Mike Matusow was one happy camper when the final tally for Event #29, $10,000 Limit Hold'em reached 171 players-- the precise number of entrants he bet on. 107 of them will return tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. to continue the march to the final table.
Limit hold'em legends like Matt Hawrilenko, Terrence Chan, and defending champion Greg "FBT" Mueller sat alongside "Big Gamers" like Phil Ivey, Eli Elezra, and Jennifer Harman. Michael Reed ended Day 1 atop the field with 123,600, closely trailed by Brett Richey (102,000), Hoyt Corkins (98,000) and the unstoppable Russian banker Vladimir Schmelev, who bagged up just over 109,000 in chips. Ending their tournament early were Howard Lederer, Liz Lieu, Noah Boeken, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, and Daniel Negreanu.
Join us again tomorrow for Day 2. Tom Dwan is still in and chasing his bracelet bet... can he reach another final table and make the poker world sweat once again? We'll be there from the first flop to the final river, but for now, good night and good luck from Las Vegas.
Hoyt Corkins raised, and Brandon Hawkins made it three bets. Hoyt promptly made it four, and Hawkins flat-called to see a flop.
It came out , and Corkins fired out another bet. Hawkins raised, and once again, Corkins came right back over the top with another raise which his opponent called.
That led to the turn and river, and this time Hawkins was just calling the big bets on both streets. At the end, Corkins tabled the , good enough to win the pot. "Bigger than mine," Hawkins said as he slung his lesser pair into the muck.
Corkins is up to 107,000 and very near the chip lead after that hand.
Terrence Chan raised from the hijack seat, Nick Schulman three-bet from the cutoff and Chan called. The flop came down and Chan check-called a bet from Schulman. The turn was the and Chan led out. Schulman raised and Chan called all-in.
Chan
Schulman
The river fell the and Schulman sent Chan to the rail in the final moments of Day 1. He's up to 85,000.
We've hit that magical ten-minute mark on the clock, and it has been paused. A card was drawn, and we'll play six more hands at each table before calling for the bags.
Jimmy Fricke was nearly all in before the flop after a raising war with an opponent put him down to his final 400 chips. They all went in on a flop, and Fricke turned up his . He was in bad shape against his opponent's , and things wouldn't get any better on the turn or river.
Jack-high isn't going to get it done, and Fricke has been sent to the rail just before night's end.
Jerrod Ankenman raised from the hijack seat, and Michael Mizrachi reraised from the small blind.
Off the two men went to a board of . Mizrachi was betting every street, and Ankenman was calling the whole way.
At the end, The Grinder showed up , and it was good. Ankenman mucked his way down to 55,000, and Mizrachi has that just beat now with his new stack of 55,500.
On a flop of , Tom Dwan checked from the big blind, Vanessa Rousso bet out from UTG and Dwan raised. Rousso called and the fell on the turn. Dwan led out, Rousso raised and Dwan called. The river was the and Dwan check-called another bet from Rousso.
Rousso showed for two pair on the flop, but Dwan turned the higher two pair with and took down the pot. He's up to 45,000 while Rousso is down to 16,000.
, and Corkins fired out another bet. Hawkins raised, and once again, Corkins came right back over the top with another raise which his opponent called.
turn and 
river, and this time Hawkins was just calling the big bets on both streets. At the end, Corkins tabled the 
, good enough to win the pot. "Bigger than mine," Hawkins said as he slung his lesser pair into the muck.
and Chan check-called a bet from Schulman. The turn was the 
and Chan led out. Schulman raised and Chan called all-in.
and Schulman sent Chan to the rail in the final moments of Day 1. He's up to 85,000.
flop, and Fricke turned up his 
. He was in bad shape against his opponent's 
, and things wouldn't get any better on the 
turn or 
. Mizrachi was betting every street, and Ankenman was calling the whole way.
, Tom Dwan checked from the big blind, Vanessa Rousso bet out from UTG and Dwan raised. Rousso called and the 
and Dwan check-called another bet from Rousso.
and took down the pot. He's up to 45,000 while Rousso is down to 16,000.