Without doubt the table to watch right now is that of Ludovic Lacay and Martins Adeniya. The chip leader coming into the day, Adeniya, is one seat to the left of the current chip leader Lacay, the pair divided by the dealer about about 100,000 chips. Their stacks, castles worth more than everyone else combined, dominate the landscape.
The two players cut two very different jibs.

Adeniya, who spoke last night about his Day 2 performance that earned him the lead, wears a black leather jacket zipped up to his chin; his eyes always wide and on the lookout for something, anything, that might give him an edge.

Martins Adeniya

Meanwhile Lacay, whose hand is lightly bandaged after a recent accident, is the Gallic hero of magazine covers; tanned, with a check shirt and long hair. He too seems permanently on the lookout, but his demeanour is one of steady control; comfort to Adeniya’s nervous caution. The Frenchman has been known to blow up at times, more in frustration than anything else, but today he is the picture of a man at peace, not uncommon among players with 600,000 in front of them and the chip lead.

That was then, now it’s Adeniya back in front. Remarkably, despite no one else at the table having anything remotely close to Lacay’s and Adeniya’s advantage, both players are building their stacks, Adeniya sneaking in front at last count with 820,000 to Lacay’s 800,000.

It runs contrary to some earlier opinions. Tournament reporter Mickey Doft, (pronounced “Mickey Doft” by our colleague Brad Willis) went as far as to suggest that sooner or later one of these two would have twice as much while the other was on the rail.

It seemed plausible. Lacay is fearlessly aggressive while Adeniya is the type of player who can frustrate an opponent into submission. But as yet the pair seem content to avoid each other, which is hardly surprising given the chips the other six players are providing for them.

All is quiet, for now.

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