Event #57: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day 1b Started
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #57: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day: 1b
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$68,798,600
Entries
7,319
Level
41
Blinds
800,000 / 1,600,000
Ante
200,000
Second Verse, Same As the First
![[user66118]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Welcome back to the cavernous Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, and welcome back to our continuing coverage of the 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event!
It's Day 1b today, the second of four starting days scheduled. Yesterday's opening flight saw 1,125 runners take their seats, and we expect to see at least that many spread between the two tournament rooms today.
The dealers are in their seats, and the chips are being cut out and passed into the empty seats. Decks are being double-checked, and the floor staff is scurrying around the room making the final preparations to the tournament area. Our Live Reporting team is taking their seats as well, and we've got these two room covered from corner to corner. We're right here on the ropes to bring you all of the action as it unfolds, and we're expecting another full and exciting day of Main Event action.
We're scheduled for a noon start, but it'll likely be a few minutes later than that by the time the announcements and introductions are made. The players will be trickling into the room soon too, and we'll be back as soon as the Tournament Director takes the mic.
Sit tight.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
Let's Get it On
"Once again, please make sure you are here for the correct tournament day. Today is July 6th. That's right, July 6th."
Those were the opening words from Tournament Director Jack Effel, and we've already seen a handful of players wandering around looking lost with their registration cards for tomorrow.
Next on the announcement docket was an appeal for the players to put a "Bad Beat on Cancer" by donating 1% of their winnings to the charity. The microphone was handed to Phil Gordon, one of the founding members who was donning one of his familiar green circular "1%" patches. He thanked Harrah's and the players for their support, noting that their foundation has raised more than $3.3 million over the past nine years. "We hope to see some of you pledgers at the final table. This is a good way to buy some karma for the Main Event!" Gordon said. He's celebrating his 40th birthday today, incidentally.
"Ladies and gentlemen, poker fans and poker players all over the world!" Effel said, back on the mic now. "Welcome to the 2010 World Series of Poker Maaaaaaaaaaaain Event!" Perched atop the featured table ledge, Effel ran down the list of tournament rules for today's Day 1b players. It was the usual spiel about not concealing chips, not talking on the phone during a hand, speaking English-only at the table, etc., etc. He also took a moment for the dealers to stand and have all of their hard work recognized by the players. There was a satisfying round of applause.
The announcements are complete, and it's time for the most famous words in poker. "Let the gold rush begin," said Effel, turning over the microphone to the WSOP Dealer of the Year, the charming Ashley. She was presented with a gorgeous watch before she cheerfully announced, "All right, good luck everyone. Shuffle up and deal!"
From across the room, a set of cymbals smashed together. We remember this gentleman from last year... In any event, the cards are flying, and Day 1b is a go!
Bellande Runs Into Trouble on First Hand
We got over to Jean-Robert Bellande's table to see him sitting in the small blind, involved with a player acting under the gun. When we got there the board read 
. Bellande checked and his opponent fired 2,000 into the pot.
Bellande laughed and shook his head, saying "You made that straight huh? Some sick shit, first hand. I don't have the flush, I'm going to call you."
After Bellande put his 2,000 into the pot, the dealer tabled the 
on the river, a dangerous card considering what was already on the board.
Bellande checked the river and folded when his opponent bet 7,000.
Blue With Envy
Strolling around the blue section, we've got eyes on a pretty solid group of players we'll want to track today. Jon Friedberg is sitting with Matthias de Meulder over on Table 276, and the rest of the notables are pretty scattered throughout the section. We've spotted EPT founder John Duthie over here with us, and Joe Sebok is in this section as well. Also within eyeshot are Alex Kostritsyn, Kevin MacPhee, Frank Calo, Phil Collins, Nick Mitchell and 2010 bracelet winner Valdemar Kwaysser.
Hey! I Know You!
Table 372 in the Red Section of the Amazon Room hosts some very familiar faces.
Sitting in Seat 7 is 2006 Main Event Champion Jamie Gold, in Seats 1 and 8 are 2007 Main Event final table members Phillip Hilm and John Kalmar respectively and just joining us in Seat 2 is Kevin "Bel0wAb0ve" Saul.
Definitely not the people you want to see on Day 1 of the Main Event.
Machines, Notables & One Dark Horse
Over here in the Pavillion Room (yoohoo - waves), we're somewhat low on big names, but can boast a handful of notable pros such as cashing-machine Shawn Buchanan, online machine Jay Rosenkrantz, surviving machine Jean-Robert Bellande, and WSOP final-tabling machine Dan Harrington. Also spotted early doors are Dan Shak, John D'Agostino, and recent bracelet winner Chris Bell, but my personal dark horse is 2008 London EPT winner Michael Martin.
More Today
Yesterday's field of 1,125 was just the right size to fit into the Amazon Room. Play began with 18 tables in the secondary Pavilion, but they were quickly broken into the main room within an hour or so.
Today, there are Pavilion 40 tables to begin play. They'll be breaking ten-handed into the Amazon Room at some point today as well, but for now we're spread between the two rooms and expecting to have at least 200 players more than we had yesterday.
Registration remains open for Day 1b until the end of the second break. So if you've got $10,000 burning a hole in your pocket...
Wattel Gives Up 2k
Mike Wattel recently got involved in a hand, while in the big blind, after calling a raise to 250 from the player in the cutoff.
The two were heads up to the flop, which came 
. Wattel led out for 250 and his opponent called.
The turn brought the 
and Wattel checked to his opponent who then bet 550. Wattel responded with a raise to 1,200, getting the call.
Both players checked the 
on the river and Wattel showed 
which was no good against his opponent's 
. Wattel is now down to 28,000 chips.