Tuesday 11 May 2010

Miki relishes his home casino victory


Congratulations on winning the PPT Madrid, how does it feel to have won the event in your local casino?
It was a great tournament with a good structure and it feels great to win. I hit some cards obviously and everything seemed to go my way. This is my local casino; I come here all the time so while obviously it’s great to win anything, anywhere, it’s even better to win at home!

You were one of the big names coming into this tournament; did you find players were targeting you as a result? Or did your reputation make things easier?
It didn’t really have too much effect to be honest. I’m known in here but there plenty of people playing who were not from Spain, so they didn’t know me.

What were the highlights of the competition for you? Were there any hands that stood out that you’ll remember?
I went all-in pre-flop with JJ in one hand and went up against AK, and I made quads to win a huge pot. That was probably the biggest I won, but also won with AQ vs AK for half my stack, but after that I tended to win small pots, right through the final table until I was heads-up.

So you came to the final table with a big stack, how did you feel it went from there?
I started as chip leader but I lost a couple of pots and Ricardo built his stack up to about a million points. I couldn’t really play until we got down to four players and it was then I started being more aggressive, got a big stack and eventually the win.

But you always looked comfortable; did you ever have to go all-in?
No actually I was only all-in for all my chips in one hand during the whole tournament, so that’s great for any player. I was often facing other people’s all-ins but I never had all my chips at risk, which is just about perfect poker.

Once you reached the heads-up with Ricardo Calleja, you decided to split the money. Why was that?
Yeah we were playing for €15,000 and we had even stacks and it’s a bit of a lottery for that money. If we hadn’t made a deal, we could have played heads-up for another four hours. It’s been a fantastic experience so I was happy to split the money and be named PPT Madrid champion!

Calleja happy to finish outside the limelight


Ricardo Calleja was graceful in defeat as he missed out on the PPT crown to local rival 'Miki' Rodriguez.

Just like his opponent, Calleja plays in the Casino Gran Madrid on a regular basis, and having split the top prize for a win of around €24,000, he was happy for Rodriguez to take the limelight.

"Miki and I play together here in Madrid quite a lot so it's a rivalry that has continued from the cash table into this event - and maybe it will continue into another tournament!" he grinned.

"I know he's looking to be a big name professional player; he wants the fame and glory whereas I'm just an amateur, so I think I played more relaxed in the heads-up match.

"I wouldn't go as far as to say we're friends (laughs), but I'm pleased for him."

The defining moment for Ricardo came not in the topsy turvy heads-up battle however, but with a moment of intuition that helped him build his enormous chip stack.

"For me the most important hand of the night was a big bluff for half my chips, when I won a huge pot from Wiktor Szuster," he outlined.

"I raised pre-flop and he called in position and by the turn I was looking at a board with an Ace, King and Queen there. A Jack then hit the river and when Wiktor bet small, I felt he was weak and raised big to push him off the pot.

"He eventually folded, so I was really proud of how I played that hand.

"I'm very happy because this was my best position in a tournament. I had won one other event but not anything like this."

Monday 10 May 2010

PPT Madrid crowns its champion as Miki takes the glory

After threatening to play on all night, the cards finally separated Miguel Rodriguez and Ricardo Calleja, but not without a little more drama.

All in on a 3♥-5♥-8♥ flop, Miki looked in control as the players rolled J♥8♦ and 8♠4♠, but the turn and river filled both players up for a split pot.

Even the decisive hand looked like it had another twist in the tale, as Ricardo's 6♥9♠ flopped an open ended straight draw against his rival's 9♠10♠.

This time the stronger holding held sway however, and ended the PPT Madrid 2010 with the widely-tipped Miguel Rodriguez as its champion.

Congratulations go to the local card player, who was delighted to take the prize in his home casino. Full interview with our champ to follow soon; in the meantime here's a reminder of the prize money dished out tonight:

1st - €30,000
2nd - €18,500
3rd - €12,500
4th - €9,100
5th - €6,600
6th - €5,600
7th - €4,700
8th - €4,000
9th - €3,300
10-12th - €2,600
13-15th - €2,000
16-18th - €1,600
19-27th - €1,400

Goodnight all!

Deal done; now to spar for PPT prestige...

With both men sitting on large stacks and the clock ticking beyond 4am, Miki Rodriguez and Ricardo Calleja decided to split the remaining prize pool down the middle.

Playing on for the PPT crown prompted some entertaining action nonetheless, as first the chips went in when Miki's 77 came up against Calleja's Q♥10♦.

The flop brought J♣-4♣-K♥ to set up a tense turn, and the A♠ duly arrived on the turn to double Ricardo's marginally shorter stack.

The pendulum soon swung back in Miki's favour however, as first his K♦10♦ held versus his opponent's 9♣10♣, before he seized back the chip lead holding A♣Q♣.

Again he had Ricardo dominated, and this time he flushed on the river to push his rival to the brink of defeat.

Miki strikes again, claiming another pair of scalps to go heads up


Having dominated the final table for long spells, Miguel "Miki" Rodriguez (pictured) added good fortune to his armoury to knock out a pair of potential rivals for the PPT Madrid crown.

First he tangled in a blind battle with Dovydas Asanavicius, with the Lithuanian putting him to the test with an apparent re-steal in a blind battle. Miki looked him up with K8o, surprising Dovydas, who held Q9s, and winning the 60-40 flip.

Next it was Paradise Poker's own Antonio Lemos who fell victim, as fate looked allied to Miki when his 8♣9♥ outdrew "Tony L's" A♥8♠.

That set up a heads-up meeting between compatriots Rodriguez and Ricardo Calleja, and Dovydas praised the big stacks for putting their chips to good use.

"They didn't just sit around and wait for the small stacks to bust out, they took the initiative and they played well," he told the PPT blog.

"I think I also played well over the course of the two days though, so I'm pleased with the result because I never had as many chips as them.

"Unfortunately I won't be able to make it to Bulgaria because I'll be in Vegas for the start of it, but I'll be back next season for sure because it's been a great tournament with a good structure, a fun field and helpful staff."

Your PPT blog is blushing. Cheers Dovydas.

Two more fall in succession as the late night takes its toll


The gruelling schedule in Madrid is beginning to take hold and with their backs against the wall, two more players lost their tournament lives.

First out was online qualifier Wiktor Szuster, as his 10s lost their race with Dovydas Asanavicius' A♥Q♣ when a bullet hit the flop.

Zoltan Hegyi (pictured) followed almost immediately when his Q♥Q♣ was cracked by Ricardo Calleja, who took a stand against the shorter stack with A♥7♥ and made top pair.

"Finishing in sixth was great for me because I'm really tired," said Szuster, "I didn't sleep very well last night so I'm feeling really satisfied to have done so well in spite of that.

"It was too much for me in the end - too many hours of poker in such a short space of time - and this was my first time playing in a big event. This is my best ever win so I'm happy."

Hegyi meanwhile was disappointed to miss out on the chance make his mark, but revealed his first big tournament outside of his native Hungary would inspire him to return in Bulgaria.

"I had to wait for good hands because there were two players with a lot of chips, and they made it difficult by raising all the time," he explained.

"I did find some with the two queens, but unfortunately the A7 calls and hits his Ace to knock me out! It's been a great experience though and a nice amount to win, so I hope to go to Bulgaria in July."

See you in Sunny Beach Zoltan!

Level 19 and it's time for a break

The six remaining players go to a quick break with Level 19 awaiting their return. The blinds will increase to 5,000/10,000 with a 1000 ante, and the average stack is sitting at 418,333.

Miguel Rodriguez is battling for the chip lead and the renowned Spanish pro has been driving the action with his aggressive pre-flop style, with Ricardo Calleja his biggest rival at the moment.

There's been no shortage of action, but that's not to say it's been a game minus respect however, with Zoltan Hegyi laying down AQ to a pre-flop re-raise from Tony L. and the Portuguese paying it forward to Dovydas Asanavicius, folding an Ace face up in a blind battle.

Wiktor Szuster has largely been keeping a low profile, and when he did dare to put his chips to work, Calleja was on hand to take down the pot with a large river raise.

Miguel Alonso exits in seventh; a happy man in Paradise

Miguel Alonso departed the PPT Madrid after being pushed to the edge by Miguel "Miki" Rodriguez, but could hardly wipe the smile from his face as his €4,700 prize sunk in.

The online qualifier won his entry playing on Paradise Poker, so despite getting no help from the board to crack Miki's QQ with K♠3♦, he was in the mood to celebrate a personal best performance on the big stage.

"I've only been playing for two years and I qualified for this event at the first attempt on Paradise Poker," beamed Miguel, "This is the first big event I played in; previously the biggest game I bought in to was a €100 buy-in so I'm very pleased!

"I never got enough chips on the final table to play my poker and I had been waiting for good hands, but eventually had to make my move with the first decent cards I saw.

"I'll definitely try to qualify for these kind of tournaments again, although I'll stick to satellites to win more big prizes like this!"

Sunny Khosla follows Jose to the rail, complete with bad beat tale


Sunny Khosla will shine no more at the PPT Madrid, as his KK succumbed to the A10 of the deep stacked Miki.

The Danish amateur had played some fine poker over the course of the weekend, and having been three-bet pre-flop, he gladly shoved his stack with a monster hand in the hole.

The deck had other ideas however, bringing four cards to a straight and ending Khlosa's challenge in eigth place.

Speaking to the PPT blog as he made his exit, even the €4,000 prize money seemed little consolation. "I tried to pretend I didn't have anything when he re-raised me, then went all-in for about 100k more and got him to call with A10.

"The flop gave him an open-ended straight draw and he hit it on the turn, but I did the right thing so in the long-run those decisions will pay off.

"I think I could have gone all the way, so I'm frustrated. I wanted to make the final table but once your there, it's tough to go out eighth when you feel you can win it."

Jose Roldan finishes in 9th place

Even 40 years of poker experience couldn't dig final table short stack Jose Roldan out of his PPT hole.

His stack had just seven big blinds to play with entering the showdown and when he rolled over A♠9♥ there was feeling that there was nothing more he could do.

Unfortunately for the man known as one of Spain's oldest pros, having reportedly started his poker profession in the 1970s, Tony L. picked up A♥Q♦ and ended his evening.

Far from being downhearted however, Jose felt he had made his impression on the big stage: "I have played high stakes poker for many years so this was really just a chance to have fun and show the younger players that I can still mix it with them!

"I won €20,000 only this week, so it wasn't about the money and I couldn't do anything else with the A9.

"I've really enjoyed myself though, but now it's back to the cash tables!"

Sunday 9 May 2010

Can Dovydas make it a perfect debut?

Dovydas Asanavicius may be making his debut at a major final table, but he was in confident mood when we caught up with him ahead of most important shuffle up and deal of his poker career.

After some sore luck of late, Dovydas felt this result has been a long time coming, and is determined to take down the €30k top prize.

"I made some final tables in smaller events but this is my first appearance in a national event," he confirmed, "I played in Prague but got unlucky on the first day, plus I played in a few other big events and wasn't running well - so I thought this was going to be one and it has been!

"I have close to 300k to start so I'm above the average stack. I have 50bbs, which is a lot for a final table, and from what I've seen of the field - and I don't mean to be arrogant - I think I have the edge on most of them.

"There are a few bigger stacks but the structure is good, so there's plenty of play in it. I'm ready to play late into the night to win it!"

It's Final Table time!

We have our Madrid nine folks and here's the line-up in full:

Miguel "Miki" Rodriguez - 582,500 chips
Ricardo Calleja - 457,000 chips
Antonio "Tony L" Lemos - 359,000 chips
Dovydas Asanavicius - 295,000 chips
Zoltan Hegyi - 238,000 chips
Miguel Alonso - 181,000 chips
Sunny Khlosa - 165,000 chips
Wiktor Szuster - 154,500 chips
Jose Roldan - 41,500 chips

Inocente G'omez Bordonado was the unlucky player missing out on the final hurdle, with his AKo crashing when Zoltan Heygi made quad Jacks after all the money went in pre-flop.

It's not the first time... it won't be the last.


We at the PPT blog might have been known to speak too soon, and on the very odd occasion (honest!), make a mistake.

Apologies go to Ricardo Calleja, who we previously named as Roberto Carraño after a muddle up. His fictional alter-ego has hereby been wiped from the PPT blog!

And to top it off, just as we pondered Felipe Carreño's (pictured) hot streak, the Spaniard ran out of lives. This time his AJo just couldn't save him when it came up against QQ and the one-time chip leader bowed out in 13th spot. Unlucky, they say, for some... oops!

Sunny Khlosa was the man with luck on his side as he doubled through in a classic race.

The Dane got it all in the middle with A♥K♥ versus the Q♣Q♦ of Miguel Rodriguez, and though three clubs on board made for an interesting river, the A&clubs on the flop proved decisive.

Felipe Carreño survives a scare

Despite having had his overnight chip lead eroded to mere mortal status, Felipe Carreño has continued his love affair with Lady Luck in Madrid.

The humble Spanish player, who insisted he would continue to play tight after leading the stacks at the end of Saturday's play, dodged a bullet with A♥5♥ and doubled up against the odds.

The hand in question had begun with Danish player Sunny Khosla raising pre-flop from middle position, and when Carreño made his move, it was Ricardo Calleja who first committed the chips to put his countryman at risk.

Sunny made a tough lay down with pocket tens, and though big stacked Calleja had Felipe dominated with A♦Q♠, his three-outer rode to the rescue on a K♦-5♠-4♦ ... 8♣ ... 6♦ board.

Big slick can't hold as PPT Madrid slips through home pros' fingers


Almost as I breathed his name in what we considered a not so bold prediction, Spanish pro Oscar Blanco and good friend Javier Etaya made dramatic departures from the Casino Gran Madrid.

First it was Etaya (pictured), feigning the squeeze play and drawing a call from Miguel Rodriguez's AQo when he held A♣K♣ on the button, only to see a red queen hit the flop.

And within moments of his friend's disappointing demise, "La Pua" joined him despite holding the same starting hand, as KJ found a way to bust the man labelled 'Spain's best.'

Etaya cut a frustrated figure as he took a moment to vent for the PPT blog: "I'm very sad because you play as well as you can across two days, get it in good in a big pot with the chance to make a run at the final table and get a bad beat.

"It's a standard play with 20bbs because there had been a raise and call, so it looks a bit like a squeeze play so I have to just shove and leave them guessing.

"It's shame because overall I'm very happy with myself because I had a great tournament," he reviewed, "I played patiently and waited for my spots and nearly always had my opponent drawing dead or close to when I was all-in.

"I can't play any better than this but that's tournament poker. You need luck at the end because without it you'll lose, but I love playing poker - even if it is sick!"

The Final Table in sight after dinner

Of our 251 entrants, 15 players remain and our €30,000 prize is in their sights as they shuffle up and deal after a complimentary meal from the excellent Casino Gran Madrid buffet.

Ricardo Calleja is the overwhelming chip leader with nearly a quarter of the chips in play, but with the likes of Oscar "La Pua" Blanco and Zoltan Heygi still in the mix, this one's not over by a long shot.

Sit back and keep and eye on the action all.

Manuel must fly!

Anyone who has dared to sit at the baize knows about poker's cruel streak, but spare a thought for Manuel Stan if you shuffle up and deal tonight.

He may not have been the bubble boy, in fact he won a tidy €1,600 for two day's play, but after upping his aggressive streak hoping for win or bust to catch a plane to London, his PPT life lasted ten minutes too long - or ended about six hours too early - depending on your POV.

Asked why he'd decided to book a flight with the final table in sight, the UK-based player insisted it was not down to a lack of belief.

"I was trying to catch my flight for the last half an hour, which I started with an above average stack, and I lost a big chunk of my chips when I shoved with a pair and lost," began his lament.

"I didn't think it was very likely I'd win when I booked the flight, but at this point it wasn't the end of the world if I cancelled because I've won €1,600 and can afford another night here! Still, I wanted to get back to London tonight.

"I played well at times here, had a bit of luck - the usual 50/50," he added, "I was down to 5,000 chips after two hours but by today at Level 12 I was double the average so it was certainly up and down.

"Today I'm really upset that I lost most of my chips with a straight draw and I certainly regret the last half hour - as I missed my flight and failed to make the final table - but that's life, and I enjoyed the tournament."

Just as a stalemate brews, the cowboys stir up the action


Poker loves a surprise. Just when you thought it had all gone quiet, a monster hand arrives on the horizon to send one former big stack to his sunset.

With the blinds at 2,000/4,000 with a 300 ante, Ricardo Calleja (pictured) and Kamlesh Nanakram Melvani both reached for their big guns pre-flop, as the two biggest stacks on Table 13 picked up huge starting hands.

Melvani raised the action from early position and after Calleja re-raised, his rival pondered only a moment before pushing the rest of his chips into the centre holding QQ. The ladies blushed when they saw their royal rival however, as Ricardo Calleja snap-called with KK.

Having seen them hold up, the Spaniard further increased his chip lead a few hands later, knocking out solid Danish player Klaus Kristensen - once again with kings.

It might be a little early to crown a winner, but Calleja just assumed the favourite tag.

PPT Madrid in ruthless mood before the break

This blogger is struggling to keep up with the exits as they're coming thick and fast! Blasphemous as it might be in a poker room, I'm almost grateful for our short interval, as it gives me a moment to review our latest developments...

We're down to 18 players and you can almost smell the final table at this rate. All those remaining just received a pay hike, as 18th place will now pay at least a tasty €1,600.

Ricardo Simon Gallego went out in 23rd, followed by Alvaro Picatoste and David Pishvafar, who hit the rail when his AQ lost out to AK.

One man happy in spite of defeat was Thomas Hervalet. The French player was calling out for a deal as the bubble drew in, but having been rebuffed by his fellow players, he was relieved not to suffer an untimely demise.

"To make it past the bubble was great because I was short stack and I tried to make a deal," he told the PPT blog, "I always think it's unfair on a guy who plays two days and misses out on the money, but there we people who objected to a deal.

"I didn't play my best poker because I was short stacked for so long, but I just waited it out. I eventually pushed with KJ and lost to pocket 9s after he hit his set on the flop.

"It was a good experience though. I qualified through my poker club in Paris and it was my first time in Madrid, so I've really enjoyed it.

"I need to build my bankroll but I'd love to play in the PPT Bulgaria, so we'll have to see how I get on before July."

Nester Vasconellos was our 19th-placed player and as I dare to post this update, the fast and the furious are back at the tables. Brace yourself folks!

Down to 22

The usual spate of exits have swiftly followed the arrival of the money, but there's a few mixed stories to tell as players make their exits.

We're down to 22 players and three short-handed tables just two hours in, thanks to a familiar combination of bad beats, coolers and short stack plays.

Online qualifier Mounir Benali must have felt good getting his chips in with A♠K♠ but his short stack ended up falling into the hands of Aces, sending him out in 26th.

"Obviously I'm disappointed to have gone out but there was no way I could play the hand any differently, it's just poker!"

He was swiftly followed by Luis Fernando in 25th and Alexander Weber in 24th, with the latter lamenting his late night play as well as the river beat that ended his day.

"The big stack opened and I found KK, so I shoved my 40k stack and a player behind me came over the top with JJ, only to hit his Jack on the river.

"It happens but I'm in the money so it's fine. I had a big stack yesterday but I made some mistakes when I was tired. If you play poker though, you want to win."

And our bubble boy is...

Kresten Johansen.

The Dane raised with pocket eights and with one caller, went to the flop which brought a rainbow J-6-7 board. When his opponent led into him for 5,500 chips, Johansen showed no fear and shipped his stack into the middle, only to be called by JQ.

In the midst of the drama, Francois Frejdles thinks he might have missed the money when his QQ is rivered by Felipe Carreño's JJ, but it's relief for the big Belgian when he realised 27th place - and a €1,400 - is his.

The bubble set to burst?

The money is within touching distance for our players as another man falls, and now there's just two players left to suffer the bubble's wrath.

Dovydas Asanavicius is the executor as having limped with K♠10♠ in early position, he wields his sizeable stack by calling a late position shove.

Delighted to see J♦Q♣ as he may be, there's still plenty of way to go. Still, it proves a relatively smooth passage to the pot as he flops the nut flush draw, catches his King on the turn and only has to dodge a gutshot straight draw to take it down.

Lady Luck obliges and everyone left in the room breathes a little easier... two more victims to go.

Showing faith in a friend


It's not all about experience it seems. Six months into his poker career, David Pishvafar is closing in on a cash in the PPT.

The German, who freely admits his lack of playing time could cause him trouble on later streets, has a clearly defined pre-flop strategy as we edge closer to the money.

He won't be hanging around. "I’m a little bit below the average stack but I’m glad that I only have 20bbs," he told us just before the first deal.

"It means I don’t have any big decisions to make because I either three-bet or raise all-in or just fold. I’ll just be waiting for the right moment against the right opponent.

"We’re on the bubble now so I’m planning to attack people with the average stack and I’m in a good position to do that. Either I double up or I go bust because I’m not here just to scrape into the money, I came for the first prize."

David wouldn't even be here but for some good friends, as they not only taught him the finer points of this great game, but even staked him to enter the Madrid event.

"A few friends of mine taught me to play and they staked me for this tournament," he explained, "They are my coaches, they have taught me a lot and I’m giving them a percentage of anything I win."

Here's to a friend in need.

Coin flips from the off...

And we're already down one.

Zoltan Hegyi doubles up and eliminates our first of the day. It's a classic race that does it, as AJ connects with the board to crack his opponent's deuces.

Slapping the table in delight, the Hungarian couldn't have asked for a better start to the day!

Day Two under way

The first deal has just hit the baize in the Casino Gran Madrid.

Our 34 remaining players are facing 1,000/2,000 blinds with a 200 ante, but with the average stack standing at 73,823 at the start of play, we can expect a long wait for out PPT Madrid champion.

Follow all the action 'til the last man is standing right here!

34 still standing... Here's your official chip count

FELIPE CORDIDO PERNAS - 207700
MIGUEL ALONSO FERNANDEZ - 157600
RICARDO CALLEJA FERNANDEZ - 144900
OSCAR BLANCO CARRASCO - 138500
MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ - 120500
WIKTOR SZUSTER - 112500
KAMLESH MELWANNI - 91700
DORGDAS ASARAVICIUS - 89000
FRANCOIX FREDJDECES - 84100
ANTONIO LEMOS - 83000
KRISTENSEN KLAUS SLOT - 81500
MARCIN DOLIWA - 80100
HEYI ZOLTAN - 72600
JOSE ROLDAN VICENTE - 67300
MOUNIR BENAL - 66500
MANUEL STAN - 66100
HERVALET THOMAS - 56600
SUNNY KHOSLA - 55600
ANTONIO ROMERO HERRERO - 55600
PEDRO L. PRADO RODRIGUEZ - 54400
NESTOR VASCONCELLOS BENITEZ - 50900
LUIS FERNANDO GARCIA MARTINEZ - 49800
KRESTEN JOHANSEN - 47100
IMANOL AYENZA - 46600
JAVIER ETAYO - 45700
ALEXANDER WEBER - 43000
ALVARO PICATOSTE RUILOPEZ - 42000
DAVID PISHVATAR - 41500
BERGAR RUSTOM - 39600
PEDRO TOLA DOLARA - 39100
FRANCISCO BATUSTA - 38200
ROBERT NORBERT - 33900
INOCENTE GOMEZ - 33800
RICARDO SIMON GALLEGO - 17100

Whether it's time to sleep off your bad beats or celebrate a hot streak, I bid you all goodnight. See you tomorrow!

Online qualifier leads the way at half-time

Sometimes Lady Luck spares a smile for even the most modest among the poker playing community, and in overnight chip leader Felipe Carreño, she certainly found favour.

Carreño played his way into the PPT Madrid via Paradise Poker and far from carrying out the role of small fry in a room full of sharks, he amassed an imposing stack standing over 200,000 chips high.

Speaking to the PPT blog however, there was not a trace of over-confidence or arrogance about his fine day's play - and he was candid enough to admit a mere top 20 target.

"I got the right hands at the right moment," he explained, "I picked up pocket Aces once and pocket Jacks four or five times and always got paid off, so I won all my chips in only a few hands."

With a place in the money still not a certainty (although just 11 players stand between Felipe and the bubble bursting), the chip leader was in cautious mood.

"I didn't expect to do this well and so I'd settle for a place in the top 20. Now I'm chip leader I would love to make the final table - it would make me very happy!

"I won't be changing my style though. I always play tight so I'll be sticking with that plan until the end, because it's got me this far."

La Pua hits a high note


Oscar "La Pua" Blanco might have been a hot tip pre-tournament, but now boasting double the average stack, the man labeled 'Spain's best' by his friends looks in great shape as we approach the final forty players.

La Pua, which in English means 'the plectrum,' strummed a winning tune when his KJ hit the flop hard against an aggressive opponent. Having his lured his man into committing his stack, Oscar doubled through holding trips.

Nacho "Krusty" Guerra hit the rail a little earlier, but after watching his good friend reach 120,000 chips, he is convinced we'll see the Spaniard on the final table.

"That was a big hand, a bit lucky but the other guy shoved with nothing and Oscar had trip Jacks," he smiled, "He's got 120,000 and he's a great player, so he'll be on the final table for sure.

"I only had 25,000 chips, half the average stack, so I had to push with something," added 'Krusty' on his own demise, "I looked down at a queen in first position, shoved all-in and unfortunately somebody in the middle called with Aces.

"I had some nice hands earlier when I was a short stack though. I had doubled up earlier with 9-9 when someone paid me off with A-8. He hit an Ace on the flop, but I turned a 9 to win the pot and double up.

"After that I didn't see too many strong hands and apart from a few steals, I was blinded away until I made my move."

Ante up folks

We're down to 61 players and the ante's are starting to eat into the stacks.

Sure nobody wants to be bubble boy, but outlasting 200-odd opponents and falling short isn't much fun either! Level Ten just took the ante to 100 chips, along with 600/1200 blinds, and you can almost feel the aggression increase across the room.

Buckle up blog readers, there's still some play in the night yet.

Saturday 8 May 2010

A big gun bites the dust in Paradise

Johnny Jensen's bid for three-straight PPT final tables has coming a halt as the self-confessed super LAG made his move at the wrong moment.

The Dane was sitting on around 19,000 chips, around 5k short of the average stack, when he shoved over the top of a pre-flop raise and caller.

When the call came, the Paradise Poker pro's KJ could not have seen a worse hand as his opponent rolled AK, and he crashed to a 116th place finish at the hands of big slick.

"I'm disappointed not to achieved my goal here, especially after playing so well in London and Prague, but hopefully I'll still be top of the leaderboard by the end of the tournament," said a crestfallen Johnny.

"That's the way it goes sometimes when you play an aggressive style, but I'll be back for the PPT Bulgaria and I'm determined to get the points I need to secure the €10,000 leaderboard prize."

Show me the money!

Twenty-seven players will walk away with their bankroll boosted by at least four-figures tomorrow night, with the top prize standing at a whopping €30,000.

The runner-up will have to console himself with €18,500, bad beat or not, while third place will leave with a €12.5k score.

Here's the prize structure in full:
1st - €30,000
2nd - €18,500
3rd - €12,500
4th - €9,100
5th - €6,600
6th - €5,600
7th - €4,700
8th - €4,000
9th - €3,300
10-12th - €2,600
13-15th - €2,000
16-18th - €1,600
19-27th - €1,400

It's not all brotherly love, however


Lest we forget our competitive edge, here's a tale of sibling rivalry that's a little less loving.

Brothers Jozsef and and Zoltan Heygi have previously called a truce when they have met heads-up, but according to the latter, blood will be no thicker than water should they both reach the final table here in Madrid.

"My brother is playing in this event too and last time we met at a final table, in Budapest, we made a deal but we won't be doing that here!" insisted Zoltan.

"This is my first live event outside Hungary but if we go heads up, we'll play to the end.

"I have played many tournaments at home and I love playing tournaments, either online with Paradise Poker or live," he continued.

"Generally it's been going ok but I had to lay down Queens earlier. I need to be more aggressive now because the blinds will keep increasing and they’ll make me push more often, but there are only two players on my table playing great poker, so I’m not too worried about the rest of them!

"There are so many movements from people that help you make a read on them; I’ve seen plenty of tells already so I’ll be putting those to good use."

Can he spot his brother's weaknesses, however?

It’s a family affair at the PPT


Making sweet music at the table tonight is Antonio "TonyL" Lemos, who is now sitting on a hefty 50k stack.

He was joined by sister and fellow band member Filipa in the starting stacks, and is a dab hand on the keyboard accompanying his sibling's vocals. And it seems neither is too shabby at the poker table either!

A Portuguese pro and sponsored by yours truly, Paradise Poker, Antonio is another player we're keen to continue recent favour at the felt; not that we're biased of course.

Having taken down around 15,000 euros at a recent EPT, he has every right to feel confident of further success - especially with the family backing him up.

Unfortunately for Filipa, whose husband Jose made it tuneful trio tonight, her swansong came a little too soon courtesy of a cooler. Holding Queens full of tens, she ran into quads to end her challenge, but here's to an encore in Bulgaria!

Another Classic moment in Madrid?


We're all heading for dinner here in Madrid and my stomach for one is grumbling with anticipation at the prospect of yet more Casino Gran Madrid cuisine.

I'm wondering whether the 217 remaining players can sit round a table together without a deck of cards... guess I'm about to find out!

One man sitting comfortably on the back of a recent victory in the WPT LA Classic is Andra Koroknai of Hungary. The well-respected card player revealed a few secrets after a decent session so far.

"The table is quite comfortable because I’ve been able to pull off some bluffs," he explained, "I was able to three-bet in position with good effect.

"I didn’t have to go to a single showdown which is really positive because my table image is quite mysterious, but there is one German player I need to keep my eye on.

"He knows me from previous games but he’s on my right so that should be ok. He’s the most dangerous player at the table because the others aren’t as experienced.

"I have a few chips so I’ll keep playing solid poker until the antes come into effect. Then it comes down to good bet sizing, raising more often pre-flop and trying to make sure I take down those raised pots."

Solid advice indeed, but will we see a repeat of his WPT success this weekend?

No clowning around, it's down to business for Krusty and friends

The PPT blog went looking for trouble ;-) and we ran into three kings, as we met a trio of Spanish players all keen to take the Madrid tournament by storm.

Oscar "La Pua" Blanco has enjoyed some six-figure cashes of late and amongst his friends at least, has been labelled Spain's best poker player. Quite the honour, but Oscar downplayed his big reputation by suggesting it was a cash, not tournaments, that was his forte...

Also joining the PPT blog was another recognisable face - or should that be voice - in Nacho "Krusty" Guerra (he's named after the Simpson's very own clown for a reason!) and the accomplished Javier Etaya.

Here's what they had to say.

PPT: Hi guys, how are you feeling today – confident?
NG: We’re feeling really confident, that’s why we came.
OB: We play in tournaments like this every week against fields even bigger than this one, so we always fancy our chances.
PPT: So how do you adjust to big fields of this size?
JE: I try to play the same; I just concentrate on playing my best, accumulating chips and making final tables.
PPT: Does that involve playing aggressive or do you prefer to sit tight for a while?
OB: It depends on the table; I’d adjust my strategy according to how they play.
PPT: Do you think you’ll recognise any of the players in the tournament today?
NG: No it’s impossible when there’s 180 players coming into the tournament from Paradise Poker.
PPT: Does that make it more exciting – to play against people you don’t know?
NG: It makes it easier! (laughs) No seriously it depends on the players and you never know.
PPT: Well good luck!

Paradise Poker's own seeking three in a row


Paradise Poker sponsored Johnny Jensen has enjoyed playing on 'home turf,' having made the PPT final table in both London and Prague.

The Danish pro has an aggressive style that makes him a tough opponent wherever he stacks his chips, and when the PPT blog caught up with him pre-tournament, he was in the mood to continue his hot streak.

"I made the final table at the last two PPT events so I’m hoping to make it three out of three so I can be top of the leaderboard," he grinned.

"I put some success down to playing loose-aggressive, but I think the main thing has been my ability to read my opponents. I’ll be using the same tactics today, playing at a lot of hands and outplaying the other players on the flop.

"I’m very tough to play against because you never know whether I’ve got a hand or not.

"When I play online with Paradise I tend to play tight, but when I’m playing live I can loosen up because I can see the players and rely on physical tells."

Go Johnny go!

After a few technical issues...

The chips are in the air!

We had a few connectivity problems here in Madrid, but fortunately for you we're not so disconnected from our players. Over 245 of them registered for the third leg of the PPT with some notable names among them.

Here are just a few to whet your appetite:

WPT LA Classic winner Andras Koroknai
Johnny Jensen, going for his third straight PPT final table
Alexander Hanell
Alvaro "Varico" Ballesteros
Arguably Spain's best Oscar "La Pua" Blanco
2007 Spanish champion Fernando Martin
Luis "Repicas" Rufas

PPT Madrid closing in...

There's just a few hours to go until we shuffle up and deal in the plush surroundings of the Casino Gran Madrid.

There's a distinct touch of the Vegas about tonight's venue, with fine dining circling the gaming floor, shapely waitresses flashing you a smile and stakes to make the layman's eyes water.

There's a choice of French and American Roulette (though thankfully without a Double Zero in sight) Caribbean Stud Poker and Blackjack on the side, with another corner reserved for Baccarat and Punto Banco.

Tonight's main dish however, is poker, so get ready for another helping of top notch action... We'll be bringing all the latest news as the action unfolds, so if you can't make it in person, you can still follow the fall of the chips in the third leg of the Paradise Poker Tour.

See you at the baize folks!

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