Thursday, 28th March 2024 23:29
Home / Uncategorized / EPT8 Madrid: A familiar view for McDonald, taking lead into day 3
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First Erich Kollman led, then Dmitri Vitkind assumed control. But when it came time to bag up tonight, five levels having flown by, it was Mike McDonald with the advantage going into Day 3, with 112 players remaining.

This, put simply, is what McDonald does, and his powerful performance today was a forthright display from one of the game’s natural talents.

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Mike McDonald takes the chip lead

“Basically my big hands were getting paid off and when I didn’t have big hands and they had big hands I was sucking out. The last day and a half I’ve just won pretty much every pot I’ve been in so it’s been going exactly according to plan.”

The former EPT winner secured the overnight lead right at the bell when he found aces to call an all-in; ultimately making quads. It gave him 408,900, toppling previous leader Vitkind and second placed Frederik Jensen.

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Dmitri Vitkind

Joining them are the likes of McLean Karr, former leader Kollmann, Ilan Boujenah as well as Team PokerStars Pros Johnny Lodden, Angel Guillen, Henrique Pinho and Alex Kravchenko.

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Johnny Lodden on the way up

Meanwhile not joining them will be Per Linde, Nacho Barbero, Dominik Nitsche, Anton Ionel and Day 1A chip leader Sergiy Baranov, as well as former EPT winner Jake Cody, former EPT winner Anton Wigg, former EPT winner Michael Eiler, former EPT winner Arnaud Mattern, former EPT winner Michael Tureniec and former EPT winner David Vamplew.

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David Vamplew

That’s the short version, the longer version can be found in our live coverage, with colour and the rest, at the links below.

The view outside for those inside
A delightful Day 2 seat draw
Moreira de Melo the Olympic pit-bull
MacPhee on the up as Terry takes a tumble
All the way from Season 1
Casual Kollmann takes the chip lead
Runners and riders in the chase for EPT Awards

That’s all from Day 2 of the EPT Madrid main event. Those inclined are now headed to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in downtown Madrid to watch Real Madrid’s Champions League tie against CSKA Moscow, while the rest of us head to a bar in outer Madrid to watch Real Madrid’s Champions League tie against CSKA Moscow.

Play resumes tomorrow at 12 noon. Until then, goodnight from Spain.

All photography &copy Neil Stoddart

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