Team PokerStars Pro Raymond Rahme may play online but the live poker environment is his home turf. Whether it's in South Africa, Australia, Monte Carlo, San Remo, the World Series or anywhere else the South African has cashed, the live poker scene is this man's front room and his triumph in it must rank as one of the more successful stories of a hobby making a profitable retirement - one worth $3.3 million since his third place finish here in 2007.

But what of today? Well, Rahme sits with more than 40,000 thanks to a tried and tested playing style that flings mud in the eye of extravagance, gives the finger to youthful exuberance and when the action comes thick and fast still leaves him time to nip out for a cigarette.

It's not the modern approach but it works. Most of the time. You can't win them all and sometimes the kids get the better of you.

When the young button on his right bet pre-flop Rahme, sitting in the small blind, bumped things up a bit, making it 7,150, slapping down the insolence. Until his opponent moved all-in. Crucially each player had about the same. To call and lose was to condemn yourself to either a painful existence or a quick exit. To win though and the 80k would see you nicely into day two next Tuesday.

Rahme moved his hand from the back of his next to the top of his head, like he was chasing a sudden throbbing in his brain, thinking things through. He turned to ask his opponent something but was met with silence. Nothing, the kid wasn't playing that game. Finding out what he had would have to be done the hard way.

A few minutes of thinking followed but the hand was over for Rahme. He passed as play goes deeper into the last level of the day.

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HAND OF THE HOUR
Jason Alexander has chips. He has a lot of chips. Here's how he got them.

A player in late position made it 1,150 and Alexander made it 3,200 behind him. Call. The flop came [jd][2d][5d] and Alexander led out for 6,000. The other player shoved for his final 26,000 and Alexander made the call. The Seinfeld star was behind at this point, though. Significantly behind. He flipped [10d][10h], for second pair and the flush draw. But his opponent had [8d][6d] for the made flush. Sometimes, though, you have to get lucky -- and the [jh] on the turn was followed by a [js] on the river to fill Alexander's boat and set him sailing past about 90,000 and a very enjoyable day at the office so far.

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STAT OF THE HOUR

The final number of entrants for day 1a has been confirmed. That number is 1,116

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JOE GIRON'S PICTURE HOUR