10:12pm: Play ends for Day 1B
That's all she wrote for Day 1B. Kevin Monroe (321,000) just pipped Albert Sapiano (319,400) for the end of day chip lead. A full wrap of the day's play will be up on the blog shortly. Day 1C is about to get underway and we'll bring you details of how that went tomorrow. --MC

10pm: Last six hands
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Each table will play six more hands before play concludes. --MC

9:45pm: Sapiano vs Ruivo
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Albert Sapiano and Manuel Ruivo played out two pots and both scored a win each.

First of all there was a board that read [6c][9d][ac][js] and Ruvio led into Sapiano for 3,500 only for the latter to shove for an effective 115,000. Ruvio took his time before folding and Sapiano told him he was behind while opening [jh][6h] for two pair.

A couple of hands later, Sapiano limped from the button and called after Ruvio raised to 7,500 from the big blind. The board rolled out [4h][ah][7c][2c][9h] with both players checking until the river where Ruvio bet 3,000. Sapiano open folded [5d][6d] and let out a few expletives about missing his straight. --MC

9:25pm: All-in or pass, sir
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Albert Sapiano has a big stack and confusing opponents. Standard.

He and Valeriano Toledano were heads up to a [jd][2c][9h] flop with a pile of chips in the middle. Sapiano check-called 6,000 before leading for 13,500 on the [9c] turn. Toledano looked confused and peered around the dealer to look at at his opponent's stack. Sapiano helped his cause by pushing forward a big pile of 5k chips and adding, "All-in or pass, sir!"

Toledano opted to do the latter and Sapiano dragged in the pot. --MC

9:05pm: It's that time of the night
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Normally, at this stage of a Day 1, you see the type of people who can't bear to come back with a short stack and will shove light in an attempt to double. Then there's the other camp that just want to make a Day 2 and see what happens from there. There seems to be a lot more of the former around the room right now as a lot of shoving is taking place. Maybe that's got something to do with the Day 1C turbo that's taking place from 10pm tonight.

Lam Van Trinh opened to 3,600 from under the gun before Francisco Manuel Esteban three-bet all-in for 9,500 from the next seat, and Alen Bakovic did likewise for 18,500 from the cutoff. Trinh folded.

Esteban: [ac][kh]
Bakovic: [ah][jc]

The board ran [kd][3d][3h][jd][2h] and Esteban gave a little fist pump. --MC

8:45pm: Curto gets a double
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (200 ante)

Fernando Curto really needed to start making waves to avoid being washed up on busted beach. He did and but he can't rest on his laurels as he still has fewer than starting stack.

Jose Antonio Valbuena opened to 3,400 and called after Curto three-bet all-in for 11,500.

Curto: [ad][jh]
Valbuena: [ah][9h]

The board ran [7c][3h][4d][ac][tc] to see Curto's hand hold up. -- MC

8:10pm: Last break of the night
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

The players are taking their last break of the day. Two more levels once they return. --MC

From under-the-gun Janina Burger opened to 3,000 and Mario Navarro then moved all-in for 11,000 total. When it folded back to Burger she quickly called and it was time for showdown:

Burger: [As][Kc]
Navarro: [7s][7d]

The Spaniard was in front with his pair but the [8h][Ah][Qc][9d][2d] board favoured the overpair and Burger is now up to 70,000 as a result. --NW

7:47pm: Dowling's killer downed
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (200 ante)

Andreas Losche took out Chris Dowling a while back, but couldn't use the Irishman's chips to make Day 2.

According to a couple of players at the table, Dowling flopped two-pair with A-J and got it in versus Losche who had a dominating ace with A-Q but only one pair. One pair until the river that was, where a queen appeared to hand him the pot and the scalp.

Losche's exit hand was almost identical, minus the rescue river card. A player on the button raised to 2,500 before Rui Manuel Esteves three-bet to 5,600 from the small blind. Losche called from the big blind but the players on the button didn't fancy it and folded.

The flop fanned [qh][js][3d] and Esteves continued for 8,000 and watched as Losche quickly moved all-in for 41,900. Esteves took his time and made the call with [qd][jc] for top two pair. Losche opened [ks][qs] but couldn't catch up on the [8c][as] turn and river. --MC

7:30pm: Sapiano shoves on Gomez
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

There are still two tables left in play down in La Caseta and Albert Sapiano is at one of those. I arrived at the table to see him all-in for 51,200 on the turn of a [5c][7h][As][4d]. There was about 26,000 in the pot and Diego Gomez was the man with the decision.

He'd stacked up the chips to call and had about 8,000 spare should he call and lose. He tanked and tanked and eventually the clock was called on the Spaniard. The clock didn't reach zero as Gomez folded [Ah][Kc] face-up. "That's a bad fold," said Sapiano, who showed [Ad][8h] as he took the pot. --NW

7:25pm: Check you later
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

The price of poker is going up and there's no room for the chip-less. Say goodbye to: Martin Ilavsky, Adrian Garcia, Jonas Palsgard Christensen, Piotr Kuszczak, Abdelkader Medjahed, Maria Margarida Duarte de Miranda, Robert Grigore, Antonio Battaglia, Felipe Boianovsky, Bret Gross, Victor Herrezuelo, Francisco Javier Herraez, Angel Luis Lopez, Oscar Garcia, Alejandro Casamajor, Borja Teruel, Gil Thierry, Abraham Serrano, Domenico Laebate, David Clarkson, Ricardo Jimeno Dominguez, Franklin Nurmohamed, Antonio Jimenez Castilla, Manuel Antoni Delgado, Gareth Hamilton, Nuno Moser Mantero, Daniel Garcia, Gerry Lillie, Ivan Dias, Anaras Alekberovas, Michael Sklenicka, David Farkas and Jonas Rodriguez Leiva. --MC

7:20pm: The numbers are in
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

We've just had confirmation of the number of runners for Day 1B and can tell you that 409 is the magic number. Add them to the 284 who played Day 1A and you get 693. Tournament staff say they expect somewhere around 100 players to enter the Day 1C turbo flight that starts at 10pm tonight so the total field will likely be around 800. --NW

7:15pm: Top 5 counts from the break
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Javier Monso, 165,000
Francisco Javier Minguez, 162,500
Simon Perez, 134,000
Roberto Alcala, 130,000
Mladen Ivanov, 128,500
--MC

7:10pm: Mitchell mops up some chips
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

James Mitchell is one of the most experienced players in the field and the Irish Open champion is up to 60,000 after winning a blind on blind hand against Omar Pedro Oyhenart. 
When the action folded to Mitchell he raised to 2,500 and Oyhenart took a couple of looks at his cards before calling.

On the [Qs][4s][Kd] flop Mitchell gave up the betting lead, check-calling 3,500. The pattern repeated itself on the [2c] turn. This time Oyhenart fired out 6,800 and again Mitchell called. On the [Tc] river both players checked and Mitchell's [Qd][8c] took the pot. After that hand Oyehnart drops to 32,000. --NW

7pm: Just one player to get through...damn
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (100 ante)

Alan Grace was short (9,400) and made his move from early position. One-by-one they folded and he only had to get through one player. Vytautas Aganauskas was in the big blind, looked down at his hand, and made the call.

Grace: [kd][jh]
Aganauskas: [ac][tc]

The board ran [7s][4c][ah][2s][td] to make the Lithuanian two-pair and send Mr Grace to the rail. --MC

6:32pm: Break it up in there!
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Everyone take 15 minutes and come back for level 9. -- MC

6:30pm: Fatima the thinker
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

The Thinker is a famous bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin where a nude male sits on a rock with a chin resting on one hand as though deep in thought. Fatima Moreira De Melo mirrored this pose in a hand just now, and is also a little bronze from her time in the sun, but the Dutch star definitely has more clothes on.

Whether or not the pose helped her think more deeply in a hand versus a Spanish opponent is up for debate but either way, she won the hand with some aggression. He's raised to 1,700 from under the gun and Moreira De Melo was the only caller to a [ts][9s][2d] flop. He continued for 2,600 and called when raised to 7,000. The turn was the [td] and a 11,500 bet from Moreira De Melo was enough to win the pot. Her stack grew to around 49,000. --MC

6:25pm: Out
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

It's not been a good day for: Jorge Alexandre Rodrigues De Oliveira, David Rodriguez, David Gutierrez, Joaquim Cardoso, Angel Manuel Vidal, Lars Moller, Luis Fernandez Pacheco, Vladimir Ovshinov, Robert Grant, Elliot Sorsky, Yeray Mateos and Joan Antoni Sanchez. 

It could get better though if they elect to hop into the turbo Day 1C that starts at 10pm. --NW

6:10pm: Margets makes the right fold
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

From early position Marc Coch shoved for just under 10,000 and it folded to Leo Margets, who was on the button. She asked for a count and then tanked for a while before folding. The blinds followed suit and Coch showed pocket aces as he took the pot. 

Margets has around 32,000 at the moment. --NW

6:03pm: Playing Cody's hand is dangerous when your name isn't Cody
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

"That's what you get for raising with 10-4!" said Alan Horsburgh after he doubled up Said Nadjem.

He raised from middle position and Nadjem defended his big blind before the chips went in on a [3d][th][4h] flop. Nadjem was the all-in player with 13,450.

Horsburgh: [ts][4s] for top two pair.
Nadjem: [4h][4c] for middle set.

The board ran out [6s][js] and Nadjem secured the double. -MC

5:45pm: Big hand vs big hand
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

From late position Alan Horsburgh opened to 1,600, Mohamed Mamouni raised it up to 5,000 on the button only for Vytautas Pakauskas to shove for 9,800 total. 

Back on Horsburgh he let his hand go but Mamouni called off the extra and showed pocket queens. It was a fine hand but he was behind as Pakauskas had [As][Ah]. The [7h][Ac][6h][9c][Jc] board meant Pakauskas more than doubled.

"I had two clubs," said Horsburgh after the hand had finished. --NW

5:40pm: Chip leaders from La Caseta
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

There are some big stacks being built down to La Caseta (the booth) and there are still 11 tables full of players in the overspill room. Those listed below have all had a good start to the tournament:

Manuel Leal Borges, 122,500
Rastislav Paleta, 103,000
Ambrose Travers, 102,000
Jonathan Spaeren, 92,000
Gianluca Speranza, 74,000
Jesper Rasmussen, 67,000
Niko Koop, 61,000

5:33pm: Great spots can end in defeat
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

"What a spot!" said Fatima Moreira De Melo after she folded in a hand where Mario Navarro squeezed all-in with kings, and got called by ace-king. He was in great shape to double but ended up busting.

Moreira De Melo opened to 1,600 from middle position and was called in two spots before Navarro squeezed all-in for 10,625 from the big blind. Moreira De Melo tank folded to allow Jokin Cendoya to move all-in behind. The other player folded.

Navarro: [kd][kh]
Cendoya: [as][kc]

The board ran [8d][2c][jh][ts][qh] to make Cendoya broadway. Navarro took the defeat like a champ, and shook some of his tablemates' hands before making his exit. --MC

5:20pm: Exits
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

What goes up must come down and so whilst the blinds go up the number of players left in goes down. Among the latest batch of players to feel the hangman's noose around their tournament life are: Jose Pedro Barragan, Ad Beukers, Marius Vik Enebakk, Dmitrii Sukhorukov, Alexander Zeligman, Javier Mauleon, Renee Xie, Fabio Cortes, Ahmad Samir Timuri, Iker Arancegui, David Pollock, Arkaitz Lozano, Abdelmajid Chiboub, David Gonzalez, Edoardo Scimia and Tarek Bouchama. --NW

5pm: A victory for England('s Mitchell)
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

We had to get this is the blog somewhere!

James Mitchell raised to 1,100 from the hijack and was called in three spots en route to a [3d][7s][9h] flop. He continued for 2,800 and was only check-called by the small blind, who gave up on the [ks] turn when Mitchell barrelled for another 5,400. He moved up to a little less than 50,000.

The game's over now, so we'll get back to some proper blogging. --MC

4:45pm: Soccer or football the game is the same
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

There are a few football shirts dotted around the room today. I've noticed at least one Germany shirt, but there's also a Bayern Munich shirt. Strangely enough it belongs to a Dutchman.

The man in question is Jeffrey Brouwer, who has a decent record in Marbella at this tournament. He finished seventh here last year and is looking to make the final table again. -- NW

4:35pm: Double up for Winterberg
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Wth about 10,000 in the pot Floyd Winterberg open shoved for 8,650 on a [Qc][Qs][Kc] flop, his opponent looked him up and was first to show, opening [9c][9s]. Winterberg was ahead with [Ks][Js] and held on the [3c] turn and [7h] river. --NW

4:27pm: The 400 club?
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

With late registration still open for another 30 minutes we're getting really close to 400 runners for the day. Currently 330 of 390 remain and the average stack is 29,545. --NW

4:18pm: Play resumes without the following
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Enrique Gonzalez, Fokke Beukers, Javier Baeza, Javier Barabino, Zeljko Adzaga, Jean Baptiste Lagier, Victor Eugenio Gil Den-Houting, Antonis Poulengeris, Monteiro Correia Jelcides Patrick, Jesper Rasmussen, Ana Marquez, Tomas Nasarre, Gonzalo David Louro,
Adrian Tivadar, Imanol Cabello and Borja Rilo. -- MC

4:05pm: Break time
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)
Time for a another break. --MC

4pm: Serrano singing a happy tune
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Abraham Serrano had just called an all-in bet of 10,300 and was busy signing to himself "la,la, la, la, la," was his chosen ditty. The original raiser had just 1,200 in the pot at this juncture and be it the confidence Serrano was exuding, or his own hand strength, he elected to fold.

The reason for Serrano's confident exterior was soon clear as he turned over [Ks][Kd] and was ahead of his opponent's [Ac][Jc]. A [6s][3c][Kc] flop was an eventful one, but the set of cowboys held up on the [Js] turn and [2h] river. 

After that hand Serrano is up to 56,000. --NW

3:56pm: Chips from the main room
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Joe Hindry, 26,000
Francisco Javier Herraez, 28,500
Gareth De Groot, 34,500
Kevin Whelan, 55,000
Mateusz Moolhuizen, 23,000
Leo Margets, 34,000
Fatima Moreira De Melo, 33,000
Chris Dowling, 35,000
Kjell Lindqvist, 8,000
James Mitchell, 41,000
David Clarkson, 27,000
Anaras Alekberovas, 46,000
--MC

3:45pm: Chip counts from La Caseta
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

All the tables in La Caseta - bar one - are in use and there's a few names and notables dotted around the 17 tables, including:

Tudor Purice, 56,000
Albert Sapiano, 40,000
Diego Gomez, 38,500
Ben Warrington, 30,000
David Susigan, 24,500
Antonis Poulengeris, 7,700

3:30pm: Still time to play
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

There's still plenty of time to register this tournament as late registration is open until the end of level six. That's roughly 5pm CET. --NW

3:20pm: Big stacks
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

By this time yesterday Vinente Delgado had amassed a stack of 80,000. No one's reached those heights so far today - that we've seen anyway - but there are some impressive stacks being built.

Mladen Ivanov is up to 59,000, Andrew Wool has 48,000 and Oyvind Lundby is up to 52,000. The Norwegian climbed to that lofty perch after winning a pot against Renee Xie. She bet 2,600 on the river of a [5c][Kh][7c][6c][8s] board and Lundby tank called. Xie mucked her hand and Lundby took the pot without showdown. --NW

3:10pm: Baby flush works for Margets
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Leo Margets' stack has grown to 39,500 after she made a baby flush in a three-way pot.

Manuel Coronado opened the pot with a raise to 650 from middle position and was called by both blinds. All three checked the [5d][qs][6d] flop before Margets led for 1,400 on the [7d] turn. Only Coronado called to the [8d] river where both players checked. Margets opened [3d][2d] and her opponent mucked. --MC

2:55pm: Free to watch England v Wales game
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

We're not going to lie, the PokerStars Blog is very jealous of anyone who's reading this whilst they've got the other eye firmly fixed on the England v Wales match. A few players who'd hoped to be playing poker during the big match are, instead, free to watch it as they've busted out early on Day 1B. 

Currently warming the bench waiting for Day 1C to start at 10pm are: Juan Rosello, Andelfo Martinez, Xoan Mourino, Jose Luis Perez, Jorge Ruiz and Kuljinder Sidhu. --NW

2:50pm: Chris "The blogger" Dowling
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

"Where are you watching the game?" asked Chris Dowling while we were by his table. We responded by saying on a laptop or a nearby screen and then apologised if the blog was a little light on content for a couple of hours.

The conversation paused while Dowling raised to 725 from the cutoff, an amount called by Sebastian Perez (button) and Ezequiel Macho (big blind). All three checked the [9d][4d][8d] flop before Macho led for 1,250 on the [8h] turn. Only Dowling called to the [as] river where he called another 2,550. Macho mucked and Dowling took the pot without having to show, to move up to around 36,000.

Dowling then said he wouldn't mind sending the blog hand updates while the game is on. The Day 1C turbo is being trialled later, so trialling a "Do it yourself" blog today is only staying on trend! -- MC

2:35pm: Curtains for Molloy
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

In a blind on blind battle Rossa Molloy got his final 9,800 in the middle holding [Ac][Qd] but was in rough shape against Inaki Barreiro's [Ad][Kd]. The [Ah][Kh][Tc] flop actually gave him more outs as he now had four to make broadway. The [7h] turn and [2c] river missed him though and he exited the tournament.

Barreiro is up to 35,000 after winning that pot. --NW

2:18pm: Break time
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

The players are on their first break of the day. --MC

2:17pm: Whelan paired with Moolhuizen
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Kevin Whelan has enjoyed a little success on the UKIPT with a couple of cashes on the tour in the last 14 months. That deep run still eludes him but he's up to 38,000 already today, so maybe this is the event. He's drawn at table one, a few seats to the right of Dutch pro Mateusz Moolhuizen, who's won over $700k in his career and came 27th here last year.

Whelan will be out of position a lot to Moolhuizen, except when the latter is in the blinds. Whelan raised from the cutoff and was called by Gioele Maruccia on the button and Moolhuizen in the big blind. The flop fanned [9s][6d][2h] and a 1,100 c-bet from Whelan was enough to win another pot. Moolhuizen dropped slightly to 22,500. --MC

2:05pm: Early exits
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

A trio of bustouts to tell you about as Dinh Doat Le, Tomas Kozlovas and Paul Keenan have all lost their stack. They can of course try again in tonight's turbo Day 1C which starts at 10pm. --NW

2pm: Dowling hoping for luck of the Irish
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

There are now an estimated 370 players in the field today and one of the newcomers is tour regular Chris Dowling. The Irishman has played the tour since Season 1 and has three final tables to his name. 

Poker's not the only thing on his mind though, he's got football on the brain too: "I'm heading to France next week to watch Ireland play Italy," he told me. That game takes place Wednesday evening so should he reach the business end of this tournament he'll have a pretty tight turnaround to make it to Lille. It'll be a nice problem to have though. --NW

1:50pm: Kings for Kjell
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Kjell Lindqvist is off to a good start here in Marbella as the Swedish player just claimed the scalp of Juan Antonio Maza . The Spaniard was down to around 9,000 and got the last of his chips in with pocket queens. Unfortunately for him Lindqvist had pocket kings and the cowboys held up to send Maza tumbling out. --NW

1:40pm: Purice looking for a National Tour full house; Sweden looking to stop the rot
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Diego Gomez has position on Tudor Purice, and as the two most notable players at their table, that could be key factor in their successes today. Gomez just raised Purice's big blind from early position. The latter called but made a frustrated looking check-fold post flop. Purice made a FPS and an IPT final table this year so will add a UKIPT and ESPT to that list of achievements if he makes Sunday's final.

A couple of tables over you'll find Craig Sweden. The London-based player had lost a chunk of his stack so was happy to win a pot. He and an opponent made the river of a hand with over 3,000 sat in the middle. The board read [9s][as][8h][th][ah] and Sweden led for 1,900 from the big blind. His opponent was in the cutoff and asked about much Sweden had behind, then folded once he heard it was 13,000. --MC

1:20pm: Sapiano ships it
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

Whilst many players don't like playing big pots in the opening levels of a tournament, Albert Sapiano has no such fear. He's not afraid to get his chips across the line in the early stages and I just saw him shove on a couple of players who've clearly never played against him before.

There was a [4h][2d][5d] flop on the felt and a bet and call of 1,200 in front of his two foes. Sapiano wasn't mucking, or indeed mucking about as he shoved his stack of around 28,000 across the line. It did the trick and he's up to 32,000 now. --NW

1:10pm: Opposites attract
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

Fatima Moreira De Melo and Leo Margets, as we mentioned before, travelled to the PokerStars Marbella Festival together, and are renting an apartment nearby. They've been sat at adjacent tables so can chat away all day.

When this was mentioned to Moreira De Melo she said, "Probably not actually, as she (points to Margets) likes to stay quiet and focus, whereas I like to chat!"

That response sparked a conversation about how they are opposites who fill in each other's gaps. One is light, the other is dark; one is chatty, the other is quiet; one can be cheeky, the other polite; and one likes to run whereas the other one did enough of that when she was a professional athlete.

"I get people to run around for me these days!" said a laughing Moreira De Melo. "And make breakfast for me, like Leo did this morning, after her run of course." --MC

12:50pm: Hindry hunting a trophy
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

If Joe Hindry is still in this tournament on Sunday then they young Englishman will have made back to back UKIPT final tables. In April he finished third in London, which was good for £37,110. Whilst he might have missed out on a trophy there he should be leaving Marbella with a 'spadie' regardless of what happens at the poker tables.

In Season 5 we held a beer pong tournament in Bristol and Hindry, who was partnered by Neil Raine, shot their way to victory. Raine, who is an accomplished table tennis player, is also in Marbella and the pair are hoping to receive their trophies here. Raine is safely through to Day 2 having played yesterday. --NW

12:35pm: Main room sightings
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Dave Clarkson took down the Win the Button tournament the other night and he's hoping to carry on that good form in the Main Event. He got off to a good start by winning a small pot off an opponent.

He was in the big blind and called a raise to 250 to head to a [2s][2c][7c] flop. He check-called 500 before both players checked the [ah] turn. The board completed with the [4d] and Clarskon led for 2,500. Fold.

Clarkson's in the main tournament room with the aforementioned Fatima Moreira De Melo and Leo Margets. They're sat very close to each other so expect lots of chatter in that corner of the room!

Other players spotted so far include: James Mitchell, Kjell Lindqvist, Renee Xsie, and local pro Ana Marquez. -- MC

12:20pm: Down in the booth
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Today play is spread over two rooms with 'La Caseta' aka The Booth, which is normally used for side events, pressed into use for the main event. There's currently 15 tables in use down there with another three ready to go should they be needed. 

There's a calming feel to La Caseta, it feels a bit like you're playing poker in a big Spanish villa. Among those trying to feel at home in this tournament in that environ are: Rasmus Agerskov, Tudor Purice, Albert Sapiano, Craig Sweden, Diego Gomez and Asif Warris.

12:03pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Cards are in the air for Day 1B. --MC

11:50am: Welcome back for Day 1B
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Yesterday was so much fun, let's do it all over again. Actually, let's do it twice today. It was trailed on the Eureka Poker Tour and now it's come to the UKIPT/ESPT. There is a Day 1C Turbo flight taking place later tonight that offers players a second chance to make Day 2, only open to players who busted on Day 1A yesterday, or Day 1B today. That's for later though, there's the little matter of Day 1B to take care of first.

Cards will be in the air at midday CET and more than 300 players are expected to through the doors of Casino Marbella. It may be the Spanish summer but no shorts in here please. Don't worry, they've got you covered with air conditioning.

One of the players taking centre stage today will be Team PokerStars SportStar Fatima Moreira De Melo. It one of her favorite stops of the year and she's dragged Leo Margets along with her. We'll bring you news of all the other notables once play is underway. --MC

Key UKIPT6 Marbella 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 was yesterday (read about it here), Day 1B takes place today and there's also a turbo Day 1C at 10pm tonight. That opening flight is only open to players who've busted on Day 1A or Day 1B.
- The field will then combine for the first time on Friday. We'll reach the money during the eight levels of play on Day 2 and then play down to a final table on Saturday. Sunday is all about the final. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of sangria from the trophy (possibly). 
- Full UKIPT5 Marbella schedule here.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Marbella: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May and Rene Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

Who needs sand, sunshine and sangria when you've got cards, chips and a chair? Not 409 poker players from around the world who all took part in the second of three starting flights of UKIPT Marbella.

A total of 39 countries were represented today and whilst the UK, Ireland and Spain accounted for 249 of their number there were players from as far afield as Algeria and Uruguay at the felt today. When the allotted dozen 45-minute levels had been played it was the karaoke king Kevin Monroe who claimed the chip lead.

The Irishman enjoyed a incredible day running up his starting stack of 25,000 to a bag busting 321,000 by the time the final whistle blew. 

Just like in the England v Wales game it was a close run contest right up until the end of play. Just pipped into second was Albert Sapiano who finished the day on 319,400. "I got lucky a couple of times," was his deadpan response to his day at the tables. A raft of other players increased their stack handsomely with David Greene (237,700), James Mitchell (224,600) and June Edwards (213,400) all well placed to make a deep run at the money.

Speaking of which, at this point we've usually got the prize pool information, total number of runners and the overnight seat draw to hand. But, for the first time on a UKIPT we're trialling something that's worked well on other PokerStars tours, a turbo Day 1C. It's a flight that's only open to anyone who busted Day 1A or Day 1B and won't wrap up until around 2.30am CET. 
 
As a result we can't bring you the Day 2 seat draw just yet, but keep an eye on the @UKIPT and @PokerStarsBlog twitter accounts for that information, which will be available before play starts tomorrow. You can see the chip counts of the 182 survivors from the opening two flights here.

One player who'll almost certainly play Day 1C is Team PokerStars SportsStars Fatima Moreira de Melo. She got as high as 49,000 at one point today but the blinds and antes began to eat away at her stack and she exited three quarters of the way through the day.

Other familiar faces who may well be back for Day 1C include: Kuljinder Sidhu, Renee Xie, Chris Dowling, Mateusz Moolhuizen and David Clarkson. That talented quintet all tried and failed on the first attempt today.

Whilst some of the big names faltered they'll be plenty of notables in the Day 2 seat draw tomorrow all looking to get themselves a Spanish Flag. The assorted talents of: Diego Gomez (150,200), Lam Trinh (122,300), Kjell Lindqvist (72,500) and Niko Koop (65,000) will return tomorrow.

Also through is De Melo's best bud, Leo Margets. The two were seated at adjacent tables at the start of the day and that made for a jovial atmosphere in their part of the room. Margets will return tomorrow with a stack of 43,200 and work to do.

You can catch up on all the Day 1B action here, Day 2 starts at noon tomorrow and that's when we'll pick up the action again. We'll bring you a brief overview of what happened during the turbo Day 1C as Day 2 kicks off. But for now, goodnight from Marbella.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Marbella: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May and Rene Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog 

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* Day 2 is over, Day 3 starts Saturday at noon CET
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8:05pm: Let bagging and tagging commence
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Play is done. Rodrigo Strong is the chip leader, he tops the (approx) 55 survivors. They'll be a full recap of the day's play shortly.

A reminder that the players' party starts at 8.30pm and they'll be a big screen showing the Spain v Turkey game. --NW

7:50pm: Last three hands
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

The clock has been paused and players will play three more hands before they're done for the day. --NW

7:45pm: Strong finish from Rodrigo
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Rodrigo Strong won an LAPT title in Chile earlier this year and he's on track to take down a ESPT/UKIPT title here in Marbella as he just won two big pots to vault into the chip lead.

In the first he shoved for 323,000 on the river of a [2c][Ts][2d][5c][4d] board and Darren Millar was the man with the decision. There was a similar amount already in the pot and eventually Millar elected to call.

Strong showed [Jc][Js] and a frustrated Millar opened [Ac][Td]. As Strong was still stacking chips he won another big pot against Jose Luis Gonzalez. With those back to back pots it's likely he'll finish the day as chip leader. --NW

7:30pm: More for Gilmore
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Alan Gilmore just doubled through Pascal Hocquard in a premium hand v premium hand clash. Gilmore three-bet all-in for 128,000 with [Ks][Kh] and Hocquard, who was the original raiser, called with [Jd][Jc].

A [Ad][9d][3h][4c][Qh] board kept the cowboys ahead and left Hocquard with just 1.5 big blinds. --NW

7:15pm: So long to the pink chips
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Not much to report in the last 15 minutes. The most significant action has been the big stack at each table buying the 500 denomination chips and tournament staff chipping them up as the pink chips are no longer needed now the ante has risen to 1,000. --NW

7:05pm: Chip leaders
Level 19 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

As the last level of the night begins the players below are in possession of the biggest stacks in the room. 66 players remain in contention and the average stack is a shade under 320,000.

Nikola Ristivojevic - 930,000
Javier Zufia - 830,000
Albert Sapiano - 825,000
Marko Simic - 800,000
David Greene - 630,000
Michael Ozimek - 610,000
Lucas Blanco -  550,000

6:53pm: Mejias soundly beaten
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

It's never nice to call all-in and then see you're already drawing dead. Just ask Julio Mejias. 

He and Marko Simic  made it to the turn with a board reading [8c][7d][kc][8d] and a big pile of 5k chips in the middle. Mejias checked from the small blind to see his big-stacked opponent set him in for his last 70,000. The Spaniard tanked and then called off with [9c][6c] for an open-ended straight and flush draw. Simic already had a boat with [7h][8h] and took the scalp to jump to over half a million in chips. -- MC

6:40pm: Kubaliak double dents Schuman
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

From early position Tomas Kubaliak shoved all-in for 88,000 and after getting a count of the shove Jonathan Schuman re-raised all-in for just over 100,000. Everyone else folded:

Kubaliak: [Kh][Qd]
Schuman: [7d][7s]

The [8s][Ts][As][Kd][Ah] board was a fun one to sweat (if you weren't in the hand) but when all was said and done Kubaliak doubled to about 200,000 whilst Schuman was left with just a couple of big blinds. --NW

6:30pm: Happy ending for Liperis
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

From early position Pablo Rojas raised it up to 19,000 only for Yannis Liperis to re-raise all-in for 127,500 total. Rojas got a count but Liperis thought the dealer had miscounted his stack. "I thought I had about 140,000," he said to the dealer, who recounted his stack and verified it was 127,500.

"I don't like it," said Rojas who mulled over the decision for a minute or so before folding [9d][9s] face-up. Liperis showed pocket eights and Rojas said: "I thought with your actions you were making a movie."

Hollywood or not, Liperis took the pot. --NW

6:24pm: Carole sings her last song
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Carole Segoura found a lovely hand to get her short stack, and there was even some dead money in the pot too, but not much you can do if someone wakes up with aces behind you.

After an accidental limp under the gun, Segoura pushed with [ah][kh] from the cutoff. Olov Jansson found [ad][as] in the small blind and made the call before surviving a [7c][tc][7h][5d][kd] board. -- MC

6:05pm: Liperis wins three-way pot
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Yannis Liperis allowed a wry smile to cross his face as he collected a pot that saw him go from 58,000 to around 165,000. In the hand in question Jose Luis Gonzalez opened to 13,000, Liperis shoved for 58,000, Manuel Leal Borges moved all-in for 38,000 total and when it folded back round to Gonzalez he too made the call.

Liperis: [Ad][Jc]
Borges: [Th][Tc]
Gonzalez: [As][Qh]

Liperis was drawing thin but connected best with the [8s][Jd][3s][8d][5c] board to eliminate Borges and all but triple his stack. --NW

6pm: Why does it always Raine on Xie and Margets?
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

While Neil Raine was making moves in a hand on one side of the room, Renee Xie and Leo Margets were busting in other parts of the room.

Raine raised to 13,000 from the cutoff and LAPT9 Chile champion Rodrigo Strong defended his big blind to see a [th][ah][6c] flop where both players checked. The turn was the [5h] and Strong led for 17,000. Raine raised to 50,000 but snap folded when Strong moved all-in.

No details on Margets' exit but Xie told the Blog that she busted blind on blind. Her opponent shoved into her with K-7 and she called all-in with A-7 but could'nt avoid a king. --MC

5:50pm: Assorted chip counts
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

We're down to 94 players in the main event and the average stack is 225,000. Among those 94 players you'll find:

Albert Sapiano - 780,000
Alexander Voytko - 620,000
David Greene - 490,000
Tinlay Tsontu - 420,000
Neil Raine - 360,000
Kjell Lindqvist - 272,000
Leo Margets - 200,000
Bob Janssens - 180,000
Yannis Liperis - 160,000
Diego Gomez - 155,000
Will Davies - 145,000
James Mitchell - 132,000
Rasmus Agerskov - 120,000
Kevin Monroe - 105,000
June Jenkins - 95,000
Renee Xie - 40,000

5:47pm: Agerskov doubles
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Rasmus Agerskov and Henrique Silva have been enjoying a lot of light-hearted banter today. Maybe a little too much as both got short and had to make moves. The latter shoved into the former's big blind who made the call all-in for 57,000.

Silva: [ah][8c]
Agerskov: [ad][jc]

The board ran [kc][tc][qd][ac][8s]. Lovely flop for the Dane and he avoided the turned flush draw to double.

Sliva was only left with a few thousand and he called all-in with [qh][td] the very next hand after an under-the-gun raise. His opponent had him crushed with pocket kings but it was Silva's turn to flop a straight as the board ran [as][js][kd][6c][9h]. --MC

5:32pm: Halvorsen flushed away
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Morten Halvorsen got his chips in ahead but an opponent flopped him dead, meaning the Norwegian just missed out on the top 100.

Theodore Vives raised from under the gun and then called after Halvosen moved all-in for around 60,000 from the small blind.

Halvorsen: [ac][7c]
Vives: [qh][jh]

The board ran [kh][2h][4h][7d][8s] and Vives moved up to 242,000. --MC

5:25pm: Top ten stacks
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Below are the top ten chip stacks as of the start of the level. David Greene leads the way, with Albert Sapiano in second place. You can see more selected chip counts here. 

5:10pm: Action galore
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

One expected a lot action this level after the protracted bubble period before the break. There are cries of all-in and calls from all around the room.

One of the players to double was Pablo Martinez, who was down to ten big blinds when he shoved from the cutoff. Yannis Liperis was in the big blind and made the call.

Liperis: [5h][5c]
Martinez: [js][jc]

The board ran [8d][th][8s][qh][js]. -- MC

4:47pm: Break time
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

The players are now on a 15 minute break. --NW

4:46pm: The double ups continue
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

The bubble may have burst but the double ups continue, today is a good day to be a shortstack.

First to double up was Tamas Konya, he shoved with pocket tens and was in bad shape against the pocket queeens of Pablo Rojas. But the [Tc][Jd][5h][Jh][3d] board favoured Konya. He's up to around 160,000 whilst Rojas in down to 72,000.

Then Bonifacio Martine Gonzalez got his final 30,000 in holding [Jc][Th] and got there against Milos Skrbic's [Kc][Qd] as the board ran [6s][Tc][6c][Td][8c]. --NW

4:45pm: Davide Ferrari bubble the PokerStars Marbella Festival
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

After such a long bubble period there's certain level of irony that a player called Davide Ferrari is the last player to leave with nothing.

He and Neil Raine were heads up to the turn where the board read [as][qc][jc][td]. Ferrari led for 17,000 and then called all-in for around 120,000 after Raine shoved from the hijack.

Ferrari: [kd][qh] for the straight.
Raine: [ac][kc] for the same straight, but with a flush redraw.

Raine was freerolling and the flush duly came in on the [7c] river. Raine moved up to 280,000. --MC

4:35pm: Up to 11 bubble doubles
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

More doubles than a darts match now in Marbella as Rui Manuel Esteves Das Dores just became the 11th player to find a double during hand for hand play.

He shoved for 60,500 on the river of a [6s][Jc][Td][9d][6h] board and Stanislav Koleno tank called. Esteves Das Dores showed [Tc][Ts] for the flopped set and Koleno could only muster [Js][7h]. He drops to 120,000. --NW

4:30pm: Closing in on some kind of record
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

There have been longer bubbles on the UKIPT/ESPT for sure but it's hard to remember there ever being so many double ups. Another hand saw two more of them.

James Mitchell thought he'd made lots more friends when he flopped a set versus Miguel Riera but the latter turned a bigger set. Mitchell had opened to 10,500 and called the shove worth 59,000.

Mitchell: [4d][4s]
Riera: [kd][kh]

The board ran [4c][9c][5h][kc][ah] to make both players sets. Mitchell could only smile while Spanish players celebrated around him. --MC

4:20pm: Another hand and another double up
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

Vicente Delgado just played sherif, but it was he who was bang to rights.

I picked up the action on the river of a [6s][9s][5d][As][3c] board. There was already 250,000 in the pot and Milos Skrbic had shoved for 193,000 total. Delgado was in the tank, and counted out the chips from his stack. He had 223,000 in total and eventually settled on a call.

Skrbic quickly showed [Ks][8s] for the nut flush and Delgado was forced to show [8d][8c]. He's now short on chips. -- NW

4:10pm: When will it end?
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

This is starting to go on a bit. One more hand, two all-ins, and two double ups.

Leo Margets doubled Davide Sergio when her top pair was no match for the latter's turned straight and Jorn Mikkelsen somehow found a way to double through Angel Martinez.

Mikkelsen: [as][qc]
Marinez: [jh][js]

While waiting for other hands to finish, Mikkelsen found out from his tablemate's that most of the aces and queens were not left in the deck but the [4s][6c][2c][3c][jc] deck four flushed him to keep him alive. --MC

3:55pm: It's raining double ups
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

The fourth hand of the bubble period had nothing on the fifth and there were two more double ups.

First Miguel Riera doubled through Will Davies, with pocket tens against pocket nines. The Spaniard's shove was for 29,000.

Then it was Mathijs Janssen's turn. He'd shoved for 27,000 with [As][Ad] and was up against Morten Halvorsen's [9d][8c]. When it came to the reveal Janseen slammed his aces on teh felt and said: "I told you I had the best hand, I've got the aces."

Many have angered the Poker Gods by celebrating early but the [Jh][4s][5s][Jc][2c] board meant Halvorsen survived to fight another day.

On the sixth hand of bubble play Peter Zandee found a double. He'd jammed for 47,000 from the small blind with [Ac][7s] and Jesper Rasmussen made the call with pocket fives. A seven on the river meant Zandee doubled and hand for hand play continues. --NW

3:50pm: Another double
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

The fourth hand of the bubble period brought another double up, this time for Mats Jungsand.

He and Remigiusz Wyrzykiewicz took to a [ad][td][ks] flop where Jungsand led for 8,000. Call. The turn was the [8s] and Jungsand moved all-in for 57,500. Wyrzykiewicz asked for a count and then called with [ac][8c] for a turned two pair. Jungsand was in trouble with [ah][qh] but the [jh] came to his rescue and made him a straight. -- MC

3:35pm: Marin doubles on the bubble
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

On the third hand of hand for hand play we had the first all-in and call. Pre-flop Nikola Ristivojevic - who had about 420,000 - raised to 12,000 and Carlos Manuel Marin, who had just 53,000 flat called from the big blind.

On the [Tc][Jh][Ac] flop Marin led for 15,000, Ristivojevic set him in and, after about 20 seconds, Marin called all-in for 41,000 total. There then followed a long wait for all the other hands to be finished - during which the blinds went up to 2,500/5,000 (500 ante) - before the cards could be revealed.

When they were turned over Ristivojevic revealed [Kh][3h] whilst Marin held [Ad][Kc]. The [2d] turn and [9c] river kept Marin in front and he survived. --NW

3:18pm: On the bubble
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

We're now on the stone bubble here in Marbella. 

Tamas Eredics is the player who's exited in 129th place. He shoved for roughly 40,000 with [7d][7s] and ran smack into Sergio Soler's pocket kings. A [8c][Jd][5s][5h][Jc] board meant the cowboys held up. --NW

3:15pm: Kully culled
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Juan Carlos Bixquert and Jonathan Spaeren took it in turns to take all of Kully Sidhu's stack, eliminating him just a couple of spots of the money.

Bixquert's [ad][6h] stayed ahead of Sidu's [kc][qd], the former's hand making two pair on a [2c][6c][7s][as][8s] board. He was all-in for 31,000. A few hands later, Sidhu lost his last 50,000 holding [jh][js]. Spaeren's [as][qh] flopped a pair on a board that ran [4d][ts][qs][ac][8c]. The chips went in preflop.

The clock has been paused while the staff double check the amount of players left in, and hand for hand play may well begin at 129, two off the money. -- MC

3pm: Five from the money
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Two exits in quick succession mean 132 players remain, so the players are just five off the money now.

First to go was Mihaita Croitoru, he committed his chips on the turn of a [Qd][Td][4s][8d] board with [Qc][9c] but ran into the nut flush of Sergio Soler and was drawing dead. Soler is up to 490,000 and one of the chip leaders. 

And Lucas Blanco - who we earlier reported as being out - is very much in as he's up to 400,000 after eliminating Ezequiel Macho. The latter shoved for 58,000 with [Ah][Qc] and Blanco called him with pocket kings. A [5h][9h][7s][4s][5c] board meant Macho headed to the rail. --NW

3pm: My ace is bigger than yours
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Olov Jansson didn't actually say this to Carole Segoura but the cards did all the talking. The Swede's better kicker enabled him to win their duel and rise to 242,000; Segoura dropped to 35,000.

She opened to 12,000 from the cutoff and Jansson called to see a [ts][ks][ad] flop where both players checked. The board ran out [5c][2d] with Jansson betting 13,000 and 16,000 on each street. Segoura called both times and was shown [as][jc]. She showed the [ah] and mucked --MC

2:55pm: Top 10 stacks
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Below are the top 10 stacks as level 15 got underway. You can see more selected chip counts here.

2:45pm: The bubble is approaching
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

The players continue to bust out at a fair clip. Just 147 remain, 127 of whom will get paid. Unfortunately for Vasil Yordanov, Jose Luis Calvo, Nicholas Crozer, Niko Koop, Francisco Jose Gomez, Oscar Ingelmo, Haritz Doyharzabal, Rafael Munoz, Mateusz Moolhuizen, Dávid Farkas, Asif Warris, Ladislao Dalfo, Samuel Meeuse, Antonio Angel Ponce, Seun Oluwole, Stefano Bellisario, Theodore Vives, David Rodriguez, Jose Luis Cordero, Arie Yaaran, Lucas Blanco, Gonzalo Mancera, Martin Bader, Jon Gonzalez, Tapio Vihakas, Nihat Karyagdi, Jan Mach, Karolis Ananevas, Dimitar Dimitrov, Vojtech Susta, Luis Angel Rey, Moises Parrilla, Jorn Mikkelsen, Ivan Kalac, Daniel Nieto, Ross Mannion, David Martin Gallego and Ian Holmes they're among those who've lost their chips. --NW

2:40pm: Margets vs Sidhu
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Leo Margets has taken a chunk out of Kully Sidhu's and risen to around 180,000 as a result. Sidhu dropped to 45,000 as a consequence.

Around 130,000 chips had made it into the middle of the table by the end of the flop action. Both players went on to check the turn and a [ks][5d][3s][kc][5s] board rested on the river. Margets was in the big blind and led for 42,000. Sidhu folded. --MC

2pm: Break time
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

The opening two levels of Day 2 are over and the players have been released out into the wild, ok not the wild, but outside. --NW

1:50pm: Oluwole left short
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

Seun Oluwole is down to just a couple of big blinds after losing a big pot against Even Mikkelsen. It all went in pre-flop with Mikkelsen at risk for 73,600 with [Ac][Ah]. Oluwole had a big hand too but his [Ad][Kc] was in big trouble. The [9c][Ks][Qs][6c][Qh] board gave him some hope but ultimately kept Mikkelsen in front. 

After that hand Oluwole was left with just 8,700. --NW

1:40pm: Monroe on the slide
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

Start of day chip leader Kevin Monroe was shaking his head after he lost a big race. Day 2 has not been kind to the Irishman so far as his stack has dropped to 152,000.

He was on the button and tanged with Sergio Veloso in the small blind, who had around 68,000. The chips went in preflop.

Veloso: [ad][qh]
Monroe: [9c][9s]

The board ran [jh][7c][2d][7h][qc].

"Lucky river!" commented Monroe. --MC

1:20pm: Bad news for...
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

Down to 184 players now as Davor Pavic, Heinz Traut, Gary McGinty, Francesco Utzeri, Dario Nittolo, Carlos Furelos, Vincent Gabel, Benjamin Garcia, Jelcides Monteiro, Tamas Gyori, Rossa Molloy, Giuseppe Graziano, Bartosz Jablonski, Laurent Cessy, John Power, Jokin Cendoya, Stephen Lockett and Ole Enebakk are all out. --NW

1:10pm: The dance continues for Dancey
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

David Dancey is up to 75,000 after doubling through Diego Gomez. The Spaniard's cards were already face down by the time I arrived at the table but Dancey's were still showing. He'd got his final 35,000 in with pocket tens and held on a [Jd][6s][2h][4h][Kd] board. Gomez is down to 110,000. --NW

1:07pm: Turbo players having fun
Level 13 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (400 ante)

We wrote that Vicente Delgado had work to do after a bad start to Day 2. Well, he's all smiles now after rebounding up to 90,000.

Another Day 1C player happy at the moment is Renee Xie, who's turned 34,000 into 120,000. She told the Blog that she won enough money playing cash yesterday to freeroll a Day 1C entry, and got through. "I came back with 15 big blinds and found a double up!" --MC

1pm: Double up for Riera
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

Always nice to get your chips in with a dominating hand and that was the spot 
Miguel Riera found himself in just a short time ago. He re-raised all-in for 31,200 with [Kc][Ks] and Darren Millar - who had opened with [Kd][Qs] - called the extra to to put the Spaniard at risk.

The [6c][5h][8d][9s][9h] board kept Riera in front and he doubled to around 70,000 whilst Millar drops to 124,700. --NW

12:55pm: Just the job, Bob
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

Bob Janssens is up to 370,000, which looks good for the chip lead right now. One player at this table is blinding away though as Manuel Borges - who started the day with 124,700 - is yet to show up. --NW

12:50pm: Delgado on the slide
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

Vicente Delgado was one players who made it through to Day 2 at the second attempt, surviving the turbo Day 1C that ran last night. He turned 25,000 into 56,000 but he's back down to around 27,000 already here on Day 2.

He opened to 5,200 from middle position and was called by Samain Dorronsoro on the button and Fernando Javier Garcia in the big blind. The flop fanned [6d][6h][2c] and Delgado continued for 6,200. Garcia check-called before the two of them checked the [7s][8c] turn and river down. Garcia opened [5d][2h] and Delgado mucked. --MC

12:35pm: Race for the exits
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

Carange. Absolute carnage. 30 players out in the first 30 minutes. Sadly for Daniel Lopez, Juan Ramos, Juan Campayo, Erik Sturkenboom, Adrian Saavedra, Oscar Lima, Francisco Manuel Esteban, Ben Warrington, Daniel Albright, Jens Hansen, Narciso Oliveras, Paul Cooper, Xavier Pinto Terra Almeida, Floyd Winterberg, Samy Salah, Roberto Perez, Eugeniu Corotchii, Istvan Pilhofer, Normunds Pukinskis and Alfredo Badolato and Kevin Whelan, who wasn't able to mount a comeback (see below), their tournaments are over. --NW

12:25pm: Gieles goes first, Whelan almost joins
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

Luuk Gieles was first player to depart today. The Dutchman came back with only 17,000 and they were sucked up by Janina Burger.

Moments later Kevin Whelan thought he was out too. The Liverpool man opened to 10,600 from second position and then called after Daniel Gomez moved all-in for 46,700 from the next seat.

Whelan: [kc][qc]
Gomez: [as][qs]

The board ran [6h][9h][9s][qh][6s]. Whelan was heading off but he was called back as he still had 2,000 chips left.

Minus his 300 ante, he moved all-in for 1,700 the very next hand and managed to quadruple up with [jc][7c] on a [4c][3h][jd][7d][kd]. The comeback is on! -- MC

12:10pm: Cards are in the air
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

Play has started. We're told that today will consist of seven levels. We've upped the clock to one hour levels now so that should mean play ends around 8pm. Plenty of time for the players to eat and get ready for the player party which begins at 8.30pm and will involve a big screen showing the Spain v Turkey match that starts at 9pm. --NW

12pm: Moving day is here
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (300 ante)

Welcome back to Day 2 of what is officially the biggest ever UKIPT Marbella main event. 151 players entered last night's turbo Day 1C to take the total number of runners to 844, eclipsing last year's record of 841.

The likes of Kuljinder Sidhu, Renee Xie, Vicente Delgado and Mateusz Moolhuizen all got through at the second attempt and take their place among 241 Day 2 runners. Over half of those players will get paid with 127 players earning at least €1,700 whilst the winner will take home €151,350.

You can see all the pertinent Day 2 information below. Cards are in the day at noon and we expect the usual ferociously fast day of poker as stacks are built and dreams dashed on what we call 'moving day'. Follow the coverage right here.

Seat Draw
Chip counts
Prize pool

After the 12-level Day 1s, Day 2 was a very different affair with just seven levels put onto the schedule. They were all an hour long to be fair (rather than 45 minutes), but it still meant for shorter day. It made those interested in tonight's player party, where the Spain vs Turkey game will also be shown on a big screen, very happy.

Apart from the shorter than usual Day 2, it was business as normal on the poker front. Lots of players busted early, then a slow down as the bubble had to be swallowed, followed by another mass of players hitting the rail. There were players that came back from fumes and those who turned towers into dust. Actually the bubble period was a little out of the ordinary, but more on that later.

First of all to the chip leader. Rodrigo Strong is having a very good 2016 at PokerStars events around the globe. Before securing a cash here today, he cashed the IPT, Eureka and most impressively the LAPT. We say most impressively as that cash was a victory at LAPT Chile in March for $120k. He secured his place at the top of the counts (1,184,000) by winning a big pot in the last level. He moved all-in with jacks on the river of a ten high board and was called by Darren Millar who held ace-ten.

He'll be chased on Day 3 by Nikola Ristivojevic (1,026,000), Marko Simic (1,002,000), Milos Skrbic (914,000), Albert Sapiano (911,000), Michael Ozimek (755,000), David Greene (692,000), Javier Zufia (684,000), Lucas Blanco (598,000), Janina Burger (403,000), Kjell Lindqvist (338,000), Miguel Riera (270,000), Kevin Monroe (265,000), James Mitchell (263,000), Yannis Liperis (193,000) and June Jenkins (154,000). A total of 55 players made it through and you can see the full list by clicking here. And for the Day 3 seat draw click here.

Nick O'Hara, the floor man in charge of the Main Event at the time, boldly predicted that the bubble would last five hands at most. He was wrong, very wrong. It spanned a 90-minute period where around 15 all-in players found a way to double up and survive into the money. The first player not to survive was Davide Ferrari, who was coolered in a hand versus Neil Raine. Both players had a the nut straight when the chips went in on the turn, but the Briton had a redraw to the nut flush and hit it on the river.

Other players who busted before the money include: Ben Warrington, Kevin Whelan, Kully Sidhu, Mateusz Moolhuizen, Niko Koop, Seun Oluwole, and Asif Warris. Those hoping to have made Day 3, but happy to cash at least include: Vicente Delgado (121st), Alain Roy (111th), Anh Tuan Hoang (95th), Leo Margets (90th), Renee Xie (89th), Diego Gomez (86th), Rasmus Agerskov (83rd) and Neil Raine (58th). Raine moved tables six times today and it was last table that cost him, going from 400,000 to out in just over an hour, and close to the end of the day. Payouts so far (to be updated overnight) can be found by clicking here.

The plan for tomorrow is to play (from midday CET) down to a final table or ten levels, whichever comes first. Now it's time for all the players (as well as a few staff and media members) to get to the hotel poolside for drinks, finger food and football on the big screen. It's a tough life sometimes but Team PokerStars Blog will attend just to bring you guys some updates tomorrow!

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Marbella: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May and Rene Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

* CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
* Largest UKIPT Marbella main event in history with 844 runners
* Day 3 has ended, the final table will start at Midday CET on Sunday
* CLICK FOR CHIP COUNTS
* CLICK FOR PRIZE POOL INFORMATION

9:30pm: Day 3 has ended
A full wrap of the day's events will be up on the blog shortly. Here's how the players will line up tomorrow:

1. Bob Janssens, Netherlands - 2,810,000
2. Armin Zoike, Germany - 1,655,000
3. Milos Skrbic, Serbia - 2,090,000
4. Rodrigo Strong, Brazil - 7,235,000
5. Mikal Ozimek, Poland - 2,610,000
6. Alexander Voytko, Israel - 1,370,000
7. Nikola Ristivojevic, Serbia - 850,000
8. Jonathan Schuman, United Kingdom - 2,325,000
--MC

9:15pm: Romain Feriolo eliminated in ninth place (€11,245)
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

The next time a player was all-in the day ended and our official final table of eight was set.

Bob Janssens opened from the hijack and then snap called after Romain Feriolo moved all-in from the button. Feriolo winced when he saw the hands.

Janssens: [ac][ks]
Feriolo: [ad][jd]

The board ran [as][kd][qc][8h][6h] to make Dutchman two-pair. --MC

9pm: Voytko doubles
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

It took 25 minutes but we got an all-in and call resulting in a double up for Alexander Voytko.

The action folded around to him in the small blind, and he moved all-in for 670,000. Nikola Ristivojevic asked for a count in the big blind and then called.

Voytko: [qh][9c]
Ristivojevic: [as][8h]

The board ran [qc][4c][5h][3d][8d] and Ristivojevic dropped to around 700,000. --MC

8:50pm: Romain Feriolo all-in, gets a fold
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Romain Feriolo entered the unofficial final table as the short stack so it came as no surprise to see that he was the first player all-in.

The action folded around to him in the small blind and he moved in for 780,000. Milos Skrbic asked for a count from the big blind and then open folded pocket threes. -- MC

8:30pm: Unofficial final table redraw
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

1. Bob Janssens, Netherlands - 2,010,000
2. Armin Zoike, Germany - 2,560,000
3. Romain Feriolo, Spain - 865,000
4. Milos Skrbic, Serbia - 1,470,000
5. Rodrigo Strong, Brazil - 7,250,000
6. Michael Ozimek, Poland - 2,025,000
7. Alexander Voytko, Israel - 1,050,000
8. Nikola Ristivojevic, Serbia - 1,620,000
9. Jonathan Schuman, United Kingdom - 2,180,000
--MC

8:10pm: Jon Gonzalez eliminated in 10th place (€9,275)
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

The unofficial final table of nine is set and it's Jon Gonzalez who's bubbled it. He opened to 150,000 from under-the-gun and called all-in for around 1,000,000 after Jonathan Schuman had shoved from the big blind.

Schuman: [8d][8h]
Gonzalez: [Ah][Th]

Schuman all but flopped him dead on a [5d][5s][8s] flop. The [Qd] and [Tc] rounded off the board and Gonzalez got a round of applause from some friends who were watching from the rail.

They'll now be a short pause whilst the redraw the final nine players. --NW

8:05pm: Cooler costs Feriolo chunks
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Romain Feriolo has lost more than half his stack (down to 560k) after a cooler of a hand that saw Michael Ozimek double up.

Milos Skrbic opened the pot with a raise from the cutoff before Ozimek three-bet all-in for 680,000. Feriolo called and that was enough to scare off Skrbic.

Feriolo: [ad][kd]
Ozimek: [kc][ks]

The board ran [3s][2s][8d][5d][9d] to see the kings hold up. --MC

7:45pm: Zoike forces Feriolo to fold
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Romain Feriolo opened to 125,000 and Armin Zoike three-bet to 310,000 total. Back on Feriolo he wanted a look at Zoike's chips (about 1,350,000 total) and he then four-bet to 725,000 in total. A few seconds passed and Zoike then moved all-in.

Despite getting great odds Feriolo released his hand and he slips to around 2,400,000. --NW

7:30pm: Mladen Ivanov eliminated in 11th place (€8,305)
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

Mladen Ivanov had already got two shoves through uncontested, but the third time he shoved he picked up a customer. He moved all-in from the small blind for about 350,000 and Jonathan Schuman made the call.

Ivanov: [Jc][8s]
Schuman: [Jd][Ts]

The [Qc][Ks][Qc] flop opened up the chance of a chop but the [6s] and [Ac] completed the board. For a couple of seconds Ivanov thought he'd chopped the pot, not realising that Schuman had made broadway.

The clock was briefly paused as Jon Gonzalez was moved to table one so that both tables contained five players. --NW

7:15pm: New level and chip counts
Level 26 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (5,000 ante)

6:55pm: Take a break
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

After all that action the players are no doubt in need of a break, which is lucky as they've just been sent on a 20 minute sojourn in the sun. --NW

6:50pm: Alejandro Vazquez eliminated in 12th place (€8,305)
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

The bust outs continue! From middle position Alejandro Vazquez moved all-in for 451,000 with [2h][2s] and Rodrigo Strong gave him a spin with [8c][8d].

He didn't need to hit, but the Brazilian simply can't miss at the moment and made quads on the [Jh][8s][3d][8h][Tc] board to eliminate Vazquez. --NW

6:48pm: Mathijs Janssen eliminated in 13th place (€8,305)
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Down to just 155,000 Mathijs Janssen shoved from the small blind with [Ah][Ts] and Alexander Voytko - who would've called pretty wide you suspect - found [As][Qh] in the big blind. The [4d][Js][5s][Qc][Ac] board kepy Voytko in front and eliminated Janssen. The Belgian was angry about something and was cursing and muttering under his breath in the direction of Rodrigo Strong as he left the table. --NW

6:46pm: Jonathan Schuman doubles through Alexander Voytko
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

From under-the-gun Alexander Voytko opened to 90,000 with [Ah][Jc], Jonathan Schuman shoved for 419,000 with [As][Kc] and when it folded back to him Voytko made the call. The dominating ace held up on the [Ad][6h][7s][3s][8c] board and Schuman doubled to around 900,000 whilst Voytko dropped to 1,200,000. --NW

6:45pm: Jonathan Spaeren eliminated in 14th place (€7,495)
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Jonathan Spaeren opened to 80,000 only for Romain Feriolo to three-bet to 180,000. It folded to Bob Janssens who announced that he was all-in. His shove was from about 1,150,000 and Sparen quickly called and Feriolo folded. Spaeren only had 700,000 so it was he who was at risk with [As][Kd] which was going to have to outrace the pocket jacks of Janssens if he wanted to survive.

However, the board came [5d][Tc][8h][9h][Th] and Spaeren was sent to the rail. --NW

6:40pm: Albert Sapiano eliminated in 15th place (€7,495)
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

There's a little bit less character in the Main Event with the elimination of Albert Sapiano in 15th place.

The action folded around to him in the small blind and he min raised. Armin Zoike was in the big blind and paused to think. "All-in or fold, go on," hurried Sapiano. Zoike chose the third option - call.

The flop fanned [ks][3d][6d] and Sapiano shoved for 303,000. Snap call.

Sapiano: [3s][2c]
Zoike: [as][ah]

The board ran out [qh][8d].

"Nice hand, good game," said Sapiano in between a few f-bombs. --MC

6:35pm: Strong getting stronger
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Rodrigo Strong is up to 6,000,000 now and continues to dominate his table, hoovering up a lot of small pots and piling on the pressure to his shorter stacked opponents. His stack accounts for 28% of the chips in play and would be an above average stack if only four players remained.

In short, he's crushing it. --NW

6:25pm: Alexander Voytko doubles through Nikola Ristivojevic
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

From the hijack Nikola Ristivojevic opened to 90,000, Rodrigo Strong smooth called from the cut off and Alexander Voytko then moved all-in for 769,000 total. There then followed a quick call from Ristivojevic and a fold from Strong:

Voytko: [Kd][Qd]
Ristivojevic: [9c][9h]

The [Kh][As][4d][Qh][8h] board favoured Voytko who doubled to around 1,600,000, whilst Ristivojevic drops to 645,000. --NW

6:10pm: Strong slow plays jacks
Level 25 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (5,000 ante)

Rodrigo Strong has shown a lot of aggression in certain hands today, but he just showed he's able to mix it up and take a more considered line, especially if out of position.

The action folded around to Alejandro Vazquez on the button who raised to 90,000. Strong was in the big blind and made the call to see a [5s][5c][9h] flop appear. Vasquez continued for 120,000 and Strong check-called to the [qs] turn that was checked through. The board completed with the [3h] and Strong led for 200,00. Vasquez flicked in a chip to call but mucked upon seeing Strong's [js][jd]. That put Strong up to about 5.7 million. --MC

5:45pm: Kjell Lindqvist eliminated in 16th place (€ 6,685)
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

"Time to drink some beer," said Kjell Lindqvist who has just busted out in 16th place. He shoved for 450,000 with pocket sevens and Alejandro Vazquez re-raised all-in to put him at risk. 

"Got a pair?" asked Lindqvist to which Vazquez shook his head and then showed [Ad][Kd]. The [6s][8c][3d][6d][Kh] board meant Vazquez hit the river to eliminate Lindqvist. The Swede travelled to this tournament with his daughter and promised her a scooter should he finish in the top 30. He did way more than that so his daughter will be getting some new wheels. --NW

5:40pm: Last two tables redraw
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Table 1:

1. Mathijs Janssen
2. Alexander Voytko
3. Mladen Ivanov
4. Kjell Lindqvist
5. Jonathan Schuman
6. Alejandro Vazquez
7. Nikola Ristivojevic
8. Rodrigo Strong

Table 2:

1. Jon Gonzalez
2. Jonathan Spaeren
3. Romain Feriolo
4. Albert Sapiano
5. Armin Zoike
6. Bob Janssens
7. Milos Skrbic
8. Michael Ozimek
--MC

5:30pm: Down to two tables after Martin busts
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

A full redraw is taking place after the exit of Manuel Martin in 17th place.

He was down to 153,000 and in the big blind, facing a shove from Alexander Voytko in the small blind. "We'll look together," said Martin before he squeezed his hand so both could see. He spotted an ace and called.

Voytko: [kh][8c]
Martin: [ac][7d]

The board ran [8h][6h][8d][qh][6s] to make Voytko a full house. --MC

5:25pm: Even more for Feriolo
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Romain Feriolo is up to 3,400,000 after eliminating Theodore Vives in a 1,100,000 chip pot. Vives got his final 556,000 in from the button with [Ac][Ts] but Feriolo had him in trouble with [Ks][Kc].

An eventful [Ad][8h][Kd][3c][5s] board meant Vives was eliminated in 18th place. --NW

5:15pm: Lindqvist doubles
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Jon Gonzalez can't have been aware of the chain of events he would start when he made a standard raise to 60,000 on the button. Jonathan Spaeren then three-bet to 200,000 from the small blind only for Kjell Lindqvist to shove for 178,000 from the big blind. Back on Gonzalez he tanked before folding:

Spaeren: [Ah][9c]
Lindqvist: [Kd][Ks]

The cowboys held up on a [Js][4c][3d][5s][Qh] board, Lindqvist is up to 430,000 whilst Spaeren slips to 1,300,000. --NW

5:10pm: Ruivo heroes, gets it wrong
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

From early position Manuel Ruivo opened to 65,000 only for Romain Feriolo to three-bet to 165,000 out of the big blind, call from Ruivo. On the [Jh][Kd][Jc] flop Feriolo c-bet 100,000 and Ruivo made the call. 

The [5h] fell on the turn and Feriolo asked Ruivo how much he had left (about 400,000) and then set him all-in. Ruivo tanked for so long that an all-in and call on another table played out whilst he was tanking. 

Eventually Ruivo called and showed [Ah][8h], he needed help as Feriolo held [Ac][Js]. The river was the [3s] and Feriolo eliminated Ruivo and is up to 2,800,000. --NW

5pm: Tsontu out in 20th
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (4,000 ante)

Nikola Ristivojevic opened with [Ts][Td], Tinlay Tsontu then three-bet shoved with [As][Qh] for roughly 400,000 and Ristivojevic made the call.

The board came [Kd][Js][5d][Kc][8d] and Ristivojevic's hand held to boost him to 1,500,000. --NW

5pm: Chips updated
Level 24 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (3,000 ante)
Click here to see the latest chips. The top 5 are:

4:35pm: Break time
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000/40,000 (3,000 ante)

The remaining players are now on a 15 minute break. --NW

4:25pm: Blazquez busts
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

Action folded to Jon Gonzalez in the small blind and he completed, Federico Blazquez shoved for 208,000 total and Gonzalez made the call.

Blazquez: [Qh][9h]
Gonzalez: [8d][8c]

The [Kc][As][7c][Js][6s] board meant Gonzalez held and Blazquez is out in 21st place. --NW

4:20pm: Burger eaten up by Strong
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

Rodrigo Strong has around 5 million chips after busting Janina Burger in a cooler of a hand, caught by our Spanish bloggers.

The chips went in on the river of a [7s][7d][kh][jd][qh] board. Burger opened [9s][7s] for trips but the kicker was a problem as Strong opened [ah][7h] for trips with a bigger kicker. -- MC

4pm: Schuman feels the tension
Level 23 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (3,000 ante)

Jonathan Schuman has the cut of a very relaxed man at the moment, which is very different from when he was racing for his tournament life a short while ago.

Milos Skrbic raised from the button and called after Schuman three-bet all-in for 416,000 from the next seat.

Schuman: [ts][td]
Skrbic: [ah][qh]

The board ran [5d][4c][2h][jd][kd] to see the tens hold and Schuman's blood pressure drop. --MC

3:42pm: Greene departs
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

On the first hand after the redraw we lost David Greene. He shoved for around 190,000 with [Kc][Qh] and Alejandro Vazquez Gomez made the call with [Ac][Kd]. The [2d][Js][6c][5c][8s] board kept Gomez in the lead. --NW

3:40pm: Final three tables
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Table 1:

1. Mathijs Janssen
2. Armin Zoike
3. Michael Ozimek
4. Jon Gonzalez
5. Federico Blazquez Peral
6. Jonathan Spaeren
7. Albert Sapiano
8. Kjell Lindqvist

Table 2:

1. Theodore Vives
2. Romain Feriolo
3. Alejandro Vazquez Gomez
4. Alexander Voytko
5. Manuel Martin
6. Manuel Ruivo
7. David Greene
8. Mladen Ivanov

Table 3:

1. Jonathan Schuman
2. Bob Janssens
3. Nikola Ristivojevic
4. Rodrigo Strong
5. Tinlay Tsontu
6. Janina Burger
7. Miguel Riera
8. Milos Skrbic

3:30pm: Down to 24
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

We've reached the final 24 players, so there's just been a complete redraw of the remaining players. We'll bring that to you shortly. --NW

3:25pm: Oliveira races away
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

The micro-stacked Jorge Oliveira's Main Event has come to an end after he lost a race.

He was down to 110,000 when he moved all-in from the cutoff. He was called in one spot before Nikola Ristivojevic successfully raised to isolate.

Oliveira: [5h][5s]
Ristivojevic: [ac][td]

The board ran [8h][2s][qc][as][8d] to pair the Serbian's ace. --MC

3:15pm: Jansson jettisoned
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Olov Matias Jansson is the latest player to exit this tournament and his demise came in a Scandinavian battle against Jonathan Spaeren. The Swede three-bet shoved for around 300,000 with [Ac][Tc] and Spaeren called it off with [As][Qc]. 

A [Kh][9s][Ks][2h][4d] board kept Spaeren in front and he climbs to 1,450,000. --NW

3:04pm: Monroe has to go
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Kevin Monroe was the latest player to depart after Romain Feriolo made a good call when faced with the Irishman's shove. The all-in came from under the gun and was for 326,000. Feriolo took his time and then slid in the calling chips.

Monroe: [jc][7h]
Feriolo: [kd][6d]

A couple of tablemates were congratulating Feriolo on the call and Monroe responded by saying he wasn't worried as a jack was coming. He was right too, but couldn't hold as the board ran [qs][5c][jh][tc][kh]. -- MC

2:50pm: Now that's a bad beat
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Alexandre Castells just had his aces cracked and his reaction may have cracked his wrist given the ferocity with which he slammed his hand into the table as the river card knocked him out of the tournament. 

There was 200,000 in the pot by the time the [Th][6d][3s] flop hit the felt, Castells committed his final 300,000 with [Ad][Ac] and Jonathan Schuman put him at risk with [Js][Ts]. The [Qs] turn card opened up the possibility of the flush completing and that's exactly what happened on the [8s] river. Cue Castells slamming his hand onto the table and perhaps doing himself some damage as his wrist began to swell. Schuman just had him covered and is now up to 900,000.

30 players remain. --NW

2:40pm: Three double ups
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Three players made their all-in move and all three secured a double up.

Miguel Riera Suarez and Michael Ozimek made it to the river where a [4s][tc][3c][kh][ks] board rested. Suarez moved all-in for 215,000 from the cutoff and Ozimek tank called from under the gun with [td][7s]. It was no good though as the Spaniard opened [kd][8d] for trips. Ozimek dropped to around 400,000.

Moments later on an adjacent table, Mats Jungsand raised from the button with A-J and called after Nikola Ristivojevic three-bet all-in for 470,000 from the small blind with [as][kd]. The board ran [6h][8s][2c][ts][6c] and Jungsand dropped to 175,000.

Then back to the original table where Federico Blazquez Pera moved in for his last 63,000 with pocket tens. Rodrigo Strong made the automatic call from the big blind with 7-4 before the board ran [ac][2c][2s][9c][3d]. --MC

2:35pm: Chips from the break
Level 22 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

The players are back in their seats for the third level of the day. Click here to see the official counts from the break, where you'll read that Rodrigo Strong still leads the way. --MC

2:07pm: Break time
Level 21 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

That's the end of the first two levels of the day and the players are now enjoying a 15-minute break in the Saturday sunshine. --NW

2:05pm: Mafra's jacks cracked
Level 21 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

Nuno Mafra committed the last of his short stack with pocket jacks and was in good shape against Alexandre Castells, who had [Ks][Jc]. However a king on the flop boosted Castells to 400,000 and sent Mafra tumbling out. --NW

2pm: Ivanov cracks kings
Level 21 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

From the button Mladen Ivanov moved all-in for 142,000 and Armin Zoike called from the small blind to put the Spaniard at risk. Ivanov opened [Jh][Tc] and needed a lot of help as Zoike had pocket kings. The [7c][8s][6s][9d][2d] board obliged and he's up to 300,000 whilst Zoike drops to 482,000. --NW

1:45pm: Monroe climbing
Level 21 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

There was a [7c][Js][4c] flop on the felt and about 120,000 in the middle, action was on Kevin Monroe and his action was to move all-in.

That got rid of Albert Sapiano but Joao Artao wanted a count. Monroe's shove was for 285,000, which was the vast majority of Artao's stack. He mulled it over for a couple of minutes and then called.

Monroe flipped [Kh][Jc] and he was ahead of Artao who held [9c][9s]. The [2s] turn and [3s] river kept Monroe in front and he's up to around 720,000 whilst Artao was left with just 45,000. --NW

1:40pm: Skrbic busts Mitchell
Level 21 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

James Mitchell sat there with his head tilted back, maybe hoping to blur his vision of events occurring at the time. The clear reality of the situation was a hard one to take: a button versus big blind set-up that saw him call off his stack, and ultimately bust.

He opened from the button and called all-in (for what looked like 140,000) after Milos Skrbic set him in from the big blind.

Skrbic: [kh][kc]
Mitchell: [ah][jc]

The board ran [9c][9h][6h][2d][6s] and Mitchell was led away in silence. -- MC

1:25pm: Chip leaders
Level 21 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

It's still Rodrigo Strong who leads, in fact he's all but doubled his stack during the first 80 minutes of play and now has over 2,000,000. The top five is as below:

Rodrigo Strong - 2,200,000
Manuel Afonso Soares Ruivo - 1,300,000
Milos Skrbic - 1,100,000
Albert Sapiano - 950,000
Janina Burger - 950,000

1:15pm: It's impossible not to love Albert Sapiano
Level 21 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

It's folk like Albert Sapiano that makes this game great. The ones who love the game that much that logic is forgotten.

The retired businessman has a million chips in front of him and is in great shape to go very deep, potentially make tomorrow's final table. The problem with Sapiano is that he's always worrying about where the next game is going to take place.

While a hand was playing out at his table he got up and asked what tournament was due to be played upstairs. Nick the floor man told him about the Marbella Cup that's scheduled and Sapiano was happy to hear of it, and happier when told it was a re-entry event. It was pointed out to him that his time might be better spent focusing on the Main Event but he said that he has a flight to catch in the morning and might not have entered in the first place if he'd had known that the tournament didn't end today.

You should've seen the look on his face when Nick told him the Marbella Cup doesn't end until tomorrow as well. Priceless! --MC

1pm: De Groot doubles
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

It folded to Joao Vasquez Rosa Nunes Artao, who was on the button, and he opened to 25,000. Next to act was Nick De Groot and he moved all-in for 133,000 total. Kevin Monroe wanted a count and after receiving one he re-raised all-in for about 475,000 and that got the pot heads-up.

De Groot opened [Ks][Ts] and was in bad shape against Monroe's [Th][Tc]. The [6c][9c][Kc] gave him the lead but Monroe had flush outs. The Irishman missed all his outs on the [2d] turn and [7h] river to slip to 342,000. De Groot is up to 300,000. --NW

12:50pm: Down to 44
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Players are flying out the door here, 44 players remain, spread over six tables. Those to have exited are: June Jenkins (53rd), Alan Kelleher (52nd), Roger Guy Leon Mouries (51st), Sergio Soler (50th), Jesper Rasmussen Arntfeldt (49th), Rui Manuel Esteves Das Dores (48th), Ambrose Travers (47th), Darren Millar (46th) and Yannis Liperis (45th). --NW

12:46pm: Double for Jungsand
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Sweden's Mats Jungsand needed an early double and, thanks to Nikola Ristivojevic, he got just that.

The Serbian opened to 27,000 from the cutoff and made a considered call after Jungsand moved all-in for 149,000 from the next seat.

Ristivojevic: [jd][ts]
Jungsand: [6s][6c]

The board ran [9h][3d][6d][qs][tc] to make Jungsand a set. --MC

12:40pm: Feriolo falls to Gomez
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Julian Feriolo was the second player to fall today. The Frenchman three-bet all-in for 145,000 from the small blind after Alejandro Vazquez Gomez opened to 28,000 from middle position. Call.

Feriolo: [as][ks]
Gomez: [th][ts]

The board ran [jd][qc][8d][6h][9d] to send the chips in a southerly Spanish direction. --MC

12:25pm: News in brief
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

When play got underway Armin Zoike was nowhere to be seen. The German had 752,000 to start the day so wasn't in desperate trouble if he missed a few hands. Turns out he had an accident on the way in and cut his head. It's nothing serious but accounts for the delay.

There's never been a female UKIPT or Estrellas main event champion but there were, at the start of play, two ladies left in the field. A quirk of the seat draw means that Janina Burger and June Jenkins have been plonked side by side on table one. --NW

12:20pm: Lajoux the first to bust on Day 3
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Pascal Hocquard Lajoux only started the day with 100,000 so he didn't have time to hang around and wait for a hand. So lucky that he found [9d][9h] during the first orbit. It was unlucky however that he ran into Mathijs Janssen's [Ad][Kh]. The Belgian connected with the [6d][Kc][Kd][5s][5c] board and Lajoux made his way to the payouts desk. --NW

12:10pm: Janessens doubles
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

On the first hand of play Bob Janssens got a double up. Albert Sapiano opened to 27,000, Nick De Groot flat called and Janssens then shoved for 221,000 total. Sapiano folded but De Groot asked for a count and then called.

De Groot: [9h][9s]
Janssens: [Ac][Jc]

The board ran [Td][6s][8c][Ts][Js] and Janssens spiked the river to double to around 480,000 whilst De Groot slips to 230,000. --NW

12:05pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Cards are in the air. Here's a reminder of the top ten chip counts heading into the day:

11:50pm: Race to the final is on
Level 20 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Welcome back to the penultimate day of the PokerStars Marbella Festival. Just 55 players remain but, by the end of the day, just eight finalists will be left. Play will stop if that point is not reached after ten levels of play, but we think we'll be okay on that front.

All returning Spanish players will be happy after their team beat Turkey last night. The poolside party where the game was played on a big screen was a great success and the mood can be summed up by the below picture. -- MC

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Marbella: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May and Rene Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

Fifty-five players returned today and while we could only guess at which eight would make the final table, from a long way out it seemed a near certainty that Rodrigo Strong would be amongst them.

The overnight chip leader went from strength to strength today and never lost top spot on the leaderboard as he powered his way to the final table. A cooler of a hand against Janina Burger, in which they both flopped trips, meant he had almost a quarter of the chips in play with 22 players left and he further increased his stack to end the day on 7,2350,000. Good for 34% of the chips in play. The LAPT9 Chile champion is having a fantastic year and just as in March, when he won his LAPT title, he'll start the final day as chip leader.

Final table chip counts:

The following is about Strong from our LAPT blog in March: "he scored knockout after knockout, winning nearly every all-in encounter he found himself involved in en route to ending the night with the eight-handed chip lead." 

That quote is equally apt today as Strong barely put a chip wrong and to highlight just one hand, he made quads to eliminate Alejandro Vazquez in 12th place. He almost always had double the chips of whichever player occupied second place. In short, he crushed it. 

It's a cosmopolitan final table with no less than seven nationalities represented and unlike Strong, who knows what it's like to win a major poker tournament, the vast majority of those who line up behind him are still waiting for their breakout result. 

While Strong's path to the final table was serene and untroubled the same can't be said of Bob Janssens. Over nine hours of play he scrapped his way to the final table. What's more his day should've been done on the first hand of play. He got his 20 big blind stack in with [Ac][Jc] and rivered a jack to beat Nick De Groot's pocket nines.

He never looked back and a crucial hold with jacks against ace-king with 14 players left means the Dutchman goes into tomorrow's final table as Strong's nearest challenger.

The Dutchman secured that spot by scoring the final knockout of the day when he eliminated Romain Feriolo in ninth. He's so old school he final tabled the first ever EPT Grand Final. He finished fourth in that event earning €139,000. That's not his only EPT final table though as he six months later he finished eighth at EPT2 Barcelona. The Spaniard was second in chips for large swathes of today but a mistimed bluff and an ace-king v kings cooler meant he started the unofficial final table of nine as the shortstack. He took his final stand with [Ad][Jd] but couldn't beat the [Ac][Ks] of Janssens.

That exit means there are actually no Spaniard's at the final table. Not only that, but there are more Serbians than Brits at the final table, with Milos Skrbic and Nikola Ristivojevic both among the final eight. They both started Day 3 among the top five stacks so it's not a massive shock that both are still in contention. They are room mates here in Marbella and travel the circuit together.

Ristivojevic doubled up Alexander Voytko during nine handed play so will start the day as the shortest stack while Skrbic enters the final table in fifth place.

Germany's representative at the final table is Armin Zoike. He had an eventful day, some of which occurred before he'd even played a hand. He was conspicuous by his absence when play got underway. On his way to the tournament he cut his head and it needed a little patching up before he could play. He turned his start of day 752,000 into 1,655,000 by play's end. 

Despite cashes in the Aussie Millions main event and at EPT Campione regardless of where Zoike finishes tomorrow it'll be his largest live tournament cash to date

I think we can all agree you need a healthy slice of luck (as well as skill) to capture a poker tournament and if Alexander Voytko is victorious tomorrow he'll likely look back on a hand against Nikola Ristivojevic as a big momentum swinger. With nine players left the 2012 Israeli poker champion was all-in and at risk with [Qh][9c] and needed help against Ristivojevic's [As][8h]. A queen on the flop kept his interest in this tournament alive and he'll start tomorrow in seventh place. 

Voytko might argue he's due some luck as if you cast your mind back to Day 1A he lost a 120,000 chip pot at the death when a dealer erroneously mucked his cards.

Tomorrow will be a big day in the poker lives of Mikhal Ozimek and Jonathan Schuman. The Pole will score his biggest ever live cash should he manage seventh of better. And if Schuman follows suit he'll, at the very least, double his lifetime live poker earnings. The pair will start third and fourth respectively.

To make the final table of eight we needed to lose 47 players today and it was with some sadness that the final table won't be enlivened by the presence of Albert Sapiano. He exited in 15th place and his final hand was a microcosm of his personality. He'd complained of being card dead and finally found a hand with which to raise - the mighty [3s][2c] as it happened - on a [Ks][3d][6d] flop he open shoved and ran into Armin Zoike's slowplayed aces. A few f-bombs followed as he made his exit stage left. He'll be missed but not forgotten.

Other players who had to hop into side events today if they wanted to play more poker were: June Jenkins (53rd), Yannis Liperis (48th), Gareth De Groot (44th), Kevin Monroe (29th), Janina Burger (23rd) and Kjell Lindqvist (16th). 

You can see the comprehensive list of in the money finishers by clicking here, while you catch up on all today's action if you click right here. We'll be back at noon to bring you final table coverage. There's the small matter of € 151,350 and the trophy to play for. 

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Marbella: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May and Rene Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

* Largest UKIPT Marbella main event in history with 844 runners
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6pm: Jonathan Schuman wins Marbella Festival for €96,159; Bob Janssens wins €101,238 for second place
Level 31 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (30,000 ante)

The closing stages of the PokerStars Marbella Festival was defined by huge hands matching up so it came as no surprise to that the last hand of the tournament was a bit of a cooler.

Jonathan Schuman raised to 700,000 from the button and made an immediate call after Bob Janssens three-bet all-in for 7.6 million.

Janssens: [ad][jd]
Schuman: [ah][kh]

Schuman's friends on the rail stormed through the barriers to stream the action to friends and family back home, full commentary included, kind of.

The board ran [ac][4h][6s][7d][9c] to see the Schuman's hand hold up.

Congratulation to Schuman for an amazing performance. He got the extra €10,000 from the deal meaning he'll take home €96,159. Hard luck, but also congratulations to everyone who made the final table a fun experience today. A full wrap of the day's play will be up on the blog shortly. -- MC

5:48pm: Tit for tat
Level 31 - Blinds 100,000/200,000 (30,000 ante)

The players decided not to take the break and went straight into Level 32. Since then neither player has grabbed the advantage.

In one hand, both players had made it to the river where a [5d][jc][7d][ts][qd] board rested. Jonathan Schuman bet 1.5 million and opened [ac][kd] for a rivered straight when called. Bob Janssens mucked.

The only big hand in the first 20 minutes of the level saw Schuman raise to 700,000 before Janssen three-bet to 2 million straight. Schuman called but flded to a 1.6 million c-bet on an [8d][4c][6h] flop. --MC

5:20pm: Early momentum with Janssens
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

The early heads-up momentum is with Bob Janssens and the Dutchman now leads 11,300,000 to 9,500,000.

In the single biggest hand of heads-up play Janssens opened to 360,000 and Jonathan Schuman smooth called. On the [4h][Tc][4s] flop Janssens c-bet 325,000 and Schuman stuck around. Neither player bet the [5d] turn and the [Qs] completed the board.

Schuman slid out a bet of 1,200,000 but mucked when Janssens made the call. -- NW

5:10pm: Rodrigo Strong eliminated in third place (€110,653)
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

There was to be no come back for start of day chips leader Rodrigo Strong, and it was another bad beat.

Jonathan Schuman opened to 320,000 from the button and tank called after Strong three-bet all in for around 1.8 million.

Strong: [kh][kc]
Schuman: [as][5d]

The board ran [ad][4h][td][3d][7h] to hand the pot and the scalp to Schuman.

Heads up chip counts:

Janssens - 9.5 million
Schuman - 11.4 million
--MC

4:55pm: Huge double for Schuman
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

This game's a bit mad isn't it? Jonathan Schuman was the recent beneficiary of a double up in a cooler.

Bob Janssens limped in from the button and Rodrigo Strong called but Jonathan Schuman shoved for 4,220,000 from the big blind. Janssens then immediately shoved behind and that folded out Strong.

Schuman: [js][jc]
Janssens: [ah][as]

The board ran [jh][3h][2c][4h][2d] to make the Londoner a full house. Considering Janssens had an 80% chance of having all but 11 big blinds of the chips in play, he took the beat very well. -- MC

4:40pm: Huge double for Janssens
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Sometimes a deal can actually make play tighter but not on this occasion. On the first hand after the deal we had a 14,760,000 chip pot.

Rodrigo Strong opened to 400,000, Bob Janssens three-bet to 1,000,000 total and after eyeing up Janssens stack he moved all-in and Janssens snap called, he was the shorter stack of the two with 7,310,000.

Janssens: [Ac][Kd]
Strong: [Jc][7c]

The [As][Kh][5h][Ad][Jd] board meant Janssens made a full-house to double to 14,760,000 whilst Strong is down to 1,825,000 and suddenly finds himself as the short stack. --NW

4:35pm: A deal has been struck
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

The clock was paused after the players said they wanted to look at numbers. Luca Vivaldi came over and gave the players chip chop and ICM numbers, and recommended €10,000 be left to play for. The players agreed on the chip chop numbers with the €10,000 added to whoever finishes first.

Strong now guaranteed €110,653.
Janssens now guaranteed €101,238
Schuman now guaranteed €86,159

The players signed the paperwork and play resumed. --MC

4:12pm: Chip counts
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Here's how the final three stack up:

4:10pm: Schuman shoves
Level 31 - Blinds 80,000/160,000 (20,000 ante)

Jonathan Schuman limped the button - a tactic we'd not yet seen at this final table - Bob Janssens folded the small blind and Rodrigo Strong checked his option.

On the [Td][8s][5c] flop Schuman fired out a bet of 350,000 and Strong stuck around. The [9c] fell on the turn and Strong elected to lead, betting 550,000. Schuman cut down his chips and then announced he was all-in, his shove totalled 3,735,000.

Strong got a count but decided to release his hand. Pot to Schuman. --NW

4:05pm: Family pots
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

There have been a number of family pots. In the only one that went to showdown Rodrigo Strong was the pre-flop aggressor, making it 300,000 to go on the button. It checked all the way to the river of a [Tc][9s][8d][3c][6h] board at which point Strong bet 400,000. Bob Janssens looked him up with [4d][3d] and bested the Brazilian's [As][4c].

3:55pm: Alexander Voytko eliminated in fourth place (€48,610)
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

And then there were three.

The action folded around to Rodrigo Strong in the small blind and he looked at Alexander Voytko's stack, then to the clock, back to his opponent before he moved all-in. Voytko took one look at his cards and called all-in for about 1.8million.

Strong: [kh][qh]
Voytko: [9h][9s]

The board ran [qc][tc][4h][2d][ad] to make the Brazilian a pair and put him back up to 9.7 million. Voytko didn't say a word as he got up from his seat and shook the remaining players' hands. It was a bit eerie but respectful, like a person leaving a wake where nothing more can be said to the relatives. -- MC

3:35pm: Jonathan Schuman doubles through Rodrigo Strong
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Jonathan Schuman has been reasonably passive at this final table but he just played his biggest pot of the final table so far.

Rodrigo Strong opened to 275,000 from the button, Schuman shoved for 1,935,000 from the big blind and Strong instantly called.

Strong: [Ad][Qs]
Schuman: [Jh][Jc]

The [5c][Js][2c][8s][Ah] board kept Schuman in front and he's up to 4,000,000 now whilst Strong slips to about 8,000,000. --NW

3:30pm: Strong using his chips well
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Rodrigo Strong is utilising his position as chip leader to perfection by forcing the shorter stacks to make tough decisions. Jonathan Schuman opened to 260,000 from the button and was flat called by Bob Janssens. 

Strong took a look at their stacks and then raised it up to 780,000. Both players folded. Schuman is down to about 1,950,000 now and is the shortest of the four stacks. Strong has roughly 10,000,000, Janssens around 6,800,000 and Alexander Voytko about 2,200,000. --NW

3:20pm: Milos Skrbic eliminated in fifth place (€38,320)
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

Oh how a tournament can change over the course of two hands.

Milos Skrbic, who was the player who changed his mind over the deal, doubled up in one hand and then busted the very next hand. Bob Janssens, lost the chip lead and Rodrigo Strong reclaimed the dominant position he had before.

The action folded around to Janssens in the small blind and he set Skrbic all-in for his last 2,190,000. Call.

Janssens: [kc][jh]
Skrbic: [as][tc]

The board ran [9h][jd][ah][4d][5s]. Skrbic offered to look at numbers after that but all his opponents ignored his request.

Moments later that didn't matter. Skrbic limped in from the small blind and then moved all-in after Rodrigo Strong raised to 400,000 from the big blind. Snap call. Skrbic had aces the last time these two battled like this in the blinds; the shoe was on the other foot this time though.

Skrbic: [as][7s]
Strong: [ac][ad]

The board ran [5h][4h][qd][th][tc] and after a count of the stacks, Skrbic was confirmed out and Strong rose to 9.7 million. --MC

3:05pm: No deal
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

No deal for now. One of the players changed his mind. Cards are back in the air. --NW

3pm: Deal talk
Level 30 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (20,000 ante)

The players are back but they've paused the clock to look at numbers for a potential deal. --NW

2:40pm: Break time
The players are on a break, here's how they stack up:

2:35pm: Janssens stretches his lead
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Big hands, big pot.

Bob Janssens opened to 225,000 from under-the-gun and called when Alexander Voytko three-bet to 650,000 from the small blind.

Voytko bet 350,000 and 750,000 respectively on the [Ks][Kd][Tc] flop and [3d] turn with Janssens calling both bets. Both players then checked the [5h] river with Voytko showing [Ac][Qc] for ace high, whilst Janssens had [Jh][Jd]. He took the pot to climb to 8,520,000 whilst Voytko is down to 2,025,000. --NW

2:30pm: Strong play
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Bob Janssens opened to 225,000 from the cut off, Milos Skrbic then three-bet to 575,000 from a stack of around 2,200,000 only for Rodrigo Strong to four-bet jam for 4,200,000 total. Both players folded and Strong is up to 5,000,000. --NW

2:25pm: Michal Ozimek eliminated in sixth place (€28,680)
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Bob Janssens has stretched further clear at the top of the chips by way of taking out Michal Ozimek in sixth place.

He opened from the cutoff and then snap called after Ozimek three-bet all-in for 1,320,000 from the big blind.

Ozimek: [ad][9d]
Janssens: [ac][qh]

"First time I'm behind," commented Ozimek before he almost got out of it on a board that came [5d][qd][tc][7s][6h]. Janssens' stack rose to around 6.5 million. --MC

2:10pm: Alexander Voytko doubles through Rodrigo Strong
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

For the first time since the end of Day 2 Rodrigo Strong isn't the chip leader of this tournament, he's been toppled because he just doubled up Alexander Voytko.

In the hand in question Strong raised to 200,000 with [9d][9s], Voytko moved all-in for 2,190,000 with [Td][Ts] and Strong quickly called the shove.

A [4c][2d][2s][6s][5d] board kept Voytko in front and he doubled to 4,550,000, while Strong is down to 4,600,000. Bob Janssens, who has just over 5,000,000 is now the chip leader. --NW

2:05pm: Janssens above five million
Level 29 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (10,000 ante)

Bob Janssens is putting some daylight between himself and the rest as he's comfortably the second biggest stack now after winning a hand against Alexander Voytko. Pre-flop Janssens opened to 210,000 and Voytko called out of the big blind.

The [8d][Td][4s] flop checked through and the [9s] fell on fourth street. Voytko bet 250,000, call from Janssens. The [Kh] completed the board and Voytko fired again, this time 450,000 and again Janssens made the call.

The Israeli tapped the table to indicate Janssens had made a good call and showed [Qh][6h]. Unsurprisingly Janssens could top queen high and he opened [Kc][Js] to claim the pot. He's up to 5,100,000 now whilst Voytko drops to 2,200,000. --NW

1:55pm: Armin Zoike eliminated in seventh place (€20,175)
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Armin Zoike was hoping for the aces his opponents were getting, but the best the poker gods had on offer was kings and they couldn't hold, so he was sent to the rail in seventh.

Bob Janssens opened to 160,000 from the cutoff and then called after his German opponent shoved for 960,000 from the next seat.

Janssens: [qd][jd]
Zoike: [kh][ks]

The board ran [qc][4d][7h][qh][2c] to make the Dutchman trips. Zoike left to a round of applause whereas Janssens spread himself and his 4.6 million stack out a bit. --MC

1:35pm: Huge hand! Strong gets some back
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Rodrigo Strong is back up to 7,000,000 after winning a big pot against Michal Ozimek. It was a blind on blind battle with Strong raising to 240,000 and Ozimek calling. On the [6h][3d][9d] flop Strong checked, Ozimek bet 275,000 and Strong went into the tank. He stayed there for so long that the clock was called and pretty much as soon as it was he put out the calling chips.

The [8c] turn card checked through and the [9s] completed the board. Again Strong checked and Ozimek counted out a chunky bet of 1,305,000 and slid it into the middle. It was an overbet and Strong took some time to consider his actions. He got eyes on Ozimek's remaining chips (about 1.7m) and then announced all-in.

Ozimek was not expecting that. He leaned back in his chair and began to think through the hand. Much of it was inaudible but I caught snatches of it. "You can't jam 6-7...you don't expect me to fold my hand...all I can fold is queen high."

He then apologised to the table for taking so long. The two players are sat side by side and he turned to Strong and said: "You never shut up normally, you're supposed to be talking to be right now!"

After a bit more tank time he released his hand. Did Strong have it? We'll never know. After the hand had finished there was some talk of a €50 bet between a couple of the players about guessing the two hands that the players had. --NW

1:25pm: Every short stack gets aces at least once
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

The above statement was the quote from Armin Zoike after he witnessed another one of his tablemates doubling up with aces, and again through chip leader Rodrigo Strong.

The action folded to Milos Skrbic in the small blind who completed and then snap called all-in for 1.425 million after Strong shoved from the big blind.

Skrbic: [ah][ac]
Strong: [kd][9d]

The board ran [2d][ac][qs][5d][6c] to see the aces hold up. Strong dropped down to 4.6 million. --MC

1:10pm: Voytko continues to gather chips
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

It's been a great level so far for Alexander Voytko as he's won another couple of decent pots to climb to around 2,500,000.

In the first he re-raised all-in over the top of Armin Zoike's 200,000 chip open. The German had about 1,300,000 back and elected to fold. He's now the short stack.

A couple of hands later Michal Ozimek made it 160,000 to play but he too folded to aggression from Voytko as the Israeli's three-bet to 500,000 was enough to earn him the pot. --NW

12:58pm: Shortie got a double
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

Rodrigo Strong has suffered the first real setback in a long while after he doubled the shortest stacked player at the table, Alexander Voytko.

The Brazilian opened to 160,000 from under the gun and called after Voytko three-bet all-in for 925,000 from two seats along.

Strong: [3d][3c]
Voytko: [as][ad]

The board ran [6h][2h][5d][9c][6d] and Strong dropped to 6.1 million. --MC

12:40pm: Updated chip counts
Level 28 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (10,000 ante)

As level 28 gets underway here's how the players stack up:

12:25pm: Take a break
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

For some reason the players have been sent on a 15 minute break at the end of level 27. They've only been playing 21 minutes! --NW

12:15pm: Nikola Ristivojevic eliminated in eighth place (€14,180)
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

On the fourth hand of final table play we had the first exit. Alexander Voytko opened to 125,000 from the cut off and Nikola Ristivojevic then moved all-in for roughly 800,000 from the button. When action reached Bob Janssens in the big blind the Dutchman didn't even ask for a count before moving all-in and Voytko folded.

Ristivojevic: [Ac][Ts]
Janssens: [9d][9s]

The [Jc][6s][5c][Jd][4c] board kept Janssens in front and he's up to around 3,800,000 whilst Ristivojevic is now on a watching brief as he tries to rail his buddy (Milos Skrbic) to victory. --NW

12:03pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Cards are out for the final day's play. There's still 21 minutes left of level 27 on the clock. Who's your money on? --MC

11:50am: Final day about to begin
Level 27 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (10,000 ante)

Can you feel the tension in the air? Probably not where you are but there's a little bit here in Marbella where just eight players remain in the biggest Main Event in the four year history of the PokerStars Marbella Festival.

The finalists are here and are having their photos taken before cards will fly into the air around midday. Everyone is now guaranteed €14,180 but the big bucks are up top where the winner will win €151,350 to take home a minimum of Here's a reminder of how'll they'll line up:

1. Bob Janssens, Netherlands - 2,810,000
2. Armin Zoike, Germany - 1,655,000
3. Milos Skrbic, Serbia - 2,090,000
4. Rodrigo Strong, Brazil - 7,235,000
5. Michal Ozimek, Poland - 2,610,000
6. Alexander Voytko, Israel - 1,370,000
7. Nikola Ristivojevic, Serbia - 850,000
8. Jonathan Schuman, United Kingdom - 2,325,000
--MC

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Marbella: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May and Rene Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

At the start of the festival we wondered if the UK and Ireland could find an equaliser. This is the fourth collaboration of the UKIPT and Estrellas poker tours in Marbella and coming into this event Spain were leading 2-1. 

Well now we have the answer and it's a resounding yes as 47 year-old property developer Jonathan Schuman has won the UKIPT6 Marbella main event and €96,159. Perhaps though the score is more 2.5-1.5. Marbella is Schuman's home from home, and this casino as familiar to him as the Vic in his native London. This is his biggest tourney win, but Schuman has been playing live two or three times a week for 30 years, which is usually all the time he can fit around his property development business.    

For so long this final table was about Rodrigo Strong. The Brazilian came in as the chip leader and only lost the lead for a short time. Indeed by the time play was three-handed the LAPT9 Chile champion was back in charge. Play paused to discuss a deal and a chip chop deal, which left €10,000 to play for, was quickly agreed and Strong had secured the largest slice of the pie, €110,653 to be exact.

The deal was to be his downfall though as on the first hand after it'd been struck he'd lose a tournament defining pot to Janssens. You suspect he wouldn't have four-bet jammed [Jc][7c] without the safety net of the deal and Janssens may not have been as quick as he was to call with [Ac][Kd]. By the river Janssens' full-house had seen Rodrigo's tournament come crashing down. "If we hadn't done a deal he'd have won it!" said Schuman after the tournament was over.

He was left with just 12 big blinds and got them in soon afterwards with pocket kings. Schuman called with [As][5d] and flopped an ace to send him to the rail. The Brazilian was still smiling though and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the tournament

That left us heads-up and the two players had taken very different paths to reach this stage. In the red corner was Janssens, he'd eliminated the first three players at the final table and been the only player to hold the chip lead apart from Strong. He actually began with a chip deficit with Schuman starting with a two million chip lead (12 big blinds). 

The Englishman had entered the final table fourth in chips and seemed intent on preserving his stack rather than increasing it. But you sense he didn't care one bit. He was intent on being around for any deal negotiations (and he was). "I just didn't want to go out in 8th, so anything from 7th upwards, I was happy.  So now, it's an incredible feeling," he told the PokerStars Blog.

When Schuman did play a big pot, he had a big hand. We didn't really see him move a chip until play was four handed. At this point his jacks held to double up against Strong's ace-queen and for the first time he had chips and you sensed he wasn't going to part with them easily.

Whilst that hand with jacks got him back in the game, another hand with jacks was his tournament defining pot. He shoved with the hooks and Janssens snap called with aces. A jack on the flop gave Schuman a huge pot. If the bullets had held Janssens would've had 90% of the chips in play and Schuman would've been on the rail.

As is was Schuman would be the one who'd send Janssens to the rail. The Englishman had stretched out to a 2:1 chip lead by the time of the final hand. Janssens three-bet all-in for 38 big blinds with [Ad][Jd] but Schuman had him dominated with [Ah][Kh] and the board ran clean to give him the win.

As alluded to above Janssens played a major part in this final table, particularly in the opening stages as he eliminated three players in a row.

First to go was Nikola Ristivojevic, the Serbian shoved his final 13 big blinds with [Ac][Ts] and lost a race to the Dutchman's pocket nines. The physical therapist is used to helping cure aliments but he was only bringing the pain at this final table and Armin Zoike can attest to that. He had his pocket kings cracked by Janssens' [Qd][Jd] one queen on the flop and another on the turn doing the damage.

Thirty minutes later Janssens had his third scalp and he didn't need any help from the poker gods this time around. Michal Ozimek three-bet jammed for 12 big blinds with [Ad][9d] and Janssens snap called with [Ac][Qh]. Two diamonds on the flop gave the Pole a big sweat but he bricked the turn and river.

When play was five handed a deal was discussed but negotiations broke down when Milos Skrbic rejected the terms. Not 15 minutes later he was out. A limp jam from the small blind with [As][7s] went wrong as he ran into Strong's pocket aces to bust in fifth.

Strong's ascension back to the chip lead was complete when he took out Alexander Voytko in fourth. It was (almost) a classic race as Voytko's pocket nines got run down by Strong's [Kh][Qh] when a king flopped.

That's when the deal happened and when the tournament really began for Schuman. Having blended into the background for much of the final table he suddenly came to the fore and tonight he's the player who can proudly say he's the latest UKIPT main event champion.

Here are the official results:

UKIPT6 Marbella main event 
Players: 844
Buy-in: €1,000 + €100 
Places paid: 127 
Total prize pool: € 810,240

You can catch up on all the final table action here and see each and everyone of the 127 in the money finishers here.

The next UKIPT event is the £500+£50 Super Series and it takes place at PokerStars LIVE! at The Hippodrome Casino August 31st-September 4th. Satellites will begin in early July, keep an eye on the @UKIPT twitter account for an announcement about those satellites.

But from all the team in Marbella we hope you've had a wonderful time at the UKIPT's annual summer holiday. But for now buenas noches from Marbella.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Marbella: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May and Rene Velli. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

2:05am: Jorge Ellena leads 26 Day 1A survivors
The first of three starting flights of the UKIPT Super Series came and went over twelve 40-minutes levels today. Day 1A was a night session, beginning at 5pm, and by the time the players were bagging up at around 2am, Chilean player Jorge Ellena has amassed a very impressive 280,300 to lead.

The event has different buy-in guidelines this year with it being a single re-entry per flight event. That meant 11 of the players to bust today took a second chance, and boosted the total number of entries up to 128. Only 26 made it through and below you'll find a full rundown of their counts.

Tomorrow will feature two flights starting at different times and with different structures. Day 1B will start at 12pm BST and play out exactly the same as today, but Day 1C (starting at 10pm) has a turbo structure where the blind levels have been halved to 20 minutes apiece. That's all from PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome, join us back here is just a few hours time.

1:45am: Last four hands
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

Four more hands will be played at each table before Day 1A comes to an end.

1:36am: Yeung man with a big future
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

It's been less than a year since Edmund Yeung recorded his first ever live cash. Fast-forward 11 months and the recent university graduate has a poker resume worth $380k. The scientific poker terminology to describe him is as a hot young thing.

He won't be making Day 2 via this flight though though after he was eliminated by Alexios Zervos. We didn't see the hands but Zervos had the second nuts when he tank-called Yeung's shove. David Chau said Zervos slow-rolled but the table agreed to reclassify it as a nit-roll (at most) as he said he was probably going to call. He did, and has a stack around 250,000 so could challenge Jorge Ellena for the end of day chip lead.

1:24am: Nothing Bland about a straight
Level 12 - Blinds 1,000/2,000 (ante 300)

It can be nervous putting your tournament life on the line with a draw, but sometimes you have to gamble a little. Daniel Bland did that and was rewarded with a much-needed double up.

The action was three-way to a [js][tc][4c] flop and Nilay Ganatra bet 15,000 when it was checked to him on the button. The small blind folded before Bland moved all-in for 27,600 after pausing for 30 seconds to consider his option. Call.

Ganatra: [jc][9c] for top pair and flush draw.
Bland: [kc][qs] for an open-ended straight draw.

The board ran out [as][7s] to make Bland the nut straight. "Nice hand," said a gracious Ganatra.

1:10am: Ellena the 300k man
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

Another scalp in another big pot has seen Jorge Ellena's stack rise to around 300,000.

The action was four-way to the turn of a [jc][9c][7h][4d] flop where Danny Toffel moved all-in for 30,200. Sapiano tank-folded but Ellena made a quick call. The fourth party made a quick fold.

Toffel: [qc][jd]
Ellena: [ad][js]

"Nice hand!" said Toffel before the [kh] river sealed his fate. "Good luck all," he concluded before heading off into the London night.

1am: Late night fallers
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

They came, they saw, they played a long time but it wasn't meant to be. Feels bad man for: Wing Ka Chang, Joern Esben Guenther, Mark Hammond, Deivis Rinkevicius, Ajaykumar Ale, Thomas Young, James Langford, Pawan Kumar Nayyar, Brian Peattie, David Welch, Elio Saade, Olicer Hewett and James Morris.

Morris informed the blog that he moved all-in with K-Q suited from the small bling and was called by David Chau in the big blind. The latter held A-8 and held.

12:45am: Ellena cruises past 200k
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

Jorge Ellena has leapt into the chip lead, with more than 200,000 after a big, long battle with Andrew Christoforou.

The latter raised from under the gun and was called in one spot before Ellena squeezed to 10,000 from the cutoff. Both opponents called and [7h][9c][9h] flop was delivered. Christoforou came out firing for 18,000 and only Ellena called to the [jd] turn. Every decision in the hand had taken time and this street took the longest. Christoforou took a good while before he bet 22,000, leaving himself around 50,000 back. Ellena moved all-in and Christoforou tank-called his stack off.

"Queens?" asked Ellena as he opened [ks][ks]. "No, you're good" came Christoforou's reply as he opened [8s][8d]. The board completed with the [jh] and a new chip leader was born.

12:20am: I've got no such kicker problems, Pal
Level 10 - Blinds 500/1,200 (ante 200)

Rupom Pal flopped trips but it cost him dear as David Crane had the same trips, but with the best kicker.

Crane opened to 2,700 from the cutoff and Pal defended his big blind to see a [qh][kd][qd] flop. Pal led or 1,600 and Crane called, before he himself bet 3,100 on the [3c] turn. The tricky Pal check-raised it up to 9,200 but Crane snap moved all-in for around 41,000, just covering Pal.

"Kicker problems here!" said Pal.

There was a pause while Crane seemingly processed that line, then he responded with, "Queen?"

Pal eventually called with [qs][6s] but Crane opened [ac][qc] and survived the [8h] river. "I should've folded," said Pal before wishing everyone luck and heading out. --MC

11:53pm: Big stacks
Level 10 - Blinds 500/1,200 (ante 200)

11:37pm: Last break of the night
Level 9 - Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

The players are taking their last 15-minute break of the day. The following failed to make it that far:

Chao Xia, Pablo Bodi Jimenez, Jonathan Beck, Tristan Chevalier, Craig Sweden, Krishna Nagaraju, Adrian Smith, Keith Christie, Ravi Sharda, Christopher Cancelliere, Hoss Sharifkazemi, Mats Rosen, George Alexander, Robert Heidorn, Alessandro Bonaffini, Warren Tolentino, Rahim Tadj-Saadat and Jai Patel.

11:25pm: Welch jams on Rinkevicius
Level 8 - Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

No, we're not talking about a casual music session here, this poker business be serious. David Welch and Deivis Rinkevicius are battling for traction, and the former found more of it in a heads up hand between the pair.

Welch opened to 2,000 from the button and Rinkevicius peeled from the big blind to see a [6h][kh][5c] flop that was checked. Welch's delayed c-bet for 3,100 was check-called by Rinkevicius before Welch jammed on the [qs] river. Rinkevicius check-folded to preserve his 31,000 remaining chips.

11:10pm: Sapiano finds a way
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (ante 100)

Albert Sapiano's table broke a while back and he's now at table five with a six-figure stack. He can thank James Morris for that.

The latter told us that he lost a 100k pot versus Sapiano in a blind on blind battle just before their table broke. Morris raised with [ad][jd] and called after Sapiano shipped all-in for around 25,000 with A-8. The latter flopped an eight and held despite there being two diamonds out there.

Now Morris has a clear view of Sapiano and his old chips while he grinds a short tack to the direct right of David Chau.

10:55pm: Phan of the Diggler
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (ante 100)

David Chau's (AKA Diggler) original table was broken and he was moved to table four. When we arrived at his table, he had a mass of messy stacks in front of him and was halfway through eating a cheeseburger. Basically it looked like he was enjoying life in his new home!

Life's full of bumps in the road though, and his bump was doubling up the short-stacked Phu Van Phan. Chau opened to 1,850 and was called by Dominic Wells before Phan squeezed all-in for 6,225. Chau raised to 12,000 to isolate and was successful as Wells tank folded after intially saying, "Ah bo**ocks!"

Chau: [ks][qh]
Phan: [tc][ts]

The board ran [8c][6c][2d][jc][qc] to make Phan a flush. Chau was probably left with around 80,000 chips.

10:35pm: Come and try again tomorrow
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (ante 100)

The beauty of a re-entry tournament is that chance of trying again. Hopefully we'll see some of the following tomorrow for either/both Day 1B&C:

Oliver Bithell, Andrew Christoforou, Brett Kennedy, Chuc Gia Khuu, Joe Hindry, Sarah Stockbridge, Mihai Zelinca, Lucky Nguyen, Derek Boyle, Ning Lu, Jacques Demajo and Andrew Lazarus.

10:27pm: Well gets paid
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (ante 100)

Dominic Wells has a stack approaching 100,000 after he managed to get paid on the river.

A pile of chips sat in the middle and his heads-up opponent (Julien Michaud) checked to face a 10,000 bet on the river of a [kc][4s][2d][ac][9h] board. Michaud tanked for a couple of minutes and then made the call. Wells opened [ad][qs] and Michaud mucked to leave himself short, a position he failed to recover from.

10:20pm: A numbers game
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (ante 100)

The final number of entries for Day 1A of the UKIPT6 Super Series has been confirmed at 128 players. That number is made up of 117 unique players and 11 re-entries. Those who fired a second bullet were: James Parker, Terence Jordon, Mark Hammond, Joe Hindry, Jon Vallinas Santos, Alexandra O'Brien, Philippe Souki, Krishna Nagaraju, Danny Toffel and Frank Bastow.

10:06pm: Sweden high on Wattage
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (ante 75)

Craig Sweden has tripled up to 80,000 in a three-way all-in that saw Steve Watts bust.

He raised to 1,300 and was called in three spots en route to a [5s][5d][4d] flop. Sweden continued for 3,900 and was called in one spot before Watts raised to 9,400. Brett Kennedy was in the cutoff and jammed for about 30,000 - enough to set both Sweden and Watts all-in. They both called.

Sweden: [6h][5c] for trips.
Watts: [as][2s] for a straight flush draw.
Kennedy: [5h][3h] for trips.

The board ran out [6c][6s] to make a very elated Sweden the largest full house. He scooped, Watts hit the rail and Kennedy was left short.

9:48pm: Chips ahoy
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (ante 75)

Now we see some real stacks emerging!

9:38pm: Last chance to re-enter
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (ante 50)

The second half of the day is underway meaning that registration for this fight is closed. Did any of these players re-enter in the break? (excluding Terence Jordon who's busted twice):

Andrew Christoforou, James Mitchell, Nicos Nicolaou, Martins Adeniya, Carlos Del Vigo Gonzalez, Alexandra O'Brien, Sanjay Thapar, James Parker, Philippe Souki, Jason Nguyen, Danny Toffel and Frank Bastow.

9:20pm: Break time
The players are on their second break of the day, registration will close at the end of it.

9:10pm: Breviglieri back to black
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (ante 50)

Thanks to Albert Sapiano, Natalia Breviglieri has gotten her stack up to around 30,000.

He limped in and then called after Breviglieri raised to 1,700 from the cutoff. The flop fanned [9h][ks][8h] and both players checked, Sapiano in the dark. The turn was the [3c] and Sapiano check-called 3,000 before he checked dark once more. Breviglieri bet 2,500 and was called. She opened [kh][qc] and scooped as Sapiano mucked.

8:52pm: Antwi soaring as last re-entry levels begins
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (ante 50)

Level 6 has gotten under way and this is the last level where players can re-enter for this flight. One player not in that sort of mind-set is current chip leader John Antwi. He's at table 10 and can almost rest his chin on his two tall towers. He did just lose a pot though and dropped back to a still impressive 90,000 or thereabouts.

It looked as if the pot was limped preflop before five players took a look at a [4h][ad][6h] flop. Antwi led for 1,600 from under the gun and was only called by Grant Fox in the hijack. Fox called another 3,000 on the [kd] turn before both players checked the [tc] river. Fox opened [ah][qc] and took the pot as Antwi mucked after flashing the [ac].

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8:41pm: They may have lost the battle, but this is a war
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (ante 50)

Players can re-enter once each flight at this year's Super Series so although the following have fallen, they still have the chance to be victorious: Chris Gordon, Joe Hindry, Krishna Nagaraju, Andrey Veselov, Richard Hurst, Mateusz Zbikowski, Colin Marks, Vytautas Aganauskas, Matthew Hope, Andre Loua, Jamie Rutherford, Fahd Bennani-Smires, Ricardo Jose Valim and Jason Nguyen.

8:22pm: Time to spin!
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (ante 50)

"Now we're spinning!" said Terence Jordon after he lost a three-way all-in. "Starting stack's just not enough."

He and Danny Toffel combined to triple up neighbour Chuc Gia Khuu to 25,800. Toffel won a 4k side pot, but bemoaned he had to put in 8,000 to win that.

The hands:

Khuu: [kd][tc]
Jordon: [kc][qc]
Toffel: [7s][6s]

The board ran [ts][8d][3d][as][6d].

Jordon was lying as he soon turned 27,000 into dust and will likely re-enter.

8pm: Power poker from Adeniya
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (ante 25)

Martins Adeniya had made a lot of poker headlines over the years. He's made a lot of live update blogs building big stacks due to his aggressive nature. We're glad to see some things don't change. His stack is well in the black after a bit of power poker.

The flop had been dealt ([9c][9d][5s]) and Adeniya led for 2,600 from the big blind. Frank Bastow was under the gun and made the call. Adeniya kept firing on the [2s] turn with a 3,800 bet and that was enough to scare off Bastow. --MC

7:47pm: The Wells not dry
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (ante 25)

Dominic Wells was reported as having one of the biggest stacks in the room in the break, and improved his position in Level 5, before a small loss. He just open-folded a pretty big hand but still has around 50,000 to play with.

He was in early position and tangling with Julien Michaud in the big blind. The flop read [9s][5h][qs] and the latter check-called 2,800 before both players checked the [jd] turn. The board completed with the [6d] and Michaud came out firing for 8,000. "Ah-haaaa!" said Wells with a smile and then open-folded [kc][qc]. Michaud showed one, the [qh], and raked in the pot. -- MC

7:25pm: Second quarter begins
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (ante 25)

The second of four poker sessions has gotten underway. After a sweep of the tables while they were empty it was clear to see many haven't really got going yet, whereas as others clearly have due to the disparity between the stacks. Here are the current chips leaders from each table.

Table 1. Mark Metsla - 48,000
Table 2. Jai Patel - 37,000
Table 3. Ajaykumar Ale - 39,000
Table 4. Dominic Wells - 44,000
Table 5. Chris Da-Silva - 34,000
Table 6. Roar Flotre - 51,000

Table 7. Huy Nguyen (pictured) - 60,000
Table 8. Victor Ilyukhin - 44,000
Table 11. Wing Ka Chang - 34,000
Table 12. Nilay Ganatra - 43,000

7:07pm: First break of the day
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (ante 25)

"Something's just gone crazy in the last ten minutes!" said floor man Steve Berto after he brought several exit cards over to media row.

As the players are enjoying a 15-minute break, Jon Vallinas Santos, Ole Nedreboe, Mark Hammond, Alex O'Brien, Matteo Vincenz, Christopher Petros, Chris Simpson and James Parker will all be pondering their next moves. To re-enter or not, that is the question.

6:45pm: Albert Sapiano is the chosen one
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (ante 25)

Albert Sapiano won two hands in a row to get his stack up to around 30,000 and after he was awarded the first pot, a randomly roaming spotlight decided to focus directly above his head. He's either the chosen one or was about to be beamed up for testing!

In the first pot he led for 5,000 from the big blind after a board rested as [qc][kc][ks][6h][2c]. an opponent called and then mucked upon seeing Sapiano's [qh][tc].

Sapiano limped the very next hand and was joined by Ilyukhin before Duc Nguyen raised to 600 from the cutoff. Both opponents called and all three went on to check the [3c][5s][qc] flop. Sapiano then led for 1,500 on [2c] turn and was only called by Ilyukhin, before both went back to checking the [kc] river. "Straight!" clarified Sapiano after slamming down his [4h][6d] on the felt. Ilyukhin had a decent hand with [3h][2h] for two pair, but not decent enough. Still, he seems to be the table chips leader with around 60,000 so won't be disheartened.

6:28pm: Mills's wheels come off
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

Richard Mills turned a small pocket pair into a bluff and was caught at it by Steve Watts, then busted in a classic race a few hands later.

Watts raised preflop and continued on an [2c][6h][jd] flop. Mills was in the blinds and check-raised to 2,000. Watts inquired about the raise amount and then called, along with another 3,000 on the [3c] turn. Mills wasted little time in emptying the clip with a 5,000 bet on the [qh] river and it got Watts thinking out loud. He talked through what he thought Mills could have and added he couldn't fold flopped bottom two pair, before he called with [6c][2s]. Mills had already opened [5c][5d] and said, "Very good call!"

Mills was wishing everyone good luck a few hands later. He had been left with around 5,000 chips after the altercation with Watts and got them all in the middle holding pocket sevens. Krishna Nagaraju was sat to the left and made the call with A-K - the pair failed to hold.

6:12pm: Tales from table 8
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

James Morris, Albert Sapiano and Victor Ilyukhin have found themselves sat next to each other on table 8 so expect a fair bit of action from that little corner. We watched two hands there, and the first saw five players see a flop, with the second having six visitors.

Morris was under the gun and led for 900 with the flop showing [4h][5h][6h]. Only Duc Nguyen called from late position but he too folded when Morris bet 1,500 on the [8c] turn.

The very next hand saw Sapiano limp from first position and pick up five players en route to an [ah][4s][ts] flop. Sapiano bet 600 and was called by Ilyukhin in the next seat, and Morris in the big blind before the [qs][8c] turn and river were checked through. Morris mucked, Sapiano opened [ks][4c] but lost out to Ilyukhin and his [td][5d].

5:53pm: Pray for the fallen
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

Level two is underway and one player failed to make it. No details of how he busted, but Matthew Church was the only player not to advance. After a quick confession for his sins, we might see him re-enter.

Players who have recently entered, and made Level 2, include: Albert Sapiano, Edmund Yeung, Craig Sweden, Victor Ilyukhin and Richard Mills.

5:39pm: Diamond geezer
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Steve Watts - a former professional footballer for clubs like Leyton Orient and Sutton United - swapped the green pitches for the green baize a few years ago now and has enjoyed great success, cashing for more than a three-quarters of a million dollars.

Watts had success in this very event last year, coming 14th for £1,950. He'll be desperate to do better than that this year though and is off to a busy start, mixing in a few pots with some cheeky banter.

He forced an opponent off a hand on the flop with a board reading [4d][qd][8d]. There was around 5,800 in the middle and Watts bet 2,375 to force a fold. He added while showing [ad], "Aces with the ace of diamonds? Got to be in!"

5:20pm: Early faces
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

It seems weird saying early faces with a tournament start time of 5pm, but there you go - that's the crazy world of poker we live in. Over 60 players have taken their seats already and a few faces that stick out immediately include Steve Watts, James Mitchell, Joe Hindry, James Morris and Chris Gordon.

Gordon lost a small pot early, his cards hitting the muck on showdown after an opponent opened pocket two that had made a straight. "I had aces as well!" said Gordon with a wry smile.

5:05pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Cards are in the air for Day 1A. A reminder - play will last 12 levels (40 mins each) for an approx. 2am finish.

4:30pm: The UKIPT Super Series is back!
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

It's the 1st of September and summer here in the UK is drawing to a close. The kids are going back to school next week and it's a last chance to squeeze some fun in before the normal routine kicks back in. Some will be squeezing in a last minute holiday, but those in the know will be heading down to central London's PokerStars Live at The Hippodrome for the UKIPT Super Series festival, which kicked off yesterday.

Dale Garrad took on all comers last year to walk away with the Main Event title and a healthy £28,300 - he'll be expected to be back defending his title. Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody will be in attendance over the week and so will PokerStars Live at The Hippodrome's Kelly Saxby and Chris Gordon.

Today is all about Day 1A of the Main Event and we have an evening session for you. The 5pm start time scheduled for those working nearby who don't want to take a day off work. So join us back here then where we'll cover all the day's big stories.

- Day 1A takes place today from 5pm; Day 1B is at 12pm Friday, followed by Day 1C (turbo) at 10pm.
- Day 1s consist of twelve 40-minute levels. Levels will increase to 60 minutes on Day 2, and 60 minutes on Day 3.
- One re-entry permitted each flight, so six entries maximum.
- Registration closes after 6 levels.
- Starting stack 25,000.
- The main event and all side events will be paying out top 15% throughout this series.

PokerStars Blog reporting team at UKIPT6 Super Series: Marc Convey. Photos by Mickey May.

9:25pm: Danny Laming leads UKIPT6 Super Series Day 1B survivors
The second of three flights took place from midday today within the glamorous surrounds of PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome. Another 12 levels were played, and when the dust settled, Danny Laming emerged as chip leader with 275,800.

There were many players in contention of claiming the chip lead through the last level and it looked as if Cordeiro was the man after he took out Karun Dewan in the closing stages to move clear of everyone, bar Laming who was quietly amassing chips over the other side of the room. After a raise and a call by Cordeiro, Dewan made a big squeeze all-in (75,100 at 2k bb) with [ad][5d]. Corderio called with [as][qs] and a board ran [kd][8h][kh][3c][jd] to see his hand hold. He ended with 202,200 but couldn't catch Laming though who's currently second overall, just behind Day 1A chip leader Jorge Ellena on 280,800.

Day 1B attracted 242 entries (208 uniques) and 75 made it through to Day 2 tomorrow. As it stands, the Main Event has 370 entries but that number is sure to soar past 400 with the turbo Day 1C flight starting at 10pm. PokerStars's Jake Cody (139,500) and Kelly Saxby (72,800) were two of the notables who made Day 2 as well - for a full rundown of survivors click on the relevant link on the right hand side (in the widget).

All remaining players will return at 12pm BST tomorrow where play will continue until a final table of eight is reached. The levels on Day 2 will increase to 50 minutes apiece. A short recap of Day 1C will be included in tomorrow's introduction so make sure to join us back her then to see what went down, and then stick with us through the Day 2 coverage.

Edit: A notice from @PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome. Saturday's UKIPT 2nd Chance Main Event (Single Re-Entry) is a stand alone event and is in no way connected to the Super Series Main Event. To enter, you do not have had to have played the SS ME, and there is no pathway back into this tournament.

8:40pm: Last 4 hands
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

Each table will play four more hands before play concludes for Day 1B.

8:18pm: Yabba dabba doo, a double elimination
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

Tony Ringe saw the window card was a nine and gave a single fist pump, followed by a double fist pump when he saw another nine. Flopped quads and only one way to celebrate, by saying, "Yanna dabba doo!"

Ringe called a 4,500 raise before Chao Xia moved all-in for 17,700 from the hijack and Noel Broadbent did the same for 24,500 from the big blind. Ringe called after the original raiser folded.

Ringe: [9s][9c]
Xia: [ac][7c]
Broadbent: [6s][6d]

The board ran [9d][9h][qs][th][5h] and the Flintstones quotes broke out. Ringe moved up to 105,000.

8:02pm: Cody has the last laugh
Level 11 - Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

Sometimes enough is enough. Or maybe it's just that two big hands match up. Either way, Jake Cody got revenge on Anmol Srivats and sent him to the rail. He's up to 135,000.

The Team PokerStars Pro opened to 3,700 from under the gun before Srivats three-bet to 9,500 from the next seat. The action folded back around to Cody who wasted little time in setting Srivats all-in. Srivats thought for a short while and then called off for around 50,000.

Cody: [tc][ts]
Srivats: [ac][kd]

The board ran [4d][2d][8c][6c][2s] improving neither player.

7:50pm: Two losses for Cody
Level 10 - Blinds 800/1,600 (ante 200)

Jake Cody's stack has dropped to around 62,000 after two losses on the trot.

Hilmi Ture opened to 3,000 from the button and was called by Connors Brother and the Team PokerStars Pro in the blinds. The board ran out [5c][8s][3d][jc][ad] with no chips going in until the river where Cody led for 4,000 with his [as][9h]. It was no good though as Ture called with [a]h][5h] for two pair.

The very next hand Cody three-bet to 15,000 over the 4,000 of a middle positioned player, but had to fold, along with the original raiser, once Anmol Srivats cold four-bet to 40,600 from the small blind.

7:30pm: They keep on busting
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

Around 110 players are still alive from the 242 entries that make up Day 1B. Those who will have to chance Day 1C (turbo) at 10pm to make Day 2 include:

Ramsey Ajram, Connor Ross, Paul Allen, Terry Jordon (four bullets deep), Neil McCulloch, Do Tran, Felix Stephensen, Graeme Frank, Jonathan Weekes, Christopher Yong, Craig McCorkell, David Docherty, Gerald Ringe, Pierrick Tallon, Joe Laming, and Ali Zihni.

7:05pm: The 70k-plus stacks
Level 10 - Blinds 600/1,200 (ante 200)

Thanks to the Hippodrome's Dan and his team for helping with this.

6:35pm: The tequila tales featuring Matt and Billy
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

Matt Perrins and Billy Chattaway are providing most of the entertainment over by table three. Now, considering Will Kassouf seems quiet on the next table, you'll get a clearer picture. Their "entertainment fuel" of choice has been beer and tequila, but banter has all been light-hearted and enjoyable for those in close proximity.

They're trying to play pots against each other for jokes but Chattaway confirmed, "There are no friends in poker!"

The booze doesn't seem to affecting their play as Perrins had around 85,000 and Chattaway 38,000 after a pot win each.

Perrins, Masafumi Saito and one other took to a [5c][8c][9s] flop where the two former players got their chips in the middle. Saito opened [7c][7d] but was behind to Perrins' [9d][5d]. The board ran out [9c][ac] to make Perrins a full house. Saito thought he had won it with a flush but his mistake was soon pointed out and he had to make his exit.

The very next hand saw Chattaway raise from under the gun and Stephen Hancox call from the big blind. The board ran out [2s][9s][kh][6c][jd] with Hancox check-calling bets of 1,600 and 2,500 before the river was checked through. Hancox opened [kd][4d] but lost out to Chattaway's [ks][ts].

"You getting the shots in now or what?" asked Perrins to Chattaway. They'll have a chance for more shots at the bar as the last break of the flight is upon the players.

6:10pm: How many got in?
Level 9 - Blinds 500/1,000 (ante 100)

As was already reported, registration closed at the beginning of Level 7 and all the numbers have been totted up. Day 1B attracted 207 unique players and 242 entries in total. That makes a working total of 370 entries when added to Day 1A's 128 entries. With Day 1C (turbo) still to take place later, a figure over 400 is very much likely.

5:45pm: Nolan defeats bogey hand
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (ante 100)

Haoran Cal busted to Jack Nolan despite the latter running into a hand that's, "Been smashing him lately."

Cal limped in from early position before a raise and a call from Nolan. The raiser folded but Nolan made the call to set up a showdown.

Cal: [kd][th]
Nolan: [9h][9s]

The board ran [kh][5c][4h][7d][9d]. Cal took the lead on the flop but Nolan hit a set on the river and he rected by saying, "Lovely!"

5:35pm: There's always the turbo flight
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (ante 100)

Some of the players below busted before the break, and some after. Registration closed at the beginning of Level 7, so those who busted after and want to re-enter, will have to wait until 10pm when the Day 1C (turbo) flight gets underway.

Craig McCorkell, Vito Posca, Carl Shaw (twice), Jason Smith, Justin Kean, Yannis Lipris, Trevor Pearson, Robert Heidorn, Adnan Chamaa (twice), Liam Arnold, Epameinondas Sintos, Rob Crawford, Tsz Chung Ho, Joe Grech, Vamshi Vandanapu, Rory Campbell, Jacques Demajo, Tove Janne Kristiansen, Mikhail Drozdov, Adam Krauze, Mark Briggs, Krishna Nagaraju, Mohammed Suhail, Peter Blow, Willie Tann, Neil McCulloch and Ben Winsor.

5:18pm: Got a nice Ringe to it
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (ante 75)

British bracelet winner Gerald Ringe's stack has risen to around 60,000 after he won a three-way pot versus Ali Zihni and Jake Cody.

Zihni opened to 1,400 from early postion and picked up calls from Ringe (cutoff) and Cody (big blind). The flop fell [8d][4h][th] and all three checked to the [3h] turn where a delayed 2,200 c-bet from Zihni was only called by Ringe. The board completed with the [ts] and Ringe called another 3,100 holding [ac][8c]. It was good as Zihni could only muster up [as][kd], and he dropped back down to around 28,000.

5pm: Chips ahoy!
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (ante 75)

The lovely dealers at the Hippodrome Casino counted the chip leaders from each table at the break, and below are the results:

4:50pm: DD happy upon his return
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (ante 75)

It's always nice to hit quads and triple up, hey David Docherty?

He came by media row in the break to tell us about the blog-worthy hand. There was an under-the-gun open and flat call before Docherty squeezed all-in for 10 big blinds from third to act. The UTG player called but folded when the third party jammed all-in with pocket kings. Docherty opened nines and was in deep trouble, but managed to get out of it when a nine flopped. That wasn't the end of the roller coaster though as a king appeared on the turn before another nine appeared on the river!

4:25pm: Blossoming friendship over?
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (ante 50)

Scott Kateian was seen charging out of the main tournament room for the second time. Surely not? Afraid so.

Kateian won't be talking to the UKIPT for a short while (not really) after he was coolered to bust his second bullet. The American informed the blog that he raised to 1,400 and called after an opponent three-bet to 4,200. The flop came T-9-7 and Kateian moved all-in for 16,000 with pocket sevens after a 6,200 c-bet. His opponent called with jacks and spiked the bigger set on the turn. Ouch.

The remaining players are on their second break of the day.

3:57pm: They gone
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (ante 50)

The last level of the first half is in full swing. Recent eliminations include: Marius Vaitkevicius (for a second time), Billy Chattaway, Dawid Matusiak, Luka Lennard, Nader Sarhan, Scott Kateian, Jorg Bru, Alan Horsburgh, Hristo Genov, Mihai Zelinca, Edward Swales, Terry Jordon, Geir Ellingsen, Simon Brooks, Natalia Breuiglieri, Steve Watts, Daniel Harwood, Alexander Fradlin, Paul Skipper and Samuel Brown.

3:40pm: Zihni coolered to drop back to starting stack
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (ante 50)

Ali Zihni has dropped back to starting stack after he ran queens into kings in a five-bet pot.

He four-bet to 110,025 after a mid position open and a small blind three-bet. The original raiser folded but the small blind jammed for 24,450 with [kd][ks]. Zihni called with [qh][qs] but the [3s][9c][4d][jh][8d] board failed to come to his rescue.

In other news, Jake Cody had arrived and can be found sat two to the right of Zihni.

3:34pm: The 37k stacks
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (ante 50)

PokerStars qualifier Haresh Thaker and Felix Stephensen both settled on around 37,000 chips after hands on their respective tables, but one came from above, and one from below.

Thaker opened to 900 from under the gun and was called by Jen-Yue Chiang (small blind) and the big blind. The flop fanned [kc][2h][jc] and Thaker continued for 900. Only Chiang called before the [4h] turn was checked through to the [5c] river. Chiang led for 1,725 and Thaker folded.

A few moments later, Norwegian Poker Champion Stephensen was adding chips to his stack. He was head-up on a [4c][kc][7h] flop and took the pot after a neighbour didn't have the goods to call his 1,300 bet.

3:20pm: Anyone seen Jake Cody?
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (ante 50)

Power lunches can last a long time to be fair!

Having a power lunch then going to @PSLive_Hippo for the #UKIPT Super Series!

— Jake Cody (@JakeCody) September 2, 2016

3pm: Third time lucky for Gordon?
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (ante 25)

Chris Gordon was just seen walking backing the main tournament room with a fresh rack of chips, trying for a third time. The PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome pro was unlucky in busting a short while ago.

His tablemates informed the blog that he flopped a straight in a three-way pot and three bets went in, before the rest went in on the turn versus Berivan Dag. She opened a set and filled up on the river.

2:44pm: Breaking news: Nisan drives straight into a house
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (ante 25)

Nisan Arieli has had a very good say so far but a recent knockback saw his stack reduced to around 62,000.

Action was three-way to a [th][ks][7c] flop and Arieli bet 4,000 when the action was checked to him in position. Richard Paul was the only caller and both players went on to check the [7d] turn. The board completed with the [js] and Paul led for 4,700 and snap called after Arieli raised to 15,000.

Arieli opened A-Q for a straight but Paul opened [tc][ts] for a full house.

2:28pm: Check you later (hopefully)
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (ante 25)

The tournament has entered Level 4, potentially without this bunch who busted shortly before the break: Duncan Riches, Glen Davage, Stephen O'Keeffe, Ronen Mozeson, Paul Allen and Chaofan Lei.

2:06pm: Break it up
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (ante 25)

All three rooms of players are taking a 15-minute break.

2:04pm: Bye-bye Biddy
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (ante 25)

There were a lot of chips over the line over on table seven and one had to investigate. Four players were involved in a raising war and it looked as if there has been a squeeze and then a back-shove.

However the action went down, Henry Bibby was all-in for 8,500 and was (eventually) only called by Krishna Nagaraju.

Bibby: [8d][9d]
Nagaraju: [ad][ts]

The board ran [jh][qs][ah][4d][7h] to make Nagaraju top pair and send Bibby to the rail.

1:44pm: Saxby bows out but will re-enter
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (ante 25)

"Right now!" said a defiant Kelly Saxby when questioned on her re-entry plans. She recently busted when her kings failed to hold against an opponent's nines.

The PokerStars Live at the Hippdrome pro filled the blog in on some of the details. The action was three-way to a 9-T-4 flop and Saxby accidently bet 400 instead of 4,000. Both opponents called. The turn was an 8 and she bet 7,000 from the 15,000 she was holding. One of her opponents set her in for the remaining 8,000 and she called it off holding pocket kings. Unfortunately for her, he had a set of nines and no miracle king appeared on the river.

1:30pm: Level 3 underway without....
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (ante 25)

Day 1C had already rolled into Level 3 (antes!) and, unless they've re-entered already, doesn't feature: Carl Harris, Jen-Yue Chiang, Valdir Cordeiro, Jesse Chambers and Marius Vaitkevicius.

1:22pm: Day 1B flowing
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

They come, they play, they re-enter, they stay - Day 1B has it all going on. The flight is fast approaching 150 entries, and we already have players re-entering.

Marc Hunter was the first player to bust today and he's already back in a seat. Joe Hindry's already been mentioned; he's on bullet number three. Edmund Yeung busted late on Day 1A and he's back for another crack, sat at a table in an overspill room with John Eames. Neil McCulloch, who won the Summer Classic for £12,002 back here in July, can also be found in that room.

Then there's the likes of Matt Perrins, David Docherty, Joe Grech, Ramsey Ajram and Peter Blow for the players to worry about.

1pm: Who's about?
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

The tournament has progressed to Level 2 and 136 players have entered already, spread across three rooms.

Those spotted, that we haven't mentioned so far include: PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome's Kelly Saxby, Ali Zihni, Steve Watts, Jonathan Weekes, Carl Harris, Duncan Riches, Daiva Barauskaite, Craig Connaughton, Dara O'Kearney, Joe Grech, Joe Hindry and UKIPT5 Bristol champion Pierrick Tallon.

12:43pm: Jordon's a soul man
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Terry Jordon was one of the players who fired twice unsuccessfully yesterday, and he's back for another crack today.

"Terry Jordon's first victim!" said TD Dan as he brought over Marc Hunter's exit card, the first player to hit the rail. "Today he's crushing souls!" added Dan in a statement that shows what a difference a day can make.

12:35pm: A friend in every port
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Poker tours travel around picking up friends wherever they go. Poker players travel around and pick up favourite tours that they frequent in the future. The UKIPT and Scott Kateian have a bond after the Seattle native qualified, played, and cashed at UKIPT4 Nottingham.

Since then Scott, who made many friends on that first trip, has embarked on the long trip across the pond to play more of our stops, and take more of our money! He has form within these very walls too, making the final table of the 2015 Autumn Classic, which was good for a £1,500 payday. Scott's in the field today and looking to show us Brits how it's done.

12:15pm: Gordon's alive!
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Being a re-entry event, some of those who busted yesterday are expected to return today. PokerStars Live at The Hippodrome's Chris Gordon is one such soul and he's gotten off to a good start.

He called a raise while in the big blind and then checked an [8h][kd][7h] flop. His opponent checked as well and then faced bets of 350 and 1,000 on a board that ran out [3c][5d]. Gordon's first bet was called but the four-figure bet was too much.

12:05am: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Cards are in the air for the second of two flights.

11:45am: Welcome back for Day 1B
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

The second day of the UKIPT6 Super Series is upon us and what a busy day it promises to be inside PokerStars Live at The Hippodrome. Not only does the second flight get underway at midday, but there's also a cheeky little turbo third flight scheduled for 10pm. Day 1B has an option of one re-entry and if both those chances don't work out, you can always try twice more on Day 1C.

Day 1A took place yesterday and 128 entries were whittled down to just 26 by the end of play. Jorge Ellena had a great second half of the day to surge clear and bag up 280,000. We won't be seeing him back until tomorrow!

We're expected many a big name player to grace us with their presence today, so join is back here soon to see who turns up.

- Day 1B takes place today. Day 1C (turbo) will follow at 10pm tonight.
- Day 1s consist of twelve 40-minute levels, expect Day 1C where the levels last 20 minutes. Levels will increase to 50 minutes on Day 2, and 60 minutes on Day 3.
- One re-entry permitted each flight, so six entries maximum.
- Registration closes after 6 levels.
- Starting stack is 25,000.
- The main event and all side events will be paying out top 15% throughout this series.

PokerStars Blog reporting team at UKIPT6 Super Series: Marc Convey. Photos by Mickey May.

12:30am: Stian Knutsen leads UKIPT6 Super Series final table

Over 11 levels of play were needed today to shrink the field down from 129 to the official final table of eight players. It was a frantic day full of coolers, multi-way all-ins and huge pots. The chip lead changed several times including on the very last hand.

Stian Knutsen just beat Adam Maxwell to the end of day chip lead after he eliminated Jen-Yue Chiang on the last hand of the day (see 12:10am post). Here's how the final eight will line up tomorrow:

Ever player remaining is guaranteed a £4,000 payday, which is an amount Gheorghe Macarin can only dream of after he bubbled midway through today's play. He moved his short stack in with J-T and was called in two spots, one of which was Chiang who flopped top pair and burst the bubble. The fact that Chiang then went onto bubble the final table was almost foreshadowing on his part.

The final table's two biggest names are undoubtedly Albert Sapiano and PokerStars qualifier Dara O'Kearney. The former is a long-time, loved legend of the UK poker scene and satellite king O'Kearney has finally made a UKIPT final table after making his 11th cash, just one behind Thomas Ward's record (thanks to UKIPT friend Willie Elliot for tweeting this fact).

Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody also recorded his 11th cash today, but fell in 42nd place for a £1,010 cash. Other players who cashed but failed to make the final table included: Matt Perrins, Will Kassouf, David Crane, Marc Hunter, Felix Stephensen and Dag Berivan.

The final will get underway at 12pm BST so make sure you join us back here them to see who will become the UKIPT Super Series champion for 2016.

12:10am: Jen-Yue Chiang bubbles UKIPT Super Series final table
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

Jen-Yue Chiang was very philosophical after he became the official final table bubble boy. He knew the hand played itself and that was enough for him.

He was short stacked and woke up with [ad][js]. He moved all-in and was unfortunate that Stian Knutsen was at behind with [ah][kc]. The final board of the day ran [kh][2c][jc][ks][4d]. That victory took Knutsen back up to almost 2.1 million.

12:02am: The last redraw
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

11:55pm: Down to the unofficial final table
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

Mikołaj Kwiatkiewicz busted in 10th place meaning the final nine players will redraw for the last time. It won't be the official final table until one more player busts though.

Valdir Cordeiro opened to 75,000 and then called after Kwiatkiewicz three-bet all-in for 120,000.

Kwiatkiewicz: [as][6d]
Cordeiro: [qh][th]

"Good luck, I hope you win!" said Kwiatkiewicz trying to tempt fate.

It didn't work as the board ran [4c][qc][7h][qs][6d] to bust him.

11:46pm: Still no sign of warming up
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

Another cold hand but this time it ended in a double up rather than a bustout.

Henry Bibby was first to act and moved all-in for 317,000. Chip leader Stian Knutsen was on the button and made the call.

Bibby: [ah][ad]
Knutsen: [qc][qh]

The board ran [9h][js][9s][3d][7s]. Knutsen dropped to around 1.8 million.

11:30pm: Yet another cooler costs Morrison
Level 22 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (ante 3,000)

Today's play has been littered with coolers and the hand that busted Benjamin Morrison was no different.

Chris Da-Silva raised from the button and snap called after Morrison moved all-in for 753,000 from the big blind. Da-Silva has just 20,000 more chips than his opponent.

Morrison: [ad][qs]
Da-Silva: [as][ac]

The board ran [jd][jc][8h][7h][qd]. Morrison looked a little dazed, then wished everyone good luck before heading off to get paid.

11:18pm: River folds with Doke
Level 22 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (ante 3,000)

Dara O'Kearney lost a big pot after folding on the river but got a lot of those lost chips back the very next hand.

He and Stian Knutsen made it to the river where a [3h][2c][jc][8d][qh] board rested. A huge pile of chips had already found their way into the middle and Knutsen committed another 350,000 from the big blind. O'Kearney tank folded and was shown the [7d]. Knutsen's stack rose to around 2 million.

The very next hand Jen-Yue Chiang raised to 55,000 from first position and was called by Albert Sapiano on the button and O'Kearney in the big blind. The flop fanned [9d][8h][4c] and the action was cheked to Sapiano who bet 110,000. Both opponents called before all three checked the [qd] turn. The river was the [5c] and O'Kearney led out for 200,000. Chiang tank folded and Sapiano open folded [3c][4c]. That put O'Kearney back up to around 1.3million.

11:04pm: Pez parts ways with the Main Event
Level 22 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (ante 3,000)

Matt Perrins made a move with an over card, gutshot and backdoor flush draw on the flop but ran into Adam Maxwell and his top two pair.

The flop read [th][8s][6d] and the chips went it. Perrins opened [qd][9d] and soon saw he was in trouble as Maxwell tabled [th][8s]. The board ran out [2c][3d].

10:55pm: Six-max all round as Mason falls in 13th
Level 22 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (ante 3,000)

Each table has six players apiece after the super short stacked Darren Mason called all-in from big blind.

The action folded around to Jen-Yue Chiang in the small blind and he set Mason all-in for his last 86,000. Call.

Chiang: [js][7d]
Mason: [6d][4s]

The board ran [5h][td][9s][as][tc] missing both players.

10:50pm: Full chip counts for the final 13
Level 22 - Blinds 12,000/24,000 (ante 3,000)

10:30pm: Time for a break
Level 21 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

After the frantic action, we're all in need of a 15-minute break.

10:28pm: Maskill busts in 15th place; Berivan follows in 14th
Level 21 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

Jack Maskill was the next player to hit the rail after losing a big flip versus Dara O'Kearney.

He opened to 42,000 before O'Kearney three-bet to 105,000. Maskill jammed for 334,000 with [js][jd] and his Irish opponent called with [ad][kh]. The board ran [ac][as][9h][5h][td] to make O'Kearney trips.

Just 13 players remain after Dag Berivan followed soon after. She was short and made her move after finding [ks][6s] in the hole. Adam Maxwell found [ad][jd] in the small blind, called, and survived a [4s][7c][5h][5c][qc] board.

10:22pm: Big action continues
Level 21 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

It seems as if the players are trying to get to a final table as quick as possible as the chips continue to fly.

Alexios Zervos was left short after his last encounter and got the last of his chips in with [kh][8h]. Matt Perrins called with [ac][5h] and the board ran [jd][2s][jh][as][6s] to send him to the rail.

Dara O'Kearney has enjoyed a blessed life post bubble and the good form continued with a double up courtesy of Albert Sapiano. It was a bit of a cooler as both players had flushes on a [jc][2d][7h][2h][3h] board but Sapiano's [6h][th] was lower in value that O'Kearney's [kh][jh]. "I never hit flushes and when I do....." bemoaned Sapiano.

Alex Bounsall was short and hit the rail in 16th place after his pocket sevens failed to hold against an opponent's [kc][jc] that went on to make a flush.

10:10pm: Two table redraw
Level 21 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

10pm: Three way all-in sees Jen-Yue Chiang nearly triple up
Level 21 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

The board had reached the turn and Jen-Yue Chiang called for a king on the river. It came and secured him a big pot, but it also sent Marcus West to the rail and Alexios Zervos down to just 70,000.

The latter open shoved for 288,000 before West moved all-in for 170,000 and Chiang called all-in for 218,000.

Zervos: [ac][7c]
West: [jd][jc]
Chiang: [ad][qd]

The board ran [9c][td][4h][qh][ks] to make a happy Chiang a straight. After another all-in at the same time on another table, the tournament has shrunk to 17 players and a full redraw is taking place and will be posted shortly.

9:47pm: A huge pot over here and a couple of huge pots over there
Level 21 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

Tables 1 and 3 both just had an aces versus A-K set up. A Norwegian Champion busted over on one side, and a new huge chip leader emerged on the other side.

The player to hit the rail was none other than Felix Stephensen. He had the A-K and walked into the bullets belonging to Benjamin Morrison. The aces held and Morrison's stack grew to 970,000.

Over on table number 1 it was Matt Perrins in the middle of two big pots where he took from the right and gave to the left. First up, he doubled through former chip leader Dag Berivan. His A-T hit a ten on the flop and another on the river to see her stack shrink to 230,000.

Then moments later it was he who had the [ah][kh] that ran into Alexander Fradlin's [ac][ad]. The board ran [8h][jh][6c][ts][js] and Perrins dropped to 200,000, whereas Fradlin's all-in was for 819,000.

9:35pm: Updated payouts
Level 21 - Blinds 10,000/20,000 (ante 3,000)

9:20pm: Nolan busts in 25th place
Level 20 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

Valdir Cordeiro has soared past a million (almost 1.1m) chips after he eliminated the chatty Jack Nolan in a big, cold pot.

The chips were already being passed to Cordeiro but some of the pieces were put together for the blog by Steve the floor man and tablemate Chris Da-Silva. Nolan had K-J and Cordeiro had A-Q. Some chips went in on a K-J-8 flop before the rest went in on a T turn. Cordeiro's straight held as Nolan failed to fill up on the river.

9:11pm: Laming laments as a three-outer hits the river
Level 20 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

Day 1B chip leader Danny Laming's ride has come to an end at the hands of Alexander Fradlin. Matt Perrins kindly filled the blog in on the details.

Laming opened from under the gun with queens and then four-bet all-in after Fradin three-bet from the big blind. The latter called with A-J and an ace hit the river.

8:56pm: Copy and paste doubles
Level 20 - Blinds 8,000/16,000 (ante 2,000)

Mikołaj Kwiatkiewicz is, to be a honest, a name that I copy and paste from the player list every time. It looks like I'll be doing that for a while longer as well, seeing as he found a great spot to double up.

He was in the big blind and three-bet all-in for 189,000 after a cutoff raise to 40,000 from Andy Bell. Call.

Kwiatkiewicz: [ah][ks]
Bell: [ac][js]

The board ran [5c][4h][8h][ad][3c] to see Kwiatkiewicz's hand hold. Bell dropped to 110,000.

8:30pm: Break time counts

Thanks to the Hippodrome staff for their assistance.

8:21pm: Break time
Level 19 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

The remaining 26 players are taking a 15-minute break.

8:20pm: Sapiano grumpy despite a win
Level 19 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

Albert Sapiano was very grumpy despite winning a pot to get up to around 550,000.

Dag Berivan opened from early position and was called by Terence Donakey (button) and Sapiano (big blind) en route to a [6d][as][6h] flop. The action checked to Donakey who bet 35,000. Only Sapiano called and he called another 52,000 on the [3d] turn before the [5s] river was checked.

Sapiano opened [ac][ts] beating out Donakey's [jc][jd].

"Nice hand Albert," said Berivan.

"Shut up, stop talking to me!" barked Sapiano. "I told you I don't like you."

It seemed that Sapiano didn't fully mean it, he was just still remembering being "shafted" by Berivan a few times today.

8:08pm: Laming slips
Level 19 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

Danny Laming has dropped back down to around 300,000 after doubling up neighbour, Alexander Fradlin. Matt Perrins has gotten his stack back up to 620,000 and it's likely that Laming had a hand in that as well.

A [2c][3d][th] flop was out and Fradin moved all-in for 160,000 and was called by Laming who held [js][ts]. Fradin opened [kd][td] and the board only got better for him as it ran out [8d][kc].

7:57pm: Maskill rips and flips
Level 19 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

Jack Maskill is back on the up after doubling through Andy Bell.

He was in middle position and open ripped 184,000 straight into the pot. Bell was in the small blind and made the call.

Bell: [9d][9s]
Maskill: [ad][tc]

The board ran [td][8c][2s][4h][as] to make Maskill two pair.

7:42pm: Shchepkin dominated and busts
Level 19 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

Dmitrii Shchepkin was left very short after an earlier bad beat and managed a couple of double ups, but couldn't do it for a third time.

He got his last 132,000 in preflop with [kh][qh] and found a willing customer in Darren Mason who held a dominating [ac][kc]. The board ran [9s][ah][4s][jd][8c] to pair Mason's ace.

7:31pm: Payouts up to 43rd
Level 19 - Blinds 6,000/12,000 (ante 2,000)

There are 36 players remaining in the Main Event. Here's who has collected their money so far.

7:18pm: Laming scores huge double through Pez
Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

"Nice hand mate," said Matt Perrins to Danny Laming after the latter doubled to over 600,000 after a big preflop confrontation.

The action was already completed and the dealer was counting that Laming had 305,000. Perrins A-J was already in the muck but Laming's [qh][qc] were still proudly on display, next to a board that rested as [kd][5c][jc][ks][9d]. Perrins was left with 240,000.

7pm: Cody canned
Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody had left the building after falling for the old limp under the gun with aces tactic.

Valdir Cordeiro played the villain/hero in this piece and started thing off with that limp. He picked up two calls along the way before Cody moved all-in from the button for 141,000 with pocket fives. Cordeiro re-shoved with his aces and successfully isolated before surviving the board.

6:50pm: Short stack war
Level 18 - Blinds 5,000/10,000 (ante 1,000)

Mikołaj Kwiatkiewicz and Dmitrii Shchepkin both came back from dinner with short stacks and needed to get a move on. They both found pairs, went with them, and one of them was left super short after getting unlucky.

Shchepkin opened from under the gun and called after Kwiatkiewicz three-bet all-in for 100,000 from the small blind.

Kwiatkiewicz: [8c][8d]
Shchepkin: [qc][qs]

The board ran [6c][4c][8s][5h][4s] to make Shchepkin a full house. Kwiatkiewicz was left with just 38,000.

6:45pm: Full chip counts from the break
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

Thanks to the dealers for helping with the counts.

5:52pm: Dinner time
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

The players are on a 50-minute dinner break.

5:47pm: Doke was close to being broke but then.....
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

Squeak thru bubble with 9 bbs. Then double twice. 250k now, average 198k. Easy game #UKIPT

— Dara O'Kearney (@daraokearney) September 3, 2016

440k after more post bubble jollity #UKIPT

— Dara O'Kearney (@daraokearney) September 3, 2016

5:38pm: And then there was silence. Kassouf busts
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

Will Kassouf and Andrew Christoforou were the last two Brits to bust in the WSOP Main Event this summer, falling in 17th and 18th place respectively for lifetime high scores of $338k. They both made it into the money today and found themselves drawn next to each other for a touch of irony. Even more so when Christoforou took out his neighbour.

"At least I outlasted him the World Series!" said Kassouf as departing words.

Christoforou opened to 17,000 from under the gun and was called by both blind, including Kassouf in the big blind. The flop spread [4s][9c][8s] and the small blind led for 27,000. Kassouf only had 37,000 and put them over the line after some speech play. Christoforou then moved in behind and the small blind open-folded tens.

"Big blind special!" shouted Kassouf as he opened [9s][3s] for top pair and flush draw. Christoforou tabled [ah][ac] and survived the [jc][qd] turn and river.

5:20pm: Chiang's at it again
Level 18 - Blinds 4,000/8,000 (ante 1,000)

Not content with bursting the bubble, Jen-Yue Chiang has gone after more scalps, namely Barry Donovan.

The latter raised from the hijack and Chiang defended his big blind before a [9h][6s][5h] flop was dealt. Both players checked and a Donovan delayed 20,000 c-bet on the [9s] turn was treated to a check-raise all-in. He didn't have many chips behind and decided to call off with [ad][ks]. Unfortunately for him he was drawing dead as Chiang opened [9d][8h] for trips and that was that.

5pm: Cody doubles down and back up again
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

Jake Cody was cololered in a hand to go relatively short but responded with a quick double up.

Jack Nolan told the blog that he squeezed all-in for around 150,000 with pocket queens after Cody had raised and received two callers. Cody called with jacks and couldn't improve.

A couple of hands later Cody and two opponents had made it to the turn where the board read [qc][6c][ks][3s]. The action was checked to Vadim Cojocaru in the hijack who bet 39,000. Cody check-raised all-in for 108,000 from the big blind and Cojocaru tank called after the third party had folded. Cody opened [kc][ts] and survived the [5s] river after Cojocaru opened [th][ts].

4:45pm: Macarin bubbles UKIPT Super Series
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

After a few hands of non-events and double ups, the bubble finally burst with the exit of Gheorghe Macarin.

He was down just 27,000 when he moved all-in from under the gun. Victor Ilyukhin called from the hijack and Jen-Yue Chiang did likewise from the small blind. The flop spread [qd][7c][js] and both of Macarin's opponents checked before Chiang led out for 37,000 on the [8d] turn. Call. The [6h] competed the board and both players checked again.

Macarin opened [jh][th] for second pair, which was behind to Ilyukhin's top-paired [ks][qs], but Chiang had them both beat with [ad][qc]. All remaining 63 players are all guaranteed a payday of £935.

4:12pm: The tenseless few
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (ante 1,000)

The players are back in their seats for the continued bubble period. The following probably enjoyed their break seeing as they're the big stacks:

3:52pm: Tense break
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (ante 500)

The bubble failed to burst before the level ended so 64 tense players are off on a 15-minute break.

3:30pm: Captain America soft bubbles
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (ante 500)

Edmund Anderson, who's down as Captain America in the Hippodrome system, has busted in 65th place after losing two flips. Before his last hand, he had apparently lost a 200k flip.

Dag Berivan opened to 14,000 and then called after Anderson three-bet all-in for 72,500.

Berivan: [jd][jc]
Anderson: [ad][kd]

The board ran [jh][4d][qc][qh][8d] to make Berivan a full house. She's closing in on 600,000 (good for the chip lead) after an amazing couple of levels. Only one more player will leave with nothing and the tension has been ramped up to 11.

3:05pm: So close but no cigar
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (ante 500)

There are 68 players remaining and play will go hand for hand when 65 remain, which will be just two off the money. The following will be very disappointed at just missing out on a cash:

Paul Skipper, Julien Michaud, Tony Ringe, James Mitchell, Vasile Stancu, Shouvik Pal, Rory Campbell, Paul Brown, Joe Hindry, Christoffel Van Kraayenburg, Phil Souki, Hamish Morjaria, Florian Duta, Grant Fox, Julien-Pierre Jolivet, Bobby Sohal, Andre Loua, Apollo Enriquez, Michel Brisley and Angelos Nastos Megas.

2:49pm: Saxy flushed away
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (ante 500)

PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome team member Kelly Saxby has hit the rail after being flopped dead.

Jake Cody informed the blog that she moved all-in for her last 35,000 with [ad][2d] and was called in one spot before Dmitrii Shchepkin successfully isolated with a reraise. He opened a dominated A-K suited and flopped a flush.

2:35pm: Why is Jack Maskill so happy?
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (ante 500)

Because he knocked out two players in back to back hands to close in on a 300k stack is why!

Maskill opened from mid position with [6h][7h] and called after the very short stacked Zahir Aslam three-bet all-in from the big blind with [ad][7d]. The board ran [3h][7s][qh][4s][8h] to make Maskill a flush. "Almost a case of too many outs!" he commented as he raked in the pot.

The very next hand saw Ole Nedreboe three-bet all-in for 49,000 from the button after another Maskill opening raise. The latter called with [as][9s] and paired up on a [js][9d][2s][2c][4s] board to beat Nedreboe's [7h][7d].

2:25pm: Classic Albert
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (ante 500)

Got a love a bit of Albert Sapiano action. The UK legend has passed 300,000 after getting Edmund Anderson of a claimed two pair.

Sapaino limped in from middle position and went to a [5s][2h][6h] flop with Julien Michaud and Anderson from the blinds. Anderson led out for 7,000 before Sapiano moved all-in for 285,000. Michaud folded and the decision was on Anderson and the 185,000 he had back.

"You actually have me covered now?" asked Anderson.

"Bit more than last time," responded Sapiano.

Anderson shook his head and f-bombed to himself.

"I hope you win!" goaded Sapiano.

"How good is two pair?" asked Anderson.

Sapiano didn't reply immediately and ate some food before saying, "Sounds like you've only got one pair!"

Eventually Anderson admitted defeat and folded his hand.

2:05pm: Chip daddies
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (ante 500)

Thanks to the Hippodrome team for counting the following counts in the break:

1:42pm: Final 100 on break
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (ante 400)

Around 100 players made it to the first break of the day. The following have a longer break than they would like:

Fernando Bento, Daiva Barauskaite, Mark Mcvey, Roar Flotre, Wai Lee, Craig Sweden, Federico Quevedo, Patryk Slusarek, Naor Slobodskoy, Jonathan Somekh, Craig Newton, Luke Williams, Anmol Srivats, Ricardo Valim, Vamshi Vandanapu, Simon Dryan, Malcolm McDougall, Hilmi Ture, Christoph Maximowitz and Robert Heidorn.

1:30pm: Huge cooler pot win for Felix
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (ante 400)

Felix Stephensen has a stack approaching 300,000 after a big three-way all-in that saw Tim Wright hit the rail and Valdir Cordeiro take a big hit.

There was a raise and call before Stephensen three-bet squeezed. Wright then four-bet all-in fro 43,000 and Cordeiro five-bet all-in for chunks. The first two players folded and that left the Norwegian who called all-in for 112,600.

Stephensen: [kc][ks]
Wright: [jh][jd]
Cordeiro: [qc][qd]

The board ran [7c][8h][7d][3d][3s] to see the kings hold up. Cordeiro dropped to 130,000.

1:12pm: Kassouf takes from neighbour Christoforou
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (ante 400)

"I played it like a boss!" declared the shy and retiring Will Kassouf after he (correctly) talked himself into calling in a hand versus Andrew Christoforou.

The latter opened from under the gun and was called by the button and Kassouf in the big blind. The flop fanned [tc][as][5c] and Christoforou continued for 7,000. Kassouf check-called before both players checked the [kd] turn. The river was [2d] and Christoforou bet 8,000 when he was checked to. Kassouf went into his standard chat mode and then made the call with [ac][jh]. He was correct, and moved up to 150,000, as Christoforou opened [kh][jd]. --MC

12:56pm: No level 14 for.....
Level 14 - Blinds 1,500/3,000 (ante 400)

Level 14 has started but will not feature the following players: Leonardo Armino, Ian Otobo, Charles Harrison, Lorenzo Nesti, Andy Bell, Chris Simpson and Richard Paul.

12:45pm: Felix knows how to play Wright
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 300)

The 2015 Norwegian Poker Champion Felix Stephensen has moved up to around 165,000 after (successfully) using the old check-raise manoeuvre on Tim Wright.

The flop was out as [6c][ac][8d] and the Norwegian checked from the small blind and then raised Wright's 11,200 c-bet up to 35,000. It did the job as Wright tank folded to drop to 65,000.

12:20pm: Who's followed Jordi?
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 300)

Those who have joined Mathias for an early bath on Day 2 are: Robert Shiell, Matthew Pierce, Charu Vikram, Justin Kyriakides and Paul Dunne.

12:10pm: Great start for Pez
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 300)

Matt Perrins has gotten off to a great start by taking all the chips off neighbour, Mathias Jordi, to move up to around 275,000.

The two players were heads-up and the chips went it on the turn with a board reading [5s][qc][5c][9h]. Jordi opened [ks][qs] but had serious kicker issues as Perrins' [ah][qh] was dominating. The river came as the [jh] and Jordi made an early exit.

12:02pm: Shuffle up and deal!
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 300)

11:45am: Day 2 about to commence
Level 13 - Blinds 1,200/2,400 (ante 300)

Welcome back to PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome for what promises to be an action-packed day of poker. All three starting flights of the UKIPT Super Series Main Event have been completed - with 129 making it through - and today's plan is to try and whittle them down to a final table of eight. Twelve 50-minute levels are locked and loaded and the structural pressure on those short stacks should see a steady flow of people leave the scene throughout the day.

Day 1C (turbo) was a great success last night as 83 more entries were added to the pile. They were made up of 68 unique players and 15 re-entries. Stian Knutsen ended the flight as chip leader on 158,200 and leads 28 survivors into today.

Those extra entries late last night helped push the total number of entries for the event up to 453 (up from last year's 291), and they created a £219,705 prize pool. The top 63 players will be guaranteed a minimum payday of £935 and those who make tomorrow's final table will leave with no less than £5,000. The winner? He or she will take home a cool £42,500. For a full breakdown, click here.

Here are the top five counts heading into the day:

PokerStars Blog reporting team at UKIPT6 Super Series: Marc Convey. Photos by Mickey May.

Seat 1: Albert Sapiano, United Kingdom - 1,133,000
If any player can be described as a mainstay of the UKIPT, it has to be Albert Sapiano. Hailing from Maidstone, he is a constant presence on the live tournament poker scene, and counts among his successes several outright wins for up to £50,160; his overall live tournament earnings top $340,000. Originally in the honey business, Sapiano now dedicates a large proportion of his time following the live circuit; he describes the UKIPT as "wonderful - especially with addition of the option for re-entry. It's about bloody time!" This tournament, however, has only taken one bullet.

Seat 2: Stian Knutsen, Norway - 2,096,000
Stian Knutsen is a 30 year old professional poker player specialising in online cash games. It is only recently that Knutsen rediscovered the joys of the live game, travelling to Spain for both the live cash action and the Estrellas Main Event this year (cashing for €1,840). His start in poker came when a friend staked him 11 years ago, and this naturally progressed to an online career after just one year. His progress to the final table's chip lead was initially rocky, but after his stack hit the 500,000 mark, he played "many more controlled pots, slowly building." This has placed him near-tied for pole position with Adam Maxwell for tomorrow's final, where he is guaranteed his biggest live cash.

Seat 3: Chris Da-Silva, United Kingdom - 1,411,000
Chris Da-Silva is a software architect and cites poker as his main hobby away from work. He's been playing for 15 years and, like most people of his age, started off online before moving into the live arena more recently (after a break from the game). He sees himself as a cash game grinder and plays NLHE at medium to big stakes. Since September last year he made a decision to play more competitions and that has led to where he is now - on a UKIPT final. Da-Silva has won a few cash races at local casinos for decent results (one for £13,000) but this is his best result in an MTT proper and he hopes to outdo his previous best performance tomorrow.

Seat 4: Alex Fradlin, Israel - 1,363,000
Alex Fradlin is a 48 year old dentist who started playing about 15 years ago online on PokerStars, specialising in tournaments alone. Now, however, it is no longer legal to play online in his home country of Israel, and he's been travelling on the live circuit a bit more this year. He recently cashed for €5,050 in the Italian Poker Open - his first live result to date - and his final table appearance now guarantees an even larger one, perhaps marking a more permanent transition to the live felt.

Seat 5: Henry Bibby, United Kingdom - 564,000
Henry Bibby has manoeuvred a short stack through the perilous waters of the final table bubble, to make his first Main Event final table, and guarantee his first UKIPT cash. Bibby has a string of prior live results in smaller-stakes tournaments around the United Kingdom, but the £5,000 he is guaranteed for making the final, lowest stacked or not, outstrips them all.

Seat 6: Adam Maxwell, United Kingdom - 2,087,000
Adam Maxwell is a 21 year old professional poker player from Watford, and has been for all of six weeks, after graduating university having studied Mathematics. His biggest win to date is $25,000 online under the moniker "adznen300". This is Maxwell's first ever UKIPT and he has found it to be "an amazing experience" - all the more so considering that he heads to the final nearly tied for the chip lead and that this cash (minimum £5,000) will add considerably to his results to date, which include a first place in a £300 tournament for £8,500. He looks forward to playing the upcoming PokerStars Festival Events and aspires to join the Championship Events soon.

Seat 7: Valdir Cordeiro Dos Santos, Brazil - 1,811,000
Valdir Cordeiro Dos Santos owns a building company, but makes time to play a fair bit of poker including the odd EPT (concerning which he reminisced about bubbling at EPT3 in London). This year he took down a 550-runner £150 Superstack tournament for £15,628, and has performed equally well in the similar-sized UKIPT Super Series Main Event. Dos Santos started playing 16 years ago live in Sao Paolo and has stayed loyal to the brick and mortar game ever since.

Seat 8: Dara O'Kearney, PokerStars Qualifier, Ireland - 869,000
Dara O'Kearney, 51, is a professional poker player and former ultra-running champion hailing from Dublin. One of the best-known players on the UKIPT circuit, he plays both live and online, all around the world. His largest cash to date was for $300,000 for his runner-up position in WSOP Event 54 in 2015, but he's also garnered accolades such as the UKIPT online qualifier of the year. Partly following from that, he has played almost every single UKIPT event since Season 1, making the final two tables five times previously (including one 9th place), although this is his first actual Day 3 appearance. The UKIPT is O'Kearney's favourite tour, and he's sad to see it go, meanwhile adopting a "wait and see approach" with regard to the new PokerStars Festival events.

Stian Knutsen wins UKIPT6 Super Series and £42,500

Quiet. Focused. Stubborn.

These were the three words I jotted down on my notepad a couple of hours ago when I challenged myself to describe Stian Knutsen and his approach at the table today. There were more bubbly characters at today's final, such as Albert Sapiano and Chris Da-Silva, but it was the unassuming Norwegian who made it to heads up, alongside another quiet character in the shape of PokerStars qualifier Dara O'Kearney.

By that stage Knutsen had already done 90% of the work needed to win the title and £42,500. O'Kearney needed help from the deck and although he got some, it wasn't enough to turn around the large chip disparity between the two.

Chris Da-Silva finished the tournament in third place and being sat to Knutsen's left with an aggressive style, meant he was, for long periods the biggest threat. Knutsen stubbornly took him on though and managed to spike a couple of river cards in heads up pots between the two to frustrate the Brit. Knutsen also had the final say in the Da-Silva's day when he won a race with sixes versus A-Q; the very same hand he used to finish of O'Kearney heads up as well. Knutsen also took out Henry Bibby an hour into the day but, apart from that, he let his opponents finish each other off.

Here's how everyone finished at today's final table:

That's all from this highly enjoyable UKIPT6 Super Series weekend in London. The next outing for the tour will be a special occasion, with it being a first and the last of something all in one go. UKIPT6 Birmingham takes place from October 5-9 and is the first time the tour will make a visit to the second biggest city in the UK. It's also the last ever UKIPT before the tour is rebranded under the PokerStars Festival banner. Qualifiers are already running on PokerStars.com so get involved and come and join the festivities.

But for now, it's goodbye from London. Thanks for reading all week and a massive congratulations to all today's finalists, especially Stian Knutsen.

7:12pm: Dara O'Kearney eliminated in 2nd place (£26,800)
Level 29 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (ante 15,000)

It was third time unlucky for Dara O'Kearney as Stian Knutsen finally managed to see the job through. The Irishman got his chips in in a flip but that was obviously far too much equity for him.

The Norwegian raised to 240,000 and made a quick call once O'Kearney three-bet all-in from the big blind.

O'Kearney: [as][8d]
Knutsen: [6d][6s]

The board ran [7d][js][kc][ts][jc] to see the kings hold up. The PokerStars qualifier won £26,800 for 11th and biggest cash on the UKIPT.

7:03pm: Who's behind the wheel?
Level 29 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (ante 15,000)

Dara O'Kearney is who. He's back over 2.5 million after making a straight on the river.

The pot was limped and Stian Knutsen bet 125,000 on the flop when the action was checked to him. The turn was checked through and a [3c][6d][7s][4c][2s] board rested on the river. O'Kearney bet 225,000 and opened [ah][5s] when Knutsen called. The Norwegian mucked.

6:50pm: All-in or fold
Level 29 - Blinds 60,000/120,000 (ante 15,000)

There's the odd limp still but a lot of the action has seen one or other player all-in preflop with no calls.

The latest hand saw Stian Knutsen raise to 250,000 before tank-folding to Dara O'Kearney's 1.99 million shove.

6:35pm: Some chips back for Knutsen
Level 28 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Stian Knutsen has extended the gap once more by moving Dara O'Kearney off a hand on the turn.

He raised to 225,000 and then bet 150,000 on a [td][6h][5c] flop. O'Kearney called preflop then check-raised to 400,000. Knutsen called then bet 375,000 on the [7s] turn. O'Kearney folded to drop back below 3 million.

6:28pm: Another Doke double
Level 28 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Dara O'Kearney obviously doesn't mind being dominated. He just got his stack in with an inferior ace once more, but yet again, found a way to survive.

He was on the button and moved all-in for 1.765 million. Stian Knutsen looked down at his cards and made a quick call.

Knutsen: [ac][jd]
O'Kearney: [as][4s]

The board ran [5d][6d][tc][4c][ah] to make the embarrassed (so he said) Dubliner two pair.

6:10pm: River raising from Knutsen
Level 28 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Dara O'Kearney's stack has dropped back to around 2 million after he bet-folded a river.

He led for 100,000 on the turn and 250,000 on the river. The final board read [ac][3s][ad][2h][5d] and Stian Knutsen called turn and raised river to 725,000. Fold.

6:02pm: Dara doubles, luckily
Level 28 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Dara O'Kearney got his chips in dominated but found a way out to survive and double up.

He was on the button and moved all-in for 1.485 million. Call!

O'Kearney: [js][9h]
Knutsen: [as][9c]

The board ran [qh][5s][7h][ts][8s] to make O'Kearney a straight. Game on.

5:58pm: O'Kearney dips below 2 million
Level 28 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Heads up has been mostly played small-ball so far, with a lot of button limping.

Dara O'Kearney just paid off a river value bet from Stian Knutsen to drop below 2 million. Knutsen checked his option after an O'Kearney button limp and a [kc][qh][9h][ac][5d] board rolled out. No more chips ventured forward until the river where Knutsen led for 175,000. His Irish opponent called but mucked upon seeing [ks][7s].

5:45pm: Chris Da-Silva eliminated in 3rd place (£19,250)
Level 28 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Well that was a surprise. After Dara O'Kearney had limped off the button and Stian Knutsen completed, the last thing that was expected was an exit.

Chris Da-Silva was in the big blind and raised to 350,000. O'Kearney folded but Knutsen moved all-in and, after thinking for a minute, Da-Silva called all-in.

Knutsen: [6c][6h]
Da-Silva: [as][qc]

The board ran [5h][3h][th][9d][2h] to see the sixes hold.

Knutsen will now take an 8.8 million to 2.5 million leads into heads up play.

5:35pm: Play resumes
Level 28 - Blinds 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)

Official chip counts:

Stian Knutsen - 6.66 million
Dara O'Kearney - 2.73 million
Chris Da-Silva - 1.935 million

4:50pm: Dinner break
Level 27 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (ante 10,000)

The three players have decided to move forward the dinner break and will take 45 minutes now.

4:48pm: Another knock for Da-Silva
Level 27 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (ante 10,000)

Chris Da-Silva's stack has shrunk to 2.05 million after Dara O'Kearney took a pot off him.

The turn was out and the board read [2d][jc][5h][as]. O'Kearney checked from the small blind and called a 325,000 bet before both players checked the [js] river. O'Kearney opened [ah][4c] and Da-Silva made a slow fold. O'Kearney moved past 2.5 million.

4:42pm: Running good?
Level 27 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (ante 10,000)

"You run so good!" commented Chris Da-Silva to Stian Knutsen on showdown in a limped pot that got interesting. The loss saw his stack drop to 2.4 million.

They were in the blinds and Knutsen led for 85,000 on a [7c][4s][ts] flop. The turn was the [7h] and Knutsen bet 140,000 and called when he was raised to 325,000. The [6h] completed the board and both players checked. Knutsen opened [ac][6c] and scooped as Da-Silva mucked.

4:25pm: Valdir Cordeiro Dos Santos eliminated in 4th place (£15,300)
Level 27 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (ante 10,000)

Dara O'Kearney's stack has gotten up to a high of 2.3 million after he took care of Valdir Cordeiro Dos Santos in fourth place.

The two players were in the blinds and took to a [6c][th][kd] flop after preflop limps. Cordeiro Dos Santos led for 85,000 and was called. He then check-called 140,000 on the [td] turn and check-called all-in for 520,000 on the [7s] river. O'Kearney opened [ts][8s] beating out Cordeiro Dos Santos' [kh][4d].

4:17pm: Da-Silva takes on Knutsen, wins
Level 27 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (ante 10,000)

Chris Da-Silva negated a positional disadvantage to scoop a nice pot off chip leader Stian Knutsen. The latter is still cruising on over 6 million though.

Knutsen raised from the button and Da-Silva called to an [ad][5h][8d] flop. He continued for 110,000 and called when Da-Silva check-raised to 365,000. The turn was the [js] and Da-Silva led for 800,000 (1.1 million back). He put his head into his arms as Knutsen tanked for several minutes before folding.

4:07pm: Doke walks into a house
Level 27 - Blinds 40,000/80,000 (ante 10,000)

Dara O'Kearney has dropped back down to around 1.45 million after Stian Knutsen made a full house in a limped blind battle.

Both players checked the flop before O'Kearney checked-called bets of 80,00 and 205,000. The final board read [2d][8h][ad][2h][8s] and Knutsen opened [9d][8c]. O'Kearney nodded and mucked.

3:50pm: Knutsen tricky play fail
Level 26 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 5,000)

Stian Knutsen has taken a small knock to his stack after a blind on blind battle versus Chris Da-Silva.

He limped in from the small blind to face a raise to 185,000 from Da-Silva. He came back with a reraise to 485,000 but had to admit defeat and fold when Da-Silva jammed. The latter moved up to around 2.2million.

3:34pm: Adam Maxwell eliminated in 5th place (£12,000)
Level 26 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 5,000)

It just wasn't Adam Maxwell's day today. He didn't seem to make any miss-steps, but couldn't get the deck to help him out in anyway, highlighted most by his exit hand.

Chris Da-Silva moved all-in for 1.4million from under the gun and Maxwell called all-in from the very next seat.

Da-Silva: [as][7s]
Maxwell: [kc][ks]

The board ran [8d][6c][ac][4h][qd] to pair's Da-Silva' ace and he moved up to around 2 million.

3:20pm: Jack the lad O'Kearney doubles
Level 26 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 5,000)

A second double of the day for Dara O'Kearney and once more he withdrew from Adam Maxwell.

The latter raised from the cutoff and snapped the Irishman off when he three-bet all-in for 869,000 from the button.

Maxwell: [ts][th]
O'Kearney: [jh][jc]

The board ran [9s][9d][6s][qc][7d] to see the jacks hold. Maxwell dropped to around 700,000.

3:15pm: Cordeiro wins with eights
Level 26 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 5,000)

Valdir Cordeiro has been relatively quiet today but just won a pot off Chris Da-Silva to edge closer to 3 million.

He opened to 135,000 from the cutoff and Da-Silva peeled from the big blind to see a [kh][3s][7s] flop. Cordeiro continued for 165,000 and was check-called before the [4d][2c] turn and river were checked through.

"Ace high," announced Da-Silva before mucking upon seeing Cordeiro's [8d][8h].

2:57pm: Power poker from Knutsen
Level 26 - Blinds 30,000/60,000 (ante 5,000)

Stian Knutsen has extended his lead after he bombed the river in a hand against Adam Maxwell.

He raised from the button and Maxwell peeled from the big blind prior to check-calling a 75,000 c-bet on a [9d][jc][ac] flop. Both players checked the [3c] turn before Maxwell checked to face a 540,000 bet on the [7c] river.

It really looked as if he wanted to call and at one point he asked, "Is king high any good?" He decided against the hero call and made a reluctant looking fold. Knutsen is looking menacing right now.

2:42pm: Fantastic five chip counts

Stian Knutsen - 5.1 million
Valdir Cordeiro - 2.45 million
Adam Maxwell - 2.16 million
Chris Da-Silva - 946,000
Dara O'Kearney - 904,000

2:30pm: First break of the day
Level 25 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

The players are on a 15-minute break.

2:25pm: Knutsen gets there to win huge four-bet pot
Level 25 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Stian Knutsen has moved back to the top of the counts after he won a huge pot off neighbour Chris Da-Silva.

He opened to 105,000 from the cutoff and then four-bet to 480,000 after Da-Silva three-bet to 240,000 from the next seat. The board rolled out [4d][ac][7d][3s][qs] with Knutsen leading for 315,000 and 510,000 on flop and turn before he checked the river. Da-Silva checked back and then sat motionless once he saw Knutsen open [qc][jc] for a rivered pair. He dropped to 950,000. It's hard to tell what Knutsen is up to but a break is immanent and full counts will be carried out.

2:10pm: Albert Sapiano eliminated in 6th place (£9,400)
Level 25 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

"I never hit flushes anyway," said Albert Sapiano after his all-in was called by Adam Maxwell. On this occasion he was right and he hit the rail.

Chris Da-Silva had opened from second position and picked up calls from Maxwell (cutoff) and Sapiano (big blind) en route to a [9d][9c][4h] flop. All three checked and then Sapiano moved all-in for 354,000 on the [8d] turn. Da-Silva folded but Maxwell made a considered call.

Sapiano: [kd][5d]
Maxwell: [ah][qd]

Maxwell made a great call with ace high and improved on the [qc] river. He moved up to around 2.5 million.

1:59pm: Double Doke
Level 25 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

PokerStars qualifier Dara O'Kearney moved all-in for a third time in an orbit and this time he was called to find himself at risk.

He was in the hijack and made the move for his last 447,000. Adam Maxwell was in the big blind and made the call.

Maxwell: [ks][jd]
O'Kearney: [ah][7s]

The board ran [3s][2s][2c][ac][kd] and Maxwell dropped to 1.95 million.

1:52pm: Alexander Fradlin eliminated in 7th place (£7,055)
Level 25 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Alexander Fradlin made a move with a gutshot but Valdir Cordeiro made the call with an over pair and eliminated him.

The former opened from the cutoff and called when the latter three-bet from the small blind. The flop came [3d][8s][4h] and Cordeiro led for 350,000 and called when Fradlin moved all-in for 577,000 on top.

Cordeiro: [9h][9d]
Fradlin: [ad][5s]

The board ran out [4d][jc] and Cordeiro shouted, "Yes!" and moved into the chip lead with 2.9 million.

1:44pm: Doke's in shoving mode
Level 25 - Blinds 25,000/50,000 (ante 5,000)

Not much a man can do when he has fewer than 10 big blinds. Dara O'Kearney is in full-on shoving mode.

His first all-in got quick folds, but his second one - for 437,000 from under the gun - had a couple of opponents thinking before releasing their holdings.

1:24pm: Da-Silva gains revenge on Fradin
Level 24 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

Chris Da-Silva found a dream flop to gain a full double up through Alexander Fradin, who took a lot of his chips a while back.

The former raised from under the gun and Fradin called from the next seat. The flop fanned [6s][9c][5d] and Da-Silva continued or 120,000. Fradin raised and then made a quick call after Da-Silva moved all-in for 718,000.

Da Silva: [7d][8d] for a flopped straight.
Fradin: [qh][qd] for an over pair.

The board ran out [2d][7s] and Fradin dropped to 1.25 million.

1:17pm: Sapiano realises dream...
Level 24 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

....of winning one hand.

He and Valdir Cordeiro took to a [4d][jc][8c] flop where Sapiano open shoved for around half a million. Cordeiro tank folded and was shown [qc][9c] by Sapiano.

"Well, I've won one hand, so I'm happy now!" he said. "Now anyone can take my chips."

1:08pm: Henry Bibby eliminated in 8th place (£5,000)
Level 24 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

It's taken a while but the first player has been eliminated, and it was Henry Bibby who fell to Stian Knutsen after a miss-timed shove.

The latter raised from the cutoff and Bibby defended his big blind to see a [7h][8c][6d] flop. Knutsen continued for 75,000 and Bibby check-called. On the [9s] turn Bibby checked to face a 120,000 bet that he treated to an all-in for 631,000. Knutsen asked for a count and then called with [ah][td] for a straight. Bibby opened [ac][kc] and headed off into the London afternoon once the [2h] appeared on the river.

12:55pm: Fradlin shoves on Da-Silva
Level 24 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

Chris Da-Silva went deep into the tank after he bet into Alexander Fradlin on the river, only to be shoved on.

He raised from the hijack and Fradlin called in the next seat. The flop fell [kd][js][6d] and Da-Silva check-called 120,000 before both players checked the [7d] turn. The river was the [9d] and Da-Silva led out for 315,000 only for Fradlin to quickly move all-in for 955,000. Da-Silva thought for a good while before folding to preserve the 800,000 or so he had back.

"Can you tell these boys, I'd like to win one f%%king hand before I bust?" yelled a frustrated sounding Albert Sapiano to no one in particular.

12:35pm: More for Maxwell
Level 24 - Blinds 20,000/40,000 (ante 5,000)

Adam Maxwell has extended his lead slightly after getting Stian Knutsen off a hand.

The latter raised from under the gun and was called by Maxwell (cutoff) along with Albert Sapiano (big blind). The flop spread [8d][8s][5h] and Knutsen continued for 90,000. Maxwell called and then bet 130,000 on the [as] turn when the action was checked to him.

While Knutsen was thinking, Sapiano said to the dealer, "Be nice to get a hand at some point!" The dealer gave him a little elbow to quieten him down.

Then Knutsen mucked. --MC

12:17pm: Da-Silva after Da-gold
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

Chris Da-Silva is ideally sat to the left of start of day chip leader Stian Knutsen and just used that position to win a nice pot without showdown.

A pile of chips had made it into the middle by the time the turn was out and the board read [ks][2s][4c][ah]. Knutsen led for 115,000 from the small blind and then tank-folded after the Londoner raised to 250,000. The raise came with an intimidating stare down as well.

12:09pm: Three-betting and Sapiano advice
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

"What's the point of that?" asked Albert Sapiano of Dara O'Kearney after the Irishman three-bet folded the very first hand. "I had a lovely hand and wanted to see the flop. I've driven two hours and I don't want to go back yet."

"What's your name?" he continued. "Well Dara, can I suggest if you raise in future, you follow through?"

Adam Maxwell has moved back into the chip lead after he opened to 65,000 and then four-bet jammed after a O'Kearney three-bet to 190,000 from the small blind. O'Kearney folded.

12:02pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

Let's get this final table party started! There are 25 minutes left of Level 23 to play out. The levels will increase to 60 minutes each from Level 24 onwards.

11:20am: Welcome back for the final day
Level 23 - Blinds 15,000/30,000 (ante 4,000)

Just eight players remain in the hunt for the PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome UKIPT Super Series title. If yesterday's play was anything to go by, we're all in for a real treat today. Until the very last hand of the night there was action galore, and we hope the players carry that momentum through to today's final.

Stian Knutsen busted Jen-Yue Chiang on that last hand to pip Adam Maxwell to the lead, and burst the final table bubble. See how those two players sit amongst their rivals by viewing the seat draw below and to find out more about each of them, click here to read their profiles. Cards will be in the air around 12pm BST so join us back here soon.

PokerStars Blog reporting team at UKIPT6 Super Series: Marc Convey. Photos by Mickey May.

* CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
* Day 1A has ended
* Players 33 of 58 through to Day 2

7:20pm: Pena leads the 33 players who made it through to Day 2

Small but perfectly formed. That kind of summed up Day 1A of UKIPT6 Birmingham. It may have only attracted 58 entries and hence a reduced eight levels of play, but what was missing in quantity was made up by the quality of entrants. It made for a fun day at the felt.

Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker was never going to miss the last ever UKIPT and made the journey over the pond and he was joined by teammate Jake Cody, James Mitchell, Steve Warburton, Yiannis Liperis, Jonathan Gill, Ben Jackson, Sam Grafton, Adam Owen, Joe Hindry, Natalia Breviglieri, Ben Dobson and reigning UKIPT London champion Usman Siddique.

None of these players made it to the top of the counts after eight levels had been played out. That honour went to Spaniard Breixo Pena who bagged up 112,000. He'll be chased on Day 2 by Teymour Sabet (82,100), Jon Littler (78,100), Ted Spivack (77,100), Konrad Zalewski (77,100), Usman Siddique (76,500), Chris Moneymaker (63,100), Steve Warburton (56,400), Adam Owen (47,200), Sam Grafton (43,600), Ben Jackson (34,900), Joe Hindry (33,300) and Jake Cody (21,000). For a full list of all 33 players that made it through to Day 2 on Saturday, click here.

There are two flights scheduled for tomorrow, and at least one of them promises to be busy. A coach load of players are expected to descend on Birmingham for Day 1B that starts at midday, then there's the second chance turbo Day 1C that's scheduled for 10pm. It has the same starting stack but has 20-minute levels and only open to those who have been eliminated already. It may feature the likes of James Mitchell, Natalia Breviglieri, Ben Dobson, Jonathan Gill and Yucel Eminoglu - all of whom busted today.

That's all from the Genting Casino Star City. See you all tomorrow.

7pm: End of the day
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

That's the end of Day 1, a wrap of the day's play is on the way. Day 1B starts at midday tomorrow. --NW

6:50pm: Final three hands
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

The clock has been paused and they'll be three more hands before play is done for the day. --NW

6:45pm: Spencer doubles with quads
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)
Ben Farrell opened to 2,200 and called when Alex Spencer shoved all-in for 13,550. The latter was first to show, he opened [Ac][As] and Farrell showed [Th][Td]. The [5h][4d][Ah] flop all but ended proceedings. "Still got a chance," said Farrell, referring to his flush draw. But those chances were extinguished on the [Ad] turn as Spencer turned quads.

He doubles up then, while Farrell drops to 17,000. --NW

6:40pm: Siddique going for the double
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

There have been four double UKIPT champions in the tour's history and Usman Siddique is the only player in the field today who could take that number to five.

He late reg'd this event but has built his stack up to 45,000 in the time he's been in the field. He just padded his stack by raising Sam Grafton off a pot on the river. Grafton had bet 3,600 on the river of a [7c][Ad][2c][6s][3c] river but folded when Siddique raised to 11,000. "Seems believable," said Grafton as he folded." --NW

6:35pm: UKIPT memories, with blogger Marc Convey
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

My favourite UKIPT memory came from one of the events I played and not one that I worked at. Galway is my favourite city in Ireland and, in my opinion, has hosted some of the best UKIPTs over the years. I did my usual bust on Day 2 before the money thing so was railing Nick Abou Risk to his second crown along with a few other reprobates, when we decided to have a little sit 'n' go, with a twist.

Myself, Max Silver, Kevin Williams, Jamie Burland, David Vamplew, Owen Robinson and Paul McGovern took over a free table and opened a pack of cards. The buy in was nominal but the game was full of conditions, mostly to do with drink penalties. My memory of the exact details escapes me, but I'm pretty sure that one stipulation was that the shortest stack at the time purchased a round of shots at the end of every level, and the chip leader was forced to down two as a way of handicapping his future abilities.

The plan wasn't very well thought through as we didn't exactly have a long clock and after a few levels the game had disintegrated into a farce, and a loud one at that. We soon started attracting more attention than the Main Event and had a rail that included Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree and UKIPT host Nick Wealthall. Word even reached Jeese May who was chilling in his room, and before we knew it, we had a dealer and commentator all in one!

We were clearly having too much fun for TD Toby Stone though, and he gave us a telling off for being too loud and moved us to the far corner of the room where we continued until Kevin booked a win. Well, I think he did anyway. I don't remember much past the fifth shot. The party continued into the bar and went on late into the night.

Most of us are still good friends to this day, but would never have met if it wasn't for poker, and specifically the UKIPT. That's what's made this tour special for me: strangers that were friends I was yet to meet. And shots, lots of shots.

6:15pm: Pena in pole position
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

With less than an hour to go on Day 1A Breixo Pena has opened up a big lead on the chasing pack. The chip leaders as we enter the last level of the night are;

Breixo Pena - 113,000
John Littler - 82,000
Ted Spivack - 75,000
Teymour Sabet - 68,000
Konrad Zalewski - 61,000
Daniel Stanway - 60,000

6:09pm: That's just plain bullying
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Man, you've got to feel for Christopher Gatley. All he was trying to do was secure a small double up after he moved all-in, but three players rounded on him and made the call.

In the docks were Joe Hindry, Anthony Kennedy and Miguel Riera Suarez. All three checked it down to the river where Suarez bet 2,300 and Hindry called.

"I should've bet!" said Kennedy before flashing [kc][jd]. He was right as both his opponents had small aces that they hit on the turn. They chopped the pot up and sent Gately on his way after his [th][9d] was no good. -- MC

6:05pm: Out but not out out
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

The rate of exits has gone up a notch during level seven with Yiannis Liperis, George Chapman, Christopher Gatley, Robertas Vaitkevicius, Miguel Riera Suarez and Christopher Johnson all taking their leave of the tournament.

However they are only out for now as they can choose to re-enter the turbo Day 1C that begins tomorrow at 10pm. That flight has 20 minute levels and is only open to players who've exited Day 1A or B.

Indeed some of those individuals may have entered the £100 + £10 satellite to the Main Event that has just begun. Late reg in that one is open until roughly 7.20pm. --NW

5:45pm: Hit and run from Jackson
Level 6 - Blinds 300/600 (100 ante)

Ben Jackson did a hit and run on Robin Nielsen, but to be fair, he only ran afterwards as their table broke.

The two players had amassed a 13,000 pot by the time the board rested as [3s][8h][9h][3h][7d]. Neilsen checked to face a 10,000 bet that he called after giving it a couple of minute's thought. Jackson opened [as][ad] and Neilsen mucked and went to leave. He was called back though as he was left with just 225 to take to his new table. --MC

5:20pm: Break time
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Six down, two to go. It's time for a break. --NW

5:15pm: The Moneymaker effect
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Chris Moneymaker has an effect on most tables he sits at, and particularly in tournaments such as the UKIPT. The effect at his table so far has been for the American to attract more chips to his stack. He's up to 39,500 and was last seen betting 4,000 to prize Steve Warburton off whatever hand he was holding. Warburton's on Moneymaker's direct right and has a stack of 43,000. --NW

5:05pm: UKIPT Memories, with Dara O'Kearney
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

A couple of rough Dara O'Kearney UKIPT stats:

Number of cashes - 11 (joint second with Jake Cody)
Number of UKIPT packages/seats won online - too many to count.
Number of ice creams bought for him after busting - one that we know of (read below).

"Edinburgh 2015. It's the fifth time I've made the last two tables of a UKIPT main event and it's looking good for me to finally convert one to my first final table. Unfortunately things go pear shaped fast and on the FT bubble, with ten left I find myself sub ten blinds, a very distant 10/10. A5s in the cutoff is a shove in that spot, so I don't hesitate. My friend Dode Eliot hesitates a little in the big blind before making the call with pocket eights. I turn a gutshot and a flush draw but after bricking the river I shake hands with Dode and depart for the rail, where I am consoled by Dode's brother Willie.

"Part and parcel of poker is the fact that we often deal pain or at least disappointment on our friends, and as he whisks me away for consolatory ice cream, Willie remarks that Dode will be feeling worse about my knockout than I am. I fully believe this. The fact that Willie was willing to take time off from railing his brother on the FT to console me says it all.

"What made the UKIPT unique down the seasons was the incredible camaraderie and friendships it fostered between players. It broke down all the barriers between Brits and Irish, recreational players and pro, old and young, male and female."

4:55pm: Gill gives Polak more breathing space
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Jonathan Gill was the early chip leader but had dropped back into the pack (37,000) after he doubled up Adam Polak.

Breixo Pena opened to 1,200 from the cutoff before Polak three-bet to 2,700 from the next seat. While Gill was tanking in the big blind, Pena made the call. He was allowed to take then chips back and fold though after Gill four-bet to 6,800. Polak wasn't folding though and moved all-in for 12,250. Call.

Gill: [9c][9h]
Pena: [ac][ah]

The board ran [6h][qc][jh][4h][kd] to miss both players. -- MC

4:40pm: A trip down memory lane with Grafton and Cody
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

We've been asking players for their favourite UKIPT memories, which we'll be dropping in to the blog over the next four days. Well Sam Grafton just gave us one for free, although it's definitely not his favourite memory.

Jake Cody and he were having a trip down memory lane, both have had plenty of near misses on this tour, with their best results coming in Marbella. Cody finished 8th in Marbella in 2014, the same year Grafton was 9th. A year later Grafton did final table, busting in sixth. In all Grafton has seven UKIPT Main Event cashes, including his first ever UKIPT, in which he finished 14th in Coventry in Season 1.

"I was telling Ben Dobson that he busted me out of my first ever UKIPT," said Grafton to Cody. He said it loud enough that Dobson, who's on an adjacent table but wearing headphones, turned around to see what was happening. "I four-bet jammed with 9-3 and Dobson called with kings," said Grafton finishing the story.

Cody also cashed that event and has 11 cashes in UKIPT Main Events. "Thomas Ward's first, he's got one more than me," said Cody to Grafton. Can he tie the record this week? --NW

4:30pm: Cody and Moneymaker arrive
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Fashionably late the Team PokerStars Pros have arrived, enter stage left Chris Moneymaker and Jake Cody.

The latter has joined 'Table Grafton' and he and Sam just tangled in a pot. Cody was in the big blind and had evidently defended to a late position raise from Grafton. Both players checked the [Tc][8h][6h] flop and the [2d] landed on the turn. Cody fired out a bet of 2,000 and Grafton picked up the calling chips, set them back down again, before picking them up once more and placing them over the betting line.

The [Qc] fell on the river, Cody checked the action to Grafton and folded when faced with a bet of 5,300. "Good hand Jake. Five years ago, in Season 1, he wins that pot," said Grafton to the table. "Now he doesn't know where he is," he continued. It was all in good nature and Grafton is now up to 48,000. --NW

4:25pm: Warburton rises more while a batch are out of date
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Steve Warburton has one of those faces that can pull expressions leaving you in no doubt what he's thinking. Worried. That was the emotion that came into our minds when he cold four-bet and had to wait before he saw if it got through or not.

Konrad Zalewski had opened to 1,000 before Brandon Sheils three-bet to 2,600 from the cutoff. Warburton was on the button and raised to 5,800. Adam Owen looked like he was going to do something from the small blind, but folded, and the big blind did something similar. Zalewki quickly folded but Sheils said, "I didn't plan on folding but...." He said a couple more things and then folded as well.

Sheils left himself with 9,275 more than: James Crawley-Boevey, Nathan Watson, Daniel Blake, Edward Trotter, Harish Sahnan and David Longmate. --MC

4:05pm: Count 'em up
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

We're now over halfway through Day 1A and big stacks are starting to be built as the blind and antes force action. The player who's built his tower the tallest thus far is Jonathan Gill as he's up to 76,000. He leads from Ted Spivack (54,800) and Daniel Stanway (51,800). --NW

3:55pm: Grafton's no Mad Turk
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

James Mitchell never recovered from that bad beat earlier, and his seat has been taken by the chatty Yucel "Mad Turk" Eminoglu. It's rare that any man beats Grafton in talking stakes, but Eminoglu is no normal man. Grafton still got the better of his opponent in a hand though.

Eminoglu opened to 700 from the cutoff and was called by Grafton in the next seat, and the big blind. All three checked the [2d][ks][2c] flop before Eminoglu bet 1,000 and 2,500 on the [6h][8c] turn and river. Grafton was the only one to call both times.

Eminoglu announced he had an eight and then mucked upon seeing Grafton's [kh][th].

"You played this hand so good!" said a generous Eminoglu who dropped to 16,000.

Grafton, who moved up to 37,000, thanked him and then told the blog, "He's played more hands in one orbit than I have all day!" --MC

3:45pm: More bread for Warburton
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Late registration is open to the start of level seven and Steve Warburton is one of the players who's taken advantage of that facility. That late arrival hasn't stopped EPT12 Barcelona runner-up from boosting his stack though. As I passed by his table he was busy stacking chips from a pot just won. He looks to be up to 33,000 now. --NW

3:20pm: All about the Benjamins
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

With over a million dollars in tournament earnings between them Benjamin's Jackson and Dobson know their way around a poker table and today they are sat next to each other. As they returned from the break it's Jackson who holds the upper hand in chips, but Dobson who has position. The former has upped his stack to 26,475, while the latter is down to 21,000. --NW

3:10pm: UKIPT memories, featuring Tom Hall
Level 3 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Tom Hall was the UKIPT Player of the Year for Season 3, and was a player that grew in stature as the tour grew. The player, who is fourth on the UKIPT most cashes leaderboard with eight, kindly wrote a few words for the blog. Check them out:

"PokerStars has been a huge part of my life for ~six years. UKIPT helped me move up into the live scene. It helped me make a lot of friends. I would like to thank all the dedicated staff who have followed the tour over the seven years, it's been fun.

"My favourite memory would be racing for the UKIPT Leaderboard with my friend Neil Raine. When the new point system was announced (Season 3) we discussed it and decided that if we went all out over the season one of us would win a huge percentage of the time.

"We both had a large lead with one tournament left (the UKIPT High Roller London), Neil being ahead at that point. I needed to finish 8/219 to win and I ended up 6th. Was a big achievement for me at that time. It was great fun to compete in something that lasted a whole year and forced you to focus in every small tournament."

2:45pm: End of the level
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Level three has come and gone and the players have been sent on a 15 minute break. --NW

2:35pm: More for Stanway as he moves in front
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Daniel Stanway looks to be the chip leader as we approach the end of the third level. He's up to about 55,000 after winning a multi-way pot. Teymour Sabet was the action catalyst, he opened to 400 and picked up four callers! So five to a flop then, one that fell [2d][Jd][6s]. Sabet led for 1,200, Natalia Breviglieri, Robertas Vaitkevicius and Stanway decided that was a fair price to see a turn card and they all looked on as the [9d] fell on fourth street.

Action was checked to Vaitkevicius, he bet 2,600 and Stanway was the only caller as Sabet and Breviglieri ducked out the way. The [2h] rounded off the board and Vaitkevicius bet again, he upped the price slightly, betting 2,600 a bet that Stanway raised to 7,500. That was too rich for Vaitkevicius and he folded. --NW

2:20pm: More three-betting and the first elimination
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Daniel Stanway managed to win a three-bet pot out of position to Christopher Johnson. And while their hand was playing out Martin Hogarty was busy becoming the first player to be eliminated from UKIPT6 Birmingham.

Stanway opened to 450 from early position and called after Johnson three-bet to 1,500 from the button. The flop fanned [ah][js][7d] and was checked to the [qc] turn where Johnson saw his 2,100 bet check-called. The board completed with the [5c] and both players went back to checking. Stanway opened [ad][ks] and Johnson mucked.

Hogarty may have busted but he can still enter tomorrow night's Day 1C Turbo flight that's only open to those who busted on Day 1A or 1B. --MC

2pm: Mitchell gets the Grafton rub down
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

We're not just standing by Sam Grafton's table, we swear, but it is where the action is happening. Grafton actually missed the big pot as he was away from the table chatting to one of the tournament staff.

So he missed James Mitchell betting 2,300 on a [4d][Ks][2s] flop, he was also oblivious to Barry Stansbie three-betting to 8,500 and calling off when Mitchell set him all-in. The Irish Open champion opened [Ah][Ac] and was looking to fade the flush draw of Stansbie, who held [As][7s]. No dice though as the [Ts] hit the turn giving Stansbie a lock on the hand. The [2d] completed the board and Stansbie, who was all-in for 15,875 took the majority of Mitchell's chips as the latter is down to 4,825.

As the chips were being shipped across the table Grafton slid back into his seat and addressed Mitchell: "How'd that hand go mate? Win a big pot? I'm sure you played it well though!" A few seconds passed and as the dealer was preparing the deck for the next hand he turned to the rest of the table. "Listen guys, back in Season 1 (of the UKIPT), five years ago, this guy was one of the best players about."--NW

1:55pm: Zalewski gets his pound of Fletcher
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

It's not often that a player three-bets and receives four callers. Konrad Zalewski did just that, and not with the strongest hand, but still managed to win the pot on showdown.

He made it 1,100 to go from the cutoff after Joe Hindry had opened to 400 from the hijack. Christopher Gatley (button), Arron Fletcher (small blind) and Hindry all called to see a [9c][Ad][8s] flop that was checked through. The [4c] appeared on the turn and Zalewski delayed 2,575 c-bet was only check-called by Fletcher. The [jc] river was checked and Fletcher's [tc][th] lost out to Zalewski's [ah][7d]. --MC

1:40pm: Come for the Grafton, stay for the poker
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

As a tournament reporter when there's not a lot happening in the early levels of a poker tournament you can't help but gravitate towards Sam Grafton. Partly because it's because you can clearly hear his voice over the faint hum of riffling chips, but it's also because the man is straight up entertaining, opinionated and usually engaging his table in conversation.

Today Grafton is sat to the left of James Mitchell and the two were discussing the UK poker calendar as a big pot broke out around them. John Littler opened to 400 from middle position and picked up three callers. On the [4s][3c][Js] flop Steven Game led for 700 from the small blind and Littler and James Crawley-Boevey both felt confident enough to make the call. The [2d] was the reall action card in this hand as Game checked, Littler bet 1,500, Crawley-Boevey smooth called and Game then check-raised to 5,000. We had a hand right here.

Back on Littler he swiftly called, whilst Crawley-Boevey tanked before releasing his hand. The [5h] was an interesting river card as it put four to a straight on board. It didn't slow Game down though, he bet 12,500 and Littler thought for a decent amount of time before electing to fold. Good Game for Steven, but not good game for Littler.

After that hand Game is up to 38,000, Littler drops to 24,000 and Grafton and Mitchell are still deep in conversation. --NW

1:20pm: UKIPT memories, featuring Kelly Saxby
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

We wrote in the blog earlier that this is the very last UKIPT before it's rebranded as the PokerStars Festival. To celebrate its success, we're going to drop in some memories and stories from the tour's seven-year history in the words of the players, dealers, staff and media who helped make the tour one of the best around. First up is PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome Ambassador Kelly Saxby:

"I think the UKIPT players parties are where my most cherished memories were born as they were a great way to get to meet players and the UKIPT team on a social level. I have made friendships and poker travel buddies that will last forever. This particular picture was from the players party at Isle of Man which was so fun we had drinks in the bar downstairs then went up to the lounge with live music and danced and sang the night away.

"So hard to pick specific events as I think all the drinks with Marc, Nick, Mickey, Jen and Dave are always stand out nights, having a massive jump up on the dance floor in Copperface Jacks in Dublin; playing Would you Rather at the hotel in Isle of man; playing Inbetweenies at the hotel in Nottingham; singing Karoake in Nottingham, calling Nick, Marc (lolol), betting Sin Melin to jump in the pool fully clothed in Marbella; watching the England game on the beach (also in Marbella); dinners at the Heliot at Hippodrome, listening to Deborah Worley-Roberts shout obscenities across the tables to me; standing outside of the hotel in Edinburgh dying of hangover while fire alarm went off; getting told off in Edinburgh for eating pizza from dominoes in the bar; my first cash in ME in Bristol 2015; final tabling the London Cup at Hippodrome in 2016, and of course winning the women's event in London in 2013 and getting my very own silver spade!"

Thanks to Kelly for these amazing words. Keep an eye out for several more memories over the next few days, and if you have any UKIPT memories you'd like to share, please tweet us at @pokerstarsblog or use the hashtag #UKIPTBirmingham.

1pm: Big Jon
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Nothing happens in the opening level of a poker tournament right? Wrong. How about a 100 big blind pot for starters?

Ted Spivack and Jon Santos were the two protagonists. Spivack opened to 225 from the button, Santos three-bet to 725 out of the small blind and Spivack decided to stick around.

A [Jd][3s][7d] flop hit the felt, Santos led for 650 and Spivack wasn't budging so to the [2c] turn they went. Santos slowed down, Spivack looked to pounce on that weakness and fired out 1,150. Santos chewed it over and slid out the calling chips, he was 25 light though, the dealer pointed it out and he through in the extra chip.

The [5c] completed the board, Santos tapped the table but Spivack reached for chips again and elected for a bet of 2,650. The body language of Santos made it clear he wasn't entirely happy with that bet, it was a 'what can I beat' sort of face. He thought it over for about 20 seconds and evidently decided he could beat enough of Spivack's hands to make a call profitable as he threw out a call.

Spivack grimaced and opened [As][6c] for a bluff that had been picked off, Santos showed pocket tens and took the pot. --NW

12:45pm: The early ones
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

To be fair they're more like the on time ones, but in the poker word if you're on time, it's considered early.

Five tables worth of players have been gathered together so far and contain familiar faces such as EPT Barcelona third place finisher Adam Owen, Joe Hindry, Natalia Breviglieri, Jonathan Gill and Sam Grafton.

Grafton found kings early on, but only won a small pot with them due to a scary ace-high flop. He raised to 300 from under the gun and was only called by Steven Game in the small blind.

"This guy's serious with his headphones on!" teased Grafton. "Whippersnapper!"

The flop spread [8s][ac][8h] and Game check-called a 200 c-bet before the [js][2s] turn and river where checked through. Grafton opened [kc][kh] and Game mucked. -- MC

12:30pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Action has started. --NW

11:55am: It's not a wake, it's a celebration

As you might have heard, back in August PokerStars announced that going forward all of its live events will fall under one of two tours, the PokerStars Championship and PokerStars Festival.

Whilst that doesn't mean the end of live events in the UK and Ireland, it does mean that this will be the 48th and final UKIPT Main Event. It all began in Galway in December 2009 and since then has taken us to Edinburgh, Dublin, London and Marbella to name but a few, but until today not Birmingham.

England's 'second city' will be the host for this poker tournament, and no doubt one hell of a party. The UKIPT has been as much about the craic and the cards and they'll be heady mix of the two over the next four days.

Ready to sign up for PokerStars? Click here to get an account.

The craic was very much in evidence last night, the cards get underway at 12:30 and we expect the likes of Jake Cody, Adam Owen, Tom Hall, Sam Grafton and Ben Dobson to take a crack at winning their maiden UKIPT Main Event title today. If they fail they'll have the option to enter the turbo repechage Day 1C on Friday night.

Enough rambling, time for action.

Key UKIPT6 Birmingham information:

- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 8 of them. From Level 13 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
- Day 1A is today, Day 1B takes place tomorrow and there's also a turbo Day 1C at 10pm tomorrow. That opening flight is only open to players who've busted on Day 1A or Day 1B.
- The field will then combine for the first time on Saturday. We'll reach the money and hopefully the final table too. Sunday is where the magic happens and we play to a winner. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of champagne from the trophy (possibly).
- Full UKIPT6 Birmingham schedule here.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Birmingham: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

UKIPT Birmingham moved through the gears today as 158 players entered the fray during the second of three starting flights. The last two to take their seats were Igor Kurganov and Griffin Benger. Unfortunately for Kurganov he was also one of the last out, busting a few hands from the end, but the November Niner made it through with 70,100.

Leading the way at the end of eight quick fire 45-minute levels was Nathan Webb who bagged up an impressive 159,200. The 35-year-old finance director from Worcester got his books in the black thanks to a flush over flush hand halfway through the day. Another big pot at the death meant the Worcester based Dad of one pipped Caicai Huang to the chip lead. Huang finished seventh in the UKIPT4 London Main Event and will return with 134,900 tomorrow. She's handily placed as are: Colin Gillon (114,600), Claudio Cambianica (100,500) Mian Wei (97,700), David Gallagher (97,400) and Louis Salter (90,900).

Liv Boeree was another player who took advantage of late registration, she took her seat during level five. The Team PokerStars Pro was almost out in the very same level. She got her starting stack in with [As][7s] on a [5s][3s][4d] flop and needed to hit against the pocket kings of Simon McGechie. She was a 60-40 favourite and the Poker gods smiled on her as a turned straight gave her a lock on the hand. She finished the day on 57,100 and completes a triumvirate of Red Spades who'll be in business on Day 2 as Chris Moneymaker and Jake Cody both advanced on Day 1A.

Other big names still in the mix for the final UKIPT Main Event trophy are: Dom Kay (80,400), Eleanor Gudger (76,200), Neil Raine (63,400), Timothy Chung (59,000), David Docherty (49,500), Deborah Worley-Roberts (45,900), Mark McCluskey (45,600), Richie Lawlor (36,700), Kelly Saxby (26,600) and Richard Jones (25,100). You can view full end of day chip counts here.

Notable for their absence on that list are Dara O'Kearney, Brett Angell and Ludovic Geilich but they may yet join the 84 players who made it through to Day 2. We say may, as a turbo Day 1C flight - for anyone who's bust Day 1A or 1B - starts at 10pm. Same structure but 20 minute levels instead of 45 minutes. Thanks to a tweet we know that O'Kearney will be firing a second bullet and he may well be joined by the two UKIPT champions.

They'll be no live coverage of that flight, but keep an eye on the widget on the right hand side of the page (the bottom of the page if using a mobile device) and the @PokerStarsBlog and @UKIPT twitter accounts and we'll post the Day 2 seat draw and complete Day 1 chip counts before play begins tomorrow at noon.

You can scroll down to catch up on all today's action. See you tomorrow for moving day and the bubble. --NW

6:18pm: Final four hands
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

The clock has been paused and they'll be four more hands before play is done for the day. --NW

6:08pm: Gillon's got a gallon now
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Colin Gillon's stack had dropped back a bit, but he just secured a double after a battle of blinds versus Tomasz Wrobel.

The action folded around to Gillon in the small blind and he completed. Wrobel raised to 2,500 in the big blind and then called after Gillon came back with a raise to 6,500. The flop fanned [3h][2c][ts] and Gillon continued for 5,800. Call. Wrobel called another 10,200 on the [ks] turn and then faced an all-in bet worth 26,950 on the [9s] river.

He called with [ac][tc] but Gillon had got there on the turn with [kd][6h] and scooped in the big pot to get back close to the chip leaders. -- MC

5:55pm: PokerStars memories, with Daragh Davey
Level 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Daragh Davey told the blog he's very sad to miss the last ever UKIPT before it's rebranded, but his partner is expecting a baby, so his priorities lie elsewhere for now.

There was a time when the Irishman never missed a stop. Not even that, there was a time where he never missed a tournament at a stop. That dedication to playing all the events helped secure him back-to-back Player of the Year titles in Season 4 and 5, for arguably the greatest achievement in the tour's history. Dara was kind enough to talk about this in his UKIPT memory:

"My favourite memory is from EPT/UKIPT London 2014, the final stop of Season 4. Entering it am neck and neck with Max Silver and Tomaz Raniszewski for the player of the season leaderboard with a passport to all of the next season as the prize.

"I was playing a £300 side event with a few days left in the two-week festival, have 2 cashes already and I know if I make ninth place or better it will be nearly impossible for the other two to catch me. We get down to 10 handed and it feels like its taking forever! Finally someone busts and I get out of my seat and celebrate with my friends. I very rarely celebrate in poker but that felt like 16 months of work completed. That stop ended with Kevin Killeen coming 3rd in the EPT main event as well, which was another brilliant moment!"

5:45pm: Bish bash bosh
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

A premium hand versus premium hand encounter where one player has fewer than 20 big blinds is usually going to end in a pre-flop all-in. That's what happened when Ali Zihni found ace-king and Mudasser Hussain woke up with aces.

The [Ts][2s][8s][6d][9c] board kepy Hussain in front, he was all-in for just under 12,000. Zihni is down to 35,000. --NW

5:35pm: Chip daddies
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

With just over a level left to play, here are some of the big stacks in the room:

David Gallagher - 105,000
Mian Wei - 91,000
Louis Salter - 90,000
Dominic Kay - 90,000
Colin Gillon - 86,000
Eleanor Gudger - 78,000
Claudio Renzo Cambianica - 75,000
Deivis Rinkevicius - 71,000
--MC

5:25pm: Benger getting busy
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

It hasn't taken Griffin Benger long to get into the groove of this tournament. He opened to 1,300 from under-the-gun+1 and called after Neil Ryder had three-bet to 3,100 from the cutoff. The [2c][Ts][Kh] flop checked through and the [Jh] fell on the turn. Benger checked again and then called Ryder's bet of 4,000.

The [Ad] fell on fifth street, both players checked and Benger showed down [Qh][9h] to win the hand. "That's what you get for slowplaying," said Ryder. After that hand Benger is up to 41,000. --NW

5:18pm: Easy game for Gudger
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

In an ideal world, we'd win every pot without having to show down, unless we have the nuts. We're not sure if Eleanor Gudger had the nuts in a hand that got her up to around 90,000, but it's unlikely.

Pablo Lamas raised from the button and Gudger (small blind) and the big blind called to see an [ad][6s][7h] flop appear. Lamas continued for 2,200 and only Gudger check-called to the [as] turn where she called another 3,000. The board completed with the [3s] and Gudger checked for a third time. Lamas didn't bet, or check behind as far as we could see; he just mucked his hand and gave up the pot to his opponent. --MC

5:02pm: Doh for Doke
Level 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Dara O'Kearney's had some good times and some bad times on the UKIPT. Unfortunately for him his latest memory will be filed in the latter category.

My latest UKIPT memory is the memory of my first bullet stack just before I ran kings into aces. Back tonight at 10 for second attempt

— Dara O'Kearney (@daraokearney) October 7, 2016

Joining him on the rail are: Brett Angell, Paul Dando, Joshua Wooldridge, Ryan Plant, Dominic Burn, Michael Jones, Ludovic Geilich and Ishfaq Mohammed. --NW

4:46pm: Get out of here
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

The remaining players are now on their second and final 15 minute break of the day. Late registration will close at the start of level seven. --NW

4:45pm: Exit Daw
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Daniel Daw wished the table good luck and was on his way. A quick post-mortem of the hand revealed that he'd got the last of his chips in with [Kc][Qc] on a [8c][Ks][Ts] flop. A good hand for sure, but it was up against a better one as Noel Broadbent had pocket eights for a flopped set. The [2s] turn left Daw drawing dead and the [4d] completed the board.

After that hand Broadbent is up to 70,000. --NW

4:40pm: Boeree lets one go on the river
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

"You got a set of fours or fives?" Live Boeree asks David Wilkes after he moved all-in for 14,725 on the river. He shook his head.

The board read [ad][5h][4s][7h][6d] and there had been a fair amount of action that led up to the point Wilkes made his final move.

He had opened to 1,200 from mid position and was called in one spot before Boeree squeezed to 3,700 off the button. Both players called but only Wilkes hung around after Boeree c-bet the flop. The Team PokerStars Pro bet another 6,300 on the turn before she was check-raised up to 15,000. She called and it's back to her deliberation on the river.

"Set of threes? Top set of aces?" Boeree continued to half ask. Wilkes kept shaking his head.

"I don't understand how you can have an ace in you hand," she declared before admitting defeat and folding. That dropped the Brit down to around 40,000. --MC

4:30pm: Gudger going great guns
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

"Seat open table 13" was the cry, it was Eleanor Gudger who was stacking chips. She's had a great couple of levels and is now up to 85,000.

It's not gone quite as well for Jack Sambrook or Tom Hall as they're both out. --NW

4:25pm: Cold deck for Craigie
Level 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Kerryjane Craigie, looks after all things poker at The Hippodrome Casino by day, but she's a mean player in her own right and was playing today. I say was, because she's now perched in a seat on the sidelines due to a brutal bustout hand.

She had around 9,000 to start the hand and raised it up from the small blind with pocket jacks. Robert Shiell was in the big blind, with king-queen, he moved all-in and Craigie snap called.

The 2-7-9 flop was safe, the jack turn even better as it reduced Shiell's outs to just the four remaining tens. But it's always the river and a ten popped out on fifth street to send Craigie to the rail. --NW

4:20pm: He takes from the right and gives to the left
Level 5 - Blinds 300/600 (100 ante)

David Phelan managed a double up on one hand, then handed a lot of the gained chips over to David Docherty the very next hand.

He and Craig Wallace took to a [3c][qh][qc] flop where the former bet 6,000. He had around seven thousand back and was asked a question for them all. He called and opened [ad][as], ahead of Wallace's [jc][jd]. The board ran out [5d][4h].

The very next hand saw David Docherty open to 900 and our two friends from the hand above call. The board rolled out [qd][6c][9h][8s][td] with no chips going in until the river where Phelan led for 1,500 from the big blind. Docherty raised to 7,500 and opened [kd][jd] for the nut straight when called. Phlean flashed a jack and mucked. Docherty's stack grew to around 38,000. -- MC

4pm: Chip counts
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Here's how some of the names and notables are fairing on Day 1B:

3:55pm: Any two for McCluskey
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Mark McCluskey has cashed three times in UKIPT Main Events (including one final table) and several side events. You don't do that by waiting for aces. He just won a pot off Michael Jones with the mighty four-three.

The latter raised to 1,100 from the hijack and the former tank called in the big blind. The flop fanned [7c][2c][6s] and Jones continued for 1,300. McCluskey check-called before both went on to check the [4h][6h] turn and river down.

McCluskey opened [4c][3s] to beat out Jones' [ac][tc]. "What's he got?" asked Jones.

"A pair of fours.....with a three kicker!" answered a kinda helpful Joseph Lalor.

McCluskey moved up to 22,000, whereas Jones dropped to 14,000. --MC

3:35pm: Nice turn of events for Boeree
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Liv Boeree had barely had time to get her feet under the table before she was playing for all her chips. David Wilkes opened to 950 from middle position, Boeree smooth called from the button, only for Simon McGechie to three-bet to 2,600. Both Wilkes and Boeree called to create a chunky pot of over 8,000.

On the [5s][3s][4d] flop McGechie fired out a bet of 5,000. Wilkes folded and stood up from the table where he informed the PokerStars Blog of the pre-flop action and whispered. "I folded jacks, I put him [McGechie] on a big pair."

Boeree was debating what to do with her ~22,000 chip stack and settled on raising all-in. There was no insta call from McGechie but after around 20 seconds on deliberation he did call and showed [Ks][Kh].

He was ahead in the hand but Boeree had a monster draw with [As][7s] and was actually a near 60-40 favourite to win the hand. The [6h] turn made the EPT Sanremo winner a straight and the [Ad] was an unnecessary river card. She doubles up then to around 50,000 while McGechie slips back to starting stack. --NW

3:23pm: Second half underway without...
Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Four levels down and four more to go. The following never made it out of the changing room at half time:

Thales Salomao, Baljit Singh, Victor V. Ilyukhin, Krishna Nagaraju, Romaine Morin, Chris Gordon, Frederick Evans, Samy Salah, Khaneshkan Sriravindrah, Matthew Pierre and Victor Ilyukhin. -- MC

3:15pm: Webb flush with chips
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

I joined the action to see a bet of up to 1,000 in front of Luke Haward. It was a single 1k chip so he'd raised it up to anywhere between 600 and 1,000. I'd never find out the exact amount as Nathan Webb three-bet to 2,100 on the button and Haward smooth called.

The flop fell a monotone [3s][7s][2s], it didn't kill the action though as Webb bet 2,625 and Haward called. The [6s] turn saw the pattern of the hand continue, Webb bet 5,000 and Haward smooth called again.

The river was checked through, Webb opened [Ac][Ks] for a king high flush, while Haward held [Qs][Ts] for a flopped flush which had then been outdrawn on the turn. Big hands, big pot. Webb up to 36,000 and Haward down to 11,800 as a result. --NW

3:05pm: UKIPT memories, with floor person Kate Badurek
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

We've heard from quite a few players so it was time to go behind the scenes with a key staff member, namely Kate Badurek who's one of the people working floor this week here in Birmingham.

"I used to deal on the EPT many years ago before my services weren't required by an older regime. Then PokerStars restructured how they directed and managed events, including a fresh approach to hiring dealers and floor people. Toby Stone was given the job of Tournament Director for the UKIPT and gave me the chance to get back working with the company.

"I'll be forever grateful for that opportunity as working on the UKIPT, and then on the EPT again, has enabled me to broaden my skillset and gain the experience I needed to progress up the ranks to the role I have today.

"It's been an absolute pleasure working on this tour with all my amazing and talented colleagues, but this isn't the end. We'll all still be around as we move into a new era with the PokerStars Festival and Championship events.

"So I don't really have a specific memory to tell you I'm afraid, the memory of the entire journey is what's important to me, and I look forward to it continuing."

2:45pm: Power poker from Gillon
Level 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

It's rare in the early stages of a poker tournament that we get lucky enough to follow a big hand from start to finish but I found a haystack and a needle at table 13 and settled in to watch a hand between Colin Gillon and Thomas Simm.

It was actually John Kitchen who got the action started, he raised to 725 from middle position, Simm three-bet to 1,900 on the button and action folded to Gillon, who was in the big blind. Think, dwell, then cold four-bet to 5,000 was how it went, Kitchen couldn't stand the heat and got out of there but Simm stuck around.

On the [5s][7c][5c] flop Gillon bet 6,300 and then watched on as Simm went into the tank. Apart from a couple of hard swallows Gillon wasn't giving much away and Simm elected to fold. He drops to 27,000 while Gillon rises to 38,000. --NW

2:40pm: Rees shows he's Jack the lad
Level 3 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Jonathan Rees' stack has grown to around 57,000 after he made a good call in a hand versus Mian Wei.

The Welshman was in the cutoff and facing a 3,500 bet on the turn with a board reading [2d][3s][8d][4d]. He made a quick call and then faced another 6,000 bet on the [kc] river. He took his time on that street but eventually called with [jh][js], beating out Wei's [4s][6h] for a lowly pair of fours. --MC

2:15pm: Break time
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Three levels down and that means the players have been sent on a 15 minute break. --NW

2:05pm: One chance down, one to go
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Not that many exits so far, but Chris Straghalis, John Ventre, Danish Ghandi and Tomasz Maciorowski are all out. They have the option to enter the Day 1C turbo that gets underway at 10pm tonight though. --NW

1:55pm: It's a bit flash to three-bet Gordon
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome ambassador Chris Gordon has just dipped below starting stack after he played two three-bet pots in a row. He was the one being three-bet, and he ended up winning one and losing one.

Ben Morrison, who came 11th at the UKIPT6 Super Series last month, was the first player he tangled with. Gordon opened from the cutoff and called after Morrison three-bet from the big blind. The flop came [2d][7h][6s] and Morrison continued for 2,100. Gordon called and then bet 3,100 on the [4d] turn after he was checked to. Morrison folded and said, "Shouldn't mess with the pros, I know that!"

"That's the first hand he's lost!" said Gordon to the blog. Morrison dropped to 50,000, so he's probably right on that front.

Gordon raised to 525 the very next hand and was called by Samy Salah before Graham Parkin squeezed to 1,800 from the big blind. Only Gordon called to the [5d][6h][8h] flop where both players checked. The board ran out [3c][qd] and Parkin checked to face bets of 1,800 and 3,700. He called both times and opened [ac][qh] to beat out Gordon's [ad][kh]. --MC

1:40pm: Bad call, good fold
Level 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Poker, a game of making decisions under intense pressure with incomplete information. Sometimes you make the right ones, sometimes the wrong ones.

I picked up the action on table seven on the turn of a [3d][2c][6d][Th] board to see Craig Wallace betting 500 into a pot of around 1,600, Tim Chung called, as did Richard Jones. The [9d] completed the board and Wallace checked it to Chung. He bet 2,200, enough to get rid of Jones but not Wallace, who tanked for a minute or so before calling. Chung showed [Js][Ts] and Wallace wore an exasperated expression which screamed "I knew it," and he showed pocket eights as Chung took the pot.

A short time later, on a different table, a big pot had developed between Jonathan Rees and Zoltan Havacs. A complete board of [6d][3c][4c][Qs][Jd] was on the felt and Rees bet 4,500. Havacs weighed up his decision before folding [Ac][Qc] face-up. Rees tapped the table and was kind enough to show [3h][3s] as he took the pot. --NW

1:25pm: The poker chaos
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

Small seemingly insignificant actions can dramatically alter the outcome of a poker hand. A card flipping face-up say, meaning a player gets a different second card. Or, in the case of table three, the button being in the wrong position.

Ronit Chamani had raised it up to 450 from under-the-gun+1 and been flat called by Joshua Wooldridge by the time Brett Angell realised he was in the cut-off and should've been on the button. The floor was called and as significant action had already occurred it was ruled the hand would play out, rather than being a misdeal.

Action was on the UKIPT4 London champion and he three-bet to 1,500 and then tongue in cheek said to the player on his left. "Look what you've done now!". It folded back to Chamani and both she and Wooldridge smooth called.

So three to a flop then, which fell [8s][As][7d], a bet of 2,000 from Angell was enough to get the job done and he cheekily said to the dealer: "So I get the button twice in a row next orbit right?". Nice try Brett, you shouldn't have even had the cards that won you the pot in the first place. --NW

1:15pm: UKIPT Memories, with Jamie Burland
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

UKIPT1 Brighton champion Jamie Burland was a central cog in the early days of the UKIPT. Yes, that was partly due to him becoming a Season 1 champion, but also a lot to do with the way he (and his crew) embraced the tour and everything it stood for. Thanks to Jamie for sharing these nice memories and a little video of his winning moment:

"The UKIPT was a tour that was built on friendship. I have met some of my dearest friends in poker over the felt and at the bars of the various stops over the years on this tour. The comradery between the players, the bloggers, the event organisers, the dealing and floor staff was tangible. For a long time every stop felt as if it was a huge group of like-minded people pulling in the same direction, trying to muddle their way through the weekend before returning home and starting work on plans to make it to the next one!

"I have to go back to the days of Season 1 for some of my favourite UKIPT memories. My poker travelling buddies, Kevin Williams and Owen Robinson caught the UKIPT bug in the very first event. Owen got 4th place in the Main Event for £21k and it was the shared experience of that deep run that I think spurred us on to continue attending every stop where possible for several years after that.

"We travelled to Vegas that summer and immediately on returning from America, potless of course, we three travelled to UKIPT Brighton, a tournament I ended up winning and a town I ended up starting a family in. The comradery I described earlier can be felt in this short clip of my winning moment, Kevin and Owen rushing to embrace me as the winning river card fell. Special times."

1pm: Tough to fold sets
Level 2 - Blinds 75/150

One wonders whether Ross Jarvis reads this blog. If he does, he'll be interested to see that an old TV nemesis of his, Timothy Slater, was very unfortunate to become the first player to bust to today after a set over set cooler.

He, Dominic Kay and one other player all took to a 9-T-5 flop where the fireworks went off. The third player in the hand had aces but managed not to get all his chips and that was a good job too as Slater had pocket nines for middle set and Kay had pocket tens for top set!

The board ran out blank and Kay shook Slater's hand who then wandered off in a daze. That put Kay into an early chip lead with 70,000. -- MC

12:40pm: Roll up, roll up
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

New tables are opening up as players continue to arrive to take their seats on Day 1B, plenty of whom have history on the UKIPT. Like Jack Sambrook, he had the chip lead going into the final table of UKIPT3 Newcastle but nothing went right on the day and he finished seventh.

Another recent arrival is Dara O'Kearney. He's the most successful online qualifier in UKIPT history, mopping up seats as his bread and butter. It hasn't always been as smooth in the live arena though as a series of near misses from two tables out have peppered his UKIPT Main Event results sheet. He put that right last month when he finished second in the UKIPT Super Series.
Another player who cashed in that event is Victor Ilyukhin, he's sharing a table with former Swindon Town chairman Jeremy Wray. We've also spotted Richard Jones, Joseph Lalor, Mark McCluskey, Mark Wagstaff, David Clarkson, Chris Gordon, Ben Morrison, Jonathan Rees, Chris Straghalis and Michael Kane. --NW

12:30pm: Poker circa 2007?
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

It's great to see that some old faces have come out of the poker woodwork to help us see off the tour in style. We've already mentioned old friends such as David Docherty but we've also seen Dominic Kay, Steve Jelinek and Gary Clarke - three central figures when poker started to boom in the UK and Ireland around nine-ten years ago.

Richie Lawlor had results going back eight years but he's more current after winning his first major title in Kerry a couple of weeks ago, along with a tidy €65,000.

He won a small pot off the blinds giving himself a gentle nudge in the right direction. He raised preflop and bet 250 on a [ts][2s][8h] flop. Both opponents players folded. -- MC

12:15pm: A few familiar faces
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

A stroll around the tournament floor has unearthed a few UKIPT stalwarts among the 70 or so players who've arrived for the opening level.

Kerryjane Craigie - who's Head of PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome - is here. She had a deep run in the WSOP Employees event, getting all the way to heads-up before just failing to win a bracelet. She's sharing a table with Kelly Saxby, who's a PS Live at the Hippodrome sponsored player. That could be awkward if she stacks the boss!

Elsewhere David Docherty, who's made two UKIPT Main Event final tables, is at the same table as Tim Chung. That table is currently playing five handed. We spotted Ludovic Geilich getting a drink from the bar, he'll probably be joining the fray shortly.

Neil Raine has 22 cashes on the UKIPT, including three side event wins. His deepest run in a Main Event is 24th place at Cork in Season 3, how he'd love to win the final UKIPT. A sentiment shared by everyone involved of course so it won't be easy. --NW

12pm: Shuffle up and deal
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Card are in the air. Just a reminder that eight 45-minute levels are scheduled for today, so play will end around 6:30pm.

11:50am: UKIPT Memories, featuring Vicky Coren-Mitchell
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

I remember the first UKIPT event in England - it was in 2010, in Manchester. There was a great atmosphere; on the Saturday night the casino was buzzing, there was a live band, and half the Manchester United football team were playing a cash game in a corner of the card room. I became determined to get into that game. I went to join the crowd watching them, and weirdly, a couple of the footballers seemed interested to meet me (I think they must have known more about poker than I know about football.)

Now, you must understand that we were already in the money in the tournament. I can't remember how many of us were left, 40 maybe. But I'm a pro! This was my bread and butter! The kind of money available in a game full of footballers paid thirty grand a week... and think about the long game if we got a regular school going... well, naturally I left my tournament chips on the table and went in to make friends. What the hell - I let my tournament stack dwindle down as I chatted and flirted with the sportsmen. Took me maybe an hour but eventually one of them (I'd love to tell you his name but, as I say, they knew more about poker than I know about football) said "Come on, it would be fun to tell people we've played with you, take a seat and join in."

"Sure!" I said. "Let me just get some cash chips. How much are we in for?"

The answer: it was a Saturday night, they didn't want to look like mugs, they were playing a fiver a head.

Meanwhile, the guy who won the UKIPT got £60k. Marvellous."

11:30am: Welcome back to Birmingham for Day 1B
Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

Welcome back to the Genting Casino Star City for Day 1B of UKIPT6 Birmingham. After a relatively quiet Day 1A, swarms of players are expected to descend on the cars room today. Players we know for sure that will here here include Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree, Igor Kurganov, Dara O'Kearney, Kelly Saxby, Richard Lawlor, Ali Zhini and Ludovic Geilich.

It promises to be a fun day, and a fun rest of the weekend. Most are very aware that this is the last UKIPT before it's rebranded and are keen to see it off in style. As part of the celebrations we're looking back at favourite memories of the tour. Stay tuned for a great memory from Vicky Coren-Mitchell before cards go in the air at midday. --MC

Key UKIPT6 Birmingham information:

- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 8 of them. From Level 13 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
- Day 1B is today and there's also a turbo Day 1C at 10pm that is only open to players who've busted on Day 1A or Day 1B.
- The field will then combine for the first time on Saturday. We'll reach the money and hopefully the final table too. Sunday is where the magic happens and we play to a winner. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of champagne from the trophy (possibly).
- Full UKIPT6 Birmingham schedule here.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Birmingham: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

Day 2 on the UKIPT are always the most fun to cover. The action on Day ones can take a while to get going due to the small blinds and even stacks, whereas their disparity on Day 2 creates lots of action, and therefore, bust outs. Then there's the bubble; that always happens on Day 2. And lastly is the race for the final table. We don't always make it (like today) but knowing it's close piles the pressure on the players; decisions get tougher, and we like the content that provides.

Nine levels were played out today and at bagging up time, 22 remained. The player with the heaviest bag heading into the final day of the last ever UKIPT is Ludovic Geilich with 697,000. He's being chased by a lot of talented players as you can see from this list:

So many of the above players have expressed how much they want to win this event as they'll be a reigning UKIPT forever more, the only one. Geilich is in pole position to win and is also the only former winner left in the field, so he has multiple reasons to close it out. He's in great form too after having an amazing WCOOP series where he landed the biggest score of his career - $462,182.17 - for winning Event #70, $21,000 Pot-Limit Omaha (6-Max, High-Roller).

Geilich spoke to the blog after he bagged up his monster stack, "It feels good. I want to get Jake heads-up. I came back with 20K and chipped up with a cooler early and then went from there."

Cody has this to say at the end of the day, "Today went amazing, I started with 20k. I floated between 15-25 big blinds for the first half of the day and then in one level I doubled up and won a big pot when a player tried to bluff me. I really really want to win it. It would be the perfect ending. I'd use my one time for this. I've never used it actually."

You won't find Mark McCluskey on that list, and you won't find him on the payouts page either. That's because he was the unfortunate bubble boy. When hand for hand play started he was the shortest stack in the room with just over seven big blinds, and also found himself in the big blind. After the big-stacked Adam Owen raised on the button and was called by the small blind, McCluskey looked down at A-J and squeezed all-in. Owen wanted to get it heads up so he raised again and got the small blind to fold. He opened a live K-4 and spiked a four on the turn to burst the bubble straight away.

Other players who failed to make the money today were the PokerStars Live at the Hippodrome's Kerryjane Craigie, Kelly Saxby and Chris Gordon; Team PokerStars Pros Liv Boeree and Chris Moneymaker; WSOP Main Event finalist Griffin Benger, along with tour regulars Sam Grafton, Joe Hindry, Carl Harris, Louis Salter, Alex Spencer, Jonathan Rees, Jonathan Gill and Yucel "Mad Turk" Eminoglu.

Boeree made a preflop move with 5-6 suited but was taken out by Geilich and his A-K. Moneymaker busted in a three-way all-in, his K-T not able to beat Caicai Huang (QQ) or Luke Marsh (A-K). Huang flopped a set, Marsh turned the nut straight, but Huang scooped after filling up on the river.

The final day will kick off at midday and we'll play down to a final table of eight, pause for a quick picture, and continue until the last ever UKIPT champion is crowned. It promises to be an emotional day for all who have been part of this amazing tour, and with a potentially star-studded final table to look forward to, we hope to see it off in real style.

Goodnight from Genting Casino Star City, see you all tomorrow. --MC

9pm: Play concludes
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

No more players busted in the last four hands. Ludovic Geilich leads - a wrap of the day coming up very soon. --MC

8:52pm: Final four hands
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

The clock has been paused and they'll be four more hands before play is done for the day. --NW

8:45pm: Harman gets paid
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

From under-the-gun Adam Owen limped in, Tony Harman followed suit, David Clarkson made up from the small blind and Ludovic Geilich checked his option. On the [3c][5s][Ah] flop Owen c-bet 9,000 and only Harman called.

The [7c] fell on the turn and Owen check-called a bet of 16,000 and the [3d] rounded off the board. Again Owen checked and again Harman bet. This time the price was 27,000 and Owen tanked for over a minute before calling. Harman showed [As][js] and it was good. --NW

8:35pm: It's all gone quiet
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Not much significant action to report, with most three-bets going uncalled and any that do failing to spiral into big pots or even get to showdown. 22 players left and there's a similar number of minutes left in the level. --NW

8:25pm: Morrison doubles through Owen
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

From the cutoff Ben Morrison moved his stack of 71,000 across the line and seconds later a big red 'all-in triangle' landed next to it. It looked like he'd pick up the blinds and antes until Adam Owen asked for a count. You could see Owen's mental cogs turning over this borderline decision, his face expressing that he didn't love life but he had a hand that he suspected was doing ok against the hands Morrison would shove here. Call was his ultimate decision and it was time for showdown.

Owen: [Ac][8c]
Morrison: [Ad][Ks]

Morrison had him dominated and only improved as the board came [9c][3s][2d][Kd][Kh]. He doubles to around 150,000 while Owen still has chunks, around 530,000 to be precise. --NW

8:15pm: Cowboys send Straghalis to the rail
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Chris Straghalis is one of the few players who genuinely seem to enjoy every moment at the poker table. Perhaps that's because it's very much a hobby for the PokerStars employee but he's been smiling the whole day despite being almost permanently short stack. Sadly he was filling in a form by the payouts desk indicating his tournament had come to an end.

"I never got any chips, I was never above average but it was great fun," he told the PokerStars Blog. "So much play, such a fun event to play, but when Ludo hits what you gonna do?"

He was referring to Ludovic Geilich, the Scotsman was in earshot and turned around to listen. "I raised to 13,500 with pocket kings, Ludo three-bets to 35,000 with A-Qo, I went all-in for 109,000 and Ludo called."

At this point Geilich offered his take on the hand. "That's why I tanked so long before three-betting," he explained. "I know if I three-bet I've got to call it off but I'm not going to like it. I know I'm behind and I'm hoping you've got tens or jacks."

An ace on the flop means Geilich is up to 700,000 and Straghalis is off to play the Win the Button tournament. "I got to cash the last ever UKIPT which is great, but man I wanted to final table it," said Straghalis as he headed off. --NW

8:12pm: UKIPT6 London Champion departs
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Ludovic Geilich is now the only player left in that can become a double UKIPT champion after the elimination of Usman Siddique.

The UKIPT6 London champion three-bet all-in for 126,000 after Edward Jackson-Spivack had opened to 12,500. The latter tank-called.

Jackson-Spivack: [td][tc]
Siddique: [8c][8d]

The board ran [9s][jc][7h][3s][jd] to see the tens hold.

After a countdown of the stacks, Siddique was left with just three antes. He busted the very next hand. --MC

8pm: Final three tables
Level 17 - Blinds 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Here's how the final three tables line up:

7:45pm: Webb doubles again
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

It's a easy game when you keep winning flips and two in a row have boosted Nathan Webb to 400,000.

He'd moved table by the time this hand occurred, he opened the button to 21,500, Ali Zihni three-bet to 63,500 from the small blind, Webb moved all-in for 189,000 total and Zihni called.

Zihni: [Jh][Js]
Webb: [Ah][Kc]

A king on the flop gave Webb the lead and the turn and river both bricked for Zihni and he drops to around 50,000. --NW

7:42pm: UKIPT memories in brief
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

Time to hear from a few other people who have been connected with the UKIPT over its six years in existence.

Team PokerStars Pro Fatima Moreira de Melo, "Best memory of UKIPT was the first time it was held on the Isle of Man. I ended up doing really well and feeling the support of the 'home crowd' due to all the PokerStars employees, but also Isai and Mark Scheinberg who were there for the final table."

Two-time champion Joeri Zandvliet, "For me, the UKIPT's were super fun trips to go on with a group of friends, a trip to really look forward to for many reasons. Visiting a new city, meeting fun locals and poker players from all over the world, super professional and friendly staff: all in all great events that came down to much more than just playing poker. Being able to qualify online affordably, really made it a tour with a special mix of players. A tour without too much seriousness in the game, like headphones, tanking, verbal abuse, arrogance, but just a place for professionals, recreational players, locals and travellers from far away to come down and have fun!

"I can't really say one specific memory stands out. Obviously the wins were really cool and a great way to learn about life as a young adult, and some of the nights out on tour were memorable. But what stands out for me is the really cool atmosphere when you were around a UKIPT event. I'll miss it!"

Season one Player of the Year Chris Brammer, "Dean Lyall knocking back double vodka red bulls at UKIPT Manchester final table, lol."

7:25pm: Rinkevicius shown the Wray to the door by Zihni
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

"Good luck everybody!" said Deivis Rinkevicius after he busted to Ali Zihni. It was the previous hand that was the real damage to the Lithuanian's stack.

He had opened to 11,000 from under the gun and called after Jeremy Wray three-bet to 25,000 from the small blind. The flop fell [9d][ts][qh] and Wray moved all-in for 116,000. Rinkevicius tanked for a while before asking his opponent if he'd like a call.

Wray said he really didn't mind, as if he was called and busted he could always go home and watch the England game on Match of the Day. Rinkevicius said that he could do that to and made the call with [kc][qc]. Wray opened [ac][as] and survived the [4s][tc] turn and river.

That left Rinkevicius with crumbs and he was all-in in the big blind the next hand. Zihni raised to 20,000 and no one else was interested.

Rinkevicius: [6s][2h]
Zihni: [tc][ts]

The board ran [6c][5d][th][9s][qs] to settle matters. --MC

7:20pm: Webb doubles through Jones
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

From early position Teymour Sabet opened to 12,000 only for Nathan Webb to jam for 63,500. Richard Jones seemed interested, he got a count and then re-raised all-in for around 75,000 total. That forced Sabet off the hand and it was time for showdown:

Jones: [9d][9s]
Webb: [Kc][Qs]

A [Jd][4s][7d][Qc][2c] run out doubled Webb and left Jones very short. He was out soon afterwards. -NW

7:07pm: Owen's got the axe out again
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

There's no stopping Adam Owen at the moment. He burst the bubble before the break and now he's taken care of Patrice Brandt in 31st place post break.

The Brit, who came third in the recent EPT Barcelona Main Event, opened to 11,000 from under the gun before Krishna Nagaraju three-bet to 26,000 from the next seat. The action folded around to Brandt in the big blind who shipped all-in for 146,500. Owen took a look at Nagaraju's 260,000 chips he had back and moved all-in as well. Nagaraju open-folded [ts][tc].

Brandt: [jc][js]
Owen: [qs][qc]

The board ran [3d][kh][5s][4d][ac] to improve neither player. Owen's stack grew to around 545,000. --MC

6:55 pm: Magnificent dozen for Cody
Level 16 - Blinds 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

He battled a short stack for much of the day but Jake Cody now has a lot of chips and a 12th UKIPT Main Event cash. That draws him level with Thomas Ward at the top of the all-time list. Can he put the cherry on the cake with a win? --NW

Itm!!! 31 left and I'm now tied number 1 for most @UKIPT cashes! A win now would be the perfect ending #UKIPTBirmingham

— Jake Cody (@JakeCody) October 8, 2016

6:41pm: Last break of the day
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

The players are taking a 15-minute break before the last two levels of the day play out. --MC

6:40pm: Mark McCluskey bubbles UKIPT Birmingham
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Well, that was quick! The bubble burst on the very first hand of hand for hand play, and the shortest stack in the field - owned by Mark McCluskey - was the one to go.

Adam Owen open-raised to 10,000 from the button and was called by the small blind before McCluskey squeezed all-in for 31,000 from the big blind. Owen then successfully raised agin to isolate.

McCluskey: [ah][jc]
Owen: [kd][4d]

The board ran [9h][3h][tc][4s][8d] to pair Owen's four.

All 31 players left in are now guaranteed £1,460. --MC

6:35pm: Bubble time
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

We're on the pure bubble here in Birmingham.

Florian-Dimitrie Duta exited in 34th, he three-bet all-in for 63,900 from the big blind with pocket threes and Jake Cody, who'd raised from the button with [Ah][6s] got a count and then called. A [As][kd][Qh][Qs][Ac] run out saw Cody climb to around 330,000.

Shortly afterwards a similar situation occurred one table over. Jamie Bott opened pocket queens on the button, Robert Shiell shoved for about 50,000 and Bott called. A [3s][3c][7d][Js][Ts] board kept Bott in front and it's bubble time for the last time on the UKIPT. --NW

6:27pm: Eccleshall just misses out
Level 15 - Blinds 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)