Pagano was a computer programming student before taking up poker and didn’t have much of a bankroll – so he started with play money on PokerStars.com. One day, the man with a mind for computers and stock market trading decided he had honed his skills well enough to play with real money.

In the few years that have passed since that fateful decision, Pagano has done what most people can only dream. While the exact number is not one he's willing to disclose, Pagano has amassed online poker winnings that can be described in two words: "A lot."

Pagano is also a perfect picture of how online poker success can translate to brick and mortar poker abilities. Since starting to play live poker tournaments, Pagano has put together thousands upon thousands of dollars in winnings.

Among his many achievements in the past few years, Pagano has cashed in nine European Poker Tour events (a record), and made two final table appearances. It’s the second event in a row with an Italian Team PokerStars Pro at the final table after Dario Minieri came 3rd in san Remo two weeks ago.

Michael has been playing poker for four years and turned pro in January 2007 after graduating in English from Penn State. Originally an athlete – he played college hockey for 2 years – he took up poker at the end of a hockey season and never looked back. He said, “I got into it like everyone else – watching Chris Moneymaker at the WSOP.

I started playing on Christmas Day and from then on, combined poker with my studies. His biggest result so far was coming 2nd to Trond Erik Eidsvig at the Master Classics of Poker in Amsterdam in November. Although cash games are Michael’s bread-and-butter, he is now getting more into live tournaments. “My parents had different opinions about it all.

My dad wasn’t keen on me turning pro at all but my Mum was an enabler. She lent me my first $100 to play online with and when i made my first $1,000, I asked her if i should cash out and she said no!” Michael was virtual bubble boy at last year’s EPT Grand Final – 66th place, just two off the money.

Budapest, Hungary - 1,119,000 chips

Dénes Kaló was born and lives in Budapest, Hungary. He works as the sales manager of a broker company and has been playing poker for three years with increasingly good results. He came second in the 2006 EPM Vienna for €50,440 and then came 2nd at EPT Baden last October for €375,000.

Outside of poker, Denes is a sailing enthusiast. His wife Melinda was here at the weekend but has had to go back to work – she’s a model. He said, “She’s been watching EPTLive and supporting me from home.”

Over the next few updates we'll be introducing you to today's final table players, courtesy of the bios assembled by PokerStars media-guru Mad Harper.

The beautiful, and Canadian, Kara Scott has filmed this episode's introduction along with fellow host James Hartigan. The players are expected to make their way to the table soon but for now satisfy yourself with their official seats and counts.

Seat 1	Denes Kalo	$1,119,000
Seat 2	Michael Martin	$1,396,000
Seat 3	Luca Pagano	$688,000
Seat 4	Valeriy Ilikyan	$1,396,000
Seat 5	Antonio Esfandiari	$501,000
Seat 6	Maxime Villemure	$1,206,000
Seat 7	Glen Chorny	$3,613,000
Seat 8	Isaac Baron	$2,853,000

We've reached the final eight here in Monte Carlo, necessitating the move to the televised final table. The players have a ridiculous amount of chips which means the move could take some time, what with the racking and the carrying. We'll have revised chip counts as well as some bit-size bios of these players for you in a moment. Until then, check out one of the best videos we've seen in a long time, brought to you by our good friends over at SikTilt.com.

Live by the sword; Die by the sword. That's an adage that Henrik Gwinner will have to accept as he has just been eliminated, a result of his reckless play. Action was folded around to Gwinner on the button and he moved all-in for $525,000. The small blind folded but Isaac Baron went into the tank in the big blind.

Baron asked for a count and, after some thinking and chip-shuffling, made the call. Baron tabled A T and saw his read had been correct as Gwinner felted A 9. The flop came A K T which opened up a ton of outs for the chop. The turn was the 8 and and the river the 5, sealing the deal and sending Gwinner out on the television bubble for €126,000. 

With the elimination of the extremely skilled Stig Top Rasmussen in tenth place we've made the merge down to one table. We're still waiting on one more bustication before closing up shop on the tournament floor and moving up to the television table. We're headed back to the floor and will return with chip counts and hopefully another elimination.

Making yet another donkey move; Stig Top Rasmussen has gone out 10th. The action in his final hand began with Michael Martin making a $70k raise from the button. Rasmussen then pushed all in.

The only problem with the move is Stig was sitting in the big blind and Valeriy Ilikyan had yet to act in the small blind. Donk!

The correct ruling was made by the floor that if Ilikyan did not change the action, Rasmussen's move would be binding.

"So if I call then he is all in?" Ilikyan asked. The answer was yes, Ilikyan called and also called the all in bet with enough chips to cover Stig.

"You must have the best hand," said a sheepish Rasmussen and it was about the only thing he was right about as his 10 10 was behind against Ilikyan's J J. Although Ilikyan sweat every card coming off like it was his tournament life on the line, his winning the hand was never in too much doubt as the K Q 3 flop and 3 4 turn and river combo hit the felt.

Rasmussen is out 10th cashing €126,000 and proving luck can't last forever.

The clock has started with the arrival of the Shufflupagus. We have just started Level 24 and blinds sit at $1,200/$2,400 with a $3,000 ante.