2008 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona Open

EPT Barcelona Open Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona Open

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k9
Prize
€1,361,000
Event Info
Buy-in
€8,000
Prize Pool
€4,952,000
Entries
619
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Dutch Courage

Not since I drank too much the night Rob Hollink won a bracelet have I seen three Dutchmen in a row, but on a central table Ruben Visser, Rolf Slotboom and Bart Wetsteijn are (or, more accurately, were) lined up in consecutive seats. But if you thought there'd be any national camaraderie or soft-play on display, you'd be severely mistaken.

With Ruben Visser raising it up to 300 from the button, Rolf Slotboom made it 1,250 from the small blind and Wetsteijn folded his big blind. Back round to Visser, who then announced "All in," without physically putting another chip in the pot.

"Snoops, are there any good looking girls outside?" asked Slotboom as he contemplated his decision.

"If you play aces like this, you do a good job," he added in his broad Dutch accent. "Sigh, maybe I make a big mistake."

After squirming in his seat incessantly, Slotboom eventually trickled his several thousand in chips over the line and showed {A-Hearts}{K-Spades}. Much to everyone's surprise, Visser could only table a {2-Clubs}{2-Hearts}... but still, it was ahead.

As I have seen on numerous occasions, the usually cucumber cool Slotboom then positioned himself just inches away from the felt where the board was destined to hit before chanting like a man possessed, "Aces and kings, aces and kings, aces and kings."

Although the dealer didn't quite oblige, the {9-Spades}{Q-Spades}{J-Spades} was pretty accommodating nonetheless. "Spades and tens, spades and tens, spades and tens," exclaimed Rolf, changing his plea. A {2-Diamonds} on the turn was not what he asked for, and by the {K-Clubs} river, it was too late, Slotboom was gone.

As his expression went sour and the manic behavior ceased, Slotboom shook the hand of each and every one of his opponents before making his way, mumbling "What was he representing?" as he left.

Tags: Bart WetsteijnRolf SlotboomRuben Visser

Level: 3

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

Peaks & Troughs for Annette

With the board reading {K-Diamonds}{6-Spades}{2-Clubs}{9-Hearts}, Annette Obrestad bet 2,500 but insta-mucked when her opponent made it 6,000 to play. A few hands later, she lured a few of those chips back, betting 1,500 into a pot of 2,000 and a board of {9-Spades}{Q-Spades}{9-Clubs}{7-Spades} to take it down.

Annette remains around her starting stack.

Tags: Annette Obrestad

Raymer Plays Funnyman

2004 World Champion Greg "Fossilman" Raymer
2004 World Champion Greg "Fossilman" Raymer
Greg Raymer and two other players saw a flop of {Q-?} {10-?} {4-?}. Action checked around and when another {10-?} hit the turn, Raymer led out from the button.

Both players called and the river fell a {K-?}. Action checked around again and "Fossilman" smiled and said "I win" as he rolled over {9-Hearts} {7-Hearts}. The other players cracked a smile and almost fell for it, but eventually the player with {A-?} {K-?} took down the pot which was rightfully his.

Tags: Greg Raymer

Ten... Nine... Eight

Space is at a premium here at the Casino Barcelona, even with the 300 player cap on registrations for Day 1A. Ergo, play is proceeding ten-handed at the moment and will become nine-handed as soon as we've had a sufficient number of bustouts. Eventually, as is custom on the EPT, play will go eight-handed and remain that way until the tournament's conclusion.

Just in Timex

Amazingly, there are still tables being opened up and players taking their seats. Mike 'Timex' McDonald, Mika Paasonen, David Benyamine, Oscar Schweinebarth, Erik Friberg and Ramzi Jelassi can all now be confirmed as present and correct.

One man who wishes he wasn't is George Danzer, as his stack has been dissected in half after flopping a set, before losing out to a turned flush and check-calling a bet on the river.

Tags: George Danzer

"The Grinder" Plays Cowboys for Value

Michael Mizrachi
Michael Mizrachi
We caught up to this hand on the river. With roughly 6,500 already in the pot, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi made a bet of 2,000 into his lone opponent, Victor Escudero on a board of {J-Spades} {10-Spades} {6-Clubs} {6-Hearts} {Q-Clubs}. Escudero made a reluctant call and got the bad news when Mizrachi tabled {K-Clubs} {K-Diamonds}.

Escudero showed the {Q-Spades} as he mucked his hand. "The Grinder" appeared indifferent as he stacked the pot and took his chip counts to just shy of 15,000.

Tags: Michael Mizrachi