Two more players are out, leaving 16 and just two tables. German Peyman Mohammedzadeh has gone in 18th place for €17,400, followed by Spaniard Raul Paez in 17th, picking up the same. Thomas Kremser announces a redraw and everyone springs into action...

A redraw is not the simple 'pick a card' process when you add TV cameras to the mix. When you watch on television or follow the action on EPT Live what you see is the end product of a few minutes of frantic re-arranging. It takes about ten minutes and goes something like this...

First you take your chips, stacked in trays which someone hurries over to you, pick a card to determine your new seat and then try to find it.

Meanwhile the dealer is changed, side tables are tidied and new water is brought for players at the feature table - water must look better on TV than a pina colada with an umbrella sticking out of the glass.

As players find their place on stage people in headphones swing into action bringing a wiry contraption to be plugged into each player - so to speak.

First the microphone is threaded up through clothing, out of collars, and clipped somewhere convenient to capture everything the player says at the table. A transmitter box about the size of an iPod can then be put in the players pocket and forgotten about.

Alexander Milanov went through this twice. In seat eight at the feature table before the redraw he had his microphone removed only to then draw the exact same seat, requiring an awkward fumble with t-shirts to re-attached the microphone.

Oh, and talking of iPods you're not allowed them. Like on planes they interfer with things and can bring everything tumbling down.

Wired up a player can now sit down and can start unpacking chips. But another problem can emerge if you happen to be on the short side. Ricky Frohenbach, not the tallest man on the tour, needed cushions for a slight boost when he played at the final table of the PCA earlier this month.

Once the cameras are lined up a player's onscreen career begins - that is once their name has been double checked on a clipboard and instructions are given on how to make sure the hole card cameras see the cards on each hand. Then you're done.

It sounds a mess but it's a finely tuned process perfected by skilled folk over four seasons of EPTs. Just one more thing to look forward to should you qualifiy for an EPT and make it this far.

So who are the new feature table players?

Table 1 - The feature table

Johannes Strassmann -- 464,000
Michael McDonald -- 678,000
Danny Ryan -- 191,500
Dan Carter -- 268,000
Manfred Hammer -- 85,000
Marco Liesy -- 161,500
Andreas Gulunay -- 167,000
Alexandar Milanov -- 97,000

Table 2

Claudio Rinaldi -- 280,000
Tyler Friederich - PokerStars qualifier - 250,000
Diego Perez - 525,000
Aniol Alcaraz - 144,500
Torsten Haase - 375,000
Christian Harder - 100,500
Thibaut Durand - 216,000
Jioi Kulhanek - 109,000

Just before play restarts Kara Scott has the detail of key moments so far today...

Kara Scott talked to Marcel Luske ahead of today's play...

Another name familiar to EPT followers is Brandon Schaeffer. On a permanent journey around the world since his season one success, would a few more Euros be of use to him? Kara Scott asked...

• Schaefer Schaefted -- Just minutes in it looks like it may be a tough day for Brandon Schaeffer. He lost chips quick time, starting with the first hand. Aces can be good and bad and Brandon held the wretched kind, calling an all-in with aces to Jioi Kulhanek's 3-4. The flop brought signs of a storm - 2-5-Q, and the 6 on the turn was the bolt of lightning to ruin everything.

There was no let up on the next hand either, a standard raise and a call from Kulhanek again, now in possession of his chips. Branded was all in on the A-Q-5 club flop with A-J. His opponent held tens, one of which was a fateful club. A club on the turn left Brandon with mere pocket change. To complete the beating Brandon's all-in move with A-3 was ahead against K-9 until the king hit the river. Brandon out for €12,650.

• Other fallers -- Steve Jelinek is out in the first stages, so too Manfred Bass andChabot Cyrille - chip leader from day 1a, who was eliminated by Claudio Rinaldi.

Tournament director Thomas Kremser has announced we will keep playing until there are two tables remaining before there is a re-draw. We're currently still playing level 17 with blinds at 2,500/5,000 with a 500 ante.

It was the best of days, it was the worst of days. For some the highs of looking ahead to a third day, whilst for others a night spent thinking of a hand misplayed or the hand the other guy shouldn't have played, but did, and did well, awaits.

Two Team PokerStars players had made it this far. Katja Thater, who had battled through day 1a would make a run on the money, trailing Daniel Negreanu who was healthier chip wise but whose day two campaign received a minor set back when he forgot to wake up - for the second day. But it made for great footage as he skipped past tables to reach his seat.

Still, he had 60k, more than Katja, and the possibility of a Triple Crown winner of EPT, WPT and WSOP titles was distant yes, but still alive. But not for long. A jubilant Markus Tandler eliminated Daniel. Markus' scream of joy and quick apology was audibly one of the high notes of the day.

Hope for Team PokerStars came from a different corner, with Flying Dutchman Marcel Luske ending the day in fine form, on a song and 123,000.

Typically a number of PokerStars qualifiers put in fine performances. Jan Heitman is top of the group on 200,400 whilst Christopher Rossiter is further behind on 129,500. Further back American Christian Harder is on 101,900 and Tyler Friederich is on 91,600.

The day was started in fine spirit, most notably by Passport winner Dustin Mele who had enough wish fulfillment on his face to keep everyone cheery. An early candidate for most optimist player of the tour Dustin knew he was up against it, returning today with just 4,600 but gave it his best regardless determined to enjoy himself and gaining priceless experience of EPT action in the process as he plans where he PokerStars passport will take him next.

We also caught up with PCA 8th place finisher Ricky Fohrenbach. The Connecticut man also had reason to enjoy himself even on a tough table that featured the likes of Annette Obrestad and Nicolas Levi (both of whom were eliminated as the day progressed). He had above average chips and a worthy plan B - this being his first trip to Europe, he and a few friends had Amsterdam in mind had the cards not gone his way. They did fior a while, but the Amsterdam plan was already in action by the close of play.

As day 2 in Dortmund finishes the final of the WPT Borgata Classic will soon begin on the East coast in Atlantic City. The significance? A certain Gavin Griffin; an EPT and WSOP bracelet winner who stands ready to add a WPT title becoming in the process the first player to win that Triple Crown of titles. It's a tall order but we'll find out tomorrow whether or not he becomes the first member of an exclusive club of one.

Finally, in amongst news of risers and fallers, we finished the day with Marcel Luske and a demonstration of chip accumulation as players and railbirds alike watched on in quiet awe. Stephen Wrengler was the bubble boy; Thor Hansen marking the finishing line of an action packed day of poker goingout in 33rd.

Chip leader at the start of the day Chabot Cyrille, finished 21st in chips with 74,700 whilst a new chip leader emerged front and centre in the form of Diego Perez Marco of Spain on 361,600, nearly 30k ahead of Canadian Mike McDonald.

We start again at 3pm tomorrow local time, with the addition of the EPT Live teams bringing coverage of day 3 in five languages. And for anyone wanting to catch up with the latest from today, including video blogs…

Day 2 and the business of poker begins

Thinking the impossible in level 9

The ballad of Ricky Fohrenbach

Poker's most exclusive club

Around the tables

A song in his head, hands on a fortune

Closing stages of day 2

With 32 players left the chip counts and standing look like this…

Diego Perez Marco -- Spain -- 361,600
Michael McDonald -- Canada -- 335,700
Claudio Rinaldi -- Switzerland -- 278,700
Marco Liesy -- Germany -- 278,200
Johannes Strassmann -- Germany -- 276,400
Aniol Alcaraz -- Spain -- 216,200
Brandon Schaefer -- USA -- 202,300
Andreas Gülünay -- Germany -- 201,100
Jan Heitmann -- Germany -- PokerStars sponsored player -- 200,400
Manfred Hammer -- Germany -- 135,300
Christopher Rossiter -- UK -- PokerStars qualifier -- 129,500
Thibaut Durand -- France -- 123,200
Marcel Luske -- Netherlands -- PokerStars sponsored player -- 123,000
Peyman Mohammadzadeh -- Germany -- 114,800
Manfred Bass -- Germany -- 114,400
Daniel Ryan -- USA -- 110,400
Daniel Carter -- UK -- 105,900
Christian Harder -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 101,900
Alexandar Milanov -- Bulgaria -- 96,300
Tyler Friederich -- USA -- PokerStars qualifier -- 91,600
Chabot Cyrille -- France -- 74,700
Hugo Marialva Felix -- Portugal -- 63,000
Marcel Cesarz -- Germany -- PokerStars qualifier -- 59,300
Steve Jelinek -- UK -- PokerStars qualifier -- 57,700
Jioí Kulhánek -- Czech Republic -- PokerStars qualifier -- 53,600
Bernhard Damnik -- Germany -- PokerStars qualifier -- 44,000
Andreas Sarling -- Finland -- 38,400
Torsten Haase -- Germany -- 36,800
Syikrai Istafan -- Hungary -- 32,100
Mario Kühl -- Germany -- 27,600
Raul Paez Corral -- Spain -- 25,400
Sebastian Till -- Germany -- 16,200

For a recap from the EPT Live team, Lee Jones has the detail...

Seeing as though Marcel Luske is a sponsored player for PokerStars here in Dortmund I figured I'd spend a few minutes watching him play a few hands. If nothing else he'd probably provide a song and the quality of play when he's around never seems to tarnish.

With him at the table is PokerStars qualifier Mika Turpeinen and two Manfred's - Manfred Bass and Manfred Hammer, and Andreas Sarling.

Marcel's career has been a long and profitable one. A casual glance through his results shows consistent wins going back years, a resume you'd be hard pressed to find elsewhere, and one that has seen him in smart shoes for many years.

EPT London, season one, 2004. Marcel finishes seventh in one of the first EPTs out with K-Q against the pocket Jacks of Jon Falconer. His young protégé Noah Boeken finishes sixth.

The flop is A-J-A. Marcel bets, putting off anyone else from getting involved any further. It's good for another 10k pot.

Done with stacking chips he readjusts his shades, a chunky looking combination of UV protection and built-in radio player with an earphone emerging from the frame like landing gear. It's the kind of thing you'd expect to see in an 1980s innovation catalogue along with a gold ballpoint pen featuring a digital clock at the end. But this is Marcel and he has the knack of making the ordinary look cool and entirely appropriate.

Music is important to him, only his headphones don't seem to work…

He makes another pre-flop bet but again finds no takers - good for the blinds. Soon there's action at the other end of the table. The player in seat six bets 8k and immediately covers his face with his hand, like he doesn't want someone on the rail to recognize him. Andreas Sarling sitting on his left and next to act neatly pushes his stack forward, a neat shove often replaced by a gesture these days.

Compared to seat six Sarling is in full control, unashamed of the move and presumably happy for anyone on the rail to see him. His opponent goes through the motions of asking how much. Marcel looks interested as well, leaning forward to watch what happens next. Predictably the raiser folds, opting not to call the 48k move.

Another table breaks and Thor Hansen arrives, unpacking his chips and coming over to Marcel to shake hands.

"Marcel, play good okay?" he says, "I know you can."

With that Sarling makes another per-flop bet. Sarling has the well crafted look of determined youth about him. A young player hoping to seize this EPT bull by the horns and make a Sarling shaped mark. He's well on his way.

EPT Copenhagnen, season one, 2004. Marcel narrowly misses out on his second final table of the season when he finishes in ninth place - this time protégé Noah Boeken wins the event.

Barely seconds after Sarling bets Marcel leans to the dealer, vaguely points with a finger and tells him he's all-in. A few seconds ago, noticing me standing alongside he said he'd hardly played any hands. Sarling might have been annoyed but didn't show it. He mucked - Marcel showing him two black kings.

"That's the minimum hand I show" he says and whistles another quick tune and then says something to Sarling. Maybe it was coincidental, maybe a deliberate attempt to sooth a wounded ego but Sarling breaks his stern face for a second to smile. Sarling is no different from a lot of young players sat opposite Marcel of trying to block out the chat - no attempts to fraternize at all. Marcel usually breaks them. Sarling seems happier now.

EPT Grand Final season two, 2006 - Marc Karam moves all-in from button with J-7. Luske calls with pocket eights. A harmless flop leaves Marcel ahead but he and hundreds of others watch as one of the most painful moments in EPT history unfolds. Karam hits runner-runner sevens, eliminating the Dutchman.

Marcel limps on the button and the big blind taps the table. They check the flop 6-2-3 to see a king on the turn. The big blind checks, Marcel spins six blue chips over the line, good for another pot and time to order tea.

"Thor… tea?"

"As your buying…" replied Thor Hansen, the look of an irregular tea drinker across his face. Just a few hands until the break… PokerStars sponsored player Marcel Luske up to 172,000.

The money is a plus, but few things do your poker reputation as much good as some kind of record. A lot are dubious - first to do this, the first to win that, but others really separate the good from the incredible.

PokerStars blogs have always featured the possibility of a double EPT winner - just last year in Dublin Roland de Wolfe become the first player to win both a WPT and EPT event and Team PokerStars pro Joe Hachem recorded a WPT win to go with his WSOP bracelet last year.

But there remains another even more exclusive record, a club whose membership numbers less than one - titles in EPT, WSOP and WPT event - the 'Triple Crown' of poker.

Last night Team PokerStars pro Daniel Negreanu looked to be the best hope, coming into day 2 today with close to 60k. His wins in both the WPT and WSOP left just an EPT to bag. I say 'just' - it would never be an easy ask. And when he chased a flush with a stack one third of what he started with today his tournament and record breaking hopes rested on a diamond - a diamond which didn't come.

Check below to see the hand and hear what Daniel had to say about EPT Dortmund...

But today could yet see the first ever Triple Crown winner. Whilst Daniel Negreanu's hopes of getting membership card number one are gone, across the ocean in Atlantic City Gavin Griffin - the season three EPT Grand Final winner and a WSOP bracelet winner in the $3,000 pot-limit hold'em in 2004, stands on the brink of history at the WPT Borgata Classic. There he is second in chips at the final table to be played later today, with just David Tran narrowly ahead of him in chips.

It's an incredible achievement for anyone but Gavin coming this close will please a lot of people who follow the game so closely. Recognisable for his pink hair, reminding everyone of the work he does for breast cancer awareness with his girlfriend Kristen, were he to win in Atlantic City it would be a triumph for one of poker's nice guys.

The man from Orange County made enough of a headline winning in Monte Carlo. In a gripping heads-up battle with Marc Karam who came out tops on a memorable last hand - a moment that can be relived here…

Everyone at PokerStars would like to wish Gavin good luck for the final table and we'll have news of the result on the PokerStars blog when we get it.

Tournament update -

For chip counts of all remaining players in the EPT Dortmund click here.