WSOP Europe / Editor / 25 September 2008 / Leave a comment

Event number two of the World Series of Poker Europe is well underway and the American contingent is doing very well for itself, not least by the man who is known as the 'Tiger Woods of Poker', writes Rob Eddy.

Phil Ivey is arguably the best player in the world at the moment and is a regular winner in the biggest cash games around the world.

His record in tournaments is not too shabby either and he has already won five WSOP gold bracelets already, with three coming in his finest year of 2002.

However, it is worth noting that none of his bracelets have been won in any kind of Hold'em or indeed H.O.R.S.E. event, but he is a formidable opponent for anyone who dares to cross him across the felt.

'No Home Jerome' has managed to manoeuvre himself into a pretty good position in the £2,500 H.O.R.S.E. event at the WSOPE at the Casino at The Empire as he looks for his first piece of wrist candy this year.

He famously lost a fair bit of money on prop bets at the WSOP in Las Vegas over who was going to win the most gold bracelets against Daniel Negreanu, but as it turned out he was shooting blanks in Sin City.

But he is in a good position in London and, of course, still has two further tournaments, including the Main Event, to land his first bit of gold this year.

He is in good company as well as 'The Professor' of Poker, Howard Lederer, is handily placed near the top of the chip stacks, and is looking good to add to his tally of two gold bracelets.

Lederer is highly regarded in the poker world and perhaps should have won more than the brace of bracelets that he is acquired so far.

Phil Hellmuth, the Poker Brat himself, is also in a strong position in event two and could well land his first piece of coveted jewellery in an event that isn't Texas Hold'em.

Even though he has won a record 11 bracelets, including a Main Event win in 1989, Hellmuth has only ever triumphed in Hold'em tournaments but is well placed to increase his benchmark.

Whichever way you look at it, with two events to come, the American challenge certainly looks a stronger proposition than it was 12 months ago.