2008 World Series of Poker

Event 23 - $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
123
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
6♥6♣
Prize
$507,563
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,000
Entries
1,344
Level Info
Level
25
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
5,000

Big Turnout Expected for $2,000 NLHE Event

[user33020]
[user33020]
One of the largest turnouts of the series to date is expected for Event #23, $2,000 No-Limit Hold'em. This one starts at noon and may end up being capped if the Amazon Room and nearby overflow spots such as the satellite room and the ten tables outside Buzio's Restaurant near the casino proper are filled.

Last year, Ben Ponzio triumphed over a 1,619-player field to take down a huge $599,109 payday.

Gathering Momentum

[user4144]
[user4144]
As I made the long journey from hotel to Amazon Room, I sensed something different about today, the hustle and bustle of the corridors not only suggesting that today's field could be well into the thousands, but also that this year's World Series of Poker is really starting to gather momentum.

After covering pot limit, Omaha, seven-card-stud and a marathon shootout, Dana and I are back with the game that we grew up on, good old no limit hold'em - braced and raring to go after guzzling down a case of All-In energy drinks.

As usual, this event will be showcasing a broad variety of talent ranging from your Average Joe to the star-spangled superstars that you see on the small screen. Already spotted are the likes of Ted Lawson, Andy Black, Rob Hollink and EPT Copenhagen winner Tim Vance, although it's still early and those big names do love to stroll in fashionably late.

Level: 1

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

High Turnout

[user46392]
[user46392]
It's not quite as many as last year yet, but we already have an impressive 1,253 entrants reported on the board, and the number is creeping higher every time I glance back at it. You should have seen the queue for coffee.

Some notable players already seated at the tables include Barry Greenstein, Justin Shronk, Jon Friedberg and Neil Channing.

1,266 runners...

Early Exit

[user46392]
[user46392]
Word has it that there's already been an exit, around four minutes into the action. We don't know the unfortunate eliminatee's name, but it seems to have involved someone getting it on against A-9 with pocket jacks, either preflop or on the flop, with an ace on the flop and another on the turn. $2,000 well spent, and the beneficiary of the demised's chips is for certain our new chip leader.

1,289 runners and counting.

Smurfit Running Well

[user46392]
[user46392]
2007 bracelet winner Alan Smurfit has doubled up, betting all the way along a {J-Diamonds} {Q-Spades} {3-Hearts} {3-Diamonds} {4-Hearts} board holding a massive {Q-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} -- an opponent called him all the way with {A-Hearts} {J-Spades}, raising him on the river and then calling his all in.

Tags: Alan Smurfit

A Human Game of Dominoes

[user4144]
[user4144]
With the field at 1,301 and fast increasing, there's a domino effect in place with new tables being formed as I write. With every player in this tournament being crammed into this one room, it's as jam-packed as a can of sardines and I wouldn't be surprised if they ran out of room and were forced to locate elsewhere.

Other names that have been spotted in my two quadrants include Joe Awada, John Juanda, Chris Bjorin, Bertrand 'ElkY' Grospellier, Mark Teltscher, Mimi Tran, Harry Demetriou, JC Tran and recent shootout victor Jason Young.

Joe Ow-ada

[user4144]
[user4144]
2004 WSOP bracelet winner Joe Awada was spotted leaving the Amazon Room just moments ago. Sadly for him, he wasn't heading for the toilet (well, unless it was to vomit), but rather back to his hotel room after being eliminated from today's event.

We didn't catch the betting action, but do know that he was all in on the river of a {2-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{K-Spades}{J-Hearts}{5-Diamonds} board with K-2 versus a superior K-8.

Tags: Joe Awada

Schleger Eliminated

[user46392]
[user46392]
Another early exit in the shape of Shane Schleger, who managed to get it all in with pocket nines on a nine-high flop. His opponent had pocket kings and rivered a third one to give Schleger a very early night.
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