In Fifty, LCIs swankiest venue, a hop and a skip from the world-famous Ritz in St. James St, the pillared restaurant has been converted into a cardroom for the WSOPE.  The brass and burgundy-cushioned lift takes you up to the 2nd floor and, as has been the case for the whole WSOPE so far, an intimate room is rammed to the gills with famous poker players, each having bought in for £10,000 in the flagship main event.  

It's Day 1B today, where the remaining players will fight it out, and in keeping with the event so far, names are dropping by the wayside.  Barely has the action started and John Duthie is eliminated.  Short-stacked, he moves all-in with a top pair 9s vs jacks, which fail to improve.  His post-tragedy interview is almost drowned out by Irishman Andy Black's banter from the end of the room.  News soon filters through from The Empire that legend Doyle Brunson is also gone in the 1st level,  when his trip 4s are beaten by a straight on the turn.  

Dario Alioto, winner of the £5000 Omaha event late on Sunday is sharing a table with Vanessa Rousso, Patrik Antononius and countryman Juha Helppi swap Finnish jokes in the bar and Johnny Chan quietly builds up his stack.  

Over at The Sportsman today it's the battle of the Englishmen as Mark Teltscher, Willy Tann, Neil Channing, Barney Boatman, Ian Frazer and Mark Goodwin all do battle, while at The Empire, the Americans are fighting it out.  In action on Tuesday are 2006 WSOP champ Jamie Gold, Howard Lederer, Phil Gordon, Scott Fischmann and Jimmy Fricke.  Even Daniel Negreanu has made up the numbers.