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* Day 1 is scheduled to last eight 60-minute levels.
1:40pm: Weight loss and stare downs
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150
An hour or so ago Chance Kornuth and Armin Ojani were talking marriage. Not to each other mind, just their own marriages, and the tendency to put on weight in the months after the happy day. With the relationship locked up, there's no longer the urgency impress by keeping in shape.
"My wife gave me 50 pounds leeway," joked Kornuth, who is the model of athleticism. "I knew right then she was the one!"
Now the two of them were staring each other down over a flop of [6c][8h][jd]. There had been action. Ojani, in early position, had raised to 11,800 after a bet of 3,200 from Kornuth on the button. The staring was intense.
"Can you beat two pair?" asked Kornuth, who was unspecific as to whether he actually had two pair. Ojani shrugged, apparently irritated. Of course he could beat two pair, said his shoulders. It was enough for Kornuth to fold. Ojani then showed [qc][tc].-SB
1:40pm: Zaichenko up to 40,000
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150
Andrey Zaichenko moves towards 40,000 chips, winning another hand. This one was three-way between himself, Ronaldo and Rinat Lyapin. Zaichenko raised on the button after the others limped into the pot. Both called for [th][2h][kd] flop. The action as checked to Zaichenko whose 1,700 bet was enough to win the hand.-SB
1:35pm: No frame required
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150
When players are still entering the tournament and the blinds are still small one of the first things to look for when you're after interesting action is a hand that starts with a three-bet and call. These are the ones that can get big and - if we're lucky - result in a knockout or double-up.
Spotting a three-bet on one of the tables at the back of the room, I rushed over. British pro Iaron Lightbourne had made it 900 on the button and Nico Zimmerman called out of position. Zimmerman check-called a 750 bet on the [4s][6d][6h] flop before it went check-check on the [5c] turn. The river was [7s] and now Zimmerman bet out 1,750. It was enough to make Lightbourne fold. Both players are still doing just fine though, with around their 30,000 starting stack intact. - RJ
1:15pm: Medicinal beer
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150
"If you can make that person appear I'd really appreciate it."
This was Bastian Landehagen, who we admit was the player mentioned earlier who woke up on a sofa in the hotel lobby an hour before play began. The person he was talking to was the dealer. The person he needed to appear was a waitress. The item he needed as soon as possible was a beer.
"If they would come here, I would oblige."
As we mentioned earlier, for a man working on very little sofa sleep, and a big night, he's functioning well, already winning a few pots. So the beer is purely medicinal, for this is a man aiming to make it through the day, in more than one way.-SB
1:11pm: Zaichenko logging on
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100
Andrey Zaichenko has taken his seat and immediately started playing hands, almost without looking up from getting the internet on his iPad to work.
After taking a small pot from Elizabeth Bennett-Martin he took on Christopher Greaves in a hand. On a flop of [6c][8c][9c] Zaichenko checked to Greaves who bet 1,000, with Zaichenko called. Both checked the [3c] turn for a [td] on the river. Another check from Zaichenko before Greaves bet 1,500. Zaichenko called, then nodded and grinned as Greaves, who he's played against before on a past TV table, turned over [as][kc].-SB
1:10pm: Huge let-off for Bonomo
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100
When you flop a King-high flush and your opponent flops an Ace-high flush you are supposed to lose all of your chips. There should be no other outcome. However, Justin Bonomo just found himself in that same unfortunate situation and has somehow lived to tell the tale.
It started when the long-time pro opened to 300 from the cut-off and was called by our key protagonist, Bjorn Winkler, on the button and Wanda McCarley in the small blind. The [tc][jc][5c] flop looked dangerous but didn't deter Bonomo from betting 700. Winkler flat-called and McCarley got out of the way. Bonomo then bet 1,800 on the [qs] turn and Winkler just called. The river was [qd] and Bonomo now went bigger, betting 4,200.
Here's where Bonomo realised he had dodged a bullet more accurately than Neo in The Matrix. Winkler instantly said "call" and, after checking that was the case, Bonomo flipped over [kc][5c] with the confidence of a man who knew he had won a big pot. But then Winkler showed [ac][4c] for the nut flush and jaws hit the floor. Winkler attempted to explain why he hadn't raised with the nuts on the flop or turn but, whatever the answer, the rest of the table may come to rue the fact that the super-dangerous Bonomo is still in this tournament. - RJ
12:50pm: No gold coins for Luigi Mario
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100
For many players who visit the PCA, the Main Event is the only tournament they play. After all, there's plenty to do here at Atlantis in the Bahamas away from the poker tables.
But nobody wants to take an early shower. Unfortunately, just half an hour into Day 1A, that's exactly where Luigi Mario Grisa was heading.
His quick downfall began on a board of [ks][tc][jd][8h][4s], which saw him lead for a bet of 3,000 into a pot of around 5,000. This was then raised by the Netherlands' Fokke Jacob Beukers to 8,000, to Grisa's chagrin. He would call it off though, only for Beukers to turn over [as][qh] for a flopped nut straight. Naturally, he mucked.
Just a few hands later we saw Grisa walking away from his table, shaking his head and sporting a wry smile. It turned out he'd 6-bet shoved his pocket threes smack bang into pocket aces.
And like that, it was over. With such a fantastic name, perhaps he should consider a career in plumbing? --JS
12:30pm: From the comfort of a warm sofa to the harsh world of the Main Event
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100
Strategically there is a good case for playing the opening day of the Main Event. The field is smaller and the big names often choose Day 1B to start their campaign. That's all well and good, unless you're playing Day 1A after waking up an hour ago, on a sofa, in the hotel lobby.
That's the story of one player in the field today. We'll spare his blushes for now, although he looks good for a man who was shaken awake by a cleaning lady not so long ago.
"I played the 1K turbo last night and made the money," he said. "So I had a couple of drinks. Then a couple of drinks. Then a lot of drinks. Then ended up in the casino."
He looks good for a man still technically living his Thursday night.-SB
12:30pm: Big trouble for Table 11...
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100
It was noted earlier that Christoph Vogelsang arrived on time today, and he's also arrived in the mood to play some serious poker too. I arrived at Table 11 as Vogelsang was calling what appeared to be a large three-bet from the female player on the button. I would love to provide you with her name but she was not around long enough for it to become available, as you'll find out.
The flop was [ah][jc][4s] and Vogelsang check-called a huge 6,000 bet from our anonymous female. The [6d] turn was checked through but it was bombs away once the [ac] river landed. Vogelsang shoved the remainder of his stack in. It was around 18,000. He was called instantly and had a slightly worried look on his face as he turned over [as][kd] for trips with top kicker. Despite the worry, it was good and Vogelsang took down the 60,000 chip pot for a full double-up.
It was at this point that his opponent stood up, quickly collected her things and marched off with name badge in tow. And that is why she will forever be known as the anonymous female who gave Christoph Vogelsang all the chips on Table 11. This can only mean bad things for the rest of the table which now includes golf superstar Sergio Garcia, who is seated to Vogelsang's right. Bad seat draw Sergio, bad seat draw... - RJ
12:15pm: The Super High Rollers enter Main Event town
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100
Players are still flooding into the poker room here at The Bahamas, with few wanting to be unfashionably on time. Plenty were here for the midday kick-off though, including a few faces who usually like to play events with an extra zero in the buy-in. They include Christoph Vogelsang, Paul Newey and Olivier Busquet. The first two already crashed out of the $100,000 Super High Roller earlier this week so will need to make a very deep run in this one to post a profit for the trip.
Busquet, meanwhile, is looking lean and mean with a new Army recruit haircut replacing his trademark curtained look. We'll let you know if the crew cut works out for him throughout the day. - RJ
12:13pm: Early notables
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100
As the tables start to fill in, we've seen a few familiar faces, including Justin Bonomo, Paul Newey, Olivier Busquet, Brazilian football legend Ronaldo, Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin, EPT crusher Adrian Mateos, and Team Onliner Randy Lew.
12:00pm: Here we go
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100
Alrighty, folks. It's on. The 2016 PCA Main Event is just about to begin. We expect today's flight to be smaller than tomorrow's both due to players being in the LAPT Bahamas Main Event and the fact that people generally just like later flights.
It's going to be a busy day for us. The LAPT Bahamas Main Event is in Day 2, and the Super High Roller final table kicks off in a couple of hours.
For now, stay with us right here for live updates in the Main Event. -BW
Want to be here next year? Sign up for PokerStars and start your journey. Click here to get an account.
Take a look at the official website of the PCA, with tournament schedule, videos, news, blogs and accommodation details for the Atlantis Resort in The Bahamas.
Also All the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.
PokerStars Blog reporting team on the 2016 PCA Main Event: Stephen Bartley, Ross Jarvis, Jack Stanton, and Brad Willis. Photography by Joe Giron and Neil Stoddart. For more photos from this event by Joe Giron visit Poker Photo Archive.
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