Our trip to Las Vegas for the WSOP is almost coming to a close in these final hours. I was going to write a blog for you summarising all the different experiences we wrote about throughout the past few days but I just saw Ross’s second last post and I’m afraid I cannot beat that. It says it all (see third post below - you tube coverage of our trip to vegas).

I hope you enjoyed our coverage as much as we enjoyed Las Vegas. Roll on the Irish Open 2008 (who needs vegas when you’ve got Dublin [I’m sure I have a glitter ball somewhere at home we can use at the Open]!)

I will leave you with my most memorable moment here in Vegas!! lol

Its the 4th and final day 1 of the main event today and again the numbers of players taking part are exceeding those of the previous day with approx 1600 partaking today. The Mega satellites have been on for the past 4 days also and have been full to the hilt with hopefully players trying to qualify for the biggest poker event in the world.

Today we see Padraig Parkinson and Scott Grey sit down to try battle it out for the bracelet and the most prestigous title in poker. Both Padraig and Scott are very relaxed and looking forward to todays action. The very best of luck to you both!

Last night the PPP team had a few drinks with Roland De Wolfe. Roland unfortunately is not involved in the main event as he went out towards the end of day 1b but that doesn’t seem to phase De Wolfe as he had a super win in a Baccarat freeroll in the Wynns Casino yesterday evening.

He’s so in love with me!

So much so he asked me for my autograph and a kiss!

EDITORS NOTE: Well Orla what can I say! Congratulations

While all the players are still at the tables and spectators stand in queues we thought you might like to see whats going on around the Rio!

The queues for spectators trying to get into the main hall to see the action today:

The PPP team about to commence another day of work spreading the word about the Irish Open:

Willie Tan comes to visit (apparently it was more fun with us than in the special VIP room that another big online poker site had!

Padraig Parkinson comes along to say hello - he’s very relaxed and is playing tomorrow:

Scott and Padraig (and Mike!) can’t believe us PPP people do actually work! They both can’t wait for the Irish Open 2008!

Over 1500 players sat day on day 1b of the main event.

The Standings:

Chip Leader – Dag Martin Mikkelson is on 236,000. John Duthie is just behind him in 10 with 151,300. Donnacha O’Dea is the highest chip leader amongst the Irish Players from yesterday with 82,600 and George McKeever isn’t too far behind Donnacha with 77,600. Donnacha’s son Eoghan is still in with 58,000.

Thomas Finneran (the paddy last winner at the Irish Open this year) is also still in with 38,900. Joe Hachem is also on the list with 35,300. Alan Smurfit who won a bracelet already this year is on 20,700.

Irish Standings 07-07-07:

Donnacha O’Dea – 82,600
George McKeever – 77,600
Eoghan O’ Dea – 58,000
Shane Quigley – 62,500
Kevin Hayes – 61,300
John Conroy – 43,800
Thomas Finneran – 38,900
Brion Collins – 37,200
Derek Thorpe – 36,500
Alan Trufick – 33,700
Nicholas Cunnane – 26,800
Alan Smurfit – 20,700

With day 1b about to start the action is heating up. There are 450 players remaining from day 1 a of the main event. Chip Leader is French man Tinten Oliver.

Our Irish Man Andy Black was doing very well all day yesterday being one of the top chip leaders with two hours to go but unfortunately all went down hill for Andy towards close of play yesterday when he lost 68,000 in chips in two hands and is out of the WSOP main event. Roy the Boy went out just before dinner and Mickey Warnick won’t be returning either.

On a positive note The Irish Poker Open 2007 champion Marty Smith is still in the game and so too is John McGill. Other familiar European names that are still in are Willie Tan and Julian Gardner.

Our paddypowerpoker.com online qualifiers are all playing today. Reggie Corrigan stopped by to say hi to the PPP team. He is relaxed and really looking forward to taking part - ever the professional, he has his strategy worked out and is raring to go! Good luck to all the paddypowerpoker.com online qualifiers.

When a girl needs the loo, she needs it quickly and what a time to go when 1250 players are taking a break from day1a. What usually takes 2 minutes to get to the nearest toilet, took me over 15 minutes as I waded my way through the see of testosterone in the corridors.

Familiar names playing today include The Devilfish, Mickey Warnick, Andy Black and our very own Irish Poker Open 2007 champion, Marty Smith. Marty came over to the PPP team on his break to say hello. He’s in good form and is holding up well at the table so far. Good luck Marty!

Tune in tomorrow to get an update on how the guys above get on in the WSOP main event day 1a.

Yesterday we saw massive queues for registration. Today there are queues for spectators??? I mean come on, this place is massive surely they should have realised that alot of spectators wanted to see the biggest poker tournament in the world?

So whats going on? The Megas satellites are still playing off and will come to a close pretty soon. There are 1250 players taking part in day 1a of the main event with registrations still open. Last nights charity event ($5,000) was a great success with alot of money raised for charities dealing with humanitarian crisis in Darfur and Erik Seidel won a braclet no. 8 in the $5,000 2-7 single draw low ball.

But its all about the main event today and the atmosphere is really kicking off with show girls dancing around corridors and stages, calls for registrations, energy soft drinks been given out to players and the massage people are really getting to work preparing the players for the main event (they themselves will most likely will need a massage by the end of their shifts!).

So who’s going to win the title, the bracelet and not forgetting the money? Place your bets at www.paddypower.com

Its 8.30am on the first day of the main event here in Las Vegas and there is a tension in the air across this city. Maybe its the 10,000 nerves being expressed from Poker Players or maybe its the fact that there was apparently 6 gun shots fired in the New York New York last night or maybe it is just the heat?

Apparently 7/7/7 is the luckiest day in vegas to get married so I think I better stay away from the alcohol today - I can’t be doing a Britney Spears!

Tune in, in less than 3 hours to get the latest on yesterdays Mega Turbo Super Duper Satellites and the atmosphere of Day 1a of the main event.

With huge queues and delayed action to report I thought why not keep you entertained by telling you about the best mile high poker tournament around! In advance of our arrival to Vegas and having an 11 hour flight ahead of us, team PPP brought along some of our fabulous and popular paddypowerpoker.com professional poker cards to play some holdem on the flight. Unfortunately we forgot the chips. Ever the creative power house we bought a packet of jellys to use instead! Pretty sticky play was to unfold!

Event 1: The Pokerhontus Poker Invitational (PPI)

$10 no limit texas holdem

Buy in: $10 Reg Fee: 1 jelly No. of Players: 3 Location: 36,000 feet above sea level

Blind Structure: $25 - $50 (and when I knocked Ross out we doubled the blinds!) Tournament Rules: Don’t eat the jelly’s they’re supposed to be chips! Winner: Orla “Cock” Roche (*all information is copyright of The MHPT)

Event 2: The Handlebar Mustache Poker Open (HMPO)

$10 Omaha Buy in: $10 Reg Fee: 1 jelly

No. of Players: 3 Location: 36,000 feet above sea level Blind Structure: $25 - $50 (blinds doubled when I knocked Ross out AGAIN!) Tournament Rules: Don’t eat the jelly’s they’re supposed to be chips!

Winner: Paul “the clown” O’Reilly (*all information is copyright of The MHPT) Event 3: The Ross O’ Mullane Sulking Poker Tour (ROMSPT) Ross never got to take any title so we invented a new tournament just to keep him happy. Unfortunately this tournament had to be cancelled due to lack of entrants.

EDITORS NOTE: Clearly this post is a complete nonsence as none of the photo’s above relay the game of Hold’em being played. Orla you do know you only get two hole cards in Holdem don’t you????

Eh? Who edited my post? Cheeky. Just coz I’m a girl I do undertand how many cards I need (12 isn’t it??) That picture was supposed to show my cash winnings - because we had no cash coz we spent it all on booze we had to use the cards - Creative power house all the way!!!