Event 38 - $2,000 Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2009 World Series of Poker

06-19-2009 06:37 UTC-12

Day 1 Kicks Off At Noon

[user46392]

Good morning, and welcome back to another eerily empty Amazon Room. It looks as though we have a relatively bijou field so far for this $2,000 Limit Hold'em event with only 234 players registered so far, but as with most of these events, we expect to see the number of runners swell right up until the end of level two. Should be a fun-filled day of limit action right here in the Rio.

Level: 1

Blinds: 30/60

Ante: 0

06-19-2009 07:04 UTC-12

Here We Go...

[user46392]

Tables are only half full as yet, but cards are in the air and level one is well and truly underway.

06-19-2009 07:19 UTC-12

Who's Here So Far?

[user46392]

Half-empty tables means to the more optimistic of us that this tournament is half-full, and we've got a few big names in here already.

Among the folks who've managed to make it to the felt are Nick Frangos and his diamond earring, the very lovely Maya Gellar (photos coming soon, boys), Eric Froehlich and his baseball cap, and Mr Jacobo Fernandez, resplendent in a very stripy shirt.

06-19-2009 07:22 UTC-12

Table of Doom

[user46392]

Obviously folks are still trickling in and those big names do seem to like their fashionably late entrances, but one table right now stands out as one to be feared.

Table 1, presumably our least likely table to be broken today unless the tournament director fancies a break from tradition, currently features garishly-behoodied young Dutchman Noah Boeken, as well as fellow countryman and limit specialist Marc Naalden seated right next to none other than Erick Lindgren. We are expecting to see some serious action, in so far as that can happen in the first level of a limit tournament...

06-19-2009 07:29 UTC-12

And There's More

[user46392]

Mr Ivo Donev, who came second in the HORSE event at the WSOPE last year, was also among those who managed to get here in good time for the start.

Running only slightly late for the start, we are now proud to boast one Barry Greenstein, as well as Maria Ho, fresh off her 11th place finish in the $10,000 Limit Hold'em.

06-19-2009 07:39 UTC-12

Still Coming In

[user46392]

Also here:

- Nikolay Evdakov
- David Plastik and his nice green hat
- Berry Johnston
- Victor Ramdin
- Jim Sachinidis
- Andre Akkari
- Daniel Makowsky
- "Prince" Jean Gaspard
- Todd Witteles

With the addition of these and other folks, our field has now swelled to 378, and that number's still rising.

06-19-2009 07:50 UTC-12

Is Anyone Here Awake?

[user46392]

How we bloggers love to gently mock the habit some players have of arriving late for day ones, but today it seems like not a terrible idea. It's pretty early here by poker player standards, and while the limits are small, why not just get an extra couple hours' sleep instead of trudging into the Rio for a noon start? Indeed, the preponderance of yawns, cups of coffee and glum under-rested expressions today suggest that more of these folks should have been taking the first couple levels off.

06-19-2009 07:50 UTC-12

And Still They Come

[user46392]

Also spotted, Messrs Michael Mizrachi and Daniel Webb, as well as Ms J.J. Liu in a fetching blue hat.

06-19-2009 08:07 UTC-12

The Iceman Cometh, Dripping With Diamonds

[user46392]

If you really want to make an entrance, just strolling up to your table half an hour late will no longer cut it. Strolling up to your table half an hour late wearing massive headphones entirely covered in diamonds, however, remains a limelight-grabbing classic.

Yes indeed, Mr Teddy "Iceman" Monroe is in the $2,000 Limit Hold'em house! Awesome.