Pro Heavy UKIPT Nottingham Rumbles On, Panzica’s WSOP Ban

UKIPT Nottingham Growing Steadily

175 players took to the felt in Nottingham yesterday for the opening day of UKIPT £1 million Main Event.

Billed as one of the festival’s biggest tournaments of the year, UKIPT Nottingham saw the likes of Ben Vinson, Max Silver, Jake Cody and Tom Middleton all in action on Day 1A.

However, while the aforementioned pros managed to make it though the session, none of them were able to catch Mauricio Baez. The Spaniard made the journey from Madrid in order to play the £1,100 Main Event and after a day of grinding he’d accumulated a stack worth 184,800.

That haul was enough to put him ahead of Ben Vinson (180,100), Alexander Spencer (171,900) and Vasile Casmin Stancu (153,400).

Following yesterday’s action Day 1B kicked off earlier and at the time of writing more than 150 players have taken to the felt and currently riding his is some of the UK’s top grinders including Simon Hemsworth, James Mitchell, Dermot Blaine and EPT Grand Final 2014 runner-up Jack Salter.

Today’s session will see 10 levels played before the players break ahead of Day 1C which takes place on Friday.

For live updates from Day 1B, check out PokerStars live updates.

A Warning to WSOP Railbirds

This year’s World Series of Poker looks set to be one of the best ever but if you’re planning to Vegas you’d better make sure you’re on your best behaviour.

While the support from fans of the game has increased in recent years, so too has their level of enthusiasm to the point where the Rio’s security staff have been working overtime.

Indeed, one player who felt the wrath of the casino’s enforcers in 2013 was friend of Ryan Riess, Sam Panzica.

According to reports from Twitter, Panzica was given a lifetime ban from all Caesars Entertainment properties after a verbal and physical altercation with another spectator.

After been escorted from the property Panzica was told not to return and despite his appeals it looks as though he won’t be able to attend the WSOP this year.

Despite writing a letter to the head of the casino’s security team, Mr. Thomas Flynn, is “not willing to lift” Panzica’s ban which means he’ll have to watch Mr. Riess defend his Main Event title from his computer.