Follow the Premier League Main Event live updates here.
22:11
Ben Wilinofsky Wins a $125,000 Premier League Seat
Melanie Weisner moves all-in for 930,000, holding 
and Ben Wilinofsky calls with 
.
The players wish each other luck and sit and await their fate.
Board: 
It was all over by the turn, and the two players embrace. It has been a masterclass from Ben Wilinofsky and his win was much deserved. He takes his place in Group B alongside the likes of Sam Trickett, Dan Cates, Patrik Antonius, Vanessa Selbst, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, ElkY and Scott Seiver.
Commiserations to Melanie Weisner who leaves with nothing, despite going to far.
Here’s what Ben had to say after the win:
22:10
Wilinofsky All-In
The hand is [Qx] [Jx] this time and Weisner folds her junk.
22:08
Weisner All-In
Melanie Wiesner moves all-in with 
and Wilinofsky calls with 
. The both players are relaxed because of the split pot potentials and that is exactly what they got.
Board: 
22:07
Wilinofsy All-In
Wilinofsky moves all-in with [Kx] [8x] and Weisner folds.
22:06
Weisner All-in
Weisner moves all-in with 
and Wilinofsky has a think with [Jx] [9x] before folding.
22:05
Wilinofsky All-in
This time it is Wilinofsky who moves all-in with ace rag and Weisner is the player forced to fold.
22:04
Weisner All-in
The hand is 
and is enough for Weisner to jam, but Wilinofsky wants no part of it.
22:00
The Flops Have Gone
I am afraid you will see no more flops. Both players have decided to shove or fold and this shouldn’t take too long now.
21:54
A Decent Pot For Wilinofsky
Weisner raises to 120,000, holding 
and Wilinofsky calls with 
. The flop is 
and Wilinofsky check-calls a 140,000 Weisner c-bet. The turn is the 
and both players tap the felt. The river is the and again both players check and the pot goes the way of Wilinofsky.
Wilinofsky ~ 2,500,000
Weisner ~ 1,100,000
21:52
Wilinofsky With a Pair
Wilinofsky raises to 120,000, holding 
and Weisner calls with 
. The flop is 
and both players check. On the turn we see the 
and once again they both check. The river card is the 
and Weisner check/folds to a 120,000 Wilinofsky bet.
21:50
Split Pot
Weisner raises to 120,000, holding and Wilinofsky calls with . The flop is 
and both players check. The turn is the and again they both check. Finally, we see the 
and both players check for the third time and the spoils are shared.
21:46
Weisner All-In
Weisner raises to 120,000, holding , Wilinofsky three-bets to 275,000 with 
, Weisner moves all-in and Wilinofsky folds.
21:44
Straight – But No Change For Wilinofsky
Wilinofsky raises to 120,000, holding and Weisner calls with . The flop is and both players check. The turn is the and Weisner checks to Wilinofsky who bets 120,000 and Weisner folds.
21:43
The Blinds Are Up
The blinds have moved up to $30,000/$60,000
21:32
First Three-Bet to Wilinofsky
Weisner raises to 80,000, holding 
and Wilinofsky three-bets to for 190,000 resulting in a fold from Weisner.
21:30
First Hand of HU Goes to Weisner
Weisner raises to 80,000, holding and Ben Wilinofsky calls, holding . The flop is 
and Wilinofsky check-calls a 85,000 Weisner c-bet. The turn is the and Wilinofsky check-folds to a 145,000 Weisner double barrel.
Wilinofsky, 2,135,000
Weisner, 1,465,000
21:28
The Heads Up Action is About to Start
Ben Wilinofsky has all of the momentum – and the chips (2,230,000) – and Melanie Weisner is the heads-up sit n go specialist (1,280,000), so this should be intriguing.
21:00
Michael Thoms Eliminated by Melanie Weisner
Michael Thoms moves all-in for 625,000, on the button, holding and Melanie Wiesner calls from the small blind, holding 
.
The flop does nothing for Weisner – . The turn does nothing either – . Then the river changes everything – 
. The Michael Thoms journey is over. The man who qualified via a play money route and just fallen short in 3rd place.
20:59
Turning The Screw
Ben Wilinofsky has just moved all-in holding [Ax] [Jx] and [3x] [3x] and Weisner and Thoms folded both times.
20:55
Weisner All-In
Michael Thoms raises to 90,000, holding and Melanie Weisner forces him to fold when she moves all-in holding .
20:52
All-in and All-in
Melanie Weisner moves all-in holding [5x] [5x] and everyone folds.
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 60,000, holding trash, and Michael Thoms moves all-in holding [4x] [4x] and Wilinofsky folds.
20:49
Wilinofsky From The Big Blind
Michael Thoms limps on the button with 
, Melanie Weisner also calls in the small blind, holding and Wilinofsky checks, holding 
.
Flop: 
A terrible flop for everyone and Wilinofsky wins the pot with a 40,000 bet.
Wilinofsky ~ 2,250,000
Thoms ~ 725,000
Weisner ~ 625,000
20:47
Another Pot For The Canadian
Melanie Weisner raises to 60,000, on the button, holding 
and Ben Wilinofsky wakes up with in the small blind. He three-bets to 155,000 and a dejected looking Weisner mucks her hand.
20:44
Wilinofsky Hits Again
Ben Wilinofsky bets 60,000, on the button, holding and Melanie Weisner calls in the big blind, holding . The flop of is quickly checked through and we see the on the turn. Weisner bets 75,000 and Wilinofsky makes the call. Finally, we have on the river and Weisner check-folds to a Wilinofsky 100,000 value bet.
20:35
Wilinofsky Pushes Wiesner Off The Chop
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 60,000, on the button, holding and Melanie Wiesner calls, in the big blind, holding . The action checks down to the river on a board of and Wilinofsky takes the pot down with a 45,000 bet.
20:30
Blinds Are Up
The blinds are now $15,000/$30,000
Wilinfosky ~ 1,790,000
Weisner ~ 965,000
Thoms ~ 845,000
20:26
Weisner and Wilinofsky Clash
Michael Thoms raises to 45,000, on the button, holding , Melanie Weisner calls, in the small blind, holding and Ben Wilinofsky three-bets for 155,000, from the big blind, holding 
. Thoms makes the fold but Weisner makes the call.
Flop:
Weisner check-calls a 110,000 Wilinofsky bet.
Turn:
There were plenty of cards Weisner wanted to see, and that was not one of them. She checks and Wilinofsky takes down the pot with a 235,000 bet.
20:17
Thoms Doubles Up Through Wilinofsky
Melanie Wiesner raises to 40,000, on the button, holding , Ben Wilinofsky three-bets to 125,000, from the small blind, holding and Michael Thoms cold-four-bet jams for 435,000, holding . Weisner quickly folds and Wilinofsky makes the call.
Board: 
Plenty of outs for Wilinofsky on the turn, but Thoms asked the poker gods for his one time and they came through for him.
Wilinofsky 1,490,000
Weisner 1,180,000
Thoms 900,000
20:05
Weisner Takes One From Thoms
Melanie Weisner bets 40,000, on the button, holding and Michael Thoms defends his big blind, holding . The flop is 
and Thoms tries something different when he comes into the pot with a check raise for 100,000 after Weisner c-bets 45,000. Weisner is not falling for it though, and she makes the call. The turn is the and both players check, then on the river we had the and Thoms check-calls a 85,000 value bet by Weisner.
Wilinofsky ~ 1,905,000
Weisner ~ 1,250,000
Thoms ~ 445,000
20:02
Wilinofsky Pounds on Thoms
Michael Thoms raises, on the button to 50,000, holding , Ben Wilinofsky three-bets to 115,000, holding and Thoms folds.
Wilinofsky ~ 1,915,000
Weisner ~ 1,015,000
Thoms ~ 615,000
20:00
Weisner Breaks The Wilinofsky Streak
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 40,000, on the button, holding and Melaine Weisner three-bets to 105,000, from the big blind, holding forcing Wilinofsky to fold.
20:13
Here is a review of that sick hand between Griffin Benger and Ben Wilinofsky Earlier Today
19:58
Thoms Running Out of Ideas
Michael Thoms limps on the button with and Ben Wilinofsky checks in the big blind, holding . The flop is and Wilinofsky check-calls a 30,000 Thoms bet. On the turn we see the and Wilinofsky decides to lead for 55,000 and it wins the pot.
19:56
And Another…
Ben Wilinofsky has not lost a pot since this new level has started and here is another one.
He raises to 40,000, on the button, holding and Melanie Wiesner defends her big blind, holding . The flop is and Weisner check folds to a Wilinofsky feint.
19:51
Another Hand For Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 40,000, in the small blind, holding and Michael Thoms calls, in the big blind, holding . The flop of 
and both players check. The turn is the and a 40,000 Wilinofsky bet wins the pot.
19:50
Wilinofsky Four-Bet Bluff
Michael Thoms raises to 40,000, on the button, holding , Melanie Weisner three-bets to 105,000, from the small blind, holding and Ben Wilinofsky four-bet bluffs for 235,000 in the big blind and takes down the pot.
19:40
Blinds Are Up
The blinds are now $10,000/$20,000.
19:22
Florian Strasser Eliminated by Weisner
Michael Thoms raises to 30,000, on the button, holding , Florian Strasser moves all-in for 263,000, holding , Melanie Weisner calls in the big blind, holding and Thoms folds.
So we have a showdown with Strasser at risk of elimination.
Board: 
Strasser leaves in fourth place and Weisner moves up to second place with three remaining.
- Ben Wilinofsky 1,560,000
- Melanie Weisner 1,113,000
- Michael Thoms 927,000
19:17
Devasting Hand For Strasser
Florian Strasser raises to 42,000, from the small blind, holding and Melanie Weisner calls, holding , in the big blind. The flop delivers the nuts to Weisner – and both players check. The turn is the and Strasser check-calls a 53,000 Weisner value bet. The last card is the and Strasser check-calls a 122,000 Weisner value bet.
19:10
Thoms Dumps Chips to Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 30,000, on the button, holding , Michael Thoms calls, in the small blind, holding [Ax] and Florian Strasser calls, in the big blind, holding .
Flop: 
Wilinofsky just keeps hitting boards. Thoms bets 65,000, Strasser folds and Wilinofsky makes the call.
Turn:
Thoms bets 145,000 and Wilinofsky calls.
River:
Thoms bets 265,000 and Wilinofsky calls.
Wilinofsky takes the chip lead (1,613,000) and Thoms looks agitated for the first time in this heat (904,000).
19:01
Full House For Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 30,000, under the gun, holding and Melanie Weisner makes the call in the big blind, holding . Nobody shows any interest in the flop of and we move to the turn of . Weisner bets 35,000 and Wilinovsky makes the call. The final card is the , and Weisner check-folds to a Wilinofsky river bet.
18:57
Strasser Makes His Own Luck
Florian Strasser raises to 33,000, holding and Melanie Weisner three-bets to 110,000, holding . Back to the Austrian and he moves all-in for 435,000 and after a bit of Hollywood Weisner folds.
18:53
Blind Battle
Melanie Weisner raises to 40,000, from the small blind, holding and Ben Wilinofsky calls, in the big blind, holding . The flop is and Wilinofsky calls a 48,000 Weisner c-bet. That signifies the end of the action as the and are both checked through and Wilinofsky picks up the pot.
18:51
Blinds Up
The blinds are now $7,000/$15,000
Play poker in sunny Marbella with a $4,000 WPT prize package
Last chance to dust off your sunglasses and win a WPT National Series Marbella package! Qualifiers are running every day until 8th April on PartyPoker.
18:47
Xuan Liu Eliminated by Melanie Weisner
Xuan Liu has just moved all-in for 156,000, on the button, holding and Melanie Weisner makes the call, from the blinds, holding .
The flop of pushes Liu into the lead, but the on the turn is like a dagger in her heart. The river bricks and Liu is eliminated.
Weisner ~ 901,000
18:41
Wilinofsky Doubles Up Through Strasser
Florian Strasser raises to 33,000, in the cutoff, holding and Ben Wilinofsky three-bets to 78,000, from the small blind, holding . Strasser moves all-in and Wilinofsky makes the call.
Flop:
Wilinofsky comes from behind, once more, and a smile breaks out on his face.
Turn:
Strasser remains unmoved.
River:
No queen for Strasser and Wilinofsky is right back into this race with 741,000; Strasser, meanwhile, has 490,000
18:37
The Wilinofksy/Thoms Show
It seems that Ben Wilinofsky and Michael Thoms have taken over the action lately. Here is another hand from the pair.
Thoms raises to 30,000, from under the gun, holding and Wilinofsky calls in the blinds holding . The flop is and both players check. On the turn we see the and Wilinofsky bets 41,000 and Thoms calls. Then on the river we have the and Wilinofsky bets 108,000 and Thoms once again calls to leave some egg on the face of the Canadian.
Thomas ~ 1,468,000
Wilinofsky ~ 368,000
18:30
Wilinofsky And Thoms Clash Again
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 20,000, in the cutoff, holding and Michael Thoms calls, on the button, holding . The pair share another flop, this time , and the disbelieving Wilinofsky check-calls a 45,000 Thoms bet. On the turn we see the and once more Wilinofsky levels himself and check-calls a 95,000 bet. That is the last of the action as both players check at the sight of the and Wilinofsky exhales into the smoky casino air.
18:24
Thoms Finds The River He Needs
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 20,000, holding and Michael Thoms calls, holding , one seat to his left. The pair share a flop of and both check. On the turn we see the and Wilinofsky bets 57,000 resulting in a call from Thoms. Thoms then rivers the and when both players check Wilinofsky is disappointed to lose the pot.
18:19
Great Value Bet by Wilinofsky
Ben Wilinofsky limps on the button holding and both Xuan Liu and Michael Thoms play in the blinds. The flop is and all three players check. The turn is the and the action checks around to Wilinofsky who bets 10,000. Thoms calls, holding , and Liu folds her trash. On the river we see the and Thoms check-calls a 20,000 Wilinofsky value bet.
“I have a seven,” says a confident Wilinofsky
18:16
Wilinofsky Three-Bets
Melanie Weisner raises to 20,000, holding , Ben Wilinofsky three-bets to 58,000, holding and Weisner folds.
18:05
Wilinofsky Cracks Kings Once More
Melanie Wiesner raises to 20,000, on the button, holding and Ben Wilinofsky calls, in the small blind, with . The two combatants head to the flop of and Wilinofsky check-calls a 27,000 bet. The turn card – – gives Wilinofsky two pair and both players check. Finally, on the river we see the and Wilinofsky checks for the third time. Weisner goes for a thin value bet – 46,000 – unbeknown that Wilinofsky is holding the goods. After a long period of time the Canadian raises to 154,000 and Weisner suddenly hates life, even more so when she makes the call!
Wilinofsky ~ 729,000
Weisner ~ 718,000
17:54
Dominik Nitsche Eliminated by Michael Thoms
Dominik Nitsche raises to 12,000, in the cutoff, holding and the very tight Michael Thoms three-bets, out of the big blind, holding making it 30,000 to play. Nitsche makes the call and we move onto the flop.
Flop:
Thoms bets 50,000 and Nitsche makes the call.
Turn:
Thoms hits a straight and says, “95,” before moving his chips across the line. Nitsche looks perplexed and takes a moment to compose himself. Eventually the German moves all-in for 378,000 and it is now Thoms who places his hands around his beard and has a think. He eventually calls and Nitsche can’t believe it when he sees the of his opponent.
River:
No miracle river for Nitsche and Thoms is our new chip leader with 1,067,000 chips; Nitsche is out.
17:47
Xuan Liu – All-In
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 15,000, from under the gun, holding . Michael Thoms sits to the direct left of Wilinofsky and he calls with . The action folds around to Xuan Liu and she moves all-in for 155,000, holding , and both players fold.
17:44
Chip Counts
- Florian Strasser 918,000
- Melanie Weisner 908,000
- Michael Thoms 615,000
- Ben Wilinofsky 552,000
- Dominik Nitsche 452,000
- Xuan Liu 155,000
17:41
Wilinofsky Five Bet Bluffs
Melanie Weisner raises to 13,000, in the hijack seat, holding and Ben Wilinofsky three-bets for 41,000, from the cutoff, holding . Back to Weisner and the American four-bets to 103,000 and pushes the action back to Wilinofsky who five bets to 191,000. Weisner shoves and Wilinofsky folds, drawing the eyeballs from the lady.
17:32
Strasser Wins Another Pot
Xuan Liu raises in the small blind to 13,000, holding and Florian Strasser calls with . The flop of , Liu bets for 18,000, Strasser raises to 33,000 and Liu folds.
17:29
Strasser Involved Once More
Xuan Liu raises to 12,000, in the hijack, holding and Florian Strasser calls, in the cut-off, holding . The flop is and Liu c-bets to the tune of 13,000 and Strasser calls. On the turn we have the and this time Liu gives up and Strasser wins the pot with a 36,000 bet once checked to.
17:25
Weisner Hits The River
Florian Strasser raises to 13,000, on the button, holding and Melanie Weisner defends her blinds with . The flop is and both players check. On the turn we see the and Weisner bets 14,000, a bet that Strasser calls. On the river Weisner takes the lead when we see the , both players check and Weisner takes down the pot.
17:23
Strasser Draws First Blood
Melanie Weisner raises to 13,000, from under the gun, holding and Florian Strasser calls in the big blind, holding . The flop contains a set for Strasser – – and he check-calls a 13,000 Weisner c-bet. On the turn we see the and this time Strasser makes his move. It’s a check raise to 90,000 and Weisner releases her hand after divesting 31,000 in a double barrel.
17:19
Event #2 Final Seat Draw
- Xuan Liu 224,000
- Florian Strasser 833,000
- Dominik Nitsche 467,000
- Melanie Weisner 709,000
- Ben Wilinofsky 743,000
- Michael Thoms 624,000
So that’s a wrap for the second heat of event #2 and congratulations to Florian Strasser, Ben Wilinofsky and Xuan Liu. We have a great final table where six of the best will compete to join Mathew Frankland and a whole host of stars in the $125,000 buy-in Premier League V.
We expect the action to start around 17:15 (CET) but will advise you if this changes. In the meantime here are the chip counts for that final table.
- Florian Strasser, 833,000
- Benjamin Wilinofsky, 743,000
- Melanie Weisner 709,000
- Michael Thoms 624,000
- Dominik Nitsche 467,000
- Xuan Liu, 224,000
Global Qualifying Event #2 Heat B
Event #2 Heat B Final Standings
- Florian Strasser, 833,000
- Benjamin Wilinofsky, 743,000
- Xuan Liu, 224,000
15:19
Griffin Benger Eliminated by Ben Wilinofsky
Griffin Benger moves all-in for 143,000, holding , and Ben Wilinofsky wakes up with and also moves all-in. Liu and Strasser fold and we have a showdown with Benger at risk of elimination.
Board:
Benger’s run bad continues and we have our three qualifiers.
15:15
Benger Doubles Up Through Strasser
Griffin Benger moves his final 75,000 into the mixer and he has . The chip leader, Florian Strasser, makes the call holding pocket kings and this leg of the tournament is nearly over.
Flop:
No change
Turn:
Benger hits his ace and only a king will put him out of this competition.
River:
Benger survives and now has 165,000. Strasser is still the chip leader with 826,000.
15:11
Xuan Liu Talks About Her Premier League Experience
14:51
Blind Battle
Ben Wilinofsky limps into the pot, from the small blind, holding and Florian Strasser taps the felt holding .
Flop:
A bit of everything for everyone, and Wilinofsky greets the board by check raising to 35,000. With 12,000 already invested on the flop Strasser makes the call.
Turn:
The board gets a lot better for Strasser. Wilinofsky asks for a count before betting 67,000 and Strasser moves all-in. The Canadian asks for a count and then folds his hand.
Strasser ~ 430,000
Wilinofky ~ 1,000,000
14:34
Benger v Wilinofsky – Sick Hand!
During the break Griffin Benger and Ben Wilinofsky were laughing and hugging each other while being interviewed by Kara Scott. The mood has just been changed – and dramatically – after this amazing hand.
Griffin Benger raises to 20,000, from the cutoff, holding and Ben Wilinofsky three-bets, on the button, holding making it 50,000 to play. The action folds around to Benger who four-bets to 95,000. Wilinofsky believes the sizing is a good one for a move, and he ships his entire stack into the juke box. Benger calls in a heartbeat, and Wilinosky looks as sick as a pig. He is five community cards away from being eliminated at the hands of his good friend.
Flop:
Wilinofsky has a glimmer of hope when he pairs his seven.
Turn:
Wilinofsky takes the lead! Benger looks sick!
River:
We don’t think Benger wants to hug Wilinofsky anymore! Benger is reduced to mere chip dust (122,000) and Wilinofksy takes a giant – whilst fortunate – step into this evening’s final.
14:29
A Horrible Board For Strasser
Griffin Benger raises to 20,000, on the button, holding and Florian Strasser defends his big blind, holding . The flop is a glorious one for Strasser when he nails a straight and Benger hits top pair – – but both players check.
Turn:
Benger hits trips but only calls the 25,000 Strasser bet.
River:
A four-flush hits the board and the action dries up when both players check and Strasser takes a much smaller pot than he would have liked.
14:20
Blinds Are Up
The players have just enjoyed a ten-minute break. The blinds are now $5,000/$10,000 and here are the chip counts
- Griffin Benger 731,000
- Benjamin Wilinofsky 524,000
- Florian Strasser 298,000
- Xuan Liu 247,000
14:05
Wilinofsky and Benger Have History
The two online phenoms Ben Wilinofsky and Griffin Benger are bringing their history to the live circuit and it is making for great poker.
Wilinofsky raises to 12,000, holding and Griffin Benger three-bets from the big blind, holding , with 35,000.
Flop:
Griffin bets 39,000 and Wilinofsky decides to float.
Turn:
Both players interestingly check
River:
Benger bets 88,000, and beating only a bluff, Wilinofsky makes the call and Benger is our new chip leader.
13:53
Wilinofsky and Benger Keep Tangling
Ben Wilinofsky raises to 12,000, in first position, holding and Griffin Benger calls in the big blind, holding . The flop is and Wilinofsky check-calls a 14,000 Benger bet. The turn of is checked through and Wilinofsky smashes the river with the . Benger bets 29,000 and Wilinofsky raises to 92,000. A puzzled Benger goes through the hand in his mind and makes the call.
Wilinofsky is now our chip leader.
Wilinofskiy ~ 656,000
Benger ~ 551,000
13:47
Ondrej Vinklarek Eliminated by Ben Wilinofsky
Griffin Benger raises to 12,000, in first position, holding and Ben Wilinofsky three-bets from the cutoff for 33,000, holding . This is the third or fourth time we have seen this dynamic. Ondrej Vinklarek wakes up with , and aware of the dynamic we have just spoke of, four-bets to 57,000 from the small blind.
Benger folds, Wilinofsky moves all-in and Vinklarek calls.
Board:
Wilinofsky moves up to 535,000 and Vinklarek is out.
13:43
Three-Bet by Wilinofsky
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 12,000, under the gun, holding and Ben Wilinofsky three-bets, from the small blind, holding and Vinklarek folds.
13:36
Aces Once More For Liu
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 12,000, on the button, holding and Xuan Liu three-bets, from the small blind, holding . Vinklarek pays the 27,000 fee and the pair move onto the flop.
Flop:
Liu bets 42,000 and Vinklarek calls.
Turn:
Liu moves her entire stack across the line (145k) and Vinklarek agonises over his hero call. Eventually after a count and some thinking time – he folds.
13:31
So People Can Fold Ace-King
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 12,000, under the gun, holding , Griffin Benger three-bets to 30,000, on the button, holding and Florian Strasser four-bets to 69,000, in the big blind, holding . Action back to Vinklarek and he shows amazing constraint by folding his hand. Benger follows suit and Strasser picks up a nice pot.
13:28
No Joy For Liu
Xuan Liu is picking up some hands, but like an ugly fat man at a disco, she cannot get any action. Ondrej Vinklarek makes a standard raise, holding and Liu picks up the pocket ones. She makes the three-bet and Vinklarek folds instantly.
13:25
Ace-Queen Now Becomes a Three-Bet
Griffin Benger raises to 13,000, from under the gun, holding and Ben Wilinofsky picks up in the cutoff. In earlier rounds this hand was being used for the call, but as the blinds increase a three-bet becomes the favourite weapon of choice. Wilinofsky brings it out of his arsenal and Benger folds.
13:22
Quads for Liu
Xuan Liu makes a standard raise with pocket queens and Florian Strasser calls in the blinds with . The flop of hands Liu quads but she can’t eek any money our of the Austrian.
13:21
Blinds Are Up
That’s the end of level two folks. The new blind levels are $3,000/$6,000 and here are the latest standings.
- Griffin Benger 718,000
- Ondrej Vinklarek 325,000
- Ben Wilinofsky 284,000
- Florian Strasser 265,000
- Xuan Liu 208,000
The Premier League V is just the start of what promises to be a great few weeks of poker here in Vienna. We have the World Poker Tour (WPT) in town and the Vienna Main Event Final Table will be streamed live on the PartyPoker blog. We also have the 48-hr Big Game and it will also be streamed live on the PartyPoker blog so don’t go anywhere.
13:14
Xuan Rivers Vinklarek
Xuan Liu raises to 8,000, from under the gun, holding and Ondrej Vinklarek makes the call from the big blind, holding . The action checks through to the river on a board of and Vinklarek check-calls a 17,000 Liu bet.
13:07
Slowly, Slowly by Vinkyy
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 8,000 in first position with [Kh. Ben Wilinofksy is seated in the small blind holding and Florian Strasser is seated in the big blind holding . Both players call and we go threeway to the flop.
Flop:
All three players check!
Turn:
It is Wilinofsky who bets first – for 16,000 – and both players just make the call.
River:
There is 75,000 in the pot and when the action folds around to Vinklarek he overbites the pot, making it 97,000 to play. This sends Wilinofsky’s brain into overdrive and he tanks for four minutes prior to folding. Strasser was not as interested and he folds instantly and Vinklarek picks up the pot.
13:05
Chip Counts After 29 Hands
- Griffin Benger 721,000
- Ben Wilinofsky 315,000
- Ondrej Vinklarek 313,000
- Florian Strasser 287,000
- Xuan Liu 164,000
12:59
A Trio of Pots: Ben Wilinofsky
Griffin Benger raises in the cutoff with ace rag and Ben Wilinofksy three-bets on the button with ace rag. Benger folds and we move onto the next hand.
Wilinofksy raises to 10,000, holding in the cutoff, Florian Strasser calls, on the button, holding and Xuan Liu over-calls in the small blind, holding .
Flop:
Wilinofsky takes down the pot with a 18,000 bet.
Wilinofsky raises to 10,000, holding under the gun, and Griffin Benger defends his big blind with . The flop is and Wilinofsky wins the pot with a 14,000 bet.
12:56
Benger Always Has It
Xuan Liu raises to 8,000 in the cutoff, holding and Griffin Benger calls, on the button, holding . The flop is and Benger just calls the 7,000 Liu c-bet. On the turn Benger gets a nice surprise – – Liu checks and then folds to a Benger bet.
12:53
Strasser Wins His First Pot
Florian Strasser raises to 8,000 in first position, holding . Xuan Liu calls on the button, holding and Ben Wilinofsky makes it a triumvirate when he calls in the big blind, holding . The flops contains more diamonds than high street jewellers – and a Strasser c-bet for 15,000 wins the pot.
12:49
Ben Wilinofsky Get’s Involved
Xuan Liu raises with a junk ace and Ben Wilinofksy forces her to fold when he three-bets with his own junk ace. Then they clash in a hand that goes all the way to the river.
Wilinofsky raises to 10,000 in the cutoff, holding and Xuan Liu defends her big blind with . The flop is and Liu check-calls a 12,000 Wilinofsky c-bet. That bet signalled the end of the action and the and were checked through and Liu won the pot.
Liu ~ 193,000
Wilinofsky ~ 280,000
12:43
The Blinds Are Up
Onto level two we march. The blinds are now $2,000/$4,000 and here are the latest chip standings.
- Griffin Benger 723,000
- Ondrej Vinklarek 319,000
- Benjamin Wilinofksy 294,000
- Florian Strasser 291,000
- Xuan Liu 173,000
The sun is shining here in Vienna, but we doubt that it is shining as brightly as the Nevada desert. In just one months time the world’s poker community will converge on Sin City for 8-weeks of poker fun and frolics at the World Series of Poker. You can qualify for free, for this great tournament, playing online at PartyPoker.com. So what are you waiting for get online and win yourself a seat.
12:40
Terrible River Card For Liu
Griffin Benger limps into the pot from first position, holding and Xuan Liu checks in the big blind with . The flop is and Liu check-raises with her flush draw for 8,000 and Benger makes the call with his middle pair. The turn card is a great one for our chip leader – – and he just calls the 9,000 Liu bet. On the river we see the and Liu is about to lose some chips. She counts out a value bet of 36,000 but as she waits to welcome her chips into her arms, Benger raises to 95,000. A puzzled look spreads itself over the pretty face of Liu and she eventually calls and is now down to 174,000. Benger gets paid again and now has 725,000.
12:33
Vinklarek Takes His Chips Back With Interest
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 5,000, in the first position, holding and Xuan Liu calls, one seat to his left, holding . The dealer throws down and Vinklarek check-calls a 8,000 Liu bet. On the turn we see the and both players check. Finally, we see the and Vinklarek hands Liu some rope. She takes it and bets 16,000 and Vinklarek check-raises to 30,000 and takes down the pot.
12:30
Xuan Liu Uses Her Position
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 5,000, in the cutoff, holding and Xuan Liu three-bets, on the button to 12,000, holding . Vinklarek calls with his pretty hand and the two players share a flop.
Flop:
Vinklarek waves the white flag and check folds to a 16,000 Liu bet.
12:22
First Big Clash: O’Dwyer v Benger and O’Dwyer is Out!
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 5,000 in the cutoff, holding , Xuan Liu calls, on the button, holding and we move onto the players in the blinds. Steve O’Dwyer is in the small blind and he is holding and decides to also call. Griffin Benger is the last player to act, from the big blind, and he has . It’s a great spot for Benger who three-bets to 28,000 and the combination of Vinklarek and Liu fold quickly. O’Dwyer has a decision on his hands and after a moments pause four-bets to 71,000. A pretty polarised move and Benger decides to just make the call.
Flop:
There is 152,000 in the pot and O’Dwyer bets 58,000 resulting in a call from Benger.
Turn:
“I am all-in,” mutters O’Dwyer. Benger rocks back in his seat but makes the call and the words smash O’Dwyer in the face twisting and contorting it.
River:
The dealer makes the count and confirms that O’Dwyer is out after just 13 hands. Unlucky for some? Unlucky for O’Dwyer!
12:18
Vinkyy’s First Pot
Florian Strasser opens up the action for the second consecutive hand. He is seated in the cutoff and makes it 5,000, holding . Ondrej Vinklarek is seated on the button and he calls, holding . The flop is and Vinklarek calls a 7,000 Strasser c-bet. The action ceases on the turn when we see the ; Strasser check-folding to a 14,000 Vinklarek bet.
12:13
First Three Bet Goes to Benger – First Four Bet For Liu
Xuan Liu opens up from first position for 5,000, holding . The action folds around to Griffin Benger, on the button, and he three-bets to 12,000 holding . The blinds get out of the way and it’s Liu to act and she pulls out a great four-bet for 27,000 and Benger folds his hand.
12:10
First Flop Goes to Benger
Ondrej Vinklarek raises to 5,000, in the cutoff, holding , Xuan Liu calls, on the button, holding and Griffin Benger joins the fray from the small blind, holding .
Flop:
Benger leads for 7,000 with his flush draw and it forces two folds.
12:06
Tentative Opening
No flops to speak of as yet. Ondrej Vinklarek, Xuan Liu, Ben Wilinofksy and Steve O’Dwyer all raising and taking down the blinds and antes in the opening action.
The Intercontinental Hotel, Vienna, Austria has one of the most varied breakfast buffet’s in Europe. This morning it wasn’t just full of high quality and varied food stuffs, but it was also crammed full of top quality poker players. Eugene Katchalov, ElkY, Erik Seidel and Ben Wilinofsky all sat eating muesli, salmon and bacon (not in that particular order). My mouth was salivating at not just the bacon, but also the prospect of watching these players battle it out in the Premier League V, starting in earnest tomorrow.
But the Premier League cannot start until we have filled the last remaining seat. Yesterday we saw experienced pros Melanie Weisner and Dominik NItsche join the amateur Michael Thoms in this afternoon’s Heat B final. In around thirty minutes time another six players will take their seats hoping to make it to the same final – and what a line up we have.
- Steve O’Dwyer
- Griffin Benger
- Benjamin Wilinofsky
- Florian Strasser
- Ondrej Vinklarek
- Xuan Liu
We will be bringing you as much action as I can type around the 12:15 (CET) mark so please stay focussed on this page.
If you would like to check out the live updates from Event #1 and celebrate Mathew Franklands’s victory then check it out here.
Event #2 Heat A Final Standings
- Melanie Weisner 709,000
- Michael Thoms 624,000
- Dominik Nitsche 467,000
22:30
Its All Over! Emir Misljimi Is Eliminated
Emir Misljimi has given us some fun moments during this heat, but his journey has come to a head at the hands of Melanie Weisner.
Emir Misljimi raises to 40,000, from the cutoff, holding and Melanie Weisner three-bets, from the button, holding . Back to Misljimi and he makes the call and you can’t help but think this is the beginning of the end.
Flop:
Misljimi checks to Weisner, the American bets 65,000, Misljimi check-raise shoves and Weisner calls. Misljimi puts his arms behind his head and prays for a king. The turn of the and river brick off for Misljimi and he is our bubble boy.
22:20
Weisner Gets Misljimi To Fold !
Just when you thought this game could not get any more bizarre, Emir Misljimi keeps us all thinking that he must be some sort of elaborate plant to keep us on our toes!
Michael Thoms raises to 35,000, on the button, holding . Emir Misljimi is in the small blind and he calls with . Melanie Weisner is seated in the big blind with and she moves all-in for 319,000. Thoms gets out of the way and we are all expecting a showdown and an exit for Weisner before Misljimi folds his hand!
22:16
Nitsche Wins With Two Pair
Melanie Weisner raises to 30,000 in the cutoff, holding , Dominik Nitsche calls, on the button, holding and Emir Misljimi calls with in the blinds.
Flop:
Everyone checks
Turn:
Misljimi bets 30,000, Weisner folds and Nitsche makes the call.
River:
Both players check and Nitsche wins the pot.
- Michael THoms 701,000
- Dominik Nitsche 460,000
- Emir Misljimi 320,000
- Melanie Weisner 319,000
22:04
The Amateurs Continue to Beat The Pros
Michael Thoms raises to 35,000, on the button, holding and Melanie Weisner defends her big blind, holding . The flop is and both players check. The turn is the and Weisner leads for 46,000 and Thoms calls. The river is the and Weisner checks to Thoms and he bets 75,000 to take the pot away from Weisner with the worse hand.
21:50
Weisner Clobbered By Thoms
Melanie Weisner raises to 20,000, on the button, holding and Michael Thoms just calls in the big blind, holding .
Flop:
Thoms hits top set! He checks to Weisner who bets 30,000 and Thomas moves all-in. Weisner snap calls and hates what she sees.
Turn:
Weisner needs a ten.
River:
Thoms doubles up and Weisner joins Nitsche is the gloomy looking club.
Thoms ~ 477,000
Weisner ~ 371,000
21:40
An Absolute Car Wreck of a Hand
Dominik Nitsche opens from first position for 20,000 holding and Emir Misljimi defends his big blind with .
Flop:
The flop has a bit of everything for them both and it is Misljimi who stirs things up with a check raise to 50,000. Nitsche has 22,000 invested in the flop and so he makes the call.
Turn:
Misljimi goes to bet and bet big, but makes a string bet. The tournament director walks over to the table to explain what Misljimi has done and his bet of 30,000 must stand. The bet now allows Nitsche to make the call and he does.
River:
Nitsche makes his straight and the whole poker world feels sorry for Misljimi because the string bet allowed NItsche to make his hand!
“Check,” says Misljimi.
NItsche stares at Misljimi and bets 88,000.
“I am all-in,” says Misljimi!
Nitsche looks like he has just seen a ghost! He pulls his hood over his head and goes into the tank. While Nitsche is coming to terms with the fact that he has to fold, Misljimi asks if he can go for a cigarette! Nitsche eventually folds and Misljimi shows him the deuces and Nitsche’s face draws laughter from every inch of the room! It was an absolute picture! He couldn’t believe his eyes! Misljimi has a grin from ear to ear!
Mislimi ~ 512,000
Nitsche ~ 440,000
21:30
More Lost Value For Misljimi
Dominik Nitsche raises to 20,000, on the button, and both Emir Misljimi and Melanie Weisner defend the blinds. The flop is and the action checks to Nitsche who is holding and he bets 21,000. Misljimi has hit the flop well, holding , but he just calls. Weisner folds and the pair see a turn. The card is the giving Misljimi a full-house but both players check. On the river we see the and Misljimi bets 30,000 and Nitsche makes the losing call.
21:23
Bruno Fitoussi Is Eliminated by Melanie Weisner
Bruno Fitoussi has had a woeful evening. From the moment he sat down and was told to move his glass of red wine, out of shot, you knew his night was going to be a terrible one.
He picks up on the button and raises to 23,000. Melanie Weisner is seated in the small blind and she three-bets to 55,000. Fitoussi moves all-in for 157,000 and Weisner calls.
Board:
No joy for Fitoussi and The King picks his crown up and leaves the table.
21:17
NItsche Rivers Misljimi
Dominik Nitsche raises to 20,000, on the button, holding and right on cue Emir Misljimi defends his big blind with .
Flop:
Misljimi leads for 20,000 and Nitsche calls.
Turn:
Misljimi leads once more; this time for 30,000 and an interested Nitsche calls.
River:
Misljimi just doesn’t want to give up and bets 60,000 and Nitsche just calls and wins with his rivered two pair.
21:00
Tony G Gatecrashes the Premier League V TV Set
20:58
The Blinds Are Up
We are on a five minute break as the blinds leap up to $5,000/$10,000
Play poker in sunny Marbella with a $4,000 WPT prize package
Last chance to dust off your sunglasses and win a WPT National Series Marbella package! Qualifiers are running every day until 8th April on PartyPoker.
20:54
Misljimi Bamboozles Nitsche
Emir Misljimi limps into the pot holding , Melanie Weisner over-limps on the button holding and Dominik NItsche wakes up with in the small blind for the umpteenth time. Nitsche three-bets to 23,000, Misljimi predictably calls and Weisner predictably folds.
Flop:
Nitsche checks, Misljimi bets 20,000 with his air and Nitsche folds.
20:46
Chip Stacks
- Dominik Nitsche 589,000
- Melanie Weisner 427000
- Emir Misljimi 343,000
- Michael Thoms 304,000
- Bruno Fitoussi 137,000
20:39
Nitsche Finally Eliminates Pollak
Benjamin Pollak raises to 21,000, holding , Dominik Nitsche once again finds , and he isolates to 40,000, Emir Misljimi calls with and Bruno Fitoussi folds . Pollak moves all-in for 37,000 and we have a side pot between Misljimi and Nitsche with Pollak at risk of elimination.
Flop:
Fitoussi looks as sick as a dog when he sees that he would have flopped a set! Misljimi check-calls a 52,000 Nitsche bet and we move to the turn. The turn card is the and Nitsche makes a small 52,000 bet and Misljimi folds. The cards are turned over and Pollak needs a five to win the pot.
River:
No five for Pollak, but a disgusting looking jack for Misljimi, who looks distraught. Nitsche takes the pot, Pollak takes a walk and Misljimi and Fitoussi talk about the sets that never were.
20:35
Pollak Doubles Up
Benjamin Pollak moves all-in, holding , and Dominik Nitsche isolates him with a 25,000 raise, holding . Everyone gets out of the way and we have a showdown.
Board:
Pollak hits a nine and doubles up through Nitsche.
20:32
Pollak Decimated
Bruno Fitoussi raises to 16,000, in the cutoff, holding . Benjamin Pollak is seated on the button with and he makes the three-bet. Melanie Weisner is seated in the small blind and she moves all-in for 205,000, holding . Fitoussi folds and Pollak calls and we have a showdown with Weisner at risk of elimination.
Board:
So despite the flush scare on the turn, Weisner’s set wins the pot and Pollak is reduced to a mere 9,000 chips. Weisner now has 427,000 chips.
20:26
Blinds Up
The blinds are now $3,000/$6,000
- Dominik Nitsche 497,000
- Emir Misljimi 389,000
- Michael Thoms 313,000
- Benjamin Pollak 234,000
- Melanie Weisner 202,000
- Bruno Fitoussi 165,000
If you are enjoying the coverage of the Premier League V then you are in for a treat. Vienna is turning itself into a poker hotbed for the next few weeks. Once the Premier League V has crowned its new champion we head into WPT Vienna and the 48-hr Big Cash Game. Both the WPT Vienna final table and the 48-hr Big Cash Game with be streamed live on the PartyPoker blog so stay tuned.
20:21
The Strange Style of Misljimi
One thing for sure, you are not going to read Emir Misljimi!
Dominik Nitsche raises to 10,000, on the button, holding and Misljimi defends his big blind holding . The flop is and Nitsche bets 8,000 when checked to. Everyone is expecting Misljimi to just fold, but he check-raises to 18,000 and Nitsche lays down the best hand to the trash of Misljimi.
20:16
Misljimi Has To Show Garbage
There is a fiveway limp-fest started by Emir Misljimi, holding . The flop of is checked through to Bruno Fitoussi and he bets 12,000, holding and the only caller is Misljimi with king high! Even more amazing is the fact that that was the last action of the hand. The turn of and river of were checked down and Misljimi had to show the table his trash. Fitoussi wins a much needed pot.
20:14
Nothing Going Right For Fitoussi
Bruno Fitoussi raises to 10,000, on the button, holding . Benjamin Pollak is seated in the small blind, holding , and he three-bets to 26,000 forcing Fitoussi to fold his trash.
20:08
Nitsche Takes More From Fitoussi
Bruno Fitoussi raises to 11,000, in early position, holding , and Dominik Nitsche calls on the button with . The flop is and Fitoussi check-calls a 8,000 bet. On the turn Nitsche hits his third set of this short game – – and once again Fitoussi check calls; this time for 21,000. Finally, we see the and Fitoussi check-calls a 57,000 river bet.
Nitsche shows the table his set and tells them all it is his third set of the day. Fitoussi seems disinterested as the chips are ushered in the direction of the German.
20:03
Misljimi Rivers Weisner
Emir Misljimi limps into the pot, in early position, holding . Melanie Weisner has the button and she isolates to 13,000 and Misjlimi makes the call.
Flop:
Misljimi check-calls a 13,000 Weisner bet.
Turn:
Checkity-check
River:
Misljimi makes trips on the river and his 20,000 value bet is paid by Weisner.
19:58
NItsche Hits A Set
Dominik Nitsche raises to 10,000, in first position, holding and Melanie Weisner calls in the big blind, holding . A great flop for Nitsche – – but he cannot get any value from Weisner, who folds to his 11,000 c-bet.
19:54
Nitsche Gets Value From Thoms
Dominik Nitsche raises to 8,000, on the button, holding and Michael Thoms calls with in the small blind. The dealer gives us a flop of and Thoms check-calls a 12,000 Nitsche bet. On the turn the pair see the and they both check. The final card is the and Thoms gets curious and check-calls a 12,000 Nitsche value bet.
19:52
Nitsche Dominates Fitoussi
Bruno Fitoussi raises to 10,000, in the cutoff, holding and Dominik Nitsche three-bets to 28,000, in the small blind, holding . Fitoussi makes the call and the pair of them share a flop of . Nitsche bet 25,000 and Fitoussi calls. On the turn we see the and this time a 66,000 Nitsche bet wins the pot.
19:44
Thoms Bluffs Fitoussi
Michael Thoms raises to 8,000, holding and Bruno Fitoussi just decides to call, holding . The flop is and Fitoussi leads into Thoms with a 10,000 bet. Thoms then surprises the table by raising to 25,000 and Fitoussi mucks the best hand.
19:40
Loss of Value For Misljimi
Emir Misljimi raises from the small blind, holding and Benjamin Pollak calls in the big blind, holding .
Flop:
Pollak flops the nuts, but Misljimi has the nut flush draw. Pollak bets 11,000 and Misljimi calls.
Turn:
Misljimi hits his hand and checks to Pollak, who checks back.
River:
Once more the action goes check-check and Misljimi takes down the pot, but he has lost a lot of value.
19:33
The Blinds Are Up
The blinds are now $2,000/$4,000
The action from the Premier League V is fantastic but in one month’s time we have the World Series of Poker. You can qualify online at PartyPoker for this amazing event, so what are you waiting for? Log on and win yourself a seat right now.
19:30
Misljimi Attached to Queen-Nine?
Emir Misljimi raises from cutoff, making it 6,000 to play, once again with . Melanie Weisner is seated in the small blind and she calls with . The flop of is checked through and we see the on the turn. Weisner peels back her cards and has a look before betting 7,000 and Misljimi folds.
19:26
Trips For Fitoussi
Benjamin Pollak raises to 4,000, in early position, holding and Emir Miljimi and Bruno Fitoussi both make the call from the blinds.
Flop:
All three players check.
Turn:
Fitoussi bets 8,000, Pollak calls and Misljimi folds.
River:
Fitoussi check-calls a 16,000 Pollak bet and collects his pot.
19:15
Call With Ace-King
Dominik Nitsche raises to 6,000, in early position, holding and Emir Misljimi calls on the button, holding . The flop is and Nitsche bets 7,000. Misljimi raises the action slightly making it 15,000 to play and Nitsche folds.
19:11
Pollak and Nitsche Clash Early
Benjamin Pollak is seated in the cutoff, he looks down and sees and raises to 4,000. Dominik Nitsche is situated in the small blind and he three-bets to 13,000, holding . Back to Pollak and he four bets to 28,000. Tough spot for Nitsche early doors but he makes the call nevertheless.
Flop:
Nitsche whiffs the flop (luckily for him) and Pollak takes down the pot with a 34,000 bet.
19:07
Weisner – Non Believer
Emir Misljimi raises to 5,000, in early position, holding and Melanie Weisner calls from the small blind, holding .
Flop:
Weisner check-calls a 5,000 Misljimi bet.
Turn:
Weisner once again check-calls, this time for 20,000.
River:
Both players check and Misljimi wins the pot.
19:01
Pollak Wins The First Blind Battle
Bruno Fitoussi raises to 6,000 from the small blind, holding and Benjamin Pollak calls in the big blind with . The flop is and Fitoussi bets 7,000 and Pollak decides to float. The turn is the , Fitoussi checks and a 1,000 bet by Pollak wins the pot.
The players have started to take their seats. Here is the seat draw for you.
- Emir Misljimi
- Bruno Fitoussi
- Benjamin Pollak
- Melanie Weisner
- Dominik Nitsche
- Michael Thoms
A very tired Mathew Frankland has completed his final interview of the day and as he trudges off to get some much needed kip the lights go dim on the televised final table. But don’t worry because the table will be illuminated very soon when the Global Qualifying Event #2 Heat A kicks off in earnest.
Hoping to join Mathew Frankland in the Premier League V will be Bruno “The King” Fitoussi, Melanie Weisner, Dominik Nitsche, Benjamin Pollak, Emir Misljimi and Michael Thoms. We are not sure of the exact kick off time but it will be within the hour.
In the meantime, if you wish to follow Mathew Frankland’s rise to glory then you can check out the live updates here.
[miniflickr photoset_id=”72157629360489638″]
Photos courtesy of Damien Cooper
