We arrived to find a completed board of strewn on the felt. Maxim Lykov was heads up with a lone opponent with over 6,000 in the pot. Lykov shot out a fifth street bet of 4,000 and his opponent flung out a call.
Lykov showed for a flopped wheel straight and his opponent quickly mucked his cards. Lykov dragged in the pot and added to his stack. He now sits around 41,000.
For some players the beautiful game of No Limit Texas Hold ‘em is just not absorbing enough. A lot of them spend time between hands on their phones messaging friends and checking Facebook. Technology is wonderful these days. Jordi Martinez for her part is playing solitaire on her tablet, while two seats down Sam Cohen is occasionally thumbing through a well-worn copy of Jared Tendler’s “Mental Game of Poker” to ward off any encroaching tilt. Mikhail Shalamov, a PokerStars player from Russia, is watching old episodes of Friends whereas Stefan Vagner from Slovakia is closely following the PokerNews Live reporting updates on his tablet. Good man Stefan, we’re rooting for you.
Last year, online poker sensation Ilari "Ilari FIN" Sahamies made a splash in the live realm when he finished runner up to Mikalai Pobal in this very event for €629,700. Sahamies prefers to spend his time behind the computer screen, but he's ventured out once again to take a shot at the EPT Barcelona title.
In a recent hand, there was around 3,400 in the pot and a board reading when Sahamies bet 1,025 from the big blind. His opponent, Harcharan Dogra Dogra, responded with a raise to 2,500, and Sahamies promptly folded his hand.
Despite losing that pot, Sahamies is still up quite a bit from the last time we check in with him. Could another deep run be in store?
The tournament staff just announced the plans for the staggered dinner break. For those players seated at Tables 1-35, they will take their dinner break at the end of Level 5. For those at 36 and above, they will go at the end of Level 7.
Daniel Negreanu raised from the cut off to 650 and was called by Andrew Moreno on the button. Sofia Lovgren in the small blind raised to 1,350 and the big blind and a slightly frustrated Negreanu folded leaving Moreno to make the call. The two of them saw a flop of . Lovgren continued for 1,900 and took the pot.
Negreanu perked up when his buddy Richard Young wandered over from another table to say hello. Daniel quizzed him, “You got chips yet? You bored.” Young smiled, shook his head and went back to what remained of his stack.
Poker is unlike any other professional competition in that all you need is money to play with the best players in the world for your shot at millions of dollars and ultimate glory. Not only does that mean amateurs players can pony up a buy-in to play with the best of the best, but poker often attracts top athletes and celebrities to the fray. Here in Barcelona, fútbol star Gerard Piqué has opted to take the chance.
FC Barcelona's Piqué is no stranger to the felt, finishing third in a €5,000 side event at EPT Barcelona in September of 2011 and playing in a few side events at the Season 9 EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo. The 26-year old defender is widely regarded as one of the best centre backs in the world, and his résumé includes a World Cup win, a Premiere League title, four La Liga titles, two UEFA Champions League titles, and three consecutive selections (2010-2012) to the UEFA Team of the Year.
Oh, and he's also married to Colombian music artist Shakira.
Steve O'Dwyer raised to 600 from under the gun plus one and cards around the table shot toward the muck. The action halted on the small blind who took a moment before deciding to flat call. Kenneth Kui three-bet to 1,600 from the big blind and action was back on O'Dwyer. He would not be pushed around, however, as he moved out a four-bet to 4,200 total. The small blind released and Kui called to see a flop.
The dealer produced on the felt and Kui checked. O'Dwyer rapped the table behind which allowed the to appear on the felt. Kui cut into his stack and tossed out a bet of 9,000. O'Dwyer quickly picked up his cards and tossed them to the muck, ensuring that Kui would be awarded the pot. O'Dwyer now sits around 15,000.
Some players are starting to add to their stacks during the first levels of Day 1b, their handiwork always changing and being in flux as chips come and go.
Speaking of being perpetually in process, the breathtaking though incomplete Sagrada Família, begun over 130 years ago, sits a short metro ride away from the Casino Barcelona. Like the still being built church, as long as the tournament continues players' chip stacks remain "under construction." Read more on the PokerStars Blog.
David Breitfuss and Andrew Moreno were involved on a board of . Breitfuss checked, and Moreno checked, then the dealer finished off the board with the on the river. Breitfuss took a few moments, then bet 1,850. Moreno raised to 6,025, and Breitfuss tank-folded. Moreno scooped the pot and moved to 40,000 in chips.
On a flop of , Sam Cohen checked over to Andrei Vlassenko who led out for 700. Cohen called to see fourth street which was the . Cohen checked again and this time Vlassenko checked it right back.
The fell as the river card and Cohen dropped 1,200 forward. Vlassenko removed enough chips from his stack to call, mulled over the decision for a moment, and then tossed out the call. Cohen tabled for two pair which prompted Vlassenko to muck his hand. Cohen dragged in the pot which boosted her stack to around 48,000.