Well that's that for Day 2 of the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship.
Some thirteen hours ago, a stream of 102 players trickled in the double doors for their restart, everyone gunning for one of the nine seats at tomorrow's final table. With the money bubble still looming a long way off at 16, the early action was relentless. Lex Veldhuis was out within moments after running his pocket queens into an opponent's pocket aces. Right behind him went Erick Lindgren, Phil Hellmuth, Chris Ferguson and Matt Glantz. Poker couple Vanessa Rousso and Chad Brown fared just a bit better, but they were both eliminated within a half-hour span midway through the day. Also in the list of Day 2 casualties were Dwyte Pilgrim, Isaac Haxton, Justin Bonomo, Shaun Deeb... and really too many other familiar names to mention in one place.
So, let's talk about the good for a minute, that's more pertinent. Anh Van Nguyen has just narrowly squeaked his way into Day 3, though he's on the short stack heading into the final day. David Chiu is still in the mix too, as is 2009 double bracelet winner Brock Parker. We still have Matt Keikoan in the field too, another bracelet winner looking to add to his trophy case. We're still hanging on to Michael Mizrachi as well, and The Grinder will be looking to bolster his Player of the Year chances with another final table berth. All told we had an unlucky 13 players survive to return for the last day.
The twelve-hour rule is apparently out the window, and we'll restart at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow as originally scheduled. That'll come a lot earlier than it sounds, so we're off to get ourselves some sleep. We'll see you back here tomorrow, though, as we play down to a final table and eventually crown a new world champion of limit hold'em!
It's that time of night, kids. The Amazon Room is empty, the night crew is cleaning up, and only ten minutes remain on the clock in Day 2. Our 14 remaining players will play five more hands before bagging and tagging their chips.
Matt Keikoan open-raised from the cutoff seat, and Kyle Ray three-bet next door. Brock Parker called from the small blind, Keikoan reraised, and both Ray and Parker called the extra bet to see a three-way flop.
It came down , and both opponents called a Keikoan bet.
On the turn, the drew a check-fold from Keikoan, while Parker check-called a bet from Ray. That brought them heads up to the river, and both men checked it down.
At showdown, Ray turned over pocket nines, but he was pipped by Parker's . That moves the double bracelet winner up to 375,000, slipping Ray back down to 570,000.
Simon Morris open-raised from middle position, Darren Woods three-bet and Morris called.
Morris checked the flop over to Woods, who bet out. Morris raised and Woods called. The turn was the and Morris bet. Woods called. The landed on the river and Woods called one more bet from Morris.
Morris showed for two pair and Woods mucked. He's down to 540,000 while Morris increased his stack to 470,000.
Matt Keikoan raised from under-the-gun, Brock Parker three-bet from the cutoff and Michael Mizrachi four-bet on the button. Both players called.
The flop was and the action checked around to Mizrachi. He bet, Keikoan called and Parker folded. They went heads-up to the turn, which fell the . Keikoan check-raised Mizrachi and he called the extra bet. Keikoan bet the on the river and Mizrachi caled.
Keikoan showed for the flush. Mizrachi mucked, the accidentally turning over as he did.
Keikoan is up to 410,000 and Mizrachi is down to 190,000.
Michael Mizrachi opened for a raise and David Chiu called on the button. Mizrachi led out on the flop and Chiu called. The turn was the and Mizrachi fired again, earning another call. Mizrachi checked the on the river, then called a bet from Chiu.
Chiu turned over and Mizrachi mucked. Chiu is up to 250,000 while Mizrachi is on 270,000.
We picked up the action on a flop of as Darren Woods was check-raising Jameson Painter. Painter called the extra small bet, and Woods check-called a bet on the turn.
The river came the , and Woods fired out now. Painter called with for aces up, but he was out-kicked. Woods' had counterfeited his opponent on the river, and aces up with a jack kicker earns him the pot and the chip boost up to 830,000.
on the turn, Albert Minnullin committed the last of his chips to the pot and Dave Baker made the call.
and Minnullin exited in 14th place.
, and both opponents called a Keikoan bet.
drew a check-fold from Keikoan, while Parker check-called a bet from Ray. That brought them heads up to the 
river, and both men checked it down.
. That moves the double bracelet winner up to 375,000, slipping Ray back down to 570,000.
flop over to Woods, who bet out. Morris raised and Woods called. The turn was the 
and Morris bet. Woods called. The 
landed on the river and Woods called one more bet from Morris.
and the action checked around to Mizrachi. He bet, Keikoan called and Parker folded. They went heads-up to the turn, which fell the 
and Mizrachi mucked. Chiu is up to 250,000 while Mizrachi is on 270,000.
as Darren Woods was check-raising Jameson Painter. Painter called the extra small bet, and Woods check-called a bet on the 
, and Woods fired out now. Painter called with 
for aces up, but he was out-kicked. Woods'