Event 2 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Day 1b | 2008 World Series of Poker

06-01-2008 12:25 UTC-7

Fashionably Late

[user75032]

Most players arrived to their seats in the Amazon Room in time to hear current world champion Jerry Yang call out "Shuffle up and deal!" However, there are plenty of late arrivals. Players at Blue #38 were particularly tardy, as only four were in their seats at the start of the tournament. Two more have since joined, but the table feels like a hole in the fabric of poker players stretched out across the room.

06-01-2008 12:26 UTC-7

The Other Room

[user66118]

Once again we have players scattered throughout the building today for the start of 1b. Over here in the Tropical Room, there are just a few familiar faces. David Pham is on Table 3 in the far corner, and it looks like Marcel Luske has just made a boisterous entrance a few minutes late.

Players seem to enjoy playing in this side room. There are only 23 tables set up, so the atmosphere appears to be slightly more relaxed and comfortable. It certainly is much quieter than the Amazon Room, by a long shot.

06-01-2008 12:26 UTC-7

Yang On the Rise

[user38971]

After a near elimination on the first hand, Jerry Yang is climbing his way back up when he was all in in the big blind with two other opponents. The board came {Q-Hearts}

with the two other players in the hand checking it down. Yang turned over pocket threes for a full house and he was back up to 150 in chips.

On the hand immediately after, Yang called a raise which put him all in preflop with {A-Hearts}

. His opponent showed pocket jacks, but Yang's attempt to recover his chip stack continued as he flopped an ace. His opponent failed to improve and Yang was up to 325 chips after the hand.

Tags: Jerry Yang

06-01-2008 12:32 UTC-7

Allen Cunningham Eliminated

[user40108]

After four players limped into the pot, Allen Cunningham made a raise to 350 from the big blind. Cunningham got three callers and the flop came down {K-Clubs}

. Cunningham led out for 800 and was called only by Darren Black from middle position. The {A-Hearts}

came off on the turn and Cunningham fired a second bet, this time for 1,000. Black wasted little time calling. The {7-Spades}

hit the river and Allen moved all in for his last 900. Black called and showed {K-Spades}

. Cunningham mucked and was eliminated just 20 minutes into the first level.

Tags: Allen Cunningham Darren Black

06-01-2008 12:33 UTC-7

Joe Sebok Takes Early Hit

[user67765]

With a limper in front of him, Joe Sebok also limped in from the cutoff before the player on the button made it 150 to go. Both players made the call and they saw a flop of {7-Spades}

. The action checked to the button player, who fired out 125. The early-position player called before Sebok raised it to 450. The button player then reraised, making it 700 to go. The early-position player folded, as did a disgusted Sebok, as his opponent flashed {A-Spades}

.

Sebok is off to a rocky start and now sits with around 1,500 in chips.

Tags: Joe Sebok

06-01-2008 12:35 UTC-7

Scott Clements Eliminated

[user40108]

Exact details are scarce, but we can add two-time bracelet winner Scott Clements to the list of level-one victims. Clements made a full house against the flopped quad nines of his opponent and ended up going broke on the hand and thus was eliminated.

Tags: Scott Clements

06-01-2008 12:37 UTC-7

Prince of Poker Arrives

[user67765]

Scotty Nguyen has just taken his seat in today's event on table 2 not far from our team of bloggers. As he sat down he shook the hand of every player at the table with his traditional "Hey, baby!" greeting. Great to have the "Prince of Poker" playing today.

Tags: Scotty Nguyen

06-01-2008 12:38 UTC-7

Dario Minieri Eliminated

[user38971]

Dario Minieri was eliminated after his pocket aces were cracked by his opponent's pocket sevens. Minieri was in great shape until the river brought a third seven for his opponent, which sent Minieri to the rail.

Tags: Dario Minieri

06-01-2008 12:39 UTC-7

The Dutchman Flies Outta Here

[user66118]

Marcel Luske meandered to his seat in the Tropical Room about 10 minutes late. With a beaming smile on his face, and a Starbucks coffee in his hand, he greeted the table and dealer, and started right in with the one liners.

Someone at the table seemed particularly enthused to be sitting with the Flying Dutchman. "Can we see some ID, sir?" he asked, as Luske laughed and pulled his passport from his suit jacket.

However, that was as much excitement as the room will get out of Luske today. Just after he sat down, possibly in his very first hand, he got in trouble.

Luske was sitting in the small blind, and the player in the cutoff opened the action to 150. Luske and the big blind both called, and the three men saw a flop of K-Q-T.

When the action came around, the cutoff bet 500, and Luske put his remaining chips into the pot, tabling J-9 for the straight after he was called. Not to be outdone by the Dutchman, the cutoff flipped over A-J, the nut straight, and sent Luske away to finish his coffee elsewhere.

Tags: Marcel Luske

06-01-2008 12:42 UTC-7

A Lack of Excitement?

[user75032]

After taking an initial early hit, Joe Sebok looked at his stack several times and ruefully shook his head. He then tried to stifle a yawn, prompting the dealer to ask if she should call over a cocktail waitress.

"It's so early," Sebok offered by way of excuse. "It's like noon!"

Tags: Joe Sebok