WPT Vienna Day 1A – 96 players left

00.35

Leo Margets Is In The Bar

Yes, the poker room floor has lost one of its more aesthetically pleasing players. We found her in the bar on her phone and this is what she told us had happened to her.

She had pocket jacks and three-bet an opponent who just called. The flop was with two spades and she checked to her opponent who bet 40,000 into a 17,000 pot. She thought his range was heavily weighted towards the flush draw so she called but he was holding for two pair and she was eliminated.

00.10

The Centre of Attention

Stjepan Jokic is our chip leader with over 180,000 chips here at WPT Vienna. His table has just been broken up and they have moved him onto the table being run by Marc Inizan and Dragan Galic – in fact he is sat to the right of Galic. We headed over there to see how he would merge into his new surroundings and whether he would become the centre of attention. Marc Inizan and Dragan Galic had other ideas!

Galic raised to 2,300 for the second consecutive time (first time he took it down uncontested). Marc Inizan three-bet from the small blind making it 6,100 on Galic. There were still four players for the action to go through before it reached the Party Poker Team Pro but he already had his chips in his hand ready to put into the pot – he knew Inizan was going to raise.

The action then went tame in comparable to recent pots between the two and the action was checked all the way to the river on a board of . The river was the and Inizan checked to Galic who bet 10,000.

“Are you crazy enough to do it three times in a row?” Inizan asked Galic.

“Maybe? I have plenty of chips. Look, if you don’t have anything just fold.” Said Galic.

Inizan went into thinking mode. He was thinking so hard one of the players who wasn’t in the hand called for the clock. He was given his customary one-minute and during this time he called. Galic displayed and Inizan mucked his cards.

“I am not even crazy enough to try it twice.” Said Galic as he swept the Frenchman’s chips into his corner.

23.39

A Double Up For Leo Margets

For all you male fans out there who do not know who Leo Margets is then google her in the absence of your other half. She looks mighty fine and can play even better than that. She has just doubled up and has over 45,000 chips.

Kaspers Renga raised to 2,000 from early position. Dolezal came into the hand with a three-bet for 6,000 and there was one caller from behind. Leo was sat silent in the big blind and then she pounced; moving all-in for 22,700. Renga folded and Dolezal also moved all-in causing the player to his left to fold.

Margets:
Dolezal:

A classic coin flip situation made all the easier when the flop was delivered by the dealer.

Flop:

The turn sealed the deal with the and then we had a rather inconsequential on the river. Dolezal had Margets well covered and still remains in the competition.

23.06

A New Level. No More Greens. No More ElkY.

As we enter level 9 our green 25 chips leave the tables and get stored away in the cupboard to be brought out another day. Also leaving the tournament is Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier. We don’t think he will be going into a cupboard but he will certainly be back to play on another day.

Grospellier had ~13,000 at the start of the hand. His opponent limped into the game for 600 and Grospellier raised to 2,200 and everyone folded except the limper who made the call. The flop was and Grospellier bet 3,000 and his opponent called. The turn was the and Grospellier moved all-in only to be snap-called by his opponent.

Grospellier
Limpy Limper

If there are any kids reading this then don’t try this at home!

22.46

Table 34 Update

With a little over two hours play remaining we have 125 players left. Over on table 34 Alin Pandilica is sitting pretty with 135,000 chips and he is one of our chip leaders. Sharing his table with equally impressive stacks are Vaserfirer with 94,800 and Lehmann with 81,875.

It was Lehmann who opened the action while we were there. He raised to 1,500 from the button and our chip leader defended his big blind.

“OK, lets play some poker. It can get pretty boring sometimes.” Said Lehmann.

The dealer gave us a flop of and Pandilica checked to Lehmann who bet 1,600. Pandilica folded and Lehmann will have to wait for another to hand to “play some poker.”

Rodoplu opened to 1,500, Lehmann called, Bauer called and so did Kminkin.

Flop:

The action checked to Lehmann who bet 2,700 and only Bauer called. Both players decided caution was the best option and they both checked the turn and the river. Bauer won the hand with and Lehmann mucked unseen cards.

22.11

Bednarek Eliminates Dizdarevic

There was a min-raise under the gun and three people called including Bertrand Grospellier and Dizdarevic. Bednarek was seated on the button and he raised to 11,850 and everyone folded with the exception of Dizdarevic.

Flop:

Dizdarevic only had around 12,000 behind and he threw it across the line at the sight of the flop and Bednarek snap-called.

Dizdarevic:
Bednarek:

Turn:

River:

Dizdarevic walked away in audible disgust and Bednarek now has 93,800

22.02

Galic Mistake Against Inizan

Another hour passes and we have another hand involving Dragan Galic and Marc Inizan. Galic raised to 1,500 and Mikael Johansson called before Inizan made it 10,000 from the big blind. Galic called and Johansson asked Inizan for a count before folding. This left the two sparring partners alone to see a flop.

Flop:

Inizan bet 4,125 and Galic asked how much he had behind. It was 10,725 and Galic called.

Turn:

Inizan checked, Galic bet 9,000 and Inizan moved all-in immediately. The fact that Galic didn’t automatically move his 1,725 over the line told you straight away that he had made a bet-sizing mistake. Incredibly for only 1,725 Galic folded his hand and could have only had the stoniest and coldest of bluffs.

Galic ~ 53,575
Inizan ~ 33,975

21.45

This is No Laughing Matter – Is It?

We all know that poker players can win and lose obscene amounts of money on the felt, but we also know that it can be fun as well. Just ask Raul Olarescu and Bodo Sbrzesny who are having a ball over at table 29.

Sbrzesny made a minimum raise from under the gun when he made it 1,000 to play. Two people cold called before Olarescu squeezed out a raise from the small blind and it was for 5,750. We had seen Olarescu do this many times today so we assume Sbrzesny had as well. The Party Poker Team Pro four-bet to 11,025 and promptly laughed at Olarescu when he looked at him for a sign of a tell. Olarescu went deep into the tank and eventually five-bet to 18,250.

Sbrzesny’s turn to think long and hard and he took it. In the end he folded and Olarescu won the pot.

In the very next hand Olarescu raised to 1,750 on the button. The small blind called and then the action was on Sbrzesny in the big blind. Olarescu looked at him and burst out laughing. Sbrzesny three-bet to 3,500 and a big smile shone from his face.

“Is this how you spew chips?” Asked Olarescu before folding his hand. The small blind followed suit and Sbrzesny won some of his lost chips back.

Sbrzesny ~ 80,625
Olarescu ~ 89,500

21.17

Table 37

Table 37 is shaping up to be an interesting table as Day 1A progresses after the dinner break. Michael Eiler takes the number 4 seat. Eiler has one of the major online tournament scores to his name as well as taking down EPT Vienna this season and has a healthy 75,000 in front of him. Then you have two players sat with around 100,000 to their names in Haider and Max Altergott. Here is some of the action from that table.

Eiler opened with a raise of 1,300 from under the gun and Kirill Zapletin called on the button before Hanitz squeezed from the big blind. The bet by Hanitz was 5,600 leaving only 10,000 behind. Eiler and Zapletin recognising that this was going to cost them slightly more than 5,600 both folded.

Cimpan raised to 1,200 and Hanitz called on the button before Haider defended his big blind.

Flop: and all three players checked.

Turn:

Again it looked as if the action would be checked through until Cimpan bet 2,500. Haider and Hanitz both called.

River:

Haider bet 5,100 and Cimpan folded before Hanitz moved all-in for a total of 28,000. There was much thinking needed by Haider before he mucked his hand.

19.44

WPT Bratislava is the next stop on the WPT schedule with day 1a on March 30th. As Vienna and Bratislava tournaments are back-to-back and Bratislava is around 45 minutes from Vienna, the organizers are putting on a coach shuttle. Here are some good reasons to go and play WPT Bratislava:

19.20

Chip Count Update

Apologies for the delay in getting chip counts out to you. Here are the main contenders and some famous faces.

• Lehmann 113,750
• Sbrzesny 105,450
• Haider 100,000
• Altergott 100,000
• Gorodinsky 94,000
• Olarescu 79,700
• Mekinpulos 72,500
• Feurle 70,000
• Galic 64,600
• Grospellier 51,600
• Inizan 47,000
• Straussman 36,000
• Margets 10,000

18.52

Squuueeeeeeezzzzeeeeeee!

Here are a few examples of the squeeze play in full effect.

Moussa raised to 1,100 and Petrascu called to his direct left. The action folded around to Yordan Mitrentsov in the cut off who squeezed to 3,875 and the took down the pot.

Wolfgang Simperl limped into the pot from early position, as did two other players. Raul Olarescu squeezed to 2,950 and took down the pot.

In the very next hand a player was checking out his stocks on his I Phone when the action folded around to him. He bet 1,000 and Le Roux called. The action was on Olarescu and once again he squeezed and it was for 3,300. The stocks guy moved all-in for 10,225 and Le Roux folded before Olarescu verbally announced a call.

“Do you have a pair?” The stocks guy asked Olarescu.

“Yeah.” Said Olarescu.

Olarescu:

Stocks Guy:

Board:

The stocks guy was eliminated and went back to his stocks and Olarescu started to count up his chips. When he finished he had an impressive 72,100.

18.17

Activity is the Key

You could be forgiven for thinking Dragan Galic and Marc Inizan have some sort of vendetta between them when you see how many times they are clashing. In reality they are the two most active players on the table.

There was a pre flop raise by Inizan and Galic called from position.

Flop:

Inizan bet 1,125 and Galic called.

Turn:

This time Inizan put his foot on the brake slightly and checked to his opponent. Galic bet 3,000 and Inizan called.

River:

Inizan once again checked to the big guy and he once again bet. This time it was for 5,000. Inizan had a good long think before eventually folding face up.

18.14

Inizan is the Man

Marc Inizan already has two WPT cashes to his name and he seems to be involved in a lot of action today over at table 32. Come to think of it there is always action over at table 32!

Inizan raised to 600 from early position and Ramin Hajiyev called and Medesan defended his big blind.

Flop:

Medesan checked to Inizan who bet 1,125. Hajiyev quickly called and Medesan quickly folded.

Turn:

Inizan bet 2,100 and again Hajiyev called.

River:

Even as Inizan started to count out his bet you could tell that Hajiyev was not a happy bunny. The size was 4,300 and Hajiyev did indeed fold before tapping the felt in acknowledgement of the hand.

Hajiyev ~ 7,600 chips
Inizan ~ 55,000 chips

17.50

The Broken Table

Table 17 looked so lonely all on it’s own and now it is no more. The players have all been sent to the four corners of this wonderful casino and one of them, nursing a stack of 79,000, is Party Poker Team Pro Bodo Sbrzesny.
Here are some hands before the table broke.

Sbrzesny raised under the gun making it 600 to play and Kolobekova made the call to his direct left. The flop was and both players checked. The turn was the and a Sbrzesny 1,000 bet won the pot.

Kolobekova raised to 600 from under the gun, Manuel Bevand called on the button and Varga called in the big blind. The flop was and Varga led right out with a 1,075 bet. Kolobekova folded but Bevand raised to 2,800 and a leg tapping Varga folded his hand.

17.41

Leo Margets on her hopes of making the live streamed final table of WPT Vienna:

17.24

PartyPoker’s welcome party for the online qualifiers at WPT Vienna with special guests Tony G and Matt Savage. Check out the full video:

17.15

Straussman in the Tank

We joined the action on table 25 with Johannes Straussman deep into the tank. In front of him lay 2,025 in chips and across the table from him was his opponent, Demirogiu.

He had 8,225 chips laid out in front of him and a rather confident aura about him. Straussman had the 8,225 clenched in his fist but he just couldn’t put them over the line. His fold produced a show from his opponent and no wonder he had that aura because he had pocket aces.

In the next hand Kaspars Renga opened the action with a bet of 500 from early position. A somewhat undeterred Straussman three-bet to 1,575 from middle position. Demirogiu called in the big blind as did Renga.

Flop:

All three players checked a somewhat dodgy looking flop.

Turn:

Demirogiu bet 1,550 and Renga raised to 4,300. Straussman moved out of the way and Demirogiu moved out of the way equally as quickly.

17.12

How to Play Your Aces?

You dream all day for the moment that you are dealt those beautiful pair of Aces. You peel over the top of your cards and see them. They have arrived at last. Now what do you do?

A player opened with a raise of 1,600 from under the gun and there was a call behind. The action fell to Le Roux who moved all-in for over 25,000 drawing a lot of laughs from around the table. There was the usual “tank time” before the inevitable fold. Le Roux turned over the pocket aces.

That’s one to play them?

17.05

Don’t Worry I Know What I Am Doing?

Party Poker Team Pro Dragan Galic is sitting with a stack of around 50,000 at the moment. We just joined the table and there were chips everywhere so we will assume he had just doubled up.

While he was re-building his stack he nonchalantly threw out a bet of 500 and received two callers.

Flop:

Galic followed through with a second bet of 800 and both players folded. Galic let out an audible shriek that an owl would have been proud of before showing the face up. One of the players who folded was Sam El Sayed who proceeded to tell Galic that he folded a mid pocket pair. Galic disagreed with his opponents fold and told him so. We don’t think El Sayed appreciated the lesson Galic was so kindly trying to give him.

“Don’t worry about me. I know what I am doing?” Said El Sayed.

We are sure you do.

One hand later and Galic is in the big blind. He looks at his opponent with raising chips in his hand. He then takes pity on his opponent and just makes up the difference. The flop has more diamonds on it than a Victoria Beckham thong – . Galic bets 400 and his opponent folds. Galic turns over .

This game is just too easy.

16.30

A Table Change

The Grospellier, Straussman, El Sayed table has been broken up and ElkY now finds himself sharing table space with Leo Margets. The pace on the table is slow with nothing explosive happening quite yet. Here are a few snippets of hands from that table.

Margets opened up the action from early position when she made it 500 to play. Gmezea called on the button and both players saw a flop of . Both players checked the flop and the turn. The last card on the board was the and Margets bet 1,500 to take the pot down.

In the next hand there was a limp under the gun before Jokic raised to 650 in middle position. The action folded around to Margets in the big blind and she three-bet to 1,700 and the limper folded. Action back onto Jokic and he four-bet to 3,900 forcing the fold from the Spaniard.

Then finally Grospellier put down his chocolate bar and bottle of water and raised to 525 from the hijack. Blaschke was seated to his direct left and a three-bet of 1,200 was enough to turn the Frenchman’s attention back onto this choccy bar.

16.18

Here Come The Antes!

We are now in Level 4 and the blinds 100/200 ante 25

16.07

Fedrau The King

It seems as though the Party Poker Online qualifiers are ganging up on per old Luilah Lakatos on table 29. Alexander Debus just took most of his stack (or rather Lakatos handed it to him). Now it was the turn of the youngster Florian Fedrau.

Fedrau made a button raise of 500 and Lakatos defended his big blind. He then check-called all three streets. 600 on the flop, 1,300 on the turn and 2,200 on the river.

Flop:

Turn:

River:

Fedrau showed down and Fedrau silently mucked his hand.

16.00

Taxi For Lakatos As He Runs Into Debus

Luilah Lakatos just bluffed off a large majority of this stack and the benefactor Alexander Debus.

Lakatos opened under the gun with a raise of 525. Party Poker VIP, Wolfgang Simperl called on the button as did Florian Fedrau in the small blind. Action onto Debus in the big blind and he raised to 2,350. Lakatos and Simperl were the only callers.

Flop:

Alexander Debus qualified for this event playing online at Party Poker and he bet 2,500 and both players called.

Turn:

Debus now checked and Lakatos took over the betting lead when he made it 6,475 to play. The action was on Simperl who was in a difficult spot. He went into the tank and looked at Debus for a while before deciding the fold. Debus made the call.

The dealer plonked the right next to the 28k in the pot. Debus checked and Lakatos motioned to Debus to get out of the way so he could see his stack. Debus had 7,000 behind and Lakatos moved him all-in. Debus called after a moments hesitation and it was a good call.

Lakatos:
Debus:

Debus now has 42,000.

15.50

Inizan and Galic Again

There was a limper into the pot and Party Poker Team Pro Dragan Galic welcomed him into the game with a raise of 550 from the cut-off. Marc Inizan was seated in the big blind and maybe he smelled a rat with the isolation raise of Galic?

Inizan three-bet to 1,775, the limper limped out of the pot and Galic called.

Flop:

Inizan bet 1,500 and Galic folded.

15.03

Bodes Well For Bevand

Party Poker Team Pro Bodo Sbrzesny is seated to the direct left of Manuel Bevand and the two of them have just had a little tussle.

Bevand raised on the button to 300 and Sbrzesny called in the small blind before the big blind ditched his cards. The flop was and both players checked. The turn was the and after Sbrzesny checked Bevand had a stab at the pot with a bet of 500 and Sbrzesny called. The river was the and Sbrzesny check-called a 1,500 bet by Bevand.

Sbrzesny:
Bevand:

“I played that hand perfectly.” Said a rather embarrassed looking Bevand.

We are now on a fifteen minute break before returning to Level Three and blinds of 100/200

14.50

Who Has The Biggest Heart?

Quinn Sivage is a regular occupier of the Party Poker virtual felt.

Last night at the opening party Sivage introduced Tony G to the other guests as his poker idol. Tony G has not yet made an appearance at Day 1A so if Sivage is going to be rattling chips with his idol he had better make it through today.

We just caught up with Sivage in a hand with Austrian Michael Hunoldt.

Hunoldt opened with a bet of 400 from early position. There was a cold call from behind before Sivage came in with the squeeze from the button with a bet of 1,500. If the bet was designed to build a healthy pot then it worked because both players called. All the players checked the flop of .

Turn:

Hunoldt bet 2,625 and only Sivage called.

River:

It was now a simple question of who had the bigger heart? Hunoldt bet 5,475 and Sivage folded so we will assume that Hunoldt had it on this occasion. Sivage still has plenty of chips and we are still very early at level 2.

14.15

Table 35

The players on table 35 are quite fortunate because they are seated directly next to an open door in this stifling tournament area. They are going to need it as well because judging by the calibre of some of the players at the table the action is going to get hotter and hotter as the day progresses.

Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier is sat in seat 1, WPT Amneville winner Sam El Sayed is sat in seat 5 chewing on the remains of a once rather large cigar and Johannes Straussman is sat in seat 7.

Despite this trio of giants it is serial Austrian tournament casher Stefan Jedlicka who has just caught our attention.

Grospellier raised to 350 from middle position and Jedlicka called from the cut-off before El Sayed also called on the button. Three to the flop and it was Broadway Baby! . A nicely balanced 850 bet by Jedlicka taking the pot down.

Jedlicka opened to 450 from the hi-jack and El Sayed called from the cut-off and everyone else folded.

Flop:

Jedlicka fired out a continuation bet of 700 and the former WPT Amneville winner called.

Turn:

No slowing down for Jedlicka who loaded his gun with 1,200 chips and fired his second barrel. El Sayed chomped on his cigar but and made the call.

River:

Jedlicka finished off the hand with a third bet of 3,800 and El Sayed made the call. Jedlicka took down his second consecutive hand when he showed and El Sayed mucked his cards unseen.

14.10

We are now in Level 2 Blinds are 75/150

13.52

Reservoir Dogs

We don’t have a full player list yet but it won’t be long. In the meantime we are going to have play Reservoir Dogs. Instead of Mr Pink, Mr Blue and Mr Green we have Mr Nikov and Mr Bohinc.

The action was blind on blind and Mr Nikov made a standard raise and Mr Bohinc three-bet to 1,200 from the big blind. Mr Nikov four-bet making it 2,975 to play and Mr Bohinc called.

Flop:

There was a substantial 5,950 in the pot and Mr Nikov bet 2,425 and Mr Bohinc called.

Turn:

Mr Nikov bet 5,625 into a pot of 10,800 and again Mr Bohinc called.

River:

Mr Nikov moved all-in and Mr Bohinc snap-called but did not like the results.

Mr Nikov:
Mr Bohinc:

Mr Nikov now has ~60,000 and Mr Bohinc has been reduced to mere green dust with a few 25 green chips in front of him. A few seconds later and he was gone.

13.10

We Are Off!

The tournament area here at the Montesino Casino feels very stuffy. The air is hot and humid and it will be interesting to see how the players handle it throughout the day. So who are our players? Here are a few names as we cast our beady eyes around the tables.

Dragan Galic, Leo Margets, Kenny Hallaert, Luca Cainelli, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Steven Van Zadelhoff and Marc Inizan are a few of the familiar faces in the crowd.

At the start of a tournament if you want to find some action you cannot go far wrong if you hang around the table of Party Poker Team Pro Dragan Galic so we did.

Marc Inizan opened the action from early position when he raised to 250 and Galic three-bet from the small blind with a bet of 650.
Action back on to Inizan and he four-bet to 1,875 and Galic snap-called.

Flop:

Galic checked to Inizan who bet 2,525. Galic calmly check-raised to 6,575 and Inizan released his hand.

13.00

Some Formalities

Welcome to Day 1A of WPT Vienna.

We will get you a full player list as soon as one becomes available but in the meantime here is the structure for you.

Each player will start with 30,000 chips and each blind level will last 60-minutes. There will be a fifteen-minute break after every two levels and a one-hour dinner break after the 6th full level played each day.

Registration will be open for the first four levels.

We are not sure how many levels will be played exactly but we will give you the first ten for the time being.

• Level 1 – 50/100
• Level 2 – 75/150
• Level 3 – 100/200
• Level 4 – 100/200 Ante 25
• Level 5 – 150/300 Ante 25
• Level 6 – 200/400 Ante 50
• Level 7 – 250/500 Ante 50
• Level 8 – 300/600 Ante 75
• Level 9 – 400/800 Ante 100
• Level 10 – 500/1000 Ante 100