Pokerstars Blind Levels
Another note: In PokerStars tournaments last for ridiculous time because there usually is a) far too many blind levels and b) levels are too long and c) fields are so absurdly large. Macau Millions Day 1e: Levels 11 - 16 (blinds 6,000-12,000, ante 1,000) Heath 'TassieDevil' Chick @PokerStars April 8, 2011 3:49 AM In PokerStars Macau Shaq attack brings Day 1e to a close as Aman Dhamija claims chip lead. You can use the poker clock to set/track the time and blind levels in any poker game, including Texas Hold’em. Whether you’re planning a home game with friends or hosting a small event for a few of the neighbourhood locals, the 888poker clock is the perfect solution. A turbo event is one in which the blind levels increase much faster than in standard play. The length of each round (before the blinds/antes increase) in a turbo tournament is usually 5 minutes (as opposed to the standard 10 or 15), though there are some turbo events with 6-minute rounds.
4.36pm: Break
That's the end of the level. We're on a 15-minute break and will then be back with a new post. -- SY
4.31pm: Pepe finds aces, misses out
Poor old Franck Pepe. He was down to around 400,000 and in need of some action. Finding A♦A♠ certainly made for a good start, and he raised it to 92,000. Anthony Hnatow was in the next seat and made the call.
They saw and checked the 4♣4♥5♦ flop and on the 9♦ river Pepe checked again, then called when Hnatow made it 83,000. The river was 2♦ and again Pepe checked, calling once more when Hnatow bet 158,000.
Hnatow showed K♦Q♦ for the rivered flush and Pepe showed his aces in frustration. -- SY
4.30pm: Jacobson gives more back
Martin Jacobson has doubled up another player at his table and again with a dominated ace. Latvian Kaspars Renga was down to 416,000 when he shoved with A♣T♥ from the cut-off. Jacobson was in the small blind and made the call with A♦8♣ but failed to come from behind through the J♠9♣3♥6♠J♥ board. -- MC
4.25pm: Prydryk and Cohen chop it up
Ruslan Prydryk and Lucien Cohen have just chopped a pot that could easily have seen Prydryk bust. The Ukrainian had opened for 90,000 and was called by Cohen in the big blind. Cohen check-called 90,000 on the 2♠A♠4♥ flop. Both players checked the 4♦ turn before Cohen check-shoved after allowing Prydryk to bet 200,000.
Cohen: A♥T♦
Prydryk: A♦7♣
There were plenty of chop cards that could have come, but also plenty which would have let Cohen's kicker playing. -- RD
4.20pm: Claudepierre doubles up
A double-up for Julien Claudepierre at the expense of Anthony Hnatow.
Hnatow opened for 88,000 on the button which Claudepierre raised to 262,000 on the big blind. Hnatow said he was all-in and Claudepierre called instantly, showing 9♠9♦. It didn't look like Hnatow had expected this as he turned over 7♦8♦. He looked devastated.
The board ran J♣5♥2♦8♠2♣ and Hnatow looked upset, walking off to the nearby water fountain. The all-in was for 1,092,000, taking Claudpierre up past 2,200,000. - SB
4.14pm: Jacobson's rush over
Martin Jacobson's fine form this level came to an end as he doubled up Kevin Lambert. Jacobson raised to 87,000 and tank called when his Swiss opponent shoved for 291,000 more. Lambert was dominating with his A♣8♠ to Jacobson's A♦4♦ and the board ran 5♥A♣K♣3♦T♥. Jacobson dropped to about 3.3million chips. -- MC
4.05pm: News in brief
4pm: Johnson's tournament over in 13th
Kenny Hallaert just put an end to William Johnson's tournament. The American moved all-in for the last of his once mighty stack with A♠Q♠ and was called by Hallaert who turned over 7♦7♠.
The board ran 7♣T♦T♣2♣8♠. Johnson knew he was finished on the flop and was already shaking hands with the other players before the turn and river arrived. He's out in 13th place, earning €30,000. -- SB
3.55pm: Fabian Holling out in 14th for €30,000
The German enjoyed a fine run in Deauville, and it might have lasted a good deal longer had his A♣[10c] raise got through to collect the blinds and antes. Unfortunately Martin Jacobson had woken up in the big blind with A♦Q♣ and moved all-in - with Holling calling for his remaining one million chips.
'Oh, nice hand,' rued Holling as he prepared for the drama of the board.
It was no help, coming K♠Q♥Q♠A♠8♦, serving only to make Jacobson a full house. We're down to 13 and Jacobson looks to have taken the chip lead with around 3.7million. -- SY
3.50pm: Jacobson doubles and cripples Johnson
Martin Jacobson and William Johnson, both PokerStars qualifiers, just tangled in a huge pot that saw the Swede double-up and Johnson slip to around 200,000 chips. Jacobson opened to 86,000 and was only called by the softly-spoken American en route to a Q♠A♣8♥ flop.
Jacobson led for 85,000 before Johnson raised to 185,000. Jacobson's response was to three-bet to 400,000. Call. Both checked the 6♦ turn before Jacobson shoved for 845,000 on the T♣ river. Johnson made the call with A♥T♦ for two-pair but lost out to the Swede who made the nuts on the river with K♥J♣. He's up to around 2.8 million chips now. -- MC
3.45pm: Lambert fades as Wice wins huge pot
A huge pot between Alex Wice and Kevin Lambert leaves Lambert on the brink and Wice with 3,266,000.
Lambert opened for 75,000 on the button which Alex Wice called in the small blind. Franck Pepe was in the big blind and raised to 180,000. Both Lambert and Wice called to see a flop.
That came 4♥J♦J♥. All three players checked for a T♠ turn card. Wice then bet 430,000 which Pepe passed before Lambert called. On the 2♣ river Wice asked Lambert how much he had left (about 1,500,000) before betting another 650,000, leaving himself 1,500,000 in reserve. Lambert called but folded immediately when Wice showed J♠Q♦.
Lambert down to 400,000 while Wice is now back among the leaders. - SB
3.35pm: Bit of jousting
Some head-clashing, but no eliminations:
• Kevin Lambert made it 80,000 and Alex Wice, Julien Claudepierre and Franck Pepe called. On the 9♣K♣2♥ flop it was folded to Wice who bet 200,000 and that was good for the pot.
• William Johnson raised from under the gun to 105,000 only for Fabian Holling to move all-in for around 900,000. Johnson thought for a minute or two before letting it go.
• On a 4♣7♠2♠ board, Philip Jacobsen bet but then mucked when Laurent Polito shoved on him.
• Martin Jacobson opened with a raise to 84,000 before Lucien Cohen bumped it up to 220,000. It was folded back to Jacobson, who mucked. -- SY
3.31pm: You win some, you lose some
Franck Pepe just put a stop to Anthony Hnatow's surge, winning a pot from his countryman. On a flop of 2♠8♦9♥ both checked for a 8♣ turn. Pepe, in the big blind, bet 110,000 which Hnatow called for a Q♦. Pepe then bet another 205,000 which Hnatow called. But the pot went Pepe's way when he showed A♦8♠.
Hnatow would win some back on the next hand, however. After Martin Jacobson opened for 63,000 under-the-gun and Julien Claudepierre had limped in, Hnatow called from the big blind for a flop of 8♠5♣5♦.
Jacobson bet another 110,000 forcing out Claudepierre while Hnatow called. It was another 8♣ on the turn. A bet of 136,000 from Hnatow this time forcing Jacobson to pass. Tournament staff descended immediately to escort Jacobson to his new seat on table 2.
You may have noticed from the initial raises that these hands took place right at the end of the last level. - SB
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 20,000-40,000, ANTE 4,000
3.20pm: Stop and go home, Mazairac out in 15th (€26,000)
Didier Mazairac is our 15th place finisher taking home €26,000 after a 'stop and go' went wrong. William Johnson raised to 70,000 from second position and Mazairac called to see the J♥4♥9♠ flop. Mazairac then open shoved for his last 250,000 with Q♣T♦ and winced when his American opponent snap called with K♥T♥. Neither playing had anything yet and the board ran out J♣T♠. Both players made two-pair but Johnson's kicker played. -- MC
3.15pm: Keosomphet busts in 16th (€26,000)
Kevin Keosomphet has just been knocked out in 16th place by Lucien Cohen. Keosomphet opened for 67,000 and was called by Cohen in middle position. Kenney Hallaert passed in the big blind.
Both players checked down to the J♠3♣J♠6♥ turn which Keosomphet bet for 91,000. Cohen made one of the most casual calls I've ever seen, which stank of either a strong made hand or must-call nut draw. Keosomphet bet just over 100,000 into the 5♣ river and Cohen moved all-in. Keosomphet called off his remaining 250,000 with [k][q]. Cohen had flopped a set of threes with 3♥3♦. -- RD
3.05pm: Back again
After that rush of eliminations, which almost caused my laptop to explode under fast-typing pressure, we're down to 16. They're now back at the two remaining tables list below, and cards are in the air once more. -- SY
3pm: The seat draw with two tables remaining
Table 1
Seat 1 - Laurent Polito- 2,600,000
Seat 2 - Julien Claudepierre - 1,150,000
Seat 3 - Philip Jacobsen- 1,400,000
Seat 4 - Kevin Lambert- 1,580,000
Seat 5 - Alex Wice- 3,450,000
Seat 6 - Franck Pepe- 1,050,000
Seat 7 - Anthony Hnatow- 3,600,000
Seat 8 - Martin Jacobson- 1,700,000
Table 2
Seat 1 - Kenny Hallaert - 2,850,000
Seat 2 - Didier Mazairac - 354,000
Seat 3 - Kevin Keosomphet - 510,000
Seat 4 - Lucien Cohen - 2,600,000
Seat 5 - William Johnson - 1,250,000
Seat 6 - Ruslan Prydryk - 1,100,000
Seat 7 - Fabian Holling - 885,000
Seat 8 - Kaspars Renga 595,000
2.54pm: Break
We're are down to two tables and on a 20-minute break while things get sorted out. - SY
2.54pm: Wice dodges aces
It was two big hands for Alex Wice. The first he raised to 70,000 from the button and was three-bet by Martin Jacobson to 220,000 from the blinds. Wice moved all-in and Jacobson passed.
Wice opened again the next hand for 70,000, now in the cut-off (there was a dead dealer button thanks to the departure of Soulier). Jacobson moved out of the way and Laurent Polito three-bet from the big blind to 200,000. Wice wasted little time in making the call.
Polito was not deterred by the K♥8♥7♣ flop. The Frenchman pulled two large stacks of blue 10,000 chips away from the rest and slid them forward for a 400,000 bet. Wice passed and was shown A♠A♣ by Polito. -- RD
2.53pm: Bedinger bids us farewell
The eliminations keep on coming with the departure of Sebastian Bedinger. He shoved from the button with A♥5♦ and was called by William Johnson showing A♦T♦. The board ran 9♣Q♠3♣7♦3♦ to eliminate Bidinger in 17th place. - SB
2.52pm: Andrzej Nowak-Rogozinski out in 18th for €23,000
They are falling like flies! No sooner was Soulier on his bike than Nowak-Rogozinski hitched a ride to the payout desk. He got it all-in with [10h][10s] but was up against the J♥J♣ of Lucien Cohen. No help on the K♥J♠8♥K♠2♦ board, which served only to improve Cohen to a full house. -- SY
2.50pm: Fabrice Soulier out in 19th for €23,000
Fabrice Soulier is gone. Julien Claudepierre opened with a raise to 70,000 and the Frenchman moved all-in. Call.
Soulier: A♣J♦
Claudepierre: 2♠2♣
Soulier needed to hit to keep his final table hopes alive, but the board ran Q♥Q♠[10h]8♥4♠ to send him to the rail. -- SY
Zimnan Ziyard out in 20th for €23,000
Zimnan Ziyard moved all-in with 7♣7♦ and was called by Kenny Hallaert with 9♣9♦. The board ran [10d]6♣3♦3♥8♥ and that was curtains for Ziyard. -- SY
2.46pm: Riccardo Giacalone out in 21st for €23,000
He was short-stacked and pushed for 140,000 with 3♦3♠. It was folded around to Alex Wice who was always going to call from the big blind with his big stack. He turned over 4♣J♠ and it was a race. The board ran 4♦9♠5♣9♥J♦ to give Wice two pair and send Giacalone to the rail. -- SY
2.45pm: Aces? That'll do nicely
Franck Pepe doubled up with aces, the perfect hand arriving at the perfect time. Didier Mazairac had started it with a bet of 85,000 before Kevin Keosomphet re-raised to 200,000. Now Pepe woke up with the bullets and moved all-in for 468,000. Mazairac, sensing an imminent collision, dodged out of the way, but Keosomphet made the call.
Keosomphet: A♠K♦
Pepe: A♦A♣
Pepe was in great shape, and sailed through the 4♥9♦J♠8♦[10s] flop with no traumas. -- SY
2.42pm: Rat magic
It's starting to get unfair for Lucien Cohen's table mates as his pet rubber rat seems to be giving him an edge. The latest player to feel the force of the rat was PokerStars qualifier Fabian Holling. The pot started with a Kenny Hallaert under-the-gun raise to 63,000 and flat calls from Sebastien Bidinger and Lucien Cohen before Holling three-bet to 218,000 from the small blind. Hallaert and Bidinger folded but Cohen made the call. The flop came 7♥K♣T♣ and Holling checked to face a 425,000 bet from Cohen. The German only had about 800,000 back so he knew he had to push or fold and he opted with the latter. Cohen, once more, celebrated by kissing his rat and waving it at his opponent. -- MC
2.40pm: William Johnson is right
Didier Mazairac (spell check name 'Malaria') opened in middle position for 75,000. The action was folded to William Johnson who raised to 155,000 from the button. Back on Mazairac he called.
The flop came 6♠3♦K♠ and Mazairac bet another 70,000. Then, with one flick of his wrists, Johnson moved all-in. Mazairac winced, then folded his pocket sevens face up. In reply Johnson showed his pocket queens. - SB
2.34pm: Pepeto-Bismol
Franck Pepe's stomach must be gurgling. That'a all I can put it down to as something's certainly got to him, as (when I've been watching) he's played almost every pot. Active to say the least. He opened to 76,000 from middle position and then folded to a small but strong raise from Didier Mazairac.
Shortly after he called a raise from William Johnson and folded to a c-bet on the 5♥A♦Q♦ flop. Pepe's desperately trying to win a chunky pot. -- RD
2.25pm: Short stacks chop it up
Fabrice Soulier and Riccardo Giacalone are the shortest stacks with around 200,000 each. They just got it all-in from the blinds and chopped the pot despite Soulier's Q♣7♥ dominating Giacalone's Q♥4♦. They chopped the antes at least. One of them is surely the next to go? -- RD
2.22pm: Four to the flop
Kevin Keosomphet opened for 74,000 in middle position which Anthony Hnatow called in the hijack. William Johnson did the same from the cut off, as did Ruslan Prydryk in the big blind.
The flop came 2♥8♦4♣ Prydryk checked, Hnatow checked out of turn but then Keosomphet checked anyway. Johnson wasn't checking though, he was betting, making it 110,000. Prydryk has similar ideas and re-raised, making it 240,000 which only Johnson called.
The turn came K♥ at which point Prydryk moved all-in for around 500,000. Johnson, not much of a talker, let his cards speak for him. He folded. He's down to 700,000 while Prydryk leaps to 1,400,000. - SB
2.18pm: Ziyard getting short
Zimnan Ziyard is down to less than 11 big blinds after playing a hand as far as the turn. He raised to 65,000 pre-flop, from the hijack, and was only called by the rat-kissing Lucien Cohen on the button. The flop came J♠8♣J♣ and Ziyard led for 80,000 only to face a raise up to 190,000 from Cohen. He called to see the 3♠ turn where he checked to face 180,000 bet. 'Will you show if I fold?' asked Ziyard.
He received no response from Cohen or his rat. He thought for about two minutes before folding. His 320,000 stack is only really good for shoving now. -- MC
2.21pm: Polito won't be bullied
Laurent Polito made it 65,000 and Alex Wice re-raised to 140,000. Polito was not going to be pushed around by the chip leader, and fired again - this time for 340,000 total. Wice got the message and mucked. -- SY
2.20pm: Nice pot for Holling
On a 6♦7♥4♠ flop, Fabian Holling bet 72,000 and Andrzej Nowak-Rogozinski re-raised to 175,000. Holling asked what the minimum raise could be - it's always double the last bet here in France - but in the event he flat called.
The turn was Q♣ and Nowak-Rogozinski checked then folded when Holling bet 180,000. -- SY
2.15pm: Soulier doubles
Fabrice Soulier moved in for 140,000, leaving just 5,000 behind as a card protector. Kevin Lambert made the call and they saw a 4♠7♣[10s] flop. Lambert tossed in 5,000 and Soulier completed the formality by making the call. K♠Q♥ for Lambert but he was now behind to Soulier's K♦7♦. Soulier stayed ahead on the [10h] turn and J♦ river to double up to more than 300,000.
Soulier shoved again a few hands later, this time from under the gun. No-one called and he flashed A♥K♦. -- SY
2pm: Finneran falls in 22nd (€23,000)
Thomas Finneran was down to his last 260,000 when he shipped it in over a Philip Jacobson raise. The Irishman was on the button and knew that he wasn't going to get many folds from the Dane but with just ten big blinds his A♦J♣ was certainly worth staking his tournament on.
Jacobson quickly made the call with J♦Q♥ showing Finneran to be in great shape to double up. The Q♠ door card quickly flipped the odds and left the Irishman hoping for a gutshot, which never arrived, on the Q♠K♥6♣2♣3♥ board. Finneran collects €23,000 for his efforts. -- RD
Pokerstars Tournament Blind Levels
1.55pm: Even more for Hnatow
Anthony Hnatow was still stacking chips from his elimination of Fried Meulders when he raised to 48,000 from the cut-off. Ruslan Prydryk was in the big blind and called to see the 8♦7♣A♠ flop where he check-called Hnatow's 58,000 c-bet. The two then went on to check down the K♠6♥ turn and river. Hnatow tabled K♥9♣ for the pot as Prydryk mucked. -- MC
1.50pm: Muelders out in 23rd (€23,000)
Fried Meulders is the latest elimination, sent to the rail by Anthony Hnatow who can now be rubber stamped with the words 'in-form'.
Hnatow opened for 73,000 from the cut off which Meulders raised to 190,000 on the button. After a moment's pause Hnatow announced he was all-in, which Meulders insta-called, turning over A♣J♦ versus Hnatow's A♦Q♥.
The board came 6♦T♣8♥K♥K♣ to send Meulders to the rail and leave Hnatow with around 3,400,000. - SB
1.45pm: Return from the break
Players are back, were dealing again.
1.30pm: The Rat tells him to fold and go on break
Lucien Cohen waved his rubber rat by way of celebration earlier and now's he talked to it to ask its advice. He raised to 55,000 from mid-position and was called by William Johnson on the button and Kaspars Renga in the big blind. The flop came J♥6♣5♦ and Cohen's 65,000 c-bet was only called by Johnson. The turn came 8♠ and Cohen fired 75,000 only to face a raise up to 200,000 from the American. Cohen started talking to his rat and the advice he must have received was to fold as that's what he did.
That hand lasted a couple of minutes in to first 15 minute break the players are now enjoying. -- MC
1.28pm: Soulier hanging by a thread
Fabrice Soulier is the shortstack and clinging on, praying for the hand that doubles him up. He looked down and saw something appealing, raising it up to 60,000. It was folded around to Julien Claudepierre in the small blind who re-raised to 154,000.
Back to Soulier, who had just 216,000 behind. Folding or moving all-in was his only choice. He folded, and Claudepierre did him the courtesy of showing A♠K♣. Soulier grabbed his cards back from the muck to show A♦J♦. A good fold, but Soulier is in desperate shape as we head towards the first break of the day. -- SY
1.27pm: More for Hnatow
Kevin Keosomphet opened for 61,000 from under-the-gun which Anthony Hnatow raised to 142,000 in the seat next to him. With the action folded back around to Keosomphet he called for a flop of 5♦T♣3♠. Keosomphet checked to Hnatow who bet 86,000. Keosomphet called.
On the 4♠ turn Keosomphet checked, watched Hnatow bet 206,000 and then called. On the 2♠ river Keosomphet checked, watched Hnatow bet 450,000 and then, with 800,000 left behind, folded Q♠Q♣ face up. Hnatow didn't show. - SB
1.23pm: Big double for Didier
Didier Mazairac has just enjoyed a nice double up to 800,000 after flopping a set. Mazairac had shoved for 400,000 from the cut-off and bug stack Anthony Hnatow moved all-in from the small blind to isolate him.
Hnatow: A♥K♠
Mazairac: 7♣7♠
Mazairac flopped a set and, credit to him for this, Hnatow just laughed it off. I suppose it's easy to laugh off the loss of 400,000 when you've got another 2.2 million behind though. -- RD
1.20pm: Less than Petit
Emile Petit is the first player out today after a cooler of a hand versus PokerStars qualifier Martin Jacobson. The short stacked Fabrice Soullier was in the big blind and Jacobson attacked it with a raise to 54,000 from under-the-gun. Petit was in the hijack and three-bet to 125,000 which prompted all behind him to fold, putting the decision back on the Swede. His response was to move all-in and Petit snap called all-in for around 500,000.
Petit: K♣K♥
Jacobson: A♠A♣
The board ran 6♠7♣A♦T♦3♦. Jacobson hit top set and it was all over by the turn. He's up to 2.4 million chips now. Petit cashes out for €23,000. -- MC
1.17pm: More pain for Pepe
Franck Pepe had managed to get some chips back after the Hnatow debacle (see 12.52pm: Nice start for Hnatow). Fried Meulders limped the small blind into Pepe's big and the Frenchman checked.
Meulders led 28,000 into the T♠8♣J♠ flop and Pepe raised to 63,000. Both players checked the 7♠ turn before Meulders made a nice 90,000 value bet, which Pepe quickly called. The Belgian turned over 3♠4♠ for a low flush. Pepe's understandably looking a little frustrated right now and is on 400,000 (again). -- RD
1.15pm: Fwied Wice
Laurent Polito cooked up a pot that threatened to make Alex Wice boil over.
Polito raised to 52,000 and only Wice called from the big blind. Wice then check-called Polito's 60,000 bet on the K♥7♣[10d] flop, doing the same on Polito's 110,000 bet on the 5♥ turn. Both slowed down on the A♥ river, and it was Polito's A♦9♣ that took the pot. Wice looked a little miffed. -- SY
1.10pm: Cohen's pot
Lucien Cohen made it 55,000 and William Johnson called to see a 9♥5♠7♥ flop. Cohen bet 85,000 and Johnson called for a Q♣ turn. Now Cohen made it 90,000 and Johnson thought better of throwing in more chips. -- SY
1.05pm: Small pot for Hnatow
Didier Mazairac opened for 48,000 on the button which Anthony Hnatow raised to 117,000 in the big blind, Mazairac called for a flop of 6♦K♣9♠. The hand didn't go much further though with Hnatow betting 45,000 to take the pot. -- SB
1pm: Happy Hallaert
Kenny Hallaert is up to 2.1 million chips after getting three streets of value out of Andrzej Nowak-Rogozinski. The Belgian raised to 53,000 from the hijack and Nowak-Rogozinski defended from the big blind to see the 6♦Q♥A♠ flop. He check-called a 71,000 bet here and a 169,000 bet on the 9♠ turn. The river came 3♦ and Nowak-Rogozinski checked to face a polarizing 444,000 bet. The Pole went deep in to the tank as he pondered the call. He cut out the calling chips from his stack, flashed his holding (king-queen) to the press behind him and thought some more. After about seven or eight minutes another player called the clock on him and this prompted him to make the call. Hallaert tabled 6♥6♠ and Nowak-Rogozinski mucked to drop to under 500,000 chips. -- MC
12.52pm: Nice start for Hnatow
Franck Pepe has just lost half of his stack bluffing into Anthony Hnatow. Okay, I say bluffing, that's just an educated guess given what Hantow showed down. Hnatow opened for 54,000 from the button and was called by Pepe in the big blind.
Pepe checked the A♥7♣2♦ flop over to Hnatow and he c-bet for 35,000. Pepe quickly check-raised to 127,000, Hnatow made the call. The 5♦ turn seemed good enough for Pepe to blast 251,000 into the pot. Hnatow made the call again. Would Pepe be able to fire the final bullet?
No. Wisely he managed to slide the safety on and checked over to Hnatow who moved in, covering Pepe's remaining 400,000. Pepe sat and stared at his opponent, at his own chips, at the board, at Hnatow and at no point did he seriously look like calling. He mainly seemed to be mulling over his predicament. He passed leaving himself with more than enough to get back into the action.
Hnatow tossed A♠A♣ onto its back showing down top set and highlighting the fact that Pepe was most likely bluffing - due to their being just one case ace remaining - or relying too heavily on a lower pair. That said, we didn't see Pepe's hand, maybe he made an incredible laydown. Hnatow is up to 2.1 million. -- RD
12.45pm: No messing with Jacobson
After a period of raise and takes pre-flop, we saw a hand being played out. I say saw, as I was the lucky recipient of the 'one PokerStars blogger only allowed in the tournament area to see what's going on' badge.
Kevin Lambert, after raising the previous hand and taking the blinds and antes, limped in this time from under the gun for 24,000. Martin Jacobson called, as did Julien Claudepierre (is that his real name? Ed) from the small blind. Emile Petit checked in the big.
The flop was J♠[10s]7♥ and it was checked to Lambert who bet 58,000. Only Jacobson called. Both checked the 3♦ turn but on the Q♣ river Lambert bet 88,000 and Jacobson re-raised to 222,000. That was too rich for Lambert and the Swede took the pot to move up to 1.8million. -- SY
12.42pm: Video
Here's the video team's take on the start of the day...
12.40pm: New chips
A new 50,000 chip is in play. A pretty purple, it matches perfectly the color of chip leader Alex Wice's trademark woolen bobble hat. That's appropriate, since he has a 20-high pile of them - 1million in in total. -- SY
12.35pm: The rat comes out
Lucien Cohen opened to 53,000 from early position and was flat called by Andrzej Nowak-Rogozinski in the next seat before William Johnson three-bet to 210,000 from one more seat along. Cohen called this bet and committed a third of his stack in doing so. Nowak-Rogozinski looked confused at what was going on either side of him and folded. The flop came A♣5♦8♣ and Cohen open shoved for around 450,000. Johnson shook his head and open folded pocket jacks. Cohen started to shout something in French and pulled out a rubber rat from his bag and started waving it around in celebration. -- MC
Pokerstars Blind Levels High
12.25pm: First all-in
The first all-in called of the afternoon. Kevin Keosomphet opened for 63,000 from under-the-gun which Fried Meulders raised to 142,000. Keosomphet then re-raised all-in for 660,000.
Meulders took a minute, asking for his raise to be pulled in. Before that had been done though he called, showing A♠K♥. Muelders turned over J♣J♦ for a 'classic race situation'.
The board came 7♠5♣9♣2♣2♠
Meulders allowed himself a brief and tempered 'yes!' as he doubled up to around 1,300,000. For Keosomphet the opposite. He's down to 660,000. -- SB
Pokerstars Blind Levels Fortnite
12.22pm: The seat draw
Table 1
Seat 1 - Laurent Polito, France, PokerStars qualifier, 1,821,000
Seat 2 - Julien Claudepierre, France, 754,000
Seat 3 - Emile Petit, France, 705,000
Seat 4 - Kevin Lambert, Switzerland, 1,353,000
Seat 5 - Alex Wice, Canada, PokerStars qualifier, 3,410,000
Seat 6 - Riccardo Giacalone, France, 358,000
Seat 7 - Fabrice Soulier, France, 373,000
Seat 8 - Martin Jacobson, Sweden, PokerStars qualifier, 1,540,000
Table 2
Seat 1 - Kenny Hallaert, Belgium, 1,664,000
Seat 2 - Zimnan Ziyard, UK, PokerStars player, 631,000
Seat 3 -Sebastien Bidinger, France, PokerStars qualifier, 657,000
Seat 4 - Lucien Cohen, France, 760,000
Seat 5 - Andrzej Nowak-Rogozinski, Poland, 1,339,000
Seat 6 - William Johnson, United States, PokerStars qualifier, 1,647,000
Seat 7 - Fabian Holling, Germany, PokerStars qualifier, 1,061,000
Seat 8 - Kaspars Renga, Latvian, 706,000
Table 3
Seat 1 - Ruslan Prydryk, Ukraine, 1,027,000
Seat 2 - Thomas Finneran, Ireland, PokerStars player, 400,000
Seat 3 - Didier Mazairac, Belgium, 675,000
Seat 4 - Kevin Keosomphet, France, 568,000
Seat 5 - Anthony Hnatow, France, 1,710,000
Seat 6 - Fried Meulders, Belgium, PokerStars player, 1,485,000
Seat 7- Franck Pepe, France, 1,005,000
Seat 8 - Philip Jacobsen, Denmark, 1,070,000
12.20pm: Up close and personal
I am not a tournament director. I have never worked in the administration side of casinos. Because of these two statements I'm reserving full judgement on the decision to squeeze the final three tables of the Main Event into the corner of the tournament room.
There's probably some unwritten rule, or perhaps well written and repeated rule, that decrees cramming the final 24 players into as small a space as possible. If that is the case then it's been largely ignored at every other EPT that I've been to.
Then again, maybe it's just perspective. I'm sat at my laptop looking at the three tables from the far side of the tournament floor. Please, for all that is right in this world, let it be perspective. If it's not it's liable to turn into a scrum down there. If so, keep with us, we've got the sharpest elbows and largest reserves of righteous indignation in the business. -- RD
12.10pm: About to start
Thomas Kremser is making the introductions with players now at their seats and unbagging chips. We should be starting in just a few minutes. -- SB
11.57am: Back for Day 5
Welcome back to Day 5, yes this event never ends, of EPT Deauville. Just 24 players remain in the main event which today moves back to the, let's say 'bijou' surroundings of the Casino Barriere Deauville. It's grand, that's for sure, with chandeliers and gold leaf all over the place, but we may be about to work in the most cramped conditions in the history of live poker. It should be a lot of fun, like you would imagine extreme ironing to be.
Regardless we play on today until just eight players remain. The boy most likely after things finished yesterday is Canadian PokerStars qualifier Alex Wice who bagged up 3,410,000, nearly 1,600,000 ahead of second placed Lauraunt Polito. That lead is in no way guaranteed, with several players, available to see on our chip count page, breathing down their necks.
Play is due to get under way at 12 noon which, I've just noticed is three minutes away. Take it from me we'll be late starting. But once the players have been air lifted into their seats using an elaborate circus wire system, play will begin.
Stand by.
The Casino Barriere Deauville
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Deauville (in order of leg room):Simon Young (just about fine), Stephen Bartley (sharing shoes with Rick Dacey), Rick Dacey (sharing trousers with Marc Convey) and Marc Convey (on a permanent coffee run).