WPT Merit Cyprus Classic Championship Day 2 | 2009 WPT Merit Cyprus Classic

Sep 08, 2009

Break Time

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One action-packed level is in the books. Players are on a fifteen-minute break.

Sep 08, 2009

PokerNews Exclusive Video: Tweeting with Andy Bloch

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You'd be hard pressed to find two people in the poker world more qualified to speak about Twitter and social networking sites than Lynn Gilmartin and Andy Bloch. The Tweeting twosome also talked a little bit of poker, as Bloch provided Lynn with a recap of the shocking hand that sent his former tablemate Jean Robert Bellande to the rail yesterday afternoon.

Tags: Andy Bloch

Sep 08, 2009

Lack of Flack-tion

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Layne Flack was one of the poker players on the beach this morning. He's looking relaxed and in control but so far hasn't managed to make much movement in his chip count. He recently played a heads-up pot. With 12,000 in the pot by the turn and the board showing {4-Diamonds}

, Flack bet 7,000 after his opponent checked. It was a bet that caused some thought by his opponent but was ultimately called.

The river fell another four, the {4-Spades}

. Again Flack's opponent checked, causing Flack to casually toss 10,000 into the pot. That bet went uncalled when Flack's opponent mucked.

Tags: Layne Flack

Sep 08, 2009

Wong Uses Position

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Danny Wong has been quietly hanging around this tournament on Day 1 and in the early-going on Day 2. He found a good spot to grab some chips, re-raising his button to 8,600 after a middle-position player opened for 2,200 and was called by Jazzar Moroun. Only Moroun called the re-raise, taking a flop of {A-Spades}

with Wong. Moroun checked, drawing a bet of 13,000 out of Wong.

"Every time," Moroun sighed. "Every time." He then mucked.

Tags: Danny Wong Jazar Moroun

Sep 08, 2009

Mizzi Moves Up the Leaderboard

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Sorel Mizzi has just eliminated Darren Elias from the main event to increase his stack size to just under 150,000 in chips.

Sep 08, 2009

Fitoussi Finds a Four

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In early position, Melissa Hayden opened with a raise to 2,500, and she was called by a player two seats to her left. Over in late position, Bruno Fitoussi stuck in a re-raise to 7,500, and Hayden would eventually move all in for a total of 20,500. That was enough to fold the monkey in the middle, and Fitoussi reluctantly called, priced in for the chance to eliminate a player.

Showdown
Hayden: {J-Hearts}

Fitoussi:

A big smile came across Hayden's face as she saw the good news. That smile would turn upside down in a hurry though, as the dealer ran out a flop of {10-Hearts}

to give her opponent the unlikely set of fours. The {7-Clubs}

and

that filled out the board did nothing to help the lady's cause, and she has been eliminated. Fitoussi offered her a heartfelt, "I'm sorry," as he began to stack her chips.

Tags: Bruno Fitoussi Melissa Hayden

Sep 08, 2009

More Chips for Bloch

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Andy Bloch may be without his trademark hat for this tournament in Cyprus but he's not without his patient, aggressive style. Yesterday he chipped up slowly but steadily; he's started off the same today. With 13,000 chips already in the middle on a board of {J-Hearts}

, Bloch bet 8,000. His opponent didn't seem pleased to call the bet but did anyway. Bloch tabled {J-Diamonds}

for a full house, jacks full of treys, to take the pot.

Tags: Andy Bloch

Sep 08, 2009

Glantz Chases Vedes, Runs into Kings

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A recent hand on Table 11 had the makings of a tournament-changing pot. Bolivar Palacios started things off by raising to 2,400. Tommy Vedes and Matt Glantz both called that raise before a late-position player moved all in for his last 13,400. That was enough to fold Palacios, but Vedes and Glantz both called to create a 40,000-chip main pot.

Vedes checked the {J-Hearts}

flop to Glantz. Glantz made it 15,000 to go, inducing a quick fold. That left his pair of tens, {10-Hearts}

, heads-up for the main pot against the all-in player's {k-Clubs}

. Glantz did not improve with the {7-Clubs}

turn or

river, giving his opponent a triple-up.

Tags: Bolivar Palacios Matt Glantz Tommy Vedes

Sep 08, 2009

Recent Eliminations

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The following players have all been eliminated from the main event:

Anton Fahldren
Bassam Elnajjar
Dori Yucoub
Ismail Yagci
Janar Kiivramees
Liora Cohen
Mariusz Czech
Per Ummer
Benny Chen

Sep 08, 2009

Early Table Break

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We've been surprised at the robust pace of play so far this morning. With an average stack of 70 big blinds, there shouldn't be too much pressure on players for several more levels still. Yet despite that eight players have already been eliminated, including one of the chip leaders, Jan Skampa. As a result we've managed to break a table alreay.