2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's Cherokee

Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2012-13 World Series of Poker Circuit Event - Harrah's Cherokee

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a3
Prize
$250,380
Event Info
Prize Pool
$1,284,000
Entries
856
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Level: 3

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

Riess Rockin'

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

Ryan Riess is back to try again after busting Day 1a during the afternoon. We just saw he'd built up to nearly three times the starting stack already today as they move through Level 2.

"No way bags that up tonight," cracked an opponent from across the table. Reiss chuckled. "I just hope to make the dinner break," he responded.

Player Chips Progress
Ryan Riess us
Ryan Riess
58,000
24,000
24,000
WSOP Main Event Champion
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
StakeKings

Tags: Ryan Riess

Cranfill Takes One Down

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

Despite losing a few chips early, Josh Cranfill just took down a nice-sized pot. Two players limped in from early position, a third player raised to 350 on the button, and both Matthew Chang and Cranfill called in the blinds. The two limpers called as well, and the flop fell {k-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}. All five players checked.

The turn was a repeat seven - the {7-Hearts} - and Chang checked. Cranfill fired 1,100, prompting his four opponents to fold.

Player Chips Progress
Matthew Chang
Matthew Chang
19,000
-1,000
-1,000
Josh Cranfill
Josh Cranfill
17,000
-3,000
-3,000

Tags: Josh CranfillMatthew Chang

More Reentrants

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

A few more players who busted on Day 1a have reentered here on Day 1b. Chris Underwood, DJ MacKinnon, Nelson Robinson, and Andrew Rothfolk have all fired a second bullet, and are looking to top their performances from yesterday.

Player Chips Progress
DJ Mackinnon us
DJ Mackinnon
20,000
20,000
20,000
Nelson Robinson
Nelson Robinson
20,000
20,000
20,000
Chris Underwood us
Chris Underwood
20,000
20,000
20,000
Andrew Rothfolk
Andrew Rothfolk
20,000
20,000
20,000

Tags: Andrew RothfolkChris UnderwoodNelson RobinsonDJ MacKinnon

Doubting Thomas

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

"Tommy Christopher… I got 80,000."

So Christopher told us as we passed by the table. We stopped to get a better look at his chips.

"Making my move early here," he added.

We squinted to see a little less than 80,000 sitting before him. In fact, he was just a few chips below the starting stack, and he grinned in response to our closer investigation.

It was the first of many bluffs we expect to see today.

Player Chips Progress
Thomas Christopher
Thomas Christopher
18,500
-1,500
-1,500

Tags: Thomas Christopher

Level: 2

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

Cranfill Looking for Success in Cherokee

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante
Josh Cranfill and his father Shorty
Josh Cranfill and his father Shorty

At 14 months old, Josh Cranfill was diagnosed with Werdnig-Hoffman Disease, a form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It's a degenerative muscle disease that weakens the muscles in the body until they eventually die. Poker is unquestionably Cranfill's favorite hobby, and he's here in Cherokee with his father Shorty to compete for a World Series of Poker Circuit ring.

Since Black Friday, grinding his become increasingly more difficult for the wheelchair-stricken North Carolinian. Online poker allowed Cranfill to fire up a game and play whenever he wanted too, but when he plays live poker, he has to rely on his father for travel, and not every home game in the state is wheelchair accessible.

In 2009, Cranfill traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the World Series of Poker. In 2012, he finished seventh in a WSOP-C side event at the Palm Beach Kennel Club.

When he's not grinding, the Elon University graduate is fulfilling his duties as the vice president of the North Carolina Electric Wheelchair Hockey Association, a non-profit organization that offers the sport of hockey to those who have physical disabilities and are confined to an electric wheelchair.

We'll keep an eye on Cranfill as he tries to amass a stack here on Day 1b.

Player Chips Progress
Josh Cranfill
Josh Cranfill
20,000
20,000
20,000

Tags: Josh Cranfill

Queen Saves Green

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

Stephen Nussrallah of Alpharetta, Georgia and Laura Green of Marietta, Georgia were just involved in a preflop raising war that saw Green ultimately make a five-bet and Nussrallah call, thus building a pot of about 5,000. The flop then came eight-high — {3-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{2-Hearts} — and when Nussrallah led for 2,200, Green hesitated just a moment before saying she was all in.

Nusrallah exhaled, then said he was calling. "Do you have aces?" he asked, turning over his {K-Hearts}{K-Clubs}. She answered by tabling her hand — {Q-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}.

Relief spread over Nusrallah's face as the turn brought the {5-Spades}. That expression quickly turned into a wince, however, as the sight of fifth street... the {Q-Spades}.

A set and survival for Green, as Nusrallah followed a good start by taking an early tumble. And unfortunately for him, he'd soon lose the rest of his stack thereafter to become a Level 1 elimination.

Player Chips Progress
Laura Green
Laura Green
28,500
15,500
15,500
Stephen Nussrallah us
Stephen Nussrallah
Busted

Tags: Rachel GreenStephen Nusrallah

The Comeback Kids

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

It's a relatively quiet scene here in the Harrah's Cherokee Event Center as Day 1b gets underway. That said, we're looking at a lot more poker players taking hands here on an early Saturday afternoon in the North Carolina mountains. Unlike yesterday when tables being used by the Main Event only took up about half the room, today Main Event players are seated from one end to the other as the turnout is most certainly greater for this second Day 1 flight.

Among those seated are some returnees we recognize from yesterday's Day 1a, players who busted the first flight but have exercised their option to re-enter today. Christopher Kirkland, Ryan Riess, Yuval Bronshtein, and Ken Aldridge are among the familiar faces we've initially noticed from those coming back for another shot today.

Incidentally, an announcement was just made to remind everyone that there are no more chances to re-enter after busting today, so everyone currently playing is on their final bullet.

Player Chips Progress
Ken Aldridge us
Ken Aldridge
20,000
20,000
20,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Yuval Bronshtein il
Yuval Bronshtein
20,000
20,000
20,000
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 2X Winner
StakeKings
Ryan Riess us
Ryan Riess
20,000
20,000
20,000
WSOP Main Event Champion
$25K Fantasy
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
StakeKings
Christopher Kirkland
Christopher Kirkland
20,000
20,000
20,000

Tags: Christopher KirklandKen AldridgeRyan RiessYuval Bronshtein