4:26pm: The whistle's blown
This flight has made the halfway point and a 20-minute break has gotten under way. You'll find level five updates in a new post here. --MC
4:25pm: Show one, show all
A small argument broke out at table 37 where tensions were running high. There was a [Qc][8d][7h][2d] board on the felt, Jose Gonzalez had moved all-in for 8,400 into a pot of 11,650 and Thomas O'Shea was contemplating his decision.
The Irishman who is in seat three, who had chipped up to 57,500, took a look at his cards in such a way that Vladislav Saveyev, in seat nine, thought that Nick Wealthall in seat four had been able to see O'Shea's hand. "Show one, show all," said Sayeyev. Given that this was a big decision and given that he hadn't seen the hand Wealthall objected to Sayeyev getting involved saying: "you're not even in the hand, why are you even getting involved?"
The floor was called, perhaps a little unnecessarily and it was swiftly ruled that play would continue as normal. After about 30 seconds O'Shea called and showed [As][Qd]. But he was behind to Saveyev who had pocket kings and the cowboys held on the [5h] river. -- NW
4:15pm: It's that time!
The antes has kicked in and suddenly the 3-and 4-betters are coming to life #UKIPTMarbella
— Razorheart (@KjellLindqvist) June 12, 20144:05pm: Gavin Gone
He was one of the first players to 30,000 but Fintan Gavin has recently departed.
Louise Duffy kindly filled the blog in on the details. She raised before Javier Mellado three-bet. One player called the bet before Gavin shoved for 8,000 with pocket fours. Mellado was the only caller, holding nines, and held to bust the former UKIPT champion. -- MC
3:55pm: Tinnion wins
The Spanish for snap call is, according to google translate, 'complemento de llamada'. And that's what Robert Tinnion did when Antonio Vallespi three-bet all-in on a [5c][6h][6s] flop. The Spaniard had bet 3,300, Tinnion had raised to 6,600, Vallespi shoved for 19,000 at which point Tinnion snap called.
When the cards were turned over Vallespi saw that he was drawing very thin as he held [9h][5h] whilst Tinnion had [Ac][6c]. The [7c] turn gave Vallespi some additional outs but he missed them all on the [10s] river. -- NW
3:45pm: Gomila and Armesto soaring
Tomeu Gomila is a very well respected player in Spain and is seventh on their all-time money list with nearly $900k in winnings. He's going along nicely today and had gotten up to 54,000 already.
Also doing well at his table is Marcos Armesto who's up to around 45,000 after eliminating an opponent. The player in question raised under-the-gun to 525 and was called by Sin Melin in the next seat and Armesto in the small blind.
The flop fanned [7s][3s][3c] and Armesto led for 1,500 and was called by both players. The turn was the [qc] and Armesto bet out 3,500 and called after his opponent shoved for 6,500. Melin folded.
Armesto opened [5c][3d] for trips and held against his opponent's [ad][qs]. -- MC
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 100-200, ante 25
3:30pm: Some of the fallen few
Dave Shallow, Jode Urrutia, Vikrum Mehta, Rowan van Embden, Pia Jeppesen, Jaume Alomar, Alejandro Piñeiro, Pablo Martinez and Jonatan Casero have all departed in recent time. Apparently Shallow wasn't really in the mood to play poker today after a big night out last night. -- MC
3:15pm: Chip counts
Here's how some of the names and notables in the field are getting on:
Dara O'Kearney - 22,000
Nick Wealthall - 18,300
Simon Hemsworth - 25,500
Alex Spencer - 27,800
Leo McClean - 29,000
Raul Mestre - 37,500
Fraser Macintyre - 20,500
Daniel Stacey - 16,000
Alan Gold - 25,000
Dale Garrard - 18,500
Diego Gomez - 16,700
Dan Williams - 18,300
Nick Newport - 23,000
Tony Phillips - 26,000
Dale Philip - 14,800
Paul McTaggart - 26,000
David Yan - 19,000
Fintan Gavin - 14,000
Louise Duffy - 23,500
Richard Evans - 21,500
Sam Grafton - 31,500
Paul Berende - 21,700
3:05pm: Salter and Slade shaking things up
Jack Salter and Nick Slade are two of the players in the overspill room which is situated down in a dungeon bar. Both have less than their starting stacks but both played a pot aggressively to gain some back.
Salter was heads up with Eric Paz and 5,100 had ventured into the middle by the turn of a [kd][jc][ac][8d] board. Salter checked to face a 2,425 bet that he treated to a check-raise all in for 10,400. Paz tanked for three minutes before folding.
Moments later, Slade was forcing Leo Margets off a hand to get up to 14,000. He opened to 300 before the Team PokerStars Pro three-bet to 700 from the next seat. Slade and one other called to see an [as][5c][tc] flop where Margets continued for 1,100. The third party folded but Slade check-raised to 2,500 and that was enough to win the pot. He flashed [8h][5h] and raked in the pot. Margets dropped back to 19,000.-- MC
2:50pm: Melin multi-tabling
"I sat down at the wrong table," Full Tilt Poker Ambassador Sin Melin told the PokerStars Blog. "I played a couple of hands before I realised I was in Dale Garrard's seat and he was in mine," she continued. To be fair both players are in the 10 seat at their adjacent tables. Her table move seems to have checked her momentum. "I lost 4k with tens against a short stacks aces after I moved tables," she told the blog. -- NW
2:40pm: Martinez makes a great call
As the PokerStars Blog arrived at Jake Cody's table to see the Team PokerStars Pro with a stack of 60,000 in front of him a big hand was playing out and the clock had been called on Alberto Martínez.
There was a complete board of [2h][3s][7d][10h][Ks] on the felt and his opponent had bet 10,000, which was enough to set Martinez all-in. The count was under 10 by the time Martinez announced call, his opponent shook his head and showed [As][Qs] whilst Martinez opened [8h][7h] for a fantastic call. -- NW
2:30pm: Lappin up chips
Ticking along #ukiptMarbella - 32k at first break. 3rd coffee of the day. Jiggly legs. Spew imminent.
— David K Lappin (@DKLAPPIN) June 12, 2014LEVEL UP: BLINDS 75-150
2:07pm: Let the sunshine in
The players are now on a 20-minute break as the first two levels have been completed. -- NW
2:05pm: Business as usual for Cody
It's fair to say Jake Cody's had a good opening two levels...
Busted another QT>T7 allin on J98 #skillgame #ukiptmarbella
— Jake Cody (@JakeCody) June 12, 20142pm: Unbluffable doesn't mean untouchable
Earlier on Fintan Gavin claimed he was unbluffable. That statement probably didn't do too much good for his image if he was going to continue to bluff, which he always was.
He made it to the river in a heads up pot and a board that rested as [9c][2c][6s][7d][9h]. Gavin fired out 2,100 from the small blind and was called by an opponent in the cut-off. Neither player wanted to expose their holding and eventually Gavin announced that he had ace high before mucking upon seeing his opponent's [js][9d] for trips. That put Gavin back down to his starting stack.
In other news, Dutch pro Paul Berende has just taken a seat. -- MC
1:55pm: Limp pays off for Kirlenko
Artur Kirlenko just scooped a meaty pot, one in which he started the action off by limping from early position. It passed to Simon Hemsworth in the cut-off he also limped only for the the button to make it 525 to go, Andelfo Serrano called from the big blind and then both Kirlenko and Hemsworth did likewise.
So there was 2,150 in the pot by the time the dealer fanned a [5c][6h][2d] flop, action checked to the button who bet 1,325, it was enough to get rid of Hemsworth but Serrano and Kirlenko both called. The [10s] turn was checked through and the [5s] completed the board. After Serrano checked Kirlenko bet 3,550, the button was the only caller, but mucked when Kirlenko showed [4h][3h] for the flopped straight. -- NW
1:45pm: More exits
A couple more exits to tell you about as Jose Cordero and Pietro Culotta are also out. -- NW
1:35pm: Hemsworth straight into profit
Simon Hemsworth has moved up to around 26,000 chips after he turned a straight against an opponent who flopped top pair.
The final board read [6c][9c][7s][5d][tc] and the big blind led for 1,500 and 2,000 on the turn and river with [kd][9s]. Hemsworth was in the cut-off and called both bets with [8d][4d]. -- MC
1:25pm: Man down
We've lost our first player and the unfortunate soul - or fortunate if he likes sunshine - is Nathan Curtis. -- NW
1:15pm: A Table of Phils
For some unknown reason, Phil seems to be a very popular name for top poker players. There's a couple of Phils playing today and they're at the same table, only the Phil is in their surnames and not their first names.
PokerStars Team Online member Dale Philip has jetted in from Thailand to play and had PokerStars Qualifier Tony Phillips for company.
Phillips used to be a regular on the poker circuit and has amassed over $380,000 in tournament winnings. He decided to swap life as a poker pro for a more normal life after he became a dad for the first time but that does not mean he's lost any of the skills he was renowned for.
Back in 2008 he came tenth in a PLO WSOP event that was eventually won by Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Selbst, for her first bracelet. In the lead up to the final table Phillips was on a tear and Selbst admitted later that she feared the young Brit's aggressive style the most and was the reason she took a marginal line to eliminate him early from the final table. Big respect indeed! -- MC
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 50-100
1:10pm: Can you catch Cody?
Team PokerStars Pro Jake Cody is the early chip leader after getting a near double up inside the first level. Holding [9h][9c] he flopped a set on a [Qh][9s][2h] board and found an opponent willing to commit his chips with [As][Qs]. The board ran out [7d][Jd] and Cody, who was down to around 18,000 at the time, is up to 36,000. -- NW
1pm: Fintan Gavin the unbluffable
Watching Fintan Gavin play, whatever the tournament stage, is always good value for money and today is no exception. He's already up to 30,000 after bluffing his neighbour in a big pot.
They were heads up to the turn where the board read [6c][7d][5h][5d] and Gavin bet 1,400 from under the gun. His opponent was in the big blind and check-raised to 4,000 before Gavin three-bet to 8,000. The big blind stared down the Irishman before releasing his hand, only to be shown [qd][8d]!
"I had a flush draw and I was committed," commented Gavin.
"Wow, I like your style!" said table mate Louise Duffy.
"I might be one of the worst players here but I'm unbluffable!" Gavin came back with. -- MC
12:50pm: Now that's commitment
As you're probably aware there's a big tournament series going on in Las Vegas right now, one that Jake Cody has been playing in. But, the Brit was not going to miss this event.
3 flights and 21hrs later i made it! #UKIPTMarbella
— Jake Cody (@JakeCody) June 11, 2014The first leg of #Jake'sJourney was a five hour flight from Las Vegas to New York, he then had a two hour layover before getting back on a plane and taking a seven hour flight to Madrid. It was then time for another hour layover, before taking a short hop to Marbella on a one hour flight. Here's hoping Cody's tournament lasts at least as long. -- NW
12:40pm: Two rooms
There's still over four hours of late registration to go, but there are already more players in the field today than the final number from Day 1A. As a result the 350 players are split between two rooms, the main poker room and 'La Cassata' which is a short walk outside and then down some steps.
There are 15 poker tables currently in use down there with Nick Wealthall, Sam Grafton, Dara Davey, Dara O'Kearney and Leo Margets plying their trade away from the noises of slot machines. The latter two are sharing the same table. -- NW
12:30pm: Slow start after a big night
Poker players aren't the most punctual of people so it comes as no surprise to see the room half empty.
Andrew Hedley is in his seat but he's missing something. He lost his voice after a big night out on the town. Rumours are floating around about this big night, with many players in holiday mode, but they won't be shared as what goes on in Marbella stays in Marbella!
Louise Duffy, Joe Whittaker, Paul McTaggart, Gaelle Garcia Diaz, Francisco Torres and Raul Mestre are some of the better-behaved players who seem to be fresh and ready for eight levels of poker. -- MC
12:15pm: Gift of the Gav
A thick Irish accent drifted across the casino like jasmine on a summer breeze, a quick look up (although it wasn't needed) confirmed that Fintan Gavin had arrived, albeit fashionably late.
Made it to #ukiptmarbella. Super location, great weather @ proper hotel. I have extra mouth to feed so focused on tourny.
Well played @UKIPT
— Fintan Gavin (@fintangavin) June 12, 201412:15pm: Name dropping
Most observers reckon that in a tournament with two starting days that Day 1B is always tougher than Day 1A. That theory is backed up by some of the players in the field today. As well as assorted Team Pros you'll find: David Yan, Sam Grafton, Dara O'Kearney, Duncan McLellan, David Lappin, David Gent and Nick Newport in the field today.
We'll be tracking the names, notables and big stacks over on this chip count page throughout the day. -- NW
12:05pm: Shuffle up and deal
Tournament director Toby Stone made some announcements to the players and cards are in the air. -- MC
11:50am: The sun in the fun continues
Welcome back to Casino Marbella for Day 1B of UKIPT Marbella. Everything's been reset; the tournament clock's been wound back to level one, fresh 20,000-chip stacks are out on each table and we've even put the sun back in exactly the same spot as it was yesterday.
One thing has changed though as a whole new crowd of players will be in attendance. A crowd it will be too as today promises to way outnumber those who chose to play Day 1A. Amongst the masses will be Pokerstars' Jake Cody, Leo Margets and Dale Philip; Full Tilt's Sin Melin, UKIPT host Nick Wealthall and a host of other big name players to wet the appetite.
Cards will be in the air at midday, so join us back here then.
Key UKIPT4 Marbella2 facts:
- 20,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 25/50 for 400 big blinds
- One hour levels and we'll play eight today.
- Two Day 1s then the Day 1 survivors will merge for Days 2, 3 and 4 until a winner is crowned (cue winner's photo, trophy swinging around, celebrations by the pool).
- The full festival schedule can be seen here.
PokerStars Blog reporting team at PokerStars UKIPT4 Marbella2: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Danny Maxwell and Rene Velli.