10.32pm: Break time
Players are now on their final 15 minute break of the day, you'll find level nine updates in a new post.
10.25pm: Premium into premium
Mantas Stikelis just doubled through Gytis Bernatavicius, pocket aces versus pocket jacks. A [Qc][Kc][10h] flop gave Stikelis a fright but his hand held on the [2s] turn and [5d] river, he's up to 52,000 whilst Bernatavicius has slipped to 60,000.
10.10pm: Arms up in frustration
Ghattas Korkas just produced the international poker sign for 'how can he call' throwing his arms up when he saw his opponent's hand.
A full board of [Kc][4c][7s][Ac][Js] was on the felt and Korkas fired out a bet of 4,500 into a pot of around 9,000. His opponent, Jonikas Vygerdas, tanked and then made the call. "You win," announced Korkas, but Vygerdas wanted to see what Korkas had bet the river with and waited until Korkas showed pocket threes, before turning over [Qc][Qh].
With two over cards and a possible flush on board Korkas was obviously frustrated that Vygerdas had clicked the call button.
9.57pm: 34 Nation army
One of the nice little tidbits of information we are privy to here on the PokerStars blog is the breakdown of the nationalities of the players who play in these events.
Players from 34 different nations came to Riga to try to be crowned Eureka Latvia champion, amongst them were: 67 Lithuanians (24% of the field), 54 Latvians (19% of the field) and 25 Estonians (9% of the field). Meanwhile it was left to one player to fly the flag for: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Lebanon, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States.
9.40pm: Autio bullied
Teemu Ilari Autio came to my attention pretty early on today, the combination of his chip stack and grey beanie making him stand out from a sea of unknown poker faces. He's currently on around 45,000 although it could've been more had he won a recent pot against Darius Jankovskij.
I caught the action live on the turn, with the board showing [4s][Kh][7d][7s] an in-position Autio bet 2,150, Jankovskij check-raised to 6,800 and Autio tank called. The [Ah] completed the board and both players quickly checked, Jankovskij showed [As][5s] to take the pot.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 300-600 ante 75
9.25pm: State of play
As level seven ticks down to its conclusion here's the state of play. Just 76 of the 141 players who started Day 1B remain. Among those to have hit the rail are Aleksandr Kuperman, the Estonian won the Russian Poker Series event at this very venue in August 2010.
9.15pm: Aggression levels on the up
It seems a hot carbohydrate injection has upped the aggression levels of the players. I've seen a number of three and four-bet pots during this level including this one. A player made it 800 from middle position, on the button another player put in a three-bet to 1,600 only for the big blind to make it 3,500. The original raiser swiftly folded and the button followed suit.
9pm: Going, going, gone
An unknown player was all-in for less than 3,000 holding [Kh][9h] against [Ac][2s]. After the flop came [5][4][3] he thought he was out and got up to lead. But the turn and river came [6][7] and although the dealer went to ship the pot to his opponent the rest of the table pointed out the error and he sat back down.
However he reprieve was only temporary as he was seen exiting the card room a few minutes later.
8.45pm: Chip leaders
Having had a scout around the room I can report that Renars Varslavovs (70,000) and Ghattas Korkas (65,000) are the two top stacks right now.
8.30pm: Back from the break
Meatballs, chicken, chips and mash potato have all be swallowed during the break. Cards are now back in the air.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 200-400 ante 50
7.30pm: Dinner break
The 86 remaining players are now on a one hour dinner break. See you in 60.
7.15pm: Two hands
Two hands to tell you about where the pre-flop raised was forced to give it up post-flop.
Hand one: Teemu Ilari Autio min-raised from early position and Colin Lovelock made the call from middle position. The two of them saw a [Qc][Jc][7s] flop, c-bet of 700 from Autio, call from Lovelock. The [2h] hit the turn, it was checked to Lovelock and his bet of 1,600 took the pot.
Hand two: From under-the-gun Aleksandr Kuperman made it 600 to play, it folded all the way round to Normunds Rumba in the blind and he put in the extra and it was left to the two of them to dance.
The [4s][6c][7h] flop saw Rumba check-call a c-bet of 700. The [8s] turn was checked through and the [Qs] completed the board. First to act, Rumba bet 1,000 and Kuperman's hand was instantly sent into the muck.
6.45pm: All about percentages
Currently 94 of the 141 players who started Day 1B remain, that's 66.6% of the field. I'm told that yesterday during level seven there was just 50% of the field left. So that's another 24 players needed to hit the rail in the next level and a half to be on par with yesterday.
As mentioned previously the pace of play seems slower today than it was on Day 1A so I suspect that may not happen.
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 150-300 ante 25
6.30pm: Augstkalns the not so great
I just saw Edgars Augustkalns lose a sizable pot to slip to 9,700.
I only caught the action from the flop but on a [Kd][2s][Qs] an in-position Augustkalns fired out a bet of 1,125, call from Dan-Iout Hila. The [7d] fell on the turn and when it was checked to him Augstkalns fired out 3,200, tank, then call from Hila. The [3s] hit the river and both players turbo-checked, Hila showed [Ks][9h], which was ahead of Augstkalns' [Ac][8s].
6.15pm: Hat-trick
These three players, who are sat in a row on one of just four tables in the upper tournament room, are all sporting different head gear. From the baseball cap to the beanie, their bonces with be boiling.
6pm: Chip counts
Both Kaspars Renga (6,300) and Aleksandr Kuperman (6,850) are struggling as they're on less than half starting stack. Meanwhile Edgars Augustkalns is up to 18,500.
5.45pm: Pereligins flushed away
Some flops just invite action and the [3s][8h][Qh] flop saw both Bjorn August Lindback and
Sergejs Pereligins wager all their betting discs. The latter was at risk, but in front with [Ac][Qd], whilst Lindback held [Ah][9h] for the nut flush draw. The [4h] left Pereligins drawing dead, before the [4c] completed the board.
After that hand Lindback is up to 33,000.
5.30pm: Four down, six to go
So that's four levels down, another six to go. Of the 141 starters, 113 have safely negotiated 40% of the day. As for those who've busted perhaps they're sticking around for the side event, taking in the delights of the nearby farmers market or have headed to one of the many bars of Riga. It's 5.30pm here, so no doubt they'll be bustling with the just-got -out-of-work-thank-god-it's-the-weekend crowd.
But for those still in, the aim is never to find out as they'll want to be still checking, calling, raising and folding come 1a.m.
PokerStars Blog reporting team in Lativa: Nick Wright. Photos by Rene Velli.