Friday, 29th March 2024 13:51
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Downstairs at The Vic

The smoked salmon was on the buffet table in the bar. The chicken and lamb were in the dining area. A healthy supply of flatbread and pastries were ready for a healthy repast. And yet, Ben “Milkybar Kid” Grundy looked as if he’d lost his appetite at birth. Indeed, he is a thin chap, but it was the look on his face that truly told the tale.

“Rubbish cards,” he grumbled as he walked past me and toward the bar.

The 10,000 in chips each player received did not spell a long day for many. The structure, which some have said is a bit fast, meant some early tangles that ended many a runner’s day. The Milkybar Kid was one of the fallen runners.

Dinner came and went. Mike “Antesup.com” Lacey didn’t seem to be much in the mood for food. Although he’d been catching cards in the early levels, he was not getting paid off. His stack sat just below the starting level and his mood was a bit sour. The story circulating through the room was of his calling down Simon “Aces” Trumper on a paired, flushy board with nothing better than ace-high…and winning.

“It was a small pot,” he said, his humble demeanor getting the better of him again.

I, myself, took a walk and enjoyed the warm, damp London air. Edgware Road was abuzz. Indian restaurants, catalog shops, and pubs were all full. Vieled Arabic women walked with the children. Double-decker busses tried to run over me.

When we returned to play, there was a certain urgency. Already, within just a few hours, the blinds had gone up to a level that required the players to start making moves. And for many of them, it did not seem to be working. Lacey retired shortly after dinner, as did Bad Girl Pham.

Still, others would hold on. Still in contention are Pascal Perrault, Baard Dahl, Jason Strasser, Peter Eichardt, and still too many to name in full.

With dinner still settling, here are a few pictures to taste with your after dinner coffee.


Baard Dahl gets the TV treatment


A table awaits a player’s decision during an all-in


Peter Eichhardt, EPT final table finisher


Graham “flashbadger” Clarkson

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