4.31pm: Break time
Four levels down, who knows how many to go. What we do know though is that you'll find level 21 updates in a new post. -- NW
4.30pm: No way past Silver for Nielsen
Raymond Nielsen is the 21st placed finisher in the Main Event as he just lost a race to Max Silver to bust. The Norwegian shoved for 271,000 from middle position and after getting a count Silver made the call. He had dropped to around 500,000 so the call was for more than half his remaining stack.
Silver: [9s][9d]
Nielsen: [Kh][Qc]
The race soon became one sided as the [9c][3s][7h] flop gave Silver a set. Nielsen was up and gone before the [2c] and [2d] completed the board. -- NW
4:25pm: Padraig burned
Padraig Burns was down to 110,000 chips and had to make a move. He found what he was looking for but it ended in defeat.
He moved all in from second position and was called by Joeri Zandvliet in the hijack.
Burns: [as][td]
Zandvliet: [ah][qd]
The board ran [ad][2h][jd][6h][7c]. -- MC
4:20pm: Naughton on a flier; busts Gosk
Michael Naughton is up to 950,000 after two big all in hands. First he doubled through Max Silver and then he eliminated Grzegorz Gosk.
He three-bet all in for 350,000 with [ah][jh] after Silver had opened with [as][9d]. Silver called but stayed behind through the [5d][tc][7s][ks][kd] board. Silver dropped to around 600,000.
Moments later, he raised and called when Gosk shoved for 204,000.
Naughton: [ac][tc]
Gosk: [kc][qh]
The board ran [6c][2c][6s][4h][6h] to send Gosk home. -- MC
4.10pm: Hall passes Zandvliet test
Tom Hall is up to 570,000 after getting a fortuitous double up against Joeri Zandvliet. Hall had pocket sevens but was behind Zandvliet's pocket jacks. He spiked a seven though to double through him. -- NW
4pm: Juraj Matejovič eliminated in 24th place (€2,550)
It's been a terrific showing from Juraj Matejovič in his first ever live poker tournament but the Slovakian PokerStars qualifier has just been eliminated in 24th place.
It was Svein Eidseter who did the damage, the Norwegian called all-in for 213,000 with [A][Q] after Matejovič had shoved for 215,000 with [A][K]. There was a ten and a jack on the flop and a king on the turn filled Eidseter's straight and Matejovič was out the next hand. -- NW
3:55pm: Big slick costs Hutchison dearly
Dean Hutchison busted before the three-table redraw to end his hopes of back-to-back UKIPT titles. He filled the Blog in on his demise.
He was up to a million chips at one point but lost a 900k flip to Ben Senior who four-bet called off his stack with pocket tens. Hutchison had ace-king and missed. That left him with 28 big blinds that got whittled down to 21 big blinds before ace-king did for him again.
He opened from under the gun and then five-bet all in but ran into pocket aces, held by the four-bettor. Another impressive showing from the Scot. -- MC
3:40pm: Third title handed on a trey to Zandvliet?
Poker is a game of skill and luck. To win two UKIPTs would most possibly mean that a player would've had his/her fair share of luck. How much luck would a person need to win three? Ask Joeri Zandvliet who just cracked Vytenis Salickas' aces.
The Lithuanian opened from the button and snap called when Zandvliet shoved for 335,000 from the small blind.
Zandvliet:[3c][3d]
Salickas: [ac][ad]
The board ran [8h][tc][kd][3s][5d] to make Zandvliet a set on the turn. Salickas was left with around 300,000. --MC
3:35pm: Final three table re-draw
Here's the re-draw for the final three tables:
Table 1
Vytenis Salickas, PokerStars qualifier, Lithuania
Joeri Zandvliet, PokerStars qualifier, Netherlands
Tom Hall, PokerStars qualifier, United Kingdom
Martin Gallagher, PokerStars qualifier, United Kingdom
Robert Sturman, PokerStars qualifier, United Kingdom
Gregory Hayles, PokerStars qualifier, Australia
Dirk Thijssen, Rational Group staff, Isle of Man
Padraig Burns, Ireland
Table 2
Matan Elgazar, PokerStars player, Ireland
Zakhar Galper, PokerStars qualifier, Israel
Juraj Matejovič, PokerStars qualifier, Slovakia
Svein Eidseter, Norway
Benjamin Senior, PokerStars qualifier, United Kingdom
Thomas Finneran, PokerStars player, Ireland
Ivan Tononi, Italy
Laurence Ryan, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland
Table 3
Christopher Wood, PokerStars qualifier, United Kingdom
Michael Naughton, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland
Stefan Ebinger, Rational Group staff, Germany
Kevin Killeen, PokerStars player, Ireland
Grzegorz Gosk, PokerStars qualifier, Poland
Raymond Nielsen, PokerStars qualifier, Norway
Declan Barker, Ireland
Max Silver, PokerStars player, United Kingdom
Blinds up: 6,000/12,000, ante 3,000
3:25pm: Final three tables
As just 24 players remain there's now a short pause whilst they re-draw for the final three tables. -- NW
3:20pm: Campbell busts in classic race
Mary Campbell looked all set for a double up until an ace dropped on the river to dash those hopes.
She raised from under the gun and called all in when Declan Barker shoved from the big blind.
Campbell: [qc][qd]
Barker: [ad][ks]
The board ran [js][7h][5h][2d][ac]. Barker moved up to 1.2 million chips. -- MC
3:12pm: Revenge is dish best served straight away
Michael Naughton didn't have to wait long to get his own back on Thomas Finneran. He shoved for 230,000 with pocket sixes from the cut-off and Finneran called with pocket queens on the button. The [4d][10s][2d][6c][9h] board means Naughton is back up to 500,000 whilst Finneran drops to 320,000. -- NW
3:08pm: All-in Finn
Thomas Finneran's face had a grin on it that suggested he'd just got away with one and he had.
Pre-flop Michael Naughton opened from the small blind and Finneran defended from the big. The [8h][9c][Qc] flop was checked through and the [2d] fell on the turn. Naughton led for 34,000 only for Finneran to move all-in for 244,000 total. Back on Naughton he got a count, had a good old think and then made the call.
Finneran: [3c][2c]
Naughton: [10c][10s]
Naughton had made the right call, but in this game that doesn't always mean they get rewarded and the [3h] river gave Finneran the win the hard way as his two pair took the pot. He's up to 550,000 whilst Naughton is down to 230,000. -- NW
3:02pm: Ben is the Senior chip stack after taking out two players
Ben Senior is up to around 1.4 million after he eliminated Robert Vishnudatt and Daragh Davey in one hand.
Tournament director Luca Vivaldi kindly recounted the main facts of the hand. Senior opened from under the gun with aces before Vishnudatt three-bet with queens. Davey moved all in with jacks and Senior just called. Vishnudatt then moved all in behind and Senior snapped.
The flop came ace-high and was all diamonds. Davey was the only player holding a diamond but the turn and river bricked out. -- MC
2:55pm: Remembering the fallen
Just 27 players remain, here are the players who finished in 33rd-43rd position.
33. Timothy Boyle, Ireland, PokerStars player - €1,950
34. Adrian O'Donoghue, Ireland - €1,950
35. James Daly, Ireland - €1,950
36. Paul Febers, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - €1,950
37. Ian Gascoigne, Ireland - €1,950
38. Daniel Stacey, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - €1,950
39. Andrius Bielskis, Lithuania, PokerStars player - €1,950
40. Jonathan McCann, United Kingdom, PokerStars player - € 1,710
41. Arie Van Noordenne, Netherlands, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
42. Anthony Smyth, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
43. Jack Salter, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
2:50pm: Campbell and Burns double up
There was an all-in and calls on two separate tables at the same time both times the at risk player survived, here's what happened.
First to survive a sweat was Padraig Burns. The bubble burster three-bet shoved with pocket threes for roughly 100,000 over the top of Max Silver's open. The chip leader got a count and then called with [9c][8h]. The [7h][2d][8c] flopped looked to have sent the pot Silver's way but the [3d] turn gave Burns an unbeatable hand.
Whilst on an adjacent table Mary Campbell three-bet shoved for 171,000 with [Ac][Kh], Kieran Birt already had 25,000 in the pot and he called the extra off with [Ad][Qd]. The [5d][9d][3c] flop gave him extra outs but he missed them all on the [2c] turn and [2s] river. -- NW
2:45pm: Padovani hand not so lucky today
Sonia Padovani and Kathleen Padovani are the only mother and daughter combo that we can remember cashing in a UKIPT Main Event. Katheen (mother) busted yesterday in 92nd place, and her daughter just followed.
The action folded around to Grzegorz Gosk in the small blind and he set Padovani all in for her last 72,000. She made the call from the big blind.
Gosk: [4h][5d]
Padovani: [ks][jd]
"Your lucky hand!" said a railer to Padovani.
"I know! I hope it's lucky today," she replied.
It wasn't though as the board ran out [2d][th][ah][as][5h] to hit the Pole's five on the river. -- MC
2:35pm: Chip counts
During the break tournament staff did eyes on chip counts of all the remaining players. You can view their handiwork right here. -- NW
2:30pm: Rookie Matejovič doubles up
The PokerStars Blog loves a good background story and Juraj Matejovi, who just doubled up through Thomad Finneran, has provided it for today.
He only been playing poker for one month and before that he studied the game for two months before playing a hand. Over that time he has managed to read 20 poker books!
Finneran raised to 23,000 and tank-called when Matejovič three-bet all in for 152,000.
Matejovič: [qh][qd]
Finneran: [6c][6s]
The board ran [th][7d][9d][qs][7c] to make the Slovakian a full house. Finneran dropped to 310,000. -- MC
2.25pm: He cashed then crashed
UKIPT Host Nick Wealthall made it through to Day 2, then he made the money but then he busted. Relive his roller coaster ride in less than three minutes. -- NW
2.17pm: Chip leaders
As level 19 gets underway these are the top five chip stacks in the Main Event.
Max Silver - 1,100,000
Larry Ryan - 970,000
Dean Hutchison - 950,000
Robert Sturman - 750,000
Declan Barker - 580,000
Blinds up: 5,000/10,000, ante 1,000
2.02pm: Time for a recess
Two 60 minute levels have been completed today so the players are now on a 15 minute break. -- NW
2pm: Hall gets his oats, then loses them
It's been an up and down first two levels for UKIPT3 leader board champion Tom Hall as he explained in this tweet.
Went from 135k to 360k in 90 mins no showdown hero'd it all off in 1 hand, back to 135k obviously #UKIPTDublin
— Tom Hall (@Jabracada) March 2, 20141:55pm: Febers falls
UKIPT4 Galway runner-up Paul Febers will not be making a second UKIPT final table here in Dublin. However, Dean Hutchison looks well placed to make back to back final tables, and possibly titles, after eliminating Febers.
Hutchison opened from the cut-off, Febers jammed for roughly 230,000 and Hutchison's chips were in the pot a nanosecond later.
Febers: [3c][3s]
Hutchison: [Qd][Qh]
The [Ad][Qc][Jd][9d][Ac] board gave Hutchison a full-house and he's now up to 975,000. -- NW
1:46pm: Double for the double champ Zandvliet
Joeri Zandvliet's quest to win a historic third UKIPT title is still on after he doubled up through Svein Eidseter.
Zandvliet opened to 16,000 from under the gun before his Norwegian opponent three-bet to 42,000 from the next seat. Zandvliet came back with a four-bet to 97,000 and called all in for 240,000 when shoved on.
Zandvliet: [qs][qd]
Eidseter: [jd][jh]
The board ran [7d][7c][2d][3s][3d]. Eidseter dropped to around 100,000. -- MC
1:35pm: Stacey out; Ryan chip leader
Yesterday Daniel Stacey said to the PokerStars Blog: I didn't think it was possible to run this good."
He had 806,000 and the chip lead coming into Day 3 and now just 90 minutes into the day he is out.
He was down to 585,000 by the time of his exit hand, which coincidentally was the exact stack that Laurence 'Larry' Ryan had too. In the hand in question Ryan opened to 17,000, Stacey three-bet to 40,000, Ryan four-bet to 90,000, Stacey shoved and Ryan snap called.
Ryan: [As][Ad]
Stacey: [Ah][Kc]
The [4s][9s][3d][Jh][2d] board didn't even give Stacey a sweat. If he had a hot hand yesterday he ran ice cold today. Poker, it's a cruel game. Ryan now has 1,200,000 and is the new chip leader. -- NW
1:25pm: Max-a-million; McCann busts to Silver
Max Silver has soared past the million-chip mark after he won a large flip to eliminate Jonathan McCann.
McCann raised to 16,000 off the button before Silver three-bet 44,000 from the big blind. After McCann came back with a 91,000 four-bet, Silver shoved. McCann called off for about 410,000.
Silver: [ac][jc]
McCann: [8c][8d]
The board ran a Silver-lined [qc][js][tc][jd][7h]. Silver moved up to 1.28 million! --MC
1:20pm: A welcome from Wealthall
It's Day 3 here in Dublin, but of course you know that. As does UKIPT Host Nick Wealthall as you can see in the video below.
1:15pm: Day 3 exits
10 players were eliminated in the opening level and they all picked up € 1,710 for their efforts here in Dublin.
44. Mark McShane, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
45. Stephen Lovatt, United Kingdom - € 1,710
46. Kasper Linneman, Denmark, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
47. Phillip Corion, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
48. Tim Farrelly, Ireland - € 1,710
49. Deborah Worley-Roberts, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
50. Ludovic Geilich, United Kingdom, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
51. Gary Coulahan, Ireland, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
52. Przemyslaw Misztela, Poland, PokerStars qualifier - € 1,710
53. Christopher Farrelly, Ireland - € 1,710
54th. Igor Wilk, Poland - €1,710
1:10pm: Salter's stack dissolved
Jack Salter has been eliminated after he lost a race in a battle of the blinds.
The action folded around to Vytenis Salickas in the small blind and he completed. When Sater raised, Salickas moved all in and Salter called.
Salickas: [4s][4d]
Salter: [qs][kh]
The board ran [2d][6c][3d][8h][Ah] to miss Salter's over cards. Salickas' stack rose to 530,000. -- MC
Blinds up: 4,000/8,000, ante 1,000
1:05pm: Juraj Matejovič wins battle of the blinds
Juraj Matejovič now has a stack of 170,000 after winning a battle of the blinds against Stephen Lovatt.
It went all-in pre-flop with Lovatt holding [Qs][Jd] whilst Matejovič had [Ac][Qc]. The [4c][Kc][8c] flop ended the hand and the meaningless [6c] and [6s] completed the board. Lovatt was left with just 3,000 and although he quintupled up to 15,000 he was out soon afterwards. -- NW
12:55pm: Aces cracked
If there was a head shaking human equivalent of the Churchill Dog then Mark McShane would be a shoe in for the role right now. In an all-in pre-flop encounter he had way the best of it with [Ah][Ad] against Declan Barker's pocket kings in a pot worth 350,000.
There was a gnat's breath between the two stacks so when the board came [kc][6d][Jd][3h][10s] to double up Barker, it meant McShane was left with just 6,000 chips. They went in shortly afterwards and he was eliminated. He was still shaking his head as he headed to the payouts desk. -- NW
12:50pm: Silver gets the Max and eliminates Linneman
It hasn't taken long for Max Silver to reclaim the lead here on Day 3, and it was down to his elimination of Kasper Linneman.
Silver raised from the button and was called by the Dane (SB) en route to a [4d][ad][qd] flop. Linneman check-called the flop before he led the [3s] turn. Silver raised the bet and called when Linneman shoved.
Linneman: [4s][4h] for a set.
Silver: [7d][9d] for a flopped flush.
The river came as the [tc] and Silver added 300,000 to his stack to move up to 880,000. -- MC
12:40pm: Coulahan coolered
When you've only got 12 big blinds [Ah][Qd] looks like aces and it was certainly a good enough hand for Gary Coulahan to commit his chips with. He got a few folds before Sonia Padovani called all-in for less on the button.
You could see from Coulahan's face that he sensed even though he had a strong hand he was drawing slim and so it proved as Padovani showed pocket kings. The [5h][Qh][5c][3c][Jh] board gave Padovani a sweat, but she doubled up.
So Coulahan was left with just two big blinds, one of which he was forced to put it on the next hand as he was the big blind. Padraig Burns raised to 15,000 from the button with [Ac][Jh], Coulahan put his remaining chips in without looking and one by one turned over [5h][2s]. "I'm live at least," he said as the dealer fanned a [2c][Qd][10s] flop. Any respite was short lived though as the [Kd] came on the turn to give Burns an unbeatable straight. -- NW
12:30pm: Sparkly top fails for Worley-Roberts
"I wore the sparkly top and everything!" bemoaned a giggling Deborah Worley-Roberts at the pay out desk.
She was in the small blind, sat on 15 big blinds, and facing a button raise. She looked down and shoved after seeing ace-jack. Kieran Birt was the player on the button and called with kings. Good game Worley-Roberts. -- MC
12:25pm: Fashionably late
Chip leader Daniel Stacey was conspicuous by his absence for the first 20 minutes, but he's now in the building. -- NW
12:20pm: Geilich gone
Ludovic Geilich is out despite in his own words, "turning maximum outs," against Joeri Zandvliet. The PokerStars Blog spotted him at the payouts desk and the UKIPT4 Marbella champion was happy to tell us about his exit hand.
"I've got 90k, the button min-raises and I jammed with king-ten and he's got ace-ten. On the river I had nine club outs, three kings, three jacks for a higher straight and three sixes for a chop. I know he's good enough to open any king and strong queens on the button to put me under pressure so I felt king-ten was good enough. As it is he had me crushed." -- NW
12:12pm: Silver arrives late, gets straight to work
The public transport meant Max Silver was late arriving today. He missed the first hand but eliminated Igor Wilk on the third hand.
Wilk was down to 85,000 when he moved all in from under the gun. Silver was on the button and successfully isolated with a raise.
Wilk: [as][jc]
Silver: [ah][kd]
The board ran [ks][5c][2h][4h][9c] to pair Silver's king. -- MC
12:01pm: Cards in the air
Play is underway. -- NW
12pm: Stacey leads, but Silver lurks
The PokerStars Blog has never been in the lead in a car race, horse race or any other sort of race (apart from ones that involve getting to the buffet first). So we can only imagine what it's like to have the lead in such a race and have a Ferrari, thoroughbred or even a vastly experienced and successful poker player right behind you.
That's the position Daniel Stacey finds himself in at the start of Day 3 of the UKIPT4 Dublin Main Event. Yes he yes a chip lead of over 30 big blinds, yes he has two deep runs on the UKIPT already this season, but he also has Max Silver to contend with. The UKIPT champion, who has over $1,250,000 in lifetime earnins, started Day 2 with the chip lead sailed serenely through it. He finished the day on 602,000 and trails only Stacey who'll start with 806,000. Whilst the seat draw has kept them apart Stacey's table will be the first to break today.
Whilst those two protagonists might share top billing the undercard to Day 3 ain't too shabby. It features two-time UKIPT champion Joeri Zandvliet (279,000), UKIPT4 Galway 3rd place finisher Daragh Davey (360,000), UKIPT4 Marbella winner Ludovic Geilich (98,000), UKIPT3 Cork top dog Thomas Finneran (242,000) and UKIPT4 Edinburgh champion Dean Hutchison (371,000) who's still in the hunt for back to back UKIPT titles.
Through in two Rational Group Staff (Dirk Thijssen, 181,000 and Stefan Ebinger, 268,000) who're hoping to emulate Chris Jonat (4th UKIPT4 Isle of Man); Tom Hall (135,000), Kevin Killeen (375,000), Paul Febers (359,000), Jack Salter (167,000) and Deborah Worley-Roberts (108,000) and what you've got is one of the most stacked final 54 of any UKIPT Main Event. It should be a cracker.
Cards will be in the air at noon, blinds will be 3,000/6,000 ante 1,000 and the average stack is 247,000.
Key UKIPT4 Dublin Day 3 Facts:
- Play will continue until we reach a final table of eight players
- Everyone left in has locked up a minimum of €1,710
- There are five former UKIPT champions left in, six if you count the fact Joeri Zandvliet has two titles.
- A further six players have previously made a UKIPT Main Event final table
- Two side events start today. The €150 + €15 PLO Double Chance gets underway at noon. And the €100 + €10 NL - Holdem Turbo - Super Deepstack - EPT Edition with a UKIPT Nottingham "1 Million Guarantee" Main Event Package added, starts at 3pm.
PokerStars Blog reporting team at PokerStars UKIPT Dublin: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Danny Maxwell.