British Take Over the Algarve

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The manager of the Mughal Clay Indian restaurant in the marina is very sad today, because tomorrow we will be gone. Eight players remain of the 384 who started, and before this day is out and the EPT paraphernalia dismantled and shipped to London for the next one, we will have ourselves a brand new champion.

Britain proved itself a poker nation to be reckoned with last season, boasting two winners in the shape of Jake Cody (Deauvilel) and Liv Boeree (San Remo), and as we head into this final table, the British contingent is quite simply dominating.

WSOP $5,000 NLH runner up Sam Trickett and Toby "810ofclubs" Lewis spent much of yesterday taking turns at being the chip leader, and right now there is almost nothing in it - Lewis leads by just 4,000 chips, or two antes. Between them, they have around 60% of the chips in play.

In third place, in possession of a further 15% of the chips, there is a third Brit. Former English international footballer and Friend of PokerStars Teddy Sheringham is proving that he is as dangerous at the poker table as he is on the football pitch, and is in with a real shot at adding an EPT title to his trophy cabinet.

But while most of the chips are in the hands of the UK, this is not a done deal for anyone. Bringing up the rear with around 11 big blinds is the only finalist who knows what it's like to win one of these things, Rob Hollink. Hollink is the sole remaining representative of the Netherlands after Erik van den Berg and his orange woolly hat busted out in ninth place yesterday afternoon. He won the EPT Grand Final back in 2005 and became the first Dutchman ever to win a WSOP bracelet in 2008, and coming fresh off of two final tables at this year's WSOP, Hollink is clearly on form. If he can find an early double up, he could well become the first person ever to win a second EPT title.

Also still in the mix are American online pro Jason “JaspudUF" Lee, EPT Budapest finalist Martin Jacobson and Frederik Jensen who came third in the €5,000 NLH side event at last season's EPT Grand Final.

Yesterday's play went faster than an open bag of Haribo in the press room, and if we up that pace today, it could all be over very quickly. Play is due to start at noon GMT+1, so don't go anywhere.

All player profiles courtesy of PokerStars.