Hyper-aggressive young Scottish tyro Ludovic Geilich is sat to the right of poker veteran and motor mouth Dave “Devilfish” Ulliott. They clearly know each other from the circuit and Ulliott is glad to have found a receptive audience for his tales. One involved Ulliott being accosted in Dusk ‘Till Dawn card room by a Geordie (a resident of Newcastle) which ended with Ulliot offering to put up £1,000 to his £100 on a wager. Ulliott then put on an approximation of a Geordie accent saying the reply he got was, “But I’ve only got a fiver.”
Geilich then initiated a discussion on live versus online cash games and the different skills required. Ulliott is never stuck for an anecdote and recalled playing high stakes cash at Bobby’s room with Daniel “Jungleman” Cartes. Details were scarce but he seemed less than impressed.
It’s early days in this tournament but it promises to be a fascinating table, particularly as PokerStars Mind Sports Ambassador Jennifer Shahade is next to Geilich. That’s quite a trio of contrasting styles.
Mikhail Korotkikh is one of the players that always makes himself heard if he's doing well, but today's early elimination was no reason for the Russian player to get loud. With his headphones on Korotkikh was the quietest we've ever seen him, as he was just knocked out in the following hand.
Asif Rajah raised under the gun to 425 and from his left three players called including Team PokerStars Pro Theo Jorgensen. Next to act was Korotkikh who three-bet to 2,750 and Michel Abecassis caled from the big blind. Rajah called as well and the three other players folded.
The flop brought out and all three players checked after which the turn was the . Abecassis checked again and this time Rajah bet 2,500. Immediately Korotkikh raised it up to 7,000 and Abecassis folded his cards.
Rajah tanked for a bit and called after which the river was the . Rajah checked to Korotkikh who immediately moved all in for 17,925 total. Rajah had his opponent barely covered and it took him more than three minutes to make up his mind. When he finally called Korotkikh immediately mucked and Rajah showed his to take down the pot and knock the Russian out.
Rupert Elder and an opponent looked down at a board of and Elder's opponent shot out a bet of 925. Elder called to see the complete the board on the river. Action checked to Elder and he thought for a moment before knuckling the table in reply.
Elder showed for the win, allowing him to take down the pot and bring his stack to 33,000.
We arrived in time to find Sam Greenwood already in the tank on a completed board of . With over 14,000 already in the middle, Greenwood was facing a river bet of 10,000 from Andrea Cortellazzi.
Two minutes ticked down on the clock while Greenwood pondered his action. The Canadian attempted to get information from his opponent, waving across the table and smiling. Cortellazzi would have none of it, however, as he stared at one spot on the table and did not lift his gaze.
Greenwood let out a sigh and went back to pondering his action. Another two and a half minutes passed before he flung out two blue t5,000 chips. Cortellazzi showed for merely eight-high, allowing Greenwood to win the pot with .
With this win, Greenwood brought his stack up to about 48,000.
Jan Sjavik, who sits second on the Norwegian All-Time Money Winners List, finished in 7th place here last year for £88,175, having previously also finished third for (£168,600) all the way back in Season 3 when a certain Victoria Coren Mitchell won her first ever EPT.
Sjavik has had a good start so far today, he just picked up a pot getting a 700 chip bet paid off on the river of a board by Nikolaos Lampropoulos. He's up to 38,000.
Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier had just sat down and got involved straight away from the cut-off. There was an early position open for 300 and one caller before the Team PokerStars Pro squeezed and made it 725.
The original raiser called and it went heads-up to a flop of which was checked. The turn card was the and Grospellier called a bet of 1,000. The river brought the and Grospellier called a further 2,000. His opponent turned over his which was no good against the of Grospellier.
We reported earlier how a talkative player on Paul Newey’s table was playing most hands and seemed determined to be the table boss. That run has most likely come to an early end as he has just clashed in a big hand against Paul Newey where they went heads-up to a flop of .
Newey bet 2,100 on the flop and faced a raise to 6,600. After some thought Newey put out the call. The turn card was the and this time Newey checked and faced a bet of 10,200. Newey looked over at his opponent’s stack, which he obligingly organised for him, and saw he had around 7,000 behind. Newey himself had over 20,000 and made the call.
The river was the which saw a quick check from Newey and after much counting and stacking of chips his opponent thought better of it and said despondently, “I check.” Upon being show the he added to Newey, “You win.”
Mickey Petersen and Yaron Zeev Malki took a flop of in a raised pot. Petersen was first to act after the flop and continued out for 600. Malki came over the top to 1,450 total and Petersen called to see a turn.
The dealer produced the on the turn and Petersen checked to the raiser. Malki checked it back, allowing the to finish the board. The PokerStars Team Online member reached for chips and put 2,700 across the betting line. Malki called and watched as Petersen showed for aces and tens with a king. It was no good, however, as Malki rolled over for a winning spade flush.
Despite this hit, Petersen is still over starting stack with about 32,500 to his name.
and all three players checked after which the turn was the 
. Abecassis checked again and this time Rajah bet 2,500. Immediately Korotkikh raised it up to 7,000 and Abecassis folded his cards.
. Rajah checked to Korotkikh who immediately moved all in for 17,925 total. Rajah had his opponent barely covered and it took him more than three minutes to make up his mind. When he finally called Korotkikh immediately mucked and Rajah showed his 
to take down the pot and knock the Russian out.
and Elder's opponent shot out a bet of 925. Elder called to see the 
for the win, allowing him to take down the pot and bring his stack to 33,000.
. With over 14,000 already in the middle, Greenwood was facing a river bet of 10,000 from Andrea Cortellazzi.
for merely eight-high, allowing Greenwood to win the pot with 
.
board by Nikolaos Lampropoulos. He's up to 38,000.
which was checked. The turn card was the 
and Grospellier called a bet of 1,000. The river brought the 
and Grospellier called a further 2,000. His opponent turned over his 
which was no good against the 
.
which saw a quick check from Newey and after much counting and stacking of chips his opponent thought better of it and said despondently, “I check.” Upon being show the 
in a raised pot. Petersen was first to act after the flop and continued out for 600. Malki came over the top to 1,450 total and Petersen called to see a turn.
