2012 World Series of Poker

Event 59: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1a
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k5
Prize
$654,797
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$4,158,000
Entries
4,620
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
10,000

"Phew" Says Vamplew

It folded around to David Vamplew in the hijack seat who checked his cards and then set out all of his remaining chips in a couple of small columns, a raise to about 1,750. Vamplew got one caller in the big blind.

Vamplew tabled {K-Spades}{J-Hearts} and needed help versus his opponent's {A-Diamonds}{J-Clubs}. Help arrived on the {2-Clubs}{K-Diamonds}{3-Spades} flop that paired Vamplew's king, and after the {7-Diamonds} turn and {8-Clubs} river he'd survived to continue here in Level 5.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Vamplew gb
David Vamplew
3,800
-475
-475

Tags: David Vamplew

Slide 'em to Eslami

A player limped in from hijack seat, prompting a "limpede" around the table as the cutoff, button, and small blind all followed suit. That's when Ali Eslami decided to go against the grain and shove his remaining stack all in, an action that caused folds all around.

He tabled his hand — {J-Clubs}{J-Hearts} — as the chips were slid his way. "The table's about to break, anyway," he noted with a grin.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ali Eslami us
Ali Eslami
5,200
500
500
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Ali Eslami

We Know the Stopping Point

Level 5 : 100/200, 0 ante

Today the field had 1,740 entrants that registered to play. The format with two Day 1s states that play will halt when 15% of the field remains. We don't have the number of active players at the moment, but our stopping point tonight will be at 261 players or 11 levels, whichever should come first.

Not Quite the Nuts for Hellmuth

A player raised from middle position and it folded around to Phil Hellmuth on the button. "550?" asked Hellmuth, his image emblazoned on a trash can nearby as part of a WSOP Academy advertisement. Indeed that was the raise, and Hellmuth tossed out the calling chips.

The flop came {6-Spades}{Q-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}. The raiser checked, and Hellmuth quickly declared a bet of 475. His opponent called. "Really?" said Hellmuth. "Okay."

The turn was the {8-Diamonds} and once more the middle position player checked. Hellmuth made as if to bet, then said "okay" again and checked behind. Both then checked the {3-Clubs} river.

"I think I have the nuts," said Hellmuth, tabling his {5-Spades}{5-Hearts}. He opponent turned over {K-Spades}{Q-Clubs} for the better pair of queens, and won the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Phil Hellmuth us
Phil Hellmuth
2,800
-200
-200
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 17X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
StakeKings

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

Level: 6

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 25

Roche's Set is G-O-O-D

We came on this one with the board showing {Q-Spades}{4-Hearts}{K-Hearts}{5-Hearts} and a number of chips already in the middle. Mike Roche's opponent had pushed all in for his last 2,800. The tattooed Roche drummed the table for a moment with the knuckles of his right hand, the letters "G-O-O-D" visible as he did. Finally he used that hand to slide forward the chips to call, then, with his other hand — on which the knuckles read "E-V-I-L" — he turned over his hand.

"Just a set," he said, showing {Q-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}. His opponent stood as he showed his {5-Diamonds}{5-Clubs} — a lesser set of fives.

The river was the {A-Diamonds}, and we've lost another player. The next hand began, and Roche was raising before the flop, again pushing out chips with his "G-O-O-D" hand.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mike Roche
Mike Roche
15,600
7,300
7,300

Tags: Mike Roche

Hellmuth's Recollection Isn't So Good

Level 6 : 100/200, 25 ante
Phil Hellmuth has three bracelets from the lowest price points.
Phil Hellmuth has three bracelets from the lowest price points.

We were passing by Phil Hellmuth's table and he was engaged in some friendly conversation with the players at the table.

"Have you ever won a $1,500 or $1,000 event Phil?" a player asked.

"I've won two. One was a $1,000 and I think we had around 2,800 players. The other one was a $1,500 and I think we had around 1,700 players," Hellmuth said.

The statement piqued our curiosity so we ran to do some quick research. Hellmuth actually has three WSOP bracelets from low buy in events - one $1,000 event and two from $1,500 events.

He earned his first $1,000 event bracelet in a 2006 rebuy event that attracted 754 players. His most recent $1,500 bracelet came in 2007 and there were 2,628 entrants. Interestingly, Andy Philachack finished runner-up to Hellmuth and is seated only a few tables away.

His first $1,500 event bracelet came in a 1993 No Limit Hold'em event that had 284 entrants.

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

Red Gone, Bronze Breaking

Level 6 : 100/200, 25 ante

The Red Section has been completely broken and Bronze has had one row of tables break. We expect that the Bronze section will last another level and a half before becoming empty.

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