Jens Kyllonen, our most recent EPT champion, will not be going back to back. He just departed the tournament arena behind Ah-9d after his early position all in (about 3,200) was snapped off by the Ac-Kc of the player in the big blind.

That player shook his head ruefully as he peeked at his cards and almost apologetically uttered the word "Call". The board ran out king high and Kyllonen was gone. "It's been a real pleasure to meet you," said Kyllonen's immediate neighbour. It seems he'd been a popular player today.

We're now taking a 15 minute break while the feathered cabaret/aviary returns to the stage and the house singer belts out a rendition of Abba's "The Winner Takes It All". The word surreal is much overused in common conversation, but as I type this, five dancing "angels" with tangerine-coloured wings have just taken the stage and are grinning their way through a jaunty kind of number most beloved of keyboard players in Spanish seaside resort hotels.

Just when you thought you'd seen it all.