18:26 – Play Has Ended on Flight 2
Flight 2 is over, chip count information will follow.
18:15 – Four More Hands
The dealers have been instructed to deal four more hands before completing Flight 2.
18:11 – “Tim Tim” Hovering Around Starting Stack
Timotheos Timotheous, known affectionately as “Tim Tim” has flown under the radar for the majority of today’s flight, going about his business in a quiet and efficient manner. When we last checked on Tim Tim, he was sat with 27,000 chips and although not in desperate shape, will need to accumulate a few more chips or risk losing touch with the chip leaders.
18:04 – Comeback Complete For Suhail
Remember we mentioned Mohammed Suhail had been nursing a short stack? Well those days are over, as he is up to 31,000 chips, much to the annoyance of his table mates.
Suhail told us that he doubled up with [Tx][8x] on a [Tx][8x][7x] flop against a player who thought his [Ax][6x] was good, then Suhail’s pocket kings remained good against the [7x][7x] of Lee Arnold.
Nice work, sir!
17:54 – Spraggons Shoves on the Button
Ben Spraggons is vastly experienced at this game and knows when to get his stack into the middle to accumulate much needed chips. One such scenario cropped up a few moments ago when the action folded to Spraggons on the button. A moved all-in and when the blinds folded, he picked up the ample blinds and antes.
17:42 – Fortunate Double For Gravisse
Radu Muresan opened to 2,000 on the button, the small blind folded but Eomain Gravisse three-bet all in for what he said was “just under 6,000.” It turned out to be 6,850, bet Muresan called anyway.
Muresan: 
Gravisse: 
“Nice call,” said Gravisse in a sarcastic manner. After burning a card, the dealer spread the 
flop, gifting Gravisse two pair and the lead. The 
turn made things interesting because Muresan could not catch an ace, four or heart to send Gravisse to the river. Despite having plethora of outs, the river missed Muresan and Gravisse doubled up.
17:24 – Split Pot for Suhail
Mohammed Suhail, the runner-up in the London edition of this tournament, has been nursing a short stack for the past level-and-a-half and must have been fist-pumping when he was dealt [Ax][Kx]. Suhail was all in and up against Alan Linford who held……….[Ax][Kx]. The queen-high rainbow flop meant the pot would be split. Suhail has 5,800 chips or seven big blinds if that is how you want to look at them.
17:18 – Brisland Runs Over His Table
Andrew Brisland opened to 1,550 from early position (blinds 300/600/75a) and will not have been delighted by the fact he was called by Ricki Wilmott three seats over, Kimberly Hebden in the small blind and Michael Denney in the big blind. The active players watched on with curious eyes as the dealer spread the 
flop, the blinds checking to Brisland. A brief pause and Brisland reached for a grey chip and a blue chip worth a combined 5,500. None of his opponents were prepared to pay that amount and they each folded in turn.
17:14 – Big Stack Watch
As the end of Level 6 looms, there are some big stack lurking out there. The largest we have seen is 89,800 which we think belongs to the partypoker qualifier Radu-Cristian Muresan. Another large stack belongs to Antonette Fernando who has around 56,000 precious ceramic betting tokens.
There are at least 15 other players on circa 30-35,000 chips, if a couple of them clash then we could see another name propelled towards the top of the chip counts.
16:55 – Main Event Players Invited to a Second Chance Freeroll
All partypoker players competing in the WPT National Milton Keynes Main Event are invited to play in a special second chance freeroll at partypoker’s online poker site where over $2,300 of prizes are up for grabs.
The winner of the freeroll is awarded a $1,000 package to the partypoker WPT National London that runs February 27, 2014 through to March 2, 2014 while those players finishing in 2nd-4th take home a $310 buy-in to partypoker WPT National London that can be used on any of the three starting flights.
If you miss out on one of those fantastic prizes all is not lost because 5th-7th place finishers in the Second Chance Freeroll each win a $33 ticket to a partypoker WPT National London Online satellite!
Claiming a seat in the Second Chance Freeroll is so easy even your grandmother could do it! All you need to do is enter the WPT National UK Milton Keynes Main Event and be the holder of a real money partypoker account. Then give your name, email address and partypoker username at The Casino MK and you will be invited to the Second Chance Freeroll that takes place at the partypoker online site. Told you it was simple!
Should you not have a partypoker account you still have the chance to get in on the action by creating one before the WPT National Milton Keynes Main Event finishes. Sign-up for a free partypoker account online before 23:59 ET on December 22, make a real money deposit and then give your details to the helpful ladies and gentlemen at The Casino MK and you too will receive an invite to the Second Chance Freeroll online.
16:51 – Sledmore Shoves
On a board reading 
, the action was on Andrew Sledmore and with 19,000 chips in the middle already, Sledmore decided to move all in. His opponent asked for a count and was told some bad new; it was 28,000 to call. After much deliberation, Sledmore’s opponent folded and showed the 
as he did so.
16:45 – Nash Takes on Jack
Renata Jack opened from the button and faced a three-bet from the partypoker qualifier Stuart Nash, who you may recall won a $1,000 package to the partypoker WPT National UK Milton Keynes Main Event by taking down a special six-handed sit & go tournament on partypoker that featured Marin Rettenmaier!
Jack called the three-bet and it was off to the 
flop. Nash led for 7,500 and sat with his arms folded, his face expressionless. Jack asked if Nash had “a grey one there,” asking if Nash’s stack contained a grey 5,000 chip. Nash didn’t answer, instead he moved all of his chips in front of him so Jack could see. Jack checked her cards, cracked her knuckles and then folded.
Jack has around 22,000 chips.
16:32 – Ladies Sitting Pretty
Antonette Fernando and Kimberly Hebden are two of three ladies still in the tournament and they are both sitting pretty on 29,100 and 24,500 respectively. The other lady, Renata Jack, will be mentioned in the next post!
16:25 – Cards are Back in the Air
The players have returned and play has restarted. Let’s get back to the action.
16:00 – Level 4 Ends, Players Break, Registration Closes
The title says it all really. Seventy-seven entries on Flight 2 added £13,860 to the prize pool. The 65 players who still have chips in front of them are now heading on a 20-minute break. See you all soon.
15:51 – Bourke Doubled Through Suhail
partypoker qualifier Michael Bourke has doubled through Mohammed Suhail and is now sat with a healthier looking stack of 26,000.
We joined the action on a 
flop, Bourke had bet 1,800 from middle position, Lee Arnold had called from the next seat over and Suhail had stuck n a raise to 7,000 on the button. Bourke was considering all of his options, finally settling on an all-in bet of 10,025. Arnold agonised about his decision before he eventually folded and Suhail called.
Suhail: 
for top two pair
Bourke: 
– for a flopped straight
Suhail needed to spike a jack or a ten to bust Bourke, but neither arrived as the turn was the 
and the river the 
. Suhail still has 23,300 chips in his stack, however.
15:40 – Pengilley Takes Some From partypoker Qualifier Simpson
Adrian Pengilley opened to 500 from the button and both blinds called; Richard Jwanczuk in the small blind and partypoker qualifier Jason Simpson in the big. The blinds checked to Pengilley on the 
flop, Pengilley taking a stab at the pot with a 200 bet, a bet that only Simpson called. The turn was the 
and Simpson check-called a 500 bet from his now sole opponent. The fifth and final community card brought a queen onto the board and both players checked.
Pengilley showed 
for two pair, beating the [Jx][6x] of Simpson.
15:32 – He Likes Big Bets And He Cannot Lie
In poker you sometimes have to bulldoze your way through a hand in order to win chips, which is exactly what Kevin Neal just did. Neal opened the betting to 750 preflop and his only customer was Adrian Pengilley in the big blind. Pengilley checked the 
flop, Neal fired a 1,750 continuation bet and Pengilley folded.
“I thought you might have gone all in then,” claimed Neal, “I really thought you might.”
15:27 – Ciszewski Runs Into Aces
Tomasz Ciszewski opened to 650 from early position (blinds 100/200/25a) and was called by Nicholas Humphis a couple of seat across. Tony Doggett squeezed to 1,975 and both players called. The trio shared a 
flop. Ciszewski wasted no time in moving all in for 5,800 chips, forcing Humphis out of the pot but Doggett asked for confirmation of the bet before making the call.
Ciszewski:
Doggett: 
Doggett “bullets” held up as the turn and river came down and 
. Ciszewski finished his cup of tea, stood and left the tournament area.
15:08 – Prize Pool Approaches £30,000!
We have had 76 entries so far meaning today’s prize pool stands at £13,680. Yesterday’s pool topped £15,480 meaning the total prize pool so far weighs in at £29,160 and we still have one and a half levels of registration open on Flight 2 and another full flight later this evening!
15:05 – Stapleton Shove Gets Through
There was already 5,800 in the pot and the flop had fallen when we arrived at Table 6. James Hurst was the first to act from his seat in the small blind and act he did with a 2,500 bet. Jack Stapleton called on the button. The turn was the and Hurst fired again, setting the price to play at 3,025 and he was again called. Hurst gave up on the 
river and checked. Stapleton moved all in and Hurst relinquished his hand.
Stapleton turned over 
before scooping the pot.
14:57 – Welcome Pot For Khuu
partypoker qualifier Chuc Khuu has not had the best of starts here in Milton Keynes, although he has rebuilt his stack back to 11,200 thanks to betting large from the big blind on the river of the board. Jen Chiang tanked (from under-the-gun) before folding and Matas Cimbolas folded immediately after.
14:44 – Thomson Following in His Brother’s Footsteps
Christopher Thomson finished as the Flight 1 chip leader with a huge stack of 142,000 while his twin brother James finished with a lesser, but still commendable, 42,400. Christopher has chosen not to play on Flight 2 so far, leaving James to fly the flag for the Thomson family.
James is now up to 25,000 after clashing with Ben Spraggons a few moments ago. Spraggons opened to 250 from under the gun, Andy Hills called next to act. The hijack called, Thomson flicked in the extra from the button and the small blind decided to stick around too! Family pot!
The five players watched on as the dealer spread the flop. It checked to Spraggons, he bet 550 and only Thomson called. The turn was the 
and Spragons did not slow down, instead he made it 1,050 to play. Thomson called again. The river was the and Spraggons fired barrel number three; this one weighed in at 1,200. Thomson paused for 20 seconds before announcing: “I’m all-in.”
Spraggons quickly reached for his cards, then held them in slightly above the felt for several seconds before folding. Thomson triumphantly turned over for the nuts flush and got busy stacking up his new chips.
14:36 – Suhail Starts Well
The talkative Mohammed Suhail has started much better than he did on Flight 1 and has added some chips to his stack.
Suhail opened to 200 from under the gun, one player folded and the next to act three-bet to 550. With the action back on Suhail, he asked “Is that jacks?” before calling. The pair shared a 
flop, Suhail check-calling a 700 continuation bet from his sole opponent. The turn brought the 
into play and Suhail led for 1,500 in total. His opponent seemed puzzled by the bet, so much so that he let his hand go and left Suhail to pick up the pot.
Suhail took another look at his cards before turning over the to imply he was bluffing. What did he have to go with that eight, though?
14:23 – Farges Arrives
Vancouver’s Yves Farges has sat down with 20,000 chips and is ready to go to battle at the great Aspers felt. Farges is a regular on the much larger buy-in World Poker Tour events and has graced us with his presence here in Milton Keynes.
Away from the felt, Fares is an accomplished chess player and is the founder and CEO of Qualifirst, Canada’s number one importer of gourmet foods. Yves will be hoping to be dining on chips all day long, ceramic ones obviously.
14:17 – Early Pot for Spraggons
Online star Ben “Spraggs” Spraggons has over $1.8 million in online poker tournament cashes and is looking to win even more more here in Milton Keynes.
Spraggons bagged up 24,000 chips at the end of Flight 1 and is looking to add mor chips to his Day 2 stack by competing on Flight 2 and we would imagine the third and final flight later tonight.
A green Christmas jumper sporting Spraggons opened to 250 from early position and was called by one opponent. Spraggons continued on a flop and won the small, but welcome, pot.
14:09 – Second Attempt For Suhail
Mohammed Suhail, the runner-up at WPT National London, busted from Flight 1 of the Milton Keynes very early on Thursday when he moved all-in on a 
flop and ran into Andy Hills’ 
. Suhail is hoping for longer stint at the table today as he has just bought in and sat down with his new table mates.
Suhail was talking to the twin brother of Flight 1’s chip leader and he explained that he held a higher straight than was on the board when he busted yesterday. Here’s hoping he avoids such scenarios today.
14:01 – Shuffle Up and Deal
The button is in Seat 5, the blinds are 50/100 and Flight 2 of the partypoker WPT National UK Milton Keynes has started. Fifty players have registered so far, adding a cool £9,000 to the overall prize pool; a figure that will continue to grow until the registration desk closes at the end of the fourth level.
14:00 – Last Minute Formalities
The tournament director Lee Johnston and the Aspers Poker Room Manager John Scanlon are explaining the format to the players and thanking them for participating. Play will be underway momentarily.
13:55 – The Room Starts to Fill
The 150-seat poker room here at The Casino MK has started to fill as men and women wanting to avoid some last minute Christmas shopping pile into the venue to play in Flight 2 of this event. With every person who buys in, the prize pool increases by £180. Update on the number of entrants so far to follow.
13:06 – Flight 2 Starts in Less Than One Hour!
Hello and welcome back to our coverage of the partypoker World Poker Tour National UK Milton Keynes Main Event, coming at you from the Aspers-owned Casino MK.
At 2:00 pm, Flight 2 of this superb £200 buy-in accumulator tournament begins and we fully expect it to be even bigger and better than Thursday’s Flight 1 where 86 players exchanged £200 for 20,000 chips and the chance to become a WPT National champion.
Whoever finishes as the flight’s chip leader receives a token for a special six-handed online sit & go satellite where they can win a $1,000 package to the partypoker WPT National UK London Main Event in 2014. Christopher Thomson claimed yesterday’s token after finishing with a mammoth-sized stack of 142,000 chips. Will anyone be able to catch Thomson on Flight 2? We do not have long to wait to find out.
As was the case with Flight 1, the plan for Flight 2 is to complete eight 30-minute levels and have a 20-minute break at the end of the fourth level. Once Flight 2 finishes, there is a 90-120minute break before Flight 3 kicks off at 8:00 pm.
Players can buy into both flights for £200 each and we fully expect plenty of players to do just that. With the prize pool already topping £15,480 we could be set for a gigantic prize pool for a £200 buy-in event, which will see someone have a very merry Christmas indeed.
Stay tuned as we bring you updates from the partypoker WPT National UK Milton Keynes Main Event.
