When Ilan Boujenah first appeared on the scene we couldn’t tell if he was hero or villain. Bursts of brilliance would be tempered by outbursts of petulance. Smiles and jokes replaced by grimaces and curses. For the moment at least, we at the PokerStars Blog have Boujenah in the anti-hero category. He is great. There we go, we said that. Yes, he can be a bit acerbic but his bright moments and mercurial play more than makes up for it. The fact that he seems to be reining in the red mist (or at least trying) minutes certainly helps to paint a warmer picture.
For the players, however, you probably don’t want him on your table. He’s too good. Both Liv Boeree and Angel Guillern are at his table to his right but seem to be surving okay, both with a little over 50,000. Boujenah is up to 135,000 and will look to have a punishing late burst having just all but ripped most of Jorge Galino Lopez’s stack on a 10♣ 4♦ Jâ™ Aâ™ A♣ board.
Boujenah checked to Lopez who bet 5,000. A check-raise to 19,000 was tossed in by Boujenah, who made a fantastic appearance at the EPT Madrid final table we might add. Lopez stared at Boujenah. Boujenhad stared back.
“I don’t care. It’s on you,” said his stare, if stares could speak, which in a way they do.
Lopez didn’t want to fold even though it seemed clear that he was beat, but with Boujenah who never can tell. Lopez finally talked himself into the call and was shown A♦ 4♥ for a full house. Lopez’s hand went into the muck.
Boeree looked at both players curiously.
That said, I’ve just been told that Boujenah blew up at Yevgeniyy Timoshenko earlier. Oh well, he’s still learning. Boeree and Guillen look on.
Tournament snapshot
Level 8: blinds 300-600, ante 75
Players: 279 of 393
(Day 1A: 165 of 271)
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