Event 52 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2008 World Series of Poker

06-30-2008 13:20 UTC-7

It's Good to Be King

[user65508]

Jonathan Little shoved all in preflop after another player reraised his original raise of 300. The opponent made the call and, with less chips, was the one at risk. They showdown had Little tabling {K-Spades}

v. the unknown player's {Q-Hearts}

. The kings proved to be the better part of the royal match-up as the board ran out {10-Diamonds}

.

Little is up to 5,700 after the hand.

Tags: Jonathan Little

06-30-2008 13:22 UTC-7

An Early Argument

[user33020]

Table 19 in the orange section of the Amazon Room sits just beneath the media bullpen, and was the site of a heated argument and accusations of chip-dumping involving two English-speaking players from overseas. The argument involved the folding of a sizeable pot to a small reraise and drew the attention of a nearby tournament director, who sorted out the argument and passed warnings all around, but took no other action as he walked away, shaking his head.

The table's dealer was among those suspicious of the play, asking the TD, "So are you doing anything about that?"

The answer in this case was no, but the table is being carefully watched.

06-30-2008 13:24 UTC-7

Beth Shak Exits

[user33020]

Our reporter ran into Beth Shak in the hallway, leaving the scene of a short day. Already short-stacked, Shak reported that she pushed her remaining 1,200 chips while holding K-Q on a K-high flop. Her opponent, though, held pocket aces, which stayed ahead through the river.

Tags: Beth Shak

06-30-2008 13:31 UTC-7

Esposito Moving Up

[user33020]

Lou Esposito snuck into a pot from the cutoff with {4-Clubs}

, and reaped big rewards. The flop came {5-Diamonds}

and it was checked around between Esposito, the small blind and an early-position player, and when the {2-Spades}

fell on the turn he had a made straight and was reraised by the small blind (who held {9-Diamonds}

) to boot.

The {10-Diamonds}

river made things worse for Esposito's foe. Story conclusion: Esposito is on the move, early.

Tags: Lou Esposito

06-30-2008 13:34 UTC-7

An Early Exit for Marco Traniello

[user22113]

After a flop of {q-Diamonds}

, Marco Traniello shoved his last 800 chips only to have two early-position players move all in after him.

Traniello showed {j-Hearts}

, behind the {q-Clubs}

of one and the {9-Clubs}

of another.

The turn brought the {6-Diamonds}

and the river brought the meaningless {k-Spades}

and Marco was sent packing.

Tags: Marco Traniello

06-30-2008 13:44 UTC-7

Schneider Surges Early

[user33020]

A hooded and very serious Tom Schneider has wasted little time building an early stack, winning two of three hands, allowing him to climb all the way to 11,500 barely a quarter of the way through Level 2.

In the first hand, four players saw a flop of {J-Clubs}

, the small blind bet 600, Schneider called from under the gun and the other two players folded. The small blind checked the {2-Clubs}

turn, but called Schneider's 1,100 bet. The small blind check-called again after the river {K-Hearts}

, this time to a bet of 1,500 from Schneider. Schneider showed A-10 for the nut straight -- the small blind showed A-Q -- and Schneider raked a big pot, moving all the way to 9,000.

Schneider then took a hit and dropped to 6,000 when his {10-Clubs}

failed to hold against an opponent's {A-Spades}

. In this hand the board ran out {6-Spades}

, completing the opponent's flush.

Hand three that we have details on involving Schneider saw him open the action to 350, then be reraised all in to 1,100 by a short-stacked big blind. The big blind had {A-Hearts}

to Schneider''s {K-Clubs}

, but after no help for either player through the turn, Schneider caught a river jack for the knockout.

Tags: Tom Schneider

06-30-2008 13:45 UTC-7

Seidel Sticking it to the Short Stacks

[user22113]

In the span of five hands, Erik Seidel — a little short himself a while ago — knocked out two short-stacked players.

In the latest elimination, the cutoff and Seidel from the big blind called a raise of 250 from a player in middle position and the three checked a flop of {8-Spades}

.

The turn brought the {5-Hearts}

and Seidel bet 400 and was called by both players, including the player in middle position who had only 25 remaining.

The {j-Diamonds}

landed on the river, Seidel bet 850 and the cutoff folded and Seidel revealed {j-Clubs}

.

"That's it?" said the middle-position player, who turned over {q-Diamonds}

and headed for the rail. "Nice hand. Good game. See ya."

Seidel, who was down to 2,300 a short time ago, improved his stack to 5,400.

Tags: Erik Seidel

06-30-2008 13:46 UTC-7

Kristy Shows She's a Ten

[user65508]

Kristy Gazes raised the action up to 300, before her tablemate reraised for his last 550 more. Gazes showed {10-Clubs}

to her opponent's {A-Diamonds}

. The board evolved {2-Clubs}

before the {A-Clubs}

fell on the river and completed the flush for Gazes. Kristy is up to 6,400 after the hand.

Tags: Kristy Gazes

06-30-2008 13:51 UTC-7

Early Departures, Part 1

[user33020]

Not making it to today's first break are Andy Bloch, Yueqi Zhu, Diane Nguyen and others. Bloch was already down to his last 500 before pushing in and finding no help.

Tags: Andy Bloch