With the news that the Deauville leg of the European Poker Tour had been cancelled there was an added urgency about the Copenhagen rendition of the increasingly popular EPT.

But, once again, tickets were like gold dust and anyone with thoughts of playing in Denmark instead of the aborted French event had no chance of making the starting line-up. 

In fact, every seat in the place – 400 in total – were sold within four hours of them going on sale in early December and few at the Radisson SAS hotel, home to the Casino Copenhagen and, of course, this €5,000 (DKK37,500) event, seemed aware or even concerned about the distraction of Aussie Millions, Australia’s once-a-year poker hurrah which clashed dates.

As is often the case in an event where you start with 10,000 chips and the blinds are just 25 and 50, the early action was slow and so few missed Englishman Stuart Rutter leave the room.  He had the distinction of being the undignified first eliminated player. 

Away from the tables this was big business week with private boxes and parties laid on by a number of online sites during the tournament.  These are used to court customers, new players and press alike.  Sure enough, the latter had a field day with actor Mads Mikkelson – from the 007 flick Casino Royale – creating frenzied interest.

Other notable distractions included the battle of the glamour girls – that is young ladies either scantly dressed or wrapped in tinted latex with all-important sponsor’s logo slapped all over a certain part of the anatomy – which some people just cannot miss.

Back at the tables Isabel Mercier ran her AK into Aces – an inevitable hand that has inevitable consequences …tears.

After four hours of play there had been far worst pieces of luck which contributed to 50 of the starting 200, leaving disappointed.  At the other end of the scale Erik Lindberg, was the first to breach the 25,000 chip mark followed closely by Mats Iremark, fresh from winning two ‘Rookie of the Year’ awards, stacking 21,225.

Defending champion Noah Boeken was soon to walk from a fireworks display of a table.  He moved in with pocket Queens only to be called by the fearless Johnny Lodden holding AT who got the lucky Ace he needed.

Peter Roche, also sat on this table, was soon to take the chip lead but, as the whole of Ireland knows, if anyone can blow a big stack it is Peter Roche!

Peter was to ultimately roller-coaster his way into Day 2 but only after his entire stack was in the middle and called by Eric Lindberg clutching pocket Aces.  Roche, who sheepishly exposed his pocket 5’s, was to flop a 5.  With this kind of luck he could have been deemed favourite for outright victory.

The day’s play, on the day, was to stop at then end of the 300/600 level, level 8, which also demanded a 50 chip running ante. 

Bigger stacks at the start of it included Brent Wheeler (53,000), Alexandre Poulain (48,4500), Erik Lindberg (45,250), Pat Bueno (42,150), Peter Fischer (38,400), Jens Klaning (27,625) and Jonas Helness (27,500).

At the end of it the American, Brent Wheeler, still ruled supreme but now with an impressive 74,000.  Marco Lucidi, 69,700, had come into the picture.  Likewise Anton Smolyanskiy with 68,500 and Jonas Helness nursing 53,100.

Impressive stuff for those at the top of the ladder but the final whistle offered hope to all of the 80 odd remaining players in possession of an average stack of 22,471.  On the bottom rung, incidentally, was Michael Melin with 3,700.