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September 18th 2006
EPT Barcelona: Ivey shows class in first EPT event
Arriving unannounced at the Barcelona Open last Wednesday Phil Ivey, possibly the world’s most gifted poker player, almost didn’t get a seat. The record turn-out meant the tournament was completely sold out and organisers were having to turn away players in their dozens.
But where Phil Ivey is concerned allowances can be made. After all, this was to be his first ever EPT event and Ivey is a grade A poker celebrity. If Ivey wants in (and you value the reputation of your poker tour) you better get him a seat!
Understandably, a seat was found, and the decision to get Ivey in proved a wise one as the American simply powered through the first two days, starting the final day third in chips with just over $800,000, and playing one of the most exciting pots of Day Two to get there. In a hand that will surely feature on the TV coverage, Ivey opened with a raise to 40k and was re-raised to 100k by David Layani. Ivey called and then check-called Layani’s 100k bet on the Q-6-2 flop. The turn was a 10 and Phil checked again, this time taking a long time to call another 100k bet by Layani. The river was a second queen and Layani moved all-in, with Ivey calling in a flash and turning over pocket sixes, for a flopped set and rivered boat. Layani’s pocket aces had been well and truly cracked.
Ivey wasn’t the only one to crack aces that day however, as Bjorn Eric Glenne helped build his stack into second position by the end of Day Two by issuing a brutal beat to Angel Blanco. After opening a pot for 25k Bjorn called Angel’s 55k re-raise and then moved all-in on a flop of 6-3-7. Angel called in a flash turning over pocket aces, while Bjorn flipped over a measly 6-5 for middle pair and a gutshot. The gutshot hit on the turn however and Angel nearly self-combusted. It would prove a decisive hand.
Day Three started with Jeffrey Lisandro in the chip lead over the twelve remaining players, but he had been overtaken by the time we were down to nine, and the final table began with none other than Phil Ivey holding the chip lead. Bjorn Erik Glenne started in second and Jeff Lisandro was still well in contention in third.
It was Bjorn Erik Glenne who made the first big move however, after his double elimination of Jon Dull and Robin Keston with QQ against A9 and 99. That hand saw him take the chip lead but it didn’t last for long. A little while later Phil Ivey made a standard raise from the button and Jeffrey Lisandro called from the big blind. The flop came T-9-5 and Ivey bet 80k only for Lisandro to move all-in over the top. Ivey called in a flash showing pocket nines for middle set. Lisandro, with T-9, had been cold decked, and there was no miracle ten on the turn or river.
That hand gave Ivey a dominating chip lead and a sense of inevitability began to envelop the final table as Ivey’s dominating position dawned on the remaining players.
With three players left however, something quite unusual began to happen: Ivey started to get outplayed. The protagonist of this unique theatre was Bjorn Erik Glenne, a Norwegian pro whose shorthanded play has a fearsome reputation. Bjorn did not get especially lucky against Ivey, nor did he benefit from any big hand over big hand scenarios; he simply outmuscled his more illustrious opponent, playing the more aggressive and ultimately successful poker.
Whilst this may have come as a surprise to the American media, it was not such a shock to those who know Bjorn. Many of the assembled Norwegian media claimed Bjorn is one of the best shorthanded players in the world, and had statistics to back up their claims. Bjorn has apparently made 13 final tables in Norway this year, winning 12 of them!
Having started with $1.7 million to Phil Ivey’s $2.2 million and David Gregory’s 900k it was not long before Bjorn took the chip lead. He then powered ahead, at one point reaching $3.9 million while Phil Ivey teetered on 386k and Gregory held on with 555k.
The end was near and Gregory was the first to capitulate. He decided to make a stand with KT and looked in good shape against Bjorn’s A5 when the flop came K-5-7. Unfortunately for him the turn was another 5 however, and Gregory was out in third.
Heads-up Bjorn began with a 12 to 1 chip lead, and finished off the helpless Ivey in five hands when he called the maestro’s all in with pocket tens and caught a ten on the flop. Ivey had been out Iveyed in a final table that will be analysed and talked about for a long time to come. Bjorn is perhaps a star well in the making. Ivey on the other hand merely confirmed what most of us already knew: he is mortal – but only just. His EPT record: played one, finished second, prize money: €371,000 ($469,628).
A complete list of the final table finishers and their payouts (in Euros) is below:
1 Bjorn-Erik Glenne (Norway) €691,000
2 Phil Ivey (US) €371,000
3 Dave Gregory (UK) €184,300
4 David Daneshgar (US) €161,300
5 Joakim Geigert (Sweden) €138,200
6 Jeff Lisandro (Italy) €115,200
7 Jon Dull (US) €92,200
8 Robin Keston (UK) €69,100
9 Kristian Ulriksen (Norway) €46,100
NB: The next EPT event is in London and starts on 21st September. Check out PokerStars.com for your chance to qualify online.
Submitted: 18/09/2006 10:59:41
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