The UKIPT is in Season 5 and visited "home" for the third time in its history this week - a special week for the island and PokerStars. It was ten years ago that the company decided to call the Isle of Man home and set up it's head office here. The two parties embraced each other's presence and have never looked back.

So the Day 1A number may be low at 111, of which 11 were re-entries, but the atmosphere, if it could be quantified, was record-breaking. Many residents from the island joined players and staff at 8pm for an amazing 3D light show that was projected onto the outside of the historic Villa Marina. The show will be repeated tomorrow at 8pm and 9pm, so be sure to catch it if you're around.

Polish players have become more of a force on the European poker circuit over the past couple of years and one leads the 32 that made it through to Day 2. Adrian Filiczkowski bagged up 247,600 after leading for all of the second half of the day. One of the biggest pots he won was when he eliminated Marc Hunter. The two made it to the river of a [jh][2s][jd][kh][6c] board where Filiczkowski over-bet the pot when setting Hunter all in. The latter called with big-slick but Filiczkowski open king-jack for a full house and raked in the 110,000-pot.

Notables and big stacks that will be chasing him on Day 2 include: Paren Arzoomanian (184,100), Phillip Corion (170,400), Martin Stuart (141,700), Dara O`Kearney (133,500), Scott Byron (113,900), Daragh Davey (88,100), Senh Ung (73,900), David Lappin (33,000) and Christin Maschmann (18,300).

PokerStars employee Chris Straghalis, a colourful character who likes to wear a card-themed shirt at the table, was one of the players who busted two bullets today but probably had the most fun while doing so. After busting the first time, he was allotted a seat right next to Chris Moneymaker and the two entered a lively battle that only was only ever going to see one winner.

The Team Pro got the best of the battle, largely thanks to his jack-four connecting with a flop (after a squeeze play) to beat out the employee. The fun-filled battle epitomised many similar battles that were popping up all over the room. David Lappin knocked out Miss Finland (Sara Chafak) and then claimed her crown and wrote an acceptance piece on Twitter. Maybe this island plays tricks with one's mind!

Moneymaker, Fatima Moreira de Melo, Luca Pagano and Jenifer Shahade were the four players representing the Red Spade today and half went home happy, half will try again tomorrow. Moneymaker's antics have been documented and he made it through with 188,700, alongside Moreira de Melo who bagged up 30,400. A few early wins - including a set-over-set hand - got her into early profit and she rode that wave before dropping back in the last level of the night.

Pagano was going well but he was forced to move all in with ten-deuce, after being reduced to fumes, and was taken out by UKIPT Season 4 Player of the Year Daragh Davey, who held ace-nine. The Italian will be back for another attempt tomorrow but that might be it for Shahade due to the Combined Chess & NL Holdem tournament taking place tomorrow at 6pm BST.

Other players we hope to see entering again tomorrow, along with Saxby, include: Simon Trumper, Deborah Worley-Roberts, Paul Newey, Marc Hunter, Johannes de Vries and Adam Owen.

Day 1B will start at 12pm BST where another twelve 45-minute levels will be played out. Join us back here then but for now, read back through the Day 1A action and peer at the overnight counts by clicking on the links below:

Levels 1-5
Levels 6-12
End of Day 1A chip counts

Photos are copyright of Mickey May. Her Viking ancestors conquered this island centuries ago (not really), so steal her pictures at your peril.