12pm: Shuffle up and deal
The Day 1B show is on the road as cards are in the air! -- MC

11:45pm: Day 1B set to begin
Welcome back to the Villa Marina for Day 1B of the UKIPT Isle of Man. A total of (including re-entries) 111 entries took part on Day 1A and that number is expected to be eclipsed today. Adrian Filiczkowski ended yesterday as chip leader with 247,600, a high benchmark for those to aim at today.

Luca Pagano busted yesterday but he'll be trying agin today and joining fellow Team Pros Jake Cody and Liv Boeree, who'll be trying for the first time. We'll also be welcoming tour regulars Chris Gordon, Dan Stacey, Fintan Gavin, Neil Raine, Mike Panteli and London Hippodrome Poker Room manager Kerryjane Cragie.

A number of PokerStars staff will be in the field today, looking for office bragging rights as much as a nice Autmn windfall. Rick Dacey, who used to be a key contributor to this blog, will be hoping to continue the good form that got him all the way to the final table of the staff tournament yesterday.

Cards will be in the air at 12pm BST, so join us back here then.

UKIPT5 Isle of Man key facts:
- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 12 of them. From Day 2 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
- Day 1B takes place today, the field will then combine for the first time on Saturday, before (hopefully) playing down to a final table and then to a winner on Sunday. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of champagne from the trophy and jumping in the sea (possibly).
- This is re-entry event with players able to re-enter once per day.
- Full UKIPT5 Isle of Man schedule here.
- It's not all about the poker here in the Isle of Man there's an amazing 3D light show happening at the Villa Marina too.

Fancy playing a UKIPT? There are always plenty of online satellites, click here to get an account.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT5 Isle of Man: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May

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.

It's finally here!

The Red Spade Open is back and is bigger than ever.

This year the bounties on Team Pro members have doubled to $500...

Yes, $500!

With a buy-in of $55 you're getting almost 10x your money back if you knock out just one pro. With over 50 of us you're likely to run into one of us if make a deep run.

While it's exciting for you to try to snag my bounty, there will also be fun for me - playing a tournament with a massive bullseye on my head. Tournament poker is a lot more challenging when you know the other eight players at your table are fighting to see who can take all your chips first. I shouldn't have to worry about getting action on my aces! Please don't crack them - unless you want $500!

The Red Spade Open has come a long way since it debuted in 2011. Back then the Team Pro bounty was only $100.

I remember that tournament clearly, as it was the first major event I played as a member of Team Pro Online. I'd been a part of the team for less than a month and this was the perfect event to get my feet wet.

I also happened to be at a summer vacation house celebrating one of my good friend's 30th birthday.

I was so excited about the tournament that I convinced almost everyone staying at the house to play. There were near enough 10 of us who played, some with plenty of experience and others who made an account that day just to get a piece of the action.

It was an amazing day as we all sat outside on the house's big deck playing poker and drinking margaritas.

This year looks to be just as exciting, and I can't wait to see what type of fireworks go off as soon as I put a chip in the pot.

It is a great chance for you to play with, chat with and ruthlessly hunt down your favourite PokerStars Team Pros. Mark your calendar for Sunday October 4th at 15.00 EST to not miss out!

It doesn't matter if you're a full-time MTT grinder, or someone who plays just a few tournaments a year, the Red Spade Open is a must play for all PokerStars players.

11:55am: Let the home game begin
Hello and welcome to the UKIPT Isle of Man for PokerStars' unofficial home game. We've called the Isle of Man home for 10 years now and this is the UKIPT's third visit to the island. The last UKIPT Main Event was won by Josh Hart, who defeated a field of 402 and a tough final table that included Fintan Gavin, Ludovic Geilich and Thomas Ward. Last year's tournament though might be best remembered for PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg taking down the High Roller.

The first time the UKIPT touched down here was equally as memorable as we witnessed the start of Duncan McLellan's UKIPT story as he defeated Team PokerStars SportStar Fatima Moreira de Melo heads-up to claim the title.

With the addition of PokerStars staff members, who are allowed to play in this event, this stop of the UKIPT is always played with a smile and the atmosphere is more jovial than some other stops on the tour. Play is about to start here and the plan today is to play 12 levels which means play should finish around 22.45.

UKIPT5 Isle of Man key facts:
- 25,000 starting stack
- Blinds starting at 50/100 for 250 big blinds
- Levels are 45 minutes on Day 1 and they'll be 12 of them. From Day 2 onwards levels increase to 60 minutes.
- Day 1A is today, Day 1B takes place tomorrow, the field will then combine for the first time on Saturday, before (hopefully) playing down to a final table and then to a winner on Sunday. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of champagne from the trophy and jumping in the sea (possibly).
- This is re-entry event with players able to re-enter once per day.
- Full UKIPT5 Isle of Man schedule here.
- There's a live satellite to the Main Event tonight, it begins at 18.00 BST and the buy-in is £60+£5
- It's not all about the poker here in the Isle of Man there's an amazing 3D light show happening at the Villa Marina too.

Fancy playing a UKIPT? There are always plenty of online satellites, click here to get an account.

PokerStars Blog Reporting Team at UKIPT5 Isle of Man: Marc Convey and Nick Wright. Photos by Mickey May