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A KIA’s great day has just got even better, moving up into the top 5 stacks in the room with 165,000 in chips. A KIA chipped up when he pushed all-in with 80k from SB after the opponent on his right had opened the pot with a raise to 20k. His opponent called then called with his last 50K.

A KIA turned over A♠K♣ to be ahead of his opponents A♣J♣. The board blanked for both players and A KIA almost doubled up and shot right to the top end of the chip count.

A KIA's big stack, all neatly counted in piles of 12

Not much change for mr.Schne and _Aasisdebaas, they havn’t really been playing many hands lately and with only 17 players now remaining they are now so close to making into the money. Unfortunately that the player to finish 18th was former bwin team member F34RBER who had chipped down to 25k before getting it all-in with Pocket Jacks, unfortunately his opponent turned over Pocket Queens and although both players rivered a flush, F34RB34R’s Jack-high was still behind.

F34RB34Rs Bust

F34RB34R

The tension is really starting to build here in the Alpine Palace Card Casino with only 18 players still left standing in the PokerNews Cup Main Event.

bwin Team members A KIA, mr.Schne, _Aasisdebaas are now so close to cashing with only three more busts needed to reach the money. A KIA is in the strongest position, sitting on just over 100,000 after taking down a huge three-way pot when his Pocket Aces were good enough to knock out two short stacked opponents.

A KIA was all smiles at the start of the day and has a great first session

mr.Schne is playing very patiently and is sitting 74,000 whilst Dutch team member _Aasisdebaas has dropped down into the danger zone with only 24,900. _Aasisdebaas looks pretty card dead at the moment and is just blinding down at this stage.

mr.Schne

_Aasisdebaas is in need of a quick double up

Runnar Lindepuu has taken the chip lead with 320,000 in chips while the average has moved up to 107,000. When we return from the break blinds will be 1500/3000 with a 300 ante. 18 players are remaining and we are now so close to the money! The crowd is starting to grow in the poker room and every all-in and call is meet with a huge crowd gathering around the table. Don’t miss a second of the action here on the bwin Pokerblog.

Swedish team member MickeMusxxx had a really tough start to Day 2, chipping down to 20k within the first hour of play. He had recovered back to 40k after doubling with a turned straight, but then found himself in another all in battle just a few hands later.

With blinds at 1000-2000 with a 200 ante, the hand started with 4 limpers and a check from BB. The flop came Q♥K♥8♣ and MickeMusxx led out with 8k before his opponent bumped it up to 20k. MickeMusxxx tanked for a few moments before shoving the remainder of his stack in to make it 40k. His opponent snap called and turned over K♠Q♣ to have MickeMusxxx’s K♦J♣ well and truly dominated. No runner runner miracel for Micke and the curtains were drawn on his Main Event journey.

MickeMusxxx couldn't maintain his momentum from Day 1

Just a few hands before MickeMusxxx’s exit, the team also lost key1983- who got his short stack in the middle with A♠J♣ on a 4♠6♠Q♦ flop and was called by an opponent with T♠9♠. The turn then came with a J♦ meaning key1983-x just need to dodge a Spade on the river, but 3♠ on the river ended his day in 27th position.

key1983-x had a great run in the main Event but just came up short

Three bwin team members, _Aasisdebaas, A KIA and mr.Schne, are still going strong and with only 23 players remaining the anticipation is really starting to build! Here are the lastest chips counts;

A KIA: 98,800
mr.Schne: 75,200
_Aasisdebaas: 25, 400

Danish team member Hydro8 started the day with less than half the average stack and said before the start of play he would be looking to make a move at the earliest possible opportunity.

Hydro8 found the spot he liked facing a bet of 4,000 from Marcel Luske on a 9♣T♦4♠5♦ board. Hydro8 pushed his 18k all in over the top, and although Luske didn’t seem to like his hand, he eventually decided that he had the odds to call. Hydro8 turned over T♣3♦ to be just ahead of Luske who had K♦J♦ for over cards a flush draw.

Hydro8 had to dodge a lot of outs to stay alive to double up and stay alive, but unfortunately for our Danish team member a 2♦ on the river finished his tournament in 30th position.

Hydro8 couldn't dodge a diamond on the river

Tournament Director Thomas Lamatsch has just called shuffle up and deal so play is now underway way here at the PokerNews Cup Alpine. The table re-draw has put three bwin team members on the same table, with A KIA, Hydro8 and _Aasisdebaas set to battle it out against Dutch Pro Marcel Luske. mr.Schne has been drawn on the same table as massive chip leader Mark Vos and MickeMusxxx will have to contend with former team member F34RB34R.

Blinds will start at 800-1600 with a 200 ante and we will play down to the final table today. There are just 17 busts until we reach the bubble, so keep it here to catch all the action.

Mr.Scnhe, A KIA and MickeMusxxx are looking for a big pay day

Here we go! Day 2 of the PokerNews Cup Alpine Main Event is just about to get started and six bwin team members are ready to take their shot at the €172,054 prize pool. MickeMusxxx, Hydro8, key1983-x, _Aasisdebaas, A KIA and mr.Schne will be amongst the 33 remaining runners to take their seats, and with the top 15 players paid, we a are definitely going to reach the payout structure today. Let’s hope all our team members can get make it though and get right up there amongst the money!

Here is another look at the chips stacks our team members will take into today’s play:

MickeMusxxx – 63,400
mr.Schne – 63,100
A KIA – 64,500
_Aasisdebaas – 42,900
Hydro8 – 24,000
key1983-x – 23,100

The players have had a really relaxed morning; the 2pm start has allowed everyone to take advantage of the Alpine Palace Hotel’s magnificent breakfast buffet, health spa and even the opportunity to hit the slopes for a few hours of skiing.

Hydro8 eating some breakfast and looking relaxed before the start of play

Here is another look at the full payout structure;

1st: €46,474
2nd: €29, 940
3rd: €19,780
4th: €16,340
5th: €12,900
6th: €10,320
7th: v8,080
9th: €4,820
10th-12th: €3,100
13th-15th: €2,580

Mark Vos will start the day with a commanding chip lead of 213,200 in chips and Marcel Luske is a long way back in 2nd with 102,800.The average stack is 58,636.

Mark Vos counting up his huge pile of chips

Which bwin players are going to be good enough to cash? Make sure you stay tuned to the bwin Pokerblog to find out!

Play has just finished here on Day 1 of the PokerNews Cup Alpine Main Event and six bwin team members have made it down to the final 33. MickeMusxxx continued to build his stack through the final session and will have 64,000 in front of him when he takes his seat tomorrow. Joining him on Day 2 will be 5 other bwin team members including A KIA and mr.Schne who both had barnstorming finishes to the day to end up with 64,500 and 63,100 respectively.

MickeMusxxx

A KIA finshed the day strong seated next to Marcel Luske

mr.schne patiently built his stack to very healthy 63,100 in chips

Dutch team member _Aasisdebaas has put himself in a great position to make a run for the money with 42,900, while Hydro8 on 24,000 and key1983-x on 23,100 round out the bwin team contingent still alive in their quest for PokerNews Cup Alpine glory.

Earlier in the day I mentioned that 2008 Aussie Millions bwin team veteran Johan Percivall a.k.a F34RB34r was playing the Main Event. After his recent cash at the EPT Dortmund F34RB34R looks set for another big pay day, finishing the night on a huge stack of 85,500. Good luck tomorrow F34RB34R, make us proud!

F34RB34R is running hot

Day 1 actually finished two levels earlier than originally planned as players were being eliminated so rapidly that Tournament Director Thomas Lamatsch made the executive decision to end Day 1 after only eight levels of play.

In the blink of an eye the field was cut down from over 50 down to only 33 and unfortunately quite a few bwin team members were amongst the casualties with miniguss1, kaw25, lamarcouille, DimaGolovin, KungBoan all busted in the chaos. The late night bust was especially tough for Danish player miniguss1 who actually was celebrating his birthday today and hoping to not get busted on his birthday. miniguss1 was so close to getting his birthday wish until his A♥T♥ ran into A♣K♠ in a pre-flop all-in battle. All is not lost for miniguss1, he is planning celebrating his birthday tomorrow in the spectacular Alpine Palace Spa!

Happy Birthday miniguss1!

Here are the chip stacks out remaining players will take into Day 2:

MickeMusxxx – 63,400
mr.Schne – 63,100
A KIA – 64,500
_Aasisdebaas – 42,900
Hydro8 – 24,000
key1983-x – 14,300

33 players with an average stack of just under 50k will start on Day 2 within only 17 busts until we hit the money bubble. Mark Vos will start the day with a commanding chip lead of 213,200 in chips and Marcel Luske is a long way back in 2nd with 102,800. Play commences tomorrow at 2pm local time, See you then!

bwin team veteran and all-round nice guy samsampson has just been busted late on Day 1 in the most un-deserving circumstances. After shooting up to almost 70,000 and looking set for a really deep run, samsampson got Aces and Kings cracked in consecutive hands to be sent to the rails in disbelief.

samsampson was looking set for deep run until the poker gods cruely intervened

First up the Canadian lost half his stack when he called a pre-flop all in shove with Aces, only for them to be cracked by his opponent who had AKo and hit four runners for the flush.

samsampson then looked down on Pocket Kings the very next hand and was again well ahead when his chips went into the middle against chip leader Mark Vos’ AK off. But again samsampson’s pocket pair couldn’t hold up when Vos paired his Ace on the flop.

Poker is such a crazy game sometimes! Bad luck samsampson, I’m sure it won’t be long until we see you getting a big cash in the bwin colours.

KristapsK3 and samsampson

Team veteran KristapsK3 has just been busted by Mark Vos. KristapsK3 had just been telling me in the break that Vos had moved to his table and was playing very aggressively. KristapsK3 hoped he might get a good spot to catch Vos out and win some easy chips, but unfortunately our only Latvian team member ran into Vos slow playing a huge hand.

The hand started with KristapsK3 on BB, looking down on A♥T♥ and facing a raise to 2.3k from Vos in MP. KristapsK3 called and the flop came A♠9♣9♥. Both players checked in down and 2♥ fell on the turn. KristapsK3 fired out 5,000 and Vos flat called. 3♥ fell on the river to give KristapsK3 the nut flush and seemingly the right spot to pick up the chips wanted off Vos. KristapsK3 put in 15K, only for Vos to push all-in over the top with a stack that easily covered KristapsK3.

With Vos’ having played so aggressively, KristapsK3 really thought his nut flush was good and made the call. Unfortunately Vos turned over a very nasty Ad9s for the flopped boat and sent our Latvian team member to the rails.

Despite KristapsK3 exit, we will certainly be seeing plenty more of him soon as he has already for WPT Venice and is hoping to qualify for the WSOP Main Event for th2nd year running. See you in Venice KristapsK3, it is always a pleasure to have you in the bwin team!

KristapsK3

Team veteran samsampson just had a great session to join fellow veteran MickeMusxxx at the top end of the chip count. samsampson actually got a bit of luck to be sitting so pretty, when he took down a huge pot with runner runner straight. All the chips went in on a Q♠6♣7♠ flop with samsampson behind with T♥T♠ up agaisnt A♠Q♣ and K♦Q♦. samsampson hit his runner runner 9♠ 8♥ to not only stay alive, but shoot up to over 50,000 in chips. Great to see such a nice guy getting a bit of luck when he needed it!

MickeMusxxx is now 57,000 in chips and is having a great battle with Austrian pro Markus Golser. During the last break MickeMusxxx told us that he thought Golser was a strong player, but that he he had earned his respect after taking down a few big pots against the Austrian.

The battle between the two players started early in the day when MickeMusxxx was able to bluff Golser off a big pot. The hand started with MickeMusxxx limping in from EP and getting to see a flop of 7♦7♦9♠ with three other players. The action was checked to Golser who threw out 300 and everyone called. With a T♣ on the turn, the action was again checked to Golser who this time bet out 1150.

MickeMusxxx was the only caller and then with a blank on the river MickeMussxxx again checked the action to Golser. Golser made it 3000 this time, only for MickeMusxxx to bump it up to 9000. Golser was super surprised by Micke’s move and folded his hand saying “I didn’t expect that”. MickMusxxx turned over Q♦J♦ revealing his bluff and announced “Game on” to Golser. “Game on” Golser replied.

Despite MickMusxxx and samsampson’s success, the level was a tough one for the bwin team with the casualties starting to pile up. Team veterans Sirin-22 and -NUTS600- had both been short stacked all day and eventually ran out of luck, and were joined on the rails by manisp, trut1 and kingmemo36.

Here are the chipsstacks at the break;

MickeMusxxx – 57,000
samsampson – 53,000
DimaGolovin – 36,000
mr.Schne – 32,300
lamarcouille – 31,000
Hydro8 – 30,000
A KIA – 22,000
KristapsK3 – 21,100
KungBoan – 17,300
_Aasisdebaas – 17,000
key1983-x – 14,300
miniguss1 – 6,500
kaw25 – 5,900
kingmemo36 – busted
choucri 18 – busted
trut1 – busted
-NUTS6020- – busted
Sirin-22 – busted
manisp – busted

When the players return from the break blinds will be 500-1000 with a 100 ante. 59 players are remaining with an average of just over 35,000.