4.15pm: Break time
That's the end of level four, you'll find level five updates in a new post. -- NW
4pm: Chip counts
A scooch round the room reveals the following stacks are in front of the names and notables that we're tracking on the chip count page:
Robbie Bull - 7,000
Paul Foltyn - 23,000
Ludovic Geilich - 33,000
Paul McTaggart - 22,300
Jack Ellwood - 11,000
Rick Trigg - 22,300
Richard Evans - 31,000
Chris Sly - 27,500
Marc MacDonnell - 23,000
Alex Goulder - 8,700
Simon Deadman - 19,000
Dominik Nitsche - 19,500
Alan Gold - 40,000
Ben Jenkins - 8,200
Dave Nicholson - 33,500
Mick Graydon - 6,000
Jason Wheeler - 42,000
Vicky Coren - 14,000
Jon Kalmar - 29,000
Jamie Sykes - 50,000
Brett Angell - 19,000
Kevin Allen - 8,000
Andrew Hulme - 56,000
Scott Shelley - 37,000
Matt Perrins - 16,400
Fraser Macintyre - 14,500
Devilfish - 29,000
3.40pm: If you're all-in, be sure to stand up
For all the beginners out there here's a valuable tip. If you're all-in, and behind, but have outs, stand up. I cannot stress this enough.
Mark Kirkpatrick was out of his seat when he shoved with pocket fives and got called by Michael McGee with pocket fours. McGee had flopped a set.
But that wasn't the end of it. Kirkpatrick may have been ready to go but the board was looking ominous: [4][3][2][9] and then [6].
The river gave Kirkpatrick the straight, and plonked him firmly back in his chair (he had McGee covered slightly). Instead, the formerly seated McGee was now standing, all out of chips, and pretty annoyed at the general situation.
As he strode off Kirkpatrick sat back down and stacked his new wealth.
"As soon as you stood up, I knew..." said Marc Foggin in seat 5. Of course he did. - SB
Blinds up: 100/200, ante 25
3.15pm: High Roller update
The eight remaining players in the £2,200 UKIPT4 Nottingham 6-max High Roller are all in the money, they're not all at the final table though. With the loss of one more player the remaining seven players will combine at one table and play to a winner. The final table bubble has been going on for around 75 minutes now according to the tournament supervisor.
It's a field that wouldn't look out of place at an EPT containing as it does: Jon Spinks, Chris Brammer, Craig McCorkell, Dermot Blain and Team PokerStars Online's Mickey Petersen. This is how they stack up at the moment, blinds are currently 1,000/2,000 ante 300.
Table 1:
Jonathan Spinks - 205,000
Craig Mccorkell - 40,000
Mickey Petersen - 200,000
Giuliano Bendinelli - 38,000
Table 2:
Thomas Middleton - 120,000
Dermot Blain - 100,000
Alex Lindop - 55,000
Christopher Brammer - 180,000
As I was compiling the chip counts it looked as if the bubble might burst on two separate occasions. On the first Alex Lindop opened to 4,200, Chris Brammer three-bet the button to 11,500, Lindop made it 22,000 with 55,000 back and Brammer smooth called. On the [Qh][5h][Kc] flop Lindop check-folded when Brammer set him in.
Meanwhile on the other table Jon Spinks opened to 4,500, Craig McCorkell three-bet to 11,200 but both folded to Mickey Petersen's cold four-bet. We'll keep you updated on the progress of the event, everyone has £3.840 locked, with £31.680 up top for the winner. -- NW
(Edit: Shortly after this post was written Alex Lindop was eliminated in eight place when he moved all-in with pocket nines for 24 big blinds against Dermot Blain who held king-jack, hitting a king on the turn.)
3.10pm: Ellwood in control
Sometimes players look like they're in charge, sometimes they play like they are. Jack Ellwood does a bit of both.
Ellwood, who has the jaw, hair and stubble of one of the beautiful people, has taken the initiative at his table, rarely letting a pot go by without having a say.
Jack Ellwood
He opened for 350 from the cut off. Sean Randall called in the button for a flop of [kc][3s][4c]. Ellwood then bet 425 to take the pot.
Ellwood lost the next hand to Richard Trig, but was back at it a hand later, when Paul McTaggart opened on the button for 450. Ellwood called on the big blind, as did Randall under-the-gun. The flop came [qc][ad][jc]. Both Ellwood and Randall checked to McTaggart who bet 775. Ellwood called. Both checked the [tc] turn card for a [kc] river card. Ellwood's bet of 1,300 was good for the pot.
He won the next one too, quietly plugging away and occasionally looking over his shoulders as if worried someone was watching him. Some already are. Ellwood up to 24,000. - SB
3pm: Entries and exits
The number of total entrants today refuses to budge upwards from 125 but the number of players left in continues to steadily decline. Just 118 remain now with Mark Baxter, Kevin Finnie, Dan Stancer and Thomas Busst the players to exit during level three. -- NW
2.45pm: Bull takes wrong turn
UKIPT4 London champion Robbie Bull has seen his stack more than cut in half during the opening two and a half levels. I saw his latest hiccup and it happened in a hand against David Montague. The latter was small blind, Bull was the big blind and there was already 2,400 in the pot when the [6c][7d][3h] flop was dealt.
Montague bet 1,175, Bull raised to 2,700 and Montague made the call. On the [Kd] turn Montague checked to Bull, he bet 2,650 from his stack of 10,200 but folded when Montague moved all-in.
After that hand Bull is down to 7,400. -- NW
2.30pm: Exit information
Although I missed the first two exits, thanks to the excellent DTD software I could identify the table at which they were sat at the time so went in search of information from those still seated there.
Turns out that Jamie Sykes was responsible for Steven Hamlani's exit and he was kind enough to tell me what happened. It transpires that Hamlani raised under-the-gun, picked up one caller and Sykes then called from the button with [8h][7h].
The flop came [Q][9][6], it checked to Sykes, he bet 650, Hamlani check-raised to 2,100 and Sykes smooth called. The [5s] hit the turn completing Sykes straight but also meaning there were two flush draws now on board, Hamlani bet 3,200 with just 6,000 back and Sykes smooth called. The [Qs] hit the river pairing the top card and bringing in the backdoor flush draw. Hamlani jammed, Sykes called and his opponent simply mucked his cards, Sykes is up to 36,000.
And Samuel Weston paid the ultimate price for limping aces as the hand went five-way to a [Q][4][2] flop, Paul Grummitt flopped top two and Weston couldn't get away from it. -- NW
2.15pm: Back underway
And back we go, 122 of 125 entrants remain on Day 1B. -- NW
Blinds up: 75/150
2pm: Break time
That's the end of the first two levels and the players are now on a 15 minute break. Three players have been eliminated in the opening two levels: Kevin Asquith, Samuel Weston and Steven Hamlani the players to fall. -- NW
1.55pm: Chip counts
With big stacks and little blinds there's not been that much movement over the opening couple of levels but here's how some of the names and notables stack up:
Robbie Bull - 15,300
Paul Foltyn - 26,000
Ludovic Geilich - 12,200
Paul McTaggart - 31,000
Jack Ellwood - 9,500
Rick Trigg - 27,400
Richard Evans - 27,200
Chris Sly - 24,000
Marc MacDonnell - 26,500
Alex Goulder - 22,000
Simon Deadman - 20,500
Dominik Nitsche - 15,000
Alan Gold - 28,000
Ben Jenkins - 17,000
Dave Nicholson - 23,000
Mick Graydon - 18,000
Jason Wheeler - 23,000
Vicky Coren - 13,500
Jon Kalmar - 24,000
Jamie Sykes - 21,500
David Gent - 20,025
Brett Angell - 16,700
Kevin Allen - 17,100
JP Kelly - 24,000
1.50pm: The Devilfish doubles and then some
It hadn't been the best start for Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliott, he had slipped down to around 6,000 but he just doubled up through Tim Chung. I only saw the denouement of the hand but Devilfish held [7d][3c], Chung held pocket nines and the board had come [7h][2h][3s][8c][Kh] to boost Devilfish back to around 12,000.
Andrew Hulme, who's at the table told me that the majority of the money went in on the turn, Hulme is up to 38,000 and it was he who won a big pot against Devilfish to leave him short. A couple of hands later Devifish got his hands on more chips as he squeezed to 1,100 and got two callers. He then c-bet 1,300 on a [3h][6h][2d] and got it through, flashing ace-king as he took the pot. -- NW
1.45pm: Yes, Mr Barraclough
Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott, one of a few players today to grace company in a collared shirt, is down a bit. His chips aren't stacked as such, but spread out in little piles. But he just took a sizable pot to kick-start his day.
A table along Tamer Kamal, who cashed in both the EPT Main event and High Roller, was looking at a flop of [9s][7s][6h] from the button. Under the gun was David Barraclough, who bet 300 which Kamal called.
Both checked the [4c] turn card for an [8c] on the river. Barraclough checked leaving Kamal to make it 500 to play. With a pause, Barraclough called.
"Two pair," said Kamal. Barraclough let the cards do the talking, turning over pocket fours for a set. Kamal showed nine-eight off-suit. - SB
1.30pm: Saxby up
Fresh from her recent win in the EPT London Ladies event is Kelly Saxby, who just added to her stack in a pot against Paul Grummitt in the small blind and Samuel Weston.
Saxby opened for 450 in the cut-off as the action passed to Grummitt. Grummitt has a degree of dash, thanks mainly to a pair of red-rimmed reading glasses on a chain around his neck. It gives his play a clinical air, a degree of authority. He called, as did the neat and well-trimmed Weston, for a flop of [6h][7h][th]. The blinds checked to Saxby who wasted no time in betting 425, forcing folds from the others.
A table along, a flop of [as][9s][td] was causing Enzo Gomez to get busy. Gomez bet 200, which Guy Barron called for a [kd] turn. Another 350 from Gomez who you wondered if he wasn't beginning to force things, particularly as Barron raised to 2,600. Gomez called for a [6d] on the river.
Gomez tapped the table. The writing was on the wall and Barron was happy to read it, betting 2,600, which proved more than enough to force out Gomez, who mucked. - SB
1.20pm: Jenkins wins one
A good start for Full Tilt Poker Ambassador Ben Jenkins as he just won a pot against Chris Sieder. It was the latter who opened the action, making it 200 to go from the hijack, Jenkins smooth called from the button and the blinds folded.
On the [3h][6s][10d] flop Sieder c-bet 300 and Jenkins flat called, the [7s] hit the turn, Sieder checked, Jenkins bet 525 and Sieder made the call. The [5c] completed the board, both players checked, Jenkins showed two red eights and they were good enough to win the pot. -- NW
1.10pm: More faces
The fun table draws just keep on coming. Added into the mix at table Jamie Sykes/Dave Nicholson are Jason Wheeler and Mick Graydon. Wheeler has over $1.2M in lifetime earnings, whilst Graydon is closing in on $500,000 in lifetime cashes.
Elsewhere JP Kelly, David Gent, Kevin Allen and Brett Angell are seated together on table 46. 108 players are in according to the tournament board. -- NW
Blinds up: 50/100
1pm: So sick, so painful
It's not often you see a 400 big blind pot in level one and get neither a showdown nor an elimination but that's what just happened on table 35.
By the time I arrived at the table there was 5,600 in the pot and a complete board of [Qd][9d][10c][Qs][Jd] on the felt. Marc Foggin (big blind) bet 3,600, one seat along Michael McGee flat called only for Lorenc Boci to raise to 8,200 total. Back on Foggin he let his hand go but McGee was not so quick to release his hand. "I was more worried about him (Foggin) than you," said McGee. "Will you show if I fold," he asked Boci. "No, but you've already folded and just don't know it," replied Boci.
McGee then started running the hand through his head out loud, "You don't raise nines here, queen-ten, pocket tens, Q-J, I don't know. Man this is so sick, so painful, we're not even in level two yet."
Eventually Victor Ilyukhin called the clock but no sooner had he done so then McGee mucked his hand. Neither player showed but Foggin then said: "I folded pocket nines, I think he (Boci) had queen-jack." -- NW
12.45pm: Nitsche Nixed
German pro Dominik Nitsche is among those foreign raisers making their living on British shores, as well as with occasional excursions further afield to the European Poker Tour. Today he plies his trade in the East Midlands of England, although trade isn't so good in this first level.
Dominik Nitsche
He just tangled with Alan Gold in a pot that reduced Nitsche to around 14,000.
On a board of [4s][8h][5s][ts] Nitsche, on the button, was looking at Gold with intent. Gold had bet from the small blind and was doing his best to keep a straight face as he waited. Nitsche tilted his head, looked back at Gold, then called.
On the river card [6s] Nitsche looked only at Gold, only looking at the board when Gold bet again. Nitsche raised an eyebrow, called, and then mucked with a grin as Gold showed [qc][qs] for the flush. - SB
12.35pm: Keep them coming.
We're up to 95 players now, every few minutes the music is interrupted by an announcement for players to take their seats at tables that have just opened. However, interrupted is probably the wrong word given that one of the High Rollers described the music playing in the club as 'Now That's What I Call Slit Wrist,' he has a point, it is dreary.
Anyway, I digress. The calibre of the players being informed to take their seats is, as you'd expect of latecomers, high.
Jamie Sykes, Dave Nicholson, Kevin Allen, Jon Kalmar, Paul Foltyn, Ludovic Geilich, Scott Shelley and Team PokerStars Pro Victoria Coren are among those who've taken their seats since the tournament got underway. Shelley, Coren and Kalmar, in that order are sharing a table. -- NW
Ludovic Geilich
12.20pm: Playing today...
As play gets underway there are approximately 66 players fully paid up and with bums on seats. Dotted amongst them are a number of familiar faces. None more so than Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliott, he's sat to the left of Full Tilt Poker Ambassador Ben Jenkins, who in turn is to the right of Andrew Hulme. He was one of 11 players who made Day 2 of the High Roller but he bust that shortly after it started and hopped into the Main Event.
Elsewhere Jack Ellwood is at the same table as Rick Trigg, UKIPT3 Champion of Champions Richard Evans is to the right of Sam Trickett's best bud Chris Sly and UKIPT4 London champion Robbie Bull is also in the field today.
The toughest table of all though, in this writer's opinion, contains Simon Deadman, Dominik Nitsche and Alan Gold who are sat in that order on table 26. I witnessed an early skirmish between Deadman and Nitsche. From the hijack Deadman raised to 150 and Nitsche flat called from the cut-off. On the [8d][Jc][9c] flop Deadman check-called a bet of 225 and the [2s] fell on the turn. The pattern repeated itself with Deadman check-calling a bet of 600. The [7s] completed the board, again Deadman checked, Nitsche took his time before betting 1,800 into the pot of 2,025.
Deadman grimaced and went into the tank, after a couple of minutes he elected to fold and said: "Nice hand," as Nitsche took the pot. -- NW
Welcome back to Nottingham, or to a virtual glimpse at least, for Day 1B of the UKIPT Nottingham 6-Max main event.
If you were with us for yesterday's coverage you'll know that 24 of the original 61 Day 1A players survived eight levels yesterday. Today the field will be increased in size, with another 100 or so players pulling up outside the ornate entrance of Dusk Till Dawn, also known as Europe premier poker venue.
Dusk Till Dawn
While outside England's bleakness is all too clear--no sun, no warmth, no shine, no flowers, November!--(to savage the work of Thomas Hood), inside the world is a cosy sanctuary of artificial light and plush reds and grays. It's also centrally heated, perfect for those with nothing else to do, a ready grand, and the unswerving conviction that this is their's to win.
Here's how things will work today.
- 20,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 25/50 for 400 big blinds
- One hour levels, we'll play eight today with no dinner break meaning play will end around 8.45pm
- Late registration is open until the end of level four.
- Three are two remaining starting days, then Days 2, 3 and 4 will be a combined field to a UKIPT champion.
Cards will be in the air at midday.
PokerStars Blog reporting team at PokerStars UKIPT Nottingham six-max: Nick Wright and Stephen Bartley. Photos by Danny Maxwell.