In a bold move that has the poker world buzzing, Howard Lederer made his return to tournament poker tonight at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Currently on his second buy-in and still alive in the Festa al Lago $10k, Lederer seems to have escaped any dramatic confrontations to this point. The Twittersphere however, as expected, is up in arms. Several players have commented on Lederer’s presence and the atmosphere in the room. Most are simply shocked he’d appear in a room of poker players before Full Tilt accounts have been repaid.

Lederer has been playing in Bobby’s Room at the Bellagio over the last couple of weeks but had yet to expose himself so prominently to the general poker public. A small measure of justice was meted out as one of the first people to draw a seat beside him, Anthony Gregg, went on to bust Lederer’s first bullet. The tension in the room, however, is still palpable:

And Howard appears at my table.— Christian Harder (@realcharder30) October 23, 2012

Here he is lockerz.com/s/255589213— Christian Harder (@realcharder30) October 23, 2012

Should get more interesting now. Never one to hold back his opinion, @jonaguiar joins Lederer’s table.— Cliff Josephy (@JohnnyBaxPoker) October 23, 2012

That was quick. Tony Gregg busted Lederer, so Howard strolled back behind the walls of Bobby’s room.— Cliff Josephy (@JohnnyBaxPoker) October 23, 2012

Wow Lederer sits down at Bellagio… guy got some guts..— Jonathan Duhamel (@JonathanDuhamel) October 23, 2012

Lederer update: He re-entered, and is at the softest table in the room, so he might last a little longer this time.— Cliff Josephy (@JohnnyBaxPoker) October 24, 2012

I hope that my good friends playing the Bellagio 10k give Howard a warm welcome back to tournament poker.— steveodwyer (@steveodwyer) October 23, 2012

167k 500/1k Lederer decided to join us! It’s no coincidence that @jonaguiar & I are within earshot & that he’s now wearing headphones. #fb— Matt Stout (@MattStoutPoker) October 23, 2012

I would be playing Festa but Howard Lederer used my buyin on himself.— eric froehlich (@efropoker) October 23, 2012

Got 180k with 62 players left. Also Howard Lederer just busted out at my table. The energy in the room was tense.— Prahlad Friedman (@PrahladFriedman) October 23, 2012

It’s great to see Howard Lederer back at the tables. He’s a poker icon and we’ve missed him. #ShitNobodySays— Matt Stout (@MattStoutPoker) October 24, 2012

Howard Lederer playing cash vs all the red pros he helped make rich is one thing but playing in a 10k vs the players he screwed takes nerve— David Baker (@audavidb) October 23, 2012

Howard Lederer, Wtf is wrong w u… Go back into hiding where u belong. If u show up at my table ever, I’ll literally laugh in ur face #gfy— Jason Mercier (@JasonMercier) October 23, 2012

How is he not scared that someone will clock him in the face. #orworse— Jason Mercier (@JasonMercier) October 23, 2012

Lederer shoulda waited til we actually get paid out before showing his face. At least we’ll want to hit him with baseball bats…less times.— Matt Stout (@MattStoutPoker) October 24, 2012

FWIW I gave Howard the shooter McGavin double guns when they got ai JT4 w his AJ vs KQ and started the slow clap on the A turn blank river— Jonathan Aguiar (@JonAguiar) October 24, 2012

explain to me how Lederer is playin festa and nobody says a word to him?#twittertoughguysarecool— Jared Jaffee (@jaredjaffee21) October 23, 2012

Hey Howard Lederer… Go fuck yourself. Sincerely, Everyone— Brent Hanks (@Bhanks11) October 23, 2012