2008 World Series of Poker Europe

£10,000 WSOP Europe Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker Europe

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k6
Prize
£868,800
Event Info
Buy-in
£10,000
Prize Pool
£3,620,000
Entries
362
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

Stuart Foxes Lellouche

Quiet young UK pro Stuart Fox can't be blamed for playing poor starting hands early on, as after not a lot of motion was registered in his stack in level one, he won a nice pot just now from Antony Lellouche. I caught this hand from the turn with the board standing {5-Hearts} {9-Spades} {2-Spades} {3-Diamonds} . It looked like Fox had bet, and Lellouche had raised him to just under 3,000. Never looking hurried, harried, or otherwise under pressure, Fox eventually made the call. They both checked the {K-Spades} river.

Flipping the {A-Hearts} {A-Spades} Fox won the pot, raising his stack to 26,800; although Lellouche showed his opponent his hand I wasn't standing in the right position to see it clearly, but I would suggest a pair with no faces on it was his beaten holding.

Tags: Antony LelloucheStuart Fox

Hellmuth Crippled

From my makeshift desk in one corner of the Face 2 Face room, I could hear Phil Hellmuth announce, "I'm all in," from another. I hustled over to the table just in time to see the dealer burn and turn the last community card.

Phil's {K-Clubs} {K-Hearts} had been cracked by Philippe Dauteuil's {9-Hearts} {9-Diamonds}, courtesy of a {2-Hearts} {9-Spades} {4-Hearts} flop, on which all of the money went in. Unable to get a reprieve from either the turn, or the river, Phil was left with less than 4,000 in chips.

"That's some fine dealing, baby," Phil said after the hand. "You've beat kings and queens in back-to-back hands," he complained.

"It wasn't a good sign when he insta-called," the 'Brat' added. "You've been playing like a maniac all day."

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

Not A Gran-Stad

It wasn't a terrible start either though for Henning Granstad, but having been unlucky in a couple of early pots, Granstad picked up a timely double up to boost his slightly depleted stack back over 20,000. Jarred Solomon limped, Granstad raised to 800 with {A-?} {A-?} and then Andreas Berggren reraised to 2,900, before Solomon re-reraised to 8,900. Granstad had the mundane task of putting his remaining chips in the middle and Berggren folded what he later said was {Q-?} {Q-?}, while Solomon called with {K-?} {K-?}.

The aces held, now if only every hand was this simple, then poker would be so easy.

Picking Up the Flack

Layne Flack has been making his presence known on his table, which with its complement of recognizable faces (and the glint of a bracelet or two) has drawn a host of cameras and gents with headsets. One of them hovers nearby with that peeking-at-your-cards machine, although I don't think any of them have had to use it yet...It is now positively crawling with people and hard to watch, but you can hear Mr. Flack in sort of conversation bursts.

Just now he turned his attention to Erica Schoenberg, saying to a WSOP-decorated opponent, "Buddy, you got a bracelet. I wouldn't pick on you. Girls though..." She looked entirely unmoved.

Moving on to a four-way limped pot, checked on the {5-Spades} {J-Spades} {4-Spades} flop, Flack called a 600 bet from Andy Bloch on the {K-Diamonds} turn, but after they checked the {9-Hearts} river he mucked when shown Bloch's {J-Hearts} {10-Diamonds} . A couple of hands later, and he regained that bet having seen an {A-Diamonds} {K-Clubs} {K-Spades} flop and failed to elicit any action for his {A-Hearts} {K-Diamonds} ....Currently more than stable, though, on 24,000.

Tags: Erica SchoenbergLayne Flack

Back to Square One for Ivey

Ivey: Stack Nibbled by Nathwani
Ivey: Stack Nibbled by Nathwani
Having climbed a little ways in chips, Phil Ivey returned to just under 20,000 after tangling with the fearless Ketul Nathwani. The latter was the bettor, in position, on a board reading {Q-Clubs} {J-Diamonds} {4-Clubs} {K-Spades} and after a think, Ivey called his 3,000. The river brought the {2-Diamonds} , a check from Ivey, a quick bet of 6,100 from Nathwani, and a fold with accompanying head-shake from Ivey. It looks like the early chip leader is still keeping his chips moving around.

Tags: Ketul NathwaniPhil Ivey

Diogo Doubles

Double up for Portuguese player Diogo Veiga, he raised from UTG, with Chad Brown calling on the button. Scott Montgomery reraised from the small blind to around 2,200 and Veiga moved in. Brown got out of the way and Montgomery called creating the classic 57-43 coinflip as Veiga showed {Q-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} to Montgomery's {A-Clubs} {K-Hearts}. A {4-Spades} {9-Spades} {4-Diamonds} {J-Hearts} {5-Clubs} board later and Veiga was up to 9,000 while Montgomery was on 15,000.

Brat Chat

Facing a 1,000 bet from 'The Russian,' Stanislav Alekhin, Phil Hellmuth blurted, "No . . . my young Russian friend bet it again?"

"What do they feed you young men in Russia?" he inquired.

Phil has since climbed back up to 11,000 in chips since falling to 4,000 early on.

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

A Friend in Deeb

Phonetically enigmatic player Aliaksandr Dzianisau just played out an odd sort of pot against Freddy Deeb. He raised to 425 preflop (just over a minraise), and was called by Deeb in position, and big blind Layne Flack.

Flop: {4-Clubs} {J-Clubs} {Q-Clubs} . Check to Dzianisau, who bet 425 again. Deeb now raised him to 1,500, got rid of Flack, and then waited while Dzianisau suddenly minimum-reraised. 2,575 the total bet that was eventually called by Deeb.

Turn: {A-Spades} Dzianisau bet out 1,100. Deeb called.

River: {10-Spades} 2,125 was the bet for Deeb here, and this time he declined to make the call. Dzianisau showed him the {K-Hearts} for the straight anyway.

Tags: Aliaksandr DzianisauFreddy Deeb

Ayaz Manji Doubles Up

A comparatively short-stacked Ayaz Manji just doubled through to 16,000 courtesy of Aliaksandr Dzianisau. Big blind Manji called a preflop raise, and both players then checked the {9-Clubs} {A-Hearts} {7-Diamonds} flop. The turn brought the {Q-Hearts} , and a check-raise from Manji of the 500 Dzianisau tossed out there to 2,500. Flat call.

The river: {5-Clubs} Manji now pushed all in for his remaining 4,725, and as the current break began, everyone's attention wandered from the table with the exception of Dzianisau who eventually made the call. He mucked, though, on seeing the {A-Spades} {9-Diamonds} - two pair- in his relieved opponent's hand.

Tags: Aliaksandr DzianisauAyaz Manji