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As expected, a sell-out field made it down to the Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London's busy Edgware Road for Day 1a of the London GUKPT. 200 runners started the day at 2pm and were joined at intervals during the first hour by a number of alternates lucky enough to secure a seat at the expense of unfortunate early exits - by the end of the first level, the total number of runners was 206.
The final eight players reconvened at the Casino Copenhagen this afternoon, every one of them coveting the 6 million kroner first prize, not to mention the attractive Pokerstars EPT trophy vase and the prestigious title of Champion. Loud American Tim Vance had a massive chip lead, around a third of the total chips in play and double the chips of the next biggest stack, Danish poker professional Rasmus Hede Nielsen.
The survivors from both sellout start days combined today to play from 172 all the way down to the money; which starts at 40th place and rewards those who make it that far with 63,259 DKK (GBP 6,406). Leading the field after the first levels of play were Danish players Lars Madsen, Allan Baekke and Peter Eastgate, as well as young Norwegian Trond Eidsvig and Canadian Tommy Pavlicek. Despite leading at one point during the day, yo-yoing Swede Ola Brandborn didn't make the money, but permanently well stacked young American Joseph Serock as well as Patrik Andersson and Rasmus Nielsen are among the top chip counts going into the third day.
A sell out crowd made the short trip from Sweden, the slightly longer flight from the UK, or even the long haul from the States to compete in this year's Scandinavian Open; the EPT event in Denmark. 460 players in all filled the spacious tournament area in Casino Copenhagen over two start days, and just over 170 will return for day Two after both flights played just eight one hour levels. The buy-in was 47,750 DKK or around EUR 6,700 and the usual mix of online qualifiers, travelling pros and that sort of in the-middle bracket of online trained young players took their chances for a shot at a first prize that would make them a Kroner multi-millionaire.
The German leg is my least favourite stop on the EPT tour. It's far from the most exciting of venues and getting to the casino means a ten mile trip in a taxi. The fact that I failed to get through Day 1 means I'm unlikely to change that opinion for at least another twelve months.
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