Poker players live for the moment, not for tomorrow. After all it never rains in the poker world, one that was formed in the desert, in rooms with no windows. But should it be this way? The PokerStars Blog talks investigates.
The buy-in for the Main Event was lowered to £3,500 in Season 3, which helped boost attendance as 398 players took to the felt and created a prize pool of £1,393,000. The event attracted some heavy hitters in the poker world including Shannon Shorr (21st - £6,000), Neil Channing (13th - £10,000) and Chad Brown (5th - £58,600), but after three days of intense action it was the lovely Victoria Coren that walked away with the title and £500,000 first-place prize. She also became the first female to win an EPT title.
The London-based Coren was actually fairly well known on the UK circuit. At the age of 15 she won a competition to write a weekly newspaper column, something she continues to this day as author of a poker column in The Guardian. She also appeared on Late Night Poker, which was the first TV show to reveal the hole cards of players.
Since her big win, Coren has continued to travel the poker circuit as a Team PokerStars Pro. In April 2012, Coren added a second EPT title to her résumé by winning the €5,000 Heads-Up No Limit Hold’em at the Grand Final for €58,900. Most recently, she finished sixth in the £10,000 High Roller at the EPT/UKIPT London for £67,130 back in March.
Coren is in action today and looking to become the first two-time EPT Main Event champion.
![[user101598]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
It all started when World Series of Poker bracelet winner Craig McCorkell opened to 700 in middle position. A player on his left three-bet to 1,600, and the action folded to Kevin MacPhee in the big blind. MacPhee used a red T1,000 chip to represent his big blind of 300, and he flicked the chip forward with his index finger.
"Is that a call?" the dealer asked.
MacPhee leaned forward in a strange, nod-like motion, prompting the dealer to ask him for an additional 600 chips. MacPhee objected, saying that he did not commit calling chips nor did he announce a call, and a floorperson was all over.
The floorperson was forced to call upon another tournament director, who came over and allowed MacPhee to pull his chip back and forfeit the big blind of 300.
The tournament director made his decision because MacPhee's action was "ambiguous."
McCorkell quickly folded, and after three minutes the hand was finally over.
"These online donks," EPT10 Barcelona Main Event winner Tom Middleton joked after the hand.
Dominik Nitsche checked to Dario Sammartino on a flop of 
. The Italian tossed out 800, the German called, and the turn brought the 
.
Nitsche check-called another bet - this one was worth 1,850 - and the 
completed the board. Nitsche checked, Sammartino checked behind, and Nitsche showed 
for aces and kings.
Sammartino mucked his hand.
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscilação |
|---|---|---|
|
21,000
2,700
|
2,700 |
|
6,000 | |
|
||
Spiky French firecracker, Ilan Boujenah is down to 6,500 early. He just called Bryan Paris' short stack shove only to find himself dominated.
Boujenah had 
to Paris' and the board ran out 
- the kicker playing.
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscilação |
|---|---|---|
|
6,500 |
Marvin Rettenmaier opened to 650 preflop and was called by Van Tuan Phan in the big blind.
The flop was 
and Phan checked, Rettenmaier bet 700 but Phan check-raised to 1,400. Rettenmaier called to see the on the turn where both players checked.
The river was the 
and Phan fired 2,100, Rettenmaier quickly folded and Phan showed him 
for his troubles.
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscilação |
|---|---|---|
|
115,000 | |
|
100,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
70,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
|
||
|
68,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
60,000 | |
|
|
||
|
50,000
14,000
|
14,000 |
|
||
|
48,000
-22,000
|
-22,000 |
|
48,000
11,000
|
11,000 |
|
|
||
|
43,000
9,500
|
9,500 |
|
40,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
|
||
|
40,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
|
||
|
39,000
9,000
|
9,000 |
|
39,000
4,500
|
4,500 |
|
34,000 | |
|
33,000
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
|
|
||
|
32,500
-7,500
|
-7,500 |
|
32,000
13,700
|
13,700 |
|
30,000 | |
|
||
|
28,500
7,500
|
7,500 |
|
||
|
28,300
-3,700
|
-3,700 |
|
|
||
|
25,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
|
||
|
23,100
-31,900
|
-31,900 |
|
19,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
||
|
18,700
-11,800
|
-11,800 |
|
17,000
9,000
|
9,000 |
|
|
||
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscilação |
|---|---|---|
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
|
Eliminado | |
|
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado | |
|
Eliminado |
After a raise it was Kyle Julius who three-bet to 1,525 and the player to his left called. Team PokerStars Pro Lex Veldhuis was next to act and he cold four-bet to 4,000. The initial raiser quickly folded and Julius tanked for a bit, but ultimately folded as well.
The last player to fold decided otherwise and put in the call with just 10,000 chips left behind.
The flop brought 
and Veldhuis picked up the pot by moving all in after his opponent had checked.
"What do I need to do to get some respect around here?" Veldhuis said with a smile as his cold four-bet did not get a lot of respect.
| Jogador | Fichas | Oscilação |
|---|---|---|
|
|
36,000
-4,000
|
-4,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
28,000
-6,000
|
-6,000 |
