PokerStars.net EPT Prague, Day 1b: Big Names Out in Force
Day 1b of the PokerStars.net European Poker Tour Prague Main Event held considerably more star power than Day 1a, with online names such as Dario Minieri, Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier and Steve 'AllinStevie' Devlin joining the throngs at Prague's Hilton Hotel. There were plenty of big names in the live tournament arena joining Day 1b as well, including Juha Helppi, EPT Dublin winner Reuben Peters, 2007 EPT Warsaw victor Peter Jepsen and World Series of Poker Europe Main Event champion Annette 'Annette_15' Obrestad.
Hendon Mob player Barny Boatman joined the field on Day 1b, but left early when his pocket queens were cracked by K?10? on a king-high board. EPT London runner-up Florian Langmann picked up chips early in the event before making it through Day 1b in the middle of the pack. Obrestad went to the rail early when she ran into an opponent's pocket kings. After a preflop raise by Steve Devlin, Obrestad re-raised and a player in middle position called. Devlin folded, and Obrestad bet out on the flop of 2?2?4?. Her opponent called, then checked the J? turn. Obrestad bet out again and was called. When her opponent checked the 8? on the river, Obrestad pushed all in, and mucked when her opponent called and tabled kings. Other notable eliminations on Day 1b included Dario Minieri, Age Spets and Helppi, who was eliminated on one of the very last hands of the night.
Peter Jepsen got into a big pot with Peter Roche and Anthony Lellouche that ended his tournament here. After slow action on the preceding streets, the board was Q?10?10?8?3? at the river. Jepsen bet out and Roche called. Lellouche raised, and after some thought, Jepsen called off the last of his chips. Roche folded and Lellouche tabled 3?3? for the rivered full house, sending Jepsen to the rail.
Dag Martin Mikkelsen had an up and down day, finishing the day with a medium-sized chip stack after raking in some huge pots over the course of the action. In one hand, he busted Thomas Wahlroos when all the chips went in the middle on a flop of K?4?3?. Mikkelsen revealed K?Q? to Wahlroos's A?A?. The 3? turn reduced Mikkelsen's outs, but the 10? river gave him the flush and sent Wahlroos to the rail.
Internet stars fared well through Day 1b, with Devlin finishing the day with the chip lead. Joining him near the top were American internet player Alec Torelli, who won the Sunday Million on Full Tilt in February of this year, Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier, who has gained fame as both an Internet poker player and a world-class Starcraft gamer, and Chris Moorman, another top online pro.
111 players made it through Day 1b, with Devlin leading the field with a significant chip lead. Preliminary counts show these players among the highest surviving stacks:
Stephen Devlin �C 110,000
Tommy Pavlicek �C 85,000
Juha Lauttamus �C 70,000
Alec Torelli �C 65,000
Gerd Muller �C 65,000
Dag Palovic �C 55,000
Bertrand Grospellier -52,000
Cristiano Blanco �C 44,000
Sandro Bellusci �C 38,000
Anthony Lellouche �C 33,000
Join PokerNews.com on Wednesday at noon Prague time (6am ET) for live reports from the floor of the Prague Hilton, as the 196 combined survivors of Days 1a and 1b are merged and play toward the money in Day 2 action.
