If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

If you were to follow this hand through you'd largely wonder how Anton Thorarinsson got paid off. Luca Cainelli opened under-the-gun and was called by Zoran Mitic in the next seat along. Thorarinsson made up the big blind and checked the [9h][5d][5s] flop, as did Cainelli, but Zorin bet 3,500. Thorarinsson made the call, Cainelli passed.

Both players checked the [td] turn before Thorarinsson led 7,000 of his 20,000 stack into the [2c] river, a particularly strong line. Mitic took some time to make the call but never did he look like a man who thought he had the winning hand. He tossed the chips in, was shown [5s][3s] and mucked after close to doubling Thorarinsson up.

How did that happen? A simple look across the table would explain it. Vladimir Geshkenbein sits across the way with a large stack of chips, sporting his trademark leather jacket and semi-sober grin. Mitic had arrived at the table the hand before and had made the mistake of making a simple continuation bet into Geshkenbein which had been quickly called on a [kh][2d][6c] flop. The board was checked down and the Russian showed [as][js] to win the hand perhaps leaving a bitter taste in Mitic's mouth. That's a 16,000 downswing for Mitic in two hands. That's what happens when you get moved to Geskenbein's table. The EPT Snowfest winner is well chipped up and that should make for an interesting tournament come Day 2.

Tournament snapshot
Level 10: blinds 500-1,000, ante 100
Players: 138 of 243
Click here for live coverage and more features.

For most of the day the best table in the field as been the feature table. It's why it's the feature table, funnily enough and earlier today boasted a line-up that included Jan Heitmann, Barry Greenstein, Martin Staszko, Will Molson and Philipp Gruissem. The problem is to everyone in the room it's impossible to see what's going on, although viewers will be able to watch it all when it reaches television screens.

Greenstein is still there despite the opposition, and gave his verdict at the last break.

"I think it's a tough table draw but of course you only get to see the people at your table so maybe the whole field's tough!" said Greenstein. "I'm assuming it's tough or they probably wouldn't have made it the feature table."

The going has been steady on this first day, the dynamic of the event altering player's style of play.

"We had a couple of nice players, but they're gone; nice as in people I wanted to play against," said Greenstein. "Actually I called a hand against one of them that I wouldn't have called against anyone else. But the funny thing is I got all in with him and busted him, but he was the favourite in the hand. He flopped top pair and I flopped a straight draw and hit it."

Barry Greenstein

But any tight play is down to the structure of the day, Greenstein says, with ten-handed play tightening things up.

"Philip (Gruissem) is usually crazy, and it's the fewest hands he's ever played," he said. "And the guy to my right is a friend of his and just by association I assume he's crazy too, which he was. So I three-bet him half the hands he came in and eventually he got subdued and started limping and started folding - he actually folded in the small blind and gave me a walk.

"I think what's happened is that these guys are really good shorthanded players, and playing nine or ten handed takes them out of their element. Just about everyone has had what they represented at the table."

There is another way of keeping tabs on what's going on at the feature table, and that's Twitter. @barrygreenstein has regularly been updating his followers:

"EPT Berlin Main Event. Tag 1A. 250 Spieler begannen mit 30k in Chips. Ich habe 31k, das ist Average. 155BB"

"220 Speiler noch dabei Tag 1A. Average ist 34k. Ich habe 40k. 133 BB. #eptberlin"

"Dinner pause. 180 Spieler doch dabei. Durchscnitt ist 40k. Ich habe 51k. 105BB #eptberlin"

"159 Spieler noch dabei. Durschnitt ist 46k. Ich habe 50k. 63BB#eptberlin Tag 1A"

So is he still tweeting in German?

"Yes. As best I can," grinned Greenstein. "I've misspelled a couple, used the wrong words. Someone said my German was getting better. You know 40 years ago I spoke German, took it in college and all that kind of stuff, but that's a long time. So any improvement I'm getting tweeted back by German players telling me what I've said wrong. By the end of the week I'll be pretty decent."

Not bad so far a first trip to Germany.

For most of the day the best table in the field as been the feature table. It's why it's the feature table, funnily enough and earlier today boasted a line-up that included Jan Heitmann, Barry Greenstein, Martin Staszko, Will Molson and Philipp Gruissem. The problem is to everyone in the room it's impossible to see what's going on, although viewers will be able to watch it all when it reaches television screens.

Greenstein is still there despite the opposition, and gave his verdict at the last break.

"I think it's a tough table draw but of course you only get to see the people at your table so maybe the whole field's tough!" said Greenstein. "I'm assuming it's tough or they probably wouldn't have made it the feature table."

The going has been steady on this first day, the dynamic of the event altering player's style of play.

"We had a couple of nice players, but they're gone; nice as in people I wanted to play against," said Greenstein. "Actually I called a hand against one of them that I wouldn't have called against anyone else. But the funny thing is I got all in with him and busted him, but he was the favourite in the hand. He flopped top pair and I flopped a straight draw and hit it."

Barry Greenstein

But any tight play is down to the structure of the day, Greenstein says, with ten-handed play tightening things up.

"Philip (Gruissem) is usually crazy, and it's the fewest hands he's ever played," he said. "And the guy to my right is a friend of his and just by association I assume he's crazy too, which he was. So I three-bet him half the hands he came in and eventually he got subdued and started limping and started folding - he actually folded in the small blind and gave me a walk.

"I think what's happened is that these guys are really good shorthanded players, and playing nine or ten handed takes them out of their element. Just about everyone has had what they represented at the table."

There is another way of keeping tabs on what's going on at the feature table, and that's Twitter. @barrygreenstein has regularly been updating his followers:

"EPT Berlin Main Event. Tag 1A. 250 Spieler begannen mit 30k in Chips. Ich habe 31k, das ist Average. 155BB"

"220 Speiler noch dabei Tag 1A. Average ist 34k. Ich habe 40k. 133 BB. #eptberlin"

"Dinner pause. 180 Spieler doch dabei. Durchscnitt ist 40k. Ich habe 51k. 105BB #eptberlin"

"159 Spieler noch dabei. Durschnitt ist 46k. Ich habe 50k. 63BB#eptberlin Tag 1A"

So is he still tweeting in German?

"Yes. As best I can," grinned Greenstein. "I've misspelled a couple, used the wrong words. Someone said my German was getting better. You know 40 years ago I spoke German, took it in college and all that kind of stuff, but that's a long time. So any improvement I'm getting tweeted back by German players telling me what I've said wrong. By the end of the week I'll be pretty decent."

Not bad so far a first trip to Germany.