Antonio Esfandiari took a hit early on in the first level of play. A player in middle position raised to 200. Esfandiari called from the small blind and the player in the big blind called.
The flop ran out and Esfandiari bet 450. The player in the big blind folded and the original raiser raised to 1,100. Esfandiari reraised to 3,000 and his opponent called. The fell on the turn and Esfandiari bet 4,500, his opponent called.
The hit on the river and Esfandiari moved all in. His opponent quickly called and showed to take down a nice sized pot. Esfandiari is now well below the starting chip stack.
A player on the button made it 150 preflop and was called by the small blind and David Benyamine in the big. The flop fell . The small blind and Benyamine checked and the button continued out for 300. The small blind folded and Benyamine made the call.
The turn came and Benyamine checked once again and the button fired out 600 this time. Benyamine called once again and the river fell . Benyamine checked a third time and the button bet 1,600. Benyamine sent his cards into the muck, losing a bit to his opponent.
We've seen a few eliminations already during this first level, among them Terrence Chan.
Chan's misfortune came when he held and saw a flop. Soon the martial arts fighter found himself with all of his chips in the middle, but unfortunately was faced with an opponent who held pocket nines. Two cards later, Chan was out.
We caught up with the action on a board of to find John Racener heads up in a pot of about 7,500 against his an opponent. Racener checked from the small blind and his opponent bet out 5,600.
Racener tanked before finally making the call. His opponent showed for a straight and Racener tossed his cards into the muck, reeling from the substantial hit to his stack.
At one table we find Vanessa Rousso and Erick Lindgren sitting across from one another. Walk across the room and there's Ludovic Lacay, Isaac Haxton, and David "Bakes" Baker, sitting in a row at Table 14. And a couple of tables over from them Justin Bonomo, Alex Gomes, and Joe Cada were playing three-handed for much of the first level. The remaining three players have arrived to join that trio -- Eric Froehlich, Erik Cajelais, and a sixth player looking like he has sat in more comfortable chairs in his life.
A player from the button raised to 220 and Angel Guillen from the small blind reraised to 700. Sorel Mizzi called from the big blind.
The flop ran out and both players checked. The fell on the turn and both players checked again. When the hit on the river Guillen bet 1,100 and Mizzi folded his cards into the muck.
A player sitting under the gun opened the pot to 295, and the action folded to 2006 World Series of Poker Player of the Year Jeff Madsen, who three-bet to 700. His opponent called, and the flop came down . Both players checked.
The turn was another nine - the - and Madsen called a 325-chip bet from his opponent. The river was the , Madsen's opponent led for 325 again, but this time Madsen raised to 1,175. Madsen's opponent mucked, and he pulled in the pot.
Jude Ainsworth improved upon his starting stack during the first hour-plus of play, pushing up toward 25,000. He was just now putting some of those newfound chips at risk.
Ainsworth and his opponent had already built a pot of about 2,500 by the turn at which point the board showed . Ainsworth pushed out a bet of 1,750, and his opponent quickly raised to 4,250. With great deliberation, Ainsworth made the call.
The river brought the , and when Ainsworth checked his opponent immediately declared he was all in. A count was requested, and it was determined the bet was for just under 13,000 chips. Ainsworth studied for a while, then finally let his hand go, preserving the 18,000 or so he had behind.
"Queen," said Ainsworth's opponent as he gathered the chips. "Queen?" asked the Irishman. "Yeah," came the reply.
After a moment, Ainsworth asked "Ace-queen?" When his opponent appeared to shake his head, Ainsworth quickly revised his question. "You weren't afraid of ace-queen?" he asked.
"You would have called," came the reply. Ainsworth laughed and nodded, unable to disagree.
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and Esfandiari bet 450. The player in the big blind folded and the original raiser raised to 1,100. Esfandiari reraised to 3,000 and his opponent called. The 
fell on the turn and Esfandiari bet 4,500, his opponent called.
hit on the river and Esfandiari moved all in. His opponent quickly called and showed 
to take down a nice sized pot. Esfandiari is now well below the starting chip stack.
. The small blind and Benyamine checked and the button continued out for 300. The small blind folded and Benyamine made the call.
and Benyamine checked once again and the button fired out 600 this time. Benyamine called once again and the river fell 
and saw a 
flop. Soon the martial arts fighter found himself with all of his chips in the middle, but unfortunately was faced with an opponent who held pocket nines. Two cards later, Chan was out.
to find John Racener heads up in a pot of about 7,500 against his an opponent. Racener checked from the small blind and his opponent bet out 5,600.
for a straight and Racener tossed his cards into the muck, reeling from the substantial hit to his stack.
fell on the turn and both players checked again. When the 
board holding 
.
. Both players checked.
, Madsen's opponent led for 325 again, but this time Madsen raised to 1,175. Madsen's opponent mucked, and he pulled in the pot.
, and when Ainsworth checked his opponent immediately declared he was all in. A count was requested, and it was determined the bet was for just under 13,000 chips. Ainsworth studied for a while, then finally let his hand go, preserving the 18,000 or so he had behind.