Prop bet victory for Portugal!

The subplot at the PPT Vilamoura has been the battle between our gracious hosts, the Portuguese, and the biggest influx of foreign players from Germany.

ParadisePoker staff from the nations backed a selection of their country's finest to outlast the others. And in an act of revenge that helps ease recent footballing pain at Euro 2008 and the 2006 World Cup, it was Team Portugal who held on for victory.

That was thanks to the two ParadisePoker sponsored players in the home side's line-up, as Carlos "Cmpjo" Oliveira and Paulo "Kinas" Nunes marched on as the final German competitor, Frank "Squishy Joe" Ewald, made his exit.

"It was never in doubt," grinned a delighted Kinas, "I think we were simply the better players, plus we had home advantage on our side!

"I didn't know the bet was actually on, even though I heard them discussing it yesterday, so it's a good feeling that we won it."

Nunes was less content with his personal chances however, having taken a hit to his once towering chip stack, but as Day Two approaches, he was still in the mood for a double up.

"I have around 30,000 chips but was on 60,000 only a short while ago," lamented the ParadisePoker pro, "I'm looking to double up now.

"The table has been really aggressive so I've been opening a lot of pots, but I've been three-bet quite a few times when I had to fold.

"That's cost me quite a few pots and then I lost another AQ, folding when I missed the flop despite there already being 16k in the middle.

"Obviously I've got to keep the range of hands I play a lot smaller now, since I can't open a lot with this kind of chip stack," he explained, "I have so few chips now so I'm waiting for a good spot to double up and that's it."