars Blog, along with chip counts, videos and all the eliminations. While we go launch our own rescue attempt on Simon Young, who has been blown over and is currently being washed out to sea, here’s how the players will line up today. — SB

Table 1


1 Shawn Buchanan, 209,000, Canada


2 Daniel Negreanu, 848,000, Canada, Team PokerStars Pro


3 Vivek Rajkumar, 483,000, United States


4 Daniel Cates, 622,000, United States


5 Bryan Colin, 134,000, United States, PokerStars Player


6 Jason Mercier, 459,000, United States, Team PokerStars Pro


7 Humberto Brenes, 318,000, Costa Rica, Team PokerStars Pro


8 Antonio Esfandiari, 330,000, United States

Table 2


1 Tobias Reinkemeier, 896,000, Germany, PokerStars Player


2 Mike McDonald, 269,000, Canada


3 Bryn Kenney, 828,000, United States, PokerStars Player


4 Sorel Mizzi, 249,000, Canada


5 David Benyamine, 202,000, France


7 Justin Smith, 116,000, United States


8 Sandor Demjan, 401,000, Hungary

Table 3


1 James Obst, 390,000, Australia, PokerStars Player


2 Nick Schulman, 705,000, United States


3 Andrew Lichtenberger, 494,000, United States


4 Matthew Glantz, 148,000, United States, PokerStars Player


5 Caio Pimenta, 409,000, Brazil


6 Phil Laak, 99,000, United States


7 Eugene Katchalov, 551,000, United States


8 Andrew Robl, 324,000, United States

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

12.05am: Done for the day


That’s the end of play and it’s looking like Daniel Negreanu is the chip leader here in the Super High Roller. Oh no, he’s not due to a dramatic badbeat during the last hand of the day. But you’ll have to read the wrap if you want to find out. That will be coming in shortly. Full chip counts are also on the way. — RD

11.50pm: “God, I’m so bad.”


Bryan Colin was left scratching his head and wondering where it all had gone wrong. James Obst had opened the pot for 15,000 and been called by Colin before the action reached Tobias Reinkemeier in the big blind who three-bet to 35,000. Obst moved out of the way but Colin wasn’t ready to give up the fight quite yet. He made it 75,000 to go. Reinkemeier moved all-in for 204,000 total. This is not what was meant to happen, Colin must have thought: “God, I’m so bad at poker.” He eventually made the call of the additional 120,000 or so.

Reinkemeier: QQ


Colin: A10

No ace hit the board and Reinkemeier doubled up to 420,000. The day is almost over. — RD

11.39pm: McDonald riding a rollercoaster towards the close of play


After losing a huge pot that would have seen him challenge for the chip lead Mike McDonald has chipped back up to 230,000 after getting it all with pocket aces against Bryan Colin’s KQ.

Does McDonald have another big pot in him before the end of the day? I wouldn’tr rule it out. — RD

11.28pm: Not a good time for McDonald to flip


Mike McDonald has just lost a huge 700,000 flip to Shawn Buchanan and has been left with just 110,000. Buchanan opened the pot for 15,000 form the hijack and was three-bet by Tobias Reinkemeier to 35,000. McDonald cold four-bet to 73,000 from the small blind asking a large question, to which he got a large answer. Buchanan moved all-in, pushing Reinkemeier out of the way and leaving the pot heads up.

Buchanan: AK


McDonald: QQ

Buchanan flopped top two and McDonald was left short. Is time being called for McDonald? — RD

11.18pm: ElkY out


Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier is out. He first lost a critical flip against Sirel Mizzi which left ElkY with just 16,000. The coup de grace was delivered by both Mizzi and Daniel Negreanu in a Canadian double team. Mizzi raised the button and ElkY called all-in. Negreanu called from the big blind. Both players caught an ace on the 93A flop and eventually chopped the pot.

ElkY mucked and departed in 25th allowing the tournament director to close the table. Down to three tables. — RD

11.05pm: ElkY rivered by Rajkumar


Bertrand Grospellier may have been trapping or it may have been some some kind of hero call when he looked up Vivek Rajkumar on the river of a checked down KQ449 board. Rajkuma showed J10 for the straight. ElkY was left with 220,000. — RD

11.02pm: Smith opens, Lichtenberger closes


As soon as Andrew Lichtenberger three-bet from the cut-off there was an inevitability that Justin Smith was going to pass. He just didn’t look like he wanted the action. Smith had made it 16,000 from middle position and Lichtenberger had made it 36,000. — RD

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 3,000-6,000, ANTE 500

10.52pm: Full chip counts


Fresh chip counts are here for your perusal leading into the final level fo the day. One Mr Daniel Negreanu is leading the field at the moment, you may have heard of him. — RD

10.42pm: Break time


That’s the end of the level. Players are taking a 15 minute break before returning for the last level of the day. Chip counts can be found on the chip count page. — SB

10.32pm: Punish the Mizz!


Sorel Mizzi has just passed to a three-bet from Daniel Negreanu and, yes, that is worthy of mention. The younger Canadian had opened from the cut-off to 12,000 and was re-popped to 27,500 by Negreanu. Mizzi appeared to be mulling a four-bet shove before he eventually passed.

“Daniel lit him up,” shouted Matt Glantz to Antonio Esfandiari. “Yeah, punish the Mizz!” replied Esfandiari. It was a slogan that was then somewhat bizarrely and enthusiastically echoed by Esfandiari’s father who had just appeared on the rail.

Shortly before that hand ElkY had been seated between the pair with around 150,000 to his name. — RD

10.25pm: Unlucky Lichtenberger


A long slow hand just ran its course between Daniel Cates and Andrew Lichtenberger, ending with Cates out on top.

The pot started with a bet of 10,000 from Ciao Pimenta which Cates called, as did Lichtenberger in the small blind and David Benyamine in the big.

The flop came 10A10 which Lichtenberger and Benyamine checked from the blinds. Pimenta bet 14,000 which Cates called, as did Lichtenberger while Benyamine stepped aside.

The turn came J. The action was checked to Cates who, with eyes slowly blinking and a head looking like it was losing a long term battle with sleep deprivation, bet 63,000. Lichtenberger called for a 7 river.

Lichtenberger checked, leaving it to Cates to bet what looked to be 157,000. Given that his head looked ready to topple off, this took remarkable strength from Cates who then had to wait several minutes for Lichtenberger to respond. He did so by folding. Cates up to around 500,000. – SB

10.15pm: Blom gone


When Vivek Rajkumar found that late arrival Viktor Blom was to be sat to his immediate left, he’d looked over at Daniel Negreanu with a “why me?” cry for help. No, several hours later, it’s Rajkumar stacking Blom’s chips having just sent Blom to the rail in level 8.

On a board reading 9A793 Vivek moved all-in for around 260,000 with roughly 200,000 in the pot. Blom, visibly exhausted after sitting down to play only a short time after he arrived after a tortuous journey here, had around 116,000 behind and took several minutes to think through his options, occasionally wiping his greasy looking hair from his forehead.

Eventually he called. Rajkumar showed K9 leaving Blom no option than to tap the table and make ready to leave.

“Good game guys,” said Blom, walking away as Rajkumar stacked up his chips worth 500,000.

“All right buddy,” said Daniel Negreanu, who had sat opposite him all day. “Get some sleep.”

10.04pm: Bucking Buchanan


Both Mike McDonald and Bryan Colin have got the better of Shawn Buchanan in this level and his stack is sliding in the wrong direction, down to 300,000. Colin checked behind with jacks on a board with at least one over on it, beating Buchanan’s low paired hand, while McDonald beat his fellow Canadian out before showdown on the river. — RD

9.54pm: Lichtenberger all-in


A bet of 68,000 in the pot from Andrew Lichtenberger followed by a re-raise to 150,000 from Caio Pimenta on the button. A pause followed, deep thought, then an all-in from Lichtenberger, making it 341,000 more to call.

This had a big effect on Pimenta who, with 430,000 behind, performed some extraordinary face pulling before eventually folding his hand. – SB

9.44pm: Griffin busted


Ashton Griffin is out. He got his chips in with queen-ten but ran into the ace-deuce of Nick Schulman. Schulman would storm through the hand on a board of ace-jack-deuce-king-ace. Griffin’s straight was worthless as he departs in 28th place. – SB

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 2,500-5,000, ANTE 500

9.32pm: Robl and Obst go to war


Andrew Robl and James ‘AndyMcLEOD’ Obst are at each other like a pair of prize cockerels. Robl conceded the first pot to Obst after he bet 90,000 on the river of a 75356 board. “I’ve got a really big hand here,” he had croaked, obviously not enjoying the spot Obst had put him in. He passed (a queen-high flush he later claimed if I heard correctly).

The very next pot went Robl’s way. Robl bet 15,000 on a 7AJ flop, 40,000 on the Q turn and large 100,000 on the 6 river. The final bet wasn’t received well by Obst who deflated a little and said: “Jesus,” before dropping his head onto his arm. He finally passed while at the other end of a table a game of What Lodden Thinks raged on between Phil Laak, Antonio Esfandiari and Bryn Kenney. Obst is sat pretty with 570,000 while Robl was left looking healthy with 500,000. Obst claimed to have passed Broadway. — RD

9.15pm: Down to 28


Jason Somerville is the next player to depart. He opened for 10,000 which Antonio Esfandiari raised to 26,000 before Somerville moved all-in for 150,000. Esfandiari called, showing AA to Somerville’s JJ. The board ran 410A8Q to eliminate Somerville. — SB

9.05pm: Chen gone


Bill Chen is out. He got the last of his chips in with A5 and looked good against David Benyamine’s Q9 until the board ran 57568, giving the Frenchman a straight and sending Chen to the rail. “Oh my God!” yelled Chen as the river was dealt, but he’d seen this all before and good naturedly wished the others good luck. He’s out. 29 players remain. – SB

8.58pm: The rich keep on getting richer


There’s a theory that money attracts money and although that supposition is hard to put to the test when all 38 runners have staked themselves into an event for $100,000 it does seem to be working for Daniel Negreanu. The Canadian went into the break just behind Bryn Kenney in chips and he’s already raking more in.

Matt Glantz had been making odd faces from the button, all of which said “I don’t know if I should be calling this 42,000 river bet from beardy man.” But he did. Negreanu had made a near post-sized bet into the 50,000 in the middle on a 99AJ2 board. Glantz finally made the call and was shown Q9 by Negreanu for trip nines just as Antonio Esfandiari pitched up in time to say: “Weeeeeeeee.” The Canadian Team Pokerstars Pro is up to 675,000. — RD

8.50pm: The details


Just a reminder that we are playing nine levels today, meaning three more levels tonight. Players will then return tomorrow to play down to a final table that will be played on Saturday. — SB

8.45pm: We’re back


Play resumes in the Super High Roller with 30 players remaining.

The Atlantis Resort

PokerStars Blog reporting team in the Bahamas (in order of anything you like, we haven’t got time for this): Stephen Bartley and Rick Dacey

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.

5.02pm: Laliberte cartwheels out of the Super High Roller


Cirque de Soleil founder Guy Laliberte has departed the tournament floor. The Canadian started back from the break with just 24,000 so his death bell had been ringing for some time.

That’s the end of the level. — RD

4.54pm: Backhanded compliment to Mizzi


Phil Laak and Antonio Esfandiari are stood around Sorel Mizzi’s table bantering at the Canadian’s expense.

“I think this is the first time that I’ve seen Sorel when he’s not been the best player at the table,” said Esfandiari.

I didn’t catch Laak’s reply but it was typically filled with ‘wohs’, ‘mans’ and ‘awesomes’. Mizzi didn’t seem to know whether to take the comments as compliments or not, but given how tough the table is (Nick Schulman, Daniel Negreanu, Viktor Blom etc) it would be understandable not to feel insulted. — RD

4.50pm: Mercier good


Sandor Denjan opened for 4,000 which Jason Mercier raised to 11,100. Denjan called with a green chip for a flop of 8J10.

Both checked that for a 3 turn. Denjan then bet another 22,000, Mercier, big square shaped mirrored glasses, reflecting the action like two TVs in the window of Radio Shack, tossed in a green chip to call.

The river came 9 which Denjan checked. Mercier did the same, although with some reluctance. “I imagine I had the best hand but don’t have the best hand,” he said. He did, turning over KJ to topple Denjan’s 43. Mercier up to around 140,000. – SB

4.42pm: Rajkumar takes the chip lead


Vivek Rajkumar has taken the chip lead with a hefty 720,000 stack beating Nick Schulman down to 280,000 in the process. Mike McDonald opened to 6,000 from the cut-off and was called by Rajkumar on the button before Schulman three-bet to 16,500 from the big blind. Rajkumar made the call.

Schulman c-bet into the KQ6 flop and Rajkumar made the call. How much was that bet? I couldn’t say but given the size of the bet on the turn I’d hazard a guess that it must have be pot-sized. On the 5 turn Schulman fired another 80,000 and Rajkumar made the call.

The river brought a 130,000 bet from Schulman and Rajkumar matched that hefty stack of chips and showed K9 for top trips. Schulman mucked as Rajkumar leapt into the chip lead. — RD

4.35pm: Helloooooo Niue!


Yes, it’s shout out time, this time to our one reading in Niue, the Rock of Polynesia, a protectorate of New Zealand out there in the Pacific Ocean. Incidentally Niue is the world’s first free WiFi nation, which leads you to wonder why more of the population aren’t reading this. Anyway, hello down there. — SB

4.25pm: Seiver out


Scott Seiver is out. Having come out worst in a hand against Andrew Robl minutes earlier, he encountered Phil Laak (Spell check name “Leak”) and his pocket queens, getting his chips in on a board of 28J33. Seiver didn’t show when Laak turned over the winner. Seiver becomes the third player to be eliminated. – SB

4.19pm: The importance of insurance


Following on from the last post it turns out that Mike McDonald is still in and it was a seat change. Good for him. He’s been moved onto Sorel Mizzi’s table. — RD

4.16pm: Deep stacked poker


You’d think that in a tournament this deep stacked (i.e. that there’s still 125 big blinds in the starting stack at this level) that it’s almost impossible to go out. Not so. We’ve lost a small smattering of players; Koen Berendsen early on who has been joined by Bill Perkins and, I could be wrong here, Mike McDonald. The Canadian’s seat is empty and there are no chips that I can see from here. It could just be a seat change – that’s my insurance. — RD

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 1,000-2,000, ANTE 300

3.58pm: Seiver Robl’d


David Baker opened for 4,200 from under-the-gun and Andrew Robl called on the button with a single blue chip worth 5,000. Next to act was Scott Seiver (spell check name “Shiver”) who raised to 16,200. Baker passed. At which point the dealer gave Robl his change, which Robl had an issue with and asked for his blue chip back. After some fussing the issue was sorted after Robl called, and the flop was dealt 486.

Andrew Robl

At this point Seiver bet 28,000. He took his time but Robl called for a 6 turn. Seiver tanked for a while, usually animated now he was quiet, his hands covering his face almost as though he was playing the harmonica. He bet 52,000.

Robl looked at his cards again. Big shoulders, Robl called, looking at the table as if looking over the top of reading glasses, his forehead pointing directly ahead.

The river came J. Robl eyed Seiver who remained still, playing his harmonica. Then he broke the silence. “I’m all in,” he said. “I call,” replied Robl who turned over 86 to win the hand. The price to Seiver was 146,000, taking Robl up to around 300,000 and taking him down to around 80,000. – SB

3.45pm: ElkY in genuine hand shocker


Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier is definitely one of those players that you expect to be turning over a wide range of hands at showdown so it was fair enough that Bryan Colin took his time deciding whether to call, raise or fold with AK on a KQ44J board. ElkY’s AK chopped the pot. — RD

3.37pm: Also on the nod


On a flop of 9J6 Sandor Denjan checked in the small blind before Shawn Buchanen bet 4,200. Denjan called for a 9 turn card and both checked for a 2 river. Denjan then checked again, then called when Buchanen bet 8,100. 10K for Buchanen, AA for Denjan who turned to some friends on the rail behind him and nodded. – SB

3.30pm: On the nod


A bet of 4,200 from Justin Smith on the button and a no hesitation call from Bill Chen in the small blind. Daniel Cates also called from the big blind for a flop of 109A.


There then followed a seemingly endless stream of checks. Three for a 7 turn. Then three more for a 8 river, followed by three more checks. Smith, the original raiser showed 87. Chen and Cates nodded and Smith took the pot. – SB

3.26pm: Phone sex?


Andrew Robl was left looking slightly uncomfortable by the proposal of a bet that centred on the length of his longest phone sex conversation. Antonio Esfandiari was the player that put the idea forward: “He looks like he’d be a Romeo on the phone,” Esfandiari suggested. Although there was a lot of enthusiasm for the topic the bet never took off. More’s the pity.

Elsewhere Sorel Mizzi was three-betting Bill Perkins from the button and picking up a small pot with a post-flop c-bet. Expected behaviour from both Mizzi and Esfandiari. — RD

3.20pm: Chip counts


We did a quick scan of the chips at the break and you can see them all in their technicolor glory here. Nick Schulman is still way out in front with 570,000 after his early knockout of Koen Berendsen. — RD

3.10pm: We play on


Play continues, at the same break neck pace that ripped through levels one and two. Koen Berendsen is the only player eliminated so far. — SB

3pm: Into level 3


And we’re back from the break, refreshed with lattes and the Elton John of Starbuck’s beverages, the caramel frappucino. Blinds are now 800-1,600 with a 200 ante. — SB

The beach

PokerStars Blog reporting team in the Bahamas (by preparation taken for the PCA trip ): Stephen Bartley (extensive physical training while leaning to play a steel drum), Rick Dacey (extensive drinking then trying to lift a steel drum)

This EPT is brought to you by PokerStars, the official sponsor of the European Poker Tour. Win your way into the biggest events Europe has to offer at Europe.