Talk about third time unlucky. For the third time in his EPT days Dave Colclough was eliminated on the bubble - it’s enough to make you pack it all-in. That was how day 2 of the EPT Dublin ended, the day the big stacks began to make themselves known, and one or two of those make even them look small.


Dave Colclough

It began with a contrast between the rich and poor. Seth Blackman was poorest of those. The PokerStars player returning today with 5k and made it through a good chunk of the first level of the day before the inevitable came.

But it was a strong PokerStars field with 43 players starting, some of whom with the added discomfort of a tough draw. Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano might have felt aggrieved to be alongside Brandon Schaeffer, Johnny Lodden and Alan Smurfit first thing this afternoon but made it through the day regardless. Noah Boeken too, still in the hunt for a second EPT title, made it through the day, hopping from tables with a stack that continued to climb.

There were mixed results for others. Runar Runarsson, the pilot from Iceland was on auto-pilot for a while before the wings fell off. He spent much of the day next to fellow PokerStars player Phidias Georgiou who looked set to repeat his EPT London heroics before crashing out within sight of the money.


Thierry van den Berg

Meanwhile the lead switched between a handful of players. PokerStars player Casper Hansen was one, dethroning the leader at the start of the day Frenchman Ludovic Lacay. At the other end some did their best to hang on. Jan Veit, who immersed himself yesterday with Irish tourist culture of the non-alcoholic kind by playing in a large green top hat, was earmarked to suffer, hanging on with below average chips as the money crawled closer from over the horizon. PokerStars player Thierry van den Berg put in a great performance, as did Kenneth Hicks Jr. and Anders Pettersson.


Andy Black earlier today

But the main story of the day was reserved for Annette Obrestad. The 19-year-old WSOP Europe winner had been in the middle of the pack all day. But like a sprinter kicking for home she emerged towards the latter stages, out done only by Andy Black and his huge wall of chips – and all to the amazement of the spectators on the rail.

Stirring stuff. The 24 survivors deserved their round of applause, even if it was at the expense of Dave Colclough. It’s all done. The money will be distributed as play continues tomorrow, but for now it’s time for sleep and a casual guess at who among those left has what it takes to still be here tomorrow night and in good shape to win.