Day 2 of the UKIPT certainly lived up to the "moving day" tagline today after the 273 returning players were whittled down to just 24 over the course of ten one-hour levels. As the dust settled on a long day, one man stood taller than all others, well, if he stood on top of his big pile of chips he certainly would.

PokerStars qualifier Adam Owen in known for his prowess in draw variations of poker, but today he proved he's not bad at reading boards either. He eliminated Casey Kastle on the last hand of the night after rivering an ace, and making a flush a while earlier helped him knock out Bart Lybaert and Mathieu Kuhne in one fell swoop. "I've never had a bag of chips this heavy!" he said at the close of play.

We're not surprised as it contained 2,171,000 and he leads from players such as Mark Foggin (1,870,000), Patrick Rooney (1,776,000), Samuel Vousden (1,608,000), James Akenhead (579,000) and the only remaining UKIPT champion left in the field, Thomas Finneran (935,000). Full counts can be seen by clicking here and check out the Day 3 seat draw as well.

Day 2 is also always the bubble day on the UKIPT and today was no different. It's one of the most emotional junctions of a poker tournament, but just like a good holiday coming to an end, it has to happen. The bubble actually burst without anyone realising at the time. How can that happen, you ask? Well, Idris Ambraisse and Pim Gieles both busted at the same time during hand-for-hand play - splitting 151st place money - meaning that the player who was eliminated in 153rd place was the last to leave with no money. That player was David Crilly and he had called all in for two big blinds whilst in the big blind. He found himself dominated and didn't find a way out.

He was not alone in leaving without any money today, as another 120 players had dreams of cashing dashed early on. Among them were Jonathan Rees, Nick Newport, Fernando Britto, Kerryjane Craigie, Rocco Palumbo, Matt Davenport, Daragh Davey, Jason Tompkins, Georgios Mavroulias, Simon Persson, Gareth Chantler and Friend of PokerStars Filipe Ramos.

One player who made the money but not the end of the day was defending champion Kevin Killeen. He busted in 33rd place during the last level of the night when his short-stack shove with ten-nine didn't work out well versus Paul Michaelis and his pocket sevens. Other notables who also cashed but failed to make Day 3 included fellow former champions Dean Hutchison (66th and Brett Angell (67th); Dan Carter (50th), Patrick Leonard (51st), David Clarkson (53rd), Andrew Chen (63rd), Dara O'Kearney (75th), Joel Micka (84th), Dermot Blain (87th), Charlie Carrel (88th), Chris Gordon (90th), Jeff Madsen (101st), Chris Dowling (108th), Joao Simao (132nd) and Kenny Hallaert (137th).

The Main Event has two more days to play but they'll be a one-day hiatus in between. The plan for tomorrow is to play down to a final table of eight players and then take a one-day break before coming back to play to a winner on Monday. Those eight lucky souls will get their 15 minutes of fame as the final will be live streamed on EPTLive.com.

That's all for today folks, play will resume at midday tomorrow. For now, catch up on today's action by clicking the links below:

Levels 19-22
Levels 13-18

All photos are copyright of Mickey May

* CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
* CHIP COUNTS
* Players remaining: 8 of 1,002 (average stack is 3,130,000)
* Final table of eight set (recap here); final table to resume Monday at 12:30
* Hole cards up coverage of the final to streamed on EPTLive.com from 1:30pm
* Top 151 players get paid, payouts can be viewed here

5:20pm: Christophe Bouziane eliminated in 9th place (€13,160)
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Well that didn't take long...

Christophe Bouziane had fewer than five big blinds when the unofficial final table of nine began and it didn't take long for him to find a spot to get them in. Unfortunately it didn't work out for him.

Vladas Tamasauskas opened to 150,000, Bouziane shoved for 240,000, David Pollock smooth called and Tamasauskas then isolated by raising to 720,000. That forced Pollock out.

Tamasauskas: [Ks][Ts]
Bouziane: [Kd][Qc]

The Frenchman was in good shape, but the [6s][Kh][As][7h][9s] board favoured Tamasauskas as the Lithuanian rivered a flush to eliminate him.

The final table of eight is now set, it'll play out on the TV table on Monday starting at 12.30pm. However as it's a cards-up EPT Live broadcast our coverage will start at 1.30pm.

A full wrap of the days play will follow shortly. --NW

5:30pm: Unofficial final table of nine re-draw
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

The final nine are back in their seats and this is how they line-up:

5:20pm: Patrick Rooney eliminated in 10th place (€10,930)
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

The unofficial final table of the UKIPT5 Dublin is set and Patrick Rooney is the man to miss out. After Quentin Dellis raised to 130,000, Rooney shoved for about 1,450,000 and Dellis snap called.

Dellis: [Qd][Qs]
Rooney: [8h][8c]

The [4c][Kc][Qc] flop gave Dellis a set but Rooney had flush outs. He missed them on the [Ah] turn and [4h] river though. They'll now be a short break whilst they redraw to the unofficial final table of nine. -- NW

Quentin Dellis, 4,700,000
Patrick Rooney, 0

5:10pm: Jeffrey Sauren eliminated in 11th place (€10,930)
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

David Pollock is at the centre of the action here in Dublin as he just eliminated Jeffrey Sauren to reduce the field to the final ten.

Pollock opened to 200,000 on the button with [2c][2s] and called off after Sauren shoved for 660,000 with [Ad][7h]. It was a race that the pair won as the board came [5d][9s][Jc][3s][4c] to eliminate Sauren in 11th place. --NW

David Pollock, 4,800,000
Jeffrey Sauren, 0

5pm: Pollock makes a royal, then doubles Rooney
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Chip leader David Pollock hit a royal then doubled up Patrick Rooney soon after.

Polllock opened to 150,000 from the hijack and Adalsteinn Karlsson defended his big blind. The flop came [kh][jh][8c] and Karlsson led for 225,000. Pollock called and then bet 250,000 on the [qh] turn when Karlsson checked to him. Pollock cursed when he saw his opponent fold and showed the table his [ah][th] for a royal flush!

Rooney was down to 820,000 when he moved all in from under the gun. Pollock was in the big blind and made the call.

Rooney: [kh][jd]
Pollock: [ad][7d]

Rooney needed help and he got more than he needed as the board ran [kd][jc][3d][jh][kc]. --MC

4:50pm: Chip counts
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Just eleven players remain in the hunt for the UKIPT Dublin title and the first prize of €176,900. David Pollock still leads, his stack of 5,500,000 is someway clear of the chasing pack.

4:30pm: Break time
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)
The final 11 players are on a 20-minute break.

4:25pm: Shorties trying to survive
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

There are many really short stacks at the moment, Jeffrey Sauren (645,000) and Christophe Bouziane (550,000) are probably the shortest stacks at their respective tables. -- NW

4:20pm: Mahmood Rasheed eliminated in 12th place (€ 9,790)
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

"Good call," said Mark Reilly to Marc Foggin after that latter had eliminated Mahmood Rasheed in twelfth place.

The hand started with Foggin raising to 110,000 from the cut-off, Rasheed then shoved from the small blind for 1,045,000 and Foggin went into the tank. He cut out the calling chips required (he had about 1.4M total back), thought for a bit and then made the call.

Rasheed: [As][6d]
Foggin: [Ad][Jd]

The [8s][2c][2d][3s][Jc] board only improved Foggin and means we're down to 11 players. "Tough to fold ace-jack blue," said Foggin to Reilly after the hand. --NW

Marc Foggin, 3,500,000
Mahmood Rasheed, 0

4:10pm: Stefan Schillhabel eliminated in 13th place (€9,790)
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

Both Day 1 chip leaders have now departed with Stefan Schillhabel's exit. He doubled up Mark Reilly and then busted to him a short while after.

Reilly moved all in for 135,000 and Schillhabel did likewise for 240,000 to get it heads up. Schillhabel opened [qs][qd] but couldn't hold against Reilly's [ac][tc] on an [as][ts][8c][8d][8s] board.

Schillhabel managed to double up before he tangled with Reilly once more.

Reilly opened to 110,000 from under the gun before Schillhabel moved all in for 210,00 from the cutoff. All others folded and Reilly opened [ad][jd] after calling, and held versus Schillhabel's [as][4s] on a [8h][2s][td][qd][2h] board. --MC

3:45pm: Vladimir Velikov eliminated in 14th place (€8,810)
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

Day 1A chip leader Vladimir Velikov couldn't turn his fortunes around fully and busted in fourteenth place.

He was down to 340,000 when he moved all in from the small blind. Vladas Tamasauskas was in the big blind and made the call.

Velikov: [8d][8c]
Tamasauskas: [kh][2s]

The board ran out [kd][4s][5s][9c][9d] to make Tamasauskas two pair. -- MC

3:25pm: Velikov spikes the river to survive
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

Samuel Vousden opened to 90,000 from middle position, Vladimir Velikov then moved all-in for 165,000 and Mark Reilly then re-raised all in for 450,000 total. Vousden left them to it.

Reilly: [As][Qs]
Velikov: [Ah][7c]

It looked bleak for the Bulgarian but the [4c][Ts][6c][2c][7d] board gave the Day 1A chip leader a reprieve. --NW

Marc Reilly, 450,000
Vladimir Velikov, 360,000

3:20pm: Paul Michaelis eliminated in 15th place (€ 8,810)
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

We're down to 14 as Paul Michaelis just got unlucky to bust. He re-raised all-in with [Ac][Tc] for 330,000 total and Jeffrey Sauren - who had already put 100,000 into the pot - called off the extra with [Qc][Th].

Michaelis had a dominating hand but it didn't stay that way as the [8d][td][5h][Qd][7s] board sent him to the rail. --NW

Jeffrey Sauren, 1,900,000
Paul Michaelis, 0

3:15pm: Doubles for Monteiro and Dellis
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

Jelcides Monteiro was down to just 330,000 an he three-bet all in with [Kc][9c] over the top of Adalsteinn Karlsson's open of 105,000. When it folded back to the chip leader he put in the extra and showed [Jc][9d].

A [Kd][Ac][4h][5h][9s] board kept Montiero in front and he doubled his short stack.

A few hands later Quentin Dellis opened to 80,000 and David Pollock simply open shoved for 5,500,000. It was actually an effective shove of 1,500,000 and when it folded back to Dellis he started talking to Pollock. "I don't think I can fold, do you have ace-king or a mid-pair?"

About ten seconds later Dellis did call and he was all in for 1,130,000.

Dellis: [Jd][Js]
Pollock: [Ad][Kd]

It was a good read by Dellis and a good board for the Belgian as it ran [Qd][4c][Qs][3h][8s] to keep him in front. --NW

Adalsteinn Karlsson, 5,000,000
David Pollock, 3,800,000
Quentin Dellis, 2,300,000
Jelcides Monteiro, 700,000

3:10pm: Adam Owen eliminated in 16th place (€7,840)
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)
Adam Owen looked understandably shocked after he lost his entire stack over the course of two hands.

First up, he raised from second position and was called by David Pollock and Jeffrey Sauren in the blinds. The flop fanned [2h][5d][9s] and Owen continued for 120,000 before Pollock check-raised to 250,000. Sauren folded but Owen called to the [5h] turn where Pollock immediately set Owen all in for his remaining 2.6 million. The Brit tank folded.

Two hands later, Adalsteinn Karlsson raised from second position and Owen peeled from the big blind to see a [ad][5s][4s] flopp come down. Karlsson continued and saw Owen check-raise to 475,000. The Icelander then wasted little time in shoving for 2,633,000! Owen stood out of his chair and said he couldn't fold and called all in for a couple of hundred thousand less.

Owen: [ah][4c] for two pair
Karlsson: [ac][kc] for top pair, top kicker

The turn came as the [kd] to see Karlsson retake the lead with a higher two pair, and Owen was sent to the rail after the board completed with the [8d].

Adalsteinn Karlsson, 5,350,000
David Pollock, 4,750,000
Adam Owen, 0

2:45pm: Final two tables
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

Below is how the final two tables line-up:

2:40pm: Jeffrey Brouwer eliminated in 17th place (€7,840)
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

Big hands, big pot and an even bigger chip lead for David Pollock as he just eliminated JeffreyBrouwer in 17th place.

The Dutchman three-bet shoved with [Ac][Ks] and Pollock called with [Th][Td]. The [Tc][Qd][8h][8s][2s] board gave Pollock a full-house to eliminate Brouwer.

There will now be a short delay whilst the tournament staff do a complete re-draw of the final 16 players. -- NW

David Pollock, 4,400,000
Jeffrey Brouwer, 0

2:30pm: Bouziane doubles
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

Christophe Bouziane is up to one million after doubling through Jelcides Monteiro. The latter opened to 90,000 and then called when Bouziane shoved for 475,000 with [Th][Td].

It was a race as Monteiro had [Ad][Jh], but the pair stayed strong on the [Kh][9c][6d][9d][2h] board. --NW

2:22pm: Level 25 underway
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

Players are back in their seats, and below is how they stack up. --MC

2:04pm: Double up for Stefan
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Just before the break Stefan Schillhabel doubled up through Samuel Vousden. The latter opened to 75,000 and then called when Schillhabel shoved for 375,000 total.

Vousden: [6d][6h]
Schillhablel: [Ad][9s]

The [Qc][Qh][2s] flop changed nothing, but the [9s] turn card gave the German the lead, which he held onto on the [5d] river.

Amazingly both Day 1 chip leaders are still in, Vladimir Velikov was chip leader after Day 1A. -- NW

Stefan Schillhabel, 800,000
Samuel Vousden, 1,025,000

2pm: Break time
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)
The players are on their first 20-minute break of the day. -- MC

1:55pm: Jose Ortiz eliminated in 18th place (€6,870)
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)
Jose Ortiz was the latest player to fall into the trap of the unstoppable David Pollock, busting in 18th place.

The action was three-way a turn with a board reading [5s][jc][6h][5h] and the action checked around to Pollock on the button. He bet 100,000 and then snap called after Ortiz moved all in for 517,000 from the small blind (the big blind folded).

Ortiz: [jd][7c] for top pair.
Pollock: [as][5c] for trips.

The board completed with the [7s] and Pollock moved up to around 3.75 million chips. -- MC

1:40pm: Chip leaders
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

After 100 minutes of Day 3 play it's David Pollock (3,200,000) who leads. With 2,600,000 and 2,500,000 respectively Adam Owen and Adalsteinn Karlsson are his nearest challengers. --NW

1:30pm: Jean Dufau eliminated in 19th place (€6,870)
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

It was a case of a high followed by a massive low for Jean Dufau as he doubled up and then bust out on the very next hand.

First his double, Jelcides Monteiro raised to 70,000 on the button with [Qc][9d] and called when Dufau shoved from the big blind for 256,000 with [Ad][Qh]. A [2c][3h][8s][4h][Jc] board kept the dominating hand in front. So far, so good for Dufau.

However, on the very next hand Quentin Dellis raised to 60,000, Mark Reilly smooth called and Dufau then moved in for 547,000. Dellis took his time and called, Reilly immediately folded.

"I wasn't slow rolling you," said Dellis as he showed [Ks][Kh], "I wanted him (Reilly) to call too." Dufau had [Ah][Qc] and didn't find an ace from space on the [5d][4d][2s][9h][2h] run out. --NW

Quentin Dellis, 1,800,000
Jelcides Monteiro, 1,500,000
Jean Dufau, 0

1:20pm: Thomas Finneran eliminated in 20th place (€6,870)
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

There will be a brand new UKIPT champion crowned here in Dublin after the exit of the only champion remaining, Thomas Finneran.

He moved all in once and got no callers, then he moved in the very next hand - for around 490,000 - and was called by Mark Reilly in position.

Finneran: [7s][7d]
Reilly: [ad][qc]

The board ran [2h][tc][as][th][3s] to pair Reilly's ace. Finneran had a reflective looking smile on his face as he was led away to the payout desk. Reilly moved up to jut under 1.7million. -- MC

1pm: Samuel Panzica eliminated in 21st place (€ 5,900)
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Samuel Panzica was short and had to find a spot to get his chips in. He found that spot but his timing was off and he busted.

The action folded around to him in the small blind and he moved all in for 238,000. Mahmood Rasheed was in the big blind and made the call.

Panzica: [th][5c]
Rasheed: [ah][8s]

The board ran [2h][6h][jh][8c][2d] to seal Panzica's exit. --MC

12:45pm: Reilly doubles through Rooney
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

There was already a pot brewing by the time Patrick Rooney and Mark Reilly reached the turn of a [2h][Td][Jc][2c] board. Rooney bet 225,000 and was priced in to call when Reilly shoved for 355,000 in total. The at risk player was ahead with [Ac][Js] and Rooney's [Tc][7d] didn't spike on the [Jh] river. --NW

Patrick Rooney, 1,400,000
Mark Reilly, 1,000,000

12:45pm: Thomas Bolvin eliminated in 22nd place (€5,900)
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Another exit at table three!

Thomas Bolvin shoved from the button for 308,000 with [Ac][4d] and Samuel Vousden called from the big blind with [Kc][Jd]. The [Td][Qs][8c][Ks][7s] board meant Vousden outdrew the Belgian. He's now the chip leader with around 2,500,000. --NW

Samuel Vousden, 2,500,000
Thomas Bolvin, 0

12:35pm: Benjamin Saada eliminated in 23rd place (€5,900)
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Table three is where all the action is today and if proof was needed that poker is a sick game just ask Benjamin Saada. He started the day with almost 1,400,000 but lost that all to David Pollock in back to back hands where he got it in as a big favourite on both occasions.

In the first hand Pollock raised to 60,000 from the hijack, Saada three-bet from the small blind, Pollock shoved for 478,000 and Saada snap called.

Pollock: [As][4s]
Saada: [9d][9h]

The [3s][5d][7s][Ad][Qd] board only got better for Pollock and he climbed to about 1,000,000 whilst Saada was left with around 900,000. That would prove crucial on the next hand. Pollock raised and Saada smooth called on the button.

On the [5d][6c][4c] flop they got all the chips in the middle, Pollock with [Js][Jd] for the overpair and Saada with [6h][6d] for top set. The [Jc] turn though meant Pollock hit his two outer and Saada's one outer didn't appear on the river.

The Frenchman took the back to back beats incredibly well and wished the table good luck as he left. As a result of the early eliminations at table three both Adam Owen and Jeffrey Brouwer have been moved to that table. --NW

David Pollock, 1,950,000
Benjamin Saada, 0

12:35pm: Don't let the Six Nations stop you playing

If you were thinking of missing out on the UKIPT High Roller (which has 220 entrants already), or any other tournament taking place today, because you don't want to miss any of the Six Nations Rugby matches, then don't fear, as help is at hand. PokerStars will be showing the games on screens scattered around the tournament room!

12:35pm: Benjamin Saada eliminated in 23rd place (€5,900)
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Table three is where all the action is today and if proof was needed that poker is a sick game just ask Benjamin Saada. He started the day with almost 1,400,000 but lost that all to David Poollock in back to back hands where he got it in as a big favourite on both occasions.

In the first hand Pollock raised to 60,000 from the hijack, Saada three-bet from the small blind, Pollock shoved for 478,000 and Saada snap called.

Pollock: [As][4s]
Saada: [9d][9h]

The [3s][5d][7s][Ad][Qd] board only got better for Pollock and he climbed to about 1,000,000 whilst Saada was left with around 900,000. That would prove crucial on the next hand. Pollock raised and Saada smooth called on the button.

On the [5d][6c][4c] flop they got all the chips in the middle, Pollock with [Js][Jd] for the overpair and Saada with [6h][6d] for top set. The [Jc] turn though meant Pollock hit his two outer and Saada's one outer didn't appear on the river.

The Frenchman took the back to back beats incredibly well and wished the table good luck as he left. As a result of the early eliminations at table three both Adam Owen and Jeffrey Brouwer have been moved to that table. --NW

David Pollock, 1,950,000
Benjamin Saada, 0

12:25pm: James Akenhead eliminated in 24th place (€ 4,950)
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

James Akenhead's day hasn't lasted as long he would've hoped, and it was a cooler that cost him.

Samuel Vousden raised from the cutoff and then snap called after Akenhead moved all in for around 450,000 from the button.

Akenhead: [js][jh]
Vousden: [ks][kd]

"Wow. Sick!" commented Akenhead before the board came [3c][8s][ac][2c][2h].
-- MC

Samuel Vousden, 2,200,000
James Akenhead, 0

12:10pm: Double for Rasheed on the first hand
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

On the very first hand of play Mahmood Rasheed moved all in for 329,000 and Adalsteinn Karlsson called from the small blind.

It was a race as Rasheed held [As][Jh] and needed to get there against Karlsson's pocket sixes. The [Ks][Kc][9h][2d][Jd] board made him wait to the very last card and he couldn't contain his excitement, as he did a mini-celebration at doubling up. --NW

Mahmood Rasheed, 700,000
Adalsteinn Karlsson, 690,000

12pm: Shuffle up and deal!
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Cards are in the air for the penultimate day of action. -- MC

11:40am: Welcome back to Dublin
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Day 3 of the UKIPT Main Event kicks off in around 20 minutes time and there is a simple task in front of everyone today: make three become one. A total of 24 players made it through Day 2 and they will be spread (see below) over three tables today. As soon as one table remains, play will stop for the day and the finalists will come back and play out the final on Monday, which is to be streamed on EPTLive.com.

Young British pro Adam Owen leads the way on 2,171,000 but he's being chased by a talented pack including online star Samuel Vousden, former November Niner James Akenhead and UKIPT Cork champion Thomas Finneran - the only previous champion still in. -- MC

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT5 Dublin: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

When play began today Adalsteinn Karlsson was right in the middle of the pack, in twelfth spot of the 24 remaining players. After a quick fire Day 3 in the UKIPT Main Event he tops the lot. In no small part that's thanks to eliminating Adam Owen, who was the overnight chip leader. The king is dead, long live the king!

That pot played out with 16 players remaining, all the chips went in on a [Ad][5s][4s] flop with Karlsson holding [As][Kc] and Owen the superior [Ah][4s]. A king on the turn gave Karlsson a pot worth over 5,300,000 and left Owen a little shocked. Given that Karlsson starts the final table with less than that pot was worth, it shows just how crucial that hand was.

It's incredibly tight at the top of the chip counts, with Karlsson's lead from David Pollock under 1.5 big blinds and the top four separated by fewer than five big blinds. When they resume on Monday they'll be 20 minutes and 24 seconds left in the 30,000 - 60,000 (ante 10,000) level.

Our chip leader is 28 and became the Icelandic Poker Champion in November 2015, beating a field of 140 players to win more than £9,000. This money enabled him to take his game on the road, he competed at UKIPT5 Edinburgh and came third in the Edinburgh Cup for £5,225. He might be going further afield if he takes this one down for €176,900.

The man who'll start second when play resumes at 12.30pm on Monday, looked for much of the day like he'd be the one bagging up the biggest stack. Back to back hands against Benjamin Saada propelled him towards the chip lead just 30 minutes into the day.

The Irish PokerStars qualifier has shown throughout that he's not afraid to play big pots and was often the one putting other players to the big decisions and he also made a royal flush today! He and Karlsson clashed in a few pots late on, it's a rivalry to keep an eye on when the final table starts, especially as they're in adjacent seats.

In contrast to Pollock, Vladas Tamasauskas didn't show his hand to late on, very late on. He eliminated Christophe Bouziane on the final hand of the day to ascend to third in the chip counts. He's no stranger to success on PokerStars' regional tours having finished 11th in Eureka Prague in December 2015. Not bad for a 21-year-old who's only played a handful of live tournaments.

The Lithuanian isn't the only player at the final table who had some success in Prague in December. Quentin Dellis cashed four times for a combined €26,293. Dellis's day basically came down to two big hands where he had big pairs. He doubled through David Pollock with jacks against ace-king and knocked Patrick Rooney out in tenth with queens against eights.

Another player who had some success in Prague is Samuel Vousden. The professional poker player was born in Salo, south Finland and finished 14th in the EPT Main Event in the Czech capital. He has played only a few live tournaments, however, he's arguably one of the most experienced players among the final eight, he has a Sunday Million title as well as a SCOOP title under his belt, to name just a few of his numerous online achievements. 

Apart from when he eliminated James Akenhead with kings against jacks, Vousden seemed to run fairly bad in all-in situations today, but each time he got knocked down he built back up again, winning many pots without going to showdown. If that trend continues on Monday he may well be the one posing for the winner's photos.

There's some drop off between the chip stacks of the top five and the other three players at the final table. Leading the charge for the 'have nots' is Marc Foggin. He was supposed to be on a plane home tomorrow, not back to England, but to to Las Vegas for his friend's birthday and some deep-stack tournaments.

Those plans have been cancelled and it continues what's already been some year for Foggin. He came second in a $2,000 side event at The PCA - winning over $45,000 - and finished seventh in a £1,000 event in London at the end of January, good for another $37,000.

Only two players are in what could be deemed short stack territory, Jelcides Monteiro will start the final table with 17 big blinds and it's hard to know if he'll be happy or down in the dumps. He had far more at one stage and far less at another. In the end he's ended up somewhere in the middle. The player from Luxembourg, who's fluent in six languages, is still in with a shot at the title and that's what really matters though.

Mark Reilly is the second player from Ireland at the final table and whilst he'll start as the shortest stack he's shown he's got the patience to wait for a spot and turn that stack into something more workable. Throughout today he played a patient game and players seemed to respect his all ins when he was forced to put his tournament life on the line.

We've had the final table short stack come back to win before (Nicolau Villa-Lobos did it in Edinburgh) so don't count Reilly out.

Twenty-four into eight doesn't go of course and as well as James Akenhead and Adam Owen, more fine players found their journey to the UKIPT final table derailed today. Thomas Finneran was looking to win a second UKIPT Main Event title but he had to settle for 17th place whilst Jeffrey Brouwer was looking to make a second UKIPT final table. He fell short in 12th place.

To see who finished where and to catch up on all today's action click on the links below. We'll be back from 13.30pm on Monday for the final table. You can watch that on EPTLive.com, YouTube, Facebook and right here on the blog. They'll be another live final table before then though as the €25,000 High Roller final table plays out tomorrow on EPTLive.com. You can follow updates from that one right here.

Prizepool and payouts
Levels 23-27

All photos are copyright of Mickey May.

Seat 1: Mark Reilly, Ireland - 845,000

Mark Reilly, 36, has been a poker pro for the last 11 years, mainly playing medium stakes PLO, both cash games and tournaments. The €16,840 he's now guaranteed for making the UKIPT Dublin final table will be the third biggest cash of his live poker career - and brings his lifetime live tournament winnings to nearly $200k. His best live result to date was winning the $1k NL Hold'em Championship at Binions during the World Series in 2014 for nearly $41k. His best result at a PokerStars live event was tenth in a €1k event at EPT Prague in December. Online, he has a Sunday Warm-Up victory under his belt. He said: "I also final tabled a SCOOP or WCOOP event - I actually can't quite remember which!"

Seat 2: Dave Pollock, Ireland (PokerStars Qualifier) - 4,335,000

Dave Pollock, 40, has been commuting (with the exception of last night) back and forth from his hometown Cork in order to participate in the UKIPT Main Event. He's no stranger to a streamed final table, having finished 2nd in the Irish Open in 2014 for €130,500 (although tomorrow's top prize exceeds that). Pollock, a factory worker, has been playing poker for 10 years (live tournaments), and still competes weekly with friends in Cork, although says, "I can't seem to win there, against them. They know me too well!" Here on a UKIPT final table, he says he is more comfortable, and comes back as one of four very close top stacks.

Seat 3: Adalsteinn Karlsson, Iceland (PokerStars Player) - 4,420,000

Adalsteinn Karlsson, from Husavik, Iceland, started playing poker in 2010, first on Full Tilt Poker and then on PokerStars. He's been learning the game since then and only recently started to play live poker. He became the Icelandic Poker Champion in November 2015, beating a field of 140 players for more than £9,000, and this enabled him to take his game on the road. Karlsson competed at UKIPT5 Edinburgh and came third in the Edinburgh cup for £5,225. Away from poker Karlsson is a self-taught computer programmer and likes to travel. He's able to work from his laptop so can take his job on the road. He's been living, on and off, in Thailand for past four years, training in Muay Thai and enjoying life there.

Seat 4: Jelcides Monteiro, Luxembourg - 1,025,000

Jelcides Monteiro will be celebrating not only his first live final table on Sunday, but his first ever live cash. The 28-year-old has been a full time poker player for the last three years but mainly plays cash games. He was born in Cape Verde, a volcanic archipelago lying 500km off the coast of West Africa, but moved to Luxembourg when he was four years old (and now speaks six languages fluently). This isn't his first PokerStars live event - he also competed in the EPT and Eureka Prague Main Events in December but failed to cash. He's had considerable success online though including a deep run in the Sunday Million last week. A few months ago, he finished fourth in the Hot $109, and was then runner-up the following day.

Seat 5: Vladas Tamasauskas, Lithuania (PokerStars Player) - 4,255,000

Vladas Tamasauskas is a 21 year old Lithuanian poker pro who cut his teeth online playing the unusual combination of No Limit tournaments and Razz, before heading out on the live tour. He's only made two trips so far, the first being to the Bahamas (where he could legally play poker before his 21st birthday). At Eureka5 Prague he finished 11th for €19,460 and now here in Dublin he's about to cash for at least €16,840. Tamasauskas intends to stay for the full EPT Dublin Poker Festival (which runs until the 20th February). He may be new to the non-virtual felt but having found friends in Lithuania to discuss strategy with early on, he's comfortable heading into the final a close third in chips.

Seat 6: Marc Foggin, United Kingdom - 2,220,000

Marc Foggin, 32, was supposed to be flying to Las Vegas tomorrow for his friend's birthday and some deep-stack tournaments, but has had to cancel after making the UKIPT Dublin final. Foggin is a semi-professional poker player based in Newcastle who runs a property business with his dad - whom he is debating flying over to watch the final live on Monday. Foggin found the poker room in a casino while trying to hide from a friend of his one night, and having sat down at a table found the game suited him; he has almost $400,000 in live tournament cashes from America to Australia.

Seat 7: Quentin Dellis, Belgium - 4,150,000

Quentin Dellis, a 27 year old poker professional, came to Dublin for the UKIPT and its side events (the PokerStars Cup and High Roller) but has only been able to concentrate on the Main Event. It's worked out well for him; he'll soon add a UKIPT final table prize to his five cashes in EPT side events so far in the last year. Dellis was introduced to poker by friends, thought it was fun, and gradually became intrigued by its intricacies. He's been playing for 5-6 years, professionally for three (mainly tournaments) and although he is a fan of Turbo online tourneys, "can be more patient" when it's called for.

Seat 8: Samuel Vousden - 3,675,000

Born in Hong Kong, Samuel Vousden grew up in Salo, south Finland. He flew under the radar until last December, when he fell just shy of the EPT12 Prague final table finishing 14th and earning €45,930 - his biggest live result to date. Vousden has played only a few live tournaments just and on Monday he'll experience his first ever live final table. However, he's arguably one of the most experienced players among the final eight; he's been crushing the online realm for several years. Vousden has earned opponents' respect on PokerStars, having a Sunday Million title as well as a SCOOP title under his belt. Away from poker, he's a Manchester United supporter, and a big fan of David Beckham.

9:45pm: So long Season 5, hello Season 6
Level 33 - Blinds 125,000/250,000 (25,000 ante)

I hope you've enjoyed our coverage of Season 5 of the UKIPT, which started all the way back in January 2015. There's not long to wait for Season 6 as it kicks of in London in April. The first event of Season 6 takes place at PokerStars LIVE! at The Hippodrome Casino between April 5th-10th. The Main Event is a £770 buy-in, but satellites from just £1.10 will start running on PokerStars this Thursday.

We'll be announcing more details about Season 6 so keep an eye on the UKIPT Website and @UKIPT on Twitter for details of that.

A full recap of the final table will be posted shortly, thanks again from everyone at PokerStars for following our coverage of the UKIPT.

9:35pm: Vladas Tamasauskas wins UKIPT5 Dublin and €176,900; Dave Pollock second (€107,010)
Level 33 - Blinds 125,000/250,000 (25,000 ante)

It's all over and Vladas Tamasauskas is the UKIPT5 Dublin champion. On the final hand the 21-year-old raised to 550,000 with [th][5d] and Dave Pollock flat called with [As][4c]. The Lithuanian made trips on the [9s][5s][5c] flop, Pollock checked, Tamasauskas bet 500,000 and Pollock check-raised all-in for 5,500,000. Tamasauskas snap called!

The [8c] turn meant Pollock was drawing dead and the meaningless [2s] completed the board.

9:25pm: Pollock gets Tamasauskas off the best hand again
Level 33 - Blinds 125,000/250,000 (25,000 ante)

Yet again Dave Pollock has run a bluff that has got Vladas Tamasauskas to lay down the best hand. The Lithuanian found a big hand on the button and raised it up with [Qd][Qc] and Pollock decided to defend with [9c][3h].

On the [3s][Ac][8h] flop Tamasauskas bet 400,000, Pollock check-raised to 1,000,000 total and Tamasauskas smooth called.

On the [Tc] turn Pollock continued selling the story that he was strong, he bet another million leaving himself 2,200,000 back. If he was selling then Tamasuaskas was buying as he let his hand go.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 18,475,000
David Pollock, 6,350,000

9:18pm: Pollock back in the danger zone
Level 33 - Blinds 125,000/250,000 (25,000 ante)

After losing a couple of pots and the blinds having gone up, Dave Pollock is down to 19 big blinds.

9:13pm: Level up
Level 33 - Blinds 125,000/250,000 (25,000 ante)

9:12pm: Pollock up to 6.5M
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Fair play to Dave Pollock he raised with junk and had the stones to bet like he had it. He opened to 625,000 with [8c][3d] and Vladas Tamasauskas smooth called with [Kh][8d].

On the [Ac][Ks][5s] flop Pollock continue for 500,000 and Tamasauskas stuck around. The [9s] turn checked through and a fourth spade - the [2s] - completed the board. The Lithuanian checked and Pollock moved all-in for 3,675,000. It was an overbet as the total pot was now 5,975,000.

Tamasauskas went deep into the take and thought for three and a half minutes before folding. It's now 94 big blinds for him and 29 big blinds for Pollock.

9:05pm: Pollock on the up
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Dave Pollock has clawed some back and is up to 5,280,000. He's still some way behind Vladas Tamasauskas who has 19,700,000. The blinds are going up in about five minutes though.

9:02pm: Frozen kidney chips in play
Twenty-five million (in value) chips can take up a lot of room on a poker table so the 500,000 value chips have been introduced. "Graphical" Nick from EPTLive has named them "Frozen Kidney."

8:57pm: No big clashes yet
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

It's as you were in this heads up battle. No major chip movement yet as the players are taking the opportunity to size each other up. We've seen one three-bet shove from Dave Pollock but it went uncalled.

8:47pm: Play resumes
One thousand players have busted and just two remain. They're back in their seats and continuing level 32. Can Dave Pollock amount an amazing comeback? Stay tuned to find out.

7:28pm: Dinner break
The remaining two players are taking a 75-minute dinner before coming back and playing for the trophy. Here's how they stack up:

Vladas Tamasauskas, 21,425,000
Dave Pollock, 3,580,000

7:25pm: Mark Reilly eliminated in third place (€75,230)
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Aces cracked have taken us to heads-up here in Dublin and Mark Reilly won't forget this hand in a while.

Vladas Tamasauskas limped from the button with [Jd][Th] and called when Mark Reilly three-bet to 575,000 with [Ah][Ad]. The [Jc][Tc][7d] flop meant Tamasauskas took the lead. "He's never getting away from this," said James Hartigan in the booth and he'd been proved right.

Reilly actually checked, Tamasauskas bet 550,000, Reilly check-raised, Tamasauskas set the Irishman in and Reilly called off the extra.

He had outs and picked up some more on the [Qd] turn, the [Ts] river gave Tamasauskas a full house and eliminated Mark Reilly in third.

7:18pm: Dave Pollock doubles through Vladas Tamasauskas
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Dave Pollock was down to just over 10 big blinds when he took a stand with [7d][7c]. He shoved from the small blind and Vladas Tamasauskas looked down at [As][Kh] and made the call to put Pollock at risk.

The [6c][6h][Jc][3h][2h] board kept the Irishman in front and he doubled to 4,205,000.

7:12pm: Chip counts
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Vladas Tamasauskas has a huge chip lead now. This is how the final three stack up:

Vladas Tamasauskas, 17,645,000 (88 big blinds)
Mark Reilly, 4,615,000 (23 big blinds)
Dave Pollock, 2,565,000 (12 big blinds)

7:10pm: Adalsteinn Karlsson eliminated in fourth place (€56,470)
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Adalsteinn Karlsson started the day as chip leader but has failed to end it that way after he busted in fourth place.

The action folded around to the 2015 Icelandic Poker Champion and he moved all in for his final 1,070,000 with [qh][8d]. Vladas Tamasauskas looked down at [8h][8s] and snap called.

Karlsson was in terrible shape but the [qs][7s][6c] flipped the odds on their heads. Tamasauskas knew an eight was unlikely but not impossible and so it proved as the turn fell as the [8c] to see him retake the lead with a set. Karlson needed a queen but the [5s] came on the river and Tamasauskas' lead grew even further.

7pm: Tamasauskas stretches his chip lead
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Dave Pollock is taking a battering at the hands of Vladas Tamasauskas and the Lithuanian now has over 60% of the chips in play.

Tamasauskas opened to 480,000 from under-the-gun with [Ah][3s] and Pollock defended from the big blind with [Ad][7c].

The [8d][3h][9s] flop was checked through and although the [As] looked like a good card for Pollock we knew it was one of the worst in the deck for the Irishman. He check-called a bet of 475,000 from Tamasauskas and the [3d] completed the board.

Pollock checked again and Tamasauskas bet 1,480,000 - about two thirds of the pot - and Pollock went into the tank. "Am I giving you more free chips?" he wondered out loud. He thought long and hard but ultimately couldn't get away from it and made the call.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 15,350,000
Dave Pollock, 3,290,000

7:02pm: Pollock gets the bluff through
Level 32 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (25,000 ante)

Dave Pollock has stopped the rot by taking a couple of pots. In a hand against Mark Reilly, he opened to 425,000 from under-the-gun with [2c][2h] and Reilly called with [7s][3s]. He flopped best as the first three community cards were: [Th][3d][5c].

Pollock c-bet 425,000 and Reilly called. The turn was the [Ks] but it didn't slow Pollock down, he bet 625,000 and got Reilly off the best hand.

6:49pm: Huge pot for Tamasauskas
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

We have fireworks! With the amount of big hands we've seen today it was a matter of when, and not if, this pot was going to happen.

On the button Tamasauskas looked down at two red aces and opened to 340,000, Mark Reilly then three-bet to 1,000,000 straight with [Kc][Jh] and Dave Pollock then cold four-bet to 2,200,000.

That's because the Irishman had a real hand, [As][Qh] to be precise. Now back on Tamasauskas he took some time before moving all-in for 6,020,000 total. Reilly swiftly folded and now Pollock asked for a count. When he learnt how much it was he let out a couple of profanities and said: "I'm probably going to have to call this."

He took some more time, and then decided to call. We had a huge 13,120,000 chip pot on our hands here and the [6h][6c][Qs] flop gave Pollock some additional outs. The [8s] turn and [3d] river kept Tamasauskas in front and we might just have seen the defining pot of this tournament.

Pollock was understandably a little flustered after that hand and after playing one more hand he decided to take a self-imposed break and nip outside for a cigarette.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 13,120,000
Dave Pollock, 4,520,000

6:40pm: Raise-fold from Karlsson
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Despite being in the danger zone with just 12 big blinds, Adalsteinn Karlsson just manged to raise-fold a hand. He raised to 355,000 on the button with [6s][5s] but released his hand when Vladas Tamasauskas re-raised to 780,000.

6:26pm: Reilly up to second
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Mark Reilly just won a blind on blind pot against Vladas Tamasauskas to climb to second in the chip counts. Pre-flop it was Tamasauskas who was the aggressor, he raised it to 480,000 from the small blind with [Jd][2c] and Reilly defended with [Ac][9c].

Tamasauskas flopped best on the [Jc][Kh][3d] flop but gave up the betting lead, Reilly fired out 525,000 and Tamasauskas smooth called.

The [Ah] turn put Reilly in the lead but both players checked and the [8c] completed the board. Having called with the best hand, Tamasauskas now led with the worst hand, he bet 840,000 and Reilly got a count before calling.

That pot has seen Reilly and Tamasauskas trade positions in the chip counts, with Reilly now up to second.

Mark Reilly, 7,270,000
Vladas Tamasauskas, 6,410,000

6:19pm: Pollock pulls off a big bluff
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Wow! Dave Pollock just pulled off a stone bluff and got it through.

Vladas Tamasauskas opened from under-the-gun with [9c][8d], Pollock called from the small blind with [5s][3s] and Karlsson flat called with [Qh][Tc] from the big blind.

There was something for everyone - apart from Pollock - on the [Ks][Td][9h] flop. It checked through to the [4c] turn, Pollock checked, Karlsson bet 500,000, Tamasauskas folded and Pollock then check-raised to 1,225,000 total. "What is going on?" wondered Joe Stapleton. "To be fair he's picked a good time to do it as Karlsson's got a hand he can fold," and fold he did! Pot to Pollock.

Dave Pollock, 9,310,000
Vladas Tamasauskas, 8,455,000
Mark Reilly, 5,385,000
Adalsteinn Karlsson, 1,675,000

6:08pm: Somehow the pot stays small
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

We're not sure how this pot didn't inflate to a bigger size but kudos to Mark Reilly for making a disciplined call and then a disciplined fold.

Vladas Tamasauskas raised to 340,000 from under-the-gun with [As][Kc] and Reilly looked down at [Ah][Qs] on the button. A lot of players would automatically three-bet here but Reilly just smooth called and that bought Adalsteinn Karlsson in from the big blind with [Ad][6s].

On the [7s][5c][Js] flop Tamasauskas c-bet and both players folded.

6pm: Pollock takes the chip lead
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

A couple of hits to the stack of Vladas Tamasauskas has seen Dave Pollock take a slender chip lead.

After the Lithuanian lost a pot to Mark Reilly, he was straight back into the action when he called from the big blind with [8c][6s] after Pollock raised from the small blind with [Ah][Jh].

They both hit the [8s][Jd][Js] flop but the action checked through to the [9c] turn. At this juncture Pollock bet 700,000 and Tamasauskas folded.

Dave Pollock, 8,070,000
Vladas Tamasauskas, 7,870,000

5:48pm: Play resumes
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)
The four players are back in their seats and cards are being dealt.

5:28pm: Second break of the day
The players, and their chips, will be back in 20 minutes.

5:23pm: Karlsson and Tamasauskas clash again
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

The story of this final table so far has been the repeated clashes in big pots between Adalsteinn Karlsson and Vladas Tamasauskas and they just played another chunky pot. Tamasauskas opened to 255,000 from under-the-gun with [Jd][8h] and called when Karlsson three-bet to 550,000 with [Ac][7s] from the big blind.

On the [6s][Kh][2c] flop Karlsson c-bet 600,000 and Tamasauskas floated in position. On the [2s] turn Karlsson checked and he folded when Tamasauskas bet 720,000.

5:15pm: Chip counts four handed
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

5:10pm: Samuel Vousden eliminated in fifth place (€43,440)
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Action folded to Vladas Tamasauskas in the small blind and he set Samuel Vousden all-in for the Finn's last 1,260,000. Vousden looked down at [Qd][8d] and made the call.

He was behind to the [Ad][7d] of Tamasauskas though and didn't even have diamonds working for him. The [2d][5s][Kc][6s][2c] run out couldn't save him and we're down to four at the final table.

Adalsteinn Karlsson asked the others if they wanted to look at numbers, but Tamasauskas said he wanted to play on and that was that.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 9,985,000
Samuel Vousden, 0

5:05pm: Tamasauskas shoves on Vousden
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Samuel Vousden is down to 10 big blinds after getting shoved on by Vladas Tamasauskas and folding the best hand. The latter opened to 255,000 from under-the-gun with [8h][7s] and Vousden called with [Qc][Jc].

The [9h][Kc][6h] flop gave Tamasauskas an open-ended straight draw but after a bit of tank time he checked the action to Vousden. The Finn bet 205,000 into a pot of 790,000, leaving himself with about 1,300,000 back. After about 10 seconds Tamasauskas announced he was all in and Vousden immediately folded.

4:55pm: Reilly finds another big pair
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

It's one thing to get dealt big hands, it's another entirely to pick them up when someone else has a slightly worse hand. Mark Reilly has found himself in that situation with the best of it a few times today.

On this occasion Dave Pollock opened to 325,000 from under-the-gun with [As][Ts], Adalsteinn Karlsson smooth called with [Ah][Jc] only for Reilly to find [Qh][Qd] in the big blind.

He slid out a three-bet to 2,000,000 straight and both his opponent's folded.

4:48pm: Vousden shoves
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Samuel Vousden is the shortest stack at the moment and he just moved all-in with [Kc]][Qd] for 1,180,000 and picked up the blinds and antes uncontested.

4:43pm: Chip count roller-coaster of a day!
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

4:37pm: Quentin Dellis eliminated in sixth place (€31,880)
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

They say you need a bit of luck to win a poker tournament and luck deserted Quentin Dellis when he needed it the most.

Action folded to Vladas Tamasauskas in the small blind and he set Dellis all-in for an effective 1,760,000. Dellis took a quick look at his cards and called all-in.

Dellis: [8h][8c]
Tamasauskas: [Ks][3c]

The [Td][Ks][Jh] flop gave Tamasauskas the lead and the Belgian didn't hit the [Tc] turn or [6h] river and exited in sixth place.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 8,140,000
Quentin Dellis, 0

4:32pm: Jelcides Monteiro eliminated in seventh place (€23,520)
Level 29 - Blinds 50,00-100,000 (10,000 ante)

"So pretty!" muttered chip leader Dave Pollock in the big blind after he looked at his [ad][qd] hand.

Jelcides Monteiro had moved all in from early position with [as][5c] and was waiting for his Irish opponent to make a decision. The shove was for 1,670,000 and Pollock realised he had to call before he did.

The board ran [9d][3h][qs][ac][8h] to pair Pollock's kicker, and then there were six.

4:28pm: Vladas Tamasauskas doubles through Adalsteinn Karlsson
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

It's the Vladas Tamasauskas and Adalsteinn Karlsson show at the moment and it was the Lithuanian's turn to double up this time.

He three-bet shoved for 2,730,000 with pocket threes after Karlsson had opened with [As][Tc]. When it folded back to Karlsson he got a count and then called.

"I didn't think we'd see Vladas Tamasauskas at risk any time soon," said James Hartigan but he needed to win this classic (ish) race to avoid going out in seventh. He managed to do that as the [5c][7h][5d][8d][Qc] board kept him in front.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 5,500,000
Adalsteinn Karlsson, 2,920,000

4:23pm: Adalsteinn Karlsson doubles through Vladas Tamasauskas again
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

A great value check from Adalsteinn Karlsson has seen him double up again and he's now back up to second in chips, whilst Vladas Tamasauskas is down to 27 big blinds.

The Icelander opened to 210,000 with [Ah][Th], Vladas Tamasauskas smooth called on the button with [Kc][Qc] and Samuel Vousden defended his big blind with [8c][7s].

On the [As][2c][4d] flop Karlsson bet 275,000 and Tamasauskas was the only caller. Karlsson improved to two-pair on the [Tc] turn but it was also the perfect turn card for Tamasauskas who now had a straight and flush draw. Karlsson bet small, 350,000 and Tamasauskas smooth called again.

So Karlsson now had just less than a pot sized bet back and on the [6d] river he checked the action to Tamasauskas. The Lithuanian set Karlsson all-in and he took fewer than five seconds to call.

After that hand Karlsson is up to 5,650,000 and Tamasauskas is down to 2,730,000.

4:20pm: Chips ahoy!
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

4:15pm: Adalsteinn Karlsson doubles through Vladas Tamasauskas
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

"Always a sweat," said Adalsteinn Karlsson after he dodged the river to double up through Vladas Tamasauskas, who is now no longer the chip leader.

The Icelander moved all-in for 1,280,000 from the button with [As][9h] and Tamasauskas made the call from the big blind with [Ad][7d].

The [Td][5s][Th] flop kept Karlsson in front but opened up some chopportunities, the [4d] turn gave Tamasauskas a flush draw but the [8s] river was a blank and Karlsson doubled up.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 5,630,000
Adalsteinn Karlsson, 2,680,000

4:05pm: Now Reilly five-bet shoves!
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

From the cutoff Samuel Vousden opened to 220,000 with [Ah][8d], to his immediate left Mark Reilly picked up another big pocket pair. Having recently shoved all-in with pocket tens, he now had [Jh][Js]. He slid out a three-bet of 575,000 and action passed back to Vousden.

The Finn wasn't finished with his hand though and after asking Reilly how much he started the hand with (2.6M) he four-bet to 1,050,000. There was no snap shove from Reilly, instead he took some time to think through the hand before he did indeed move all-in. Vousden immediately folded.

Mark Reilly, 3,820,000
Samuel Vousden, 2,060,000

3:57pm: Reilly four-bet shoves
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Quentin Dellis hasn't got out of line at all today but he had the misfortune to run into a hand the first time he opted to three-bet a little light.

Vladas Tamasauskas opened to 220,000 from under-the-gun with [Jh][Td] and Dellis elected to three-bet to 570,000 on the button with [Qs][Js]. He had the dominating hand, but not for long as Mark Reilly woke up with pocket tens in the big blind.

The Irishman had a stack of 1,715,000 and took some time before moving all-in. There then followed a quick fold from Tamasauskas but Dellis went deep into the tank for three and a half minutes. He had 2,640,000 behind so the call would be for over 50% of his chips. Eventually he folded though and he and Reilly are almost level in chips now.

Quentin Dellis, 2,640,000
Mark Reilly, 2,575,000

3:40pm: Two in a row for Monteiro
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Jelcides Monteiro came into this final table as the short stack but he's now up to fifth in chips and a I don't think he's had to showdown a hand yet.

He's picked up two pots early on in level 28. In the first he raised with [Ah][2s] from the cut-off, Quentin Dellis folded [Kc][Qh] in the small blind but Samuel Vousden stuck around with [Th][8c]. A c-bet from Monteiro on the [Ad][9c][Td] flop was enough to earn him the pot.

Then he picked up [Ts][Th] and three-bet after Adalsteinn Karlsson had opened with [Ah][3h]. The Icelander folded his hand and Monteiro moves up to 2,120,000.

3:27pm: Play resumes
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

The remaining seven players are back in their seats for level 29, here's how they stack up:

3:05pm: Big pot just before the break
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

The rest of the players missed a big pot as this one played out as the break started.

Vladas Tamasauskas opened to 180,000 from under-the-gun with [Js][Ts] and called when Samuel Vousden three-bet to 525,000 from the cutoff with [Qc][9c].

The [Qs][9h][6d] flop hit both players, "Some more money is going into this pot," said Joe Stapleton. It didn't on the flop though as both players checked and the [Td] fell on fourth street. With his pair and straight draw Tamasauskas bet 670,000 and Vousden smooth called.

The [Kh] on the river gave Tamasauskas the best hand, but both players checked the river and the Lithuanian won the last hand of the level.

The players are now on a 20-minute break.

3pm: Vousden gets some back
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Samuel Vousden stopped his recent slide thanks to a straight and and opponent - Quentin Dellis - bluffing in to him.

Dellis completed [6c][4s] and Vousden checked his option with jack-nine. Both players checked the [kc][qh][qc] flop before Dellis led on the [ts] turn and then bet 250,000 (into 440,000) on the [5s] river. Vousden raised to 800,000 with his straight and Dellis folded after some tanking.

Chips after that hand:

2:45pm: Monteiro picking up pots
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Jelcides Monteiro has moved out of the 'danger zone' after picking up a few pots. Interestingly when he three-bet with ace-queen he didn't three-bet all in. It was enough to get Vladas Tamasauskas to lay down ace-jack though.

Jelcides Monteiro, 1,760,000

2:40: Twitter is with you Adalsteinn!
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Adalsteinn Karlsson came in as the chip leader but had a difficult first hour, but he's got great support on Twitter:

My main man @67steinip on the final table of #UKIPTDublin, starting as chipleader but needs some love now after a few difficult hands.VAMOS!

— Haukur M Bodvarsson (@zickread) February 15, 2016

2:35pm: Vousden bluffs the river
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

A really interesting three-way pot just played out which ended with Dave Pollock facing a really tough river decision.

The hand started with Samuel Vousden raising to 150,000 with [9d][8s], Dave Pollock called from the small blind with [qd][Ts] and Adalsteinn Karlsson came along from the big blind with [9c][8d].

On the [Th][9s][3c] flop Karlsson led for 285,000 and both players made the call. On the [4d] turn it was Pollock's turn to lead, he bet 300,000 and only Vousden called. So on two post-flop streets we'd had two different players take the betting lead and neither of them were the pre-flop aggressor!

The river was the [Jh] and Pollock elected to check it over to Vousden. The Finn took some time and then slid out a chunky bet of 1,375,000. "This bet is absolutely designed to get Pollock to fold a ten," said Joe Stapleton in the commentary booth.

Pollock went into the tank and said: "You can't have king-queen," and then tanked some more. Eventually he called and when Vousden opened his hand the Irishman saw that he was good.

Dave Pollock, 6,970,000
Samuel Vousden, 4,180,000

2:27pm: Two in a row for Monteiro
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Jelclides Monteiro is the clear short stack now, and he's shoved twice in a row. He's got both through uncontested and is now up to 12 big blinds.

2:20pm: Marc Foggin eliminated in eighth place (€ 16,840)
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

The theme of big hands clashing at this final table has continued and this time it led to an elimination.

From under-the-gun Marc Foggin raised with [Ah][Kd], this was the first hand the Geordie had played at the final table. That didn't stop Samuel Vousden three-betting with [Js][Jd] from under-the-gun+2. He made it 440,000 to go and although Mark Reilly - with [As][9d] - and Vladas Tamasauskas - with [Ks][7s] - looked interested, they both folded.

With action back on Foggin, who had 24 big blinds back, he took his time before moving all in and after getting a count, Vousden called. Although this was a traditional flip, due to an ace and a king being folded Vousden was actually a 65%-35% favourite to win the hand.

The board ran [Qs][6s][8d][8c][tc] and Foggin is the first man out at the final table, whilst Vousden is now the chip leader.

Samuel Vousden, 6,315,000
Marc Foggin, 0

2:08pm: Level up. Chip counts
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

2:05pm: Mark Reilly doubles through Adalsteinn Karlsson
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

It's been a nightmare start to the final table for Adalsteinn Karlsson as he just doubled up Mark Reilly. But, as you'll see below there's not a lot he could do about it.

Karlsson raised to 150,000 with [Ac][Kh], Vladas Tamasauskas, smooth called with [Ah][Th] and Reilly then moved all-in for 785,000 with [9s][9d]. Back on Karlsson he re-raised to isolate and Tamasauskas let his hand go.

This classic race actually wasn't as both Smauel Vousden and Tamasauskas folded an ace meaning Reilly was a 60-40 favourite. The [3h][Td][3c][Qh][6s] board kept him in front and he doubled to around 1,800,000.

Adalsteinn Karlsson, 2,970,000
Mark Reilly, 1,800,000

1:57pm: Karlsson and Tamasauskas clash again
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Seconds out round two! Two hands after they clashed in a big pot Adalsteinn Karlsson and Vladas Tamasauskas played another pot against each other. The Icelander looked down at [9s][9h] and raised it up 150,000 from under-the-gun+2, Tamasauskas three-bet to 395,000 and Karlsson smooth called.

On the [Qd][Jd][Jh] flop Karlsson elected to lead for 475,000 and after a brief dwell Tamasauskas folded.

1:54pm: Aces for Tamasauskas
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Big hands and big pots in the opening few minutes of this final table. Adalsteinn Karlsson picked up [8s][8d] (cut off) and raised to 150,000. Tamasauskas found [Ad][Ac] in the small blind and three-bet to 440,000, Foggin folded [Ah][7h] big blind. Karlsson, smooth calls.

[Kc][5d][6c] "Pretty sweet flop for Tamasauskas," said Joe Stapleton in the booth. Tamasauskas bet 385,000 and Karlsson made the call. "He's really calling hoping his opponent shuts down," opined Stapleton. The [4h] fell on the turn giving Karlsson a gutshot straight draw, Tamasauskas bet 880,000 and Karlsson gave it up. After just three hands the start of day chip leader is now fifth in chips, whilst Tamasauskas is the chip leader.

Vladas Tamasauskas, 5,450,000
Adalsteinn Karlsson, 3,215,000

1:47pm: First pot to Vousden
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

The first pot has gone to Samuel Vousden, the Finnish pro flopping a full-house no less.

He opened to 150,000 from the hijack with [Kh][Qh] and picked up calls from Adalsteinn Karlsson and Jelcides Monteiro in the blinds.

The [Qc][Ks][Qs] flop was a doozy for Vousden, he bet 150,000, Karlsson stuck around with [5s][5h] but Monteiro, who had [7h][6h], got out of the way.

A 650,000 bet from Vousden on the [6d] turn was enough to win the pot. He's now second in chips.

1:40pm: Shuffle up and deal!
Level 27 - Blinds 30,00-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Cards are in the air for the season-ending finale. There are just over 20 minutes left of level 27. The first player out will receive €16,840 - let's do this!

1:10pm: Final table player profiles
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Which one of our finalists is supposed to be in Las Vegas for a friend's birthday right now? While you're waiting for the action to kick off, find out who and a whole lot more about all our finalists by clicking here.

12:45pm: UKIPT Season 5 set for thrilling finale
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Today we bring the curtain down on Season 5 of the UKIPT, but it won't be going quietly. The final table of the final event of Season 5 will play out on the EPT Live TV table, with cards up coverage on a one hour delay.

In real life the action is already under way as play was due to start at 12.30pm, you'll have to wait to 1.30pm to get moving pictures but as well as reading about it here you can watch it in the following places:

PokerStars.tv
YouTube
Facebook
Twitch

And you can get involved in the conversation by contacting @PokerStarsBlog and @EPTLive on Twitter.

A reminder that the winner of this event will pick up €176,900 and when play starts Adalsteinn Karlsson is in the box seat, although it's very close at the top as the chip counts below show:

And a reminder of what's left to play for:

Live coverage will begin at 13.30 GMT, see you then.

PokerStars Blog reporting team on the UKIPT5 Dublin Main Event: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photography by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

After a one-day hiatus the final UKIPT Main Event of Season 5 came to a conclusion today. After nearly seven levels of exciting play, Vladas Tamasauskas from Lithuania became the latest champion on the tour. He had a tricky period and had to win a race to survive when seven-handed but as the day progressed, so did his confidence along with his stack, and thoroughly deserves the trophy and the €176,900 that goes with it.

"I felt that I could beat him; the chip lead helped!" said Tamasauskas of his heads up battle with Dave Pollock, but it was two hands before than, involving aces, that really went a long way to helping him take a dominating chip lead into their duel, a position he would never give up.

Four-handed he five-bet all in with pocket aces and scored a huge double up via Pollock who four-bet called with ace-queen. That gave the Lithuanian over half the chips in play and he cemented his position event further when, three-handed, he cracked Mark Reilly's aces to send him home (details below). Pollock fought valiantly and aggressively heads up and got his opponent off some better holdings, but his last aggressive move was one too many. He moved all in with ace high on a board containing two fives and was snap called by Tamasauskas who had flopped trips. Game over.

He said he was both a little tired after the three days of poker, and also "very happy with my achievement, even though I might not look it!"

About the UKIPT itself: "The structure was great, the dealers and staff are great - I couldn't say a bad word about it."

The final commenced at 12:30pm and the only British player represented at the table was the first player out. Marc Foggin indicated he was going straight to the bar to get drunk, rather than parlay his money into the EPT Main Event. His fourth final table of the year ended in defeat after his big-slick failed to find a pair on a queen high board. The Geordie has opened from under the gun before Samuel Vousden three-bet with pocket jacks. He did so for value and called when Foggin shoved and leapt into the chip lead as a result.

It took over two hours for the next player to depart as a pattern of chip passing around the table emerged. There were plenty of big hands matching up but none decisive enough to send a player to the rail, until Jelcides Monteiro found himself all in. He can speak six languages but numbers are the same in all of them, and his odds were bad. He moved all in with ace-five and Pollock called with ace-queen, hitting his kicker to decide the hand.

It only took a few more minutes to lose our next player, Quentin Dellis. He had left himself shallow after three-bet-folding a short while earlier. Tamasauskas set him all in with king-three from the small blind, and he called after looking at pocket eights in the big blind, but got unlucky when the board ran king high.

Vousden came into this final table as many people's favourite, due to his Sunday Million and SCOOP wins on PokerStars, but he became the third victim of the level, and another player to fall to Tamasauskas. He was down to 10 big blinds when he called all in with [qd][8d] from the big blind. Unfortunately for the Finn, Tamasauskas opened a flush-dominating [ad][7d], and he hit the rail after a blank board appeared.

The slender chip leader coming into the final was Adalsteinn Karlsson and he departed in fourth place. The 2015 Icelandic Poker Champion's aggressive game got him to the final in pole position but a similar approach cost him in the early stages today. Once short, he never lost heart and took on Tamasauskas in many pots whilst out of position - a period that defined the middle stages of the final. It wasn't to be for him in the end though and his exit hand had an interesting run out, and it inevitably involved Tamasauskas. He moved all in with queen-eight and his Lithuanian nemesis called with pockets eight. Karlsson grabbed the lead on a queen-high flop only for the case eight to appear on the turn to extinguish his hopes.

Mark Reilly's story today was dominated by the amount of big hands he found in the hole. For the most part he used them to make profit but it was the biggest pair of all that cost him his tournament life in third spot. Tamasauskas had limped in from the button with jack-ten and he called after Reilly raised with pocket aces from the small blind. Tamasauskas flopped top two pair and got Reilly all in, and soon all out.

The last two players needed a breather after hard fought battle to get heads up, so they went off for a 75-minute dinner break. They came back fresh and had the tournament wrapped up in less than an hour. To read back through all the action as it happened in (almost) real time, click here.

Here's a reminder of how much each player won today:

This UKIPT Main Event attracted 1,002 players from 50 counties from around the world and Dublin has been an ever-present stop on the tour since the beginning over six years ago. It's hard to think of a better place to bring another amazing season to an end. Thanks to everyone that has played, read the updates and been involved in the best grassroots tour in Europe. Also congratulations to all the Season 5 champions featured below:

London: Rapinder Cheema

Series 1: Chris Young

Nottingham: Sam Mitten-Laurence

Series 2: Giovanni Canali

Marbella: Isidoro Barreña

Bristol: Pierrick Tallon

Isle of Man: Dan Stacey

Super Series: Dale Garrad

Edinburgh: David Gomez

Series 3: Elliott Panyi

No need to worry about missing the tour too much as Season 6 of the UKIPT is just around the corner. Keep an eye on the UKIPT.com homepage for all date announcements but we can tell you that PokerStars LIVE! at The Hippodrome Casino will host the first leg, April 5-10. See you all there! Satellites start as soon as Thursday on PokerStars.

Photos courtesy of Mickey May

There was a time when the United Kingdom and Ireland Poker Tour played the role of the understudy. It was new, exciting, full of energy, but always in the shadow of its older, bigger, more glamourous European cousin, the one that had more money and boasted about spending spring on the Riviera.

But after patiently filling in while the EPT was on repose, the UKIPT is finally recognised as the main feature it really is. No longer an understudy the UKIPT is its own main attraction, and we're excited to say it returns for a sixth season next month.

What's more, you can win your way through to the Season opener in London, with a West End run from April 5 to 10 at London's Hippodrome Casino.

If you haven't played at The Hippodrome Casino before you soon realise why it's an award winning casino, and one of the UK's favourite poker venues. It combines performance and hospitality with five bars, London's favourite steakhouse restaurant, live music and cabaret theatre, as well as a two tier smoking terrace and three floors of gaming. That's just inside The Hippodrome Casino. Outside there's even more.

London is one of Europe's premier poker destinations. In some ways it's perfect. While it offers even the most eclectic of interests the perfect distractions during downtime, it will, like a good friend, help you celebrate your high points, and comfort you in your low points.

Not that Rapinder Cheema would know about the low points. He won the Main Event last time around, collecting £78,825 ahead of a field of more than 700 players. That's a high point in anyone's book. The best of British are expected to play, including Team Pro Jake Cody.

His success came in the Main Event, which this year has the same £700 + £70 buy-in. Of course you can earn that seat for as little as £1.10 in any number of online satellites now running on PokerStars. And if you prefer your satellites to have chairs and actual chips, there will be a £100 + £100 live qualifier at the Hippodrome Casino on Tuesday 5 April and Wednesday 6 April.

It's not just the Main Event that captures attention and imagination. There's a £2,000 + £200 High Roller on the schedule as well as the £300 + £30 London Cup which this season will feature the familiar voices of Joe Stapleton and James Hartigan (along with their faces), who are registered to play.

You can find all the key information about the London festival on the UKIPT Homepage, with details about events and satellites. Everything else you'll find out when you get there.

We'll see you in London.

* Day 1A is over - read a full report of the day here.
* 39 remain (of 146 Day 1A entries)
* Day 1B starts tomorrow at 11:00am

12.45am: It's all over
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

Play has ended for the night - you can read a full wrap-up to today's play here. --JS

12.35am: Pause the clock
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

There will be three more hands for the night. --JS

12.25am: Late night casualties
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

They made it all the way to the last level, but these players won't be making it to the bag-and-tag stage or Day 2:

David Radnor, Alexios Zervos, Andres Luis Viola, Jaroslaw Szyndler, Neill Howard Williams, Nadeem Hussain, William Davies, Seth Webber, Marco Vasconcelos, Jamie O'Connor, and Miguel Riera Suarez.

12.10am: What's all the commotion?
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

I heard a bit of hubbub coming from Jamie O'Connor and Jack Salter's table, and when the floor were called I went to check out what was going on.

First - the action leading up to it. It was pre-flop, and Massafumi Saito had opened to 3,600. O'Connor called, before a player then shoved for around 14,000. It folded back to Massafumi Saito who made some sort of gesture which two players at the table were sure was Saito saying "call", while everyone else at the table (Salter included) insisted he didn't (Salter is sat opposite Saito).

The floor ruled that as the majority of players think he didn't say call, that the ruling would be he'd folded. Then O'Connor snap called with the [qh][qd] - "I couldn't say anything, I was still in the hand!" he said - which would go on to beat the player-at-risk's pocket sixes. --JS

12am: Final level of the night
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

It's all gone up - the blinds and the antes. Only 45 minutes of play remain before the remaining players will bag and tag, earning themselves two days off before Saturday's Day 2. --JS

11.53: A tight squeeze
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Dealer, small blind and big blind hands create an interesting dynamic; not only are players sat right next to each other, but their play throughout their time together has no doubt been influenced by each other's styles.

One hand we just caught started with a button-open to 3,600 from Steven Herron, which was flatted by former chip leader Emran Hussain out of the small. Jabran Zahid then woke up ion the big blind and put out a raise to 14,000.

Heron wasted no time in folding, while Hussain had a trickier decision on his hands - eventually folding, but showing an ace as he did it. Ship this one to Zahid. --JS

11.45: End of the night lull
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Maybe it's the time of the day when play tightens up. Maybe the players are tired. Heck, maybe I'm just tired and missing all the action (don't tell my boss). But there doesn't seem to be much going on in the room right now action-wise.

Here's what I have seen though:

After Jamie O'Connor opened to 3,000, Jack Salter 3-bet to 8,400 only for O'Connor to 4-bet to an even 18,000. Salter gave it up.

I also saw the UK's William Davies bust with pocket fives to Simon Dryan's pocket tens. The board was safe all the way for Dryan and Davies hit the rail.

And I just wanted to point out that Gerald Ringe has by far been the smartest dressed player in the room today. He looks like he's either come straight from a wedding, or is going to some bizarre ceremony which takes place after 1am in London town. Whatever his reason, he deserves props. --JS

11.39pm: No Nevanlinna Land for Vasconcelos
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Jussi Nevanlinna took a while to call an opponent's shove, but when he did, it was correct and his stack grew to 101,000.

The action folded around to Marco Vasconcelos on the button and he moved all in for his 10,900. Nevanlinna was in the big blind and made the call.

Vasconcelos: [td][2d]
Nevanlinna: [jh][8h]

The board ran [kh][2c][8c][qc][9s] to send Vasconcelos on his way. -- MC

11.27pm: Soders all luck for Tomas
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Tomas Soders was up and out of his seat after a he witnessed a horrible flop in his attempt to double up.

He had three-bet all in for around 27,000 and saw David Lega move all in behind, for a little more. The original raiser folded and the cards were flipped up.

Soders: [ad][kd]
Lega: [jh][jd]

The board ran [2s][js][4h][5s][7s] with Soders drawing dead by the turn. -- MC

11.15pm: Another level
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Two more levels to play before Day 1A is done. --JS

11.11pm: Matas Cimbolas - your new chip leader
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

Who's running good now, eh Matas?

Lithuania's Matas Cimbolas has shot into the chip lead, after winning a pot against the man he just claimed was on a hot streak, Simon Brooke. We didn't catch the action but it must have been a big pot, as Brooke's stack as nowhere near what it was, while Cimbolas has heaps.

We just caught a hand where he added even more to his growing stack. It started with an open to 2,500 from David Radnor, which found callers in Brooke, Cimbolas and one other player. "How much do you have?" Cimbolas asked Radnor. "Just under 40," came the reply. "OK, I quietly call..." said Cimbolas.

The flop came [5c][4d][ad] and it was checked around, so we saw the [kd] land on the turn. Radnor checked to Brooke who led for 2,000, and then Cimbolas went from quiet to loud - making it 14,000 to play. Everyone folded, and Cimbolas now sits with 181,000. --JS

11:10: Brooke the hook
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

"You run so good!" said Matas Cimbolas to Simon Brooke after the latter took out Oliver Morgan. Brooke was all in for 12,000 earlier on, and now has 135,000 or thereabouts.

The two players were heads up to a [qd][7d][as] flop where Brooke set Morgan all in for 27,000. Call.

Brooke: [ac][7c] for two pair.
Morgan: [td][9d] for a flush draw.

The board ran out [4s][6s] to miss Morgan and he hit the rail. - MC

10.51pm: Webber puts his passport issues behind him
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

Seth Webber - the PokerStars Qualifier who had a bit of a mishap with his passport earlier today (see our 5:46pm post) - has just secured himself a double by winning a race.

He got his last 11,800 all-in with the [5c][5h] and was called by a player with the [ad][qh]. The [jh][3s][4c][3h][8d] board ran out pure for Webber though, and he's now up to 25,800. --JS

10.45pm: Bedtime for...
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

Say goodnight to: reigning UKIPT champion Vladas Tamasauskas; Tony Andreou, Andreas Olympios, David Leja, Parham Ahoor, Ka Him Li, Cusco Bach Guillem, Imran Shafi, Oscar Iscla Serradell, Nicholas Crisp, Charles Kolade Akadiri, Richard Steele, Mike Panteli, Bhavin Khatri, Dominic Wells and Mikhail Pokrepa. -- MC

10.30pm: Last three levels of the night
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

The players have retaken their seats to play out the last three levels of the night.

During the break we found out that Johann Bjornsson had gotten his stack courtesy of Richard Kellett. Bjornsson six-bet all in with ace-king, ran into Kellett's kings, but spiked an ace to double to a huge stack. --MC

10.15pm: Break time chip counts
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

Players are taking a quick 15, so while they do that I had a look around the room at some of the notable stacks:

Emran Hussain - 170,000
Johann Bjornsson - 160,000
Catalin Lesuc - 109,000
Matas Cimbolas - 86,000
Jack Salter - 51,000
Jamie O'Connor - 69,500

See you shortly. --JS

10.10pm: The Turk is (almost) back
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

"There you go, the Turk is back!" exclaimed Yucel "Mad Turk" Eminoglu after he spiked an ace on the river.

He got his short stack in (on the turn we believe) with [ah][3h] and was called by Dominic Wells and his [ks][tc]. The board read [qd][6c][6h][kd] and the river came [as]. Wells dropped to 6,500. -- MC

10pm: Uselis needs no heart to double
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

Gediminas Uselis has doubled to around 90,000 chips after he faded a heart that Edmund Yeung needed to bust him.

Uselis opened to 2,200 and was called in one spot before Yeung squeezed to 9,000 from the small blind. Uselis was the only caller to the [ah][8h][3d] flop where he called a 9,700 c-bet from his opponent. The turn was the [6d] and Yeung wasted little time in setting Uselis in for his last 21,000. Call.

Yeung: [kh][jh] for a flush draw.
Uselis: [ad][qc] for top pair.

The [7c] river changed nothing and Yeung dropped to 42,500. -- MC

9.50pm: Sweet for Salter
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

Jack Salter - who became known for his triangle pose whenever he went all-in during his 2nd place run at the 2014 EPT Grand Final - is pulling some new moves here at UKIPT 6 London; a result of which is that he's chipping up nicely.

In one hand against Carlos Mocchett, Salter completed the open of 2,000 from the big blind and the two saw a flop. It was the [jd][8d][7s] and both checked, taking us to the [kh] turn. Salter now took the betting with a bet of 2,800, which was called. He did the same on the [9h] river, only now the bet was 7,500. That was too much for Mocchett, and Salter moved up to around 46,000. --JS

9.40pm: House-over-house cooler
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

"Nice hand!" said Chris Phillips to David Lasierra after he called the latter's shove on the river and saw the bad news.

The board read [qh][7h][9h][as][9s] and Lasierra moved all in for 33,100. Phillips called with pocket sevens for a full house, but Lasierra opened [ah][ad] for an even bigger full house and he moved up to 110,000. Phillips nearly has to start all over again after dropping to 31,000. -- MC

9.30pm: Blinds up again
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

We're now playing 500-1,000 with a 100 ante. Four more levels for the night. --JS

9.25pm: When two big stacks collide - Romanian style
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

You've always got to stick around when you see two of the heftier stacks in the room prepare to play a pot together, and that's exactly what just happened.

It started with an open from one of the biggest stacks in the room at dinner, belonging to Catalin Lesuc. He made it 2,100 to play, only for Alexios Zervos - who had even more chips at the beginning of the hand - to make it 5,700 instead. It folded back around to Lesuc who made the call.

The dealer burned and dealt the [ah][7d][3s] flop, and after Lesuc checked Zervos put out a c-bet of 6,300. It was an easy call for Lesuc - he just threw some chips in before he'd even confirmed the amount.

The turn was the [4c] and the same thing happened - only this time Zervos' bet was 9,500. That took us to the [6h] river, and Lesuc basically insta-shoved for 66,200. Zervos squirmed and got out of his seat in annoyance. There was a straight draw out there now, but whatever Zervos though Lesuc had he clearly thought he was beat. He made a very reluctant fold, allowing Lesuc to scoop the pot and take his stack up to around the 100,000 mark, while Zervos has dipped to a still-very-healthy 86,000.

"Ahh - Romanian style!" Zervos said to Lesuc, who smiled. We therefore presume Lesuc is Romanian. If he's not, it would have been a rather odd thing to say, wouldn't it? --JS

9.20pm: So long, Albert
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Albert Sapiano had fared very well in all in showdowns today, but variance finally caught up with him. The Pokerstars Blog had witnessed the first three, and got there just after the fact on the fourth.

His table mates explained that Sapianio had over-called a limp before a player raised and Dainis Budovskis shoved. The original limper folded, as did the raiser, but Sapiano called all in for around 12,000 with king-queen. He was in bad shape though as Budovskis held a dominating [ah][ks] and improved as the board came [7c][6d][ac][4c][7h]. -- MC

9.07pm: All the all-ins - but it's a no-go for No
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

It's been a hectic start to Level 8 - everywhere I looked there were red triangles flying. The players at risk seemed to be winning all the pots too; Andres Viola secured a full double-up, Paul Morris got his shove through, as did Parham Ahoor.

One player wasn't quite as fortunate though - despite having by far the best hand.

Antoine No had got his last 11,000 all-in with the [kh][kc] against Xizhe Yuan's [qh][qd], and things looked rosy. But the flop came the [3d][qc][5s], followed by the [3s][3c], and the cowboys were killed by the queens. No was outta here.

We'll try and keep up with all the action! --JS

9pm: Those we have loved
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

There are five levels left in the day, these players have played their last level for UKIPT6 London though: Chris Gordon, Yucel Eminoglu, Morten Mortensen, Tai Tan, Alan Gilmore, Jon Wong, Luke Gamble, Nezar Abdulrhaman, Yunheng Wu, Luke Haward, Ilan Florian Valentin Hannich, Paulius Cerniauskas, John Kitchen, Hamidreza Rajabi Montazeri, Morten Mortensen, Niko Koop, Phil Gould, Chris Phillips, Raymond Power, Ivan Dragoev, Simon Appleby, Gediminas Uselis, Charles Kolade Akadiri, Paul Morris, Michael Reid, Ramzi Jean Dagher, Marian Albert Didita, Hilmi Ture, Daniel Rudd, Ilan Florian Valentin Hannich, Paulius Cerniauskas, Jamie Rutherford and Antoine Louis. -- MC

8.45pm: Dinner time's over - we're back in the game
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

The remaining 93 players (of 146 entries) are taking their seats after the dinner break. We're going to play five more levels tonight, ending play at the end of Level 12.

The chip leaders in the room right now are Catalin Lesuc with 118,000, Emran Hussain with 110,000, and Anthony Kennedy with 95,000. Meanwhile, here are some stacks from the notables in the field:

Jack Salter 54,000
Matas Cimbolas 35,000
Jamie O'Connor 20,000
Vladas Tamasauskas 7,800
Adrian Mateos - Out --JS

7.48pm: Dinner time
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

The players are on a 60-minute dinner break. --MC

7.45pm: Adios Mateos!
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

In the penultimate hand of Level 7, right before the players went on their dinner break, we lost Adrian Mateos from the UKIPT Main Event.

It was an interesting hand too. Mateos kicked off proceedings with an open, only for Emran Hussain to 3-bet. Another player then flatted, only for Mateos to shove for around 18,000. Hussain then re-shoved over the top, only for the other play to call all-in!

So what were the hands? Aces, kings and queens? Ace-king all round? Nope.

Adrian Mateos [8h][8d]
Emran Hussain [as][ac]
Unknown player [ks][qs]

Mateos had shoved with eights, while the other player called off his tournament life with king-queen suited. Both proved a bad idea after an ace fell on the [td][kd][ah] flop, which was then joined by the [7s] and [th] on the turn and river.

Mateos and the unknown player were both eliminated, while Hussain now sits with one of the biggest stacks in the room - around 86,000. --JS

7.42pm: Danilo and Kellet on the up
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

There's more than one way to boost one's stack in a poker tournament; Danilo and Richard Kellet just proved that. The two players are sat at adjacent tables and the concurrent hands they played took very different paths.

Danilo had [ah][ad] and got his 24,150 stack in preflop versus Oscar Iscla Serradell who held [qc][qh]. The board ran out [kh][9c][6d][8h][8s] dropping Iscla down to 60,000.

Kellett meanwhile, had a trickier route to a pot win. He, Gerald Ringe and the small blind all took to a [6c][8d][5h] flop with around 12,500 in the middle. The small led for 4,200 before Kellett raised to 9,000 from middle position. Ringe was in the cutoff and tanked before calling, which seemed to aid the small blind in his decision to fold. Both players checked the [2h] turn before Ringe folded to a 23,000 bet from Kellett on the [qd] river. Kellett, who busted the High Roller earlier and was alate entry to the Main Event, has already got up to around 60,000. -- MC

7.30pm: Haward exits - but not without his stone
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

Some players use coins; others use cuddly toys. For Luke Haward, his card protector of choice is a large, smooth, grey pebble. And he almost forgot it.

David Radnor kicked off the action with an open to 1,300, which Haward then 3-bet to 3,500. Matas Cimbolas - on Haward's left - then folded his hand, only for Elias Christodoulou to make it 9,000 to play.

Radnor stroked his beard in contemplation, but opted to let this one go. Haward then leaned out and flashed a stare towards Christodoulou and his chips. He shoved - but it was only for a few thousand more. Christodoulou called.

It was the [td][ts] in front of Harder, but he was trailing the [jh][js]. The board ran out [4s][7s][5c][kh][ks] and Harder was eliminated as Christodoulou started stacking chips while being massaged.

"Good luck guys," he told the table. "It was nice to meet you," replaied Cimbolas, always a friendly person at the tables.

Harder was half-way out the door when he heard a call to him: "Don't forget your stone!" shouted Cimbolas.

I don't know where Harder is now, but I'll bet he's just a stone's throw away. --JS

7.15pm: Salter pays off Greene
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

We finally managed to catch a hand with Jack Salter in it. The Brit has been quietly accumulating chips all day, although the hand we witnessed saw him lose a smallish pot.

He opened to 1,150, and it folded around to David Greene in the big blind, who made the call. The flop came [jd][4c][2d] and Greene checked, allowing Salter to put out a c-bet of 1,200. Greene bumped it up to 3,200 at this point, and Salter threw out calling chips.

The turn came the [qs], and the action slowed entirely with both players checking. But on the [kh] river Green continued with his aggression, putting out a bet of 4,000. Salter smiled as he stared at Greene, and eventually made a call. He'd muck though when Greene turned over his [kc][qd] for runner-runner two-pair. --JS

7pm: Level up, registration closes
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

The start of Level 7 has commenced and that means registration has closed. The clock says that 146 players have registered, we'll get confirmation of that number shortly. -- MC

6.55pm: Crazy action
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

There's no 'waiting around for a good hand' for some players. This hand happened so quickly that we didn't even bother getting anyone's names - we just want to bring you the hyper-aggressive action.

So, a player from early position made it 1,100 to go - pretty standard at a 500 big blind level. Then the player to his immediate left instantly made it 5,100. Then the player to his immediate left shoved all-in for around 16,000. A female player in the big blind thought for about 20 seconds before folding, and the original raiser let his hand go with a sigh. The player who 3-bet insta-called and turned over just the [kh][ts] - and he was the player at risk! Get this though - the player who shoved over the top of him only had the [as][3d]!

The board ran out blank for the 3-bettor ([3c][4h][2s][8c][5d]) and his Main Event was over.

Pointing to the two players who folded pre-flop, another player at the table said: "Guaranteed you both had better hands than that!"

We'd be hard-pressed to disagree. Crazy action here on Day 1A. --JS

6.43pm: High rollers make the final table
Just eight players remain (listed below) in the High Roller Event and all are guaranteed a £7,410 payday. Luis Rodriquez from Spain - with over 1.1 million - remains favourite or the £55,650 top prize. -- MC

6.32pm: Zhou tries to hero, but comes up zero
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

It's always risky making hero calls; you'll either look like a genius, or...the opposite.

Well, it was Yingchen Zhou who we just caught attempting to hero, only to find out he was crushed. On a flop of [qd][5d][js], Zhou's opponent had shoved all-in for 11,975 and, although Zhou had him comfortably covered, he was deep in the tank. Eventually he'd cough up the calling chips, but shook his head when he saw the [ad][jh] for second pair. He gingerly turned over his [4d][4s] and the rest of the board brought him no help. --JS

6.25pm: Lesuc leading way
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

The irony of the title is not lost on us here in London. Catalin Lesuc entered level six as the clear chip leader with around 120,000. Edgar Drozdov (67,000), Tony Andreou (65,000) and Tai Tan (64,000) are amongst those in the chasing pack. -- MC

6.15pm: Back to work - end of registration looming
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

The players are back from their break, and we're now moving into Level 6. That means there's just 45 more minutes for new players to register and sit down today, otherwise they'll have to wait for one of the other starting fields (Day 1B tomorrow, or Day 1C on Friday).

Coming back from the break, here are a few notable name stacks:

Matas Cimbolas - 39,000
Jack Salter - 52,000
Chris Gordon - 13,000
Adrian Mateos - 26,000
Vladas Tamasauskas - 28,000 --JS

6pm: Players on second break, Morris won't be among those returning
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

The players are taking their second 15-minute break of the day. For James Morris, his break will be indefinite after busting in the last hand of level 5.

He tank-called a 5,000 bet on the turn and then called off his remaining 9,300 on the river when his opponent set him in. The board read [qs][2c][7s][3c][2h] and Morris' [ts][td] lost out to his opponent's [as][ad]. -- MC

5.53pm: Sapiano's hot streak continues
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

There's no stopping Albert Sapiano right now, as he's just doubled up again!

He got it in with the [qc][jc] and was up against his opponent's [as][3s]. The flop was good for Sapiano as the [js][9s][8c] gave him top pair and a gutshot. The [tc] on the turn completed that draw and the [kd] improved his hand needlessly.

Sapiano is now up to 43,000. --JS

5.46pm: Webber has the best girlfriend a man could ask for
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

PokerStars qualifier Seth Webber was here on time for the start of Day 1A but couldn't take his seat as he had left his passport at home in Brighton, on the UK's south coast. Luckily for Webber he has a very understanding girlfriend who travelled all the way up with it, allowing the South African native to finally take his seat.

"I'm in the bad books!" said a sheepish Webber. "I'll be buying the drinks though," he continued with a smile. -- MC

5.30pm: A double up and more for Černiauskas
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

There are plenty of chips being splashed about over on Table 7, and before the blinds went up we caught one hand which secured Paulius Černiauskas a much-needed double up.

It started with an open to 650 from the player to Černiauskas' right, which he then called, as did two other players. The flop was the [jh][4d][qd] and it checked to the raiser who continued for 1,250. Now Černiauskas shoved for 7,325 total, which got the other players to fold. The raiser made the call though.

Černiauskas had the cowboys - the [kd][kc] to be precise - but would have to hold against his opponent's [9d][8d] for a gutshot and flush draw. The [5h] turn was safe, as was the [3h] on the river, and Černiauskas stacked up around 22,000 to take him almost back where he started. --JS

5.25pm: Sapiano gets there again
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

Albert Sapiano has doubled once more, and needed the deck's help again.

He moved all in for 6,200 with a flop reading [ks][as][5d] and found one caller, who held [ad][kc]. Sapiano held the drawing [3s][4s] and made a wheel straight as the board ran out [2d][jc]. -- MC

5.15pm: Level up
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

5.10pm: Good bluff by Cimbolas
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

"What a legend! He's the best." Said a player at Table 4 during a hand where Matas Cimbolas took a chunky pot down uncontested.

There had been a raise to 700 and a call before Cimbolas squeezed to 2,800 from the small blind. The original raiser folded but the player on the button called to see a [9c][9h][qh] flop.

"Only one question I have," said Cimbolas. "How do I get max?"

His opponent called and the [kc] appeared on the turn. "That's a decent card!" continued Cimbolas before he bet 5,500.

His opponent folded and Cimbolas said "Oh my god, what a bluff!" He moved up to 50,000 chips. -- MC
4.55pm: Appleby bubbles High Roller

The £2,200 High Roller event only lasted three hands after Simon Appleby fell to massive chip leader, Luis Rodriguez.

The latter raised the 4,000 big blind up to 8,000 and was called by Appleby on the button, and the big blind. The board rolled out [2d][7d][4h][4s][7s] with Rodriguez betting 16,500, 26,000 and shoved the river. Appleby stuck with him all the way and called all in for around 107,000 on the river.

Rodriguez opened [7h][th] for a full house Appleby winced when he saw the holding as he new he was a goner with [ad][4d] for a smaller full house that was in the lead by the turn. Rodriguez moved up to more than 700,000 chips, nearly four times the average stack!

That pot ensured everyone still in is guaranteed £3,470. -- MC

4.40pm: UKIPT5 Dublin champ doubles up 'Team PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome' Pro
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

The man who took down the UKIPT Dublin title in February - Vladas Tamasauskas - is in the house today, and he'd been chipping up nicely. But the Lithuanian - who pocketed a staggering €176,900 for his big win and only third career cash - just took a slight knock as he doubled up Chris Gordon, a member of the Team PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome team.

Tamasauskas made it 750 to go from early position, and one player called before Gordon shoved for his short 4,575 stack. It folded back around to Tamasauskas who then slid in 30,000 for an isolation bet. It worked, as the other player got out of the way and the cards were on their backs.

Gordon: [5d][5s]
Tamasauskas: [qs][qc]

Gordon needed some home-turf help, and he got it on the [8c][5c][tc] flop. The set put him ahead, but he'd need to dodge any club or a queen to hold. The [4s] turn and [jd] river changed nothing, giving Gordon the double up to just under 10,000. --JS

4.30pm: Level 4 - shuffle up and deal
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

We're back here on Day 1A. We'll be playing two more levels before players take another break, and at that point registration for Day 1A will come to an end. If you're thinking of coming down to the Hipprodrome to play though, don't worry; there's Day 1B tomorrow and Day 1C on Friday. --JS

4:15pm: Break time

Players are now on their first 15-minute break of the day. --JS

4.10pm: Early bump in the road for Mateos
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

You might think it's always smooth sailing for the poker phenoms, but we just caught a slight slip-up from Adrian Mateos.

With the board reading [td][5d][3h][kd] and with roughly 4,000 in the pot, Mateos put out a bet of 1,675, and his one opponent made the call. After the [ah] hit the river, though, Mateos' opponent put out a chunky bet of 3,225 and Mateos snapped it off. He mucked though when he saw the villain's [7d][2d] for a baby flush. The Spaniard has around 20,000 in front of him. --JS

4.05pm: Nice turn of events for Sapiano
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

Albert Sapiano doesn't like to hang around. If he hits a board, he's happy to put chips in.

He did that just now for all his chips but found himself behind. The poker gods look favourably on him though and he doubled up after sucking out on his opponent.

The flop read [qc][8d][5s] and Sapiano check-raised all in for 5,975 after his opponent had bet 3,000. Sapiano opened [7h][8s] once he was called, behind to his opponent's [jd][js]. The board ran out [7c][ks] to make Sapinao trips and the pot was pushed his way. -- MC

3.55pm: Adrian Mateos takes his seat
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

This room of players already boasted plenty of talent, but Adrian Mateos entering the field just edged it up a notch.

Mateos is an absolute beast, who in just his early-twenties has already won more than $4.1 million in live earnings - including his profile-boosting wins at the EPT11 Grand Final ($1,214,161) and the WSOPE Main Event ($1,351,661).

Not content with just winning at the felt, Mateos is also nominated for two awards at the European Poker Awards 2016 - which will take place during the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo.

His performance in last year's Grand Final earned him a place on the short list for Tournament Performance of the Year, while his epic bluff against Johnny Lodden at that final table caused Daniel Negreanu to announce on the live stream: "We're seeing some high-level poker."

There's no doubt we'll see some high-level poker from Mateos here today, so make you stick around and keep refreshing the live updates. --JS

3.40pm: Cimbolas says his holas
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

Matas Cimbolas has taken his seat on Day 1A - but not without saying hello to no less than 10 players upon entering the room.

The talented Lithuanian - who lives right here in London with a group of grinders from his home country - called an open of 350 and saw a flop with one opponent. It came the [3h][qs][6c] and Cimbolas checked, before facing a continuation bet of 400 that he would quickly call. The turn came the [7h] and both players checked, before the [9h] hit the river. Cimbolas checked once more, and then folded when his opponent bet 700.

We'll be hoping to grab lots of action from Cimbolas throughout the day, who has $726,000 in live earnings - including a final table appearance at EPT11 Deuville. --JS

3.30pm: Level up, antes in play
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

3.25pm: High Roller Day 2 is in full swing

The UKIPT London festival kicked off yesterday with the £2,200 High Roller event, and attracted an impressive 114 entries. They helped amass a £221,166 prize pool and 28 players returned for Day 2 hoping to claim a share of it.

The final 17 will make the money and guarantee themselves £3,470, but all will be hoping to walk away with £55,650 - the prize saved for the champion. As the time of publishing, 24 players remain.

Some of the big names still in contentions are: Ben Winsor, Felix Stephensen, Niall Murray, Richard Gryko, Richard Kellett, Simon Appleby, Tamer Kamel and Lawrence Bayley. -- MC

3.10pm: Sidhu felted early
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

Certainly one of the most decorated players in the room when it comes to UKIPT and EPT cashes, Kully Sidhu knows a thing or two about navigating these fields.

Sadly for the Brit, though, this is one event he won't be going deep in. We picked up the action on a [5s][4d][8d][qh] board, with a hefty amount already in the middle. Sidhu's only opponent in the hand, Fabian Deimann, had bet around 4,000, only for Sidhu to bump it up to what looked like 10,000. It all happened so fast that when Deimann shoved and Sidhu called we couldn't get accurate counts of the chips each player had behind, but what we did catch were the cards: [as][ah] for Sidhu, which was trailing the [4h][4s] of Deimann, who had flopped a set.

The river was the [9h] and we said goodbye to Kully Sidhu, while Germany's Deimann now sits with around 60,000. --JS

2.45pm: Blinds are up
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

Well that went fast! It was a pretty timid first level here, but then they so often are. The blinds have moved up to 75-150, so hopefully we'll start to see some big pots brewing. --JS

2.35pm: Can we get to four figures?
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

Most UKIPTs have two starting flights but, seeing as the Hippodrome Casino is a little snug, three starting flights have been scheduled to make sure everyone can find a day to play. Saying that though, 30 poker tables are operational and Tournament Director Toby Stone indicated that up to 350 players can be accommodated each day.

Some of those being accommodated today include: four-time UKIPT casher Mike Pantelli; EPT11 Prague third-place finisher Jon Wong; EPT12 Dublin third-place finisher Kully Sidhu; along with UKIPT regulars Albert Sapiano, James Morris and Marco Vasconcelos. -- MC

2.12pm: So, who's here?
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

We're starting to scope out our Day 1A field, but one table caught our eye from across the room. It features the UK's Jack Salter (best known for finishing 2nd at the EPT Grand Final in 2014 for €765,000), as well as Jamie O'Connor - known as 'Ship It 2010' on PokerStars (who has an impressive $1.6 million in total online winnings). We look forward to seeing how these guys clash throughout the day. --JS

2.03pm: Cards in the air!
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

The players have taken their seats here on Day 1A and our dealers have shuffled up. Let the first hand commence! --JS

1:40pm: Welcome to the big smoke!

Afternoon all! We're here at the beautiful Hippodrome Casino right in the heart of Leicester Square to kick off the Main Event of UKIPT6 London - the first stop of the Season 6 tour. It's a late kick-off time today, with play starting at 2pm; but we're sure you won't find any of the players complaining about their lie-in!

It's not the first event of the festival though - the £2,200 High Roller kicked off at 6pm last night (Tuesday 5th), and drew a massive, star-studded field of 114 players. It's the biggest ever standalone UKIPT High Roller, and here's a run down of just some of the names playing here in the capital:

Team PokerStars Pros Liv Boeree, Jake Cody; German (and Russian) wizards Tobias Reinkemeier, Igor Kurganov and Fabian Quoss; not to mention Victoria Coren, Pierre Neuville, Oliver Price, Jack Salter, JP Kelly, and Dara O'Kearney.

That's one stacked line-up. Only 28 players remain in that event and they'll play down to a winner today, so stay tuned for more info. You can be sure they'll all be in the Main Event at some point, whether it's here on Day 1A, or in Thursday's Day 1B or Friday's Day 1C.

Back to the Main Event, though. It was the UK's own Rapinder Cheema who took down the Season 5 UKIPT London Main Event for a first place prize of £78,825, after a deal was made heads-up with Spain's Fernando Marin (who qualified for the tournament online at PokerStars). They shared the final table run with tour regulars including Lawrence Bayley (4th) and Brett Angell (7th) - the latter of which won this very event in Season 4 for £115,083. We'd be shocked not to see them all returning to the Hippodrome felt this week.

So sit back, relax, and get ready for all the great action from UKIPT6 London. --JS

Key UKIPT6 London Facts:

- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 12 of them. From Day 2 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
- Day 1A is today, Day 1B takes place tomorrow, and Day 1C takes place on Friday. The field will then combine for the first time on Saturday for Day 2. We'll reach the money during the 10 levels of play on Day 2 and then play down to a final table, which will take place on Sunday.
- Full UKIPT6 London schedule here.
- Other tournaments today include a £110 NL Holdem Freezeout Satellite to the UKIPT Main Event, and a £110 NL Holdem Turbo Deepstack.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

London has been part of the UKIPT since the very beginning - be it as a normal stop or as a Grand Final wrapped up as an EPT (Season 1) - so it seems as right as place as any to kick off the sixth season of one of the most successful and respected tours around. A total of 54 trophies have been given out over the first five seasons, and today, the journey towards the 55th ceremony started.

The trophy will be given out this coming Sunday after five long days of poker. Luckily for the survivors of Day 1A, they have two days off now, and will be back for Day 2 on Saturday. A total of 146 players turned up to PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome Casino today with the hope of contesting twelve 45-minute levels. When the dust settled on the last of those levels, 37 remained and were led by Xizhe Yuan who amassed 286,400.

Jack Salter almost pipped him to the post in the last level of the day after a massive hand against Jamie O'Connor. The PokerStars Blog caught up with O'Connor after the hand, and despite it being "a massive blow" he was more than happy to kindly walk us through the action.

He'd opened to 4,000 before facing a 3-bet to 10,800 from Salter. O'Connor said he flatted with [ts][8s], and the flop came king-jack-four rainbow with one spade. He check-called another bet of 10,800, leading to a non-spade seven on the turn. O'Connor checked again, and Salter made it 25,000. O'Connor then made a big shove with his gutshot - clearly thinking he could get Salter off his hand - but that turned out to be ace-king, and Salter went nowhere except up the leader board.

Other big stacks included: Gediminas Uselis (252,800), Nicholas Hennessey (219,600), Patrice Brandt (215,900), Alfie Adam (207,500), Richard Kellett (187,200), Steven Herron (176,500) and Matas Cimbolas (147,300). Kellett had a very eventful day. He came back for Day 2 of the High Roller, busted 13th for £3,980, built a big stack in the Main Event, lost most of it with kings versus ace-king, laughed it off, and rebuilt to a big stack again by close of play. Full counts will be posted shortly.

You can take a look at the full end of Day 1A chip counts here.

Kully Sidhu was one of the most in-form players in the field today, coming here on the back of his third-place finish at EPT12 Dublin for €250k, but every dog has his off day, and today was Sidhu's. He was one of the first players out when he ran pocket aces in to the set of Fabian Deimann. He was joined on the rail by such notables as: reigning EPT Grand Final champion Adrian Mateos; UK legend Albert Sapiano; the only current UKIPT champion (Dublin) Vladas Tamasauskas; Team PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome's Chris Gordon and "Mad Turk" Yucel Eminoglu.

Today also saw Day 2 of the High Roller play out. The final 28 players returned hoping to (at least) make the final 17 (min cash) and beyond. Simon Appleby was the unfortunate bubble boy after his full house was beaten by Luis Rodriguez and his bigger full house. That pot put Rodriquez in a commanding position and he rode the wave all the way to the final table and beyond. He was still in with two players remaining - the situation the tournament had reached by the end of play in the Main Event (check tomorrow's blog for the final results).

Day 1A started at 2pm today but the start times are going to jump forward for the next three days. To make sure enough space is freed up for the evening side events on the festival schedule, the powers that be have moved the Day 1B,C and Day 2 start time to 11am. So join us back here in the morning where another twelve 45-minute levels await, and a whole new bunch of faces will appear. For now though, read through all today's action by clicking here.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May, who will permanently watermark you if you steal her photos! Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

* Day 1B over. A full wrap can be found here.
* Day 1A is over - read a full report of the day here.
* Day 1B Players (39 of 161 remain).
* Day 1C starts tomorrow at 11am.

9:50pm: Day 1B in the books

That's all for updates from an exciting Day 1B. A full wrap can be found here. --MC

9.35pm: Last four hands of the night
Level 12 - Blinds 1,00-2,000 (300 ante)

Each table will play four more hands before bagging up for the night. -- MC

9.32pm: Not to be outdone...
Level 12 - Blinds 1,00-2,000 (300 ante)

The action from her neighbouring table might've been too much to bear for Sirilux Ho as she was soon back in the action herself, and back on the rise, after losing a chuck of her stack again.

Mark Wates raised to 6,000 and was called in one spot before Ho moved all in from the big blind. Wates called all in for around 55,000 and the third player folded.

Ho: [8c][8d]
Wates: [ts][td]

The board ran [8h][7h][2d][5s][2s] to make Ho a lucky full house and a 106k stack. "That's why we play poker!" said a philosophical Wates. --MC

9.20pm: Nikolaidi flushed with chips, a lot of chips
Level 12 - Blinds 1,00-2,000 (300 ante)

The Ladies Day torch has passed from Sirilux Ho to Irina Nikolaidi, the latter taking over the chip lead (with 280,000) after a huge pot versus Daniel Palsson.

She raised to 6,000 from mid position and then emptied the clip with bets of 8,000, 16,000 and 40,000 on each street of a [js][2h][ah][qh][4s] board. Palsson was in the big blind and called all the way but mucked upon seeing Nikolaidi's [kh][5h] for a flush. -- MC

9.02pm: Last level of the night
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (300 ante)

9pm: Queen Sirilux
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Sirilux Ho's stack had dropped back from the dizzying heights it was at earlier on, but she just knocked out Kevin Barden to get back up to 195,000.

Ho raised from early position and Barden peeled from the big blind to see a [jd][5d][2h] flop appear. Ho continued for 5,000 and called after Barden check-raised all in for around 60,000.

Ho: [qc][qs] for an over pair.
Barden: [as][kd] for two overs and the nut flush draw.

The board ran out [3c][2c] to see the queens hold up. -- MC

8.45pm: It's now ladies night, and the feeling's right
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

We have four women remaining at the end of this day we dubbed ladies day, due to the dominant performances from the females in the field. It's only right that one of them end the night as chip leader, right?

Well, it's certainly a possibility, as here's how they stack up right now:

Sirilux Ho - 211,000
Irina Nikolaidi - 185,000
Leo Margets - 136,000
Maria Lampropoulos - 82,000 --JS

8.38pm: Ice, Iceland, baby
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Haukur Bodvarsson, who's part of an ever-growing crew from Iceland that love, and travel, to play the UKIPT, has dropped down to starting stack after losing a race.

He squeezed all in after a raise to 4,000 and a call from Christian Friedel. The raiser folded but Friedel called all in for 28,600.

Friedel: [8h][8c]
Bodvarsson: [as][qh]

The board ran [2d][8s][jh][ac][5d] to make Friedel a set. Bodvarsson was disappointed to lose the hand but happy to hear his friend - Daniel Palsson - is one of the chip leaders on 187,000. -- MC

8.25pm: Ladies event rolls on with Lampropoulos
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

We've been mentioning it throughout the day, but Day 1B really is all about the ladies. Adding to that theme just now was Maria Lampropoulos, fresh off her second-place finish at Eureka Rozvadov (her boyfriend, Ivan Luca, took that title down).

Anyway, before the blinds went up Lampropoulos began the hand with an open to 2,600, before Jason Lam 3-bet to 6,200. Anthony Harnden in the big blind then jammed for his last 11,000, resulting in a shove from Lampropoulos for he remaining 33,200. Lam made the call and the three revealed their cards.

"OHHH!" roared the table, as both Lam and Harnden turned over pocket jacks (Lam had the reds, Harden the blacks). But an even bigger "OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" came when Lampropoulos turned over her [kh][kd].

The board ran out [7d][as][7h][5h][qd] and Lampropoulos raked in the whole shebang, continuing the dominant performances of the females in the field here today. She's up to 82,000 now. --JS

8.15pm: Level 11 has arrived
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Only two more levels of play today before the remaining players bag and tag. There are 56 players still in this one. --JS

8.10pm: There's always the London Cup on Saturday
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

The UKIPT6 London Main Event is over for: Team Online's Mickey Petersen,
Jonathan Reynolds, Mohammed Abdullah, Eric Le Goff, Robin Fisher, Mark Lane, Shane, Marcin Milde, Fabio Sperling, Deborah Worley-Roberts, Amar Al Hussona, Cristina Illie, Chris Yong, Martin Leines, Moshe De Leon, Eirimas Livonas, Javier Sanchez Zarco, Virgo Laansoo, Vimal Patel, Matias Ruzzi, David Lopez Llacer, Peter Feher, Alexander Zeligman, Alastair May, Terence Jordan, Simonas Rimsa, Adrian Memed, Micael Raschdorf, Tobias Wenker, Terry Schumacher, Philippe Karim Souki, Alejandro Perez Torres, Najam Qureshi, Rain Koov, Matthew Davenport, Lev Belsky, Kevin Walshe, Andrew Keep, Shvan Frost, James Gray, Christian Mihu, Benjamin Raven, Yiannis Liperis and Jesse Algranti. -- MC

8pm: Sick, sick hand, but you can't crown Jewell the winner
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

It might not have been the biggest pot, but that might have been the sickest I've seen today.

I picked up the action on the [jh][9d][8d] flop - a very wet board indeed. Gavin Jewell put out the first bet, before Rodrigo Strong raised it up. Then David Murphy shoved all-in for 18,300, Jewell called that bet, and Strong moved all-in himself for about 30,000 on top. Jewell snap-called and the cards were on their backs.

Gavin Jewell - [td][7d]
David Murphy - [js][8s]
Rodrigo Strong - [ad][jd]

Everyone had something big. Jewell had flopped a monster with his straight and up-and-down straight flush draw; Murphy had flopped two-pair; and Strong had top pair and the nut flush draw.

Both Strong and Murphy were all-in and needed to hit. Well, the [4d] his Strong hard. He now had the nut flush draw and took the lead over Jewell. At this point, Murphy was going to be headed to the door.

But then Boom! The case [jc] hit the river, giving Murphy a full-house and a full treble-up. Strong still won a decent side pot.

When the dust had settled, Strong had 60,000, Murphy had 56,000, and Jewell was crippled down to just 5,300. He doubled up on the next hand though, so we could see an epic comeback coming.

Sick hand, eh? --JS

7:46pm: King Connolly
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

PokerStars Staff member Richard Connolly was happy for us to include the following hand after he had secured the pot for more than a double up.

Wenbin Chen opened to 2,600 from the hijack and was called in one spot before Connolly squeezed all in for 19,100 from the small blind. Chen shoved as well and the third party folded.

Connolly: [kc][kh]
Chen: [ad][jc]

The board ran [tc][6d][4c][8c][8h] and Connolly relaxed after living anxiously through every street of the board. -- MC

7.30pm: Back to the action
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

The 67 players have returned from their break and we're now in Level 10. Here are the biggest stacks in the room right now:

Sirilux Ho - 252,000
Daniel Palsson - 186,000
Irina Nikolaidi - 138,000
Jason Lam - 152,000
James Mitchell - 120,000 --JS

7.15pm: Last break of the day

Three more levels after the players come back from a 15-minute breather.

7.10pm: Ladies day in full swing on the UKIPT
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

We half jested in the blog earlier that today (being a Thursday of a festival) was the unofficial ladies day of the UKIPT, due to the high turnout of the fairer sex. Fast-forward a few hours and two of those ladies are dominating.

Irina Nikolaidi, who's already been on our radar today, is still cruising with 145,000 but Sirilux Ho has come from nowhere to lead with a massive 275,000!

Nikolaidi has been moved from her original table and was a raising machine for the period we viewed her new table. One of her 3x raises was called by Josh Green in the big blind and a [7d][jc][9d] flop appeared. Nikolaidi continued for 3,000 and Green check-called to the [th] turn. Both players checked before Green check-called an 8,000 bet on the [3h] river. Nikolaidi opened [jh][jd] for top set and Green said nice hand before folding.

We haven't seen any of Ho's hands today but a tablemate told the blog that she made six/seven straights in a row. In one hand she made a straight to eliminate a player who held two pair and then she took care of the talented Neil Raine. The latter made a move with a flush draw but Ho was already sitting there with a made ten high straight. -- MC

7pm: Raising issues lead to sick run-out
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

Eww. That was pretty gross.

Donal O'Connor had made a standard open which was 3-bet by Finn Stewart to 6,500. O'Connor then min-raised to 13,000, which Stewart then intended to call, but accidently put out enough chips that it had to be considered a raise.

Tournament Director Luca Vivaldi was called over to inform Stewart that he had to make it the minimum bet of 19,500. He threw in the extra chips to complete his accidental raise and the action was back on O'Connor.

He then jammed for 63,500 total, obviously sensing weakness. And Stewart snap-called, having him covered.

It was the [qh][qc] for Stewart, who was in fine shape when O'Connor gingerly turned over his [9h][th]. All eyes were on the felt as the dealer put out an [8d][kd][9d] flop. O'Connor had connected, so there was always a chance. The [kh] changed nothing, so it was all down to the river.

The [9s]. O'Connor made an unlikely set, and secured the win. "Well done," said Stewart.

O'Connor now sits around 129,000, while Stewart took a hit down to 37,000. --JS

6.50pm: Mitchell shoots up the chip counts
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

A big hand just played out between Irish Open winner James Mitchell, LAPT9 Chile winner Rodrigo Strong, and Germany's Kevin Barden, which has seen Mitchell rocket up the chip counts.

Barden kicked off the hand with a standard open which Strong then 3-bet, leading to a cold 4-bet from Mitchell to 21,000. Both Barden and Strong called and the three saw an [8h][5s][9s] flop fall down. It checked to Mitchell who jammed for his whole 33,700 stack. Barden thought for a minute before throwing his hand away, and then Strong started to work through the hand himself. He counted out calling chips, but took his time, glancing up at the tournament clock.

The chips eventually found themselves in the middle, and Strong turned over [ac][kd] for ace-high. It was a hero-call gone awry, as Mitchell had the [ad][as] in his holding. The [7s] and [3s] completed the board, giving Mitchell some major wind in his sails. He now sits with around 130,000, while Strong is down to 33,000. --JS

6.36pm: Take a nice long Knapp
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

"Good luck guys!" said a gracious Daniel Knapp after he busted to Donal O'Connor.

The latter had raised to 2,000 from early position and was called in one spot before Knapp squeezed all in for 12,700 from the small blind. O'Connor was the only caller.

Knapp: [as][2h]
O'Connor: [3c][3h]

The board ran [5d][tc][5c][5s][6h] to see the threes hold up. -- MC

6.32pm: Level up
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

6.26pm: The Spanish are coming
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Walking around the room, the three biggest Spanish names in the room belong to Leo Margets, Andoni Larrabe, and Sergio Aido.

If they need an introduction, here you go: Margets is an experienced pro with plenty of cashes on the circuit; Larrabe is best known for finishing 6th in the 2014 WSOP Main Event for $1,622,471; and Aido is absolute beast and UKIPT champion - taking down this very event in 2013 for £144,555. Here's a hand for all of them from the last orbit.

Margets took hers down; she opened to 1,700 from the hijack and got a caller from the big blind. The flop came [qh][7c][kd], it checked to her and she took it down with a c-bet of 1,800. She's up to roughly 40,000 now.

Meanwhile, Larrabe didn't fare as well. A player opened to 1,600 from the hijack and Larrabe flatted out of the big blind, only to see the [3h][qh][ks] fall on the flop. The November Niner check-called a bet of 2,100, leading us to the [8h] turn. This time Larrabe check-called a bet of 5,000. There'd be no more betting on the [jc] river though, and Larrabe had to muck when his opponent showed [kd][4d] for top pair. He's still healthy with 57,000 though.

So, what would we find on the usually hyper-aggressive Sergio Aido's table? Cold-four bet jamming? Seven-bet pots?

Nah, Aido is just chilling on his phone. He does have 37,000 though, so he's having a good day so far. --JS

6.20pm: 307 in, so far, for UKIPT6 London
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Registration closed at the end of Level 6 and the tournament clock showed, since then, that 161 players entered today. After the TDs double and triple-checked, that number has been confirmed.

Add that to the 146 that entered yesterday and you get 307 players that gave entered so far. That prize pool is getting juicy so get yourself down to the Hippodrome Casino tomorrow to be in with a chance of a slice of the money on offer. -- MC

6.12pm: Momma getting salty?
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Deborah Worley-Roberts and Louis Salter have battled in a few pots today. Their banter indicates so. Salter can probably handle Worley-Roberts from a poker point of view, we're not sure that he's had enough life experience to cope what comes out of her chops though.

Worley-Roberts opened to 2,000 from early position and Salter defended his big blind to see a [4c][5h][8s] flop fan in from of them. Salter check-called 2,200 there and another 3,000 on the [6c] turn. He checked for a third time on the [ad] river and Worley-Roberts said. "You've been getting so lucky against me." before checking behind.

Salter opened [jc][5c] and lost out to Worley-Roberts' [ah][6h].

"Momma got you!" Worley-Roberts gently needled as she raked in the pot to rise to 57,000.

Salter, who dropped to 31,000, didn't respond but did say, "It's okay," after Worley-Roberts followed up with, "You can call me Momma if you like!" -- MC

5.55pm: Milde caught in the Raine
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Two UK players we haven't discussed much are Marcin Milde and Neil Raine. The latter is an online grinder with just shy of $850,000 in tournament winnings under his screen name 'heffs976', not to mention the near $250,000 he's picked up on the live felt as a regular on the UKIPT circuit and more. Meanwhile, Milde won the Sunday Million last year under the name 'Marcin123' for a whopping $230,614 - his second big win in that event, the first of which came back in 2011 when he chopped it for $128,000.

The two players are sat right next to each other right now and just played a cheeky pot with each other from the blinds. Milde limped the 800 and Raine bumped it up to 1,800, while Milde would call.

The flop was the [5h][qs][7h], which Raine continued on for 1,700 after it was checked to him. Milde went nowhere, taking us to the [6c] on the turn. It was classic turn action - check check - so the [kc] came down on the river. Milde checked once more, and Raine put out a tiny bet of just one big blind (800). Although it was cheap, it wasn't enough for Milde to call, as he threw his hand away.

Milde is currently sitting with 44,300, while Raine has 34,000. --JS

5.47pm: Five more levels for tonight
Level 7 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

The players' bellies are full and they are back in their seats for five more levels of poker. -- MC

4.45pm: Dinner time

Our players have gone on a 60-minute dinner break, so we'll catch you back here in an hour. --JS

This Gale too weak to knock over Nikolaidi's stack
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

The rich are getting richer here in London. Irina Nikolaidi just took out John Gale to rise to around 135,000.

Gales raised from the hijack and picked up three callers en route to a [7d][9s][6d] flop. There was around 9,000 in the middle and the action checked to Gale who moved all in for 12,500. Nikolaidi was in the small blind and she snap moved all in as well when it was her turn to act. All others folded.

Gale: [ad][8c] for an open ended straight draw.
Nikolaidi: [tc][8d] for the flopped nuts.

The board ran out [2d][5s] to make Gale a straight but it was too low. He wished everyone luck and trotted off. -- MC

4.20pm: For those we're lost...
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

If this were an awards show, this would be the part where they show the black-and-white film of all the people who have moved on recently. Get ready to get weepy, because here comes the list of bust-outs:

Philip James Ward, Vytautas Rubezius, Tobias Marcus Schmecht, James Ernest Barney, Jay Samani, Miaden Ivanov, Oskar Thor Jonsson, Nico Nicolaou, Gianluca Rinaldi, Alain Deniz Saka, Benjamin Mark Boulden, Emma Jayne Wilkinson, Sarfraz Ali, Catalin Irinel Dumtrascu, Russell Darren Wood, Umar Akram Aslam, Daniel Alan Burrow, Paul Findlay, Paul Scott Williams, Jacqueline Cachia, Michael Anthony Glasspell, Brian Delaney Junior, Quoc Huuy Le, Rahim Tadj-Saadat, Richard Jones, Paula Lou Mcghie, Steve Watts, Markus Kuhnen, Jesse Isaac Chambers, Dean Stuart Lyall, Joakim Rahmouri, Michael John David Kossov, and Nuno Daniel Cardoso Simoes. --JS

4pm: Price of poker going up
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

We've moved into Level 7, which means registration for Day 1B is now closed. One more level and then our players will go on a 60-minute dinner break. --JS

3.50pm: Palsson's not making friends but flushes
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

I'm sure he has plenty of pals off the felt, but Daniel Palsson just won a pot that's certainly going to make Anthony Harnden think twice about being buddies.

Palsson kicked off the with an open to 1,100 which was called in the three spots, including both blinds. The flop had plenty of potential for calling hands, as it came the [9h][5d][8d]. It checked to Palsson who continued for 3,200, Harnden made the call, as did the player in the big blind. That took us to the [6d] turn, which was no doubt an action card.

Both the big blind player and Palsson now checked to Harnden, who fired 6,000 into the middle. The other player got out of the way but Palsson went nowhere, instead choosing to jam his 19,375 stack. Harnden made a quick call but must have been gutted to see his [7s][9s] for a straight was beaten by Palsson's [ad][9d] nut flush. The [6s] river changed nothing.

Palsson ain't here to make more pals; he's here to make flushes. --JS

3.45pm: Chips ahoy!
Here's a list of some big stacks and notables:

Jason Lam - 98,000
Irina Nikolaidi - 91,000
Andoni Larrabe - 62,000
David Clarkson - 65,000
Robert Haigh - 58,000
Sergio Aido - 55,000
Paula Mcghie - 52,000
Oliver Greer - 51,000
Neil Raine - 50,000
Leo Margets - 47,000
John Gale - 45,500
Louis Salter - 45,000
Philippe Souki - 36,000
Deborah Worley-Roberts - 36,000
James Mitchell - 31,800
Danny Toffel - 28,500
Marcin Milde - 23,500
Paul Romain - 24,000
Maria Lampropoulos - 23,000
Josh Green - 18,000
Mickey Petersen - 14,000
Thomas Dunwoodie - 9,750
--MC

3.30pm: Voctor leaves opponent needing doctor
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

When a player leaves the tournament room in a hurry, taking their ID number card with them so we can't identify them, it's usually after they've busted in a fashion they're not entirely happy with. For one player just now, this was entirely the case; his tournament coming to an end at the hands of Nadeeka Voctor.

There was around 5,000 in the pot when the flop came down, and although we missed the action it's safe to assume there was a standard open which had been called by five players. The board showed the [8c][js][ac], and Voctor took the betting lead making it 2,800, which only one player called. The turn was then the [5h], and now the bet from Voctor was 3,000. His opponent opted to raise it to 7,000 leaving himself just 6,450 behind. Voctor made the call and the two saw a turn.

The [6s] fell and Voctor threw out two blue 5,000 chips, putting his opponent all-in. It didn't take him long to call, and it took him even less time to exit the tournament area after he saw his [as][qs] was beaten by Voctor's [ah][8d].

While his opponent was left with a sick feeling, Voctor stacked up around 50,000 in chips. --JS

3.15pm: We're back and taking it up a notch
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

The 128 remaining players of our 156 Day 1B starting field have re-taken their seats, and we're now playing 250-500 with a 50 ante. --JS

3pm: 2nd break of the day
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

Players will be back in 15 minutes after a short break. --JS

2.53pm: Nicolaou's brutal double take
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

An interesting pot looked like it was playing out over on Table 6, where there was around 30,000 in the middle by the river. The board read the [js][5d][3h][3d][4d], and Donal O'Connor had put out a bet of 8,625. Nico Nicolaou had made the call, leaving himself just 7,000 behind, and the action was on Finn Stewart. For a minute it looked like he might raise, but it turns out it was just calling chips he was counting. He slid them across.

O'Connor flipped over the [3s][4s] for a runner-runner full-house, but Nicolaou hadn't quite caught it as he turned over the [ah][2h] for a straight like it was the winner. He quickly realised though, and let out a big sigh. Stewart mucked and O'Connor raked in the massive pot. --JS

2.40pm: No Wattage
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

Steve Watts' day as come to an end.

He told the blog he lost a big pot versus Daniel Knapp when he flopped top two pair. Knapp turned a straight though and the chips went in.

Watts then busted to Kevin Walshe when he shoved on the river with the board reading [2c][9s][5h][qs][as]. It was a case of bad timing though as Watts' [ts][5c] had fallen behind Walshe's [ac][jc] on the river. He wished everyone luck and went on his way. -- MC

2.32pm: Done and dusted
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

A few of the players who have busted so far on Day 1B include Marius Zalpys, Noel Broadbent, Graeme Milton Hibbert, Henryk Nowakowski, Dino Brivati, and Paula Lou Mcghie. --JS

2.22pm: Clock called; Wu waits wondering
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

"Floor please, to table 9!" we heard the dealer shout, so we popped our heads over to see what was up. It turned out Irina Nikolaidi was in a heads-up with Xinyu Wu; there was roughly 30,000 in the pot, the board showed the [kh][qc][6s][5s][th], and Nikolaidi had checked to Wu on the river.

With no bet to call, Wu's decision was either check it back or make a bet. He'd been thinking about it for so long, though, that the clock had been called (by whom I'm unsure), and he was told by the floor that he had one minute left to act.

He would eventually check, and Nikolaidi revealed her [kc][jc] for top pair. It was good for the win forcing Wu to muck. "Phew!" proclaimed a relieved Nikolaidi as she raked in the decent pot. --JS

2.16pm: Level up
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

2.10pm: Notable counts
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

Chip counts from a few notables in the tournament:

David Docherty - 38,000
Richard Jones - 8,800
Team Online's Mickey Petersen - 21,000
Neil Raine - 29,000
Chris Yong - 37,000
James Mitchell - 41,500
Steve Watts - 28,100
Maria Lampropulos - 20,000
John Gale - 31,700
Thomas Dunwoodie - 29,300
Deborah Worley-Roberts - 34,000
Lois Salter - 24,500
Josh Green - 42,000
Leo Margets - 28,000
Paul Romain - 32,000
--MC

1.53pm: Strong LAPT winner comes to London
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

Last month I was lucky enough to head to Chile for the LAPT tournament series, the winner of which was the fantastically-named Brazilian called Rodrigo Strong. He took down $120,565 for his victory in Vina del Mar.

Well, Strong is here amongst the action on Day 1B at UKIPT London. But before you think "Crikey, Brazil to London is a long way to go", I can assure you that Strong currently resides in Barcelona.

He's an interesting fellow with some offbeat poker habits - including getting up from the table in-between hands to whisper notes into his smart phone. Let's see if Strong's techniques can lead him to his second major PokerStars Live event in two months. --JS

1.43pm: Some early fallers
Level 4 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

The Day 1B field has grown to 148 players but the following aren't among them anymore: Sui Hong Sung, Keith Christie, Orpen Kisacikoglu, Johann Schroder and Huy Nguyen. --MC

1.30pm: Play resumes
Level 4 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

The second part of today's play is underway. -- MC

1.15pm: Break time

Our field of 125 players have gone on a 15-minute break. --JS

1.10pm: Gale takes one from Nikolaidi
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

With the board showing the [3h][5c][6h], John Gale checked it to Irina Nikolaidi who put out a 600 bet. That wasn't enough for Gale, who made it 1,800 to see a turn. Nikolaidi obliged and it came the [2c], and now the bet from Gale was 3,300. It was called once more and the two saw the [td] land on the river. Both checked and Gale showed his [6s][7d] - good enough for the win. --JS

1.05pm: Ladies day, oh boy
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

It might be the unofficial ladies day here on Day 1B (see our 12.40pm post) but that doesn't mean the gents are going to display any poker chivalry.

Deborah Worley-Roberts opened to 450, only for a male player to make it 1,500. If that wasn't enough, another dude then made it 3,900 to play. "Oh, boy," said Worley-Roberts, who had a hand she liked but had to let it go. --JS

1pm: Do you believe in lucky poker rooms?
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

We're not that superstitious on the PokerStars Blog but if we were called Chris Yong, we would be, and we'd be playing as much as possible at PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome.

Yong, who's playing today, only has nine results on the Hendon Mob, dating back to December 2014. Of those nine results, four of them have been played out in this very room and make up 83.6% of his total winnings.

Yong's Hippodrome highlights:

12.45pm: Three hands, three players, one table
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

One table is getting more than it's fair share of action; after finding an interesting hand to write about, the next one was just as intriguing, so I was forced to stick around. Eventually I had to pull myself away and get back to my laptop to type them up.

The first of the three hands began with an open to 475 from Steve Watts, and both Finn Stewart and Dan Knapp called from the small and big blinds. The dealer put out the [4d][9s][td] flop, and it checked to Watts who continued for 875. Both players called, and the turn came the [6s]. It checked to Watts again, and this time the bet was 2,475, which Stewart called. Now Knapp decided to move all-in for 26,200 - a massive shove for 174 big blinds. Both Stewart and Watts quickly folded.

The next hand went like this. It started with an open from Steve Watts again, which got three callers including Stewart and Knapp again. The flop came the [ac][9s][7s] and it checked back to Watts who made it 600, and this time only Finn Stewart called (he was the small blind position). The turn came the [7c], and Stewart check-called again - this time a bet of 1,200. That took us to the [8h] river, which Stewart would again check. Watts fired out 3,500 and Stewart called, but quickly mucked when Watts revealed his [5c][6c] for a rivered straight.

The, finally, after Stewart had called bets from Watts both pre-flop and on the flop, the board read [6c][3s][9c][kd]. Watts fired for 1,700 which got a call, leading to the [ts] river. Watts put out 6,350 and Stewart called, resulting in a quick muck from Watts as Stewart showed his [ah][kh] for the win. --JS

12.40pm: Thursday is ladies day at UKIPT
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

At major horse race meets across the UK, you'll find that Thursdays are traditionally branded as Ladies Days. They help bring a touch of grace and elegance to an industry that's (normally) very male dominated. Sound familiar?

There are seven (out of 80) ladies in the field today and that's enough for us to (unofficially) name today Ladies Day on the UKIPT.

The last lady to take her seat was Maria Lampropulos, from Argentina. Lampropulos has been on hot form this year, with two five-figure scores. The biggest of these was for €95,404 when she finished second at Eureka6 Rozvadov a month ago. Who beat her to the title? None other than her boyfriend, Ivan Luca! -- MC

12.30pm: Level up
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

12.15pm: Spread your wings Day 1B
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

A total of 75 players have taken their seats so far on Day 1B, which means there isn't enough space in our main room. The floor staff have taken measures by opening up two extra rooms with tables in them.

In one room, there are only two tables and that's where Team Online's Mickey Petersen, Richard Jones (3rd at UKIPT5 Nottingham) and professional Fantasy Premiere League player* David Docherty can be found sitting.

Back in the main room, Paul Romain (who came 32nd at the recent UKIPT5 Dublin) and Steve Watts (who's a former professional footballer and tour regular) have taken their seats.

*Docherty is actually a professional poker player and just is having an (annoyingly) good season in the FPL game. -- MC

11.54am: Official High Roller final table results

We informed you earlier that Linus Loeliger from Switzerland took down the High Roller event this morning for a cool £55,650. The final table was super-deep and the final day took over 13 hours to be completed. Below are the official final table results. -- MC

11.46am: Blinds up
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

11.45am: Mitchell arrives
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

James Mitchell has taken his seat here on Day 1B. The British pro has $1.7 million is live earnings, with his biggest score coming from a win in the Irish Open for €600,000. Mitchell also has wins from other UK poker tours, plus plenty of deep runs in EPT and UKIPT events. He even came 11th here in London back in 2011 for a not-too-shabby £35,000, so he'll be hoping to go even deeper this time around. --JS

11.37am: Strong start for Gale
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

The man we just wrote about - John Gale - has got off to a very nice start. Picking up the action on a [th][jd][qh][qc] board, two players checked to Gale and he put out a bet of 2,100 into a roughly 3,000 pot. One of the other players then made it 6,000 to go, resulting in one fold but a call from Gale.

The river was the [3d] and both players opted to check. Gale flipped over the [8s][9d] for a flopped straight, while his opponent's [ac][ts] was no good.

A great first orbit for Gale, who's up to about 36,000 already. --JS

11.35pm: Green wins some green
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

Josh Green barely had an eye on a hand he was playing, as he was rapidly typing into his phone, but it didn't matter as he still took a pot down without showdown.

Green called a raise to 250 along with three other players and all took to a [ks][7c][3c] flop. The action was checked to Green who bet 600 after peering up from his device. Only the original raiser called but he took folded to a 1,000 bet on the [6s] turn. -- MC

11.26am: A Gale just blew in...
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

One player in today's field who needs no introduction is Mr John Gale - but we're going to give him one anyway.

Gale is something of a British poker legend, and one of the first faces this writer remembers from poker on TV when he won the PCA Main Event back in 2005 for $890,000. Gale has gone on to amass an incredible $3.8 million in tournament winnings, including two WSOP bracelets - the second of which he won last year.

Now, there wouldn't normally be anything surprising about that; great players win bracelets every year. But the thing is that Gale had been away from the poker world for three years, dealing with several serious medical issues including a brain tumour.

His triumphant return at the WSOP resulted in him getting back on the felt in his homeland, playing his first ever UKIPT event in Bristol back in August. He told my colleague Marc Convey back then how much he enjoyed the event, and how well run he thought UKIPTs were. He clearly meant it, because he's in the action here today.

Make sure you stick around to see how Gale gets on throughout this Day 1B. --JS

11.15am: Guys are no time keepers
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

How do you guarantee a person will be late? Ensure they're male and play poker.

It's not surprising that (with an 11am start time) the field is a little thin on players this AM. A couple of players to turn up bang on time though were Leo Margets and Deborah Worley-Roberts. And wouldn't you know it, they've been drawn in seats next to each other on table ten.

"This is the best looking table in the room!" remarked Worley-Roberts after Margets sat down to her right. -- MC

11am: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

Cards are in the air for Day 1B!

10.45am: Day 1B to start shortly
Welcome back to PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome Casino for the second of three UKIPT6 London starting flights. Day 1B is due to start at 11am where another twelve 45-minute levels are scheduled for play. That's what the Day 1A players did yesterday and a target has been set for today's players.

Xizhe Yuan just beat Jack Salter to the top spot after ending the day with 286,400. The challenge for today's players is not to just beat it, but to try and pass the 300k mark. Those registered for today and maybe up for the challenge are: Team PokerStars Jake Cody and Mickey Petersen; Robert Haigh, Neil Raine, David Docherty, Rainer Kempe and Jerome Bradpiece.

The High Roller event was concluded in the early hours of this morning and was taken down by Linus Loeliger. He defeated long-time chip leader Luis Rodriquez heads-up to claim the trophy and £55,650 top prize.

Key UKIPT6 London Facts:

- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 12 of them. From Day 2 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
- Day 1B is today, Day 1C takes place tomorrow, and the field will then combine for the first time on Saturday for Day 2. We'll reach the money during the 10 levels of play on Day 2 and then play down to a final table, which will take place on Sunday.
- Full UKIPT6 London schedule here.
- Other tournaments today include a £110 NL Holdem Freezeout Satellite to the UKIPT Main Event.
PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

"At major horse race meets across the UK, you'll find that Thursdays are traditionally branded as Ladies Days. They help bring a touch of grace and elegance to an industry that's (normally) very male dominated. Sound familiar?

There are seven (out of 80) ladies in the field today and that's enough for us to (unofficially) name today Ladies Day on the UKIPT."

That's what my colleague Marc Convey wrote at the beginning of Day 1B, and boy (or should I say girl) was he right.

The women in this field today dominated the chip lead all day, and in the end four of that seven bagged and tagged their chips ready for Day 2. In the end though, it was Irina Nikolaidi who secured the chip lead with 277,900. Nikolaidi led for portions of the day before winning a big pot right at the end to secure the pole position.

A total of 161 players registered to play today, and in the end only 39 survived.

But back to the ladies for a moment. Those who survived were a talented bunch indeed; Leo Margets will be taking 78,000 through to Day 2, while Maria Lampropoulos bagged up 63,800, fresh off her 2nd place finish at Eureka6 Rozvadov for €95,404.

It was Sirilux Ho who came from nowhere to be a dominant chip leader earlier - at one point having 300,000 when the average was just 50,000! According to one of her table mates, she made seven straights in a row! She ended the day with 203,400. We look forward to seeing all four back for Day 2 on Saturday.

Some of the more well-known names who survived the day include James Mitchell (194,800), Louis Salter (32,400), David Docherty (161,500), and Team PokerStars staff member Richard Connolly (131,500). When it came to the biggest stacks at the end of the night, the players who most-closely followed were Paul Romain (232,900) and Daniel Palsson (225,700). For full end of day counts click here.

Where there are survivors though, there must be players who didn't make it, and we had plenty of those. PokerStars Team Online's Mickey Petersen unfortunately couldn't get much going today, while former November Niner Andoni Larrabe also failed to reach the end of Level 12.

The great John Gale also joined us for most of the day too. The two-time WSOP bracelet winner made his return to poker last year following a two-year absence caused by serious medical issues (notably a brain tumour), only to win a bracelet! Unfortunately, he couldn't hold on to come back on Saturday.

Other players who won't be joining us on Day 2 include Deborah Worley-Roberts, Chris Yong, Steve Watts, Marcin Milde, and Neil Raine.

It's been a great day of action though (check out all the live coverage here), and we're expecting an even bigger turnout tomorrow - full of big names and maybe even a PokerStars Team Pro or two (wink wink).

So join us back here on the PokerStars Blog for Day 1C at 11am tomorrow. Until then, salut!

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May, who will not take lightly to you serendipitously stealing her photos! Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

* Read a full report of Day 1C here
* Day 2 starts tomorrow at 11am
* 176 players will return

10.05pm: It's over
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (200 ante)

Read a full report of Day 1C here. --JS

9.50pm: Four more hands
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (200 ante)

We'll play four more hands tonight before the chips are bagged. --JS

9.48pm: So many big stacks
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (200 ante)

More players means more chips, which in turn mean way more big stacks. It's hard to determine right now who exactly is the chip leader, and even harder to predict who will end up the Day 1C chip boss when all is said and done. Don't go anywhere, the clock's about to be paused and then we'll be back with official counts. --JS

9.40pm: McLean out
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (200 ante)

And just like that, we've lost Leo McLean from the Main Event. He got it in with [qs][ts] against another player's pocket jacks and couldn't hit anything. --JS

9.32pm: McLean approaching the danger zone
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (200 ante)

We hadn't checked in with Leo McLean for a while so we popped over to his table and caught him in a hand.

During the last level McLean had opened to 3,500 and it got one caller - Stephen O'Keefe out of the big blind. The flop showed the [4h][3d][qc] and O'Keefe checked, allowing McLean to c-bet for 4,400. It was called once more.

An identical pattern happened again on the [jh] turn, but this time the bet was 9,200. The betting lead switched after the [2d] river, as O'Keefe then shoved all-in, putting McLean's entire stack at risk. McLean gave his hand up and is left with 39,000, good for 24 big blinds. --JS

9.20pm: Last level of the day
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000-2,000 (200 ante)

9.18pm: Charalambous survives three-way all in
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Peter Charalambous flopped big but had to fade a flush draw before he could relax in the knowledge that he had more than tripled up.

He opened to 3,500 from under the gun and was called in four spots before an [as][8h][7h] flop was dealt. Charalambous checked before Lucas Reeves bet and Geir Havard Hanssen moved all in for 50,600. Charalambous called all in for 42,500 and Reeves, who had both players covered by around 50,000 called as well.

Charalambous: [ah][ad] for top set.
Hanssen: [7d][7s] for bottom set.
Reeves: [kh][th] for a flush draw.

Charalambous was happy to see Hanssen's hand but not so much Reeves'. The board ran out [3c][6d] to see Charalambous scoop the lot. Hanssen had 8,100 left after he paid Charalambous and that was doubled by Reeves. -- MC

9.09pm: The lowdown on how Xiaoyang Luo took the chip lead
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Well, I didn't see the action as it happened, but I did catch the aftermath - that being Xiaoyang Luo stacking mountains of chips.

The guys at his table - including the man who was chip leader just a few minutes ago, Antonio German - just ran me through the action.

Luo kicked off the pot with an open to 3,300, which German bumped up to 8,500. Antoine Saout then got involved with a cold 4-bet to 23,500, which was nothing compared to former chip leader Abalsteinn Karlsson's cold 5-bet jam for 75,000. It folded back to Lou who apparently tanked for some time before making the call. Everyone else folded and the cards were revealed.

Karlsson had pocket jacks, while Lou had ace-king. The flop came ace-high, and a king on the turn and blank on the river gave the huge pot to Lou, while Karlsson headed for the exit. German didn't reveal his hand, but he did say that he would have flopped a set had he called.

Luo is now our big chip leader with 285,000. --JS

9pm: Late casualties
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600, 200 (100 ante)

Day 1C, after more than ten levels of play, has almost shrunk enough to fit in one room. The exits of the following has helped that cause: Jack O'Neill, Gerhard Robert Lillie, Morgan Sorfleet, Viktor Einarsson, Wai Kiat Lae, Ravi Sharda, Mark Oliver, Jordan Conroy, Ben Smith, Craig Newton, Renee Xie, Robert Davies, Juan Gozalo, Logi Laxdal, James Huggins, Peter Rolstad Haugnaess, Jack Sambrook, Anotnios Onoufriou, Sung Hee Yun, David Welch, Jose Godin, Paul Campbell, Salvador Avid Htdaico Martine, Erasmo Marco Crespo and Darren Oldaker. -- MC

8.44pm: November Niners go to battle
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600 (200 ante)

Antoine Saout (2009 WSOP Main Event 3rd place finisher) and Felix Stephensen (2014 WSOP Main Event runner up) have been going head to head quite a few times since they were both moved on to the OTD (original table of death).

One hand I just caught involved a 3,000 open from Saout, which Stephensen 3-bet to 8,000. When the action was back on Saout he put in a 4-bet for 22,500, only to see Stephensen jam for around 50,000. Saout gave it up and still has a healthy 120,000 stack, while Stephensen moves up to just over 80,000. --JS

8.36pm: Level up
Level 11 - Blinds 800-1,600, 200 (100 ante)

8.30pm: Last level (street), boss v boss
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

Rainer Kempe, as we wrote earlier, had had an amazing breakout year and Tom Hall has been bossing for a few years now and is a one-time winner and one-time runner up in the UKIPT Player of the Season race. The two tangled in a pot and Hall, seeing as this is more his turf, won the boss battle.

An [ah][6d][jh][9s][5h] board rested between the two players and around 35,000 chips had to be claimed. Kempe only had 23,000 left, a few thousand less than Hall. It was the latter who struck the final blow, moving all in from the small blind. Kempe was in the cutoff and tanked for several minutes before admitting defeat with a fold.

Talking of bosses: While Kempe was tanking, Vicente Delagado had time to eliminate an opponent on an adjacent table. He held [as][kh] to Gavin Keane's [ah][qh] and the two got their stacks in preflop. The board ran [9c][kd][2h][3s][qc] to send Keane to the rail and Delgado's stack grew to 130,000. -- MC

8.10pm: Notable chip stacks
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

Antonio German - 199,000
Usman Siddique - 169,000
Martin Bader - 142,000
Antoine Saout - 135,000
Joe Grech - 130,000
Frank Bastow - 125,000
Craig Sweden - 94,000
Diego Gomez - 92,000
Felix Stephensen - 83,000
Soren Jensen - 82,000
Abalsteinn Karlsson - 74,000
Paul Vas Nunes - 56,000
Joe Grech - 47,000
Tom Hall - 47,000
Rainer Kempe - 34,000
Patrick Clarke - 24,000 --JS.

7.50pm: We're back
Level 10 - Blinds 600-1,200 (200 ante)

Players are back from break - three more levels for day the day. --JS

7.35pm: Last break of the night
The players are on a 15-minute break. They'll play three more levels when they return.

7.34pm: News from the OTD
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

It's all change from today's original table of death. Richard Milner has gone, Antoine Saout is crushing on 170,000, and former chips leader Abalsteinn Karlsson has dropped even further - down to 37,000 after folding on the river.

Jack Sambrook opened from the cutoff and Karlsson defended his big blind to see an [ah][7s][3s] flop appear. Sambrook continued for 2,300 and Jack Karlsson check-called to the [qs] turn where he called another 8,000. The board completed with the [9c] and Karlsson checked again then shook his head ever so slightly when he saw Sambrook look down and reach for chips. Sambrook barely had his 17,000 bet in contention and Karlsson's cards hit the muck. -- MC

7.25pm: This hand had it all
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

A double elimination, a clock being called, a last second decision...this hand had everything.

It started with an open from Neil Slade to 2,300, which Carlo Citrone called. It folded around to Lawrence Bayley who shoved from the small blind for 23,000, only for Slade to move all-in himself for 49,300. That had Citrone covered (who only had 35,600 behind) and here's where the tanking started.

Citrone was thinking for at least five minutes before the clock was called, standing up in his chair and staring constantly at Slade's chips. When he had one minute to make up his mind he apologised to the table. "It's OK," said Bayley. "You're in pain!"

"I'm in real pain!" replied Citrone, as the clock counted down. At one point, with about 30 seconds left, he picked his cards up - giving his next door neighbours a clear peek. One player squirmed as he saw them, prompting Bayley to point out that even if he now folded Citrone's hand would have to be revealed to the whole table.

"5,4, 3..." went the floor, and when the clock hit '1' Citrone splashed his chips in the middle, KGB-style. It was not the right decision.

Slade - [ad][ah]
Bayley - [ac][kc]
Citrone - [qd][qs]

Both Bayley and Citrone needed help, but the [3s][2c][8s][3d][2d] meant the pocket rockets held up. Both were eliminated, and Slade now sits with an impressive 112,000 stack. --JS

7.12pm: When a bad board run out is a good board run out
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

Sometimes, when in the middle of a hand, you can curse the way a board develops over the streets as you think your chances of winning the hand are diminishing. What if you were always behind though? That's when a bad run out can save you a bunch of chips.

A pile of chips sat in the middle of the table and three players were still in the hand. The flop read [5d][4d][9d] and John Linton was the first to bet, for 8,200. Sebastian Malec was sat behind in position and called, whereas the third player check-folded from under the gun. The board ran out [5h][3d] and both players checked it down.

Linton opened [tc][ts] and lost out to Malec's [jh][jd]. A couple of low non diamond cards could've cost Linton even more than he lost. -- MC

7pm: Bust-out bonanza
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000 (100 ante)

Here's just some of the dozens of bust-outs we've had over the past few levels:

Martins Adeniya, Richard Milner, Munaaf Ghumra, Oscar Antonio Romero Rodriguez, Barry Laen, Florin Calin, Danny Blair, Peter Petrov, Geoffrey Dartford, William Kassouf, Alin Rapoport, Carl Nordin, Alan Gurdeep S Dhillon, Steven Game, Raymond Caabay, David Penly, Adel Kabbani, Chuc Gia Khuu, Lars Isaksen, Dinh Doat Le, Peter Jaksland, Jeffrey Michael Kimber, Lucian Tartan, Alexandru Tibulca, Jerome Patrick O'Shea, Stefan Jansson, and Mark Oliver. --JS

6.56pm: Level up
Level 9 - Blinds 500-1,000, 100 (100 ante)

6.55pm: Karlsson drops back but still has a Fortune
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Abalsteinn Karlsson's stack has dropped to 103,000 after he doubled up Andrew Fortune.

The Icelander raised to 2,000 from early position and was called in two spots before Fortune squeezed to 5,200 from the cutoff. All three opponents called to the [jc][th][4d] flop where Karlsson led out for 11,000. Two folds came before Fortune raised all in for 16,600. Karlsson called off the extra with [qs][js] for top pair but he was crushed by Fortune's [tc][ts] for a set. The board ran out [3s][qc]. -- MC

6.50pm: Felix Stephensen - great for the game
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Felix Stephensen is a Norwegian poker legend. Not just because he finished 2nd in the 2014 WSOP Main Event for $5,147,911; not just because he's number one on the all-time Norway money list; but also because in November last year he won the first ever legal poker tournament on Norwegian soil.

The Norwegian Championships of poker was a very big deal indeed, boosting the game and promoting the skill element which is so often overlooked. By topping the massive 1,974-player field, Stephensen proved that it's no coincidence the big names rise to the top so often.

Adding $161,842 to his career winnings was good for Stephensen, but him winning the event was invaluable for Norwegian poker.

I just caught a hand between him and the current chip leader, Iceland's Adalsteinn Karlsson. Stephensen opened to 1,800 and it folded around to Karlsson in the big blind, who made the call. The first three community cards were the [ts][kd][8h], and it was checked to the raiser. Stephensen continued for 2,200 and Karlsson called once more. When the [3d] fell on the turn, the same thing happened again but this time Stephensen's 5,000 bet was enough to take down the pot. He's currently sitting with 57,000. --JS

6.30pm: Punsri up to his old tricks
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Back in Level 1, Punnat Punsri eliminated the first player of the day (Chris Da Silva), and he's been at it again to see his stack rise to 120,000.

Around 5,500 lay in the middle of the table as an [as][5s][kc] flop appeared; Punsri was heads up with Alex Bounsall and led for 5,000 from the small blind. Punsri raised to 11,100 and Bounsall called to the [9c] river where he shoved for 31,200. Punsri called and the cards were flipped up.

Bounsall: [6s][8s] for a flush and straight draw.
Punsri: [ks][4s] for a better flush draw and a pair.

Bounsall thought he was drawing dead until a tablemate pointed out a non-spade seven would do the job. The [3d] river wasn't it and he hit the rail. -- MC

6.16pm: Cody looking forward to a big weekend of sport
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody stopped by during dinner. He was very disappointed to bust, especially after just doubling up, but put it behind him and is looking forward to taking in all the football, golf and boxing that's going on over the weekend.

His exit hand saw him raise to 1,300 with ace-king and he picked up two callers before a third player squeezed to 7,200. Cody jammed for 22,000 and his opponent called with pocket tens that held up. --MC

6.11pm: Biggest stacks in the tournament right now
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Here's a run-down of the current big Day 1C stacks:

Adalsteinn Karlsson - 157,000
Antoine Saout - 112,000
Mian Wei - 110,000
Antonio German - 106,000
Paul Campbell - 95,000
Byynjar Bjarkason - 92,000
Diego Gomez - 85,000
Erasmo Marco Crespo - 80,000 --JS

6.05pm: After-dinner play begins
Level 8 - Blinds 400-800 (100 ante)

Players are back from dinner break and Level 8 is about to kick off. --JS

4.55pm: Dinner time
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

The players are on a 70-minute dinner break. -- MC

4.50pm: From high to low
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

The PokerStars Live @Hippodrome room, situated on the top deck of the casino, only has a couple of tables left and they'll soon be broken into the other room.

Some of the players, apart from Kelly Saxby, to bust from up there include: JP Kelly, Davide Magnan, Stephen Miles, Graham Murray, Kfir Ivgi, Erik Hemminghytt, Qixiang Jing, Douglas James Henshall, Dennis Henn, Vegard Andreassen, Nicholas Maimone, Miltiadis Kontis, Michael Doyle, Steffen Sontheimer, Rudoslaw Zajdel, Braz Borges and Ankit Ahuja. -- MC

4.33pm: Bad beat corner claims McCulloch
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

If you've suffered a bad beat today or just want to moan about luck, the universe, or whatever, there's a place for you. Just head to the Cocktail Bar on the first floor of the casino and sense the table with the darkest mood.

Neil McCulloch (right of picture) was latest to join the wake and his story was pretty brutal. His exit happened on the very last hand of Level 6.

He raised the 400 big blind up to 1,025 and was called in two spots before the villain in this story clicks it to 1,650. McCulloch comes back with a four-bet to 4,000 and only said villain calls. The fanned [9s][9d][3c] and McCulloch led for 5,000. His opponent tanked and then moved all in. McCulloch snap called all in.

McCulloch opened pocket kings, way ahead of his opponent's [ts][3s] but the board came with running spades to crush him, only leaving him with a story to tell. -- MC

4.30pm: Double up for Cody
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

We haven't been able to catch Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody in a hand for most of the day, but what we could see is that his stack was dwindling. However, he's just secured himself a much needed double to climb out of the immediate danger zone and back up to 30 big blinds.

Marc Hunter min-opened on the button to 1,200 and Cody called out of the big blind, taking us to the [2s][9s][tc] flop. Cody checked it, allowing Hunter to put out a c-bet of 1,800. Jake then stacked up his remaining chips and moved them all over the line, and Hunter quickly called the 7,000 or so more.

Cody had the flush draw with the [5s][6s], and would need to hit to survive against Hunter's [ts][2c] - a flopped two-pair with the Doyle Brunson. The turn was the [3s] giving Cody the flush and the lead, which he'd hold onto when the [ad] completed the board.

Looks like Jake's going to be sticking around a while longer, as he now has 18,000. --JS

4.17pm: Talented table
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

We have a new contender for the 'table of death' title, and it's currently hosting Rainer Kempe (45,000), Diego Gomez (50,000), and latecomer here today Tom Hall (25,000). --JS

4.10pm: Blinds up - registration closed
Level 7 - Blinds 300-600 (75 ante)

We've moved into Level 7, and that means registration is official closed for the Main Event. Right now it looks like we've had 642 total entrants over the three starting days, creating a prize pool of £449,400. We'll have the official word on that soon though. --JS

4.07pm: The big stacks
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

We've got a lot of players in action right now (260 of 335 at the time of writing) and the biggest stack of them all right now belongs to Iceland's Adalsteinn Karlsson, sitting with 133,000. You might remember Karlsson from his 4th place finish at UKIPT5 Dublin in February, where he took home €56,470 for his efforts.

"I hope I can make another deep run!" he told the PokerStars Blog at the beginning of the day. Well, he's certainly on course so far.

Other big stacks right now include Aaron Lincoln with 89,000 and Chuc Gia Khuu with 85,000. There are dozens of players with 60,000 - 70,000 stacks, so it's only a matter of time before more players break through the 100,000 mark. --JS

4pm: A cruel way to go
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

Gavin Keane and Matthias Mordhorst both had around 20,000 when they ended up all in preflop and the former knew he was in terrible shape. His [as][ks] was a serious dog to Keane's pocket aces and the Irishman was out of his seat and preparing to leave after a [6c][qc][5d] flop appeared in from of them. Poker can be a cruel game at times though and the [td][jc] proved that. It's brought in the back door straight for Keane and it was Mordhorst's turn to rise (permanently) from his seat. -- MC

3.48pm: They gone
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

More than 40 players have busted already here on Day 1C. Included in the unfortunate are: Brett Angell, Jerome Bradpiece, Brian Ryan, Gladys Long, Angel Perez De Petinto Imedia, George Hughes, Javier Zapatero, Eldad Korn, Asaf Turgeman, Jose Godin, Christopher Brown, Alexandros Papadopoulos, Sacha Brookes, Peter Flynn, Ben Winsor, Neophytos Neophytou, Jordan King, Gary Blackwood, Ovidiu Bara, Daks Kevin R Davis, Yue Tu, Anthony Marks, Rajesh Verma, Ian Otobo, Nick Bell, Marc Daubach, Christopher England, Najib Tahiri Hassani, Jorn Solem, Vamshi Vandanapu, Jim Van Hal, Mohammed Suhail and Fahir Han. -- MC

3.27pm: More on Saxby's exit
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)

We ran into Kelly Saxby on the break and she filled the blog in some of the gaps on her bust out.

Before her exit hand she (annoyingly) got her stack in from the button with pocket aces, only for the small blind to have aces as well! Shortly after, she did manage to get her stack in with ace-jack and was called by an opponent holding pocket nines. Saxby managed to flop top two pair but unfortunately for her the third card was a nine, making her opponent a set and she was drawing dead by the turn.

Saxby will be hanging about all weekend to play the side events. -- MC

2.25pm: Level up
Level 6 - Blinds 250-500 (50 ante)
The players are back in their seats for another two levels and then they'll be a 60-minute dinner break.

3.05pm: Take a break
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

Players and dealers have gone on a 20-minute break. --JS

2.53pm: Wow
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

We've had 321 entries here on Day 1C - more than Day 1A and Day 1B's fields combined! There's still one more level before registration is closed for the day, and then we'll be able to get some official numbers for you. --JS

2.50pm: O'Kearney and Saxby are gone
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

Both Dara O'Kearney and PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome ambassador Kelly Saxby suddenly have free afternoons to fill, as they've both been eliminated from the Main Event.

O'Kearney open shoved for 5,650 before John Watkin made the call on the button. Antoine Saout then jammed over the top for 8,625, Watkin called and the cards were on their backs.

O'Kearney - [4s][4c]
Watkin - [ah][ts]
Saout - [kc][kd]

O'Kearney needed help but couldn't find any on the [js][6c][7d][3s][6h] run-out, which saw Saout just about treble up to around 21,000. Watkin had a decent stack prior to this hand, so remains relatively unscathed.

Meanwhile, I didn't catch Saxby's bust-out, but I did see her come to say goodbye to the Hippodrome team before making her exit. Good game to both. --JS

2.40pm: Reeve Mcleaned up
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

It really sucks when you're short stacked, find a pair to make a move with, only for an opponent to wake up with aces behind. Daniel Reeve felt that pain just before.

He was in early position and slid his last 5,000 (or so) over the line with [6s][6h]. Leo McLean was in the cutoff with [ah][ac] and went into overkill by hitting quads on a [ac][3d][9d][ad][9c] board. He ,oved up to 39,000. -- MC

2.25pm: O'Kearney on the gurney
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

It's been a rough start to the day for Dara O'Kearney, as you can see:

Down to 5k. AA < kt on a AQ9 flop #UKIPTLondon

— Dara O'Kearney (@daraokearney) April 8, 2016

We just caught him pick up some chips though after he shoved over Antoine Saout's open. He's now sitting with around 7,000. --JS

2.20pm: Blinds and antes increase
Level 5 - Blinds 200-400 (50 ante)

It's all gone up - we're now playing 200-400 with a running 50 ante. --JS

2.18pm: Sunar rather than later
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

UK poker legend Surindar Sunar has wasted no time in building his stack, having just picked up yet another healthy pot.

It started with a hijack min-open to 600 from Adel Kabbani, before Sunar min-raised to 1,200 from the button. It folded back around to Kabbani and he made the call.

The dealer put out the [7s][td][8s] flop and Kabbani checked, allowing Sunar to continue for 1,400. Kabbani went nowhere, so we saw the [3c] hit the turn. Once again Kabbani checked, and this time the bet from Sunar was 2,500. There was a nice pot in the middle now after Kabbani called again, and the action didn't change on the [5s] river. Another check, and a bet of 6,900 from Sunar was then good enough to get Kabbani to fold.

Sunar is up to around 40,000 now. --JS

2.12pm: Saxby pays Bader
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

Kelly Saxby, who recently returned from a trip home to the States, is having difficulty in gaining traction today.

"Why didn't you come up here when I had chips?" she asked.

She had less by the time we left.

Martin Bader opened from the hijack and was called by Saxby (small blind) and the big blind. The flop fanned [qh][3d][6c] and Bader continued for 650. Saxby check-called and commented, "This is it Martin!"

Both players checked the [7c] turn before the board completed with the [ah]. "I got there," said Bader before he bet 500.

"I know you did but I'll call anyway," replied Saxby. Bader wasn't lying as he opened [as][2d]. Saxby mucked and dropped to around 7,000. -- MC

2pm: Splitting at the seams
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

It's working out to be tricky to fit everyone in here on Day 1C at London's Hippodrome Casino. The clock says there are 270 entrants but we suspect that figure has passed the 300-mark by now. The players were spread across four different areas but a fifth is being utilised now - the Poker Deck where cash games can normally be found.

Up on the deck you'll find PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome's Ambassador Kelly Saxby; double WSOP bracelet winner JP Kelly; two-time UKIPT Champion Duncan McLellan; Spanish star Vicente Delgado; poker legend Surinder Sunar and former UKIPT London champion Brett Angell. -- MC

1.45pm: McLean takes a few hits
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

Leo McLean's stack has taken a slight knock so far today. In a hand I just caught, a player had opened to 700, which got callers in Leo and one more opponent. The flop came all hearts - the [qh][6h][4h], and the original raiser continued for 700 again, which only Leo would call. That took us to the [8c] turn, and now it was checked to Leo who bet 2,200. It turned out to be a minimum check-raise to 4,400 though, and McLean quickly let his hand go. He's slipped to 15,000, but with 50 big blinds he's in no rush. --JS

1.35pm: Play resumes
Level 4 - Blinds 150-300 (25 ante)

1.15pm: Break time
It's the first break of the day, so we'll be back in 20 minutes. --JS

1.12pm: A couple of new arrivals
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

Former 2009 November Niner and all-around live crusher Antoine Saout has taken a seat on the 'table of death' alongside Dara O'Kearney, Richard Milner and Adalsteinn Karlsson. The Frenchman has just shy of $4.4 million in live earnings, and currently sits 6th on France's all-time money list.

Elsewhere, Dan Stacey is now in the field. Stacey took down the UKIPT5 stop in the Isle of Man for £24,170, and will be looking to pick up his second title this weekend. --JS

1.07pm: Massive Day 1C field
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

The queue to grab a seat in this tournament was just snaking out of the tournament room and into the bar, so as expected we've got a jumbo-field here on Day 1C.

Although the tournament boards are currently showing 143 players, the total amount of players in the field right is 290 according to Tournament Director Luca Vivaldi.

Players have until the end of the Level 6 to register, so if you're thinking of playing get down to the Hippodrome now! --JS

1:03pm: The king is dead, long live the king
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

A new UKIPT London champion will be crowned after Rapinder Sheema, the Season 5 winner, bluffed off his stack in a battle of the blinds versus Wai Kiat Lae.

Lae led for 3,000 on the river of a [3h][4c][6h][6c][ah] board before Sheema raised all in for around 8,000. Lae called with [jh][7h] for a flush beating out Sheema's [qh][5s]. The flop offered a lot of potential for Sheema's hand but the draws failed to come in and his bluff was a case of bad timing. -- MC

12.57pm: Van Nunes in the mix
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

After a brisk stroll over to one of the other tournament rooms I clocked Paul Vas Nunes amongst the action. If you're not familiar with the talented pro, here's a run down of some of his biggest accomplishments:

- 1st in the SCOOP $2,100 8-Max for $403,617
- 2nd in the Estrellas Barcelona Main Event for $273,676
- 1st in the Sunday Million for $233,944
- 2nd in the $530 WCOOP for $218,732
- 1st in the Sunday Warm Up for $116,370
- 1st in the Sunday 500 for $71,010
- A total of $3,539,369 in live and online winnings

Quite a sick resume, I'm sure you'll agree. We'll keep a close eye on his progress today. --JS

12.48pm: Doke's going to win UKIPT6 London!
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (ante 25)

Sometimes flattery will get you everything you want in life:

Day 1c updates from the scandalously talented Stars blogging crew at https://t.co/2j6Zb70a8L pic.twitter.com/bCsl0c4yjG

— Dara O'Kearney (@daraokearney) April 8, 2016

12.44pm: Spencer hits the rail early
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (ante 25)

Alex Spencer is a well-respected UK tournament grinder with $364,190 in live tournament cashes but he's failed to make the first break today.

He was short and made his move with [ks][2s] and found a customer in Johannes De Hond and his [th][ts]. Spencer actually took the lead on the [kh][6s][as] flop but De Hond made a set as the board ran out [tc][3h]. -- MC

12.35pm: A near-muck experience
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (ante 25)

I just caught an interesting hand on the 'table of death' between Adalsteinn Karlsson and Rimantas Rusys that I thought was worth mentioning. There had been an open before Rusys put out a 3-bet, only for Karlsson to 4-bet to 2,200. The original raiser folded, and Rusys almost did too as he hadn't spotted Karlsson's raise and went to give the dealer his cards. When he realised, he pulled his hand back after almost mucking it, and everyone at the table agreed it was an honest mistake. He then completed the bet and we went to a flop.

It came the [4s][6s][2s] and Rusys led for 3,500 which got Karlsson to fold. To show he wasn't angle-shooting, Rusys flipped over pocket kings before raking in the pot. --JS

12.29pm: Level up
Level 3 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)

12.22pm: Not lucky to get drawn at Table 7
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

Table 7 has put itself forward to be nominated as an early contender for the "Table of Death" title.

The second player to bust today - Anthony Marks - used to call it home and passing by you'll also notice UK starlet Richard Milner; UKIPT5 fourth-place finisher Adalsteinn Karlsson and ultra runner/boss Dara O'Kearney.

Marks busted to George Hughes after calling all in on the river of a [4c][8d][4s][9d][6h] board. Hughes opened [kh][kc] and Marks mucked before leaving the room in a haste. -- MC

12.10pm: First player out news
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

The first player to bust on Day 1C happened back in Level 1 and news has reached us of how that happened.

Apparently, Chris Da Silva and Punnat Punsri tangled in a preflop raising war that saw Da Silver three-bet and then five-bet all in with ace-ten suited from the small blind. Punsri had opened from early position, four-bet and then called the shove holding a dominating ace-jack that held up. Some hand for the first level of a deep-stacked tournament! -- MC

12.05pm: Cody returns to his lucky building
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

There was a period of time when Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody couldn't lose in this building. The man with more than $4 million in live tournament winnings took down the very first UKIPT Series event in this very room at the Hippodrome back in 2013, as well as winning the coveted PokerStars media event here during the EPT that year. He even cashed in both the UKIPT5 London Main Event and last year's UKIPT Series event too.

Well, he's back in the room here on Day 1C and we'll be following his progress closely throughout the day, so stick around to find out how he gets on. --JS

11.55am: Remembering Femi Fakinle

As well as being busy and exciting, today the UKIPT is also a little sad and reflective as we remember one of our own, Femi Fakinle.

Femi, who would have turned 32 today, was one of the early stars on the tour and took down UKIPT Killarney in Season 1. His journey on this earth came to a tragic end last year and everyone involved on the UKIPT has him, his young family and friends in our minds and our hearts today.

Fakinle showed a huge amount of skill and heart as a player and by all accounts, the day he won in Killarney was a fabulous day. The Wexford man took home €63,400 for his win and out-lasted tour regulars Mike Hill and Peter Barrable from that final table en route to victory.

Read all about his win that day by clicking here. -- MC

11.45am: Blinds up
Level 2 - Blinds 75-150

That's one level in the books already! Eleven more to go. --JS

11.40am: A few of the notables
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

Players are arriving all the time, but here are a few of the faces we can see in the field right now.

Leo McLean is here, without his famous yellow hoody covering his face. The Brit, who finished 3rd at EPT10 London for just shy of £250,000, is fresh off a big £83,500 live tournament score in February, and will be looking to ride that wave of good form to a result in this event.

McLean's friend and UKIPT regular Richard Milner has cards in front of him right now, as do other stalwarts on this tour including Jerome Bradpiece, Dave Stonehouse and Ali Zihni.

Daiva 'BalticBlonde' Barauskaite, another UKIPT regular who has a scattering of cashes from stops-gone-by, will be looking to continue the trend set by the ladies here on Day 1B, who dominated the chip lead all day long. You can read more about 'ladies day' in our wrap up of Day 1B's action here. --JS

11.20am: Where am I sitting?
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

This is a question being asked a lot this morning. As we alluded to in the opening post, today is a busy day. So busy, in fact, that four different rooms/areas are packed with tables in anticipation of the busiest starting flight.

One of the areas - the first to break thankfully - is all the way over the other side of the casino, and up the stairs that transcend through the middle of the amazing Helliot Steak House. The walk is not a problem, getting back without stopping for a steak is! -- MC

11am: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 - Blinds 50-100

Cards are in the air!

10.45am It's busy busy busy on Day 1C

Morning all! Entering the glorious Hippodrome Casino in London's Leicester Square this morning, there's a hustle and bustle about the place which we haven't seen so far. We're poised for a big field here on Day 1C of UKIPT6 London, and there's going to be some big names in there too.

Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody will be amongst the action today, as will last year's London winner Rapinder Cheema, tour regular Angelo Milioto, PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome's ambassador Kelly Saxby, and European Poker Awards nominee Rainer Kempe.

Dara O'Kearney and Patrick Clarke will be repping the Irish contingent, while Diego Gomez is flying the Spanish flag (via the UK). Lawrence Bayley, who finished 3rd in the High Roller on Wednesday night, will also be taking his Main Event seat today.

All will be trying to build a big stack that they can take with them into tomorrow's Day 2 - which is currently led by Xizhe Yuan (286,400) and Irina Nikolaidi (277,900), our Day 1A and Day 1B end-of-play chip leaders.

It's sure to be a great day of action, so make sure you keep hitting the refresh button for all the latest . --JS

Key UKIPT6 London Facts:

- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50-100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 12 of them. From Day 2 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes. 
- Day 1A and Day 1B are over. The field will then combine for the first time on Saturday for Day 2. We'll reach the money during the 10 levels of play on Day 2 and then play down to a final table, which will take place on Sunday. 
- Full UKIPT6 London schedule here.
- Other tournaments today include a £210 NL Holdem Turbo at 8.15pm.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

If yesterday was ladies day then today was get a seat wherever you can day. After registration closed at the end of Level 6, 337 players had made Day 1C their home for the day, or part of it. At one point, the Hippodrome Casino had tables in five separate areas on three different floors. It felt like if you opened a cupboard door you'd find a table in there. It may have been busy but everybody who wanted a seat got a seat.

Those 337 players added to the Day 1A (146) and Day 1B (161) fields helped bring the final number of players for UKIPT6 London up to 644 (Prize pool details below). The final flight was whittled all the way down to 100 payers by the end of the day, and they are led by Xiaoyang Luo who bagged up 320,900. He's the only player who passed 300k and will be overall leader heading into Day 2, where 176 players will return.

Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

Other players who made it through the day with big stacks and/or a reputation to preserve are: Lucas Reeves (269,400), Premysl Spacil (249,900), Usman Siddique (249,200), Frank Baston (213,000), Peter Charalambous (203,700), Antoine Saout (114,800), Felix Stephenson (113,500), Tom Hall (87,100), Vicente Delgado (77,800), Rainer Kempe (76,000) and Diego Gomez (70,500). Click for the full start of Day 2 counts and Day 2 seat draw.

Abalsteinn Karlsson set the early running today. He was the first past 100,000 and almost made it to 200,000 before the wheels came off. The Icelander is part of a group of players from his home country who love the tour and travel en mass to play. Karlsson made his mark on the tour at the recent UKIPT5 Dublin. His style and demeanour made him a favourite and he entered the final table as chip leader only to fall in fourth place. He told the blog at the beginning of the day that he really hoped for another deep run.

For a long while that looked odds-on but he lost a huge race in the latter stages to bust. He cold five-bet all in with pocket jacks and was called by Luo who held ace-king. Luo went on to make two pair and after the dust had settled on the hand, his stack had jumped up to massive 285,000, good for a clear chip lead (at the point) that he never relinquished.

Joining Karlsson on the rail today were: Lawrence Bayley and Carlo Citrone - who busted in a same hand cooler; Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody; PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome Ambassador Kelly Saxby; Ben Winsor, Richard Milner, Dara O'Kearney, Martins Adeniya, Leo McLean and JP Kelly.

The remaining players will return for Day 2 at 11am tomorrow where the levels will be extended to 60 minutes apiece. Ten of them are scheduled and all of them will be played unless we reach the final table of eight before then.

What will they be playing for though?

A £454,300 prize pool was amassed and the top 95 players will be in the money with a min cash being worth £1,300. Make the final table and £8,731 is guaranteed and will grows all to the winner who will receive £84,100. For full details of the payouts click here. We'll make the money for sure tomorrow but might not make it all the way to the final table. Either way, tomorrow promises to be an exciting day and we invite you to join the PokerStars Blog as all the action plays out.

If you've missed any of the action from the three starting flights then click the following links:

Day 1A - Day 1B - Day 1C

Until tomorrow, it's good night from London's West End!

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May, who will turn you into her least favourite fish (anchovies) if you steal her photos. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

* CLICK HERE TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
* 10 players (from 644) remain
* Final day starts at midday Sunday

12.50am: That's all, folks
A wrap of the day's play can be read by clicking here. Usman Siddique will head into the final day as chip leader on 4,337,000. -- MC

12.43am: Xiaoyang Luo eliminated in 11th place (£5,640)
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

What a brutal, brutal end to the day for Xiaoyang Luo. He lost a huge hand on the second-to-last hand of the night, and busted on the very last hand!

He opened from under the gun and then four-bet all in for 524,000 after Usman Siddique three-bet to 152,000. Siddique took his time before making the call.

Siddique: [7s][7d]
Luo: [kd][qc]

The board ran [ad][5c][5h][9d][9h] to see the sevens hold. That confirmed Siddique will be the overnight chip leader with more than 4 million -- MC

12.38am: Amazing end of the day for Hindry
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

It was fist pumps all round for Joe Hindry and friends after he found a double of the penultimate hand of the night.

He got his 787,000 chips in prefop holding [ah][ad] and found a customer in Xiaoyang Luo who held [qh][qs]. The board ran [5d][ts][5s][js][kh]. Hinder didn't like the turn card as it offered a flush draw to Luo but he was happy enough on the river. -- MC

12.26pm: Last four hands
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

The [4s] was drawn so each table will play four more hands before the penultimate day comes to an end. -- MC

12.23am: Sebastian Malec eliminated in 12th place (£4,670)
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

The late flurry of eliminations has continued with the exit of PokerStars qualifier Sebastian Malec.

The action folded around to Daniel Harwood in the small blind and set the Pole all in for his last 500,000 or so holding ace-deuce. Malec looked down at king-queen and made the call. Harwood flopped two pair and that's all she wrote. -- MC

12.15am: Benedikt Oskarsson eliminated in 13th place (£4,670)
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Benedikt Oskarsson was the next player to go and he fell to Jack Salter.

He found a pretty hand ([th][9h]) to make his move with but Salter called the 291,000-shove holding [ad][kc]. The board ran [4c][3h][js][ah][ac] to make Salter trips. -- MC

12.03am: Peter Robinson eliminated in 14th place (£4,220)
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Peter Robison seemed a very satisfied man after busting. There was little he could after flopping top pair, top kicker.

His opponent was table chip leader Warren Russell and the chips went in on a [jh][2d][ts] flop. Robinson opened ace-jack but was crushed by his opponent's [2h][2s] for a set. The board ran out [7h][3d]. Russell moved up to 3.7million after the hand, just in second place. -- MC

11.50pm: Salter believes on the river
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

Jack Salter was drawn to the left of chip leader, Usman Siddique, with three table and life seemed a little more tranquil then; he's sat to the right of him now and that's a whole other story.

Salter opened to from the hijack and Siddique flatted from the next seat. A [tc][9h][4d][2h][kh] board raod out and Salter checked every street to face bets of 67,000, 127,000 and 203,000. Salter hung around to the river where he folded to drop to 1.28 million. Siddique meanwhile crept up to 3.8million. -- MC

11.37pm: Last level of the night
Level 23- Blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000 ante)

11.33pm: Break time chip counts

11.21pm: Docherty shows his class before break
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

David Docherty turned 29 yesterday which is middle aged for a poker player these days. The Scottish pro used all his experience when he picked off a Usman Siddique bluff, calling with just king high on the river.

Siddique raised to 44,000 from the button and Docherty called from the small blind. The flop fanned [as][th][4c] and Docherty check-called 40,000. Both players checked the [3d] turn before Siddique bet 160,000 on the [2c] river when Docherty checked to him for a third time. Docherty looked suspiciously at his opponent and back at the board before flicking in a chip to call. Siddique mucked and Docherty opened [ks][qs]!

The players are on their last break of the night; they'll play one more level after they return in 15 minutes. Full counts on their way too. -- MC

11.15pm: Mian Wei eliminated in 15th place (£4,220)
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

Another player out, and yet again it's Usman Siddique who's the executioner.

The action folded around to Mian Wei on the button and he moved all in for 148,000. Siddique was in the small blind and made the call.

Mian: [as][3h]
Siddique: [ks][qs]

The board ran [qh][5c][4s][tc][4c]. Siddique moved further clear at the top with around 3.5 million. -- MC

11.05pm: Richard Kellett eliminated in 16th place (£3,780)
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

We've just lost Richard Kellett in 16th. He moved all-in for his last 135,000 and it folded around to the big stack of Usman Siddique in the small blind. He called, David Docherty gave up his big blind and the cards were on their backs.

Kellett [9h][kh]
Siddique [ah][kc]

Kellett was in trouble and although both paired their king on the [4c][kh][4d][5s][jh] run-out, his kicker issues let him down. He'll still take home £3,780 for his efforts. --JS

11.03pm: Jevtejev doubles through Gassian
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

Anatolis Jevtejev was down to 402,000 when he made his move and ended the hand will a full double up. David Gassian opened from under the gun and then called after his Lithuanian opponent made his move from the cutoff.

Gassian: [7s][7h]
Jevtejev: [ad][kh]

The board ran [qc][kc][jc][2c][8d] to make Jevtejev two pair. Gassian dropped to 770,000. -- MC

10.55pm: Hardcastle takes one from Salter
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

By now just about all of these 16 guys have played with each other at some point during the event. Jack Salter and Jack Hardcastle were sat next to each other earlier, and they almost are now too (other than the dealer being plonked in the middle).

In a hand I just caught, Hardcastle limped the small blind and Salter made it 60,000 to play. Hardcastle called and the two saw a [7h][4d][4h] flop, which was checked to Salter. He continued for 58,000 which was called, resulting in the [kh] on the turn. Hardcastle checked again and Salter made it 105,000. Another call came and the final card on the board was the [ts]. It went check check and Hardcastle flipped over the [ks][td] for a runner runner two pair. He's now up to 680,000, while Salter has roughly 1.59 million. --JS

10.50pm: Harewood progress halted
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

This post comes courtesy of our media coordinator Rod Stirzaker.

Daniel Harewood is chirpy and bright at the table right now, and well he might be - proud member of the exclusive Millionaire's Chip Club.

It's not all going his way though, his serene ascent up the chip ranks hitting an obstacle moments ago in the form of Anatolis Jevtejev. The Lithuanian was short and took his 185,000 stack to war with Harewood preflop - his [As][7h] at a decisive disadvantage versus Harewood's superior pocket nines.

The poker gods saw fit to rescue him however - the board running out [5d][3s][4s][6s][Jh] to give the Lithuanian a life-saving straight and a double-up to over 400,000.

Harewood showed a frisson of irritation at this beat, but he didn't have to hand in his Millionaire Gold Card to the desk just yet - he still has 1,100,000 to his name as we move toward the end of the day. -- JS

10.39pm: The last two tables
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

They'll only be one more re-draw after this, when the tournament reaches the unofficial final table of nine. --MC

10.33pm: Two-table redraw
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

The clock has been paused while the remaining 16 players draw for the seats at the final two tables. --JS

10.25pm: Hardcastle doubles through Mitchell, then Mitchell busts
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

First off, Jack Hardcastle shoved for 245,000 with [9d][9c] and James Mitchell called on the button with the [ah][ts]. Mitchell had him covered but couldn't hit anything, giving Hardcastle the double-up.

Then, Mitchell jammed his last 265,000 from the cut-off with the [jd][ts] and was called by Morten Halvorsen's [9s][09h]. The board ran out [as][6c][5d][7d][ac] and Mitchell went out in 17th. --JS

10.13pm: Level up
Level 22- Blinds 10,000-20,000 (3,000 ante)

10.12pm: More for Mitchell after he bounces Murphy
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

James Mitchell's stack has grown even more - to 480,000 - after he eliminated David Murphy.

Mitchell opened from the button and was priced into call when Murphy three-bet all in for 78,000 from the next seat.

Murphy: [as][kc]
Mitchell: [qh][3h]

The board ran [8d][7h][6s][8s][3d] hitting Mitchell on the river. -- MC

10.07pm: Schoonbrood gone in 20th
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

The last remaining Dutch player - Jean Philippe Schoonbrood - has been eliminated in 20th place.

He was short and made his all in move from under the gun with [qh][jc]. The action folded all the way around to Benedikt Oskarsson in the big blind who called with [9s][9c]. The board ran a blank [6s][5s][5h][8d][6h]. Oskarsson moved up to 630,000. -- MC

10pm: One elimination, one double up
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

On one table, David Murphy moved all-in for 261,000 and it folded around to Jack Hardcastle in the big blind. He made the call for his last 125,000 and flipped over [ah][qc], which was racing against Murphy's [td][ts]. An ace on the flop gave Hardcastle the double up.

Meanwhile on another table, David Gant was all-in with [as][kc] against Warren Russell's [3h][3c]. The [5d][2s][4s] flop kept Russell in front and gave him an up-and-down draw, which was completed when the [ad] and [6d] hit the turn and river. Gant is eliminated. --JS

9.55pm: The planning's paying off for Mitchell
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

Not long ago, James Mitchell - after looking at the payout structure - called all in for his last 9,000. He now has 380,000 chips in front of him.

His latest showdown victory saw him on the right side of an el classic race. He and Jack Hardcastle got their chips in preflop and the cards were on their backs.

Hardcastle: [ac][kd]
Mitchell: [qc][qh]

The board ran [3s][6c][jc][4c][4s] to see Mitchell's queens hold up. Hardcastle dropped to around 120,000. -- MC

9.47pm: Play up Pompey, Pompey play up
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

Joe Hindry and Jack Hardcastle are two mates from Southsea in Portsmouth (which happens to be this blogger's home town), and wouldn't you know it? They're sat right next to each other with 22 players remaining.

It's going to be an awkward drive back to the south coast if one of them busts the other though...--JS

9.42pm: Hindry beats Mitchell in crucial race
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

When there's less than a big blind between two stacks and they go to war, it's vitally important to win. Joe Hindry and James Mitchell did just that and the latter was left bruised and battered with just 11,000 to his name.

Hindry raised to 35,000 from the cutoff and then four-bet jammed for 493,000 after Mitchell three-bet to 85,000 from the small blind. Call.

Mitchell: [9c][9h]
Hindry: [ah][ks]

The board ran [8s][jh][kc][6s][as] to make the Portsmouth lad two pair.

Mitchell would need a miracle to get back in this and the word is that he's quickly got back up to 120,000 after winning a couple of multi-way all ins. -- MC

9.34pm: Final three tables re-draw
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

9.25pm: Salter gets a little lucky to eliminate Yuan
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

Before the blinds went up and the three table re-draw could take place, we needed to lose one more player. Ultimately, it would be Xizhe Yuan who met his demise at the hands of Jack Salter.

On a [2c][jd][3s] flop, Yuan checked, Gassian bet 32,000 and Salter raised it up to 72,000. Now Yuan put in a 4-bet to 140,000, which only Salter called.

The turn came the [5h] and Yuan led straight out for 200,000. Salter took his time but made the call again, taking us to the [3h] on the river. It paired the board, and when Yuan moved all-in for around another 300,000 Salter was more scared of a straight. "It feels like you have ace four," he said to Yuan, who didn't reply.

Salter called and Yuan knew he was beat; he turned over his [as][js] for top pair, but Salter had got there on the river with his [ac][3d]. Unlucky for Yuan, but great for Salter who moves up 1.5 million in chips. --JS

9.13pm: Blinds up
Level 21- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

9.10pm: Three tables remaining
Level 20- Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

Patrice Brandt has busted in 25th place meaning UKIPT6 London is down to its last three tables, and that means redraw time.

Brandt was down to 150,000 when he three-bet all in over the top of a Usman Siddique raise to 32,000. Call.

Brandt: [5h][5d]
Siddique: [qh][jd]

The board ran [3c][4s][8h][ks][5c] to make Siddique a set on the river. He moved up to 2.65 million. --MC

9.05pm: Play resumes
Level 20- Blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000 ante)

We're two players away from a full redraw. Here's how everyone is getting on:

8.49pm: Break time
Level 20- Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

Players are now taking a 15-minute break. --JS

8.49pm: Luo's overbet gets paid off Mitchell
Level 20- Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

I saw Xiaoyang Luo put out a 98,000 bet in a hand against James Mitchell, so I presumed there would already be chunks in the middle already. I was quite surprised to discover that there was actually only around 80,000, meaning this was an overbet.

The board read [6c][8c][as][9c][qs], giving three to a flush, so it was likely to be a monster or pure air in front of Luo. Mitchell thought for a while but eventually made the call, only to muck when he saw Luo turn over the [ac][jc] for the nut flush. Mitchell now has 350,000, while Luo is up to 1.5 million. --JS

8.42pm: Robinson trebles up, eliminating O'Connor
Level 20- Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

Picking up the action on the turn, the board read [as][8d][jc][9h] and both Donal O'Connor and Peter Robinson were all-in along with Mian Wei, who had both covered. O'Connor had turned two pair with his [8c][9d], Wei had hit a pair with his [kd][jh], but out in front was Robinson with the [qs][ts] for the turned nut straight. The [7h] hit the river and Robinson just about trebled up, while O'Connor hit the rail. --JS

8.35pm: Where you from, mate?

Here's a breakdown of the nationalities represented at UKIPT6 London:

8.29pm: Hand of the day
Level 20- Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

Get ready for this one guys - it's a bit brutal.

After Mark Kirkpatrick moved all-in for around 200,000, the action was on Iceland's Daniel Palsson. He weighed up his options, looking at the stacks of the players to act behind him, and eventually decided he would isolate with an all-in raise of his own for 940,000. He had all the other players covered.

Or so he thought. It turns out Palsson had actually misread which player was in the big blind, apparently due to the way one of the players was sitting which obscured his vision, and that man turned out to be the bigger stack of Usman Suddique.

Suddique woke up with the [ac][ad] - an absolute dream scenario for him. Kirkpatrick had the [7c][7h], and it was the [as][qh] that Palsson had made the costly move with. The board ran out [6h][ts][5d][3c][6s] and Suddique raked in all the chips, bringing him up to 2.2 million for the chip lead.

Meanwhile, after the hand I caught up with a clearly upset and disappointed Palsson. He explained how the guy was sitting which led to him making what's no doubt the biggest mistake of his poker career. With a beer in hand, there was nothing for Palsson to do but be consoled by his friends and head out into the London night.

He's proved himself to be a talented player these past couple of days, so we're sure he'll make another deep run again soon. One thing's for sure though - he'll make sure he never misreads the blinds again. --JS

8.16pm: Salter river bluff fail
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

Jack Salter has dropped back down to 850,00 after he tried, and failed, to bluff David Gassian on the river.

Salter opened from the hijack and Gassian was the only caller on the button. Both players checked the [6c][kd][5d] flop before Salter led for 33,000 on the [2c] turn. Call. The river came as the [kc] and Salter checked to face a 57,000 bet that he raised up to 262,000. It was a case of bad timing though as Gassian called with [ks][td], beating Salter's queen-nine. -- MC

8pm: The kings of the Hardcastle
Level 20- Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

One player we haven't mentioned on the blog today is Jack Hardcastle, who began the day with just 18,400 (less than a starting stack) but is still in the mix now with just 30 players remaining.

He just doubled up too. After Alfie Adam opened to 25,000, Hardcastle jammed for roughly 250,000 and Adam made the call. It was the [kd][kc] for Hardcastle up against the [td][th] for Adam, and the board ran our [5h][9s][qc][3d][jc].

With more than a half million now, Hardcastle is right back in this. --JS

7.49pm: Level up
Level 20- Blinds 6,000-12,000 (2,000 ante)

7.48pm: Mustanoglu busts in three-way all-in
Level 19- Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Osman Mustanoglu threw his hands up when he saw a flop that had him drawing thin for his tournament life. Two cards later he was confirmed out.

Warren Russell raised to 21,000 from under the gun before Lucas Reeves three-bet all in for 187,000 from the next seat. Mustanoglu was in the big blind and quickly called all in for 67,000 after peeking at his cards. Russell, who had enjoyed a great level that had seen him become the first player to pass 2million, called.

Russell: [as][qs]
Reeves: [4s][4h]
Mustanoglu: [td][tc]

The board ran [qs][4d][ah][3d][kc]. Russell made top two pair but Reeves scooped with his set. Russell dropped back to just over 1.8million. -- MC

7.46pm: O'Connor gets a double
Level 19- Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Donal O'Connor has just secured a healthy double-up when his pocket nines held up against David Docherty's [ac][th]. It was an all-in pre blind vs blind pot, and O'Connor now sits with roughly 280,000. --JS

7.44pm: Gassian in the chip lead
Level 19- Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Frenchman David Gassian has 1.5 million now, and he's showing no signs of slowing down. I just caught a hand between him and Jack Salter which started with a 23,000 open from the latter. Gassian was the only caller and the two saw the [2d][jd][4c] flop fall, when Salter would then c-bet for 28,000. The call was made and the [5c] landed on the turn, and now Salter slowed down. Gassian bet 36,000 after it was checked to him and that was enough for him to take it down. --JS

7.38pm: Have some of my Green
Level 19- Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Patrice Brandt sat smiling after a board ran his way and secured him a double up

Josh Green opened to 22,000 from the hijack and then made a considered call after Brandt three-bet all in for 79,000 from the big blind.

Brandt: [as][9d]
Green: [5h][4h]

The board ran [9h][ks][6s][4c][6h]. Green paid his dues and dropped to 390,000. -- MC

7.31pm: Luo spikes a nine to crack aces
Level 19- Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Aces look so pretty when you first peek down at them, but when they get cracked it's always a mess. David Crane just found out the hard way.

It started with an open to 23,000 from David Gant before Crane moved-in by grabbing one of the all-in triangles and placing it in the middle himself. Luo got a count and looked interested, eventually making the call and clearing Gant out the pot.

It was the [as][ac] for Crane and [9d][9h] for Luo, who would need to hit his two-outer if he was to play executioner. The flop and turn were safe for Crane; by that point the board showed the [qc][4d][8h][6s]. But the [9s] landed on the river, delivering a brutal beat to a clearly frustrated Crane. Luo stacked up about 800,000 after that hand. --JS

7.24pm: Even I thought I had a flush!
Level 19- Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

"Didn't I play the hand more like a flush?" asked a surprised Xizhe Yuan to David Gassian after the latter called his river raise.

Gassian had opened from under the gun and picked up calls from David Stonehouse in the next seat and Yuan in the big blind. The flop spread [3d][kh][9h] and Gassian led for 31,000. Both opponents called before all three checked the [th] turn. The board completed with the [2c] and Yuan led for 30,000 and was called by Stonehouse before Yuan check-raised to 85,000. Yuan called but Stonhouse folded.

Yuan opened [ad][kd] and chopped with Gassian who opened [ac][kc]. Stonehouse looked to the sky indicating he may well have laid down the best hand. -- MC

7.12pm: Make way for royalty
Level 19- Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Despite what the movies and posters may show, royal flushes in poker are actually very rare. However, we've just seen one, and it was Donal O'Connor who felt the full force of royalty having just won the pot we told you about a minute ago.

The hand started with a limp from Simon Dryan, before O'Connor raised it up to 32,000. Two other players including Dryan called, and the flop came the [9c][kh][th]. Dryan put out a c-bet to which O'Connor jammed over the top. It folded back around to Dryan who snap-called.

Dryan [jh][qh]
O'Connor [tc][ts]

Both players had flopped huge but Dryan's nut straight was beating the set of O'Connor. He'd need the board to pair to take the lead, but the [ah] on the turn sealed his fate. Dryan had made the best possible hand in poker and now sits with 320,000, while O'Connor has dipped to 280,000. --JS

7pm: Bland exit
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Daniel Bland found a pair to make a move with, but ran into a bigger one and busted.

Donal O'Connor raised to 22,000 from under the gun and made a quick call after Bland three-bet all in for 172,000 from the small blind.

O'Connor: [qh][qc]
Bland: [8c][8s]

The board ran [jd][5h][ah][2c][7h] to see the queens hold up. -- MC

6.46pm: And they're off
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000-10,000 (1,000 ante)

Players have returned from dinner and Level 19 has begun. --JS

5.45pm: Dinner time
The players are on a 60-minute dinner break. -- MC

5.44pm: Mitchell takes another hit
Level 18- Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

It's been smooth sailing for James Mitchell here on Day 2, but he just hit another bump in the road.

Mitchell min-opened to 16,000 on the button, to which the sole caller was David Murphy from the big blind. After the [8s][2s][9c] flop fell, Murphy checked and Mitchell put in a c-bet of 25,000. Murphy then jammed for 272,000 and Mitchell called.

It turned out both players had flush draws, but Murphy's [js][9s] was ahead of Mitchell's [as][7s] thanks to his top pair. The [kd] and [5h] completed the board and Mitchell went down to about 400,000. --JS

5.43pm: My queen is bigger than your queen
Level 18- Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

Josh Green's had to deal with a lot of good players sat to his left today, the latest being James Mitchell, who's been on a tear. He's coped well though and took a pot of Mitchell just now.

A [qh][7d][2h] flop was out and Mitchell called a 22,000 bet from Green. The latter then went into check-call mode as Mitchell bet 32,000 and 53,000 on the [3h][9h] turn and river. "Queen," said Mitchell as he opened [ks][qs]. It was no good though as Green opened [ah][qd].

Mitchell - 700,000
Green - 580,000
--MC

5.32pm: Gomez gone
Level 18- Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

A few hands after that massive pot didn't go his way, Diego Gomez was down to 20,000 and got it all-in. Usman Siddique made the call on the button, as did Mark Kirkpatrick from the big blind.

The flop came the [7d][4c][6s] and Kirkpatrick checked, letting Siddique put out a bet of 22,000. That got Kirkpatrick to fold, and Gomez flipped over his [jc][jh] and was ahead. Siddique had an up-and-down straight draw with his [8d][9d], and hit it instantly on the [5h] turn. The [6c] completed the board and sent Gomez to the rail.

Siddique is up to 1.2 million now. --JS

5.22pm: Siddique over a million as he decimates Gomez's stack
Level 18- Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

Diego Gomez had fought back admirably today but he just dropped down to fumes after being on the wrong side of the biggest pot of the tournament so far.

Usman Siddique opened to 18,000 from under the gun and was called in one spot before Gomez squeezed to 62,000 from the small blind. Siddique came back with a four-bet to 145,000 and called all in for 542,000 after Gomez shoved.

Gomez: [jh][jd]
Siddique: [kh][kd]

The board ran [7c][8d][5s][4d][qs]. Gomez dropped to 18,000 chips. -- MC

5.10pm: No go for Ho as the last of the ladies hits the rail
Level 18- Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

A few days ago we'd never have guessed there'd be no women left in this event by this stage; the biggest stacks in the room on Day 1B were the ladies, one of which belonged to Sirilux Ho.

Ho was the last lady standing after Leo Margets busted earlier. However, she has just been eliminated.

She jammed her last 45,000 in with [6h][5d] and it folded to Osman Mustanoglu who made the call with [jh][qc]. The [ks][qh][7h] flop left Ho drawing very thin, and the [as] turn and [7c] river sealed her fate. --JS

4.56pm: Go go Gomez
Level 18- Blinds 4,000-8,000 (1,000 ante)

It's been quite a day for Diego Gomez, who has seen his stack sky rocket ever since the bubble.

He just took a big pot from Anatolis Jevtejev. There was around 120,000 in the middle already by the turn, with the board showing [qd][6d][qc][js]. Gomez and Benedikt Oskarsson checked and Jevtejev made it 60,000 to play. Gomez then counted out a raise and clicked it back, sliding 128,000 over the line. Oskarsson got out of the way but Jevtejev went far into the tank. He eventually gave it up, and Gomez showed the [6c] as he raked in the chips. He now sits with around 550,000. --JS

4.47pm: Level up
Level 17- Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

4.45pm: Kellett doubles again, with quads
Level 17- Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

Richard Kellet flopped quads but still didn't have a lock on the hand, and said his heart was racing. He (99,000) and Anders Marstrander (91,000) got their chips in preflop and their holdings were flipped up.

Kellett: [7c][7d]
Marstrander: [ah][9h]

The board ran [8h][7s][7h][2s][ah]. Kellett had the smallest of sweats on the flop but had a lock on the hand by the turn. -- MC

4.35pm: No Manlove here
Level 17- Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

James Manlove was eliminated unluckily after getting his chips in with a dominating hand. He three-bet all in for 54,000 from the button after John Linton had opened to 13,000 from the cutoff. Call.

Linton: [as][4s]
Manlove: [ah][jd]

The board ran [9c][kc][2s][4h][tc] to hit Linton's kicker. He moved up to 445,000. -- MC

4.25pm: Mannion gets jilted at the Salter
Level 17- Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

Jack Salter's stack is on the up and up. After Ross Mannion moved all-in for 67,000 with the flop showing the [4h][2d][5d], it folded around to Salter who made the call. Mark Goodchild then went in the tank for a few minutes before folding and showing six-five - which turned out to be a great fold. Salter had [2s][2h] for a flopped set, while Mannion's [ac][4c] was no good. The [ah] and [kd] completed the board and Salter's stack moved up to 670,000. Mannion, on the other hand, made his exit. --JS

4.13pm: Our horse in the race is out
Level 17- Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

The one player who has been representing PokerStars here on Day 2 was Richard Connolly, but unfortunately the PokerStars staff member has just been eliminated.

He jammed for 68,000 and it folded around to Mian Wei in the big blind who made the call. Connolly had the [kc][ks] while Wei had [ah][qh], but an ace on the flop gave Wei the lead. Connolly couldn't catch up and he headed to collect his money - his second cash in two days, after placing third in last night's turbo. --JS

4.08pm: Kellett gets his chips in (eventually); doubles
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

Richard Kellet has doubled up but it him two attempts to get his stack in.

Nadeeka Victor opened to 6,000 from under the gun before Kellett picked up a handful of 5k chips and splashed them into the pot. It was a raise to 55,000 and he had 24,000 behind - a fact that Victor didn't see. He flicked in one chip thinking he was calling an all in.

The flop came [qc][7s][6s] and Victor set Kellet in for the remaining chips. Kellett called with [9c][9s] and was flipping versus Victor's [as][js]. The board ran out [5d][5h] and Kellet will hang around for a while longer. -- MC

3.57pm: Two remain from ladies day
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

Day 1B headlines on Thursday were dominated by the women in the field, but only two of those players still remain in the field - Sirilux Ho and Leo Margets.

Ho has been amongst the action a bunch today and currently sits with 140,000, while Margets has 90,000. --JS

3.50pm: PokerStarsBok.com: Cimbolas out
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

We (or he) don't know when to keep our mouths shut. Matias Cimbolas busted the very first hand from break, and the hand had some interesting dynamics.

Neither blind had returned from break and the action folded around to James Mitchell in the cutoff, who put in a raise. Cimbolas was on the button and three-bet all in for 240,000 with pocket fours. Mitchell called with ace-nine and the fours couldn't hold. Mitchell jumped up to 570,000. -- MC

3.47pm: Play resumes with a happy Cimbolas
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000-6,000 (1,000 ante)

Itm! w 70ppl left. We got avg. 240k backing after break at 3/6k. Let's make poker great again! #UKIPTLondon

— Matas Cimbolas (@bebaimis777) April 9, 2016

3.45pm: Top 10 chip counts

3.40pm: One from before the break
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

As I was entering the poker room before the break I saw end-of-Day 1B chip leader Irina Nikolaidi in the pay-out queue, so was curious how she'd lost such a big stack.

Luckily the man who crippled her, end-of-Day 1A chip leader Xizhe Yuan, was there to fill me in.

He told me that she'd opened to 15,000 and he'd flatted with king-queen off. The flop came ten-nine-eight, he checked and she bet again - this time 30,000. Yuan flatted once more before hitting gin on the turn when a jack fell, completing his gutshot straight. Nikolaidi mow bet 50,000, Yuan bumped it up to 120,000, she shoved and he snap-called. Nikolaidi had flopped a straight at the bottom end with the six-seven, so her big stack was decimated, while Yuan's became one of the room's biggest (around 800,000).

Nikolaidi then got moved to another table, on which she busted in her first hand. --JS

3.29pm: Break time
The players have 15 minutes to check the football scores and put a bet on the Grand National. --MC

3.22pm: Siddique passes 800k!
Usman Siddique has been crushing today, pure and simple. He's become the first player to pass 800k (810,000) after he eliminated Brynjar Bjarkason. The latter moved all in for 36,000 from the hijack and Siddique called from the small blind.

Bjarkason: [6h][7h]
Siddique: [ah][6c]

The board ran [as][4h][8s][ac][as] to make Siddique trips. -- MC

3.15pm: German flushes Kosmaty
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

"I can't fold to you," said Antonio German after Jaroslaw Kosmaty had jammed all-in over his open for 106,000. He decided to make the call and flipped over the [ad][6d], only to see that Kosmaty had it with the [as][tc].

The [5d][9c][2d] flop provided a sweat, giving German a flush draw. The [5c] turn was a blank, but the [qd] on the river secured the pot for German and Kosmaty headed to the pay-out desk. --JS

3.05pm: Tales of Irina
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

Irina Nikolaidi is a very aggressive player and likes to be involved in lots of pots. It's working out well for her, especially when opponents hero call with king high.

That's exactly what Richard Kellett did just now. Unfortunately for the Brit, Nikolaidi was bluffing with the best hand - a pair of threes. "It was a good read," said one of Kellett's tablemates.

While that hand conversation was occurring, Nikolaidi was busy doubling up her neighbour, Johann Bjornsson. She opened to 15,000 from the cutoff and called after Bjornsson moved all in for 63,500 from the next seat.

Bjornsson: [ah][9h]
Nikolaidi: [kc][kh]

The board ran [2s][5d][ts][8c][2c] to see the kings hold. Nikolaidi still crushing on 445,000. -- MC

2.44pm: "You're all in the money"
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

Aaron Lincoln is the name of our bubble boy, which means our 95 remaining players have all locked up at least a min-cash of £1,300.

The hand which eliminated Lincoln began with him jamming for his last 6,500, a bet which both Lucas Reeves and Donal O'Connor would call from the blinds. The flop came the [4s][3h][5c], and it got checked to the [8c] turn. Both players checked again, so we saw the [9h] land on the river. Now Reeves put out a bet of 10,000, O'Connor let his hand go, and the cards were revealed.

Reeves [7h][6h]
Lincoln [as][kd]

Reeves had flopped the nuts, and Lincoln made a swift exit. --JS

2.40pm: Blinds are up
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500-5,000 (500 ante)

2.25pm: See ya later Bader - bubble time
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

We've just lost Martin Bader right on the edge of the bubble. He jammed his last 25,000 on the button and was looked up by Joe Hindry's [8d][8c]. Bader needed help with his [7d][9d] but couldn't hit a thing.

Right after that, Jia Tian went out in 97th, meaning we're now officially on the bubble. Stay tuned! --JS

2.21pm: Cruel beat for Hall
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

Former UKIPT player of the year Tom Hall was not a happy bunny just now, storming out of the room after busting. His reaction was understandable though as his aces were cracked just a few spots off the money.

Jussi Nevanlinna opened to 8,500 from under the gun and snap called after Ton Hall three-bet all in for 66,500 from the button.

Nevanlinna: [qc][qh]
Hall: [as][ac]

The board ran [3d][7d][3s][qd][jh] to make the Finn a full house. -- MC

2.14pm: Day 1B chip leader wins huge pot from Day 1A chip leader
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

It's a battle of the big stacks over on table 10, and I arrived to see around 150,000 of blue 5K chips in the middle. When the dust settled, it was Irina Nikolaidi (who led at the end of the Day 1B) who took down a huge pot from former chip leader Xizhe Yuan with her pocket kings against Yuan's king-queen on a queen-high board. She's up to 435,000 now.

We're now four away from the money. --JS

2.11pm:Boss on boss battle
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

Felix Stephensen was one card away from having a chip-leading 600,000 stack but his opponent's (Jack Salter) cheeky smile on the river tells you every thing you need to know.

They are two of the biggest names left in the field and got entangled in a preflop raising war. Salter got the last raise in when he shoved for 230,000 and Stephensen flicked in the call. He had Salter covered by about 90,000.

Salter: [ah][5h]
Stephensen: [as][kd]

The flop came down [2d][4d][tc] and Salter commented, "Good start!"

The turn was the [ts] and he continued, ""Good turn!"

The board completed with the [2h] for a chop and Salter just sat there smiling. -- MC

2pm: Diego's not nervous any more...
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

In our 12.50pm post, we told you about how Diego Gomez was feeling the pressure of his short stack so close to the money. Well, he won't be nervous any more as he's gone from 55,000 to 240,000 over the past hour! --JS

1.56pm: Just about ready to burst
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

We're now at 102 players, so just seven more eliminations before we're in the money. The question is - how long will the bubble take to burst? --JS

1.48pm: Vicenfish is gone
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

Vicente Delgado, known as 'vicenfish' on PokerStars, is one of the best online players around. The London-based Spaniard has $2,250,162 in online winnings, plus $321,252 in live earnings. However, he won't be adding to that amount here in the UKIPT6 London Main Event.

Delgado was up and walking around the room, saying his goodbyes to fellow Spanish pros Diego Gomez and Leo Margets before he made his exit from the tournament room. Good game Vicente - on to the next one. --JS

1.35pm: Top 10 chip counts

Here are the top 10 counts from the break:

1.25pm: We're back and the bubble is looming
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

112 players have returned from the break, meaning we're just 17 away from the bubble. --JS

1.05pm: Long break for ....
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

The first 20-minute break of the day is upon the players. Those who have an indefinite break are: Jose Auslander, Andrew Fortune, Anh Tuan Le, Hui Jin, Danilo Oppo, Haukur Bodvarsson, Nicholas Hennessy, Seth Webber, Robert Downs, Ali Chaaban, Rasek Castka, Arsens Sakanjas, William Funnell, Asif Warris, Graham Murray, Jack Maskill and Robert Parkin.

1.03pm: Some familiar faces in the London Cup

Day 1A of the London cup has gotten underway (Day 1B starts at 6pm) and there are a couple of familiar faces in the crowd. -- MC

1pm: Spacil putting chips to good use
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

Premysl Spacil came into Day 2 with one of the biggest stacks (247,100) and he's continued on an upward trend here so far today.

I just caught a hand with him in which Tristan Chaplin opened to 7,500 and got three callers in Visvaldas Martinkus, Spacil and Steve Heron. The flop came the [4d][6s][kc] and it checked to Chaplin, who continued for 10,600. Everyone called once again building a pretty nice pot.

The turn was the [4h] and now Chapline slowed down. It checked around to Spacil who put out a bet of 40,000 and that was good enough to take it down. Spacil is from the Czech Republic and qualified for this event on PokerStars. He's now sitting with 300,000.

12.50pm: Gomez has a confession
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

"I am nervous! This is unbelievable!" Diego Gomez just told me, while another player on his table was being eliminated. We're just 20 players from the money right now, and Gomez is short with around 55,000 (less than 20 big blinds), so a double up is just what the doctor would order to relieve the stress. --JS

12.46pm: Jensen on a charge
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

Soren Jensen, who you may remember from his epic heads up battle loss to Tim Vance at EPT4 Copenhagen, has started Day 2 on fire. He won a pot of Tom Hall just now to see his stack grow to 225,000 - up from 72,300 at the day's start.

Hall raised to 6,800 from the cutoff and Jensen peeled from the big blind to see a [9s][kd][ac] flop. The action was checked to the [7c] turn where Jensen led for 12,200. Hall called and did likewise when the Dane bet 31,000 on the [ts] river. Jensen opened [6s][8s] for a straight and Hall dropped to 78,000 after mucking. -- MC

12.33pm: A toss of a coin
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

Anyone who has played poker knows that sometimes making decisions is hard. So hard, in fact, that you often need a little help.

Here's an example; Joe Hindry opened to 6,500 and got three callers in Osman Mustanoglu, Nadeeka Victor (on the button) and Martin Bader (big blind). The flop came the [7h][qs][8s] and it checked all the way around to Victor, who put out a 13,000. Bader then check-raised it to 31,000, which got Hindry and Mustanoglu out the way. With the action back on Victor, he moved all-in for around 80,000, and Bader was in a bit of a pickle.

"I don't know what to do," he told the table as he went through his thought process. Eventually he decided to take the decision out of his hands and put it all on the toss of a coin; he flipped a 50p piece and it landed on heads, which resulted in him folding.

"Show me one non-spade card," Bader asked Victor, who said he would show one. However, the card he flipped over was the [ts], giving Bader some relief. --JS

12.25pm: Never go broke in a limped pot. Oh
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

A once wise man uttered these words and but they are not always adhered to.

Sirilux Ho did a lot of limping yesterday and started this pot off with a limp. Three other players came along for the ride and a [9h][3s][7c] flop appeared. David Murphy led for 7,500 from the big blind and Ho called before Ali Chaaban check-raised all in from the small blind. It was for 49,900 and only Murphy called.

Chaaban opened [qd][9d] for top pair, behind to Murphy's two pair with [7h][3h]. The board ran out [8h][4d] and Chaaban said nice hand before he got his coat. -- MC

12.12pm: Strong start for Ho
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

Sirilux Ho came out of nowhere to bag the chip lead for a time during Day 1B, ultimately ending that day with 203,400. She's off to a great start here today too, having just eliminated LAPT9 Chile winner Rodrigo Strong.

Picking up the action on the [7h][8d][4s] flop, Ho bet 11,000 into a roughly 20,000 pot, which Strong then raised to 27,000. Ho quickly moved in a a stack of blue 5,000 chips worth around 60,000, Strong announced he was all-in for roughly 100,00 and Ho snap-called.

She had good reason to do so as with her [7s][7d] she'd flopped a set, while Strong trailed with his [9s][9d]. The [4c] and [6d] completed the board and the Brazilian headed for the door. Meanwhile, Ho is up to around 300,000. --JS

12pm: Level up
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500-3,000 (400 ante)

11.59am: More first level bustouts
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

These players have busted just in time to enter the London Cup which starts at midday:

Joe Grech, Andrew Fleming, Franck Speeg, Clyde Castane Rimando, Vegard Ropstad, Ryan Plant, Alan Stearn, Gerald Mcinally, Victor Chong, Wenbin Chen, Popa Marcel, Lubys Zanas, Platon ilias Tserliagkos, Rodrigo Strong, Florian-Dimitri Duta, Massafumi Saito, Tomasz Szafran, Carlos Sanchez, Victor Manuel Bolanos Pena, Barry Hamill, Manuel Zapf, Daniel Ulvrell, Vratislav Kratky, Robert Willis, Kevin Steward, Mateusz Piotr Roszczyk and Lee Taylor. -- MC

11.55am: Yuan even more flush with chips
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

Xizhe Yuan was the Day 1A chip leader and came into today second over all. Not any more. Don't worry, it's good news if you're a fan as he's now the chip leader with 335,000.

Pierre Nadim raised to 6,600 from the hijack and was called by Rainer Kemper (button) and Yuan (big blind). The flop fanned [7s][js][qh] and Nadim continued for 11,000. Kemper folded in a flash but Yuan check-called. Both players checked the [7c] turn before Yuan led for 22,500 on the [ks] river. Nadim called and mucked upon seeing Yuan's [as][6s] for the nut flush. -- MC

11.45am: Friends reunited
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

Day 2 starting chip leader Xiaoyang Luo has just been reunited with Antonio German, the Day 1C big stack who sat next to him throughout his ascent to the top of the leader board.

The two players got on like a house on fire last night, and German has just been moved onto Luo's table in the main room. Let's see how they both fare today. --JS

11.34am: A Saturday ramble out in the field
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

The beautiful thing about having the seat draw for Day 2 is that you can find exactly where certain players are sitting, and head straight there. You can also spot the stacked tables, one of which features Tom Hall, Seth Webber and Matas Cimbolas.

I just caught a hand in which Webber shoved his 16K stack into Cimbolas' big blind. The Lithuanian looked serious for a moment before cracking a big smile. "I have a three in my hand..." he announced, as he pushed his cards in the middle.

Meanwhile, our overall chip leader coming into this day - Xiaoyang Luo - hasn't slowed down his aggressive play, I've seen him win a couple of pots already via 3-bets without showdown, allowing him to add to his already-huge stack. --JS

11.25am: Standard Day 2 bustouts
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

There are two certainties in this world. The sun will rise in the morning and many players will bust early on Day 2 of a poker tournament.

Rolf Woods, Javier Souto, Edgar Drozdoc, Daniel Moosah, Jost Beifuns, Dainis Budovskis, Johannes de Hond, Kelvin Mullis, Uwe Ritter, Aleksander Spadijer, Anders Marstrander, Robert Haigh and David Roibal have already departed. -- MC

11.16pm: Should we remind Jim about the Norwegian Championships?
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

So Day 2 of #UKIPT I've drawn the runner up of 2014 #WSOP Main Event. I'll have to remind him he bottles it major tournaments then.

— Jim Manlove (@JimManlove) April 9, 2016

11.04am: And they're off!
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200-2,400 (300 ante)

It might be the Grand National today, but here in the Hippodrome we're racing towards the bubble. Cards are officially in the air, so place your bets! --JS

10.45am: All set for Day 2!

Day 2 is an exciting day here at the UKIPT6 London; it's the first time our entire field of 176 players will be in play at the same time, and at the end of the day we'll have a much clearer idea of who our finalists will be. Heck, we might even reach our final table today!

Here's the plan. We're going to play 10 one-hour levels, or stop play when we reach eight players - whichever comes first. There's a chance an extra level will be added on at the end of play if we're nearing the eight-player mark, just so we can get into the final table as quick as possible tomorrow.

Our chip leaders coming into the Day 2 are the players who topped Day 1C, Day 1A and Day 1B respectively. Xiaoyang Luo leads the pack with the 320,900 stack he amassed yesterday, followed by Xizhe Yuan with 286,000 and Irina Nikolaidi with 277,900.

Notable names coming through to play today include Jack Salter (265,000), David Docherty (161,500), James Mitchell (154,800), former November Niners Antoine Saout (114,800) and Felix Stephensen (113,500), Leo Margets (78,000), and breakout player of the year nominee Rainer Kempe (76,000).

We're predicting the bubble will burst during Level 15 or 16, resulting in all remaining players locking up a min-cash of £1,300. However, they'll all have their eyes set on the £84,100 first-place prize.

It's going to a day chock full of action - you won't want to miss it. --JS

Key UKIPT6 London Facts:

- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50-100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 60 minutes, and the plan is to play 10 levels today
- The bubble is likely to burst during Level 15 or 16, and then play down to a final table, which will take place on Sunday.
- Full UKIPT6 London schedule here.
- Other tournaments today include two starting flights for the £330 London Cup starting at 12pm and 6pm, as well as a £550 NL Holdem turbo at 10pm

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

We started with 176. We ended with just 10. Welcome to the day of execution known as Day 2 of UKIPT6 London.

Whittling 176 players down to 10 in just 11 levels of play in a well-structured event like the UKIPT might have seemed far-fetched at the beginning of the day, but that's exactly what happened. And those remaining 10 players are a talented bunch indeed. Of course, only eight can make the official final table, so we'll have to lose two players before the big money jumps come into force.

Usman Siddique is our chip leader going into tomorrow's final day of play with 4,337,000, but for the last level it was a toss up between him and Warren Russell, who's not far behind with 3,894,000.

Siddique had quite a remarkable day. He became the chip leader a couple of levels into the day and from then on he always had one of the room's biggest stacks. He even won the hand of the day, which we simply have to tell you about in a bit of detail later in this report (you can read the full hand at 8.29pm in our Day 2 live updates).

The biggest name left in our field is that of Jack Salter with 1,231,000, the man who finished 2nd at the EPT10 Grand Final for €765,000. He's had an excellent past 12 months, notching up live cashes of more than $700,000, so it'll be interesting to see if he can bag his first UKIPT title.

Joe Hindry and Jack Hardcastle are both through to our final day, but what's interesting about the two up-and-comers is that they're actually good mates from the same town in Portsmouth. Hindry ended play with 1,622,000 while Hardcastle is our short stack with 365,000. Hindry found a double up in one of the very last hands of the night when his pocket aces held up against Xiaoyang Luo's pocket queens. Luo busted in 11th shortly after for £5,640.

They'll be joined by Scotland's David Docherty - who celebrated his 29th birthday yesterday - with 1,283,000, Daniel Harwood with 1,220,000, David Gassian with 820,000, Morten Halvorsen with 720,000, and Anatolis Jevtejev with 636,000.

The original plan was to either play 10 levels or down to a final table of eight, but as the night went on and we got closer and closer to that final table goal, an extra level of play was added in to the mix.

Day 2 is obviously the first time we have the entire field in the same room at the same time, meaning all Day 1 chip leaders could mix together to create some massive pots. There was an abundance of those today - Richard Kellett flopped quads and Simon Dryan made a royal flush!

Iceland's Daniel Palsson won't be getting any sleep tonight, that's for sure. In the hand of the day, Palsson tried to isolate a small all-in player by moving all-in himself with ace-queen for 940,000 - a big stack at the time. However, he'd misread who was in the big blind - thinking it was another short-stacked player, when it was actually chip leader Siddique who woke up with aces. Needless to say the aces held and eliminated both players. It was a dramatic hand and a crushing blow for Palsson, but it set Siddique up for the rest of the day.

The bubble burst at the beginning of Level 16 when Aaron Lincoln's 6,500 shove with ace-king couldn't beat the flopped straight of Luke Reeves. 95 players cashed, and some of the notable names who managed to make the money included breakout player of the year nominee Rainer Kempe (83rd - £1,300); former November Niners Antoine Saout (80th - £1,300) and Felex Stephensen (77th - £1,300); Lithuania's Matas Cimbolas (70th - £1,470); PokerStars staff member Richard Connolly (65th - £1,470); Spain's Leo Margets (61st - £1,470) and Diego Gomez (46th - £1,660); former Irish Open winner James Mitchell (17th - £3,780), and British pro Richard Kellett (16th - £3,780).

Here's how our final ten players will be sitting when they return tomorrow:

It was a crazy day of action, particularly during the last level of the night. That means we're set up for an incredible day of poker right from the off tomorrow - you won't want to miss it. Play kicks off at 12pm so make sure you join us here on the PokerStars Blog.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May, who will do a very high-pitched squeak right in your ear if you steal her photos. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

* Usman Siddique wins UKIPT6 London
* Main Event is over

7.15pm: Usman Siddique wins UKIPT6 London for £84,100; David Gassian runner up for £51,930
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ante)

Well, there's not much heads-up play to report! Usman Siddique raised every pot, and David Gassian folded every single hand. He doubled up once when he was down to 225,000 (just two big blinds) when his [9s][6d] pipped Siddique's [7h][7s] at the end of the [kd][ts][8c][qc][9c] board, but other than that Gassian seemed to have given up.

In the final hand he put his last 290,000 in the pot and Siddique naturally called. He had the [ah][6h] while Gassian had the [ks][2h]; the board ran out [5h][jd][6d][jc][3s] and that was it! Gassian finished in 2nd for £51,930.

Congratulations to Usman Siddique - the winner of UKIPT6 London, the coveted spade trophy, and £84,100!

We'll have a full report of today's final Day 3 action soon. --JS

7.06pm: Heads up counts
Level 30 - Blinds 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ante)

Usman Siddique - 14,775,000
David Gassian - 1,450,000

The Frenchman has a lot of work to do as heads up play begins. -- MC

6.58pm: Joe Hindry eliminated in 3rd place for £37,310
Level 30 - Blinds 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ante)

Joe Hindry's rail was elated after he made the top three players as it earned his extra money that looked unlikely. His ladder only stretched so far though and he busted in third place.

He was down to his last 955,000 when he shoved from the button. Usman Siddique (who else?) picked up a hand in the big blind and called.

Hindry: [th][9d]
Siddique: [ac][5c]

The board ran [kd][4h][ad][4d][2c] failing to help Hindry and just like that the final table is heads up! -- MC

6.48pm: Warren Russell eliminated in 4th place for £28,450
Level 30 - Blinds 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ante)

Unfortunately for Warren Russell Level 29 was even worse than Level 28 as he busted to his nemesis, Usman Siddique. The chips went in preflop and the cards were on their backs.

Russell: [as][th]
Siddique: [7s][7c]

The board ran [6c][kh][3h][3d][jc]. Siddique has flipped very well this week and that trend continued. -- MC

6.43pm: Joe Hindry - absolutely blessed
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ante)

Having got lucky to double through Warren Russell earlier, Joe Hindry just got lucky again to chop a pot with David Gassian. He shoved over Gassian's 125,000 raise for 1 million with the [as][9c] and got called by Gassian with the [ac]th]. However the board ran out [8h][qs][qc][kh][ks] and he held on once more.

"Joe Hindry - absolutely blessed!" shouted a member of Hindry's rail. --JS

6.31pm: Level up
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000-100,000 (10,000 ante)

6.30pm: Siddique's grip ever tighter
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000-80,000 (10,000 ante)

The good news for Warren Russell is that level 28 is over. The bad news is that he lost the last hand of level 28 to Usman Siddique, whose dominance became even greater.

Russell completed from the small blind and Siddique checked his option. Russell bet 90,000 on the [9d][5s][6s] flop and 225,000 on the [6d] turn. Siddique called the first bet but raised the second bet to 575,000. Russell called and called another 865,000 on the [jc] river. Siddique opened [ad][6s] for trips and Russell mucked to drop to 1.95 million. Siddique moved up to 10.8 million. -- MC

6.22pm: Daniel Harwood gone in 5th for £22,540
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000-80,000 (10,000 ante)

With Joe Hindry having doubled up recently, Daniel Harwood was the shortest stack at the table and needed to find a good spot to double. He thought he'd at least found a good spot to pick up the blinds and antes when he jammed for his last 900,000 with the [8d][8h], but David Gassian was waiting to act behind him with the [jd][jc] and made an easy call.

The board was safe the whole way for Gassian as it ran out [3s][td][qh][7c][2d] to eliminate Harwood in 5th. He'll take £22,540 home for his efforts here at the Hippodrome, while Gassian moves up to 2.4 million. --JS

6.06pm: Russell loses more
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000-80,000 (10,000 ante)

It's not been a great level for Warren Russell and he's looking a little frustrated. He seemed to really want to call a river bet just now but thought better of it, and folded to drop to 3.28 million.

Usman Siddique had raised pre flop, bet the flop, bet 185,000 on the turn and 415,000 on the river. The final board read [5h][kd][6d][4s][4d]. Siddique stretched his lead as he moved up to 8.2 million -- MC

5.50pm: Hindry hits to double through Russell
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000-80,000 (10,000 ante)

It looked dire for Joe Hindry for a minute there. He shoved all-in for his last 875,000 and it folded around to Warren Russell in the big blind who snapped with his [as][kh]. Hindry had kicker issues with his [ah][7c] but they were soon cleared up when he made two pair on the [3s][ad][7d] flop. The turn came the [4c] and the river the [8d], and it was a full, much-needed double up for the 21-year-old pro. He now sits with 1.84 million, while Russell dips to 3.625 million. --JS

5.33pm: Level up
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000-80,000 (10,000 ante)

5.22pm: Chips on the break

5.12pm: Break time
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Players have gone on a 20 minute break. --JS

5.10pm: Jack Salter eliminated in 6th for £17,550
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

He was the biggest and most accomplished player coming into this final table, but Jack Salter has just been eliminated and so won't be adding to a UKIPT title to his amazing resume.

Salter opened to 125,000 before chip leader Usman Siddique shoved from the small blind. Salter made a quick call with his [ad][kd], while it was [5s][5d] for Siddique.

The flop was a frustrating one for Jack; he found no help at all with the [tc][ts][6c], but the [js] turn did give him a straight draw as well as the two overs. However, the [7d] landed on the river and Salter's 955,000 slid to Siddique.

Salter takes home a not-too-shabby £17,550 for 6th, while Siddique is our massive chip boss with 7,245,000. --JS

5pm: Hindry bluffs, goes short
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

Joe Hindry has work to do after he bluffed off a chunk to Warren Russell to drop to 860,000.

He opened to 120,000 and Russell called in the big blind. The flop came [qh][8h][7s] and Hindry continued for 135,000. Call. Both players checked the [7h] turn before Russell check-called a 335,000 bet on the [ad] river. Hindry could only muster [kd][9h], losing out to Russell's [ah][5c]. -- MC

4.50pm: Morten Halvorsen eliminated in 7th for £12,780
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

We were beginning to get a large Norwegian rail for Morten Halvorsen, but he's just busted his 7th and they've all cleared off.

Halvorsen kicked off the pot with an open to 125,000 and it folded around to Usman Siddique ion the big blind who made up the bet. We saw the [9c][8c][7c] flop hit the felt, and for some reason it instantly felt like we were going to see some action.

Siddique checked it and Halvorsen continued for 150,000, only to be met with a raise to 400,000. Halvorsen thought for a while and his rail grew increasingly interested, and they were right to - he shoved for 950,000 total and Siddique made the call.

The flop had hit Siddique hard - his [tc][9s] gave him top pair and an up-and-down straight flush draw. Meanwhile, Halvorsen's jam was a semi-bluff with his [ah][td] for a straight draw. The board bricked out for him with the [4h] turn and [ks] river and so his chips were slid to Siddique.

Halvorsen will take home £12,780 for his deep run, while Siddique is now chip leader with 6 million. --JS

4.30pm: Big stacks tangle
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

For the last three hands, five players have sat back and watched the two chip leaders, Warren Russell and Usman Siddique, battle each other. The final score ended 2-1 to Siddique.

Siddique opened to 130,000 from under the gun and Russell called from the big blind. The flop came [ah][ac][tc] and Russell check-raised Siddique's 135,000 c-bet up to 325,000. Call. The turn was the [qh] and Russell check-folded to a 280,000 bet.

The next hand saw Russell complete from the small blind and Siddique check his big blinded option. The flop spread [8h][9c][2h] and both players checked to the [kh] turn where Rusell led for 100,000. Call. Siddique made it 2-0 on the [6h] river as Russell check-folded to his 140,000 bet.

Russell had to get some creditability back and did so on the very next hand. He opened to 125,000 and then four-bet to 850,000 after Siddique had three-bet to 335,000. Fold.

That last hand comeback by Russell saw him reclaim the lead he had lost during the previous two hands.

Siddique - 4,995,000
Russell - 5,055,000
-- MC

4.11pm: Blinds up
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000-60,000 (10,000 ante)

4.05pm: Russell tussles in every pot
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

Chip leader Warren Russell has been very active over the last orbit, raising every pot folded to him and playing several interesting pots as a result.

In one hand, Morten Halvorsen opened to 125,000 and it folded around to Russell, who called from the big blind. We saw a [4d][qd][8s] flop fall down, which was checked to the Norwegian allowing him to c-bet 125,000. The chip leader then bumped it up to 275,000, and it didn't take long for Halvorsen to announce he was all-in. It would cost Russell around another half a million to call but he opted to fold. Halvorsen went up to 1.2 million after that one.

In the very next hand, it was Daniel Harwood he was tussling with. Hardwood opened to 105,000 and again Russell was the only caller. The flop was the [5c][5d][9h] and the chip leader checked, and Harwood made a bet of 140,000. It was called, so the [3s] dropped on the turn. It went check, 215,000, call on that street, resulting in the [as] on the river. Russell checked again and Harwood reached for the black 100,000 chips. He put out three blacks and three blues for a total of 315,000 and Russell snapped it off with [ah][tc]. He'd got there on the river, although we'll never know if he was ever behind as Harwood mucked.
Harwood was left with just 640,000 and is now our short stack, while Russell hovers around the 4.2 million mark. --JS

3.55pm: Cheeky chappie Harwood
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

Jack Salter nodded in admiration after he was bluffed off a pot by Daniel Harwood.

Harwood raised to 105,000 off the button and Salter peeled from the big blind to see an [ac][ah][2c] flop. The action was checked to the turn where Salter led for 70,000. Harwood snap called and then bet the [7s] river when Salter checked to him. When the latter folded he opened [6s][4s] and his stack rose to 1.72 million. Salter dropped to 1.32 million. -- MC

3.40pm: Halvorsen gets busy
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

The man from Norway has been pretty quiet so far at this final table, but in the last orbit he's moved all-in twice and got no callers. It's only a matter of time until he clashes with someone. --JS

3.29pm: Russell gets stronger; Salter falters
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

Having eliminated David Docherty before the break, Jack Salter was starting to build some momentum but he's just given all of those chips and more to chip leader Warren Russell.

Salter made it 105,000 to go and Russell was the only caller, taking us to the [5c][5d][jc] flop. Both checked, and the dealer burned and turned the [kd]. It went check check once more, so we saw the [3d] land on the river. Now Salter put together a bet of 225, only for Russell to come backk over the top with a bet of 500,000. Salter made the call but mucked when Russell showed his [jd][td].

After that hand Salter was back down to roughly where he started (1.3 million), while Russell has taken an even bigger lead up to 4.8 million. --JS

3.12pm: Play resumes
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000-50,000 (5,000 ante)

2.53pm: Break time chip counts

2.45pm: Break to move
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

The clock is paused as the players are moving rooms. We'll be shortly with more live action. --JS

2.40pm: David Docherty eliminated in 8th for £8,731
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

In an unfortunate turn of events, David Docherty has now finished 8th in both of his two UKIPT final table appearances. His last one was in 2011 at UKIPT2 Dublin, and it was an identical story here today.

After Jack Salter opened to 90,000, Docherty moved all-in for his last 451,000. Salter asked for a count, and realising it was just eight big blinds more to call he announced it and turned over the [qh][TH]. Docherty was in great shape with his [ac][ah].

"It's the first time I've had aces all tournament," Docherty told the table. "It's perfect timing, you've got to call there."

"Just saying, I am pretty lucky," replied Salter.

He's not kidding. The [qc][8c][9h] flop helped him immediately, but not as much as the [jd] on the turn which gave Salter the straight. The [8h] completed the board.

"Good luck boys," said Docherty, always a gentleman despite his clear disappointment. It's been a great run for the Scot who turned 29 on Friday. Meanwhile, Salter now sits with 2.1 million. --JS

2.28pm: What's French for card rack?
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

If you're going to pick up a bunch of big hands, you want to get them in the latter stages of the tournament, not the first level. Just ask David Gassian.

The Frenchman knocked out the first two players of the day holding pocket kings and since he's been at the final table he's hit quads and picked up aces to move up to 2.55 million.

David Docherty raised to 85,000 from early position and was called by Gassian and Usman Siddique en route to a [2c][js][2h] flop. Docherty continued for 140,000 and was called by both opponents. The turn was the [5c] and Gassian bet 130,000. Siddique was the only caller but he folded too after Gassian bombed the river for 725,000. Siddique folded and Gassian opened [2s][2s] for quads!

A short while after, he raised to 85,000 from the button before Warren Russell three-bet to 215,000 from the big blind. Gassian came back with a four-bet to 511,000 and showed aces once his Canadian opponent folded. -- MC

2.08pm: Ladies for Salter
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

Jack Salter's up to 1.22 million now, having just won a pot from David Gassian with the help of three lovely ladies.

It folded around and Gassian limped from the small blind before Salter made it 125,000 to see a flop. Gassian called and it came the [th][qc][tc], which both players checked. We then saw the [ts] land on the turn, and once again both checked - leading us to believe that nobody had a big hand here. But when the [2d] hit the river, Gassian checked again and Salter made a bet of 177,000. The Frenchman made a quick call but mucked as Salter turned over the [qh][qs].--JS

2pm: Semi-bluff from Russell leaves DD winded
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

It's not been the best start to the day for David Docherty, who came into the final 3rd in chips. He's lost a few since then, including in this hand against Warren Russell.

RusselL min-opened to 80,000 which got two callers in Docherty and Daniel Harwood. The flop came the [7s][td][3s] and it checked to Docherty, who took control with a 140,000 bet. Only Russell called, taking us to the [8h] on the turn. Russell checked once more and now Docherty counted out a bet of 325,000 and slid it over the line. Russell announced "all-in" and Docherty sighed as he made a quick fold.

"I wish I'd checked it back," he told Joe Hindry after Russell showed his [4s][5s] for straight and flush draws. --JS

1.46pm: Level up
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000-40,000 (5,000 ante)

1.44pm: Big hand here!
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Daniel Harwood lost a small pot to Joe Hindry and the very next hand; he wasn't going to be messed about.

The Cheltenham lad raised to 65,000 from under the gun before Usman Siddique three-bet to 165,000 from the cutoff. When the action got back to Harwood he snap jammed for 779,000. Siddique went into the tank and Harwood went into chat mode.

"Big hand here!" he said while tapping his finger on his cards. Siddique thought for another minute and let his hand go before Harwood showed [qs][js]. "I looked strong, didn't I?" said a proud Harwood. -- MC

1.29pm: Great flop, terrible turn for DD
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

David Docherty must've been loving life when he flopped a straight in a three-way pot; a terrible turn card meant he chopped at showdown though.

Daniel Harwood opened to 65,000 from early position and he was called by Warren Russell (button) and Docherty (big blind). The flop fanned [9c][8h][tc] and Harwood bet 105,000 when the action was checked to him. Docherty was the only caller, and he check-called another 220,000 on the [jh] turn before both players checked the [td] river. Docherty opened [jd][7c] and chopped with Russell after he revealed [ts][7s]. -- MC

1.18pm: Battle of the big stacks
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Warren Russell and Usman Siddique are side by side with the two biggest stacks in this event. And right now, they're pretty much dead even.

In the last hand, Russell opened the button to 65,000 and Siddique called from the small blind. The flop fanned [2d][4d][8s] and both players checked, taking us to the [js] on the turn. Now Siddique took the betting lead, sliding out 68,000 which Russell called, resulting in the [4s] on the river. Siddique went back to checking but Russell wasn't going to let a cheap showdown happen. He counted out 225,000 and put them in, and Siddique thought for a minute before making the call.#

We'd never see Siddique's hand though, as he mucked when Russell revealed the [as][9s] for a runner runner flush. Both players are on roughly 4 million right now. --JS

1.10pm: Back in the action
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Play has resumed here at the final table. --JS

12.50pm: Final table
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

You can find out more about all eight finalists in our final table player profiles here.

12.38pm: Jack Hardcastle eliminated in 9th for £6,900
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Well, he came into the day as our shortest stack, so it was no surprise to see Jack Hardcastle making moves early. It turns out he did with a huge hand - but it was still beat.

Usman Siddique opened the action to 65,000 and it folded around to Hardcastle in the cut-off. He moved all-in for 280,000 before David Gassian raised it up to 525,000, a clear isolation. It folded back to Siddique who gave it up, and the cards were on their backs.

Hardcastle - [ah][ks]
Gassian - [kd][kc]

Hardcastle would need to hit an ace, but the board ran out [7h][9c][kh][6d][js], so Gassian's set was never in trouble. Hardcastle takes home £6,900 for his 9th place finish, and we're currently getting to know our remaining players a little better while they're on a break.

The official final table of eight will kick off soon, so stick around. --JS

12.24pm: Table re-draw
Level 23- Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Here's how the players are seated now we're down to one table:

--JS

12.15pm: Anatolis Jevtejev eliminated in 10th place (£5,640)
Level 23- Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Well, it didn't take long to get down to one table, with Anatolis Jevtejev busting on the second hand of the day, and it was a cooler that did for him.

David Gassian opened from late position and snap called after Jevtejev three-bet all in from the blinds.

Jevtejev: [jc][jd]
Gassian: [ks][kh]

The board ran [kc][ah][6s][3c][jh] to make both players sets. The players are being re-drawn on to one table of nine and we'll post the details once we have them. -- MC

12.13pm: That didn't take long!
Level 23- Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

We've already lost a player so the clock is paused while we re-draw for one table. Details of the bust-out are coming shortly. --JS

12.10pm: Better late than never
Level 23- Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

Well, we didn't quite kick off the action at 12pm, but ten minutes later and the cards are now in the air. Tournament Director Luca Vivaldi has just informed the players that they'll become one table of nine when we lose our first player. --JS

11.50am: Welcome back to UKIPT6 London final day!
Level 23- Blinds 15,000-30,000 (4,000 ante)

We are just nine exits away from crowning a brand new UKIPT champion and the first of Season 6. Yesterday was an action-packed day where the field was whittled down from 176 players to the few heroes we have left today. The 11 levels offered up so much great action - even losing a player on the last hand of the night - so we're hoping for similar drama today.

There's a great mix of experience, talent and stack sizes on show today and the the final nine seat draw could go a long way to deciding the title. We're still on two tables of five for now and this is how they'll line up to start with:

Join us back here midday when play is due to get underway. --MC

Key UKIPT6 London Facts:

- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50-100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 60 minutes, and the plan is to a winer today
- Full UKIPT schedule here.
- Other tournaments today include Day 2 £330 London Cup starting at 1pm and a Ladies Event starting.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

Seat 1. Daniel Harwood, United Kingdom - 1,302,000

27 year-old Daniel Harwood comes from Cheltenham and has been playing poker for six or seven years. He is currently making the transition to poker pro.

Although he likes playing both online and live, recent times have seen him focus more on the live game. It is paying dividends as he secured his UKIPT London seat in a live satellite here at The Hippodrome Casino.

His biggest win came for £22,500 at DTD last year in a £300 deepstack and says playing chess has really helped his game.

Harwood was good at chess as a youngster and after playing (and beating friends, poker seemed like a good fit.

"The game came naturally to me - it just clicked!" he said.

Seat 2. David Gassian, France - 2,234,000

45-year-old David Gassian has lived in London for the last ten years, though he originates from Bordeaux. He works as a head teacher at a primary school and although he loves poker, he loves his job even more. "I'm a rarity," he joked.

Gassian mainly plays live, both cash games and tournaments, and he has notched up several big scores, winning the 2014 Hippodrome Winter Classic for £12,500 as well as €30,000 at a Partouche tournament in 2012.

"Poker is a great opportunity to meet up with old friends," he told us, explaining his love of the game.

Seat 3. Jack Salter, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player - 886,000

29 year-old professional poker player Jack Salter needs no introduction, having had a scintillating poker run over the last few years, notching up over $3 million in tournament winnings. Most notably he was runner-up at the 2014 EPT Grand Final for over a milion dollars. Salter prefers live poker as it doesn't feel as much like a job and he feels that his success is built on taking everything into consideration at the table, not just poker theory.

Asked about his chances today, Salter was upbeat. "I've only got a half average stack but I'm pretty good at allins!"

Seat 4. Warren Russell, Canada - 3,961,000

Warren Russell is a 30 year old Canadian hailing from Vancouver. He works as a Sales Consultant, having transferred to the London offices 5 weeks ago. He's been playing poker for 12 years, having previously been an avid online gamer - playing Starcraft and War craft 3. It proved a successful transition, Russell going on to win $121,513 at the British Columbia Poker Championships in 2008 - his biggest result to date.

Seat 5. Usman Siddique, United Kingdom - 4,132,000

Usman Siddique is a 23 year-old student, currently on a break. Siddique resides in London and has been playing poker for around 4 years. Siddique's biggest win was a $69,000 score online - where he has most of his playing experience. Siddique puts his success partially down to his knowledge of mixed games. "In mixed games you have to adjust to each individual game. This helps in MTTs where the dynamics are constantly changing."

Siddique is confident going into the final. "I'm chip leader so I'm happy!"

Seat 6. Joe Hindry, United Kingdom - 1,327,000

Joe Hindry is a 21 year old professional poker player from Portsmouth. He's played the game for many years, turning pro at the age of 18. At first he played mainly online but these days plays a lot more cash games - primarily at The Hippodrome Casino.

Wherever Hindry finishes here at the final table, this will be his largest ever cash. He revealed he is drawn to poker through a "natural pure love for the game" and he is really looking forward to the final table.

Seat 7. David Docherty, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier - 1,531,000

David Docherty is a 29 year-old professional poker player from Glasgow. It's been a big week for him having celebrated his birthday during Day 1B of the tournament. Docherty plays mainly online, although his biggest result came live at the 2009 WSOPE where he collected $35k after a deep run.

Docherty feels his calm approach might give him an edge at the felt. "I see other players getting more worked up about bad beats and things. I feel like I can take the difficult times at the tables more in my stride."

Docherty is confident about his chances on the final. "Yeah I feel good. We'll see if my temperament holds up today!"

Seat 8. Morten Halvorsen, Norway, PokerStars Player - 732,000

Morten Halvorsen is a 50 year-old Norwegian who lives 20km from Oslo. He works as a financial controller for a company that sells construction equipment. Halvorsen likes playing both live and online and he came down to the UKIPT with a twelve-strong group of other local players, who've been supporting each other with gusto. His biggest result came at a live tournament for around $30,000 but he has had plenty of success online, winning a number of packages for events on PokerStars.

"I have a funny feeling about the final. If I come 8th I don't mind but I feel pretty good about today!" he explained.

Very few people come to play poker at Hippodrome Casino and don't fall in love with the place. The UKIPT has made its London home here and it'd be hard to imagine playing anywhere else in this fine city now. At midday today there would've been 10 players who agreed with those sentiments. Seven hours later, at least one person would still agree.

That's all it took for start of day chip leader Usman Siddique to dismantle the hopes of nine very capable opponents. Siddique might've allowed himself to dream of the title from as early as midway through yesterday's play when he won a 2 million chip pot courtesy of an obvervational mistake by an opponent. That pot alone was good for a final table average stack and it gave the 23-year-old the ammunition to boss every table he was at from then on. He ended Day 2 as chip leader and, despite a short while today when Warren Russell overtook him, never let go of his grip on the tournament.

On his huge pots yesterday, Siddique had this to say: "Yes it was really important but there were two stages. Firstly someone 5-bet ripped pocket jacks into my kings for 500,000 so that put me up to a million - then another player decided to get it in versus me in that huge pot."

The last man he had to get through was the man who started off the day on fire. French primary school teacher David Gassian picked up kings in the opening moments of the day and used them to oust Anatolis Jevtejev in tenth place. The Lithuanian was unlucky as he had picked up a hand as well with jacks. That exit meant all players resided on one table and it was soon the official final table of eight when Gassian used pocket kings once more to Jack Hardcastle in ninth. That hand was also a cooler as the Portmouth native held ace-king but failed to find the three-outer he needed.

Gassian won another two big hands - once with aces and another with quads - and that helped keep him alive as Siddique destroyed all players around him. His luck ran out when he was heads up though. He was very short and moved all in with king-deuce; Siddique looked down at ace-six, made the call and went on to make two pair.

The official final table kicked off with the exit of Scottish pro David Docherty. This was the second time he's made a UKIPT final table (the other being Dublin, Season 2) and the second time he's been first out. Not much he could do with pocket aces though. Jack Salter had raised with queen-ten and called the three-bet shove before warning Docherty he was very lucky. He wasn't wrong and had the aces destroyed by the turn with a straight.

The only Norwegian to feature on the final day was next to go. Morten Halvorsen flopped overs and a straight draw, made his move, but was called by Siddique who had flopped top pair and an open-ended straight draw. The turn and river bricked to see six remain. Siddique also took out the next player - the dangerous Salter - and that, along with the seat draw, was key for him as he alluded to later.

"The table draw was really important - having Jack Salter and the other big stack on my right meant I had the nut table position. That and coming in as a big stack meant I was able to apply pressure at the right stages.

Also the big stack I had meant I could pass up some marginal spots and look for some bigger edges."

Winning the flip versus Jack, who I thought was the most dangerous opponent, was crucial. " Salter had a big hand with ace-king but couldn't hit to dislodge Siddique's pocket fives.

The one hand that Siddique seemingly wasn't involved in saw Daniel Harwood go in the fourth. The Cheltenham lad had been making lots of moves all day but wasn't getting called when he had it, and then when he made a move with a middling hand he ran into a big hand - his eights failing to come from behind to crack the jacks of Gassian.

The tournament ticked over into Level 29 and a dinner break was scheduled at the end of it, but Siddique had it all wrapped up in 30 minutes. First he took out the dangerous Warren Russell, who was the only man who really threatened him today, playing his first ever tournament in Europe after relocating to London five weeks ago for work reasons. He held ace-ten but Siddique wasn't planning on losing any races today and his sevens navigated a bricky board with ease. Moments later Joe Hindry was his next victim. He pushed with ten-nine and Siddique called with ace-five, which went on to make two pair. That gave him an almost insurmountable leads heads up and he made light work of Gassian before enjoying all the post victory formalities.

Siddique played well and ran really well - a dangerous combination. "It was just golden like a dream really. I ran really pure throughout the tournament. I kept expecting to get a beat somewhere along the line but it never really happened!" he said.

Here's the official final results:

Spring is in full flow here in the UK with summer around the corner, and you know what that means? Yep, summer holiday time! For the fourth year in a row the UKIPT is going on its summer holidays, once more meeting up with it's Spanish cousin, the Estralles Poker Tour (ESPT). Qualifiers are running online at PokerStars now, so get involved and join us June 14-19 in Marbella for sun, parties and a little bit of poker.

For now, this is us signing off from the centre of London. Thanks for reading all week and see you all in June!

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 London: Marc Convey and Jack Stanton. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

* CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
* Day 1A is over
* Day 2 starts at noon CET

10:20pm: Done for the day
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

That's your lot! A wrap of the day's play can be read here. --NW

9:55pm: Last six hands
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Each table will play six more hands before bagging up for the day. --MC

9:50pm: Late bustouts
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Around 81 players remain here on Day 1A. The following didn't quite make it to Day 2: Per Wikstrom, Ivan Macias Espada, Michele Amato, Karolis Ananevas, Adrian Benitez Narvaez, Gabin Louis Andre Feriolo, Gintaras Simaitis, Samuel Meeuse, Jose Antonio Gonzalez Zaragoza, Hani Antonio Ouatfeh Ramirez, Koray Suler, Lukasz Winski, Jorge Antonio Juste Menchaca, Jaroslaw Jerzy Balcerek, Juan Oliver Paredes Sanchez, Tommaso Briotti, Diego Soto Benitez, Kamil Jacek Wiercinski, Jan Combes
Enrique Santiago Cambarao Calvo and Nikolay Baryshnikov. --MC

9:45pm: Could Voytko have won more?
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Alexander Voytko is up to 270,000 after winning a big pot against Jose Salazar but it's possible he could've won more. Pre-flop Voytko opened to 4,500, Salazar three-bet to 14,000, Voytko made it 28,000 straight and Salazar smooth called.

The [Ts][Ad][7c] flop checked through and the [Kd] fell on the turn, Voytko checked, Salazar bet 24,000 and Voytko smooth called. The [Jc] completed the board and both players checked it down. Salazar opened pocket kings for a turned set, but Voytko had flopped a set and a better one at that as he had pocket aces! 

Salazar couldn't believe he didn't have the best hand but he was second best on this occasion and drops to 65,000. --NW

9:35pm: Pole position for Grzegorz
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Grzegorz Idziak is up to 275,000 that looks like it's good for the chip lead as we go into the final 20 minutes of play. --NW

9:25pm: Taylor doubles
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Guy Taylor, who won two flipout tournaments at this year's PCA, has bought that sort of form with him to Marbella as he just scored a fortunate double up to stay in the main event.

He three-bet to 12,500 with [Ad][Kh] and called all-in for 49,000 after his opponent, who had pocket kings, had four-bet jammed. An ace on the flop meant Taylor doubled to over 100,000. --NW

9:15pm: Gonna have to get there on the second attempt...
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Stick a flake in Enrique Santiago Cambarao, Samuel Fraile, Jospeh Chattaway, Guillaume Lichiere, Khalil Youssafi, Kjell Hoiseth, Juan Evangelista Arana, Mikel Angulo, Jaroslaw Lipien, Nikola Ristivojevic, Paul Fontan, Michael Nicholls, Oscar Ingelmo, Andre Morath, John Bagnall, Patrice Brandt, Kamel Bekhaled (the first ever player from New Caledonia to play a UKIPT!), Manuel Cortada, Jose Antonio Rouco, Richard Cashman, Georgios Papadopoulos, Antonio Jesus Diaz, Tuomas Jalonen and Tomasz Cichocki as they're all out.

99 players remain as the final level gets underway. --NW

9:05pm: Lots of chips on table five
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Table five is absolutely stacked as it's very possible the three biggest stacks in the room are all sitting around the same oval. What's more they're all in a row too!

Bob Janssens occupies the three seat, he's got roughly 230,000. To his direct left is Milos Skrbic, the Serbian player has around 170,000 which is also how much Neil Raine has. The UK player is sat to the left of Skrbic and at least has position on the two other big stacks at the table. --NW

8:55pm: Chip leaders
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

At the start of the level Bob Janssens was the clear chip leader. The Dutchman was sitting with a stack of 245,000 which put him well clear of Alexander Voytko (168,300) and Mihaita Constantin Croitoru (161,600). --NW

8:45pm: Lucky double up for Baryshnikov
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Nikolay Baryshnikov open shoved from under-the-gun for 27,300 and Dmitrii Pcheliakov called to put him at risk. It was a Russia vs Russia battle and Pcheliakov had the best of it with [Ah][Qs] to Baryshnikov's [Ac][Jh]. 

But the [Kc][Js][6s][8d][4c] board favoured the underdog and he doubled to around 60,000 whilst Pcheliakov slips to 43,000. --NW

8:15pm: End of the level
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

Level 10 has come and gone and the players are now filing out of the card room into the Spanish sun for their final 15 minute break of the day. When they return they'll play two more 45-minute levels before play ends for the day. --NW

8:13pm: Non starter for 10
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

Just 124 players remain in with a chance of making Day 2 of this tournament. Sadly for Nikita Dubrovskii, Rafael Dominguez, Marcin Dziubdziela, Anna Docheva, Jose Antonio Albarran, Daniel Doroteo, Javier Fernandez, Simone Agnoletto, Paulius Katinas, Alfredo Aramendia, Daniel Gomez, Rolf Jauring, Thomas Rolf, Martin Bartos, Daniel Nietrzebka, Philip Butt and Tomasz Wrobel they're not among them as they've all been eliminated during level 10. --NW

8:10pm: Big slick good for a full double up
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

Antonio Entrena had big slick on the button, flopped top pair with it but had to wait until the river before he secured a full double.

His opponent in the hand was Vincent Gabel from Belgium. He was in the big blind and the two had amassed a 19,000 pot by the time the board rested as [kd][4c][tc][8d][6h]. Entrena had 16,900 left and into the middle they went.

"Sixteen-nine?" asked Gabel. "Can I think a bit first?"

After thinking he made the call ad then mucked saying nice hand once Entrena opened [ah][ks]. Gabel dropped to around 60,000. --MC

7:53pm: Cry me a river, not
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

You know those times you're barrelling with air, trying everything to get an opponent off a hand but you just can't shake them? They call you preflop, on the flop and on the turn. You think to yourself; will I have to give up on the river? Do I have what it takes to empty the clip on this station? And then - bink, you hit the river!

This just happened (maybe not the thoughts) to Mihaita Constantin Croitoru. The PokerStars qualifier raised from the hijack, bet the flop, bet 8,000 on the turn and 13,000 on the river. The board rested as [6s][4d][jc][9h][kd] and Guy Taylor was his opponent in the big blind who called the whole way. When Croitoru opened [kc][3c], Taylor just smiled, flashed the [jd] and mucked. He dropped to 11,000 whereas Croitoru jumped up to 60,000. --MC

7:45pm: Even more for Skrbic
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

When you're hot your hot and Milos Skrbic is on fire right now. He just took out Cristiano Jorge Ferreira in one of those hands that simply played itself.

On a [Kc][Qc][Ad] flop Ferreira was only to happy to commit his final 15,000 with [Kd][Qh] and Skrbic snapped him off with [Ac][Qs]. The [Jc] turn and [Ah] river meant Skrbic improved to a full-house that he didn't need.

He's up to 175,000 now and has Neil Raine to his direct left. Raine is possibly second in chips as he's got 160,000. --NW

7:25pm: Half and half
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Exactly 50% of the Day 1A field has been eliminated now as 142 of 284 players remain. Among the latest batch of players to lose their chips are: Geoffrey Swan, Jacob Fuller, Manuel Bardon, Miguel Riera, Khazret Nebezhev, Leonid Sidelkovski, Marco Antonio Rivas, Terry Cartier, David Johnson, Andrei Vlassenko, Alvaro Romero, Antonio Entrena, Gregory Campbell, Oscar Villahoz, Keith Littlewood, Jose Enrique Cortina, Joakim Rahmouni, Johan Arne Creutz, Carlos Cabezas, Alvaro Fernando Puchol, Antonio Manuel Galiana, Jose Maria Sanchez, Felix Schlott, Grzegorz Grochulski, Michal Janczarski and Niels Van Der Heyden. --NW

7:27pm: Koleno doesn't mind being dominated
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Being dominated aint no problem for Stanislav Koleno, especially when you flop your kicker.

Georgios Papadopoulos raised to 2,300 from under the gun and called after Koleno three-bet him to 5,400 from two seats along. The flop fell [4d][4s][tc] and both players checked to the [jc] turn. Koleno delayed 5,000 c-bet was check-called by Papadopoulos before both players checked the [jd] river.

Papadopoulos dropped to 27,000 in chips when he saw his [ac][9c] was no good against Koleno's [th][9h]. The latter's stack rose to 105,000. -- MC

7:10pm: Soto going great guns
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Diego Soto is up to 90,000 after winning a pot against Juan Evangelista Arana. The latter opened to 2,300 from the button and Soto defended his big blind. Neither player bet the [4c][Jc][Js] flop but on the [Qc] turn Arana fired out a bet of 2,800. 

A few seconds later Soto made his move, check-raising to 8,500 total. Arana had a think - either to save face or because he had a genuine decision - and after about 45 seconds in the tank he released his hand. 

Pot to Soto. --NW

7pm: Butt gets Even
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Down to just 3,000 in chips, Philip Butt moved all-in, he was called in one spot only for Even Mikkelsen to raise to 8,500 which was enough to get the pot heads-up.

Mikkelsen showed [Qh][Qd] and Butt said: "I've only looked at one," and flipped the [Ah]. His other card was the [4h] meaning he needed some help from the community cards to survive. He got it, as he hit the turn of a [Ts][8h][7s][Ad][3h] board to all but quadruple up. --NW

6:50pm: Top 5 counts
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Level 9 (of 12) is underway, Milos Skrbic seems to be the chip leader with 157,000 and is closely followed by Alexander Voytko on 150,500. --MC

6:25pm: Break time
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

That's the end of level eight and the players are now on a 20-minute break. --NW

6:20pm: More bustouts
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

The fallers are coming thick and fast now as the blinds and antes really start to bite. Jesus Moreno, Jose Luis Puente, Jose Ignacio Aguilera, Jamie O'Connor, Carmine Cantone, Steven Cuevas, Leith Rashid, Brendan Keenan, Eduard Munoz, Carlos Sarria, Armin Voss, Patrick Rasmussen, Stefano Terziani, Guillermo Sanchez, Carsten Joh, Erik Sturkenboom, Thomas Pedersen, Gary McGinty, Colm Tuite, Moises Parilla and Dominique Terzian are all out. --NW

6:16pm: Carter races away
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Golf, footgolf, beach, bars, Euro 2016? All this options are available for Dan Carter today, the Main Event isn't anymore though. He busted after losing a race to Dominik Hinzmann. The chips went in preflop with Cater down to his last 10,000 or so chips.

Carter: [3d][3c]
Hinzmann: [as][qh]

The board ran [td][ah][6s][qs][6d] to make the German two pair. Carter wished the table good luck and walked off into the sun. --MC

6:12pm: Finn it to win it
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Tapio Vihakas isn't a regular on the UKIPT, but he's an accomplished tournament player who's had plenty of deep runs in events like this. His deepest run on a PokerStars tour was at EPT10 Prague, where he finished 16th in December 2013. 

He's made the trip to Marbella and has managed to increase his stack slightly, he's playing 27,500 at the moment. --NW

6pm: Eights great for Sidelkovski
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Down to just 12,000 Leonid Sidelkovski got his chips in the middle with [8s][8c] and Marco Antonio Rivas put him at risk with [As][Kc]. A jack high board meant the Russian's hand held up and he doubled to around 25,000. Rivas meanwhile is down to 28,500. --NW

5:50pm: Voytko the man to catch
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Alexander Voytko appears to be the current chip leader. The Israeli player is up to 104,000 and is having a great day at the felt. --NW

5:47pm: Registration closed, 284 players make up Day 1A
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Registration closed at the end of level six and when all the slips were counted, 284 players were confirmed to be in. That's down from last year's 349 but a much bigger day is expected tomorrow and with re-entries available for Day 1C, we're hoping for similar overall numbers as last year (841). --MC

5:40pm: Gone
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

There's no easy way to say this, but if you're a fan of: Maher Yakob Mahmoud, Dawid Kuliberda, Jose Ruben Zurilla, Rudolf De Boer, Aurelien Didier Arcin, Jose Miguel Martinez, Ignacio Lopez de Maturana Urbina, Damian Neska, Billy Chattaway, John Garrat, Lukasz Lazor, Heinz Traut, Raul Patron Majuelo, Jose Luis Lopez, Thomas Bingham, John Patten, Alex Difelice, Veli-Pekka Penttinen, Matous Houzvicek, Istvan Pilhofer and Carl Lundh then it's bad news as they're all out. --NW

5:34pm: Full houses no good around these parts, amigo
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Walking past table 18 and all we could hear was sympathy for Thomas Blomberg. He was told there was little he could do. One player looked up at us and said, "River got him, lured him in!"

Blomber's ace-x hand was already in the muck and the dealer was taking chips from his stack and giving them to Ignacio Barcenas. The board read [2h][qh][ah][qd][ac] and Barcenas' pocket queens for quads were still proudly on display. --MC

5:26pm: May the fours be with you
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Rafael Dominguez found a spot to squeeze all-in and ended up doubling up after winning a race.

Victor Manuel Mateu had opened the pot with a raise to 1,400 from middle position and was called in one spot before Dominguez made his move, for 10,325, from the big blind. Mateu was the only caller.

Dominguez: [4c][4s]
Mateu: [kd][qd]

The board ran [as][ah][2d][jh][9d] to see the fours hold. Mateu dropped to around 12,000. -- MC

5:15pm: Sarria's shove gets through
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

From the small blind Kamil Wiercinski opened to 1,300 only for Carlos Sarria to shove for 10,725 from the big blind. The Pole got a count of the shove and tanked for some time before folding. --NW

5:11pm: Kerrane canned
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

James Kerrane had been in shoving mode for a while. Something had to give, and it was to bust rather than to double up.

The Irishman was down to 4,800 when he made his move from the cutoff. He was called by Angel Martinez in the next seat and a player in the small blind. The board ran [8c][4h][ac][7s][qd] with no chips being committed to make a side pot. The small blind's [6s][6h] was enough to beat Kerrane's [ks][jd] but Martinez scooped after opening a winning [kd][qc]. -- MC

4:57pm: Be quick
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Late registration for this starting flights slams shut at the end of the level. Players have about eight minutes if they want to play today. The tournament clock is showing that 275 players has entered today so far. --NW

4:50pm: Go enjoy the sun
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

There are worse place in the world to bust a poker tournament than Marbella. The following should go enjoy the sun and the football: Juan Carlos Vecino Duenas, David Borkowski, Remy Bruno Cogno, Carl Olof Stefan Olsson, Allan Greer, Diego Rodriguez Hernandez, Dmitrii Pcheliakov, Patricio Cimiano Perez, Juan Oliver Paredes Sanchez, Andrew Cruickshank, Andrew Ross Laurie, Immo Eeli Juhani Parviainen, Daniel Lopez Lozano, Juan Ramon Casado Fernandez, Carles Ferrer Arnal, Kevin Albright, Lucas Blanco Oliver, Martin Bartos, Oscar Lima Bayo, Alejandro Cuadrado Hernandez and Ashley Locker. --MC

4:34pm: Rico busts with a set
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Noelia Ivars Rico got off to a great start here on Day 1A, passing 40,000 on a table that contributed three of the first five players to bust. She told the Blog that it was a great table to be at, but unfortunately for her, she's no longer a part of it after a bad beat sent her to the rail.

Holding pocket sixes, she got her stack in with a set on a 9-6-3 flop. Her opponent called with pocket tens and running clubs made him a flush, and that was that. -- MC

4:25pm: Delgado departs, Wrobel chip leader
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

A short time ago Vicente Delgado had 80,000, now he's out. I spied him leaving the tournament room and a walk over to where he'd been sat confirmed he was indeed out. At that same table Tomasz Wrobel is up to 95,000, it's almost certain that these two factors are linked.

With that stack Wrobel is the current chip leader. --NW

4:05pm: Break time
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

The players are now on their second 15 minute break of the day. --NW

4pm: Blomberg flushes Lopez
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Daniel Lopez opened to 1,200 from under-the-gun+2 and picked up four callers, including Thomas Blomberg, who was in the cut-off. 

On the [Kh][7h][4s] flop Lopez bet 3,500, Blomberg moved all-in and when it folded back to Lopez he called all-in for around 15,000 total.

Blomberg: [Jh][9h]
Lopez: [As][Kd]

The [Qh] turn compelted Blomberg's flush and meant Lopez was drawing dead. The meaningless [7d] completed the board. --NW

3:55pm: Carter caught bluffing?
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Dan Carter's stack has dipped back below 30,000 (29k) after he mucked after being raised on the river.

The Brit was heads up, and in position, against Dominik Hinzmann of Germany. Cater bet 1,800 on a [ts][4h][td] flop when his opponent checked to him. Hinzmann called and both players checked the [as] turn before Carter fired another 3,000 on the [8d] river. Hinzmann check-raised to 12,000 and Carter snap folded. -- MC

3:40pm: More exits
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

With the blinds and antes kicking up a notch, so are the pace of exits. Already on the rail are: Philip Langley, Santiago Ramirez, Jose Luis Calvo, Julio Sala Ruiz, Alberto Martinez, Martin Aasen Lunde, Marcus Van Opzeeland, Richard King, Gabriel Barba Godino, Tommaso Briotti, Philip Gregg, Keith Christie, Paul Lozano, Tom Holke, Ammar Naamani and Robin Nielsen.

If they want to make Day 2 they're going to have to get it done in the turbo Day 1C tomorrow night. --NW

3:32pm: Sidelkovski aggression doesn't pay
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Leonid Sidelkovski threw his hands up in the air when his bluff attempt failed to get through on the river. To be fair, his opponent - Michael Ozimek - held two pair and was never going to fold.

Sidelkovski raised from the hijack and picked up three callers en route to a [3c][9d][ks] flop. Sidelkovski continued for 1,500 and two opponents stuck around to see the [jh] turn where Sidelkovski fired another 3,300. Only Ozimek called to the river where he faced a 6,000 bet. He called with [kd][js], way good enough to beat his Russian opponent's [ad][6d] and saw his stack rise to 43,000. --MC

3:20pm: It's a sick game
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Oh boy, this one's going to sting for a while.

By the time I arrived at the table Davy de Cooman (small blind) and Mihaita Constantin Croitoru (button) had got all their chips in the middle with Croitoru at risk for 19,700 total.

Croitoru: [Ad][9d]
De Cooman: [Th][Td]

The [3d][Jh][Js][Kd][Ks] board meant the Belgian's pair was counterfeited on the river. He dropped to around 7,000 and was eliminated a short time later. -- NW

3:10pm: Chip counts
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Here's how some of the names and notables are doing on Day 1A:

Vicente Delgado, 65,000
William Davies, 46,000
Dan Carter, 39,500
Ross Mannion, 35,500
Neil Raine, 35,000
Nicki Vestergaard, 28,400
Tom Holke, 22,000
Jan Combes, 21,000
Seun Oluwole, 20,325
Heinz Traut, 18,500

3:05pm: Sabina gets it in with the nuts, busts
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Sabina Hiatullah stopped and talked to Blog about her exit from the Main Event. It was pretty brutal but the Italian/German is planning on playing Day 1C and is going to try tonight's satellite to get in cheap.

She got her stack in with top set of aces of the turn. It was the nuts on the turn but her opponent called (to make the pot worth 260 big blinds) with flush and straight draws, the latter draw coming in on the river. -- MC

2:50pm: Vives survives scary board with kings
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Theodore Vives' stack has grown to around 44,000 after his pocket kings survived a very wet board.

He was up against Diego Rodriguez Hernandez and the pot swelled to over 25,000. The turn had already been dealt so the board read [tc][7c][jd][ts] when Vives checked from the small blind to face a 7,025 bet. He took his time before he called to the [9h] river where both players checked. Vives opened [kc][kh] and took the pot after Hernandez tapped the table and mucked to drop to 29,000. -- MC

2:20pm: Break time
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Three levels down and the players are on their first break of the day. The clock says 260 players have entered so far with 15 of them failing to make the break. Some recent exits include: Gary Bluston, David Teso do Nascimento, Javier Perez Minaya, Dmitrii Nazarov and Dario Nittolo.

That may not be the last we see of these players though as there's a Day 1C flight taking place tomorrow night at 10pm. It's a turbo flight where the levels have been reduced to 20 minutes, and it's only open for those who have already been eliminated on Day 1A or 1B. -- MC

2:15pm: Delgado dented
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Vicente Delgado is off to a flying start here in Marbella as despite just losing a pot against Nikita Dubrovskii he's still got 48,000. 

In the hand in question Delgado opened to 525 from the hijack and called after Dubrovskii had three-bet to 1,350 from the cut-off.

Dubrowskii fired twice at the pot, betting 1,050 on the [2c][3s][Ks] flop and 2,500 on the [6d] turn. Delgado check-called both bets and both players then checked the [Ts] river. Delgado opened [9h][9s] but Dubrovskii had outflopped him with [Kd][Jc]. ---NW

2:05pm: Power poker gone wrong
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Andrey Krupnov made a big play on the flop in a three-way hand. It turned out to be the wrong move though, and he ended up on the rail.

The flop read [td][4c][3d] and Krupnov was first to act and moved all-in for what looked 12,000, around four times the amount of chips in the middle. Noelia Ivars Rico, first cousin of Pokstarsblog.nu blogger Lina Olofsson, was in the next seat and made a reluctant looking fold. Jorge Carvalho wasn't reluctant at all, and snap called with [kd][kc], ahead of Krupnov's [9h][9s].

The board ran out [tc][2h] and it made Rico laugh as she said she folded a ten. The Swedish player has already amassed over 40,000 though, so Day 1A life is still good for her. -- MC

1:35pm: Misclick?
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Fun and games over on table 23 where Angel Martinez open raised to 2,300. That's not a typo. The 11.5 big blind open raised some eyebrows and at least two players at the table had to get confirmation of the raise size before acting. They both folded, as did everyone else. --NW

1:25pm: Good game
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150
The tournament board is showing that 226 of 230 entrants remain. The four fallers are: Jose Manuel Nunez Fernandez, Samvel Oganesyan, Igor Pihela and Joey Lovelady. --NW

1:14pm: Garcia squeezes value
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

Antonio Entrena Garcia almost got three streets of value with pocket kings but a scary river card shut down the action.

Gary Bluston had opened to 375 from second position, and was called by Remy Bruno Cogno in the next seat, before Garcia squeezed to 1,225 from the cutoff. Both opponents called to see a [9d][3s][8d] flop where they checked it over to Cogno. He wasted little time in continuing for 1,550, a bet that was only called by Bluston. He check-called another 2,300 on the [4h] turn before both players checked the [td] river. Bluston opened [ac][9c] and lost out to Garcia's [ks][kh]. --MC

1pm: Holke limps, wins
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150