$5,150 Championship Main Event Day 1 | 2008 World Series of Poker Circuit - Atlantic City

12-14-2008 14:34 UTC-4

Shak Moving Up

[user66118]

Dan Shak opened the betting from under the gun, making it 300 to play. Two opponents gave him action, and the flop revealed {A-Clubs}

. Shak and the man next to him checked to the player in position, and he put out a bet of 1,000. Shak opted to check-raise, doubling the bet to 2,000 total. That was enough to get both players to duck out, and Shak took down a nice little uncontested pot.

As the chips were pushed to him, Shak opened up one of his cards, the {K-Clubs}

. "Yeah, what's the other one though?!" asked another player indignantly. Shak merely smiled as he stacked the pot. He is up to 24,000.

Tags: Dan Shak

12-14-2008 14:38 UTC-4

A Thrilling Prohpecy

[user66118]

Will "The Thrill" Failla just walked up to me as I was recording a hand just moments ago:

"Hey, make sure you tell everyone that pain will be inflicted today," he said.

"What, just generally speaking?" I asked.

"Yes, generally speaking, pain will be inflicted today! Mark it down."

The prophecy has been spoken, and now it remains to see who will feel the effects of the pain that The Thrill will be dealing out today. Dan Shak hopes it's not him; he is seated immediately to Failla's left.

12-14-2008 14:44 UTC-4

Gank Chips Up

[user66118]

At Table 1, a player in early position came in with a raise to 300. Two players, including Brett Jungblut, made the call.

"I call because you're my nemesis," said Jungblut with a slight smile.

Gank checked dark as the first three community cards revealed {2-Spades}

. The raiser kept the heat on, firing out 650 chips in continuation. The third opponent in the hand released his cards, but Gank quickly called.

Heads up then, the turn brought the {K-Spades}

. Gank had checked dark once again, and this time his opponent checked behind him.

The river was the {4-Hearts}

, and both men again checked. Jungblut said "Eight," as he turned over {7-Diamonds}

. "It's good," replied his opponent, slipping his cards into the muck and sending a few chips across the table.

Gank has been one of the more active players in the room here in the early going. With that little pot, he is up close to the 25,000-chip mark.

12-14-2008 14:58 UTC-4

Table of Death?

[user66118]

There aren't really any tables in the room that are loaded down with pros, but we do find three of them seated in a row over on Table 7.

Seat 4 is being held down by bracelet winner Jason Young. To his left, we find Matt Brady, and the next seat over is occupied by Bob Lauria. It's a tough task for the rest of the players on the other side of the table.

12-14-2008 15:00 UTC-4

Break Time? Not So Fast!

[user66118]

The clock has ticked down to 00:00, but somehow the time is only 1:58pm. We should have arrived at exactly 2:00pm after two levels of play, but it appears the the tournament clock is in a bit of a hurry.

The Tournament Director has told the players to play on for another two minutes.

After that short extension, the players are now on an extended 20-minute break.

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 0

12-14-2008 15:22 UTC-4

Play Resumes

[user66118]

The players are back in their seats, and the cards are in the air once again.

12-14-2008 15:23 UTC-4

A Numbers Game

[user66118]

The board shows 180 players entered, though we have not learned the official total yet.

We do know that seven players were eliminated in the first two levels of play, and the full numbers should be up shortly.

12-14-2008 15:37 UTC-4

Doubling Through Young

[user66118]

Jason Young has just doubled up an opponent at his table.

The flop brought {9-Clubs}

. After a series of raises and reraises, the unknown player ended up all in for 12,050. Young looked him up, tabling {10-Diamonds}

. It was no good though; his opponent flipped over {Q-Hearts}

.

"Nice hand, nice hand," said Young, but there were still two cards to come. Unfortunately for him, the {3-Hearts}

and

that filled out the board did nothing to improve Young, and he sent more than half of his stack over to his opponent.

After losing that chunk of change, Young is down to around 11,000.

12-14-2008 15:44 UTC-4

By the Numbers

[user66118]

The numbers are in, and the tournament board lied. We ended up having only 179 players in today's field, and registration is now closed. Those entries generated a prize pool of $877,100, which will be divided amongst the final 18 players. The bottom cash level will be worth just more than twice the the buy-in: $10,405.

To the lucky man or woman who manages to outlast the rest of the field will go $280,940, a gorgeous gold and diamond championship ring, and a $10,000 entry to the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event. Not too shabby for three days' work.

The full payout information is posted in the "Prizepool and Payouts" tab to the right.