EPT Barcelona Open Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona Open

09-10-2008 21:10 UTC+2

Great Scott!

[user4144]

Scott Montgomery, another member of the "November Nine," is now fighting it out for the chip lead with around 35,000. His 600 preflop raise was reraised to 1,700 by the button, which Montgomery called.

On the {3-Diamonds}

flop, Montgomery checked, the button made a standard continuation bet, Montgomery raised to 5,500 and the button pushed all in for a total of 14,850.

After squirming in his seat like a three-legged ferret, Montgomery eventually made the call and showed {A-Clubs}

. His opponent tabled {6-Clubs}

.

A

turn created several more outs, but on the blank {4-Diamonds}

river, Montgomery was left to wipe his brow, mouth the word "phew" and rake in the pot.

Tags: Scott Montgomery

09-10-2008 21:05 UTC+2

Rollercoaster for Beppe

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[user4144]

Speaking of Michael 'Don't Call Me Beppe' Greco, the British thespian-cum-poker professional has been on somewhat of a rollercoaster of late, dipping down as low as 2,000, before eventually settling on 11,000.

"I had to fold aces one hand," he claimed, as I inquired of his poor start. "I raised it up to 800, received one caller and bet out 2,300 on a K-T-x flop. He made it 6,000, and I decided to let it go, only for him to show K-T."

"I got it back later though," he continued. "I managed to get up to 4,000, before flopping a flush with T-8 suited on a queen high flop. My opponent made the call with Q-J and was basically drawing dead."

Tags: Michael Greco

09-10-2008 21:04 UTC+2

David Williams Eliminated

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[user40108]

Details are scarce, but David Williams' luck never improved and he became yet another Day 1a casualty.

09-10-2008 20:58 UTC+2

A Promising Flop Fails to Deliver

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[user4144]

Barny Boatman will begin scouring the cash tables after being taken out of today's event. I was speaking to fellow Brit Michael Greco at the time, but a quick finger gesture directed me towards the felt where Boatman was all in with {7-Clubs}

versus

. The

was an eventful one, but as always seems to be the case with these promising hands, the turn and river were both blanks, and Barny was gone. "I should have waited for a flop," concluded Barny as he rose from his seat.

Tags: Barny Boatman

09-10-2008 20:54 UTC+2

David "Chino" Rheem Picks Off a Bluff

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[user40108]

2008 WSOP Main Event Finalist - David "Chino" Rheem

We caught up to this hand on the flop. The board showed {J-Diamonds}

and there was just under 1,500 in the pot. David Rheem, playing from middle position, was heads up with a lone opponent in the small blind. Action checked to Rheem and he bet 1,100.

The small blind made the call and the {Q-Clubs}

came off on the turn. Both players checked and the {Q-Hearts}

hit the river. The small blind led out for 1,750 and Rheem made the call. He looked over to his opponent and said "eight-nine?" The small blind smiled and clumsily flipped over an {A-?}

. Rheem showed {J-Hearts}

and took down the pot. He is now working with just over 28,000 chips.

Tags: Chino David Rheem

09-10-2008 20:45 UTC+2

Chad Brown Takes a Hit

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[user25067]

After building his stack up past the 35,000 mark, Chad Brown just took a major hit. We caught up with the hand on the river, Brown leading out for 8,000 and his opponent quickly calling on a board of {A-Spades}

. Brown's {A-Hearts}

was no match for his opponent's {A-Diamonds}

-- Brown having caught trips on the turn while his opponent boated up.

Ever the professional, Brown offered a "nice hand" to his opponent, as nearly half his chips were shipped across the table.

Despite the hit, Brown is currently sitting on 20,000, still well above average.

Tags: Chad Brown

09-10-2008 20:35 UTC+2

Ludovic Lacay Eliminated

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[user4144]

Ludovic Lacay is back in the press room after a disappointing start to his EPT campaign. There were a number of limpers, including Ludovic with A-5, before one player raised it up. With one caller to the raise, Ludovic thought this was a good spot to "resqueeze" and subsequently pushed for a total of 5,000. His opponent called with A-K, and that was all she wrote for the Frenchman.

"I'd seen him squeeze before," claimed Ludovic, "so I knew he was capable."

Tags: Ludovic Lacay

09-10-2008 20:30 UTC+2

A Frigid Run for David Williams

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[user40108]

It's been a slow day for David Williams...and that's putting it lightly. We've seen Williams routinely put chips into the pot only to have to fold his hand to a raise or a bet on the flop. The expressions and body language of the 2004 Main Event runner up could almost tell the story as it's quite obvious Williams just can't get anything going today. In just over four levels of play, he's watched his stack shrink to just under the 3,000 chip mark.

Tags: David Williams

09-10-2008 20:26 UTC+2

Heavy Preflop Action

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[user4144]

As the first EPT event of the season, there are always a few differences. One is the vast amount of new players that have emerged, but another is the amount of preflop action I seem to be witnessing. Whilst deuces eliminated Rolf Slotboom earlier, I just caught a hand where jacks and A-Q created a near 20,000 pot preflop without so much as a murmur. As the jacks hit a set on the flop, his clenched fist was somewhat premature as the A-Q filled a gutshot on the turn. No paired board on the river, and our defeated player was left shaking his head dejectedly. It goes to show though, this new crop of players aren't scared of shoving it in early and gambling with their tournament life.

09-10-2008 20:19 UTC+2