What an afternoon for Webb

UKIPT Birmingham moved throughout the gears today as 158 players entered the fray in the course of the second of 3 starting flights. The last two to take their seats were Igor Kurganov and Griffin Benger. Unfortunately for Kurganov he was also one of the vital last out, busting a couple of hands from the end, however the November Niner made it through with 70,100.

Benger got busy

Leading the way in which on the end of eight quick fire 45-minute levels was Nathan Webb who bagged up an excellent 159,200. The 35-year-old finance director from Worcester got his books within the black way to a flush over flush hand halfway in the course of the day. Another big pot on the death meant the Worcester based Dad of 1 pipped Caicai Huang to the chip lead. Huang finished seventh within the UKIPT4 London Main Event and can return with 134,900 tomorrow. She's handily placed as are: Colin Gillon (114,600), Claudio Cambianica (100,500) Mian Wei (97,700), David Gallagher (97,400) and Louis Salter (90,900).

Half day for Boeree

Liv Boeree was another player who took good thing about late registration, she took her seat during level five. The Team PokerStars Pro was almost out within the exact same level. She got her starting stack in with A♠7♠ on a 5♠3♠4♦ flop and had to hit against the pocket kings of Simon McGechie. She was a 60-40 favourite and the Poker gods smiled on her as a turned straight gave her a lock at the hand. She finished the day on 57,100 and completes a triumvirate of Red Spades who'll be in business on Day 2 as Chris Moneymaker and Jake Cody both advanced on Day 1A.

Other big names still within the mix for the overall UKIPT Main Event trophy are: Dom Kay (80,400), Eleanor Gudger (76,200), Neil Raine (63,400), Timothy Chung (59,000), David Docherty (49,500), Deborah Worley-Roberts (45,900), Mark McCluskey (45,600), Richie Lawlor (36,700), Kelly Saxby (26,600) and Richard Jones (25,100). You'll view full end of day chip counts here.

Notable for his or her absence on that list are Dara O'Kearney, Brett Angell and Ludovic Geilich but they will yet join the 84 players who made it through to Day 2. We are saying may, as a turbo Day 1C flight - for anyone who's bust Day 1A or 1B - starts at 10pm. Same structure but 20 minute levels as opposed to 45 minutes. Way to a tweet we all know that O'Kearney can be firing a second bullet and he might be joined by the 2 UKIPT champions.

They'll be no live coverage of that flight, but keep watch over the widget at the right hand side of the page (the ground of the page if using a mobile device) and the @PokerStarsBlog and @UKIPT twitter accounts and we'll post the Day 2 seat draw and complete Day 1 chip counts before play begins tomorrow at noon.

You can scroll right down to compensate for all today's action. See you tomorrow for moving day and the bubble. --NW

6:18pm: Final four handsLevel 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

The clock have been paused and they're going to be four more hands before play is completed for the day. --NW

6:08pm: Gillon's got a gallon nowLevel 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Colin Gillon's stack had dropped back a bit, but he just secured a double after a battle of blinds versus Tomasz Wrobel.

The action folded around to Gillon within the small blind and he completed. Wrobel raised to 2,500 within the big blind after which called after Gillon came back with a raise to 6,500. The flop fanned 3♥2♣T♠ and Gillon continued for 5,800. Call. Wrobel called another 10,200 at the K♠ turn after which faced an all-in bet worth 26,950 at the 9♠ river.

He called with A♣T♣ but Gillon had got there at the turn with K♦6♥ and scooped within the big pot to come back as regards to the chip leaders. -- MC

King Gillon

5:55pm: PokerStars memories, with Daragh DaveyLevel 8 - Blinds 400/800 (100 ante)

Daragh Davey told the blog he's very sad to overlook the last ever UKIPT before it's rebranded, but his partner is expecting a baby, so his priorities lie elsewhere for now.

There was a time when the Irishman never missed a stop. Not even that, there has been a time where he never missed a tournament at a stop. That dedication to playing all of the events helped secure him back-to-back Player of the Year titles in Season 4 and 5, for arguably the best achievement within the tour's history. Dara was kind enough to speak about this in his UKIPT memory:

Mr consistency

"My favourite memory is from EPT/UKIPT London 2014, the general stop of Season 4. Entering it am neck and neck with Max Silver and Tomaz Raniszewski for the player of the season leaderboard with a passport to all the next season because the prize.

"I was playing a £300 side event with a couple of days left within the two-week festival, have 2 cashes already and that i know if I make ninth place or better will probably be nearly impossible for the opposite two to catch me. We get all the way down to 10 handed and it looks like its taking forever! Finally someone busts and that i get out of my seat and celebrate with my friends. I very rarely celebrate in poker but that felt like 16 months of labor completed. That stop ended with Kevin Killeen coming 3rd within the EPT main event as well, which was another brilliant moment!"

5:45pm: Bish bash boshLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

A premium hand versus premium hand encounter where one player has fewer than 20 big blinds can be going to finish in a pre-flop all-in. That is what happened when Ali Zihni found ace-king and Mudasser Hussain aroused from sleep with aces.

The T♠2♠8♠6♦9♣ board kepy Hussain in front, he was all-in for just below 12,000. Zihni is all the way down to 35,000. --NW

5:35pm: Chip daddiesLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

With just over a degree left to play, listed below are one of the most big stacks within the room:

David Gallagher - 105,000Mian Wei - 91,000Louis Salter - 90,000Dominic Kay - 90,000Colin Gillon - 86,000Eleanor Gudger - 78,000Claudio Renzo Cambianica - 75,000Deivis Rinkevicius - 71,000--MC

5:25pm: Benger getting busyLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

It hasn't taken Griffin Benger long to get into the groove of this tournament. He opened to 1,300 from under-the-gun+1 and called after Neil Ryder had three-bet to 3,100 from the cutoff. The 2♣T♠K♥ flop checked through and the J♥ fell at the turn. Benger checked again after which called Ryder's bet of 4,000.

The A♦ fell on fifth street, both players checked and Benger showed down Q♥9♥ to win the hand. "THAT IS WHAT you get for slowplaying," said Ryder. After that hand Benger is as much as 41,000. --NW

Benger's building a stack

5:18pm: Easy game for GudgerLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

In an excellent world, we'd win every pot with no need to turn down, unless we've the nuts. We are not sure if Eleanor Gudger had the nuts in a hand that got her as much as around 90,000, but it's unlikely.

Pablo Lamas raised from the button and Gudger (small blind) and the large blind called to peer an A♦6♠7♥ flop appear. Lamas continued for 2,200 and only Gudger check-called to the A♠ turn where she called another 3,000. The board completed with the 3♠ and Gudger checked for a 3rd time. Lamas didn't bet, or check behind so far as lets see; he just mucked his hand and gave up the pot to his opponent. --MC

Gudger having an ideal day so far

5:02pm: Doh for DokeLevel 7 - Blinds 300/600 (75 ante)

Dara O'Kearney's had some good times and a few bad times at the UKIPT. Unfortunately for him his latest memory can be filed within the latter category.

Joining him at the rail are: Brett Angell, Paul Dando, Joshua Wooldridge, Ryan Plant, Dominic Burn, Michael Jones, Ludovic Geilich and Ishfaq Mohammed. --NW

Ludovic Geilich

4:46pm: Get out of hereLevel 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

The remaining players at the moment are on their second and final 15 minute break of the day. Late registration will close at first of level seven. --NW

4:45pm: Exit DawLevel 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Daniel Daw wished the table good luck and was on his way. A HANDY GUIDE A ROUGH post-mortem of the hand revealed that he'd got the last of his chips in with K♣Q♣ on a 8♣K♠T♠ flop. AN EVEN hand for sure, however it was up against a greater one as Noel Broadbent had pocket eights for a flopped set. The 2♠ turn left Daw drawing dead and the 4♦ completed the board.

After that hand Broadbent is as much as 70,000. --NW

4:40pm: Boeree lets one go at the riverLevel 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

"You got a suite of fours or fives?" Live Boeree asks David Wilkes after he moved all-in for 14,725 at the river. He shook his head.

The board read A♦5♥4♠7♥6♦ and there were a good amount of action that led as much as the purpose Wilkes made his final move.

He had opened to 1,200 from mid position and was called in a single spot before Boeree squeezed to 3,700 off the button. Both players called but only Wilkes hung around after Boeree c-bet the flop. The Team PokerStars Pro bet another 6,300 at the turn before she was check-raised as much as 15,000. She called and it's back to her deliberation at the river.

"Set of threes? Top set of aces?" Boeree continued to half ask. Wilkes kept shaking his head.

"I don't know the way you'll be able to have an ace in you hand," she declared before admitting defeat and folding. That dropped the Brit right down to around 40,000. --MC

4:30pm: Gudger going great gunsLevel 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

"Seat open table 13" was the cry, it was Eleanor Gudger who was stacking chips. She's had an ideal couple of levels and is now as much as 85,000.

It's not gone quite in addition for Jack Sambrook or Tom Hall as they're both out. --NW

4:25pm: Cold deck for CraigieLevel 6 - Blinds 250/500 (50 ante)

Kerryjane Craigie, takes care of all things poker on the Hippodrome Casino by day, but she's a median player in her own right and was playing today. I say was, because she's now perched in a seat at the sidelines as a result of a brutal bustout hand.

She had around 9,000 to start out the hand and raised it up from the small blind with pocket jacks. Robert Shiell was within the big blind, with king-queen, he moved all-in and Craigie snap called.

The 2-7-9 flop was safe, the jack turn even better because it reduced Shiell's outs to only the four remaining tens. But it's usually the river and a 10 popped out on fifth street to send Craigie to the rail. --NW

4:20pm: He is taking from the precise and offers to the leftLevel 5 - Blinds 300/600 (100 ante)

David Phelan managed a double up on one hand, then handed many of the gained chips over to David Docherty the very next hand.

He and Craig Wallace took to a 3♣Q♥Q♣ flop where the previous bet 6,000. He had around seven thousand back and was asked an issue for all of them. He called and opened A♦A♠, sooner than Wallace's J♣J♦. The board ran out 5♦4♥.

The very next hand saw David Docherty open to 900 and our two friends from the hand above call. The board rolled out Q♦6♣9♥8♠T♦ without a chips stepping into until the river where Phelan led for 1,500 from the massive blind. Docherty raised to 7,500 and opened K♦J♦ for the nut straight when called. Phlean flashed a jack and mucked. Docherty's stack grew to around 38,000. -- MC

DD looking good for an eighth place finish

4pm: Chip countsLevel 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Here's how one of the names and notables are fairing on Day 1B:

Name Chips

Steve Jelinek	57,500
Gary Clarke	55,400
Ben Morrison	54,000
Eleanor Gudger	53,000
Liv Boeree	50,000
Joseph Lalor	49,050
Timothy Chung	47,000
Dominic Kay	44,000
Ludovic Geilich	43,000
Neil Raine	38,000
Richie Lawlor	34,900
Caicai Huang	34,000
Luke Perrott	33,000
Kelly Saxby	30,325
Ronit Chamani	26,000
Tom Hall	25,800
Richard Jones	24,600
Carl Harris	24,300
David Clarkson	24,000
Ali Zihni	23,600
Louis Salter	23,500
Jeremy Wray	22,500
Michael Kane	20,075
Mark McCluskey	18,325
Deborah Worley-Roberts	18,000
Mark Wagstaff	17,000
David Docherty	14,975
Dara O'Kearney	14,325
Jack Sambrook	14,000
Kerryjane Craigie	9,875
Brett Angell	7,300

Chung's chipped up

Angell has work to do

3:55pm: Any two for McCluskeyLevel 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Mark McCluskey has cashed 3 times in UKIPT Main Events (including one final table) and a number of other side events. You do not do this by looking ahead to aces. He just won a pot off Michael Jones with the mighty four-three.

The latter raised to 1,100 from the hijack and the previous tank called within the big blind. The flop fanned 7♣2♣6♠ and Jones continued for 1,300. McCluskey check-called before both went directly to check the 4♥6♥ turn and river down.

McCluskey opened 4♣3♠ to overcome out Jones' A♣T♣. "What's he got?" asked Jones.

"A pair of fours.....with a 3 kicker!" answered a kinda helpful Joseph Lalor.

McCluskey moved as much as 22,000, whereas Jones dropped to 14,000. --MC

McCluskey massaging his stack

3:35pm: Nice turn of events for BoereeLevel 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Liv Boeree had barely had time to get her feet under the table before she was playing for all her chips. David Wilkes opened to 950 from middle position, Boeree smooth called from the button, just for Simon McGechie to three-bet to 2,600. Both Wilkes and Boeree called to create a corpulent pot of over 8,000.

On the 5♠3♠4♦ flop McGechie fired out a gamble of 5,000. Wilkes folded and stood up from the table where he informed the PokerStars Blog of the pre-flop action and whispered. "I folded jacks, I put him [McGechie] on a large pair."

Boeree bouncing

Boeree was debating what to do together with her ~22,000 chip stack and settled on raising all-in. There has been no insta call from McGechie but after around 20 seconds on deliberation he did call and showed K♠K♥.

He was ahead within the hand but Boeree had a monster draw with A♠7♠ and was actually a near 60-40 favourite to win the hand. The 6♥ turn made the EPT Sanremo winner a straight and the A♦ was an unnecessary river card. She doubles up then to around 50,000 while McGechie slips back to starting stack. --NW

3:23pm: Second half underway without...Level 5 - Blinds 200/400 (50 ante)

Four levels down and 4 more to head. The next never made it out of the changing room at half time:

Thales Salomao, Baljit Singh, Victor V. Ilyukhin, Krishna Nagaraju, Romaine Morin, Chris Gordon, Frederick Evans, Samy Salah, Khaneshkan Sriravindrah, Matthew Pierre and Victor Ilyukhin. -- MC

3:15pm: Webb flush with chipsLevel 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

I joined the action to look of venture of as much as 1,000 in front of Luke Haward. It was a single 1k chip so he'd raised it as much as anywhere between 600 and 1,000. I'd never discover the precise amount as Nathan Webb three-bet to 2,100 at the button and Haward smooth called.

The flop fell a monotone 3♠7♠2♠, it didn't kill the action though as Webb bet 2,625 and Haward called. The 6♠ turn saw the pattern of the hand continue, Webb bet 5,000 and Haward smooth called again.

The river was checked through, Webb opened A♣K♠ for a king high flush, while Haward held Q♠T♠ for a flopped flush which had then been outdrawn at the turn. Big hands, big pot. Webb as much as 36,000 and Haward all the way down to 11,800 in consequence. --NW

3:05pm: UKIPT memories, with floor person Kate BadurekLevel 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

We've heard from quite a lot of players so it was time to move behind the curtain with a key staff member, namely Kate Badurek who's one of the vital people working floor this week here in Birmingham.

"I used to deal at the EPT a few years ago before my services weren't required by an older regime. Then PokerStars restructured how they directed and managed events, including a fresh solution to hiring dealers and floor people. Toby Stone was given the job of Tournament Director for the UKIPT and gave me the danger to come again working with the company.

Formerly referred to as Kate the dealer

"I'll be forever grateful for that chance as engaged on the UKIPT, after which at the EPT again, has enabled me to broaden my skillset and gain the experience I WANTED to progress up the ranks to the role I'VE today.

"It's been an absolute pleasure engaged on this tour with all my amazing and talented colleagues, but this is not the tip. We'll all still be around as we move right into a new era with the PokerStars Festival and Championship events.

"So I DO NOT really have a particular memory to inform you I'm afraid, the memory of all of the journey is what's important to me, and that i stay up for it continuing."

2:45pm: Power poker from GillonLevel 4 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

It's rare within the early stages of a poker tournament that we get lucky enough to follow a large hand from begin to finish but I DISCOVERED a haystack and a needle at table 13 and settled in to look at a hand between Colin Gillon and Thomas Simm.

It was actually John Kitchen who got the action started, he raised to 725 from middle position, Simm three-bet to 1,900 at the button and action folded to Gillon, who was within the big blind. Think, dwell, then cold four-bet to 5,000 was the way it went, Kitchen couldn't stand the warmth and got out of there but Simm stuck around.

On the 5♠7♣5♣ flop Gillon bet 6,300 after which watched on as Simm went into the tank. With the exception of a few hard swallows Gillon wasn't giving much away and Simm elected to fold. He drops to 27,000 while Gillon rises to 38,000. --NW

2:40pm: Rees shows he's Jack the ladLevel 3 - Blinds 150/300 (25 ante)

Jonathan Rees' stack has grown to around 57,000 after he made an even call in a hand versus Mian Wei.

The Welshman was within the cutoff and facing a 3,500 bet at the turn with a board reading 2♦3♠8♦4♦. He made a rapid call after which faced another 6,000 bet at the K♣ river. He took his time on that street but eventually called with J♥J♠, beating out Wei's 4♠6♥ for a lowly pair of fours. --MC

2:15pm: Break timeLevel 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Three levels down and that implies the players has been sent on a fifteen minute break. --NW

2:05pm: One chance down, one to goLevel 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Not that many exits so far, but Chris Straghalis, John Ventre, Danish Ghandi and Tomasz Maciorowski are all out. They've the choice to go into the Day 1C turbo that gets underway at 10pm tonight though. --NW

Straghalis could also be back

1:55pm: It is a bit flash to three-bet GordonLevel 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

PokerStars Live on the Hippodrome ambassador Chris Gordon has just dipped below starting stack after he played two three-bet pots in a row. He was the only being three-bet, and he ended up winning one and losing one.

Ben Morrison, who came 11th on the UKIPT6 Super Series last month, was the primary player he tangled with. Gordon opened from the cutoff and called after Morrison three-bet from the large blind. The flop came 2♦7♥6♠ and Morrison continued for 2,100. Gordon called after which bet 3,100 at the 4♦ turn after he was checked to. Morrison folded and said, "Shouldn't mess with the pros, I DO KNOW that!"

"That's the primary hand he's lost!" said Gordon to the blog. Morrison dropped to 50,000, so he's probably right on that front.

Gordon within the action

Gordon raised to 525 the very next hand and was called by Samy Salah before Graham Parkin squeezed to 1,800 from the large blind. Only Gordon called to the 5♦6♥8♥ flop where both players checked. The board ran out 3♣Q♦ and Parkin checked to stand bets of 1,800 and 3,700. He called both times and opened A♣Q♥ to overcome out Gordon's A♦K♥. --MC

1:40pm: Bad call, good foldLevel 3 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)

Poker, a game of creating decisions under intense pressure with incomplete information. Sometimes you are making the precise ones, sometimes the inaccurate ones.

I picked up the action on table seven at the turn of a 3♦2♣6♦T♥ board to peer Craig Wallace betting 500 right into a pot of around 1,600, Tim Chung called, as did Richard Jones. The 9♦ completed the board and Wallace checked it to Chung. He bet 2,200, enough to eliminate Jones but not Wallace, who tanked for a minute or so before calling. Chung showed J♠T♠ and Wallace wore an exasperated expression which screamed "I knew it," and he showed pocket eights as Chung took the pot.

A short while later, on a unique table, a large pot had developed between Jonathan Rees and Zoltan Havacs. AN ENTIRE board of 6♦3♣4♣Q♠J♦ was at the felt and Rees bet 4,500. Havacs weighed up his decision before folding A♣Q♣ face-up. Rees tapped the table and was kind enough to turn 3♥3♠ as he took the pot. --NW

1:25pm: The poker chaosLevel 2 - Blinds 75/150

Small seemingly insignificant actions can dramatically alter the end result of a poker hand. A card flipping face-up say, meaning a player gets a unique second card. Or, relating to table three, the button being within the wrong position.

Ronit Chamani had raised it as much as 450 from under-the-gun+1 and been flat called by Joshua Wooldridge by the point Brett Angell realised he was within the cut-off and should've been at the button. The ground was called and as significant action had already occurred it was ruled the hand would play out, in place of being a misdeal.

Action was at the UKIPT4 London champion and he three-bet to 1,500 after which tongue in cheek said to the player on his left. "Look what you've done now!". It folded back to Chamani and both she and Wooldridge smooth called.

So three to a flop then, which fell 8♠A♠7♦, a chance of 2,000 from Angell was enough to get the job done and he cheekily said to the dealer: "So I AM GETTING the button twice in a row next orbit right?". Nice try Brett, you should not have even had the cards that won you the pot within the first place. --NW

1:15pm: UKIPT Memories, with Jamie BurlandLevel 2 - Blinds 75/150

UKIPT1 Brighton champion Jamie Burland was a central cog within the early days of the UKIPT. Yes, that was partly as a result of him becoming a Season 1 champion, but in addition so much to do with the way in which he (and his crew) embraced the tour and everything it stood for. Way to Jamie for sharing these nice memories and slightly video of his winning moment:

Jamie and the men (and girls)

"The UKIPT was a tour that was built on friendship. I'VE met a few of my dearest friends in poker over the felt and on the bars of a number of the stops through the years in this tour. The comradery between the players, the bloggers, the development organisers, the dealing and floor staff was tangible. For a very long time every stop felt as though it was an enormous group of like-minded people pulling within the same direction, seeking to muddle their way in the course of the weekend before returning home and starting work on plans to make it to the following one!

"I need to return to the times of Season 1 for a few of my favourite UKIPT memories. My poker travelling buddies, Kevin Williams and Owen Robinson caught the UKIPT bug within the first actual event. Owen got 4th place ordinarily Event for £21k and it was the shared experience of that deep run that I FEEL spurred us directly to continue attending every stop where possible for several years after that.

"We travelled to Vegas that summer and immediately on coming back from America, potless of course, we three travelled to UKIPT Brighton, a tournament I STOPPED up winning and a town I STOPPED up starting a family within the. comradery I described earlier can also be felt on this short clip of my winning moment, Kevin and Owen rushing to embrace me because the winning river card fell. Special times."

UKIPT - Brighton, Jamie Burland's winning moment

1pm: Tough to fold setsLevel 2 - Blinds 75/150

One wonders whether Ross Jarvis reads this blog. If he does, he'll have an interest to look that an old TV nemesis of his, Timothy Slater, was very unfortunate to become the primary player to bust to today after a collection over set cooler.

He, Dominic Kay and another player all took to a 9-T-5 flop where the fireworks went off. The third player within the hand had aces but managed to not get all his chips and that was an excellent job too as Slater had pocket nines for middle set and Kay had pocket tens for prime set!

The board ran out blank and Kay shook Slater's hand who then wandered off in a daze. That put Kay into an early chip lead with 70,000. -- MC

Kay will accept that

12:40pm: Roll up, roll upLevel 1 - Blinds 50/100

New tables are opening up as players continue to reach to take their seats on Day 1B, a lot of whom have history at the UKIPT. Like Jack Sambrook, he had the chip lead going into the general table of UKIPT3 Newcastle but nothing went right at the day and he finished seventh.

Another recent arrival is Dara O'Kearney. He's essentially the most successful online qualifier in UKIPT history, mopping up seats as his bread and butter. It hasn't always been as smooth within the live arena though as a chain of near misses from two tables out have peppered his UKIPT Main Event results sheet. He put that right last month when he finished second within the UKIPT Super Series.Another player who cashed in that event is Victor Ilyukhin, he's sharing a table with former Swindon Town chairman Jeremy Wray. We've also spotted Richard Jones, Joseph Lalor, Mark McCluskey, Mark Wagstaff, David Clarkson, Chris Gordon, Ben Morrison, Jonathan Rees, Chris Straghalis and Michael Kane. --NW

12:30pm: Poker circa 2007?Level 1 - Blinds 50/100

It's great to peer that some old faces have pop out of the poker woodwork to assist us see off the tour standard. We've already mentioned old friends akin to David Docherty but we've also seen Dominic Kay, Steve Jelinek and Gary Clarke - three central figures when poker began to boom within the UK and Ireland around nine-ten years ago.

Richie Lawlor had results going back eight years but he's more current after winning his first major title in Kerry a few weeks ago, in conjunction with a tidy €65,000.

He won a small pot off the blinds giving himself a steady nudge within the right direction. He raised preflop and bet 250 on a T♠2♠8♥ flop. Both opponents players folded. -- MC

12:15pm: A COUPLE OF familiar facesLevel 1 - Blinds 50/100

A stroll across the tournament floor has unearthed a couple of UKIPT stalwarts a few of the 70 or so players who've arrived for the outlet level.

Kerryjane Craigie - who's Head of PokerStars Live on the Hippodrome - is here. She had a deep run within the WSOP Employees event, getting all of the method to heads-up before just failing to win a bracelet. She's sharing a table with Kelly Saxby, who's a PS Live on the Hippodrome sponsored player. That may be awkward if she stacks the boss!

KJ's got her game face on

Elsewhere David Docherty, who's made two UKIPT Main Event final tables, is on the same table as Tim Chung. That table is currently playing five handed. We spotted Ludovic Geilich getting a drink from the bar, he'll probably be joining the fray shortly.

Neil Raine has 22 cashes at the UKIPT, including three side event wins. His deepest run in a major Event is 24th place at Cork in Season 3, how he'd like to win the overall UKIPT. A sentiment shared by everyone involved after all so it won't be easy. --NW

12pm: Shuffle up and dealLevel 1 - Blinds 50/100

Card are within the air. Only a reminder that eight 45-minute levels are scheduled for today, so play will end around 6:30pm.

11:50am: UKIPT Memories, featuring Vicky Coren-MitchellLevel 1 - Blinds 50/100

I remember the primary UKIPT event in England - it was in 2010, in Manchester. There has been a super atmosphere; at the Saturday night the casino was buzzing, there has been a live band, and half the Manchester United football team were playing a cash game in a corner of the cardboard room. I became determined to get into that game. I went to enroll in the group watching them, and weirdly, a few the footballers seemed interested to satisfy me (I FEEL they should have known more about poker than I DO KNOW about football.)

Twice an EPT champion

Now, it's important to needless to say we were already within the money within the tournament. I WILL NOT remember what number of people were left, 40 maybe. But I'm a professional! This was my bread and butter! The type of money available in a game filled with footballers paid thirty grand per week... and look at the long game if we got a standard school going... well, naturally I left my tournament chips at the table and went in to make friends. What the hell - I let my tournament stack dwindle down as I chatted and flirted with the sportsmen. Took me maybe an hour but eventually certainly one of them (I'd like to inform you his name but, as I say, they knew more about poker than I DO KNOW about football) said "Come on, it'd be fun to inform people we've played with you, sit and join in."

"Sure!" I said. "Let me just get some cash chips. How much are we in for?"

The answer: it was a Saturday night, they did not need to appear to be mugs, they were playing a fiver a head.

Meanwhile, the fellow who won the UKIPT got £60k. Marvellous."

11:30am: Welcome back to Birmingham for Day 1BLevel 1 - Blinds 50/100

Welcome back to the Genting Casino Star City for Day 1B of UKIPT6 Birmingham. After a comparatively quiet Day 1A, swarms of players are expected to descend at the cars room today. Players we all know needless to say a good way to here here include Team PokerStars Pro Liv Boeree, Igor Kurganov, Dara O'Kearney, Kelly Saxby, Richard Lawlor, Ali Zhini and Ludovic Geilich.

It promises to be a fun day, and a fun remainder of the weekend. Most are very aware that that is the last UKIPT before it's rebranded and are keen to look it off popular. As a part of the celebrations we're on reflection at favourite memories of the tour. Stay tuned for a super memory from Vicky Coren-Mitchell before cards go within the air at midday. --MC

Key UKIPT6 Birmingham information:

- 25,000 starting stack- Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they're going to be 8 of them. From Level 13 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.- Day 1B is today and there is also a turbo Day 1C at 10pm that may be only open to players who've busted on Day 1A or Day 1B.- The sector will then combine for the primary time on Saturday. We'll reach the cash and hopefully the overall table too. Sunday is where the magic happens and we play to a winner. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of champagne from the trophy (possibly).- Full UKIPT6 Birmingham schedule here.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT6 Birmingham: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: UKIPT]