UKIPT Galway, Day 1, level 7 to close of play

Updates from day 1, level 7 of UKIPT Galway, brought to you by Rick Dacey.

Level 7: blinds 200/400 (50)
It's the final level of the night and much like 80's pop-horror classic Gremlins this is where stacks can start multiplying in a shocking and horrifying way. Well, for everyone but the owner of the stack. Who will get nasty and who will play nice. The next hour will tell.

12.18am: The Channing charm
Well known UK pro Neil Channing has never been one to be quiet at the table and is chewing the hind legs off of a donkey. I won't mention who that donkey is because, well, that's a bit of a rubdown really, 'Of course, I had a good hand. Why would I bet without a good hand?'

12.25am: O'Mahoney is on a roll
Irishman Ray O'Mahoney is getting his oar well and truly stuck in. Not long after getting it in with a nuts hand O'Mahoney is firing bullets into pretty much anyone that plays a hand against him. After a long dwell up on a [2h] [3c] [9h] [ah] board Rob Taylor eventually, and painfully, folds. The day is nearing its end and some players are starting to sit snug while others are opening up. O'Mahoney is on close to 40,000.

1.10am: The curtains close for the night
The UKIPT Galway closes its tournament tables for the night for the very first time and as many players snake their way towards the bar and taxi rank - mainly the bar - the tournament officials are busily tagging and bagging chip stacks. The overnight chip leader will be annouced shortly...

1.31am: The official unofficial chip leaderboard is...
The tournament directors and his suited crew are meticulously checking the signed bags that have been ferried over by the dealers but I've managed to get a solid Top Ten before the offical counts are released.

Gavin O'Rourke - 104,000
Christpoher Brammer - 81,975
Jude Ainsworth - Team PokerStars Pro - 81,850
Kieran Walsh - 79,925
Reggie Corrigan - 76,150
Paul Hogan - 72,600
Alan Kelleher - 71,075
Mark Flanagan - 69,600
Anthony Rafter - 69,000
Michael 'BIGMICKG' Graydon - 64,825

2.05am: End of the line for some and just the beginning for 170 others
It's been a hectic day for some and a walk in the park for others. Flop quads against the nut full house? Thank you very much. That hand helped to propel Team PokerStars Pro Jude Ainsworth towards the chip lead and he sat there for some time with players such as Christopher Brammer and Kieran Walsh steadily building stacks at other tables across the Radisson's tournament floor.

But as is the way in tournament play at the end of a long day's grind, one player emerged from the middle of the field to claim an almighty chiplead and be the first player to break the 100k mark.

Gavin O'Rourke, a train driver from Portlaoise, Ireland, satellited in through a $11 rebuy for a total outlay of 'around $90' making even a bubble bursting cash a tasty ROI. O'Rourke has his full time job but plays poker as a second job, it sounds a lot like another former train driver turned poker player, WSOP finalist James Akenhead.

'Hopefully it's going to be another good run for the train drivers,' said O'Rourke. We'll find out in a few hours if the Irishman can continue to mix it with the big boys and or whether the likes of Ainsworth will tell him it's the end of line. Catch up with us for all the action tomorrow from 2pm.

All three Team PokerStars Pros are still in the running for the €125,000 first prize with John Duthie on 29,900, JP Kelly on 37,975 and Jude Ainsworth on 81,850