On the very first deal over here at the ESPN table, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier opened for a min-raise to 200. Daniel Negreanu reraised to 850 and Grospellier called. Grospellier checked to Negreanu on the flop. Negreanu bet 1,200 and it was enough to induce a fold.
On the next hand, Antonio Esfandiari made it 250 to go from the cutoff and Joe Hachem three-bet to 650 from the button. Esfandiari gave it up and Hachem raked in the pot.
"What's that thing they used to say, baby? Aussie, Aussie?" Scotty Nguyen asked.
"Oi! Oi! Oi!" replied a Hachem supporter in the crowd, right on cue.
WSOP.com online qualifier Andrew Barton has picked up an early pot on Table 372. John Juanda opened the action with a raise to 300 in middle position and Barton called from the hijack. Phil Ivey made the call from the button and the blinds folded.
The flop came down and Juanda bet 800. Only Barton made the call, landing the on the turn. Juanda checked and Barton quickly fired 1,000 into the middle. Juanda gave it up and Barton took down the pot.
Only eight of the nine players on our ESPN featured table are actually in their seats. Yet to arrive is Howard Lederer, whose stack is presently being blinded off in the three seat.
Tournament Director Jack Effel is on the mic over at the featured table, and just introduced "poker's greatest ambassador," 2006 TOC champion Mike Sexton to the crowd.
"I think this will end up being truly one of the great tournaments of the WSOP," Sexton said, as he called "shuffle up and Deal!"
Seat 1: Joe Hachem
Seat 2: Doyle Brunson
Seat 3: Howard Lederer
Seat 4: T.J. Cloutier
Seat 5: Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier
Seat 6: Scotty Nguyen
Seat 7: Annie Duke
Seat 8: Daniel Negreanu
Seat 9: Antonio Esfandiari
Amazon Red 372
Seat 1: Huck Seed
Seat 2: Phil Ivey
Seat 3: Jennifer Harman
Seat 4: Joe Cada
Seat 5: Erik Seidel
Seat 6: Chris Ferguson
Seat 7: John Juanda
Seat 8: Johnny Chan
Seat 9: Andrew Barton
Amazon Red 341
Seat 1: Mike Matusow
Seat 2: Allen Cunningham
Seat 3: Mike Sexton
Seat 4: Phil Hellmuth
Seat 5: Dan Harrington
Seat 6: Barry Greenstein
Seat 7: Barry Shulman
Seat 8: Sam Farha
Seat 9: Greg Raymer
After a three-year absence and a massive overhaul of the format, the Tournament of Champions returns with a bang today to the World Series of Poker. 27 of poker's elite, 20 of them chosen by popular vote, will gather around three tables in a little less than thirty minutes' time to compete in a $1 million freeroll that will leave nine players with pockets full of loot and 18 empty-handed.
The lineup is straight out of the poker history books. Former TOC winners Mike Matusow, Mike Sexton, and Annie Duke along with 2009 WSOP Main Event winner Joe Cada and 2009 WSOP-Europe champion Barry Shulman all received auto-bids into this year's event and will be joined by Top 20 vote-earners Phil Ivey, Daniel Negreanu, Doyle Brunson, Phil Hellmuth, Erik Seidel, Chris Ferguson, Allen Cunningham, Johnny Chan, Scotty Nguyen, Barry Greenstein, John Juanda, Jennifer Harman, Huck Seed, Dan Harrington, T.J. Cloutier, Sam Farha, Howard Lederer, Greg Raymer, Joe Hachem and Antonio Esfandiari. Rounding out the 27 are WSOP Academy Playoff winner Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier and WSOP.com U.K. online qualifier Andrew Barton.
The ESPN cameras are getting into place and some famous faces are beginning to wander in to the Amazon Room. Sit tight and stay tuned. Action is scheduled to begin at 12 Noon.
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flop. Negreanu bet 1,200 and it was enough to induce a fold.
and Juanda bet 800. Only Barton made the call, landing the 
on the turn. Juanda checked and Barton quickly fired 1,000 into the middle. Juanda gave it up and Barton took down the pot.