Daniel Negreanu arrived on time this afternoon – no repeat of the last minute rush that saw him arrive late on days one and two in Germany. He’s here and is assuming the ‘Negreanu position’ – the massage posture of leaning forward in his chair whilst Suki the masseuse works his shoulder muscles into soup.
“Do we have a last longer or something?” He’s calling over to Bill Chen on the table alongside his.
“How much have you got?”
“About 10,000” replies Daniel.
“Gonna give me odds?” asks Bill, with a little under his starting stack. “How about we make it small. $500?”
“Sounds good” says Daniel. “But if you make the final table you lose. That way if you go out you can root for me!”
“In the unlikely event we both make it we both lose.” Says Bill.
“Yeah, pretty unlikely. And at that point I don’t think we’ll care much about the $500.”
Daniel’s massage enters its second hour. Meanwhile Bill sits back down at a table that is a problem one depending on your major league/ triple A/ double A or rookie league status. Among them is All-Star ElkY Grospellier but around from him in seat nine is a face that will quite likely send strong dramatic tones of Darth Vader’s Imperial March vibrating into his head – the face of Magnus Pettersson – a potential clash of ego with the history still too raw to think about.
Pettersson seems pretty relaxed. A couple of pots have boosted his stack and he sits untangling his headphones. Not so for ElkY. His stack is on the critical list – the vultures of camera men and press with notebooks circle him and he looks ready to act fast.
The damage came on a big pot against Denmark’s Lars Storkehave. There was action on the 4-5-7 flop and again with a nine on the turn. By now it was a 4,500 bounty and an ace on the river saw Lars bet 2,800 which ElkY called. Lars showed a set of nines and suddenly Copenhagen was no place of cheer for the Frenchman.
But the comeback has to start somewhere. He moved in pre-flop on the button. Magnus Pettersson thought about a call but was probably aware just how easy a story this would make. The two rivals clashing again – last year’s champ gets better of ElkY – or – ElkY gets revenge and restores hope in Denmark. Either way Pettersson resisted the temptation and mucked. A few hundred more for ElkY.
Then again, pre-flop again and uncontested.
Next hand too. “I feel I have to do it” he said. Bill Chen chuckled from his position of safety as Nikolaj Adamsen in seat ten mulled it over. He was ready to muck but something held him back – the sneaky hand of fate. He spins chips in his fingers and called.
Pocket sixes for ElkY, A-T for Nikolaj.
The flop looked to favour Nikolaj – 4-3-A. The turn, a deuce, made no difference, but the six on the river saved ElkY, doubling him up and sending what could best be described as a loud and low hum across the room.
ElkY not gone yet and back in it with 4,500.
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