Event #9: $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em
Day 1 Started
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #9: $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$877,500
Entries
650
Level
25
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
0
How Much is in the Pot?
![[user66118]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
The pot's the limit here today in the Pavillion as the $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em event is just a few minutes from kickoff. Someone thinks these WSOP dealers haven't been working quite hard enough over the past week, so it's time to put their counting skills to the test and play some post-flop poker.
This event was Event #20 last year, and it drew a healthy crowd of 633 runners. The jovial Brit, JP Kelly outlasted that field to capture the bracelet and the $194,494 cash prize. The tournament staff is optimistic for another solid turnout this time around, and the room is starting to come alive with the buzz of an approaching start. The dealers have just taken their seats and they're currently tending to the business of sorting the chips and checking the decks. Our quick count sees 60 tables set up for play to start the day, and we wouldn't be surprised to see another dozen added by the time the registration window closes.
Noon is our scheduled start time, just about a half hour from now. We're going to go grab one of our favorite caffeinated beverages, and we'll be right back here when the cards go flying.
Level: 1
Blinds: 25/50
Ante: 0
Let's Get it Started
The Black Eyed Peas song blaring over the speaker system was faded out, and the players were ordered to their seats. After some quick opening remarks from Tournament Director Jack Effel, it appears that we're all set to go. He has just wished them all luck and added, "We'll see one of you right here on the stage in a couple days for the bracelet."
With that, the dealers have the command to get the cards in the air, and Event #9 is under way!
What a Corner
In table #4 we have an interesting corner:
Seat 2: Joe Sebok
Seat 3: Annette Obrestad
Seat 4: Stephen Chidwick
Let's see some fireworks!
Who's Here
Okay, it's time for that running list of familiar faces.
We just told you about Table 4 and the Sebok-Obrestad-Chidwick corner, and they've just been joined by Liv Boeree in seat six. Directly adjacent to that Table of Death sits another one that should be fun to watch. Jim Collopy, Phil Gordon, and Mike "GoLeafsGoEh" Leah are all huddled around Table 8 together, and a second walk past that table sees Thayer Rasmussen joining in the eight seat.
If neither of those are the toughest table in the room, have a look at Table 15. Serial EPT side event winner Martin Kabrhel is in the two seat, and Team PokerStars Pros Lex Veldhuis and Tom McEvoy are neighbors in five and six. Just as we jotted their names down, David "Devilfish" Ulliott took his seat in the three hole.
We've also spotted WSOP rookie Jeff Sarwer with direct position on Gavin Griffin at Table 5.
Table 39 has a tough trio as well. Theo Tran, Tony Dunst, and Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin occupy the first three seats respectively.
The big guns are out in full force for this $1,500 event.
Gordon Notches the Early Double
We picked up the action in a three-way pot involving Phil Gordon and two unknowns at his table.
The flop showed 
when we walked up to the table, and the small blind had checked. Gordon checked his big blind, and the preflop raiser continued out with a bet of 500. The small blind called before Gordon snuck in a check-raise to 1,150 total. That was enough to fold the button, but the small blind moved all in on a three-bet shove. Gordon snap-called, and the cards were on their backs:
Small Blind: 
Gordon: 
Gordon was, er, well ahead and needed only to fade two running cards. The turn 
locked up the pot, and the 
river secured Gordon's double up. He's up to 8,000, eliminating a player on his way up.
Lacey Jones Eliminated
We didn't catch much of the action during this hand, but we can tell you that Lacey Jones has just become one of the early victims of this event.
We were just too far away to tell exactly what was going on, but Jones check-raised the turn on a paired board, and all of the money went in there. Her opponent snapped her off with quads, and his covering stack means Jones' day is done early.
Double Up for Joe Sebok
When we arrived at the table Joe Sebok check-raised a 400-chip bet from the player in the cutoff up to 1,500. With the flop reading 
his opponent called and saw a 
fell in the turn.
Sebok went all in after a bet of 1,500 from the opponent and got called.
Showdown:
Sebok: 
Opponent: 
Straight flush for Sebok and he has now about 9,000 chips. He's opponent is now on his way home.
Poof!
Antonio Esfandiari was crippled in a big pot just a few moments ago. "The Magician" managed to find two pair against a player with pocket aces, but a bigger pair on board counterfeited Esfandiari and left him with just a few little chips.
He got that remainder into the pot with a flush draw, and an opponent with top pair had his hand hold up, eliminating another notable here in the early going.