Stereotypes are both offensive and annoying. They are offensive because they categorise huge swathes of people as acting and thinking the same way, casting the same aspersions on hundreds of thousands of people that happen to share the same birthplace, heritage or set of beliefs.

They're annoying because they tend to have a grain of truth in them.

For instance, Americans have a stereotype of British people having bad teeth. It is both offensive and at least half-way true. It's not our fault, we have incredible sweet shops and we love being spoilt for choice. And, in a record-breaking field, we've had a field that would drive the sweet tooth of any poker player, British or otherwise, crazy with top quality players from all round the world. Negreanu, Hachem, Ivey, Minieri, Raymer, Obrestad, Demidov. You name them, we've got 'em. Most have been tried, tested and marked as favourites in the past but our Day 1 chip leader Claudio Cecchi isn't one of them. He's come close to a big finish with a 21st at EPT Vilamoura last month and a 16th at Barcelona back in 2008 but this is his first major moment in the spotlight.

The Italian made a mad dash late in the day to chip up to quarter-of-a-million in a rush of three big hands. He had aces against kings, flopped a set against a flush draw and then sucked out with queens against kings. Things slowed down a little after that (how could they not?) and he finished the day as the overall chip captain with 237,500.

Now, that's quite some achievement given that today's 509 entries topped up yesterday's 339 field to make a UK record 848 player tournament that has put a shelf-creaking £4,112,800 on show. Just behind him is yesterday's chip leader Soheb Porbandarwala who brings back 218,600 to Day 2 (which starts at 12 noon incidentally). The other biggest hits of the day were David Vamplew (205,500) and Tony Cascarino (181,400). Some 235 players finished the day, add that to the 146 of yesterday and that makes a Day 2 field of 381.

As always there are some sweets that you've never tried and you might find some surprisingly tasty while others take a few quizzical chews before you can make your mind up. We'll find out over the next couple of days what we think of those that finished deep in the chip counts today. More familiar flavours that made it through however were Team PokerStars Pros Daniel Negreanu (122,200), Joe Hachem (108,400), Andre Akari (29,800), Anh Nguyen (24,700), Juan Maceiras (62,000), Sebastian Ruthenberg (53,800), Chad Brown (45,600), Noah Boeken (78,200), Richard Toth (48,900) and Salvatore Bonavena (107,100).

Most players attending this event will unaware that it is now also doublin as the Grand Final of the UK and Ireland Poker Tour, which kicked off in Galway, Ireland, last December. The UKIPT's eight regional events have been acting as a breeding ground for this 5,000 main event here in London.

Some of the players that have made names for themselves on the tour, and are still in the running here, include Jamie Burland (112,100), Femi Fakinle (78,000) and Mick Graydon (66,400). There are also plenty of other more established Irish and Brits in with a shout, such as Team PokerStars Pros Jude Ainsworth (163,500) and JP Kelly (121,100) as well as Cascarino, Fintan Gavin (92,000), Sam Trickett (98,100) and Dave Ulliott (54,000). Liv Boeree finished on an above average chip count of 76,500 which should be counted as a successful first outing in the PokerStars livery.

Play will resume tomorrow at 12 noon. Join us then for the action as it happens. Catch up with all today's action by clicking on the links below:

Level 1 & 2 updates
Level 3 & 4 updates
Level 5 & 6 updates
Level 7, 8 & 9 updates

If you prefer to savour your poker in a different flavour then you can try it in Chocolate German, Herbal Dutch, Sugary Italian or Liquorice Swedish if you so fancy.

Our camera crews have also been scooting in and around the tournament floor picking up interviews and all that jazz. Catch the Day 1B wrap in moving sound and pictures below.

Thanks, picture credits and (c) go to Mickey May and Neil Stoddart who have been busily snapping away all day. Until tomorrow then. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

11.50pm: End of Day 1B
That's play done with for today. At the close it's Claudio Cecchi, from Italy, with the chip lead with 237,500. That tops Soheb Pobandarwala, the Day 1A leader, who bagged up 218,600 this time yesterday. A full wrap of the days events will be published on the blog shortly.

11.45: Grafton all day to bust the last hand
Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier was eliminated on the last hand of the night to Sam Grafton. All the chips went in pre-flop with Mercier holding [ks][qd] to Grafton's [ad][9d]. The board ran [9h][6s][ts][3h][7c] to propel Grafton over the 100,000 mark. -- MC

11.35pm: Boom Boom
A crucial double up for Boris Becker who moved all-in behind a bet of 14,000 for 38,200 on a flop of [7c][4s][9c]. When called Becker eventually showed jacks, to top the caller's tens, an outcome he was not too pleased with. Becker up to nearly 80,000. -- SB

11.20pm: Toth at the double
Team PokerStars Pro Richard Toth got a key double up with [qc][qd]. He faced an opening raise to 2,100 and shoved all-in for 17,300. It was folded back to the original raiser who made the call showing [ac][qh]. No unnecessary dramas on the [7h][8d][3d][kc][6c] board and the man from Hungary shoots up to more than 30,000. -- SY

11.10pm: Obviously Obrestad
Annette Obrestad has moved to Boris Becker's table, where Chino Rheem and Jonathan Aguilar are also playing.

Obrestad opened for 2,300 in early position which Rheem called, as did the player in seat nine. The flop came [5d][tc][th]. Obrestad bet another 4,300 and Rheem raised to 10,500 making this a heads-up affair when Obrestad called. The turn came [2s] and both checked. Then the [7d] river card which was again checked, Obrestad taking what was in the middle after showing [jd][js].

Obrestad up to 70,000 now. -- SB

11.05pm: Rocket man
Claudio Cecchi is the new chip leader with 250,000 after a rush of three big hands. First up he found aces when an opponent had pocket kings. Soon after he flopped a set versus an opponent's flush draw and he managed to fade the outs. Third and finally he found pocket queens versus an opponent with pocket kings and managed to spike a queen. -- MC

10.55pm: Hit me baby one more time
Players are back - 286 of them - for one last level tonight and then it's bagging up time. -- SY

10.40pm: Break time
The players are on the final 15 minute break of the day. -- MC

10.38pm: Cascarino scores big
Former international footballer Tony Cascarino is up to 167,000 after scooping a monster pot. We missed the action but Sam Stein filled us in on some of it. He, Cascarino and another saw a [qc][9c][3] flop that was three-bet pre-flop. Stein bet 7,800 and both players called to see the [jc] appear on the turn. Stein folded pocket aces as the other two got all the chips in. Cascarino tabled [ac][kc] for the nut flush and his opponent opened [q][j] for two-pair. The river bricked and Cascarino is a happy man at break. -- MC

10.37pm: David Williams out
The Team PokerStars Pro has bitten the dust, and thanks to the wonder that is Twitter, we can tell you in his own words what happened:
"Didn't play a hand for a while and lost some small pots down to 18k. Blinds went up to 400/800, 75 ante. Guy opened, I shipped [As][Qc]. He had K-K. Flop J-T-7 all spades, but I didn't hit my draw or Ace. Guess I'll get 'em next time." -- SY

10.35pm: JP Kelly breaks 100,000
JP Kelly is the most recent player to break the 100k mark (which is twice the average chip stack at present). The Team PokerStars Pro found a good spot in the big blind when he intercepted a short-stack's three-bet shove with two black tens. He only needed to dodge a single ace to scoop the 36,000 pot and take him into six-figures. His UKIPT teammate Jude Ainsworth is sat on 145,000. -- RD

10.30pm: No double for Dabul
Team PokerStars Pro Veronica Dabul has been eliminated. She was down to around 20,000 when she raised from under-the-gun. She picked up two callers to a [k][t][2] flop with two hearts. She led for 4,000 and then called all-in when one of her opponents pushed. It was a near dream flop for Dabul who had pocket kings for top set but her opponent had flush outs with [jh][4h]. The turn came a safe [qc] but the [8h] river completed the flush and she was gone. -- MC

10.25pm: De Meulder passes another one
Christophe de Meulder has just had to pass to Guillaume Gignac again. The Belgian Team PokerStars Pro isn't looking hugely happy with his situation but passing his just over min-raises (1,700 into an 800 big blind) isn't too disastrous. Not yet anyway. -- RD

10.22pm: Entre el Amor y los Halagos
"Is Ricky Martin playing today?"

This was Veronica Dabul. The Team PokerStars Pro, who is still in the tournament but very short stacked, felt the need to ask. She thought she'd seen him and came over to ask me.

"Look at him!" By now I was being dragged by the arm to a better vantage point. "Look!"

I was looking. She was describing a long haired chap three tables away. To me he looked like a standard young poker player, maybe in need of a haircut, and a shave too. Dabul though, was won over. I didn't want to disappoint so agreed that he looked like Ricky Martin, a man who I wouldn't know if he came up and introduced himself.

"Take a picture, I can't stop looking at him," said Dabul, on her way back to her seat. "He's Ricky Martin, ten years ago."

Ah. So it wasn't Ricky Martin. In fact it was Brian Powell, from Kentucky, USA.

Veronica Dabul

Minutes later Dabul was out (details to follow). I don't like to think how much she paid in blinds and antes trying to get me to agree that Brian Powell looked like Ricky Martin ten years ago. -- SB

10.20pm: New chip leader
Among the huge number of players still doing battle out there (290, to be precise), one young man has recently emerged with the chip lead. He doesn't look particularly threatening, but David Vamplew from Scotland has soared up to 195,000.

While he's out in front, a certain gentleman called Phil Ivey continues his stead progress. Down to 8,000 earlier this afternoon, he's now shot through 100,000. -- SY

10.10pm: Bang! Pow!
Brian Powell who finished 8th in the WSOPE Main Event a few days ago is up to around 90,000 after busting Luca Cainelli in fortunate circumstances. Powell held pocket eights to his opponent's pocket kings but an eight appeared on the flop and that was that. - MC

10pm: Boeken will set-tle for a house
Team PokerStars Pro Noah Boeken has dispatched of Erik Friberg to move up to 71,000 in the chip standings. There was an early position raise to 2,000 before Friberg shoved for 19,300 and Boeken moved all-in to isolate from the SB. It worked as the original aggressor folded to leave it as a heads-up showdown:

Friberg: [kh][qh]
Boeken: [jd][jc]

The board ran [js][7c][8c][ac][ad] to make a full-house for the Dutchman. -- MC

9.52pm: Canadian Hollywood
Ross Boatman was in the big blind and had to check with the dealer whether Guillaume Gignac knew the action was on him. Chistophe de Muelder had opened the action with an early position raise to 1,700. He was called in one spot before a mid position raise to 4,600 set the Hollywood in motion. Gignac sat for some time before moving all-in for 17,600. The button passed before the small blind, the improbably named Martin Quack I believe, moved all-in behind him for 25,200.

The isolating action was enough to bring the action heads up with the Canadian showing [qh][qc] to Quack's [as][ks]. The board ran out [tc][9c][td][8c][ts] leaving Quack crippled and Gignac on 42,000, which puts him just below chip average. -- RD

9.40pm: Sal Bon-voyage
Two Team PokerStars Pros went to battle and only one survived to tell the tale. Somebody should've told Matthias de Meulder not to mess with the legend that is Salvatore Bonavena. The Belgian was short-stacked and shoved with [9h][9s] but ran into his Italian neighbour's [as][ac]. The board ran [jh][2c][3d][js][3c] and De Muelder shook everyone's hand at the table and left. -- MC

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 400-800, ANTE 75

9.35pm: Hachem raising
Both Joe Hachem and Chris Moneymaker have chips and Hachem is having a go at every hand, keeping the pressure on everyone else.

To deal with this former EPT winner Christophe Benzimra is deep in a massage, chair reversed, his head resting on the back, as his body slumps forwards in a rhythmic matching the contractions in his rhomboid major. He's sitting next to Hachem, who has his big blind attacked by David Packer on the button, with a bet of 1,400 consisting of one red chip and 16 green ones. Formidable.

Hachem asked how much Packer had behind before making it 8,600 total. Packer, bleach blond hair and white rimmed sunglasses, paused for a while then folded, Hachem stacking up around 100,000.

He followed that by raising from the small blind to nab Benzimra's big blind, which both found amusing, then raised again, from the button this time. Benzimra was drawing the line and called Hachem's raise for a flop of [8s][6c][5d]. It was the type of hand to be checked, with a [kd] turn and [ts] river going by without action. Benzimra turned over [ah][7h] to take what was in the middle.

Meanwhile on the table alongside Brandon Adam's tournament was coming to an end. All in with ace-ten he ran into a caller with ace-queen and a board of [8s][7s][jh][5d][js]. There was nothing there to rescue the American; to the rail in level seven. -- SB

9.29pm: Champ, meet the champ
Of all the tables in all the world, etc... Chris Moneymaker, winner of the WSOP in 2003, is now sharing the same table as fellow Team PokerStars Pro and 2005 WSOP winner Joe Hachem. It's Aussie Hachem who is enjoying his time more at the moment, up to around 90,000, while Moneymaker is stuck on 27,000. -- SY

9.25pm: Irish hospitality
Is Fintan Gavin the nicest man in poker? I couldn't say for sure but he was just going to some effort to order a coffee; flagging down the waiter (several times), explaining what he wanted to order (a couple of times) and pointing out who it was for (once, and it was for someone else at the table). Gavin was runner-up at EPT Barcelona a few season ago and he's making the right sounds here too and is one of the select bunch to have broken the 100,000 mark. Gavin's a key figure in Irish poker so a solid run would do the Green army proud considering EPT London doubles as the UKIPT grand final. -- RD

9.20pm: Grinding
Filipe Ramos lost most of his stack in the first level of play (see here for details). He explained to us in break that he sat on this stack for more than two levels before finding spots to double-up twice to 16,000. He's still battling away and is up to 23,000 now after forcing a fold from Jonas Klausen. Ramos made it 1,500 to go from early position and then shoved when the Dane made it 4,600 to play from the next seat. -- MC

9.09pm: A ridiculous wealth of characters
There are so many top rate players here that plenty will play, bust under the radar and disappear into the night (or into a side event or the Vic) without a word mentioned. Two that have got without many mentions in the tournament so far are Freddy Deeb and Team PokerStars Pro Alex Gomes. Deeb is on the up with 88,000 and Gomes is chugging along on 32,000. Deeb just nicked a pot from the Brazilian with a 2,500 positional bet on a relatively dry [2d][6h][6s] flop. -- RD

9pm: Deep thought
On a board of [9d][ks][4h][6h][qd] Kevin Eyster and Ilya Gorodetskiy faced off against each other. Eyster had bet 13,400 and now Gorodetskiy was in deep thought, occasionally rubbing his beard, fitting the description of a chess master, rubbing his forehead as well. It all looked deep. Eventually he called. Eyster showed [jh][td].

It's at these moments that one of two things happens. The caller, if ahead, hurriedly flips over their better hand and starts stacking new chips. If behind they go to turn their cards over, then, on seeing what they're up against, hesitate, look at their cards again to be sure, then fold. Gorodetskiy took this latter course.

Eyster up to 52,000. Gorodetskiy down to 42,000. -- SB

8.56pm: Golden Trickett
Sam Trickett has gotten fortunate for the second time in minutes to double-up again to 43,000. He saw a [4c][ah][2s] flop with two heavy weights in the shape of Juha Helppi and Jude Ainsworth. Trickett checked, Helppi bet 7,000 and Ainsworth folded before Trickett moved all-in. Helppi snap-called with [as][kc] and was in great shape verses Trickett's [kh][2h].

Safe is not 100% though as Helppi found out through the [th][8h] turn and river. The running hearts made Trickett a flush. "Nice hand" said a disbelieving Helppi who drops to 43,000 himself. -- MC

8.52pm: That should do the Trick(ett)
Sam Trickett just shoved for around 10,000 over an under the gun limp (which is 600, of course). He picked up one customer - the big blind who tabled ace-king - and narrowly avoided a call from Marty Smyth in the big blind. Trickett promptly hit trips with [3s][4s] on a [4c][8s][9s][4h][tc] board. Smyth said: "I would have called you if no-one else had and I would have two-outed you on the river." -- RD

8.45pm: In the books
An early pot to David Williams after the break, one of those no-messing-about hands in which both players agree not to waste any time. It was not a hand that was going to change the world, change the tournament or change the table. On a board of [8d][ac][7c][ks][jc] Williams showed king-eight, two pairs to take the pot. -- SB

8.40pm: Let's get this show back on the road
Most of us are well fed and some of us are now sleepy because of it. Quick coffee for those feeling it and we can get these three levels out of the way. Swedish player Joel Nordkvist seems to be the chip leader coming back with a mighty 145,000 but he's been chased by Team PokerStars Pros Daniel Negreanu and Jude Ainsworth who are hovering around the 100,000 mark. -- MC

PokerStars Blog reporting team at EPT London (in order of starch content in dinner): Marc Convey, Stephen Bartley and Rick Dacey (very starchy and tasty risotto) and Simon Young (is there starch in chocolate cornflake mini bites?). Photos by Neil Stoddart and Mickey May.

7.02pm: Ding, ding, ding
That's a 90-minute break for all concerned. Except for the poor dealers, of course, who have to sit and guard the chips. See you back here in an hour and a half. -- RD

6.58pm: Strassmann makes an early dash for dinner
Johannes Strassmann should get his pick of the local eating establishments as he's been knocked out by Name Le just a few minutes before the dinner gong is due to be rung. Nam Le raised a late position limp to 1,650 and Strassmann moved all-in from the big blind for 6,250. Le made the call.

Strassmann: [kd][qd]
Le: [ad][tc]

The [as][5s][5h] left little hope for the German Team PokerStars Pro and the [8s][6c] turn and river did little to help him out. Le shook Strassmann's hand and raked in his pot. -- RD

6.52pm: Helppi Juha, help Helppi Juha
Low and behold a three-way all-in featuring Juha Helppi, Erik van den Berg and Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsworth. Make your selections now as here come the details, albeit when the cards were turned over.

Helppi: [kd][ks]
Ainsworth: [jd][js]
Van Den Berg: [jc][as]

The board came [qs][7d][3s][5s][2h] sending the chips to Helppi, who now has 60,000. That's about the same as Ainsworth who slips to that amount rather than climbs to it. For Van Den Berg it's the end of the line. -- SB

6.47pm: New chip leader emerges from the shadows
Joel Nordkvist was just seen stacking up a big pile of chips after eliminating an opponent. We don't have the details of the hand but the Swede now has a chip mountain like 145,000 in front of him -- MC

6.45pm: Nacho not happy
Team PokerStars Jose Barbero is down to just 8,000 in a hand that he thought he won. He got all the chips in pre-flop with [kc][kh] against an opponent holding [as][ks] and the board ran [2h][qc][2s][js][8s]. Barbero thought he had won the hand and said "I had about another 25k."

Joe Hachem spoke up and said "You do realise the other player won the hand?"

Barbero looked down at the board and turned a bit pale as he saw the flush for his opponent. "No, I didn't realise" he responded whilst slamming his chips down on the table. -- MC

6.40pm: Brits are falling
Michael Grecco is out. He got it all in with pocket nines but ran into an opponent holding pocket tens.

Another player to fall is Praz Bansi. The talented player has won millions worldwide but just can't seem to cash at an EPT. He busted after re-shoving over the top of a four-bet with pocket queens. The player four-betting was Jamie Brown who held pocket kings. - MC

6.31pm: Dutchie sunk
Fatima Moreira de Melo has just been bust out of the tournament by Irishman Jude Ainsworth. I arrived at the critical point of the action where Moreira De Melo had 8,500 in front of her on a [ac][3s][as] flop and Ainsworth 16,000 (implying, of course, that Ainsworth had led the flop, been raised and then opted to three-bet). Moreira De Melo had around 30,000 at the beginning of the hand and she was left with the decision to play for stacks. She decided to press the green button which was a decision she quickly regretted as Ainsworth called her shove with [ah][kh]. Moreira De Melo tabled [qc][qs] and failed to catch backdoor spades or a queen.

On the upside, Jude Ainsworth has 90,000 in his stack now and looks set to power his way through to the end of the day. -- RD

6.20pm: Taking it easy
The video blog team caught up with Team PokerStars Pro Pieter de Korver earlier today to discuss rest, relaxation and even more relaxation ahead of EPT London.

6.11pm: Brammer out but still standing atop the UKIPT Leaderboard
Chris Brammer was near the bottom of a bottle of Peroni when I caught up with him: "I was never above 40,000 and barely below 30,000 and eventually tried to bluff the wrong person," he said with a shrug. He was more concerned with the UKIPT Leaderboard which he's currently topping. There are a couple of players who could topple him, such as Max Silver and Joeri Zandvliet, but it will take some epic efforts on their behalf to do so. The winner of the leaderboard bags a prize package that must be in the region of £20,000.

Good news for Brammer, Joeri Zandvliet is out so there's only really the risk of Max Silver making a late dash for the title with a deep run (Silver played two UKIPT events, winning won and final tabling the other). -- RD

6.05pm: Montgomery doubles
Former November Niner Scott Montgomery has just doubled with jacks against big slick and is up to 38,000. He'll need to chip up more before the end of the day if he's going to make another big final table here. -- RD

6pm: Number crunching
Someone in a back office here likes nothing more than to crunch numbers. They live for it, and regular updates on player numbers, prize pools, ravaged by exclamation marks, capital letters and text speak. So allow us to put it into basic English.

A total field of 848 players has been confirmed, 509 of whom played today. That makes for a total prize pool of £4,112,800. The top 128 players will finish in the money and first place will pay £900,000.

Those numbers are official. Fifteen exclamation points were removed in the making of this post. -- SB

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 200-400, ANTE 50

5.50pm: Her stack's a bit Fatima
Team PokerStars SportsStar Fatima Moreira de Melo is up to 32,000 after doubling-up through Jan Boubli. They both saw a [5s][2c][4d] flop before De Melo moved all-in and was called. She tabled [kc][kd] to Boubli's [8s][8c] and the board ran out [ad][5h]. -- MC

5.45pm: Margets, Leo gets
Leo Margets is up to 63,000 after eliminating Ahmad Sohl. Sohl limped pre-flop and Per Ummer raised to 1,900. Margets then re-raised to 4,000 in the big blind which Sohl raised to 10,500. Ummer sensed trouble and stepped out of the way, folding what he would later reveal to be pocket jacks.

Margets declared herself all-in and Sohl called with [ah][as]. Margets turned over [kh][kd] and awaited her fate (I realise I may have already given this away).

The board ran [9d][ks][6s][qd][6d] sending Margets up the chip counts and Sohl to the rail. -- SB

5.30pm: Ummering and ahh-ing
Per Ummer, one of those easy to spot faces which has appeared on the tour since the early years. Back then things were in black and white and the novelty cheque was still a feature of the prize giving. The average age of a player was somewhere around 30 and being a PokerStars qualifier meant you'd never picked up a real card in your life.

Now it's all bank transfers and High Definition and PokerStars qualifiers are some of the most feared players in the game, and Ummer has watched hundreds of them come and go.

The latest to take him on is Jason Somerville. On a flop of [8c][4c][3h] Somerville checked in the small blind, Ummer bet 1,600, which Somerville called. The turn came[6d]. Somerville checked again and Ummer tried again, 3,600 this time. Somerville called again for a [6s] river and again checked. Ummer had another go, 11,000 this time which seemed to be the magic number. Somerville folded. Ummer up to 44,000 now. -- SB

5.15pm: Studious play
Fatima Moreira De Melo is running low and is looking for spots to chip up. She just fired 2,500 at a [qc][6s][7c] flop and took the pot down to grind back up to 13,000. -- RD

5pm: Back into the action
During the break I caught up with Michael Piper, fourth place finisher at EPT San Remo in April. Due to what Piper referred to as an uncooperative bank (his words were actually far stronger) he had some problems paying out some of his stakers from the event. Given that I used to be a customer at the same bank and used to have troubles with transfers of amounts far smaller than his $345,000 win I can understand where he's coming from.

Talking of San Remo its winner Liv Boeree, along with JC Tran and Sebastian Ruthenberg, is being shifted to the TV table. It's causing a slight delay after the break as microphones get clipped and cameras get rolling. -- RD

PokerStars Blog reporting team at EPT London (in order of astonisment at Vincent Rubianes' hair): Marc Convey (I think it's brilliant), Stephen Bartley (it's very nice indeed), Rick Dacey (interesting) and Simon Young (no comment). Photos by Neil Stoddart and Mickey May.

4.40pm: Break time
Players are taking another break. Play resumes in 15 minutes.

4.35pm: Distractions
The closer you look the bigger the impression that about half the field aren't exactly following the diktat that even when you're not in the hand you should be paying attention. IPads, iPods, books, magazines and newspapers keep most players entertained between hands and those involved in a pot are asked to keep the noise down so as not to disturb them.

Over on Andrew Feldman's table Ramsi Jelassi reads the business pages while Team PokerStars Pro Ville Wahlbeck is deep in the International Herald and Tribune. It looks like they're reading too, not just looking at the pictures.

Meanwhile Cornel Cimpan opened for 800 in early position which Andre Feldman raised to 2,650 from the cut off. Cimpan raised 7,000 more on top causing Feldman to furrow his brow and then lump his chips into the middle, about 32,000 in total.

Cimpan had about 45,000 behind and though about things for a bit before calling. Feldman was ahead, [kd][ks] against Cimpan's [jd][jh]. Jelassi and Wahlbeck put down their papers as the board ran [8d][8s][5c][ac][5c]. Feldman doubles up to 65,000. Cimpan is down to around 14,000. -- SB

4.33pm: Negreanu watch
Apologies for the lack of Daniel Negreanu coverage today but we have a good reason. His starting table was chosen to be the feature table and is therefore closed off in a TV set at the end of the ballroom. We can inform you those that despite being drawn along side fellow Team PokerStars Pros Victor Ramdin and Dario Minieri, he's doing very well indeed on 108,000 chips. London may well turn out to be his first ever EPT cash. Hope we haven't just bokked him! -- MC

4.30pm: Boeken booming
Team PokerStars Pro Noah Boeken is up to 72,000 after winning a three-way pot. The flop came down as [6s][qd][kh] and a player second to act led for 1,600 and was called by both players. The turn came [4h] prompting all three to check to the [kc] river. The same aggressor as before led for 4,500 and only Boeken called. "Nine high" announced Boeken's opponent but he lost out to the Dutchman's [kd][5d]. -- MC

4.24pm: Going Loco
Vincent Patrick Rubianes - the man with the biggest hair in the poker world - opened the pot for 800 and was called by Daniel Lococo in late position before Team PokerStars Pro Juan Maceiras three-bet to 2,400. Both players made the call. Maceiras led into the [ad][5s][3s] board for another 2,400 and was instantly shoved on by Lococo. In turn that picked up an instant fold. -- RD

4pm: Is this me?
Five players are doing something with their cell phones on table ten. The poker is taking a back seat. Four of them tap at screens with their fingers while Salvatore Bonavena has stepped away from the table to make a call, proving once and for all the unsubstantiated cliché that Italian men make gestures with their hands in phone conversations as well as when talking face to face.

There were enough players alert enough to play a hand though, although they almost had an uninvited guest. Padraig Parkinson has been roaming the tournament room. At first it seemed he was catching up with old mates, but it became clear that he was perhaps just lost.

"Is this me?" asked Parkinson. "No? Where am I?" He was about to take Bonavena's empty seat until someone guided him back to his own stack.

Back in the game Bonavena opened for 550 which was called by Antoine Saout. Oscar Blanco in the small blind called, as did the big blind, for a [3c][3d][6c] flop. The blinds checked to Bonavena who bet 1,200. Saout called before Blanco raised to 2,500, forcing out the big blind. Bonavena wasn't done, raising to 4,100 which in turn forced out Saout. Blanco called.

Salvatore Bonavena

The turn came [4d]. Blanco checked to Bonavena who bet 6,000 which Blanco called for a [ts] river card. Another check from Blanco and another 6,000 from Bonavena. Blanco called but didn't like what he saw, Bonavena turning over [kd][ks] to take the pot, taking his stack up to 65,000. -- SB

3.56pm: j.thaddeus v Sam Trickett
Sam Trickett appears to have a massage girl attached to his back. She was there for almost all of his EPT Vilamoura campaign (where he finished fourth) and he seems to be continuing that tradition here. Trickett opened from late position and was called by Jude Ainsworth, aka j.thaddeus, in the small blind. Trickett bet 1,000 into the [ad][4d][2d] flop and was check-raised to 3,000 by Ainsworth. Trickett made the call before betting 2,000 on the [kh] turn. Ainsworth moved in for approximately 6,000 more and Trickett snapped it off with [6d][9d]. Ainsworth was left grimacing with [ac][jd] for just seven outs... and caught one of them, the [7d], to outdraw Trickett's flopped flush. The Team PokerStars Pro is back up to 22,000. -- RD

3.47pm: Perrins doubles through
Matt Perrins has just doubled through to over 60,000 with ace-king on a king-high board. It all went in on the turn when the board paired. Perrins went deep in Monte Carlo at the EPT Grand Final earlier this year and should he get chips could be a real handful. -- RD

3.38pm: Minieri out
Dario Minieri, along with Daniel Negreanu, is on the TV feature table and that restricts access for us lot. What we can tell you is that the Italian maestro is out. What we can also tell you - shock, horror and surprise not withheld - is that he went out bluffing the river. What are the chances? -- RD

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 150-300

3.32pm: Risky business
Nick Risk is our UKIPT Edinburgh champion and things seem to be going pretty well for him here too (except for the fact that Phil Ivey has position on him, of course). Risk is up to 63,000 and his table seems like there's plenty of opportunity for chip accumulation given the hand just gone by.

Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks opened the action to 500 and was called in a couple of spots, including Ivey, before the big blind (James Green if the seat draw is correct) moved all-in for a mite under 3,000. Naujoks isolated and the pot was kept heads up.

Naujoks: [qh][qd]
Green : [jh][7d]

The flop smashed Green in the face with a [ts][9d][8s] straight and Naujoks failed to catch a jack to take the pot. -- RD

3.30pm: Akkari's Twitter rising
Andre Akkari's Twitter posting is recording his current good form:

38 mins ago: 26,000
19 mins ago: 45,000
6 mins ago: 52,000

That's some real top quality poker tournament reporting right there, from the comfort of my seat. -- SY

3.25pm: Turns out good for Williams
Team PokerStars Pro David Williams has taken a chunk out of Charles "Mr Macau" Chua's stack to move up to 31,000. Chua raised to 600 from the button and called William's 2,100 three-bet from the SB. The flop came down [6d][5s][8s] and Williams led for 2,100. Call. The turn came [qh] and Williams went into check-call mode to the tune of 3,200. Both players checked the [ks] river and Williams took the pot with [qc][2c] bettering Chua's [jc][jd]. Chua down to 29,200 as a result. -- MC

3.20pm: The brief Georgian era
When Phil Ivey moves table the world moves with him. Arriving at a new table, one shared by Alex Wice and Ilya Gorodetskiy, Ivey wouldn't have been surprised to find two TV cameras waiting for him. As usual he made no sign of being irked or pleased by this and instead got stuck in.

Nicholas Abourisk opened for 525, getting a call from Ruxandescu Luian Georgian in the small blind before Ivey raised to 2,000 in the big. Abourisk folded and Georgian announced all-in, called by Ivey almost immediately, who turned over [as][qd] to Georgian's [6h][6s]. Ivey pulled a face and the dealer dealt the board: [7h][qc][jh][td][8h].

The hand took Ivey back up to 22,000 while Georgian was down to around 6,000, a short stack that wouldn't last much longer.

On the very next hand Georgian called on the button behind an under-the-gun bet of 525 from Kevin Eyster. Ivey raised to 2,000 again forcing Eyster out. Georgian then announced all-in. Ivey, wearing headphones had to be shaken from his reverie. "Huh?" he said, before being filled in. He then called showing [ah][kh] to Georgian's [ac][qd]. Rats. The board ran [7h][9d][4d][2c][th] sending Georgian to the rail. Ivey back up to wear he started from, 30,000. -- SB

3.15pm: Scary aces for Langmann
Team PokerStars Pro Florian Langmann min-raised to 400 and picked up three callers, including fellow Team Pro Pieter de Korver in the small blind and Greg Merson in the big. The flop came [7s][8d][kc] and it was checked around to Langmann who made it 1,200. De Korver got out of the way but Merson re-popped to 3,400. Call. On the [10s] turn Merson made it 5,200 and Langmann called, then both slowed down to a check on the [qh] river. Merson showed [9s][10c] but was behind to the German's pocket rockets. Langmann up to 39,000. -- SY

3.10pm: "I've been Padraig'd"
Toby Lewis has been on an absolute heater of late but it's hard to feel upbeat after you've just been, in his words, "Padraig'd," which is never a good thing. Lewis won EPT Vilamoura, won the £1,000 side event here last night and had a solid third in the World Poker Open earlier this month. Lewis may be able to think on multiple levels and change gears but that doesn't necessarily count for a lot when you're facing the mercurial Irish legend Padraig Parkinson (who is free rolling this tournament after winning UKIPT Galway back in December).

Chris Brammer, current UKIPT Leaderboard champ, opened to 500 from middle position and Parkinson made a raise to to 2,200 from the cut-off. Lewis three-bet from the button to 4,575 and Brammer moved out the way (he had jacks he later told me). Parkinson made the call and then instantly shipped in for some 25,000 on the [8][2h][3h] flop. Lewis made the call with pocket queens and Parkinson tabled [4h][6h] for a gutshot straight flush draw (so Lewis told me). The flush sluiced in on the turn and Lewis' hopes to have another deep run were cut down early.

As Lewis recounted the hand Parkinson came over to shake his hand and to tell him: "I think that you're a hell of a player." Hell of a player or not he'll have to wait until EPT Vienna if he wants to have another shot at another European Poker Tour title. -- RD

2.55pm: News in brief
Irish Open champion James Mitchell betting 5,000 on the river of a [8d][qc][td][2s][4s] board and getting called. He flipped up [2c][2h] for a set and the pot as his opponent mucked. He's up to 31,000 now.

Team PokerStars Pro Dennis Phillips informed us of his exit. It was the most brutal of pre-flop showdowns; kings into aces. -- MC

2.45pm: Three to the flop
Three players saw a flop of [6h][9d][3c]. Jason Somerville was in the small blind and led by checking before Ahmad Solh bet 950, which both Leo Margets and Somerville called for a [qh] turn. All three players checked that for a [6c] river card, Somerville winning the hand with a bet of 2,850 to move up to 35,000. -- SB

2.30pm: RECORD BREAKERS
History has been made today as the EPT London has just tipped the scales at 854 players (according to our current figures, yet to be fully confirmed) making this the largest live tournament on British soil. Weighing in with a £5,000 buy-in we're looking at around £4,270,000 for an incredible prizepool. That will be a large wedge of cheese for the winner.

Players are back in their seats and cards are back in the air. -- RD

PokerStars Blog reporting team at EPT London (in order of cups of coffee spilt over laptops today): Rick Dacey (an idiotic one), Simon Young, Stephen Bartley and Marc Convey (all a perfectly normal zero). Photos by Mickey May and Neil Stoddart.

2.15pm: Break time
That's the end of the level. Players are taking a 15 minute break.

2.10pm: Miami John and Florida Jason
Jason Mercier bounces in his chair, listening to music. It's the cocky bounce of a contented man; a newly minted WCOOP bracelet winner with a third place finish yesterday in the European 8-Game Championship, not to mention that NAPT thing earlier this year, that Five Diamond coup, that side event here last year and a bracelet in 2009, EPT titles, what have you. Mercier is among those closest to cracking poker's code, and it's enough to make good men turn to the dark side of the force.

Not that things like that would put off 'Miami' John Cernuto, who has three World Series bracelet as well as longevity; Mercier was not a year old when Cernuto won $1,062 at the Grand Priz of Poker in Las Vegas in 1987. Mercier tangled with him, forgetting one the cast iron rules of poker, explained by the high school basketball coach in the movie Teen Wolf, that you should never play cards with a guy named after a city.

On a flop of [7c][3s][qh] Cernuto checked to Mercier who bet 1,225. Cernuto called for a [3h] turn. Cernuto checked and Mercier, still bouncing around like a tumble dryer, did the same for a [td] river card.

Curnuto now bet 2,000 and fir the first time Mercier stopped moving. He sniffed a couple of times, grimaced and then started bouncing again. He looked up, looked at his cards again, then folded. Curnuto reverses an earlier trend and is back up to around 30,000, exactly where Mercier is. -- SB

2.05pm: That's the Tricket
Sam Trickett final tabled EPT Vilamoura and had he not lost an improbable amount of flips he would have had a terrifying amount of chips going into the final two or three. As it was boards did not treat him kindly and he busted in fourth.

Here in London Trickett will be keen to prove himself again and is getting involved from the off. As I passed his table I could see he had three-bet Ronny Johansen to 1,400 and was four-bet back some 4,000. Trickett passed in double quick time but it's unlikely to slow his three-betting ways down. -- RD

2pm: Ivey takes big hit
Phil Ivey raised to 500 and got a call from Marco Leonzio in the big blind. The flop was [2d][8h][jc] and Leonzio check-called Ivey's 700 continuation bet. On the [qh] turn Leonzio checked again, Ivey made it 2,000, Leonzio made it 6,000, Ivey moved all-in for around 28,000 - call!

Ivey: [qd][js]
Leonzio: [8d][8c]

Ivey's turned two-pair were a long way behind Leonzio's flopped set. The latter was all-in for his tournament life and the set held up on the [7c] river. Leonzio doubled through to 35,000 while Ivey slipped back to 8,500. -- SY

1.55pm: Sell out
Swedish player Christer Johansson is the last player to be seated today and he's alongside young gun and fellow countryman Viktor Blom. We're packed to the rafters and the event is a sell-out. We'll publish the final numbers as soon as we find them out. -- MC

1.50pm: Back to nappy/diaper changing
Team PokerStars Pro Johnny Lodden dashed in from Norway to play this event. He doesn't want to spend too much time away from home at the moment as he's just become a dad for the first time. Unfortunately or fortunately he'll be able to catch an afternoon flight back if he so desires as he's been eliminated already. He was down to 5,100 when he raised to 525 from under-the-gun and was called by Boris Becker on the button before Dani Abirached three-bet to 3,375 from the SB. Lodden moved all-n, Becker folded and Abirached made the auto-call.

Lodden: [ac][kd]
Abirached: [qh][qd]

The board ran [8d][4d][4c][5d][7h], failing to hit Lodden's hand. There's a baby that needs changing Mr. Lodden. -- MC

1.40pm: Set for Sal Bon
Salvatore Bonavena never fails to disappoint us at the poker table. But the former EPT Prague champion has let us down rather badly today by not wearing his trademark pink jumper and hat (not a pink hat). He's going along nicely, though, and just picked up a pot with a set of tens on a [9s][7s][10d][3c][kc] board, his 4,100 river bet being called by Samuel Grafton. -- SY

1.30pm: The Good, the Bad and whatever
A flop of [5d][as][4h] and a glimpse of Annette Obrestad in action. Fredrik Keitel had checked to the demure Norwegian and she answered by betting 3,000. Keitel called for a [6s] turn.

Obrestad is an imposing figure when in action. Finger nails painted black, a black heart sewn onto her sweater, a sparkly necklace reflecting the lights, she sits dead still, except for her right hand which slowly riffles a pile of chips, the way a gunslinger might thumb the cylinder of an old colt. Obrestad should have music by Ennio Morricone played whenever she's in action.

Staring down the barrel was Keitel looking at the board trying to untangle the puzzle. All the while Amnon Filippi in seat one watched organising and marked fist fighting on an iPad. Enough of this nonsense. Keitel folded. -- SB

1.15pm: No vamos for Ramos
Brazilian Filipe Ramos is down to 5,500 after doubling-up PokerStars qualifier Matt Affleck. There was a shout of "All-in and call on table eight" from there dealer. The chips went in on the turn of a [ks][jc][8d][5s] board and Ramos held a [kh][jd] for two-pair to Affleck's [8c][8s] for bottom set. The river came [ts] sending the pot to Affleck. --MC

1.10pm: Dressed to win
Any man who turns up to play a poker tournament in a suit and tie is all right in my book, even if his paisley tie does verge on the psychedelic.

Suits are dying out on the European Poker Tour. No winner has yet worn a tie for their victory snap, and you have to go back to Bjorne-Erik Glenne in Barcelona some years ago to find a jacket wearer. Where else would you get this treasure trove of information?

But Alex Wice has paid attention this morning to matters sartorial, wearing nearly all of the nine yards. So too Tony Cascarino, the footballer-turned-journalist, who sits alongside English Team PokerStars Pro Julian Thew and, I want to say Eamon de Valera, but after checking it's Adolfo Vaeza, of PCA fame.

Andre Akkari plays today, giving the thumbs up, sharing a table with Jonas Klausen and Chris Moneymaker.

Cascarino is not the only Sports Star in today's field. Shane Warne and Fatima Moreira de Melo play, as does Tennis Legend Boris Becker, who finds himself at a table with Leo Fernandez, James Akenhead and Johnny Lodden. No suit for Becker but he wears a nice tweed jacket none the less.

Phil Ivey is on his way but has not yet entered the tournament room, an entrance most anticipated by the massage crew who know a good thing when they see one. Felipe Ramos has arrived, fresh off two final tables this one, at the recent WSOPE and the English Poker Open.

One other table stands out as having "previous". JC Tran, Liv Boeree, Sebastian Ruthenberg and Michael Greco sit line astern in the far corner.

Last year Greco was responsible for one of the more memorable demonstrations of short stack finesse, reaching the money despite a day spent with only a handful of chips. Greco, through dynamic griping, got there by pleading to the Gods for pocket aces, getting them twice, and cashing in 29th place for £15,600. Why change a perfectly good game plan? -- SB

1pm: Hey, Jude
Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsworth has Fatima Moreira de Melo and cricket legend Shane Warne for company today, but so far Clint Coffee is the one causing him problems. Coffee raised to 250 before Ainsworth three-bet to 700 from the next seat. Warne called from the BB and Coffee came along for the ride to see the [jd][qd][7d] flop. The action checked to the Irishman who c-bet for 900 and only Coffee called before he check-called again for 1,900 on the [3c] turn. The river came [4c] and both players checked. Coffee opened [8d][td] for a flush and Ainsworth mucked. -- MC

12.55pm: Coffee disaster
Fellow blogger Rick Dacey has had a coffee/laptop disaster. As you might expect, coffee and laptops do not tend to go well together and he's now gone off to his room to find a hairdryer. -- SY

12.50pm: Behind the curtains
The television table is hiding behind curtains at the far end of the room, and that's where you'll find Team PokerStars Pros Daniel Negreanu and Dario Minieri. Both never short of a thing or two to say, and both never shy of moving their chips around. It's no wonder the producers picked this table to begin their Day 1B coverage. -- SY

12.45pm: This, folks, is BIG
Registration is still open and already we have 500 players at the tables. Added to yesterday's Day 1A that means a total field (so far) of 846, well up from last year's EPT London total of 730. When they announce the prize pool a little later, expect it to be rather large.

Players are still filing in. Phil Ivey is one late arrival to have taken his seat. -- SY

12.40pm: Salles stuck in first gear
Team PokerStars Pro and former racing driver Gualter Salles has yet to get going, dropping several thousand in the early running. On this one the board was [7d][3s][2d][9h][8c] and he called a 2,600 river bet only to be shown pocket tens by Marwan Zakhem. He mucked. -- SY

12.31pm: Action table
A table with Christopher Brammer, Sandra Naujoks, Padraig Parkinson, Toby Lewis and Carter Gill on is going to be active and the early part of this tournament has proved that. The player pushing the action most though is Italian Luca Falaschi.

He raised to 225 from under-the-gun and was called in four spots to go to a [7c][9c][8d] flop. Lewis led for 575 from the BB to face a raise to 1,600 from Falaschi. Gill, Brammer and Naujoks were the other players in the hand but folded. The turn came [2s] and the EPT Vilamoura champion check-folded to a hefty 3,500 bet. Falaschi asked Lewis if he wanted to see and the rest of the table made sure he said yes and they all the Italian's [td][js] for the nuts! -- MC

12.21pm: ... and he says to the barman....
Shuffle up and deal. Yes, play is under way, folks. -- SY

12.10pm: "So this bloke walks into a bar..."
Play should be under way within minutes. -- SB

12pm: Harumph, harumph
Not much going on in the room right now, although Daniel Negreanu is having a patch applied to his cap on the TV monitors. Lot of milling around, lots of talking, no sign of any starting. So there's a short delay right now. Stand by. -- SB

11.35am: Second time's a charm
If you thought yesterday's opening scramble at EPT London was star-studded, then just wait until today's Day 1B starts. Already 448 - yes, 448 - have coughed up the £5,000 for the pleasure of beating each other up for 12 hours. We've got more big names than a Greek phone book. Look out for Joe Hachem, Chris Moneymaker, Daniel Negreanu and new Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree among others.

Dealers are at the tables and we're due to kick off at noon. However, we'll be sure to be delayed by a few minutes.

Here's a picture of Liv Boeree, chosen completely at random, obviously... --SY

PokerStars Blog reporting team (in order of state of health compared to yesterday): Simon Young (+100% - it, erm, must have been the prawns), Rick Dacey, Marc Convey and Stephen Bartley (all as healthy as ever)

London has for years been a hub for world travellers. No trip to Europe is complete without a walk along Piccadilly, a photograph outside Buckingham Palace, or coming to realise that one end of Oxford Street is much better than the other. They're the kind of memories you keep with you forever.

The poker equivalent is to play EPT London, where you walk the long halls of the Hilton Metropole, get your photograph taken alongside the very best players in the game, and realise that being here at the end of the day is much better than not being here.

A total of 339 players tried that out for themselves today, coming in from London's gloom - the overcast skies rather than anything the cosmopolitan Edgware Road had to offer - stumping up £5,000 for a shot at one of the European Poker Tour's premier events.

By the close one player stood proud ahead of the rest, chest out, chin up, chips to the rafters. That man was PokerStars qualifier Soheb Porbandarwala from the United States, who bags up 218,600 tonight, leading after nine levels on the opening day.

Day 1a chip leader Soheb Porbandawala

Porbandarwala spent the day on Pim De Goede's table, the Dutchman sucking up chips from all corners right from the start before reversing that habit, spraying chips left, right and centre. One of the main beneficiaries of that downfall was Porbandarwala.

Behind him the pack are led by the likes of Konstantin Bucherl on 187,900, Team PokerStars Pro Thomas Bichon on 185,000 and Irishman John O'Shea on 184,400.

Thomas Bichon

Dutch Team Pro Joep van den Bijgaart was almost closer to the leaders than his 167,600 suggests. Van Den Bijgaart made the most of the last level. Conferring with our Dutch correspondent for a concise summary of his countryman's day, Steve Smith condensed it to this: "Down, lost half his stack, double-up, double-up, double-up. 175k."

Joep Van Den Bijgaart

Porbandawala's lead may only be temporary, as the balance of day one arrives tomorrow for Day 1B. If tradition is upheld, that the second flight is much stronger, it should make for one of the toughest fields the tour has ever seen.

For now the day belongs to those who right now couldn't give the contents of an Edgware Road hookah about tomorrow, basking instead in their temporary hard-earned glory. The likes of Team PokerStars Pro Alex Kravchenko, fresh off his WCOOP bracelet win earlier this week, who bags up 111,000.

Alex Kravchenko

Despite appearing to sleep through the first seven levels today Ivan Demidov closed on 65,000 while Arnaud Mattern bagged up 89,400, a figure that would have been much higher had the Frenchman not run into Greg Raymer in level eight. For his part Raymer bagged up 105,200.

Ivan Demidov

Others, among the 146 survivors, returning for Day 2 on Friday include Jan Heitmann (86,800), Raymond Wu (41,900), Vanessa Rousso (14,300) and Barry Greenstein (15,800). Celina Lin, however, won't be returning. After a day spent alongside Vicky Coren in relative peace and tranquillity, the two Team Pros collided with just 20 minutes left on the day, Coren's ace-king pairing on the board to beat Lin's pocket queens. Coren closed on 79,700.

Team PokerStars Pro Celina Lin

They'll also be places for the likes of John Juanda, Jake Cody, Jim Collopy, Barry Shulman, Jeff Sarwer and Allen Cunningham, Frank Kassela and Allan Baekke, whose official chip counts will be made available on the chip count page, once made fresh by tournament staff.

In the meantime you can read through the action from Day 1A using the links below:

Would you Adam an' Eve it
Level 1 & 2 updates
Level 3 & 4 updates
Level 5 & 6 updates
Levels 7, 8 & 9 updates

Just like the vendors on Edgware Road the PokerStars Blog comes in many varieties, giving equal weight to the German, Dutch, Italian and Swedish incarnations. At least that's what we tell them with hand gestures while speaking loudly. Follow the links to see what they're saying about us.

Thanks for following today's marathon coverage. We can promise another 12 hour day tomorrow, or at least the tournament directors can. Our thanks to Mickey May and Neil Stoddart for today's photography, and to the video blog team for things like this:

Join us for Day 1B on Thursday. Play is set to begin at 12 noon. Until then. TTFN.

12.05am: Play concludes
Play for Day 1a has come to an end. A full wrap of the day's play will be up for you shortly and full official chips counts will follow soon after that. -- MC

11.55pm: Last four hands
Tournament director Thomas Kremser has paused the clock and announced that there will be four final hands played. Full chip counts and wrap will follow after. -- RD

11.50pm: Ladies no good in battle of the ladies
Team PokerStars Pros Vicky Coren and Celina Lin were drawn together at the start of the day and have been sat together all day until a big showdown saw the latter eliminated. It was a classic race as Coren had [ah][kh] to Lin's [qh][qc] and the board ran [2h][kd][jd][8h][7s]. Coren hit her king and had 28,000 to Lin's 26,000 so took the scalp of the Asian Pro, -- MC

11.40pm: Heitman reaches new heights
Team PokerStars Pro Jan Heitman is up to 72,000 after busting a player at his table. The short-stack shoved for 8,000 a with [9s][ts] and was looked up by Heitman in the SB with [as][kc]. The board ran [7h][2c][3d][5c][jd]. -- MC

11.35pm: Burland takes his Chance
Jamie Burland has taken another pot off his neighbour Chance Kornuth. These two and Neil Channing saw a [8d][4h][2c] flop with 8,500 already in the middle. The action checked to Kornuth who bet 2,400 and was only called by Burland. Both players checked the [jh] turn before Burland check-called an 8,600 bet on the [4s] river. Kornuth tabled [7h][8h] but lost out to Burland's [9d][9c]. Kornuth down to a still very respectable 128,000 and Burland up to 74,000. -- MC

11.26pm: One tough table
Vanessa Rousso, Allen Cunningham, Erik Seidel, Thomas Bichon and Greg Raymer are all now at the same table together. In the last pot played Seidel opened to 2,400 and Rousso three-bet shoved for 19,000 from the small blind. Cherif Zacca took his time to pass in the big blind and Seidel passed. "I had ace-jack," said Seidel. "You had two over cards," replied Rousso before the entered into rapid fire poker geek speak. -- RD

11.19pm: Obrestad wins £120,000 in the £5,250 heads up
The £5,000 heads up tournament has been settled with Annette Obrestad defeating Bernd Gleissner. Obrestad scoops £120,000 and Gleissner £60,000. Sam Iola and Santeri Validoski claimed third and fourth for a £30,000 payday. -- RD

11.10pm: Raymer binks for 90k pot
Team PokerStars Pros Greg Raymer and Arnaud Mattern locked horns with the former getting the better of the latter. Mattern explained to us in the break what happened. He raised with [jc][6c] from late position and both blinds (Raymer in BB) called. All three checked the [9][7][4] (two clubs) flop to see a jack appear on the turn. The SB led for 4,000 before Raymer raised to 15,000 and Mattern shoved. The SB folded but Raymer called for his tournament life with [kc][tc]. The river came a club to make the higher flush for him. Both Pros on 90,00 now going into the last level. -- MC

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 500-1,000, ANTE 100

10.55pm: Final break of the day
We're on a 15-minute break as the players prepare for the final hour long level of Day 1A. We're got around 180 players left here but we can expect quite a number of fallers before the day is out. -- RD

10.47pm: Thorson's king-high
William Thorson looked distinctly irritated that his king-high hadn't won on a checked down [5s][qd][ts][5d][qc] board or perhaps it was that he hadn't stabbed at the pot earlier. An ace was tabled as Thorson tossed his hand away but he's still sat on some 135,000. -- RD

10.42pm: Kravchenko continues to chip up
Alex Kravchenko is continuing to hoover up chips getting it in with [ad][qh] against a short stacked shove of [qd][qc] and a big blind committed [td][5c]. Kravchenko caught the ace on the turn and the owner of the queens span away from the table so quickly that we didn't get a chance to get his name. Kravchenko has over 100,000. -- RD

10.35pm: Revenge Management: meeting room 2
Next door to the Body Language Seminar taking place on the third floor of the Hilton Metropole this afternoon there was a Risk Management meeting. Christopher Kyriacou didn't go to the Body Language discussion, and he didn't go to the Risk Management one either. If he had he may have learnt that if you're taking on Alex Kravchenko in his current state of form you'd better have the goods.

On a flop of [qs][7d][ks] there were four players involved, and eached checked for a [2c] turn. Kravchenko checked in the small blind, Laurence Houghton did the same in the big, as did the seat nine player. When the action reached Kyriacou he made it 11,000 to play, not talking much anymore, just sulking slightly. But with the action back on Kravchenko, Kyriacou tried the verbalism again, but the effect was like throwing toy marbles at a tank. Kravchenko doesn't engage in that kind of thing and instead he fired back with a call, going heads-up to the [3h] river card.

Kravchenko checked again and Kyriacou immediately went to his stack, idly throwing out a bet of 16,000. But Kravchenko sensed something was up, calling immediately and showing [2h][2s] to take the pot.

Kyriacou tapped the table, resigned. "Wow," he said, then muttered something about the f***ing turn. He's down to 34,000 while Kravchenko moves up to 95,000. -- SB

10.28pm: Graydon chipping up
Irishman Mick Graydon, aka BIGMICKG, told us quite proudly that he was on the most he's been on all day - some 36,000 - when I happened to stroll by. He promptly three-bet squeezed to 6,800 from the small blind over the top of an early position raise from David Steicke. The squeezed party on the cut-off fell away but the Steicke made the call for the additional 5,000. Graydon shoved all-in on the [5s][2c][4c] flop and Steicke passed as Graydon chipped up to 45,000. -- RD

10.21pm: Happy Birthday....not
It hasn't been a happy birthday for James Keys as he's busted from the main event. We don't have the details but his empty seat tells a story. Happy birthday from the PokerStars Blog anyway Mr. Keys. -- MC

10.10pm: Raymer wins without showdown, then doubles the same player up
Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer's stack has been boosted up to 68,000 after he won a hand on the river without showdown. Four players saw a [3c][4c][2h] flop and Raymer led for 2,000 and was only called in one spot by Itay Rokni. The turn came [2c] and both players checked to see the [ks] river. Raymer checked once more to call 6,500 bet. It was a good call as Rokni mucked.

Just a few hands later the two get involved once more. In a pre-flop confrontation Raymer called Rokni's all-in bet only to be shown [qh][qs]. Raymer tabled [7d][7s] stating "I didn't give you credit for a strong hand".

The board ran [ad][4d][ks][qd][qc]. The turn made a set for the Frenchman but opened up a flush draw for Raymer but that door was slammed shut by Rokni making quads on the river to double to 40,000. Raymer back down to 50,000. -- MC

10pm: From the wings
News from other events. Bruce Yamron is the latest elimination in the EPT London European 8-Game Championship event, out in fifth place for £10,600.

Cash finishes so far include:

6th - Yadin Shemmer, UK, £7,560
7th - Anders Berg, Norwary, £6,050
8th - Justin Young, United States, £4,540

That leaves four players, led, in an almost repetitive fashion, by Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier. Also still playing are Chris Bjorin of Sweden, Tim Finne from the United States and Matthew Ashton from the United Kingdom.

Jason Mercier, leading in the 8-Game Championship

In the other event currently in running Annette Obrestad leads Bernd Gleissner of Germany in the heads-up tournament. The score is 2-0 to Obrestad in the final best-of-five match. Results of both events will be published here. -- SB

LEVEL UP: BLINDS 400-800, ANTE 75

9.54pm: Chip leader shows mercy to Horecki
Team PokerStars Pro Marcin Horecki either had the goods or picked a particularly good spot to shove. One of our chip leaders, Soheb Porbandarwala, had three-bet a 1,400 late position open to 3,600. Horecki moved all-in for 15,000 and neatly picked up the pot to jump up to 21,000. Nicely done by the Pole who waggled his finger at Porbandarwala with a smile. Porbandarwala looks more than happy with himself at the moment which comes as little surprise given his heaving 210,000 stack. -- RD

9.50pm: Unlucky sevens for Wigg
Team PokerStars Asia Pro Celina Lin filled us in on the downfall of EPT Copenhagen champion Anton Wigg. He lasted precisely one hand after dinner break. He was short-stacked and got it in with pocket sevens but ran into an opponent's pocket kings that held-up. -- MC

9.45pm: Nice value bet
Jeff Sarwer is up to 105,000 after getting a value bet paid off the the river. A player on the button limped and called Sarwer's raise to 2,400 from the small blind. The flop came [td][kc][6h] and Sarwer led for 2,700. Call. The turn came [qs] and both players checked to the [9h] river. Sarwer led for 4,000 and was snap-called leading Sarwer to believe he was losing to a jack, but he wasn't and his [ks][qc] was good for the pot. -- MC

9.35pm: Night and O'Dea
Bertrand Grospellier just lost a pot to Donnacha O'Dea on a board of [8c][qh][8h][8d][4d]. ElkY had bet 6,000 on the river which O'Dea called, showing [ac][8c], enough to make the Frenchman muck his hand immediately.

Vicky Coren is down a few thousand. On a board of [js][9s][6d] Coren checked in the big blind, wearing black sunglasses when involved in a pot, the type suited to driving through the French countryside in a white Morris Minor convertible, wearing a silk headscarf and with a wicker picnic basket strapped to the back.

On the [2d] turn though Fabian Quoss bet 1,225. Coren stamped on the brakes and the hand came to a halt. Coren still hovering around the 80,000 mark. -- SB

9.28pm: Dwyer pays off Collopy
There was around 17,000 in the pot when John Dwyer checked the [ad][ac][7h][6d][3s] board to Jim Collopy. The young American dwelled for but a brief moment of time before firing out 13,700. Dwyer called pretty much instantly and was shown [7s][7c] for the flopped full house. Nice work if you can get it. After taking that 43,000 pot Collopy is up to 54,000. -- RD

9.20pm: Chen races back to above starting stack
Andrew Chen is back to just above his starting stack after winning a race against his neighbour. All the chips went in pre-flop with Chen holding pocket nines to his neighbour's ace king. The board ran queen high to send Chen to 34,000.

Meanwhile on a neighbouring table Barry Shulman was busy busting a player to see his stack rise to 135,000. -- MC

9.15pm: No thrills for Bloom
Tony Bloom has been eliminated by Will "The Thrill" Failla. Bloom raised from mid-position and was called by Failla in the BB. The flop came [t][t][7] and Failla check-called before all the chips went in on the [8] turn. Bloom tabled pocket nines but was behind to Failla's ace-ten. The river failed to hit Bloom's straight draw to bust him. Failla up to 100,000 as a result. -- MC

9.08pm: Burland bashes up Taras
Mikulik Taras and Jamie Burland have just had a fierce toe-to-toe on a [5c][6h][4s] flop. Burland led 3,500 into the flop from the hijack and was raised to 10,000 by Taras. Burland thought for a short while before slamming in an all-in raise. Taras shrugged and passed without much ado. Burland chips up to 70,000.

Meanwhile, EPT presenter Michelle Orpe was seen swaying like a madman just behind the TV table set. Upon closer inspection it seemed that Orpe was merely trying to stretch out some new heels. -- RD

9pm: Trouble and strife
Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier has moved to his new seat on table ten, right alongside Cathy Hong. This kind of change wouldn't be that noteworthy were it not for the fact Hong is also known as Mrs Grospellier.

The point wasn't lost on some players. Celina Lin on the table alongside pointed out the new arrangement to Victoria Coren.

"That would be awkward," said Coren. "He has position and everything."

Coren was right. Everything MRs ElkY does faces the scrutiny of her other half. So far they've shared occasional glances at each other but no hands in anger. Presumably there's a couch in the Grospellier suite, in case things get nasty. -- SB

8.50pm: The final stretch
The players are back from dinner break and well fed. Three more levels before we bag up for the night. France are the happiest nation right now as Thomas Bichon (130,000) and Arnaud Mattern (128,000) lead the way, representing PokerStars Team Pro France admirably. -- MC

PokerStars Blog reporting team at EPT London (in order of how much we enjoyed our dinner) Rick Dacey (really enjoyed), Marc Convey (quite satisfied), Stephen Bartley (enjoyed but not enough of) and Simon Young (food will not pass these lips until tomorrow) with photos by Neil Stoddart and Mickey May.