2008 World Series of Poker

Event 2 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
104
Prize
$831,462
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$5,363,085
Entries
3,929
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Negreanu is Busto

Daniel Negreanu has been sent to the rail early here in the Tropical Room. With a limper in front, the cutoff put in a raise to 525. Negreanu, from the button, made a stand for his last 1,400, and the cutoff called his all-in bet. Negreanu held {A-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}, and board showed {10-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{8-Hearts}{4-Hearts}. His opponent tabled {Q-Diamonds}{Q-Spades}, and Kid Poker gets the rest of the day off.

Gobboboy Dented

We caught the action on the turn on a board of {K-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{6-Diamonds} with Jimmy "gobboboy" Fricke checking the action from the small blind over to his opponent in the cutoff, who fired 500 into the middle. Fricke deliberated before casually tossing three 500-denomination chips into the middle to declare a raise. His opponent instantly moved all in for around 3,000 in total and Fricke sighed before making the call.

Fricke held {5-Spades}{6-Spades} for trips but found himself in trouble as his opponent flipped {7-Clubs}{6-Clubs} for a full house. The river was the {J-Hearts}, leaving Fricke on life support with only around 600 in chips.

Tags: gobboboyJimmy Fricke

A Brotherhood of Sorts

Six-time bracelet winner T.J. Cloutier just left his table to say hello to 1983 Main Event winner Tom McEvoy. With seemingly record-breaking fields every year, it's interesting to consider that there were just 108 entrants in the main event some 25 years ago when McEvoy took home the gold.

Anyone For a Massage?

At the World Series of Poker there are many working classes, including floor staff, dealers, cocktail waitresses, and chip runners. One group that consistently seems to make a nice living at the WSOP are the massage therapists. If you come out to the Amazon room, you will notice dozens of massage therapists roaming around. Throughout the day, various players will use the therapists to unwind, relieve stress, or even as a good-luck charm. Most therapists get $2 per minute, which is typically split between the therapist and the company they work for. Add a tip at the end, and most therapists make a fantastic hourly rate. Chances are that by the end of the series, the massage therapist’s hourly rate will far exceed that of most of the players.

Jin Ju Gathers Chips and Fans

An unknown player from middle position opened with a raise to 250 preflop and Jin Ju was the lone caller from late position.

The two took a flop of {Q-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}{8-Spades} and the action checked to Jin Ju who fired a bet of 1,000. Her opponent made the call.

The turn landed the {A-Spades} and the middle-position player moved all in for about 2,000. Jin Ju made an ambitious call, tabling pocket sixes, only to find herself up against the A-T of her opponent. However, she must have had a feeling that the river would land the {6-Diamonds} to spike one of the two remaining sixes in the deck to eliminate her opponent.

The very next hand, Jin Ju called an all-in bet from a short-stacked opponent holding A-5 against K-J, only to see the board run out {5-Spades}{A-Spades}{5-Hearts}{10-Spades}{7-Hearts} to send another player home. Jin Ju has gathered a nice crowd on the rail and is going strong with around 15,000 chips to be amongst our early chip leaders.

Tags: Jin Ju

Mueller Takes a Hit

Greg Mueller
Greg Mueller
On a board of 5-2-7-6, Greg "FBT" Mueller faced a raise from an unknown player for 2,375. At the time of the raise, there was approximately 3,500 in the pot. After thinking a couple of minutes, Mueller folded. After the hand, Mueller is down to 4,125.

Tags: Greg Mueller

Late Arrival

Josh Arieh rushed into the Amazon Room as a very late arrival. As Arieh passed Gavin Smith, Smith called out to him and said, "I need you to play well this year. I have you on a team against six of E-Dog's guys and six of Ivey's guys."

Arieh responded, "Well, I wasn't really going to try this year. But I will now that you told me that."

Tags: Gavin SmithJosh Arieh