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10:55am: Get in cheap
Level 2: Blinds 75-150

The €1,100 buy in for this UKIPT may look small when you consider the levels of some of the tournament buy ins throughout the EPT Dublin Poker Festival, but it's still a considerable about of money to many. When money was tight as a student, many of us compared the cost of everything to a pint of beer ("I'm not paying that, I could drink four beers for that!". Apparently, a pint of Guinness in Temple Bar will set you back €5.50, which means you could drink 200 pints for the cost of an entry ticket.

Never fear though as you can always qualify via a live satellite here at the RDS in Dublin. As written below they are scheduled for today at 16.00 GMT and 21.30 GMT. The same tournaments yesterday generated 27 seats between them but today's are expected to generate many more. Get involved and come and join the fun on the cheap. -- MC

10:40am: Taking the Risk of turning up early
Level 1: Blinds 50-100

One of the 110 players who've taken their seats during the opening level is two-time UKIPT champion Nick Abou Risk. He used to work for Full Tilt and is seated at the same table as PokerStars Staff Member Christin Maschmann.

"I haven't got up this early in forever," said Abou Risk when we passed by his table. -- NW

10:20am: Well done to 90 of you!
Level 1: Blinds 50-100

As was mentioned in the opening post, the UKIPT has a pre-dawn start time today. Okay, maybe that's not quite true but us poker folk barely know that 10am exists, or if we do, it's only witnessed with our own eyes when making a mad dash to make a hotel breakfast on tour.

Therefore, congratulations to the 90-odd players that actually made it to the RDS for the start of play today. Specifically (because we recognise who they are) well done to PokerStars staff member Christin Maschmann; local Irish poker star Andy Black; former EPT player of the year Fernando Brito; former UKIPT London finalist Rasmus Agerskov and Dan Carter. -- MC

Andy Black - already looking to the Poker Gods for answers

09:50am: Top o' the mornin' to ya
Good morning! It's a brisk sunny winter's day here in Dublin and an earlier start than usual on the UKIPT. For most folk 10am would be considered a late start but in the world of poker 10am is positively the crack of dawn.

The UKIPT Main Event is the first of the big events in the 67 tournament schedule that makes up the UKIPT/EPT Dublin festival that runs until the 20th February. Whilst the EPT last touched down in Dublin in October 2007, the UKIPT has been heading to Dublin on the regular and was last here at the end of February 2015.

There have been some memorable final tables in Dublin, Max Silver obliterated the final table competition in four hours, Joeri Zandvliet won his second UKIPT title here and last year we had, perhaps, the most memorable UKIPT final table of all time.

In the red corner was Max Silver, he just loves playing in Dublin on the UKIPT, one win and a fourth prior to last year and he was chasing his second UKIPT title in his home city, a win that would put him in exalted company.

Killeen's friends carried him to victory

In the blue corner was Kevin Killeen, one of the bright young things of Irish poker and a tour regular who'd not had a big result on the UKIPT...yet. Backed by a vociferous rail, who were all dressed in onesies, they sung their man to victory: "We don't take silver we only take gold," was the chant that lives long in the memory.

Over the next six days we're hopeful this edition of UKIPT Dublin will more than match those that have gone before.

Key UKIPT5 Dublin 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 Friday. We'll reach the money during the 10 levels of play on Day 2 and then play down to a final table on Saturday. Sunday is a rest day, and then on Monday the final table will play out on the TV table on EPTLive with cards-up coverage and bring Season 5 of the UKIPT to a close. Cue mad celebrations and swigging of champagne from the trophy (possibly).
- Full UKIPT5 Dublin schedule here.
- There's a boat load of other events today including a €5,000 (!) Hold'em event and two live satellites to the Main Event tonight. Those satellites start at 16.00 GMT and 21.30 GMT.
- It's not all about the poker here in Dublin. There are plenty of #StarsFun activities including Dodgeball Trampolining. Yes, you read that right Dodgeball Trampolining.

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

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