After last years horror heads up performance in his heat, Gez Bailey secured his seat in the first semi-final of the PartyPoker.com European Open III.
Cool calm and collected he came through a tough heat, with Tim Flanders,
Ashley “The Bear” Hayles, David Smith, Howard Plant and John “Skalie” Kalmar.
 
Skalie was the early pace setter winning three pots on the trot, and Hayles was loosing chips trying to be aggressive and he was the first player to be knocked out.  Hayles’s A, K failing to beat Tim Flanders 10, 4, when the flop came down with two fours.  Skalie was still leading with $237,000 in chips.
 
David Smith making his TV debut, played conservatively and was cruelly disposed off when Gez hit an ace on the river, Smith held pocket Jacks, and Bailey a pair of aces.  Gez Bailey was now chip leader with $186,000 chips.
 
The colourful Howard Plant was next to leave the table.  He started quietly, but then began to play aggressively.  He went all in with 9s, Ks, and was called by Tim Flanders who was holding As, Kh.  The board showed, 6s, 3s, 6c, 5c, Qd and Plant was gone. 
 
The chip lead was then between Bailey and Skalie.  Flanders was trying to stay in the game, and when he got the cowboys he was all in.  Skalie called with Ad, 5d.  The flop showed Jc, Qd, 3s, Skalie needed any ace or running diamonds.  The turn came down the ace of clubs giving Skalie the lead but giving Flanders outs, any 10 for the Broadway straight any King, but the river was a 2c, the burden now rested with Tim’s wife and current PartyPoker.com World Open II Champ Pippa Flanders to go through.
 
After three hands heads up Skalie had $450,000 chip, Bailey was struggling.  He then proceeded to win four consecutive hands and take the chip lead.  Moments later it was all over.  On a flop of 8d, 9d, 2c all the chips went in.  Skalie held pocket Kings and Gez his favourite hand J, 8.  The turn came down a 3d, and then the killer card for Skalie the river a 8s giving Gez trip’s.  So the first Semi-Final line was complete – Dave Gregory, Nick Persaud, Scott Fenton, John Magill, Clive Layton and Gez Bailey.