Live updates from day three, level 18 of the EPT London Main Event event brought to you by Stephen Bartley, Marc Convey, Howard Swains, Brad Willis and Simon Young.
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Look back on the tournament so far with wraps from:
And today’s action so far in the Level 16 | Level 17 posts.
Blinds: 4,000-8,000 (500 ante)
4.35pm: Break time
And another level passes. Level 19 begins after a 15 minute break.
4.30pm: Schaffel’s shed load
With a board of 5♥ 7♦ J♥ K♣ 9♥ there was mess of chips in the middle, Benny Spindler and Kevin Schaffel in the running for it. Spindler made it 36,000 on teh flop, 75,000 on the turn and 130,000 on teh river, Schaffel calling all the way (and one other until the turn). Now it was showdown time. Spindler showed A♦ 10♠but Schaffel had him beat with A♥ K♠. 910,000 for him now while Spindler has 470,000.
4.20pm: From the mailbox
Thanks again for your emails: here are your replies. In response to Anthony Quinn, James Tomlin is still doing fine with about 100,000. That’s below average at this stage, but he’s still in, which is the most important thing. You also asked whether he had any famous players on his table, well, yes is the simple answer to that. He’s sitting to the left of James “Andy McLEOD” Obst, two to the left of Maria Mayrinck of Team PokerStars Pro, and three to the left of Chris “Jesus” Ferguson. You may have heard of him. Here’s James, who most people have been assuming is Scandinavian here. I wonder why.
As for Mieczyslaw Basara, who “lavavedo” was asking about, he’s got about 140,000 and is sitting next to Kevin Schaffel, one of the members of the November Nine, who is at the World Series final table. Our German colleague, Robin Scherr, has been writing about Basara, so check out PokerStarsblog.de for more info.
We’re having a more difficult task tracking down David Morante, also the subject of an email. His table has broken, but he’s still in. The latest count had him at about 130,000 and he’s not been reported out yet. We’ll keep looking.
You, meanwhile, can continue to send your requests to blog@pokerstars.com and we’ll do our best to answer them.
4.23pm: Spindler on the up
The board was out and reading 6♣ 6♦ J♦ Q♣ A♥ and Benny Spindler checked from the small blind to face an 80,000 bet from WSOP finalist Kevin Schaffel. He studied his opponent and then made the call to hear those delightful words “Good call” escape from Schaffel’s mouth. Schaffel flipped up 5♣ 5♦ and Spindler showed he made a great call with 9â™ 9♣ . Schaffel on 570,000 and Spindler up to 600,000.
4.15pm: Tran lined
Chris Ferguson opened for 23,000 from the button. Nikolai Senninger called in the big blind for a flop of 2♦ 6♥ A♣ . A check from Senninger before Ferguson made it 25,000. Now Senninger raised, 55,000 total which forced Ferguson out. As that was playing out a big pot was brewing on Maria Mayrink’s table. She’d folded but Theo Tran took it down with a big bet, although he’d been desperate for a caller: the board read 8♦ 2â™ 3♣ 4♥ and he held Aâ™ A♣ .
“Nice hand.” Said Mayrinck.
“I was hoping one of you guys would shove,” said Tran, referring to among others Mayrinck’s average stack.
“I’ve come a long way,” replied Mayrinck. “I’m from Brazil, I’m a girl, I’ve no idea what I’m doing.”
Tran up to 350,000.
4.10pm: Thor hammered
Thor Drexel was sat under-the-gun and moved his last 101,000 over the line. It was folded around to Will Molson in the big blind who made a quick call with J♣ J♥ . Drexel opened A♣ 8♣ and the board ran 6♣ 6♦ J♦ Q♣ A♥ to end it here for the Dane. Molson up to 280,000 now.
4pm: York rivers Lichtenberger. Probably.
It looked for all the world as if Andrew Lichtenberger was in a heads up pot with Antonio Buonanno. There was at least 50,000 in the middle by the time Lichtenberger bet 45,000 on a board of 9♣ 2♠J♦ and Buonanno called.
At this point, Lichtenberger was getting a rather incongruous ear massage — demonstrating a rare degree of therapeutic conscientiousness and reaching the parts that other (at poker table) massages rarely reach.
I only looked back at the board when the A♣ turn had been dealt and the two players had checked. The river Q♦ was out. Buonanno checked but suddenly Adam York, sitting to Lichtenberger’s right, slid out a stack of 102,000. He did indeed have cards, so this wasn’t completely unsolicited, more just a simple oversight in the reporter’s art. (I thank you.) Anyhow, Lichtenberger called and York showed Q♣ Q♥ for the rivered set.
3.44pm: Three way all-in leaves only one with chips
French PokerStars qualifer Eric Haik opened for 16,000 and David La Ronde moved all-in for a few thousand more. Then Brian Green shoved for 180,000. Haik was more than a little annoyed and eventually had the clock called on him. Finally he called. Here were the hands.
Haik: J♣ J♦
La Ronde: A♦ 2â™
Green: 8♣ 8â™
The board gave Green a gutshot draw, but he didn’t get there. Both La Ronde and Green were eliminated and Haik is up to 440,000.
3.40pm: Wu woooo
The Team PokerStars Asia Pro Raymond Wu has hauled himself up to around 650,000, most recently taking down a monster from Lorenz Roder and sending the Swiss to the rail. Wu raised from under-the-gun plus one to 19,500 and Roder reraised another 32,000 two seats to his left. This definitely had the whiff of a couple of big hands, mainly because the big blind they were attacking belonged to Annette Obrestad and her 800,000+ chip stack.
Everyone got out of the way and it was back on Wu, who announced he was all in. Roder called instantly, and although he had fewer chips, he had the better hand: K♥ Kâ™ to Wu’s A♥ K♣ . “Ace,” Wu said. Apparently the third word he’s uttered all day. But it worked: the window card was A♣ and the rest of the board did not feature the case king. Wu flew up the standings and Roder departed.
3.40pm: “I need help”
David La Ronde opened the pot with a 18,000 raise from the button and Sebastian Zink made the call from the big blind to see a J♥ 7♥ 4♦ flop. Zink thought for a while and then led out for 19,500 before facing a quick all bet from La Ronde. Zink had 167,000 back and after taking his time to think again made the call with J♣ 5♣ . “I need help” uttered L a Ronde as he tabled A♦ 10â™ but it failed to come on the K♥ turn and 5â™ river. Zink up to 380,000, La Ronde down to 108,000.
3.31pm: Weekes not weak
Aaron Gustavson open raised and got an almost immediate shove from Laurent Leclerc. Then, out of the blinds came Jonathan Weekes with an overshove. Gustavson would’ve had to call about 100,000 more. He struggled, but ultimately folded, claiming pocket tens. They would’ve been ahead.
Leclerc heald K♥ J♥ to’ Weekes’ A♥ Kâ™ . The board ran out blanks to eliminate Leclerc, tick off Gusavson, and send Weekes up to 260,000.
3.25pm: More bounty as Obrestad casts a net
Michael Greco moves all in, gets no takers, although Wil Molson showed his K♥ Q♥ . Greco had A♥ Q♣ . Meanwhile on the next table along Umberto Vitagliano was all in. This was behind a raise by Annette Obrestad and a call from Raymond Wu. With the action folded back to Obrestad she announced all-in. Wu whistled, laughed, and folded as Vitagliano showed A♥ 10â™ to Obrestad’s Aâ™ Q♣ . The board ran out: J♥ Jâ™ 2â™ 6♥ 4♦ . Vitagliano tapped the table and waited for a tournament official to take him to the payout desk. Another 150,000 for Obrestad.
3.20pm: Hit me with your Twitter stick
Thanks for all your support by the way, folks, either via email at blog@pokerstars.com or via Twitter. Sorry to say, @daleroxxu, that John Heath is a recent elimination here, busting in 83rd place for £8,500. But if there are any other players anyone wants us to follow in particular, send an email or hit me with your Twitter stick. Hit me!
3.15pm: Back
Players are back – there are 75 of them remaining – and we’re starting a new level. We’ve also entered another pay group: the next bunch out will earn £9,200.
There are a lot of sharks lurking out there. Keep your eyes open:
