9pm: Play concludes
Day 1A has come to an end. It seems as if Vedzizhev Beslan is the chip leader, just, with 132,200. The full counts a wrap of the day’s play will be up shortly. — MC
8.47pm: Last three hands
Three more hands will be played before the bagging and tagging takes place. In other news:
– EPT Barcelona runner-up Jesus Lizano is up to 130,000.
– Chris Moorman is up to 100,000 after calling Marci Horecki’s 9♦ 10♦ six-bet shove with A♣ Q♦ catching an ace on the river after Horecki flopped a pair. The Polish Team Pro was left with 11,000 and was knocked out by his countryman Grzegorz Cichocki shortly after getting it in ahead on the flop and losing to a runner-runner flush. — RD
8.38pm: Rettenmaier out, Lunkin up
Marvin Rettenmaier has been busted by Vitaly Lunkin. The German had fired 2,225 into the 4♦ 5♥ 9♦ flop and had been raised by Ilan Rouah to 5,625. That bet was then check-raised by Lunkin to 10,525. Retternmaier moved all-in over the top for close to 30,000 and was called by Lunkin.
Rettenmaier: K♠K♥
Lunkin: 9♠9♥
It was bad news for Rettenmaier who was looking for a king or running hearts. The A♣ turn was no help, the 8♠equally so. Lunkin up to 90,000.
“Good game,” said Rettenmaier offering his hand to Lunkin. No more player of the year points for the German today. — RD
8.35pm: Akenhead races over the six figure threshold
James Akenhead is up to around 115,000 after he eliminated fellow Brit Ben Warrington. Akenhead raised and called when Warrington three-bet all-in for about 10,000 from the big blind with big-slick. Akenhead opened pocket eights and the board ran 10♦ Q♣ 3♦ 8♦ 4â™ . — MC
8.25pm: Hansen back above his starting stack
Gus Hansen’s day has never seemed to have got going but he has taken down a pot to get his stack up to 35,000.
Vlado Banicevic opened the pot to 1,600 from first position Hansen was the only caller from the cut-off. The flop came 4♥ 3♠5♣ and the Serb quickly continued for 2,575. Call. The turn came 10♠and the Dane took over the initiative with a 5,100 after the action was checked to him. Banicevic called and checked to Hansen again on the 7♥ river, who thought about betting but elected to check behind with Q♥ Q♦ . Banicevic mucked.
The seat next to Hansen used to be the temporary home of Toby Lewis. It seems as if it was a bit more temporary than the former EPT Vilamoura champion would like as he’s out. — MC
8.10pm: More big stacks emerging
We’re got a number of players making a late surge to claim the Day 1A chip lead, chief among them is Michael Ruane (125,000). Filip Verboven is also riding high with 110,000 while Hungarian Richard Bodis is up to 95,000 after a hand that saw Ilan Boujenah storm away from the table throwing his cards to the floor. Strops aside Boujenah is still in with 32,000.
Upon last inspection Michael Keiner was also on close to 100,000. — RD
8pm: News from table two
Table two was one of the tougher tables at the start of the day, and remains so as we enter the final level of the night. Bryan Piccioli got moved there when his table broke and has built up a chip leading stack with 130,000 chips. This is despite losing a small pot to Chris Brammer.
The two were heads-up to a K♠8♣ J♦ flop and Brammer check-called a 1,200 bet from the Amercian. No more chips ventured into the middle as the 7♦ 2♠turn and river were checked through by both players. Brammer opened J♠10♦ and took the pot as Piccioli mucked. That put the Brit up to 56,000 chips.
Eoghan O’Dea is still sat at the table and had made a remarkable recovery. He has 45,000 chips after being down to 3,000 near the beginning of the day. — MC
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 300-600, 75
7.50pm: Wasek hit
Artur Wasek just doubled a player, Ville Haavisto’s pocket queens getting the better of Wasek’s A♥ J♥ on a board of 8♥ K♦ 8♦ 7♣ 6♦ . Wasek made a few grumbling noises but paid him off.
Elsewhere Petr Targa is out after a three-way all in. Frank Stumpf was the beneficiary having shown pocket kings. While Targa departed Alexander Petersen was forced to cough up, taking Stumpf up to around 60,000. – SB
7.45pm: Adeniya’s progress halted
Martins Adeniya had been steadily accruing chips as the day went on but Hans Hein reigned the Brit back in by doubling through him. Adeniya had pocket tens to his opponent’s ace-king and the board ran 2♣ 8â™ A♦ 7♣ J♥ . Adeniya handed over 16,000 chips but is still going along just fine with around 65,000.
Not doing so fine is Bryn Kenney. He was last seen dragging his heels as he made his way out of the tournament room. — MC
7.40pm: What was Akenhead doing in that pot?
James Akenhead is up to nearly 90,000 after winning a three-bet pot with 4â™ 5â™ . The button, Philippe Belley, had called Akenhead’s three-bet out of the small blind and had called again when the Brit had led 4,850 into a Qâ™ 10♣ 5♣ flop.
Akenhead opted to check-call 6,800 on the 2♦ turn before checking the 4♣ river as did Belley who showed 9♦ 10♥ which had been ahead of Akenhead until the river.
“What was he doing in that pot?” asked Stefan Verhage, all but scratching his head. — RD
7.32pm: Ludmark turning the screw
Obviously we only get a snap shot what is occurring a table at any point but from what we have seen Kent Lundmark has been getting the better of Theo Jorgensen today. The latest pot between the two helped the Swede’s stack to rise to the 100,000 mark.
The Team PokerStars Pro raised to 1,300 from the hijack and called when Lundmark three-bet to 3,450 from the small blind. Jorgensen called to see the 9♣ 5♦ 10♦ flop where he faced a 3,700 c-bet. He quickly raised to 8,625 but Lundmark soon applied the pressure once by moving all-in.
The Dane had 33,000 chips behind and took his time before he preserved those chips by folding. Lundmark gave a little smile and tabled Kâ™ J♥ for over cards and a gutshot. — MC
7.25pm: Rettenmaier rocked
You don’t often see three-bet shoves for 40 big blinds but it appears to be something that Marco Bognanni has incorporated into his game. Marvin Rettenmaier had raised to 1,225 and was shoved on by the Italian for 19,500.
“Wow. I got a really, really, really good hand. I don’t think I can ever fold,” said Rettenmaier looking a little shocked. The German reluctantly made the call.
Rettenmaier: A♣ Q♣
Bognanni: 3♥ 3♦
The board ran out 9♦ 6♣ 4♥ 9â™ 7â™ to double Bognanni up to nearly 40,000, the same amount which Rettenmaier dropped to. — RD
7.20pm: From the tournament floor
A few observations from around the tournament room. 203 is now up to the World News section of the international Herald and Tribune. On the table alongside Leonid Bilokur is now watching a film about medieval knights, possibly with vampires in it.
Dariusz Paszkiewicz just eliminated Jakob Tostesen, chasing him away by banging the table in delight at his new fortune, worth something like 20,000. Another player now on the rail is Team PokerStars Pro Toni Judet. – SB
7.10pm: Isn’t Kenney suppose to die?
Bryn Kenney and Toni Judet were two of the shorter stacks at their table and after an pre flop all-in duel, the Team PokerStars Pro was floored. Kenney opened the pot with a raise and called when his Romanian opponent three-bet all-in for 7,000 from the big blind.
Kenney: 9♣ 9â™
Judet: 6♦ 6â™
The board ran J♠2♠4♣ 10♦ 2♦ . The PokerStars qualifier is up to a mighty 16,300 now.
Dmitry Vitkind and Taoufik Chaieb have also fallen this level– MC
6.55pm: Two levels left
Level 7 starts with 175 players remaining, among which are still plenty of big names battling to build a big stack. Luke Schwartz is one of those and has even tried encouraging his table to take part in a 2,000 blind flip. No takers as of yet. — RD
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Prague (and their break time snack): Stephen Bartley (a ‘golf’ sandwich, possibly spicy schnitzel), Marc Convey (a ‘stripsy’ sarnie, maybe barbecue chicken) and Rick Dacey (also a ‘golf’ sandwich by default as he didn’t bother going to the shop) . Photos by Neil Stoddart.
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