There are a few subjects in these poker tournaments that always make good blog posts: the introduction, the shots of the town, the first eliminations, the Team PokerStars pros' progress, and, perhaps best of all, the bubble.

That paragraph of filler above is perhaps the best indication that this tournament was different. Before we even got a chance to hype the fact that they were playing hand-for-hand and that the next man out goes home with nothing, he'd been busted and was already on his way. Two and a half days and nothing to show for it. Tough beat.

The man in question this time was Heimo Kraner, from Austria. He moved all in pre-flop with an ace-queen and was called in two spots: Age Spets and chip-leader David Sonelin. The flop was ace-high, pretty good for Kraner, but Spets and Sonelin checked it all the way down and an eight fell on the river. Sonelin bet, Spets folded ace-queen face up, and Sonelin showed pocket eights for the rivered set.

Kraner is gone, we're down to 24, and everyone is getting paid.


David Sonelin with the chip lead

Poker is a game of decisions - and some of them can be worth several hundred thousand euros. As we approach the bubble in an event of this size, the number and importance of every call, raise or fold increases, and the top players have a tendency to make the right move at the right time.

And while most of us amateurs can only dream about playing for so much cash, it is sometimes possible to imagine ones way into these situations: hanging around in these events sometimes affords an insight into the thought processes of the best players.

Moments ago, with 27 players remaining, I caught a sight of Thomas Fuller squeezing his cards and seeing ace-ten off-suit. He was in the big blind and was facing a raise from Gunnar Rabe, the PokerStars qualifier from Sweden, who is hardly shy of putting his chips in the pot.


Gunnar Rabe, top, and Thomas Fuller, front

What would you do? Fuller had a decent stack; Rabe's was somewhat smaller. Fold and let him take it, perhaps advertising that your blind is there for the stealing. Raise and hope that Rabe was on a steal? Calling is another choice, of course, but what flop do you really want to see, especially out of position?

In this instance, Fuller went for option two, and stuck another 25,000 in the pot. That gave Gunnar a decision, and he called with a reluctant shrug.

When the flop came littered with rags, Fuller tried flexing his muscles and moved all in, giving Gunnar a decision to call for his tournament life. But Rabe had actually been in the driver's seat all along. He called and flipped aces. No miracle runner-runner was forthcoming for Thomas.


Thomas Fuller jots down details of the pot that went Rabe's way

Fuller, however, was still sitting behind a healthy enough stack and the very next hand had another tough decision. This time Gyoergy Moger, from Hungary, moved his small stack all in pre-flop. Thomas this time found ace-jack and again he found the call. Moger had fours and they were racing.

But the flop this time was slightly more healthy: a king, ten and a queen meant a straight for the young American. He offered his hand to his opponent, but Moger refused to take it until he'd seen the next two cards. Sure enough, a four came on the turn, giving Moger a set and plenty of full-house outs on the river. Thankfully for Fuller, none came and Moger took the walk.

Up, down, up again in two hands. Who'd be a poker player?

Baden is a sleepy little spa town near to the eastern edge of Austria, close to the borders with Hungary and Slovakia. The permanent residents and tourists alike hike up mountains, eat lavish pastries or relax in the spas.

The bombardment of poker players that occurs once a year must be quite a shock to the system, and when the money pulls into view - as it has during day three - the action becomes even more hectic.


The floor

From a starting field of 40, we're already down to fewer than 30. I'm not naming a specific number because it's sure to be out of date by the time this appears online.

Among those to fall are Roman Yitzhaki, who was the victim of some PokerStars players cannibalism. He was busted with ace-king against David Sonelin's kings; the PokerStars qualifier from Sweden continuing the form that lifted him up the leaderboard late last night.


Roman Yitzhaki: before his departure


David Sonelin: chip leader

And Sonelin's ascendency has continued right the way to the top of the pile. He also knocked out Thor Hansen, whose aces weren't good enough to beat the young Swede's jacks, when they made a flush.

Soraya Homam has also gone, joining Harald Poeschl, Johann Fest, Matt Tyler and Surinder Sunar on the rail.

Pictures (c) Neil Stoddart

Day three has begun in a predictable hurry, with those near the bottom of the overnight leaderboard desperate to begin their climb -- or to hit the spa.

As reported, we have already lost RaiNKhan, whose relaxation will have to wait until after his spell in the EPT Live commentary booth (join him HERE), and Carlo di Renzo, both of whom ran into aces.

But Thor Hansen, who was at the very foot of the table, just got all his stack in the middle and picked up the blinds and antes. He flashed a seven-five off-suit to advertise exactly the kind of hands with which he's prepared to make these moves.

Alexander Kravchenko, who was a dominant force in this year's World Series main event, also just survived an all-in. But his was of the double-up variety. He had ace-king and found a caller in Hans Eskilsson, the former soccer pro turned poker player.


Alexander Kravchenko, right, and Hans Eskilsson, far left

Eskilsson thought for an age before calling with pocket twos. The door card was a king and that was enough to double up Kravchenko.

* * * * *

It looks as though we have just lost both Surindar Sunar, from the feature table, and Matt Tyler, the PokerStars qualifier, from outside. Tyler suddenly appeared on the television feed shaking his friend Julian Thew's hand, and then settled in the bleechers. Hand details to follow.

Surinder, meanwhile, was a victim of Thew's. They got it all in pre-flop with ace-jack versus eights. The jack flopped to give Surinder a potential double-up, but the eight turned and Thew knocked him out.

It's frantic stuff.