Jan Von Halle: Chip leader

Small, but beautifully formed.

There are few different ways to explain Day 1A of the second one Eureka Hamburg Main Event, a €1,000 buy-in tournament in Casino Schenefeld, at the outskirts of Germany's northern city.

Only 69 players turned up for this primary of 3 flights and so they enjoyed a bright and airy casino, a slick and efficient 12 levels and the risk to observe Jan Von Halle roll back the years with a dominant performance.

Von Halle, who's best known in these parts because the man who founded Intellipoker (which became PokerStars' PokerSchool Online), is the clear leader of the 20 players remaining on the end of the day, having won big pot after big pot throughout proceedings.

He cracked aces no less than twice (once with kings, once with 9♣6♣) and finished with 198,000 chips (the starting stack was 25,000). He's ahead now of Anastasios Mastroudis (164,700) and Ismet Oral (147,900). And the entire counts seem like this:

Name Country Chips

Jan Christoph Von Halle	Germany	198800
Anastasios Mastroudis	Greece	164700
Ismet Oral	Turkey	147900
Jan Bloch	Germany	133900
Robert Gorschewsky	Germany	126100
Kai Münster	Germany	99000
Jesper Feddersen	Germany	98300
Andreas Heitzmann	Germany	92600
Pablo Damian Nerro Diaz	Uruguay	91400
Markus Alexander Mayer	Germany	79400
Monir Marie	Germany	67700
Robert Rudolf Rohr	Germany	67200
Mehdi Tabrizizadeh	Germany	62700
Amir Mozaffarin	Germany	56500
Klaus Hornschuch	Germany	55100
Steve Buth	Germany	54500
Jens Christian Nielsen	Denmark	51800
Bjorn Duda	Germany	33300
Murat Erat	Germany	28400
Tillmann Raschke	Germany	25700

Tomorrow is Day 1B and anyone eliminated today can return for a second stab, at the side of anyone arriving for the primary time. We can likely get much toward the 250 capacity of the room, and can possibly fill it on Day 1C on Friday.

Look back on all of the action within the post below and join us again tomorrow from noon for more of the similar. Take a look over at the Eureka page for all it's a must to learn about joining the party.

10:10pm: Six more handsLevel 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

They're playing six more hands before the tournament wraps for the night. There are 21 players still in at this stage.

9.45pm: Ave MarieLevel 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Monir Marie opened to 5,100, that is a marginally larger than the usual raise presently. Most are min-plussing (or limping, actually). Anyway, the raise picked up two callers: Pablo Nerro at the button and Andreas Heitzmann within the big blind.

Those three took a flop of 4♥6♦5♣ and, after Heitzmann checked, Marie bet 7,200 and Nerro folded. Heitzmann called, which took them to the 5♥ at the turn. Heitzmann then check-folded after Marie bet 12,000.

9.35pm: Bloch skips Fedderssen's trapLevel 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Jesper Feddersen just won a small pot from Jan Bloch, but couldn't successfully lure his man right into a trap so artfully set.

Actually, that is not really true. Feddersen didn't do a huge amount to set the trap. He backed into it really. The hand played out like this:

Bloch limped from early position and action folded to Feddersen within the big blind, who checked. They both checked the flop of T♣9♠3♣ after which Feddersen led for 5,300 after the J♠ came at the turn. Bloch called. The river was the 7♣ and Feddersen checked.

That last check was the trapping part. He had A♣8♥ so had rivered a straight. But Bloch checked behind and mucked when shown the winner.

9.25pm: Bloch Party IILevel 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Jan Bloch, who made the general table here last year, has just found a timely boost to his stack in a bid to move back-to-back. He check-raised all-in at the turn with the next four cards exposed: J♣8♥4♣9♦. Peter Jaksland was the person with the 8,000 bet at this stage. Bloch's check-shove was for 42,000.

Jaksland called and showed 9♣8♣. But he was losing to Bloch's Q♠T♠ and it never got any better.

9.10pm: The Jan Von Halle showLevel 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Jan Von Halle continues to boss this opening day and now has about 170,000. The victim this time was Matthias Mordhorst who had K♥Q♦ and can have thought that might be good against Von Halle's Q♣7♠. But a flop of 7♦3♣Q♠ assured two things: that each one the chips would go in, and they would finally end up with Von Halle.

9pm: It might has been a gorgeous friendshipLevel 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Table four has just broken--we are right down to 27 players--and that implies that a budding relationship between Jens Christian Nielsen and Kai Münster was broken up. The 2 of them were seated next to each other for the past few hours and so they played a large number of hands together.

I saw two of them. The primary was still in Level 10 and Nielsen raised to 2,400 from the small blind after action had folded to him. Münster called they usually saw the 6♦2♠7♦ flop. Nielsen bet 3,300 and Münster called, taking them to the 9♦ turn. Nielsen bet 4,500 and Münster folded, but said, "They're coming back."

Jens Nielsen

He was right. Into Level 11, they played another pot. Nielsen raised to 3,300 from the hijack and Münster three-bet to 8,200 from the cutoff. Nielsen called they usually saw the 8♠4♠4♥ come at the flop. Nielsen checked, Münster bet 7,400 and Nielsen let it go.

8.45pm: Mandric downedLevel 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Vedran Mandic is the newest player to fall, leaving us with 28 and the upcoming closure of a table. He got his last 17,000 chips in with A♣9♠ and was ahead against Peter Jaksland's K♦J♦. But after a flop of 9♥Q♦6♥, the K♣ at the turn was bad news. The river was the 6♠. Jaksland is as much as about 46,000.

8.45pm: Von Halle at it againLevel 9 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

Here's another pretty brutal set-up, which has vaulted Jan Von Halle to what may well be the chip lead. He has 138,000 and Martin Reckermann has zilch.

I only arrived towards the tip of whatever went on pre-flop, but it surely seemed there has been a raise from Von Halle and a choice from Reckermann. But all of the action came at the flop of Q♣K♦J♣. Von Halle bet 4,200, Reckermann raised to 10,400, Von Halle three-bet to 24,200 and Reckermann shoved for approximately 46,000. Von Halle instantly called.

Von Halle had flopped the nuts, with A♦T♦ and he didn't also have to vanish a flush draw. That's because Reckermann had flopped the second one nuts together with his T♠9♠. Reckermann couldn't find the cruel fold and has paid the price.

8.35pm: You're employed it outLevel 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

It's very difficult to understand what actually happened here, however the facts are as follows.

Martin Reckermann and Klaus Hornschuch were in a pot and the board was out the entire approach to the river. It showed Q♠6♥K♠J♣3♥ and there has been precisely 18,200 within the middle.

That much is OK, but this bit I DO NOT understand: Hornschuch, who would was within the small blind, had 33,000 chips over the road and only 16,000 behind. So this was a detailed to double pot size bet, for greater than two thirds of his stack.

Anyway, whatever happened here, we'd learn not a lot more. Reckermann tank-folded, showing the A♣. Hornschuch raked it in.

8.20pm: Von Halle doesn't win a potLevel 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

Not goodbye ago, Jan Von Halle cracked aces with 6♣9♣. It gave the impression of he may well be winning another pot featuring those two cards when he got embroiled in a single against Dirk Volquardsen, nevertheless it evidently helped the latter greater than him.

Von Halle opened to 3,200 from UTG+1 and Volquardsen called from the small blind. That's when the 6♣9♣ appeared, alongside the 6♦ at the flop. Volquardsen checked and Von Halle bet 7,000. Volquardsen called, taking them to a turn of 6♠.

Volquardsen checked again and Von Halle asked him what number of more he had in his stack. Itwas about 27,000. Von Halle bet 12,000 and Volquardsen shoved. Von Halle, knowing how much it was way to his earlier question, quickly folded.

8pm: Six of the bestLevel 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

They're heading into Level 10 now, where blinds are 600/1,200 (200 ante). So far as we ca see, the next players are the large stacks of the 34 remaining.

Anastasios Mastroudis - 139,000Jan Von Halle - 98,000Robert Gorschewsky - 87,000Dragan Stankovic - 78,000Oral Ismet - 76,000Jens Nielsen - 74,000

7.45pm: Cracking aces for a livingLevel 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

On a hand in advance of the break, Jan Von Halle cracked aces for the second one time today, sending Andre Elstermann to the rail. "I had nine-six clubs," Von Halle said. "And there has been a nine and a six at the flop." That's the way you do it. (He had kings the last time.)

That puts Von Halle as much as around 100,000, but he's still trailing Anastasios Mastroudis. The Greek player has about 150,000.

7.35pm: Get Out of Jail FreeLevel 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Ion Teodor Naicu was absolutely furious when the 7♦ appeared at the turn in a contemporary hand because he thought it had made Andrew Pierz a winner. But as Naicu would soon discover, it had actually rescued him. He was already a ways behind and it was his Get Out of Jail Free card.

Ion Teodor Naicu

This one started with a limp from Oliver Niemann, under the gun. Naicu raised to 2,300 from the hijack and Pierz called from the massive blind, as did Niemann. The 3 of them saw a flop of 8♦9♥7♣ and, after two checks, Naicu bet 3,000. Only Pierz called.

The turn brought the 7♦ and Pierz checked again. Naicu bet 5,000 and now Pierz sprang a trap. He raised all-in, a complete of 13,500.

Naicu jerked back in his seat as though 24,000 volts had just flooded through it. He was furious. After a minute or so that you could think, he turned over his 9♣8♣ and flung them into the muck.

Pierz calmly revealed his T♥J♦, a flopped straight. Naicu may need got off lightly.

7.15pm: Velvelt smoothed outLevel 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Urmo Velvelt, a PokerStars qualifier from Estonia, was an early pick for the title from this corner of PokerStars Blog. It was in keeping with nothing but looks: he just perceived to carry himself on the tables like someone who should go far.

That may yet transform true, but he isn't going to win Eureka Hamburg. He's the most recent to fall, leaving us with 36 players today.

Velvelt had 15,450 and moved all-in from the large blind after Andre Elstermann opened to 2,200 from early position. Elstermann folded, but Velvelt's participation didn't last much longer.

On the very next hand, Armin Seyfi opened to 2,3000 and Velvelt shoved again. As he was looking forward to Seyfi to make up his mind, Velvelt gulped down a large beer, as if there has been a bouncer over his shoulder harrying him out of a club. Maybe that was a false tell. Who knows whether he actually wanted a call, but he got it. Seyfi pushed chips forward and turned over A♠J♣.

That induce in a race against Velvelt's 8♠8♣ and the over-cards prevailed. The board ran 2♥K♣J♦Q♣A♣. Velvelt swigged down the rest and made his solution to the rail.

7.05pm: Three-quarters throughLevel 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Twelve levels of a poker tournament feels like a frightening prospect for a single day. But if they're only 45 minutes long, it isn't so bad. We're already into Level 9 and it is not even dark outside.

7pm: Kings on buttonLevel 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

This hand happened in a flash, nevertheless it ended up with Oliver Niemann doubling to about 23,000 and staying alive on this tournament.

Action folded to Niemann at the button and he opened to what seemed like 1,600. Jens Christian Nielsen, within the small blind, instantly raised, making it 5,200 to play. Niemann instantly shoved for roughly double that and Nielsen instantly called.

Niemann had K♠K♣ and stayed good against Nielsen's A♥J♥ through a dry board. "Kings on button," Niemann said, delighted.

6.55pm: We lose LimbaraLevel 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Enteng Limbara could also be now a few of the 30 players who've been eliminated today. He got no help along with his A♦K♥ against Robert Gorschewsky's 6♠6♣. Quite the contrary, if truth be told. The flop brought another six, the 6♦ and there has been no catching up from there.

6.50pm: Bloch partyLevel 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Jan Bloch now has about 60,000 after he found queens collectively that Andreas Van Zadelhof was prepared to commit his last 9,875 with A♥9♥. It gave the look of Van Zadelhof opened, Bloch three-bet the button after which Van Zadelhof under-called all-in. (This all happened before I got there.)

Anyway, what I did see was a board of 4♣K♣2♥J♣4♠ dealt by the dealer and the back of Van Zadelhof's head as he headed for the exit.

6.30pm: The bad good cardLevel 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Poker is cruel in lots of ways, and we'll include in that the instant you notice a card that improves your hand, but that makes an opponent's even better. Alem Shah will let you know about it, for those who dare approach him outside Casino Schenefeld today.

Ismet Oral opened to 1,600 from the button and Shah called within the small blind. The remainder of the table left those two to it they usually saw a flop of K♠5♠T♣. Shah checked and Oral bet 2,100. Shah found a cheeky-check-raise, making it 7,000, but Oral responded by shoving all in, covering Shah by quite far. Shah, however, called for roughly 15,000 more.

Oral had a large hand pre-flop, K♣K♥, and it had grown bigger with that king at the flop. Nevertheless it was also vulnerable against a hand like Oral's. He had Q♠9♠. When another spade came at the turn, Oral was immediately delighted. But he whoop soon turned to a whelp when he noticed that the T♠ was actually better for Shah than him.

Shah's turned full house was now unbeatable and the river was irrelevant.

6.05pm: Long tank, foldLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Omer Yozgat opened to 1,500 from under the gun and Dragan Stankovic called within the cutoff. Then Jesper Feddersen made it 5,425, precisely what Yozgat had behind, and he wasn't prepared to risk it. He folded. Stankovic appeared like he was keen and consumed an even short while of the clock. But then he folded and nobody was any the wiser.

It's tough going for they all on that table because Anastasios Mastroudis is there, sitting with the primary six-figure stack within the room. He has 107,000.

5.55pm: CoolerLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

To anyone still labouring under the misunderstanding that aces versus kings only happens online, and that aces always lose, hear this: I've just watched that very coup play out for the second one time today on this live tournament and aces have just held up.

This one started when Pablo Nerro opened to 1,300 from under the gun and Murat Erat called from one seat along. Dirk Suchanek raised to 6,000 from the large blind and that was enough to get Nerro out of the way.

However, Erat wasn't going anywhere. He shoved for 21,275. They just came upon the fitting amount later because at this stage Suchanek didn't care. He called and showed K♣K♥ but was already in serious trouble against Erat's A♠A♥.

The highest card on an uncoordinated board was a jack and that ended it in Erat's favour. He now has around 50,000 while Suchanek is all the way down to about 16,500.

5.45pm: Two pair twiceLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

This hand started out in familiar fashion: a limp-fest the entire way across the table. But after Axer Wilhelm tried to finish those forms of shenanigans, he ended up losing nearly all of his stack.

Jens Christian Nielsen got it started, limping for 600 from under the gun. Dirk Suchanek called too, from the cutoff, after which Pablo Nerro called from the button.

Wilhelm, within the small blind, had clearly seen enough of this. He raised to 2,400 and everybody except Nerro got out of the way.

The flop came A♥4♥6♦ and Wilhelm bet 2,800. Nerro thought of it, then called, leaving himself about 13,500 behind. And Wilhelm asked if he fancied playing for it all after the 7♠ turn. Wilhelm shoved, covering Nerro by about 10,000.

Nerro called instantly and flipped over A♣7♣. Wilhelm had flopped two pair along with his A♠4♠ but was now behind. And the J♣ didn't change that.

Nerro picked up a whole double up because the remainder of the table learnt a lesson about raising the limpers.

5.35pm: Another six levels leftLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

They're back now from the break and can play another six 45-minute levels until bagging for the night. With only 69 players taking their seat (and registration now closed), we could have only about two tables left by the top of the day.

4.50pm: Break timeLevel 6 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

That's the half-way point for today and players at the moment are heading for a 45-minute dinner break.

4.45pm: Triple for SchaeunbergLevel 6 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Marcel Schauenberg just pulled off a handy triple up, finding two callers for his shove from the large blind for 4,375. It looked as if Wilhelm Axer had opened from under the gun and Jan Fondermann had either three-bet or called, two seats to Axer's left. Either one of them called the shove, so there has been betting at the side after a flop of A♥J♥J♠.

Actually, there wasn't that much betting. Axer led for 3,000 and Fondermann instantly folded. However, his Q♣Q♠ was now behind Schauenberg's A♠K♦ and the latter stacked up greater than 13,000.

4.25pm: Von Halle puts the hurt on InceLevel 6 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Jan Von Halle is likely one of the big stacks now having just put without equal beat on Mehmet Ince. That is what they call it when kings crack aces, right?

In fairness, Von Halle did rather well to get the utmost here, and in addition limit his own exposure. Ince opened for a min-plus raise from under the gun and Von Halle three bet his small blind, making it 2,600 to head. Ince four bet to 6,600 and Von Halle opted only to call.

The flop came 9♥K♥9♣ and Von Halle check-called Ince's bet of 5,000. Then both players checked the turn of 8♠. After the 7♥ came at the river, Von Halle announced that he was all-in for a stack almost the exact same size as Ince's, round about 15,000.

Ince seemed unhappy, but called and only increased his misery. Von Halle showed his K♦K♣ and Ince slapped down his A♥A♠. It got worse. They counted down the stacks and Von Halle's 15,450 was shrapnel greater than Ince had.

Ince was sent packing in a fug of red mist.

4pm: New levelLevel 6 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

They're into Level 6 now, and then there'll be a dinner break and the half-way point of proceedings.

3.55pm: Mastoudis up topLevel 5 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Anastasios Mastroudis has put distance between himself and the sector after winning a flip against Tamu Kero to send the Finnish player out the door and the chip-leader's stack to around 61,500.

Mastroudis, who was opening a large number of pots, got it started with a raise to 700 from under the gun. Robert Forster called within the small blind, but then Kero, within the big blind, desired to play for more. He raised to 2,800.

Mastroudis desired to see the scale of both his opponents' stacks. He learnt that Forster had about 8,000 and Kero 6,000, a fragment of his 50,000+ holding. He shoved all-in, knowing even defeat would barely make a dent.

Anastasios Mastroudis

Forster folded, but Kero called and this was a race: Mastroudis had 9♦9♠ while Kero had A♥K♣.

This time the pair held. The board ran J♥T♠4♦T♥6♣ and Kero disappeared. Mastroudis assumed the highest spot within the embryonic leader board.

3.45pm: ChipsLevel 5 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

You hardly need reminding that it's early days on this tournament, approaching the top of Level 5. To date, 67 players have registered and 59 are left, with the hordes expected to descend towards the tip of the week.

At present, it looks as if the next have the largest stacks within the room:

Martin Reckermann - 60,000Anastasios Mastroudis - 54,000Kai Munster - 52,000Urmo Velvelt - 44,000

It really can't stay this peaceful for a lot longer.

3.30pm: Muscle from JakslandLevel 5 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Every second hand seems to add Michael Witter. Admittedly that was because a glitch in our administrative system earlier meant that I USED TO BE misidentifying Mehmet Ince as Witter (an issue since resolved) but at the past two passes, the actual Witter played hands. But this latest one he lost against Peter Jaksland.

Christopher Schwarz started this one. He limped from under the gun. Witter limped from a few seats around, then Jaksland raised to 1,150. Both Schwarz and Witter called they usually saw a flop of K♣Q♣8♠. After a few checks, Jaksland bet 1,100 and both opponents called.

The 5♦ came at the turn and Schwarz checked again. Witter now bet 2,300 after which called after Jaksland raised to 7,100. (Schwarz folded.) That took them to the river of 6♣. Witter checked, but probably knew he could be facing a gamble. Jaksland announced 8,800 and, after checking his stack of about 11,000 behind, Witter folded.

3.15pm: A plague of checksLevel 4 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

In common with recent trends at the European Poker Tour, limping has made a gigantic comeback at Eureka Hamburg, a minimum of at the small sample size of the primary few levels today. A minimum of thrice over the process wanders across the tournament room today have I seen six players at a flop, all investing the minimum.

On the newest such occasion, Anastasios Mastroudis and Michael Witter were a number of the throng to a flop of 7♠8♠7♦ and so they were among throng to test. Then the 9♥ came at the turn, followed by another epidemic of checking, then the 5♠ came at the river.

This time Mastroudis bet 1,500 and Witter raised to 3,100. That got everyone else out of how. Mastroudis wasn't going anywhere, however, and he called.

Witter showed J♣T♣ for a turned straight. But Mastroudis had rivered a flush along with his A♠4♠.

2.55pm: Ballstadt bustsLevel 4 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Christian Ballstadt, who was at the unfortunate end of a ship versus boat collision earlier within the day, is now out.

Christian Ballstadt

2.40pm: Big demand Von HalleLevel 4 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Jan Von Halle just made a giant call at the river in a pot against Ion Teodor Naicu and ended up chopping it, despite the fact that Naicu thought he may well be heading out of the door.

It started with a raise to 400 from Naicu and action folded to Von Halle at the button. He called and Mehmet Ince also known as from the large blind.

The flop came K♥A♦2♦ and after Ince checked, Naicu bet 700 and only Von Halle called.

After the A♥ came at the turn, Naicu bet again, this time 1,500 and Von Halle peeked all the way down to check his cards again. He called, taking them to the 8♣ at the river. Naicu immediately moved all-in, plonking 8,800 over the line.

Jan Von Halle

Von Halle had him covered, but not by much, and took his time over the verdict. Eventually he threw in a choice and Naicu flipped A♣4♣. Von Halle tabled his A♠6♦ and Naicu stood up, preparing to go away. But he soon realised they had chopped it and sat all the way down to play on.

2.15pm: Pauls perishesLevel 3 - Blinds 75/150

Ulrich Pauls has become the second one man to be eliminated today. He played the High Roller too yesterday, so could stick around for a re-entry tomorrow or Friday.

And with that, they're off for the primary break of the day. That's three levels done already.

2.10pm: It's usually the quiet onesLevel 3 - Blinds 75/150

Miroslav Forman and Mehmet Ince has been at each other's throats for a lot of the early levels, but if they tangled again in a contemporary pot, it was the person who had tagged along too, Enteng Limbara, who profited the most.

Ince opened to 300 from under the gun and Forman three-bet to 800 from the cutoff. Limbara, in complete silence, called from the button after which Ince called too.

So, the 3 of them saw a flop of 4♣2♠7♠ and Ince checked. Forman bet 1,100 and in similar silence, Limbara called. Ince was more flamboyant about his call, flicking within the chips with exaggerated abandon.

All three checked the 3♠ turn but then Ince bet 1,400 on the Q♦ at the river. Forman had seen enough. He folded. But now Limbara came to life. He raised to 4,200.

Ince, evidently fearing that will be about to happen, quickly mucked and Eureka Hamburg's only Indonesian participant (to this point) scooped the pot.

2pm: Man downLevel 3 - Blinds 75/150

We've lost one. The primary player out is Evgeny Blyumkin who reportedly lost his stack to Robert Gorschewsky. There's still the risk for redemption with a re-entry either tomorrow or on Friday.

1:45pm: Ballstadt gets a let offLevel 3 - Blinds 75/150

On the hand immediately after the massive double up for Dirk Suchanek, he had the danger to knock-out his beleaguered neighbour, Christian Ballstadt. But after opening to 400 from under the gun, Suchanek then folded A♦8♦ face up when Ballstadt shoved for his last 2,725. Ballstadt showed A♣4♥ so would was in big trouble. Because it is, he breathes again.

1:40pm: Breaking Balls(tadt)Level 3 - Blinds 75/150

Christian Ballstadt was very as regards to becoming the primary man eliminated from this tournament, losing an almighty pot to Dirk Suchanek when both players had a whole house. Ballstadt flopped his, Suchanek hit his at the turn, and Ballstadt couldn't discover a fold at the river.

It was a beautiful weird hand. Suchanek limped from early position and Ballstadt limped one seat behind. Then Kay Di Stefano also limped and so did Jens Nielsen within the small blind, giving Kai Munster a very simple sign in the big.

The six of them saw a flop of 4♦T♥T♠ and after a few checks, Ballstadt bet 200. Suchanek was certainly one of only two others who called.

They all then checked the 9♥ at the turn and the 5♥ came at the river. Suchanek bet 1,100 at it and his neighbour Ballstadt raised to 3,000. After Di Stefano (the opposite player left) folded, Suchanek, with hands quivering, moved his two stacks of chips over the line, apparently trying to move all in but accidentally leaving 200 behind.

Ballstadt then went into the tank and questioned aloud whether Suchanek had an entire house or had rivered a flush. He said that he too had an entire house.

Dirk Suchanek, centre

He nodded to the dealer and said, "Call." Suchanek turned over T♦9♣ and Ballstadt showed his 4♠4♥. That 5♥ at the river had turned out to be the most productive card within the deck for Suchanek because it gave Ballstadt reason to believe he might be beating a flush.

Suchanek's not-quite shove was 22,375 and he now has double that. Ballstadt was left with somewhat wanting 3,000.

1:25pm: High Roller detailsLevel 2 - Blinds 50/100

The Main Event will remain the focal point of our attention throughout this week, but it's worth mentioning that there's also a €2,000 High Roller event under way. It started yesterday with 49 players (and ten re-entries) and 30 of them remain. They include Dara O'Kearney, who's on slightly a roll on the moment, and the Team PokerStars Pro George Danzer. Neither have all that many chips and can face an uphill struggle to still be involved when the money kicks in with nine left.

Play starts at 7pm in that one and the (ambitious) plan is to play to a winner tonight. There's €34,330 up for grabs for the winner.

1:20pm: Baumann picks off the bluffLevel 2 - Blinds 50/100

With the player within the big blind absent, the dealer took 100 chips from his stack and practically dangled in front of the opposite seven on the table as a carrot to head after stealing. Tamu Kero had a crack, raising to 300 from under the gun.

Franz Baumann, within the small blind, was one in all two callers who saw a flop of A♠6♦7♠. Baumann checked and Kero bet 500. The verdict passed back to Baumann after the third player folded. Baumann called.

The 3♦ came at the turn and Baumann check-called Kero's bet of 1,200.

The 5♥ came at the river and the pattern went through a 3rd iteration. Baumann checked, Kero bet 2,700 and Baumann called. Kero sheepishly tabled K♠T♠ and Baumann's A♣9♠ took it down.

1:05pm: Not quads!Level 2 - Blinds 50/100

Mehmet Ince showed quads towards the top of the last level when his big river raise got Miroslav Forman to fold. But this time, after of venture at the turn got an identical result, he showed nothing but ace high. (IT WOULD still has been good.)

Ince, Forman and Sebastian Esche this time went to the flop with, it seems, Ince the aggressor from the small blind. He squeezed to 850 after Esche, within the cutoff, called Forman's early position open to 300. All three of them saw the flop of 6♦8♥4♣.

Ince and Forman both checked, prompting of venture of 500 from Esche. Ince check-raised to 1,400 and Forman folded, but Esche called.

The Q♣ came at the turn and Ince fired 1,025 at it. Esche quickly folded and Ince tabled his A♦K♦.

12:40pm: Quads!Level 1 - Blinds 25/50

There was about 6,500 within the pot on Table 6 and two players still with cards: Miroslav Forman and Mehmet Ince. Forman bet 2,200 but saw Ince raise to 7,200. Forman went into the tank, but elected to fold and quickly learnt that he had made a sensible decision. Ince couldn't resist flipping over his 3♠3♦ for some early quads.

12:35pm: Batman's wings are clippedLevel 1 - Blinds 25/50

The aforementioned man in a Batman suit is Eugen Baranow, and true to his superhero status he soared early on during Level 1 and was sitting with greater than 40,000. He just lost some of those, however, when Ulrich Pauls took rivered a ship to overcome Baranow's trips.

Eugen Baranow: Batman

I'm unsure the way it all played out, but with a board reading 6♦J♣4♠6♥5♥, Klaus Hornschuch, who would has been within the big blind, bet 500. Pauls raised to 2,400 and Baranow called. Hornschuch folded.

Baranow turned his 7♣6♠ and were leading post-flop against Pauls' pocket fives. But that five at the river changed things. It drops Baranow to about 36,000, that's still 11,000 greater than he started with, only about 35 minutes ago.

12:30pm: See the flop for freeLevel 1 - Blinds 25/50

Kay Di Stefano limped for fifty from early position and that tempted Jens Christian Nielsen to name from the button. Dirk Suchanek likes nothing such a lot as to look a flop totally free from the large blind and he checked his option.

The board brought the 7♠8♥5♣ and both Suchanek and Di Stefano checked. Nielsen tried to select it up with a raffle of 175. But both his opponents desired to see the turn.

It came J♥ and this time Suchanek's lead--he made it 500--persuaded either one of the others to let it go.

12:20pm: Six tables in playLevel 1 - Blinds 25/50

It's a quiet begin to this one, in additional ways than one. Within the traditional poker sense, it's quiet in that only six tables are currently in play. Within the literal sense, it is also pin-drop quiet on this tournament room, with just a very limited daytime crowd in attendance.

Suffice to mention there are not any global superstars within the building yet, with my notebook returning blank from an early sweep of the tournament room. There is a guy who looks similar to Jack Stanton, my PokerStars Blog colleague; there is a bloke in a Batman suit (that is, a suit with the Batman logo on it, not a mask/cape get-up); and there is a bloke who could have been a bloke I recognised from an EPT event, but turned out to not be. This is the reason they pay the massive money for reporters. That is peerless journalism.

Thomas Stacha, our photographer, said that he recognised Batman bloke, and that there is a Danish guy here who arranges poker tours. "HAVE YOU LEARNT his name?" "No." There's also a Czech online player, who's "superb" but similarly as yet unidentified. But don't have any fear, names might be attached to these types of fellas very soon.

12:05pm: And stale they goLevel 1 - Blinds 25/50

Thomas Lamatsch, tournament director, has instructed his dealers to get the cards within the air and play is now under way. The starting stack is 25,000 and blinds begin at 25/50.

12pm: Another day, another huge PokerStars tournament

Morning all and welcome to sunny Hamburg for the beginning of the most recent Eureka Poker Tour Main Event. We're actually within the suburb of Schenefeld, which I WILL claim means "sunny field" as that's so much like what it seems like. This casino, at the outskirts of the northern industrial powerhouse, has one of the most rarest commodities in global gaming: natural light. There is a glass roof, an airy atmosphere, and it feels glorious.

Regarding the tournament itself: this can be a €1,000 buy-in event with three starting flights. Today is Day 1A, which generally attracts the fewest players. But there's an solution to play all three days for those who like--if you bust today, you'll be able to come again tomorrow. Should you bust tomorrow, you'll get back on Friday. (However, for those who only happen on Friday, that's your lot.)

Last year's hard cap of 200 players per day has increased to 250 this time, so there are hopes that last year's 581 entries can be surpassed. We will be able to only know that after registration closes on the end of Level 6 on Friday.

Today's schedule seems like this: we'll play 12 45-minute levels, with a 45-minute dinner break on the end of Level 6. There is a 15-minute break after Level 3 and Level 9. That are meant to get us out of here at 10:15pm, give or take.

That said, I DO NOT know why anyone would wish to depart. We're surrounded by bars and restaurants. We peer over the river Dupenau. And when the sun goes down, we'll have the ability to peer on the stars, we all within the gutter. Stand by for the beginning of the action at noon.

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Eureka Poker Tour]