After eight levels of intense tournament poker, Day 2a has come to a close in Event #57: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Championship!
At midday, 2,412 wide-eyed and poker-ready players walked eagerly through the doors of both the Amazon and Pavilion Rooms to see what fate awaited them throughout the course of the day.
Corwin Cole began the day as the tournament chip leader, but only saw his stack slide downward as many around him began closing ground. Multiple WSOP bracelet holder Jesper Hougaard, cash game specialists Patrik Antonius and Cole South along with Robert Mizrachi were just a few of those that rose up the leaderboard.
Unfortunately, many would find themselves on the rail including previous champions Carlos Mortensen, Berry Johnston, Tom McEvoy and Bobby Baldwin, along with 2010 bracelet winners Dutch Boyd and Daniel Alaei. The international brigade shrunk slightly with James Akenhead, Marcel Luske, Rob Hollink and Luca Pagona a few to book their flight home early.
Approximately 1,260 players have booked themselves a place on Monday for Day 3, and currently it seems as though Boulos Estafanous will be leading the charge with an amassed 344,100 in chips. Snapping on his heels however will be Randy Dorfman (337,000) Jesper Hougaard (316,200), Rodney Sherry (316,000), Sam Abueid (314,000) and Cole South (304,200).
Throw in a chipped-up Sammy Farha and Patrik Antonius, the dangerous Jason Somerville and Carter Phillips, along with previous champion Johnny Chan and a load of tournament veterans and amateurs, and it is truly still every players tournament to win!
Make sure to join the PokerNews Live Reporting Team tomorrow from 12:00 p.m PST as the cards hit the air for Day 2b where players will again begin jostling for a position where they can mount a challenge for the prize everyone is chasing; the coveted gold bracelet, title of champion and $8,944,138 in first prize money!
Van Marcus was all in preflop for his last 24,000 with and was in bad shape against his opponent's . The board ran out and Marcus' tournament came to an end late on Day 2a.
Antonio Esfandiari was all in with the against the for his opponent. The flop came down and Esfandiari pumped his fist because he hit a jack. A player at another table asked Esfandiari if he doubled and Esfandiari said, "I'm on my way."
The turn brought the and then the river the . Esfandiari's opponent made a straight on the turn and river and he eliminated Esfandiari on one of the last hands of the night.
Eli Elezra made his last stand with a pair of cowboys, but unfortunately, his was met with his opponent's . The board ran out , and Elezra hit the rail just before the end of the night.
Following a flop, a player in the blinds checked, and Johnny Chan, in early position, bet 5,300. His opponent check-raised all in for 20,200. Chan was there with the call.
Chan showed for top pair, while his opponent tabled for a diamond draw. The turn was the and the river the , and Chan has sent another player packing.
Chan moves well up over the 200,000-chip mark as we near the end of play for the night.
"All in and a call," came the cry from Annie Duke's table. The camera crew and others quickly gathered. Curious, we went over, too.
Duke had an opponent all in for his last 55,000 or so. The board read . Duke held for the wheel and a flush draw. And her opponent had for two pair.
Once given the go-ahead from the camera crew, the dealer burned a card and dealt the turn -- . A collective pause. Then, action.
Down came fifth street -- the . "Ooooh!" went the crowd at the sight of the board pairing. "I have the straight flush," said Duke calmly, and all realized that indeed she had not been outdrawn.
Another hits the rail. Duke's still stacking, though appears to have something in the neighborhood of 165,000 now.
![[user81850]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and was in bad shape against his opponent's 
. The board ran out 
and Marcus' tournament came to an end late on Day 2a.
against the 
and Esfandiari pumped his fist because he hit a jack. A player at another table asked Esfandiari if he doubled and Esfandiari said, "I'm on my way."
. Esfandiari's opponent made a straight on the turn and river and he eliminated Esfandiari on one of the last hands of the night.
was met with his opponent's 
. The board ran out 
, and Elezra hit the rail just before the end of the night.
flop, a player in the blinds checked, and Johnny Chan, in early position, bet 5,300. His opponent check-raised all in for 20,200. Chan was there with the call.
for top pair, while his opponent tabled 
, and Chan has sent another player packing.
for two pair.
. A collective pause. Then, action.