Back during the EPT Monte Carlo final table last May there was a debate going on about Andrew Pantling's creative play. Pantling later spoke about his style being unique and that he did not care what other people think of it. Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu voiced his opinions at the time and was not too impressed with Pantling's play.
Just right now Pantling and Negreanu found out they were sitting with their backs towards each other and polite words were exchanged.
"We just have different styles," Negreanu said to Pantling who emphasized that it didn't matter to him what the five-time bracelet winner said.
Both players were very friendly and Negreanu expressed that he would never voice a negative opinion about an amateur player.
"I didn't think you would be offended. I consider you a professional and I just wanted to express that we have different playing styles," Negreanu added.
Pantling understood Negreanu's point of view and the two professionals shook hands as the tournament continues. So far today things are working out a lot better for Negreanu who's sitting on 62,000 chips while Pantling has just 6,100.
Marvin Rettenmaier led out for 1,500 on a flop of , and Grant Levy tossed in a call. The turn was the , Rettenmaier checked, and Levy tossed out a bet. Rettenmaier called.
A second ace - the - completed the board, and the German checked again. The Australian tossed out 9,200, which was more than a pot-sized bet, and Rettenmaier tanked for over two minutes before calling.
Levy, who made the final table of the EPT9 Grand Final Main Event, showed for a missed straight draw, while Rettenmaier, the 2012 Global Poker Index Player of the Year, took down the pot with for aces and jacks.
Dutch pro Niels "Fisherman903" van Alphen, who was recently very successful in the WCOOP finishing second in the $215 6-Max, did not have a good day here in London today.
We spotted Van Alphen outside the tournament room and he explained to us what went down today.
"I just couldn't win a hand," Van Alphen started out with, "On the last hand I had 30 big blind and the cutoff raised to 625. The player on the button called and I three-bet to 2,100 from the small."
Van Alphen proceeded to explain that the player in the cutoff four-bet all in and the Dutchman called with . He was up against and even though the flop brought three clubs he did not get a double up.
After a raise it was Kyle Julius who three-bet to 1,525 and the player to his left called. Team PokerStars Pro Lex Veldhuis was next to act and he cold four-bet to 4,000. The initial raiser quickly folded and Julius tanked for a bit, but ultimately folded as well.
The last player to fold decided otherwise and put in the call with just 10,000 chips left behind.
The flop brought and Veldhuis picked up the pot by moving all in after his opponent had checked.
"What do I need to do to get some respect around here?" Veldhuis said with a smile as his cold four-bet did not get a lot of respect.
Marvin Rettenmaier opened to 650 preflop and was called by Van Tuan Phan in the big blind.
The flop was and Phan checked, Rettenmaier bet 700 but Phan check-raised to 1,400. Rettenmaier called to see the on the turn where both players checked.
The river was the and Phan fired 2,100, Rettenmaier quickly folded and Phan showed him for his troubles.
Dominik Nitsche checked to Dario Sammartino on a flop of . The Italian tossed out 800, the German called, and the turn brought the .
Nitsche check-called another bet - this one was worth 1,850 - and the completed the board. Nitsche checked, Sammartino checked behind, and Nitsche showed for aces and kings.
It all started when World Series of Poker bracelet winner Craig McCorkell opened to 700 in middle position. A player on his left three-bet to 1,600, and the action folded to Kevin MacPhee in the big blind. MacPhee used a red T1,000 chip to represent his big blind of 300, and he flicked the chip forward with his index finger.
"Is that a call?" the dealer asked.
MacPhee leaned forward in a strange, nod-like motion, prompting the dealer to ask him for an additional 600 chips. MacPhee objected, saying that he did not commit calling chips nor did he announce a call, and a floorperson was all over.
The floorperson was forced to call upon another tournament director, who came over and allowed MacPhee to pull his chip back and forfeit the big blind of 300.
The tournament director made his decision because MacPhee's action was "ambiguous."
McCorkell quickly folded, and after three minutes the hand was finally over.
"These online donks," EPT10 Barcelona Main Event winner Tom Middleton joked after the hand.