Christian Harder was in the big blind and heads up against cutoff Keith Ferrera, who bet 6,000 on an flop. Harder called, and he check-called another bullet of 15,000 on the turn. He checked the river, and Ferrera wasted little time before dropping 40,000 in. Harder tanked about three minutes before pushing in a call for most of his stack.
Ferrera showed him and Harder mucked.
Shortly thereafter, Harder shoved in from the small blind for about 12,000 over an open from Cary Katz, who called with a "Merry Christmas."
He was actually ahead with against and "charder30" did not improve.
On the button, Harm Knol raised to 3,500. Steve O'Dwyer called from the big blind, and the flop came down . O'Dwyer checked, Knol bet 5,500, and O'Dwyer called.
The turn was the , and both players checked to see the land on the river. Again, both players checked.
O'Dwyer showed the for a pair of tens, but he was beat by Knol's for a pair of queens on the river.
Even though this is technically a European Poker Tour stop, the PCA Main Event is dominated by Americans, this according to PokerStars.
As you can see in the Main Event nationality pie chart below, among the 923 players who entered, more than a third of the entire field — 304 to be exact — came from the USA. Canada was in second place with 151 players (16%) and the UK lies third with 58 players (6%). However the PCA always has widespraed appeal and there are players here from 63 countries all over the world.
Antonio Esfandiari has been having a rough go of it today, but not on the felt.
"They're shot," Esfandiari told us when we asked how his legs are doing. That's because he's in a 48-hour bet with his friend Bill Perkins. We're not sure what's on the line, but we do know that when Esfandiari is in the PCA area, which includes the long hallways and massive tournament room, he can only move by lunging. Anyone who spends some time in the gym will tell you it's a good workout.
"I'm not sure I could do it for a million at this point," Esfandiari told James Calderaro, who was seated to his left. Esfandiari then expressed legitimate concern that his legs would give out, something he hoped to combat by getting a massage.
Just before the break, we decided to spend an orbit watching Table 7, which saw Esfandiari begin with approximately 120,000 in chips.
Hand #1 (Small Blind): Adrianus Weel raised to 2,700 from the cutoff, Esfandiari folded, and Calderaro called from the big blind to see a flop, which both players checked. Action repeated itself on the turn, and then Calderaro fired out 5,000 on the river. Weel folded.
Hand #2 (Button): Talal Shakerchi took a seat at the table, but was dealt out of this hand. Jean-Baptiste Desvignes opened for 2,700 from middle position, Esfandiari folded, and Michel Fardel called from the big blind to see a flop of . The two players checked and then did the same on both the turn and river. Fardel showed the , which was bested by the of Desvignes.
Hand #3 (Cutoff): Esfandiari raised to 2,600 and took down the pot.
Hand #4 (Hijack): Shakerchi raised to 2,600 from middle position, Esfandiari folded, and Desvignes called from the button. Desvignes check-called a bet of 3,200 on the flop, and then checked the turn. Shakerchi bet 5,600, Desvignes check-raised to 14,900, and Shakerchi folded.
Hand #5 (Middle Position): Shakerchi raised to 3,000, Esfandiari folded, and Christian Campan called from the button. Weel came along from the big blind and three players saw a flop of . Weel checked, Shakerchi continued for 6,000, and Campan quickly called. Weel folded, the dealer burned and turned the , and Campan called a bet of 11,600. When the completed the board on the river, Shakerchi moved all in and Campan folded.
Hand #6 (Middle Position): Shakerchi raised to 2,500, Esfandiari folded, and Michel Fardel called from the hijack. Thomas Hueber came along from the big blind and three players saw a flop of . Hueber checked, Shakerchi bet 3,800, and only Fardel called to see the turn. Both players checked, the completed the board on the river, and Shakerchi check-folded to a bet of 12,000.
Hand #7 (Under the Gun): Esfandiari raised to 3,700 and took down the pot.
Hand #8 (Big Blind): Desvignes opened for 2,700 from the hijack and Esfandiari defended the big blind. Esfandiari then checked the flop, Desvignes bet 2,500, and Esfandiari check-raised to 6,300. Desvignes called and then action went check-check on the turn. When the completed the board on the river, Esfandiari checked and then folded when Desvignes bet 5,500.
Esfandiari wasn't overly active during the orbit, but Shakerchi certainly made the most of it.