March 28 2012, Matthew Pitt

Day 2 of the PokerStars.it European Poker Tour Campione Main Event has come to an end after six, 75-minute levels were completed inside the vast Casino di Campione. At the start of play 325 players took their seats, each with high hopes of becoming an EPT champion, but that dream is over for all but 99 of them.

The dreams of stardom are well and truly alive for Balazs Botond, the overnight chip leader. He bagged up 646,000 in chips by the time the tournament director called an end to the day. Botond flew under the proverbial radar for the majority of the day, and when his monster stack was brought to the Live Reporting Team’s attention, we attempted to investigate how it was built.

“Were you involved in many big hands to build your stack?” he asked before adding, “We guess you’re running really hot, no?”

“Actually no,” came the reply before two of his opponents informed us, almost at the same time, “He’s just playing really well!”

“Yeah. I’m playing really well,” confirmed the PokerStars hoodie-sporting Hungarian.

Botond’s stack contains almost 150,000 more chips than his nearest rival – the dangerous Ronny Kaiser. The current EPT Tallin champion, Kaiser has been tearing up the high stakes pot-limit Omaha cash games on PokerStars over the past few weeks and his terrific form seems to have followed him into the live arena because he ended the day with 506,500 inchips.

Like Botond, Kaiser was not drawing much attention to himself until he was involved in a massive pot toward the latter stages of the day when his held against and to send two players to the rail and boost his stack past the 500,000-chip barrier.

After almost eight full seasons of the EPT with no double winner, it is almost impossible not to mention the possibility of someone becoming the first player to win two EPT main events. Almost without fail, at least one former champion makes a deep run and Campione is no different. There are eight players remaining in the field who have lifted that coveted trophy.

Along with the aforementioned Kaiser, the following players, in chip count order, will no doubt be referred to as the “potential first double EPT winner” on at least one occasion on Day 3. Keep an eye out for David Vamplew (412,900), Roberto Romanello (331,000), Liv Boeree (300,900), Nicolas Chouity (257,000), Rupert Elder (161,600), Martin Finger (122,400) and Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier (113,500). Imagine if all eight made it through to the final table!

A special mention has to go to Team PokerStars’ Liv Boeree who looked to be down and out within the first couple of levels of play. After a clash with Vamplew, who she was seated next to all day, she was left with just 8,000 chips with blinds at 500/1,000/100. She staged an epic comeback however, and when she sits down on Day 3, she will do so armed with almost exactly 100 big blinds!

End of Day 2 Chip Counts

Play resumes at 1400 CEST (0500 PDT) on Thursday and will continue until only 24 players remain. You can follow all of the action over on the PokerNews Live Reporting pages, and we will have a full recap of the action for you shortly after play ends.

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March 26 2012, Brett Collson

On Saturday, PokerStars released the preliminary schedule for the 2012 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), which is set to get under way in May.

The annual poker series will feature 38 events, each with three different buy-in ranges (low, medium and high), creating 114 tournaments for players to participate in. Among the variants on the schedule are no-limit hold’em tournaments, limit hold’em, pot-limit Omaha, no-limit Omaha, 8-Game mix, and Badugi.

The first event is scheduled to kick off on Sunday, May 6, and the series will likely culminate with a Main Event on Sunday, May 20. The Main Event features buy-ins of $82 (low), $700 (medium) and $7,500 (high). Last year, Sami “Lrslzk” Kelopuro took down the SCOOP Main Event (high) for $505,000 after a five-way deal at the final table. In 2009, Team PokerStars Pro Jude “j.thaddeus” Ainsworth won the high-level tournament for $963,338.

You’ll notice that there aren’t any guarantees tagged to this year’s events. That’s because the schedule isn’t set in stone just yet. PokerStars is looking for feedback from players before the schedule is finalized, so be sure to send your questions and requests to scoop@pokerstars.com.

In the meantime, here’s a look at the preliminary schedule for the 2012 PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker:

Sunday, May 6
11:00 EDT – Event 1-L: $27 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 1-M: $215 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 1-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em (6-Max)

14:30 EDT – Event 2-L: $27 NL Hold’em
14:30 EDT – Event 2-M: $215 NL Hold’em
14:30 EDT – Event 2-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em

Monday, May 7
11:00 EDT – Event 3-L: $5.50 NL Hold’em (6-Max w/ Rebuys)
11:00 EDT – Event 3-M: $55 NL Hold’em (6-Max w/ Rebuys)
11:00 EDT – Event 3-H: $530 NL Hold’em (6-Max w/ Rebuys)

14:00 EDT – Event 4-L: $7.50 FL Badugi
14:00 EDT – Event 4-M: $82 FL Badugi
14:00 EDT – Event 4-H: $700 FL Badugi

17:00 EDT – Event 05-L: $11 NL Hold’em (2x-Turbo w/ Rebuys)
17:00 EDT – Event 5-M: $109 NL Hold’em (2x-Turbo w/ Rebuys)
17:00 EDT – Event 5-H: $1,050 NL Hold’em (2x-Turbo w/ Rebuys)

Tuesday, May 8
11:00 EDT – Event 6-L: $11 NL Draw
11:00 EDT – Event 6-M: $109 NL Draw
11:00 EDT – Event 6-H: $1,050 NL Draw

14:00 EDT – Event 7-L: $7.50 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)
14:00 EDT – Event 7-M: $82 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)
14:00 EDT – Event 7-H: $700 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)

17:00 EDT – Event 8-L: $27 NL Hold’em (SuperKnockout Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 8-M: $215 NL Hold’em (SuperKnockout Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 8-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em (SuperKnockout Turbo)

Wednesday, May 9
11:00 EDT – Event 9-L: $27 Mixed Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 9-M: $215 Mixed Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 9-H: $2,100 Mixed Hold’em (6-Max)

14:00 EDT – Event 10-L: $27 Stud
14:00 EDT – Event 10-M: $215 Stud
14:00 EDT – Event 10-H: $2,100 Stud

Thursday, May 10
11:00 EDT – Event 11-L: $27 PL Omaha (Heads-Up)
11:00 EDT – Event 11-M: $215 PL Omaha (Heads-Up)
11:00 EDT – Event 11-H: $2,100 PL Omaha (Heads-Up)

14:00 EDT – Event 12-L: $27 NL Hold’em (Knockout)
14:00 EDT – Event 12-M: $265 NL Hold’em (Knockout)
14:00 EDT – Event 12-H: $2,600 NL Hold’em (Knockout)

Friday, May 11
11:00 EDT – Event 13-L: $7.50 NL Hold’em (Ante Up)
11:00 EDT – Event 13-M: $82 NL Hold’em (Ante Up)
11:00 EDT – Event 13-H: $700 NL Hold’em (Ante Up)

14:00 EDT – Event 14-L: $55 FL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 EDT – Event 14-M: $530 FL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 EDT – Event 14-H: $5,200 FL Omaha Hi/Lo

17:00 EDT – Event 15-L: $27 NL Hold’em (2x Chance Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 15-M: $215 NL Hold’em (2x Chance Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 15-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em (2x Chance Turbo)

Saturday, May 12
11:00 EDT – Event 16-L: $27 NL Hold’em (10-Max Shootout)
11:00 EDT – Event 16-M: $215 NL Hold’em (10-Max Shootout)
11:00 EDT – Event 16-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em (10-Max Shootout)

14:00 EDT – Event 17-L: $11 PL Omaha (6-Max w/ Rebuys)
14:00 EDT – Event 17-M: $109 PL Omaha (6-Max w/ Rebuys)
14:00 EDT – Event 17-H: $1,050 PL Omaha (6-Max w/ Rebuys)

17:00 EDT – Event 18-L: $27 Triple Stud
17:00 EDT – Event 18-M: $215 Triple Stud
17:00 EDT – Event 18-H: $2,100 Triple Stud

Sunday, May 13
11:00 EDT – Event 19-L: $27 NL Hold’em
11:00 EDT – Event 19-M: $215 NL Hold’em
11:00 EDT – Event 19-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em

14:30 EDT – Event 20-L: $27 NL Hold’em
14:30 EDT – Event 20-M: $215 NL Hold’em
14:30 EDT – Event 20-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em

Monday, May 14
11:00 EDT – Event 21-L: $11 Mixed NLHE/PLO
11:00 EDT – Event 21-M: $109 Mixed NLHE/PLO
11:00 EDT – Event 21-H: $1,050 Mixed NLHE/PLO

14:00 EDT – Event 22-L: $55 NL Hold’em (4-Max)
14:00 EDT – Event 22-M: $530 NL Hold’em (4-Max)
14:00 EDT – Event 22-H: $5,200 NL Hold’em (4-Max)

17:00 EDT – Event 23-L: $11 PL Omaha (1R1A Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 23-M: $109 PL Omaha (1R1A Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 23-H: $1,050 PL Omaha (1R1A Turbo)

Tuesday, May 15
11:00 EDT – Event 24-L: $11 Triple Draw 2-7
11:00 EDT – Event 24-M: $109 Triple Draw 2-7
11:00 EDT – Event 24-H: $1,050 Triple Draw 2-7

14:00 EDT – Event 25-L: $27 Stud Hi/Lo
14:00 EDT – Event 25-M: $215 Stud Hi/Lo
14:00 EDT – Event 25-H: $2,100 Stud Hi/Lo

17:00 EDT – Event 26-L: $27 NL Hold’em (6-Max SuperKnockout Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 26-M: $215 NL Hold’em (6-Max SuperKnockout Turbo)
17:00 EDT – Event 26-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em (6-Max SuperKnockout Turbo)

Wednesday, May 16
11:00 EDT – Event 27-L: $27 Razz
11:00 EDT – Event 27-M: $215 Razz
11:00 EDT – Event 27-H: $2,100 Razz

14:00 EDT – Event 28-L: $11 NL Hold’em (Big Antes w/ Rebuys)
14:00 EDT – Event 28-M: $109 NL Hold’em (Big Antes w/ Rebuys)
14:00 EDT – Event 28-H: $1,050 NL Hold’em (Big Antes w/ Rebuys)

Thursday, May 17
11:00 EDT – Event 29-L: $27 8-Game
11:00 EDT – Event 29-M: $215 8-Game
11:00 EDT – Event 29-H: $2,100 8-Game

14:00 EDT – Event 30-L: $7.50 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 EDT – Event 30-M: $82 PL Omaha Hi/Lo
14:00 EDT – Event 30-H: $700 PL Omaha Hi/Lo

Friday, May 18
11:00 EDT – Event 31-L: $27 NL Hold’em (1R1A)
11:00 EDT – Event 31-M: $215 NL Hold’em (1R1A)
11:00 EDT – Event 31-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em (1R1A)

14:00 EDT – Event 32-L: $55 FL Hold’em (6-Max)
14:00 EDT – Event 32-M: $530 FL Hold’em (6-Max)
14:00 EDT – Event 32-H: $5,200 FL Hold’em (6-Max)

17:00 EDT – Event 33-L: $27 NL Omaha Hi/Lo (10-Minute Levels)
17:00 EDT – Event 33-M: $215 NL Omaha Hi/Lo (10-Minute Levels)
17:00 EDT – Event 33-H: $2,100 NL Omaha Hi/Lo (10-Minute Levels)

Saturday, May 19
11:00 EDT – Event 34-L: $55 PL Omaha (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 34-M: $530 PL Omaha (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 34-H: $5,200 PL Omaha (6-Max)

14:00 EDT – Event 35-L: $27 H.O.R.S.E.
14:00 EDT – Event 35-M: $215 H.O.R.S.E.
14:00 EDT – Event 35-H: $2,100 H.O.R.S.E.

Sunday, May 20
11:00 EDT – Event 36-L: $27 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 36-M: $215 NL Hold’em (6-Max)
11:00 EDT – Event 36-H: $2,100 NL Hold’em (6-Max)

12:30 EDT – Event 37-L: $215 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)
12:30 EDT – Event 37-M: $2,100 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)
12:30 EDT – Event 37-H: $21,000 NL Hold’em (Heads-Up)

14:30 EDT – Event 38-L: $82 Main Event
14:30 EDT – Event 38-M: $700 Main Event
14:30 EDT – Event 38-H: $7,500 Main Event

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