* CLICK TO REFRESH FOR LATEST UPDATES
* CLICK FOR LATEST CHIP COUNTS
* Follow the UKIPT final table
* Follow the single-day high roller

1:25pm: The Scandinavian connection
Level 2 - Blinds: 75-150

Ireland's position in the EU accounts for a healthy contingent of Scandinavian players here in Dublin. Many of the tax issues they face when travelling the globe are not so complex inside this zone.

It means that on a table only a short step from media row, Sweden's Simon Persson sits beside Kim Wittendorff, of Denmark. And a few tables over, Norway's Johnny Lodden is opposite another Swede, Anton Bertilsson, whose festival is already €176,640 to the good.

Luc Greenwood and Casey Kastle are also on that table, but no one will be surprised to learn that it's Lodden making the early running.

After Greenwood opened from early position, making it 300 to play, Lodden unloaded 1,025 from the small blind and took the small pot with a minimum of fuss. He had to work a little harder on the next hand, against Sandrine Zeitoun, but he won it nonetheless.

This time action folded to Lodden on the button and he raised to 300. Zeitoun called from the big blind and the two took to the flop of [4d][qh][js]. Zeitoun checked, Lodden bet 400 and Zeitoun called.

The turn came [kh] and Zeitoun checked again. Lodden bet again, this time 900, and Zeitoun called. That took them to the [qs] on the river. For a third time, Zeitoun checked. For a third time, Lodden bet. He made it 2,100 this time.

For a first and only time, Zeitoun folded. -- HS

1:15pm: Modest gains and modest losses
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

You might think moving all-in would be rare with two minutes left on the first level of play, but it does happen. Such as in the case of Derek Chisholm, who with the board dealt, and a pot to be one, went nuclear. It worked. A modest gain that amused some players at the table. But a win is a win.

Elsewhere Jen Shahade dropped to around 24,000 after a hand against Alberto Garcia of Spain.

With the board dealt [5c][tc][2h][8h][th] Garcia bet 1,400 which Shahade called. She mucked after Garcia showed [jh][td]. For his part Garcia is up to around 42,000. - SB

1:05pm: Welcome Wigg
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

The table that already features Ari Engel, Dietrich Fast, Steven Watts and Iliodoros Kamatakis now also seats Anton Wigg. It's not getting any easier.

It's a conversation-filled table too, both among its participants and further afield. Fast was chatting away to a friend on the rail when action folded to Wigg in the hijack and he bet 300. It got to Fast in the big blind and he folded too, tossing his 100 big blind theatrically in Wigg's direction.

"I take advantage when you are talking to a woman," Wigg said.

The on-table conversation is being led by Engel. He seems to be discussing his recent huge score at the Aussie Millions, where he prevailed from a 732-strong field to win AUD $1.6 million.

The specifics of the conversation seems to be the heads up duel he had with Tony Dunst, and Engel's attempts to make a deal. It's fascinating. You should hear it. (But you'll need to buy in and sit down at that tough table first.)
-- HS

12:55pm: Ivanov forced a Vamplew fold
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

As you'd expect, there are no earth moving hands played in these early stages. Among those folding early hands of little note either before or on the flop are Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Andy Black, Jen Shahade, Eugene Katchalov and Kitty Kuo.

Meanwhile David Vamplew did at least get to the river.

Stefan Ivanov opened from under the gun for 300. The action was folded around to Vamplew in the big blind who called for a flop of [jc][ks][4s]. A check from Vamplew and another 550 from Ivanov, which Vamplew called.

On the [6h] turn card both players checked for a [qc] on the river. Vamplew bet out his time, making it 1,000. Ivanov paused, much like a player about to fold. But he didn't. Instead he lumped in 4,200. Vamplew wasted little time folding. - SB

12:45pm: Oops
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

Serdar Demiroglu stood up, put his sweater on and seemed irked that the dealer would not allow him to leave. It seemed for all the world as though he was the first elimination of the day.

Here's why: he opened from the button and ignited a raising war with Breixo Gonzales, one seat to his left. When I arrived, Demiroglu had 5,100 in front of him, Gonzales had 12,500 out and then Demiroglu shoved. Gonzales called.

Demiroglu knew this was bad news as he turned over his [ac][kc]. Gonzales showed [as][ah]. The board didn't help. It came [4h][7d][jc][jh][9s].

Demiroglu got up and prepared to leave, but the dealer wasn't convinced that this was terminal just yet. He counted down the stacks and Demiroglu actually had 150 more than his neighbour.

So as Gonzales was stacking a chip-leading stack (early days, early days), Demiroglu was pondering what to do with his 1.5 big blinds. -- HS

12:40pm: A taste of what is/might be to come
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

Dara O'Kearney has Jennifer Shahade for company this afternoon. He's on the button when she's in the big blind and they may tangle plenty this afternoon. This hand is a small hors d'oeuvre: O'Kearney opened his button, making it 300 to play and Shahade defended.

The flop fell [9d][jd][2s] and Shahade checked. O'Kearney continued, betting 400, and Shahade called. That took them to the [2h] turn. Check, check. And the checking continued after the [9c] river.

O'Kearney opened [ad][kd] and Shahade mucked. -- HS

12:20pm: A busier day
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

A quick glance across the room finds Jake Cody, Antoine Saout, Andre Akkari and ElkY also already among today's crowd. Liv Boeree, Jen Shahade, Lex Veldhuis, Theo Jorgensen, George Danzer and Jaime Staples are also expected. -- HS

12:10pm: No messing
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

There's a tough-looking table only a matter of steps inside the main entrance to the tournament room today, around which we find Ari Engel, Dietrich Fast and Steven Watts.

Iliodoros Kamatakis is also there. He's the man presently sitting eighth on the all-time Greek money list and a regular on the EPT. If Fast didn't know much about him before today, he has had an early introduction with what is likely the first five bet of the day.

Fast opened to 250 from the cutoff and Kamatakis raised to 750 from the button. Fast was prepared to invest more, making a four-bet of 2,100, but it didn't get rid of Kamatakis. He five-bet to 6,000.

Perhaps accepting this to be a possibility, Fast immediately put a contingency plan into action: snap folding and waiting for another hand. -- HS

12pm: Among others...
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

Our confirmed list of players today includes the following:

Mickey Petersen, Johnny Lodden, Eugene Katchalov, Anton Bertilsson, Ari Engel, Fabian Ortiz, Dietrich Fast, Gavin O'Rouke, Dara O'Kearney, Per Linde, Alexander Ivarsson, Thomas Butzhammer, David Lappin, Dominik Panka, Felipe Ramos, Ognyan Dimov and Slaven Popov.

When they actually turn up and start playing is anyone's guess, but they are among those on the early list expected to the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) headquarters this morning to get this show on the road. -- HS

11:55am: Readying for the deluge
Level 1 - Blinds: 50-100

Want to know what a busy day looks like on the European Poker Tour? Your answer is: today. Not only is it Day 1B of the €5,300 EPT Main Event, but also the final table of the UKIPT Main Event and the €10,000 Single-Day High Roller. We are stretched to breaking point.

You're in the right place here for the beginning of the EPT Main Event, but click thorough the scattered links for all that other fun. And it should be a good one: eight 75-minute levels for us, taking us through beyond midnight. Find some coffee and stick with us. -- HS

Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for the rest of the season.

Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

PokerStars Blog reporting team on the EPT12 Dublin Main Event: Stephen Bartley and Howard Swains. Back together again. Lanky and ginger, as you'll maybe know us. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.