4.23pm: Break time
The players are on their second 15-minute break of the day. Updates from here on in will be in a new post. -- MC
4.20pm: McGrath moves up in chips
A series of small pot wins have seen Stephen McGrath move closer to second place in the chips counts on 1.45 million.
A couple he won without showdown and then he took down one off each player at showdown.
He limped into Pawel Keller's big blind who checked his option. Keller bet 50,000 on the [8c][7d][qh] flop and McGrath check-called. Both players checked the [6d] turn before McGrath led for 100,000 on the [5c] river. Keller folded and McGrath showed down [9c][ts] for a straight even though he didn't have to.
Two hands later he and Thomas Finneran played a limped pot as well. Post flop they checked all the way to the river of a [qd][8d][kd][jd][9c] board where Finneran led for 100,000. McGrath called with [qc][5d] for a bay flush and it was enough as Finneran mucked.
Finneran is down to 2.2 million and Keller is down to 1.9 million. -- MC
4.05pm: Chip counts
These are rough counts but these are the current standings:
3. Pawel Keller, Poland, PokerStars Qualifier,1,900,000
4. Thomas Finneran, Ireland, 2,750,000
8. Stephen McGrath, United Kingdom, 1,200,000
3.55pm: Fridjon Thordarson eliminated in fourth place (€19,360)
More chips for chip leader Thomas Finneran as he just eliminated Fridjon Thordarson in fourth place.
On the button Thordarson moved all-in for 392,000, it passed to Finneran in the big blind who asked: "Do you want a call?" "A bit of both," replied Thordarson. After cutting out the calling chips and seeing what he'd have left Finneran did indeed make the call.
Finneran: [Kd][10h]
Thordarson: [Kh][2h]
The board ran out [Kc][4h][7d][6h][Jd] and Finneran faded the flush outs to hold up and move to around 2,750,000. -- NW
3.45pm: Finneran flying
Maybe he's full of confidence after that last big pot win; maybe he's picking up a rush of cards. Whatever the reason Thomas Finneran has put the metal to the floor and is up to around 2.5 million.
He battled in a pre flop raising war with Pawel Keller and came out victorious. Keller opened to 60,000 off the button and then four-bet to 350,000 after Finneran three-bet to 160,000 from the button. Finneran calmly five-bet to 650,000 and his Polish opponent was forced to fold.
A short while after Fridjon Thordarson opened to 63,000 from the button and was called by Keller in the small blind before Finneran squeezed to 200,000 from the small blind.
The very next hand after that Keller opened to 60,000 off the button but folded when Finneran three-bet to 160,00 in the small once again.
Keller has dropped to 2.1 million and Thordarson has around 500,000. -- MC
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 15,000-30,000 ante 3,000
3.30pm: McGrath moves all-in
Fridjon Thordarson has taken a real battering this last couple of orbits, he opened to 52,000 from under-the-gun and Stephen McGrath defended his big blind. The flop fell [3c][Ad][8h], it checked to Thordarson who fired 78,000, McGrath moved all-in and Thordarson folded. As he took the pot McGrath showed [9s][8s]. -- NW
3.20pm: Finneran wins a big pot
Thomas Finneran is all smiles after hitting what opponent Fridjon Thordarson called a "lucky river," to win a sizeable pot from the Icelander.
Pre-flop it was Thordarson who got the action started, he made it 52,000 from under-the-gun, then called after Finneran raised to 137,000 out of the small blind.
On the [3s][3c][2h] flop Finneran bet 90,000 and Thordarson made the call. The [9s] fell on the turn, bet of 180,000 from Finneran, call from Thordarson. The [Jd] fell on the river, both players checked and Finneran opened [Qd][Jh] whilst Thordarson showed [Ac][8h].
After the hand was over Thordarson said: "When the nine hits why bet so high?"
"I thought you might have something like a pair of sixes and would fold," replied Finneran. After that hand Finneran is up to 1,950,000 whilst Thordarson slips to 600,000.-- NW
3.10pm: Deborah Worley-Roberts eliminated in 5th place (€14,780)
Deborah "Debs the Destroyer" Worley-Roberts from yesterday was the one destroyed today. She was eliminated by Pawel Keller in a hand that was a bit of a cooler.
Keller opened to 50,000 off the button and Worley-Roberts defended her big blind to see a [td][3h][8c] flop appear.
Keller continued for 60,000 and Worley-Roberts check-called to the [jc] turn. Worley-Roberts had around 400,000 back and check-snap-shoved when her Polish opponent fired a second barrel for 90,000. Pawel was taken aback but called as soon as he regained his senses.
Worley-Roberts opened [ts][8s] for two pair and when she saw Keller's [qd][9c] she said in despair, "He's got it! He's got it! I'm dead."
The river came [qs] and she was indeed dead. The UKIPT's wait for a female winner will have to carry on until another time. Keller has more than 2.4 millions chips now. -- MC
- 5th place
2.55pm: Fridjon Thordarson gets one through
From under-the-gun Thomas Finneran opened to 55,000, both Deborah Worley-Roberts and Stephen McGrath called before Fridjon Thordarson made it 187,500 from the small blind. Pawel Keller and Finneran quickly folded but Worley-Roberts was not so quick to act.
She first got a count of McGrath's chips (he covered) before electing to fold, McGrath now took even longer to make his decision, it seemed he really didn't want to let go of his hand. Eventually though he did fold and post hand discussion between McGrath and Worley-Roberts suggested that they both had pairs and that McGrath had folded pocket tens, whilst Worley-Roberts passed pocket fives. However, as we know no one tells the truth at the poker table. -- NW
2.45pm: Stephen McGrath doubles through Pawel Keller
From the button Stephen McGrath moved all-in for 377,000, Fridjon Thordarson folded from the small blind, but Pawel Keller called from the big blind, on their backs.
McGrath: [As][9c]
Keller: [Kd][Jd]
The [4c][Qd][2h][3s][Ah] board kept McGrath in the lead and he doubled to around 780,000. -- NW
2.40pm: Keller aggressive pre flop, passive post flop
Pawel Keller has been the most aggressive pre flop player since they've returned but he's been happy to be passive post flop.
He raised to 50,000 from the button and Deborah Worley-Roberts defended her big blind. Both players checked all the way down the [qs][9h][4d][qc][qh] board. Keller said he had king high and lost out to Worley-Roberts' ace-nine.
A short while after Keller three-bet to 125,000 after Fridjon Thordarson had opened to 50,000. Keller called and both players checked the [kc][9h][qc][2s][qh] board through its entirety. It was a chop as both had ace-ten. Thordarson had the [ac][tc] for a royal flush draw and said he hoped Keller would've made a move on the flop. -- MC
2.25pm: Back we go
Players are now back in their seats, chip counts from the break were as follows:
1. Fridjon Thordarson, Iceland, PokerStars Qualifier, 1,006,000
3. Pawel Keller, Poland, PokerStars Qualifier, 2,209,000
4. Thomas Finneran, Ireland, 1,523,000
7. Deborah Worley-Roberts, USA, PokerStars Qualifier, 507,000
8. Stephen McGrath, United Kingdom, 377,000
It's still Pawel Keller and Thomas Finneran who lead the way, but Fridjon Thordarson has moved into third place. -- NW
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 12,000-24,000 ante 3,000
2.10pm: Alexander Rhys-Davies eliminated in sixth place (€10,510)
It had been a good orbit for Alexander Rhys-Davies, he'd got a walk and shoved twice (showing [Ad][Kh] on one occasion) to increase his stack to almost 400,000.
However it all unravelled on the last hand before the break. He moved all-in and this time he got a taker, in the shape of Fridjon Thordarson.
Rhys-Davies: [Ac][9h]
Thordarson: [Jc][Jh]
A [9s][4d][8s] flop gave him some hope, but it came [2d][Qd] to eliminate him from the tournament in sixth place. The five remaining players are now on a 15 minute break. -- NW
2.06pm: McGrath and Keller continue their duel
Stephen McGrath and Pawel Keller seem to have it in for each other today as they continue to battle. They just played out three pots and the score was 2-1 to Keller.
1.55pm: Pascal Töngi eliminated in seventh place (€7,885)
Just two hands after Fridjon Thordarson doubled through him, Pascal Töngi took his stand, he moved all-in for 63,000 from the button and Thomas Finneran called off the extra from the big blind.
Töngi: [Ah][5h]
Finneran: [7h][5d]
Yet again Töngi had the best hand, but again the window card would be the bearer of bad news, the [8s][2s][7d] flop gave Finneran a grip on the hand, one he didn't relinquish on the [Jc] turn or [3d] river. -- NW
1.45pm: Thordarson doubles through Töngi
It folded to Fridjon Thordarson in the small blind and he moved all-in for 193,000, Pascal Töngi didn't take long before announcing call.
Thordarson: [9s][2h]
Töngi: [Ah][3d]
The [Kd][5c][9h] flop put Thordarson into the lead and he stayed there on the [5d] turn and [7d] river. After that hand Töngi is down to 75,000. -- NW
1.40pm: Worley-Roberts can't call with queens
Deborah Worley-Roberts open-folded pocket queens to chip leader Pawel Keller to drop to around 600,000 in chips.
It happened on the river of a [8d][ah][8h][kc][6c] board. Keller had opened to 40,000 from early position and called when Worley-Roberts three-bet to 80,000 off the button. Keller called before both players checked to the river where Keller bet out for 90,000.
Worley-Roberts tanked and then said, "I can't call you, darling" as she opened [qd][qh]. Keller has around two million chips. -- MC
1.30pm: No takers for Rhys-Davies
Local lad Alexander Rhys-Davies is the latest player to wager all his chips, he moved all-in for 334,000 from the button, but both Deborah Worley-Roberts and Stephen McGrath declined the option to call. -- NW
1.20pm: McGrath dents the chip leader
We've just seen chip leader Pawel Keller lose his first significant pot at the final table, as he lost a chunk of chips to Stephen McGrath.
From under-the-gun McGrath limped in, Keller bumped it up to 50,000 from middle position then when it got back to McGrath he made it 100,000 total, call from Keller.
On the [6c][Jd][2d] flop McGrath continued for 145,000, call from Keller, a big pot was brewing. That pot came to the boil on the [Ks] turn, McGarth pushed all-in for 282,000 and Keller after getting a count had a long old think and then the talking began.
"You want a call."
"You've got plenty of chips to call."
"You've got aces right?"
"For 282,000 I'll tell you."
"You show me if I fold?"
"I'll show you if you call."
After some more contemplation Keller folded his hand, McGrath is up to 790,000 after winning that pot, whilst it's possible Keller still has the chip lead. -- NW
1.15pm: Who you gonna call?
Nobody wants to be the first player out. Now that Nick Newport has been eliminated, the players are starting to open up a bit more. By opening up, we mean shoving.
Pascal Töngi was under the gun and moved all in for 280,000. Deborah Worley-Roberts thought long and hard about it from the button before she elected to pass.
The very next hand Stephen McGrath opened from the button before Fridjon Thordarson three-bet all in from the small blind for 206,000. McGrath got the bets pulled in and took a minute before he passed. -- MC
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 10,000/20,000, 2,000
1pm: Keller still has upper hand
Before the final table began it was interesting to see just how Pawel Keller and Thomas Finneran were going to play it against each other.
They've definitely not been avoiding each other, so far Finneran has taken to keeping the pots small and smooth calling in position. Two hands have reached the turn, each time a double-barrel bet from Keller has seen him take the pot. -- NW
12.50pm: Nick Newport eliminated in eighth place (€5,910)
There will be no worst to first fairytale at this final table as Nick Newport just busted in a pretty cold spot.
Thomas Finneran opened to 35,000, Newport re-raised all-in for roughly 230,000 and when it got back to Finneran he called instantly.
Finneran: [Ah][As]
Newport: [9h][9d]
"It's bad," said Newport to his rail as he saw Finneran's hand. And it didn't get any better on the [Jd][3s][Kh][5d][Ad] board and he becomes the first player to exit the UKIPT Cork final table. -- NW
12.40pm: One round penalty for Worley-Roberts
"Make sure you blog that this is my first ever poker penalty," said Deborah Worley-Roberts to me. "People probably think I've had loads but I've never had one up until now."
To the hand in question, Pawel Keller raised it up to 32,000 from middle position, it folded to Worley-Roberts in the small blind, she put 32,000 into the middle, Stephen McGrath folded from the big blind, Worley-Roberts then turned over the [Ah] thinking that the hand was over not realising that Keller had raised.
Tournament Director Toby Stone was called to the table, it was explained to Worley-Roberts that her hand was live and she still had all options open to her down the streets, but at the conclusion of the hand she would be given a one round penalty for exposing her hand out of turn.
As it happend both players checked it down as the board came [Qs][9h][10c][5h][Kd], Keller showed [Ad][8d] and Worley-Roberts showed a [3d] to go with her ace meaning they chopped the pot.
She's stepped out for some air and has subsequently missed the first elimination. -- NW
12.30pm: Early exchanges; Keller extends lead
As one would expect, the players are feeling each other through the opening period of this final table. Here's a few hands from the first level:
12.10pm: Cards are in the air
The players have been introduced to the crowd that's gathered to watch this final table and cards are now in the air. -- NW
12.05pm: Meet the finalists
Want to know which of our finalist's could be celebrating his birthday two day's early should he win or which local lad is hoping to take down this tournament? Of course you do, handily we've prepared a 'Meet the finalists' feature earlier today. Click here to read all about them. -- NW
11.45am: Can Pole prevail at final table?
Welcome to the UKIPT Cork final table, it promises to be a cracker. It'd be churlish to think that it'll simply come down to a battle between chip leader Pawel Keller and the man with direct position on him, Thomas Finneran. Yes they have over 50% of the chips in play but we saw in Edinburgh that anything can happen when the shortest stack at the final table came back to win. If Nicholas Newport gets quads in the opening orbit then the others should be running scared.
We could also, finally, have the first female winner of a UKIPT main event, Deborah Worley-Roberts is a fixture on this tour, she's third in chips so has a very real chance of achieving just that.
Throw in an Icelander who just doesn't know when he's beat, Pascal Tongi - the Day 1A chip leader, Stephen McGrath - the runner-up from UKIPT Dublin and a PokerStars qualifier who plays full time and we think you'll agree that's a pretty good mix. Play starts at noon.
UKIPT Cork Final Table:
1. Fridjon Thordarson, Iceland, PokerStars Qualifier, 336,000
2. Pascal Töngi, Germany, PokerStars Qualifier, 289,000
3. Pawel Keller, Poland, PokerStars Qualifier, 1,524,000
4. Thomas Finneran, Ireland, 1,415,000
5.Alexander Rhys-Davies, Ireland, PokerStars Qualifier, 457,000
6. Nicholas Newport, Ireland, PokerStars Player, 195,000
7. Deborah Worley-Roberts, USA, PokerStars Qualifier, 795,000
8. Stephen McGrath, United Kingdom, 610,000
