If you’re up to speed on your basic knowledge of quantum physics, and goodness knows we can all be a little shaky on that, you might be familiar with the ‘Copenhagen Interpretation’. To put it loosely it refers to the inability to predict something that previously had seemed straightforward. Well here we work to a ‘Casino Copenhagen Interpretation’ and it runs a similar course. Yesterday we lost two of the game’s best players in Daniel Negreanu and Gus Hansen, whilst in other parts of the room players few people had heard of before flourished like well tended weeds.
But enough of that. They were among the 230 starters of which 84 made it through the eight levels of play – a 32 per cent survival rate that will be tough to better today. The same number start this afternoon in the packed out splendour of Casino Copenhagen and cards will soon be in the air.
The field is as strong if not stronger as yesterday and no doubt will throw together some big names and create a few more. That’s the nature of the game and just as we talked of Negreanu and Hansen going late last night no doubt the same will be said of some of the following…
Tom McEvoy – Team PokerStars Pro – United States
A legend in the game form the era before the internet. A world champion and multiple bracelet winner who has not given up winning the big one again. An EPT title would go nicely with that as well which will be his intention this week.
Andy Black — Ireland
The Irishman is always a good bet to cash or final table in an EPT. He has four cashes and a final table in Monte Carlo to date and narrowly missed out in Dublin earlier this season. Good for table talk too he’ll be here to steal honours from the locals…
Katja Thater – Team PokerStars Pro – Germany
A bracelet winner at the WSOP and an EPT final table finisher in Warsaw last year. The pride of Germany is here to steal victory from across the border.
Steve Jelinek – PokerStars qualifier — England
Persistent PokerStars qualifier Steve has three EPT cashes to his name, two of which came in grand finals including a 6th place last year. He did so again in Dortmund a few weeks ago and is a regular on the UK poker scene.
Stephen Devlin — Ireland
The Irishman held the chip lead in Prague before crashing out before the money. He went on to cash at a side event at the PCA.
Marc Goodwin – England
A snappy dressing popular Englishman good for a laugh if you’re standing near his table. He’s usually found reading for the first level or two, choosing not to get involved unless absolutely necessary. When he does he’s pretty effective, having racked up close to a million dollars in tournament winnings. Not bad for a former double glazing salesman.
Nicolas Levi — France
The Frenchman’s best EPT result came in Dortmund last year where he finished seventh. Since then cashes in the WSOP have followed. Easy to pick out in a crowd for his white peaked hat…
Tony G — Australia
A celebrity in poker circles the motor mouthed champ is a fearless warrior when it comes to amassing chips. Full name Antanas Guoga he has a WPT title and over $2.5 million in tournament prize money. His no prisoners approach to the game is something to be seen but remains a gentleman away from the table.
Richard Toth – Hungary
a successful player in his own right he is remembered for calling a move by Theo Jorgensen in the Copenhagen final last year thinking Jorgensen was bluffing when in fact he had aces. He’ll want that thought behind him here.
Luca Pagano – Team PokerStars Pro – Italy
A serial EPT cash finisher (seven so far) including a 24th place finish three time. One of those was here in Copenhagen back in season two…
Arnaud Mattern – France
The diminutive Frenchman is one if his country’s best and proved that by winning the EPT Prague in December.
Jeff Kimber – England
Fresh from a GUKPT win last week in Walsall and £84,000 Jeff has yet to cash in an EPT but is a highly regarded UK pro more than capable of turning that around in Copenhagen.
Gino Alacqua – Italy
‘El Diablo’ finished runner-up in Prague to Arnaud Mattern.
Dustin Mele – PokerStars Passport winner – United States
Dustin plays his second live event since becoming the PokerStars passport winner.
Mike McDonald – United States
The EPT Dortmund winner who dazzled many with his style of play and all whilst still in braces. ‘Timex’ as he’s known online is young enough, cheeky enough and talented enough to make it two in a row. The internet forums would go crazy.
Peter Jepsen – Denmark
Peter won the EPT in Warsaw last year with an orderly annihilation of his opponent. The former soldier who was wounded whilst serving in Iraq is now one of the country’s top professionals.
Play is about to commence with blinds at 25/50. You can keep up to date with the latest from the event here on the PokerStars blog with stories and the vBlog team will be reporting from the tournament floor.
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