4.43pm:Break Time!
A dramatic moment caps the first four levels of the day and with that we take a short recess.
Back in 15 minutes for the playdown to the final!
The updates from level 21 onwards will continue in a new post.
4.40pm:Tournament enters no Joe area
Wojtek Barzantny is simply unstoppable and he has just taken yet another scalp in the form of Joe Roberts.
The latter got rather unlucky, having reshoved for around 16 big blinds over Barzantny's opening raise to 25,000 from under the gun.
Wojtek eventually shrugged and made the call with [Kd][Jd] and found himself slightly behind Roberts' move with [Ad][9s].
A flop of [Jh][4h][2c][Js][Qc] left Roberts deeply upset and bounced out of contention whilst Barzantny heads into the break head of the counts.
4.35pm: Down to two tables
We missed it but Bambos Xanthos exited in 17th place, which means that we're down to the final two tables. There's been a re-draw, we'll bring that to you imminently. -- NW
4.25pm: Bull breaks the million chip mark
Is Robert Bull an oracle or something? He predicted that there might be carnage on his table and so it came to pass.
From the button Craig Goddard raised to 22,000, Ben Young three-bet to 57,000 from the small blind, Robert Bull was in the big blind and slid out a four-bet making it 118,000 total.
Back on Goddard he passed, but after peering at Bull's stack Young moved all-in for around 450,000, he was snap called by Bull and Goddard gave a look of frustration as he threw his [Ad][Kh] face-up on the felt. That was because he knew he was in deep trouble and indeed he was as Bull turned over aces, the [kd][2s][Qs][5c][3d] board kept Bull on top and his stack is now around 1,100,000, which is already an above average stack for the final table. -- NW
4.10pm: Persaud exits 19th
Craig Goddard has put that hand versus Ben Young behind him to send Nik Persaud crashing out.
Two hands saw him destroy Persaud's chances.
We joined the first hand on the turn of a [Jc][5c][Th][Ah] board, with what looked like a check-raise from Goddard all-in. With 360,000 in the pot, it was 280,000 more for Persaud to call - most of his remaining stack.
"I can't help but think you've got lucky somewhere here," he said.
Eventually he folded adding, "I couldn't work that one out, usually I call when I can't work it out."
The very next hand saw Persaud raise from the cutoff, and his nemesis Goddard three-bet, Persaud calling..
The flop fell [Jc][5c][Th] - both players checked. The turn was the [Ah] and now Goddard led for 65,000. Persaud called and the two players went to a bricky [2s] river.
Goddard checked, Persaud moved all-in and Goddard called.
"Yep you're good," Persaud said as Goddard showed a sneakily played pair of kings, Persaud handing over all his chips.
"If I move in on the turn you've got a tricky decision," he said.
"Yeh, but I think after that last hand your range is pretty wide. I'd have probably called rightly or wrongly.
It's been good playing with you. I had J-7 in that earlier hand by the way."
So Persaud crashes out in 19th spot collecting £2,550, whilst Goddard is up to 700,000 or so, in good shape with the run in to the final table rapidly approaching.
4pm: Carnage?
We're down to the final three tables here, but one is top heavy with chips. Robbie Bull is still the chip leader and he tweeted: "Hovering around 700k, 3 tables left. Our table has 50% of chips in play on it. Could be some carnage soon."
3.48pm: Greenwood offers medical advice
James Greenwood is sat next to Bambos Xanthos and they have been discussing the change in play as you get older.
"As you get older you lose interest in all these 5-3 type hands," Bambos revealed.
"Well, it's bad for your heart. You've got to look after your heart," Greenwood added. -- RS
3.36pm: Movers and shakers
Nik Persaud is up to 390,000 - "[A][4] versus [J][Q]," he told us. "Pretty nice!"
Bambos Xanthos meanwhile has recovered from that big flip lost earlier, winning 8s v [A][5] to catapult him up the standings with now 480,000.
"You've got piles!" someone suggested(referring to his chip stack not his stance.) -- RS
3.28pm: Pwning the Goddard, Young
Craig Goddard was just put in a tough position by Ben Young. The hand saw him raise from the cut-off pre-flop for 16,000, called by Young and a player in the blinds.
The [9c][5d][4s] saw Goddard lead for 28,000 with Young the sole caller.
The turn was the [Ks] and again Goddard bet out - 32,000 this time. Again Young called.
A final bet of 52,000 from Goddard now saw Young quietly shift into gear, raising all-in.
Goddard tanked for some time before electing to throw his hand away, "I can't call. It's too likely you've got a monster" he added sadly as he folded.
Young sweeps up the pot to move to 550,000 whilst Goddard falls to 260,000. -- RS
3.25pm: Tompkins tumbles out
I reached the table to see a flop of [2c][Qh][10s] and Jason Tompkins almost all-in with pocket jacks, up against Anthony Forsyth-Forrest who had pocket aces. The [2h] turn and [Ac] river only strengthened Forsyth-Forrest's position and doubled him to around 425,000 whilst Tompkins was left with just 14,000.
The rest of his chips went in the very next hand with [5s][4d] but Jonathan Prince's pocket sixes started and stayed in front to send Tompkins out in 22nd place. A very dangerous opponent has just been dispatched. -- NW
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 5,000-10,000 ante 1,000
3.10pm: Focus, focus, focus
You can almost smell the concentration in there at the moment. Everyone is well aware that this is a key part of the tournament and a slip up here could easily cost the players a spot at the final table.
It's all up for grabs and the players know that. -- RS
3pm: Persaud trundles up the leaderboard
Nik Persaud has managed to chip up most effectively over the last twenty minutes or so, picking up several pots without confrontation.
The latest of these saw him call a raise preflop in position and fire two barrells at a [Jc][4s][4d][4h] board, picking up a fold on the turn.
Persaud is starting to look a little dangerous with 310,000. -- RS
2.50pm: Pastides faces nightmare flop
Bambos Xanthos picked up pocket nines from the cut-off and raised it up to 22,000, only to find Owen Lock raising the price to pay to 57,000 from the button.
Xanthos took a few moments to decide his hand had to play well against Lock's range and moved all-in, Lock making a quick call for his 222,000 with the [Ad][Kd].
What was a 50/50-ish coin toss preflop, changed dramatically as a board of [As][Qd][Jd] peeled off.
"Look at that flop," exclaimed Xanthos. "I'm drawing dead!"
Very nearly, Xanthos had just one out to rescue the pot, but it was a slim hope that never came to fruition as the [3s][6d] finished the board to leave Lock sitting pretty on 450,000 and Xanthos hurt but still in contention with 165,000. -- RS
2.45pm: Danko's day is done
Slovakian Michael Danko had been rocking a short stack for quite some time when he finally found a good spot to get his last 98,000 over the line with [Ad][Qh]. But he ran smack into Paul McTaggart's pocket jacks and unfortunately for Danko the only face card on the board was a king. The pair held up to boost McTaggart to 307,000.
25 players left. -- NW
2.40pm: Chip counts
During the break PokerStars staff were busy beavering away to get 100% accurate chip counts of the players left in. We've now uploaded them to the blog and they can be seen here.
Your current top five are:
Robert Bull, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 830,000
Wojtek Barzantny, Germany, PokerStars Qualifier, 500,000
Kevin Steward, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 470,000
James Greenwood, United Kingdom, 400,000
Charalambos Xanthos, United Kingdom, 400,000
2.30pm: Couldridge cooked
UKIPT Nottingham Season one winner Andrew Couldridge is out. Short stacked he made a move on the button with [8][7], there was no small blind, but Amanda Sidark made the call from the big blind with [A][J] and in Couldridge's own words. "I missed everything." Whilst he heads to the payout desk, Sidark is up to 300,000. -- NW
2.20pm: Back from the break
The 29 remaining players are now back in their seats, with 830,000 Robert Bull is still the chip leader. To find out who's cashed for what so far click here. -- NW
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 4,000-8,000 ante 500
2pm: Break it up guys
The end of level 18 means the players are now taking their first 15 minute break of the day following what has been a fast, frantic start full of bustouts.
We'll be back in 15 minutes to continue from level 19.
See you there! -- RS
1.55pm: Bull still top dog
Just to clarify Robert Bull is still eking out a chip lead at this stage with 740,000 with Wojtek Barzantny his closest pursuer with 630,000 or so.
The break is fast approaching where we will be able to furnish you lucky people with precise counts for the remaining 30 or so players. -- RS
1.51pm: No Steward's inquiry as Berry crushed
Nicholas Berry was just put in an awkward spot preflop - holding jacks, he called a min raise from early position, called in one other spot, before seeing Kevin Steward make what looked like a potentially squeezy raise to 41,000 from the button.
Berry uhmmed and ahhed then decided that jacks were too good to lay down, moving all-in and getting snap-called at lightning pace by Steward, whose little trap with kings had worked to perfection.
The board peeled off [Qd][9s][5h][4c][8h] to leave Berry's tournament washed up and Steward pushing forward effectively with 350,000... -- RS
1.50pm: Tompkins teasing Bull
Some good natured twitter banter between Jason Tompkins and Robert Bull on twitter just now, both of course still involved in this tournament, the latter the chip leader. "So we're all trying to catch a Bull to win #UKIPTBristol watch out @Robbie_Bull I've played poker with a matador before," tweeted Tompkins. -- NW
1.40pm: News in brief
Here's a few snapshots of what's been happening on the tournament floor:
- Nik Persaud was complaining to Ben Vinson that he had an absolute 'bowl' and hadn't won a pot in ages. Seems he moaned it in as whilst this conversation was going on Persaud promptly won a pot, he did it with a sneaky river min-raise too.
- Andrew Couldridge - who could become the third person to become a double UKIPT champion - is still in, but on a below average 125,000
- Overnight chip leader Robert Bull is most likely still the top dog, when I asked him if he had around 700,000 he replied. "It's closer to 800,000. That's a lot of wedge.
- The latest exits include Tom Hall (35th), David Burn (34th), Sam Grafton (33rd), Adrian Coombes (32nd) and Hak-Hyun Lee (31st). -- NW
1.25pm: Not even aces can stop Wojtek
Wojtek Barzantny is hotter than the sun right now. Fresh from victory over Chris Moorman in the UKIPT Online tournament, he is showing himself to be no one-hit wonder, standing as the likely current chip leader in the main event.
His latest coup did owe a fair bit to fortune however, 3-betting the shorter stacked Adrian Coombes with pocket tens before calling his shove.
Coombes held pocket aces and for once looked to have the German in a tight spot, but a board of [6c][6h][2h][Td][5d] peeled to leave the table gasping, Barzantny stacking and Coombes packing.
"That's how you win tournaments then?" someone somewhat uncharitably observed, and although there was a measure of luck in that hand, there's no denying Barzantny is blending this fortune with a healthy measure of talent, his stack now a fulsome 660,000. -- RS
1.15pm: Grafton grinds to a halt
Sam Grafton's run of near misses on the UKIPT continues as he's just been knocked out of the tournament by Nik Persaud.
There was an under-the-gun open, Grafton piled his 195,000 with [Kd][Qd] and Persaud moved all-in next to act with pocket nines. The [A][9][3] flop left Grafton drawing slim and he didn't get there on the turn or river. He's out in 33rd for £1,690. -- NW
1.05pm: Fallers
It's been a frantic start to the day here's who exited during the opening level.
36th. Hak-Mann Lee, Sweden, PokerStars Qualifier, £1,690
37th. Neil Wyatt, United Kingdom, £1,500
38th. David Harris, United Kingdom, £1,500
39th. Tom Halsey, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, £1,500
40th. Kay Wookey, United Kingdom, £1,500
41st. Benjamin Bogren, Sweden, PokerStars Player, £1,500
42nd. Callum Smith, United Kingdom, £1,500
43rd. Jonathan Slater, United Kingdom, £1,500
44th. David Gould, United Kingdom, £1,500
45th. Danny McHugh, Ireland, £1,500
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 3,000-6,000 ante 500
12.58pm: Sidark wins prince-ly sum
Amanda Sidark had the perfect spot to shove all-in with [Ac][Qc] holding around 50,000 and having seen a min-raise from Jonathan Prince, called in one spot.
She did just that and Prince re-shoved to leave the pair heads up.
When Prince showed down [Ah][Qh] it looked like the pair were set to chop the pot, however a flop of [Ks][Th][3c] meant both players have a shot at a runner-runner outdraw.
The [7c] on the turn caused Prince to start sweating as Sidark had suddenly picked up a freeroll - one which came in triumphantly on the [4c] river.
A deathly silence hung over the table as Sidark cashed in her bonanza, stacking up her newly acquired 125,000 stack whilst Prince was left with a less-than-regal 75,000.
12.55pm: Wyatt usurped
With just over ten bigs Neil Wyatt was another player with urgency pressing his resolve and when he found [Jh][Qs] in late position, he moved all-in to try and take down the blinds.
The instant re-shove from Anthony Forsyth-Forrest would have concerned him and when both players revealed their cards, he discovered the awful truth that he was up against aces.
A [Ah][Qc][9d] flop looked pretty decisive, though with Nik Persaud helpfully explaining the various permutations that could see this beaten the [Td] arrived on the turn to open up the chance of a straight for Wyatt.
"Always a sweat," laughed Forsyth-Forrest, though he needed have worried as the [Qh] on the river, whilst improving Wyatt's hands to trips, saw him sweep home the 190,000 pot with a full house.
Wyatt out in 37th place, collects £1,500.
12.52pm: Roberts eliminates another
Earlier we reported that Joe Roberts had eliminated a player with pocket jacks against ace-king, the player on the wrong side of that flip was Benjamin Bogren. And Roberts has been busy as he's also eliminated Kay Wookey, his [A][K] versus her [A][J]. He's up to 530,000 and amongst the chip leaders. Whilst Amanda Sidark is now the only woman left in the tournament. -- NW
12.45pm: Roberts rising
Joe Roberts is up to 425,000 he tweeted: "Maannnn dowwwn jj more than ak with jason (Tompkins) folding another ak pre. 425k." -- NW
12.35pm: Three double ups
Three double ups in quick succession on three different tables:
Hand One: Hak mann Lee doubled through Nik Persaud, his pocket fives holding against Persaud's [As][Qd], he was all-in for 53,500 so doubled to around 115,000.
Hand Two: Jason Tompkins opened to 10,000 from early position, Kay Wookey moved all-in for 38,000 more and after a long think Tompkins made the call and said: "How dead am I?" Turned out he was very much live as his [10h][9c] was behind but in ok shape against Wookey's [Ah][Jd]. The board stayed low though as it came [4d][2h][6d][4h][5h].
Hand Three: Adrian Coombes shipped his last 57,000 in from the cut-off with [As][2s] and found a willing caller in Connor Hogarty, unsurprising as he had pocket kings. But a [5c][Ac][10c][Ah][2d] board gave Coombes a double up. -- NW
12.26pm: Mr Smith gains anonymity
It's been a brave challenge from Callum Smith but he too is a casualty of the early levels, making a move to bolster his stack. -- RS
12.18pm: See you Slater
Jonathon Slater and Nik Persaud had a preflop war, resulting in both stacks being all-in preflop.
Persaud had Slater covered, but it would have been a big blow if he had lost the pot, which turned out to be a coin-flip once Slater turned up [Jc][Qd] and Persaud [8c][8h].
A flop of [7c][6s][6d] looked good for Persaud and this remained the case over the [7s] turn and [Ad] river.
One handshake later and Slater bows out whilst Persaud is up to 300,000. -- RS
12.08pm: Gould's sweet spot turns sour
Returning with 52,500 and the blinds 2,500 and 5,000, David Gould needed to move fast to swing himself back into contention and when he found pocket jacks, moved in and was called by Craig Goddard with pocket fours, he had the rosy prospect of a double-up in his sights.
It took one flop to shoot down his ambitions however - the board peeling off [3s][4c][5d].
"That's not good is it," he said with a sigh as he stood up ready to depart.
The [9h] on the turn failed to shift the direction of the bad beat juggernaut and once the [8s] had arrived to change nothing on the river, Gould was on the rail wishing his erstwhile tablemates good luck.
Godddard up to 255,000 -- RS
12pm: UKIPT Bristol just got serious
Just 45 players remain in UKIPT Bristol, the money jumps, the pressure, the prestige and the pots will all get progressively bigger as those 45 are reduced to the final eight, over what we reckon will be five or six levels of play.
There may be some sore heads today as the PokerStars players party was in full effect last night. The shot taking last night was not of the Sunday Million variety but of the 25ml kind. Whilst choosing red or black was to do with what colour sambuca you'd like.
I have to say though that most of the 45 chose to keep business and pleasure separate with those still involved at the business end of the tournament opting for bed rather than bedlam. The seat draw for the final six tables is below and can also be found here.
Robert Bull is the man to catch, he leads with 581,600.
Table one
1.Jonathan Prince, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 151,500
2. Henning Wendlandt, Germany, PokerStars Qualifier, 326,500
3. Andrew Couldridge, United Kingdom, 106,000
4. Matthew Moss, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 203,000
5. David Gould, United Kingdom, 52,500
6. Paul Mctaggart, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 151,000
7. Andrew Abernethy, United Kingdom PokerStars Qualifier, 124,500
8. Craig Goddard, United Kingdom, 219,000
Table two
1. Vincent Meli, France, PokerStars Player, 113,000
2. Kay Wookey, United Kingdom, 48,000
3. Wojtek Barzantny, Germany, PokerStars Qualifier, 411,000
4. Benjamin Bogren, Sweden, PokerStars Player, 127,500
5. Callum Smith, United Kingdom, 103,000
6. Rod Albright, United Kingdom, 216,000
7. Joe Roberts, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 205,500
8. Jason Tompkins, Ireland, PokerStars Qualifier, 248,500
Table three
1. Anthony Forsyth-Forrest, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 83,500
2. Majid Ejlal Noubarian, Iran, 176,500
3. Nicholas Berry, United Kingdom , 129,000
4. Kevin Steward, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 228,500
5. Hak-Mann Lee, Sweden, PokerStars Qualifier, 40,500
6. Jonathon Slater, United Kingdom, 132,000
7. Nik Persaud, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 167, 500
8. Neil Wyatt, United Kingdom, 77,000
Table four
1.Thomas Hall, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 242,500
2. Charalambos Xanthos, United Kingdom, 253,500
3. Owen Lock, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 114,000
4. Hak-Hyun Lee, Sweden, 94,500
5. Malte Moennig, Germany, PokerStars Qualifier, 282,000
6. David Burn, United Kingdom, 166,500
7. Robert Bull, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 581,600
Table five:
1. Ben Young, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 178,500
2. James Greenwood, United Kingdom , 383,000
3. Tom Halsey, United Kingdom, PokerStars Player, 180,500
4. Daniel McHugh, Ireland, 265,000
5. Niall Murray, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 68,500
6.Simon Randall, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 438,000
7. Nathan Hodges, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 179,500
Table six
1. Connor Hogarty, United Kingdom, 364,500
2. Michael Danko, Slovakia, PokerStars Qualifier, 99,500
3. Amanda Sidark, Sweden, 57, 500
4. Sam Grafton, United Kingdom, PokerStars Qualifier, 109,500
5. Michael Doverklint, Sweden, PokerStars Qualifier, 73,500
6. David Harris, United Kingdom, 137,000
7. Adrian Coombes, United Kingdom, 57,000
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Bristol: Rod Stirzaker and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May.