Two-time World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner Jason Mercier was involved on the flop against bracelet winner Mike Carson, winner of the $3,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em in 2000. Mercier and Carson both checked the flop to see the land on the turn. Mercier bet 3,300, and Carson made the call. The river completed the board with the , and Mercier checked. Carson bet 4,700, and Mercier gave it up.
We caught up with the action to find action trickled around to reigning champion Nick Jivkov in the small blind. He opened the action with a raise to 4,200. The 2011 WSOP Main Event runner-up, Martin Staszko, three-bet the pot from the big blind which was enough to put Jivkov all in.
Jivkov thought for about forty seconds before finally deciding to release his hand. He's now running short on chips with just 8,500. Staszko, on the other hand, has a stack of about 28,000.
Griffin Benger just opened the button with a pot sized raise to 4,200. The small blind quickly folded his hand but Pim de Goede in the big blind repotted to put Benger at risk. Benger immediately called and showed his . De Goede showed and Benger said "Don't so it to me", with a smile.
The dealer did however do it to him: . The on the turn didn't help Benger and neither did the on the river. "Time and counseling will heal all wounds" said Binger with a smile as he departed a couple of spots from the money.
Picking up with the action on a flop of , we found Daniel Suied fire out a 4,100-chip bet. His sole opponent, Lev Rofman, quickly called.
The dropped down on fourth street and Suied moved 8,500 into the middle. Rofman cut out a raise of the pot which was enough to put Suied, who only had 19,000 behind, all in.
"We're playing for a bracelet," Rofman chimed after making the bet.
A moment passed before Suied finally decided to give it up. Rofman dragged in the pot and now has about 88,000.
Action folded to Jeremiah Vinsant on the button, and he opened with a raise to 2,600. In the big blind was Jonathan Roy, and he three-bet to 7,200. Play fell back on Vinsant, and he fired back with a four-bet to 17,600. Roy took some time, then moved all in for 41,400. Vinsant quickly called.
Vinsant tabled the for two overs against the at-risk Roy's . The board ran out , and Roy was able to double up. Vinsant was left with just 8,000 in chips.
In a blind battle we just saw Melanie Weisner coming out on top. Both players checked on and the turn brought the . Kenneth Shelton bet out 1,400 and Weisner made the call. The river was the and this time Shelton bet out 1,600, Weisner again made the call. Shelton showed , Weisner tabled and raked in the pot.
A hand just occurred where action folded to Danny "Miami Boss" Suied and he opened with a raise. Next to act was Anthony Harb, and he reraised. Play folded back to Suied, and he gave it up. Hard showed .
"Not this one, though, not this one.," said Suied as he folded, keeping up with the fact that he's talked about how he wants to gamble it up all day.
"I'm ready to gamble, I don't need another min-cash," responded Harb.
"I'm here to gamble today, baby!" exclaimed Suied.
Harb went on to talk about how it's all about the bracelet and not a min-cash, which Suied agreed. Steve Karp in seat one said, "Well I need a min-cash so when I go all in, please don't call me."
After some laughter, the three players all introduced themselves to one another. Suied introduced himself as Danny and then said, "But call me Miami Boss, I'm the Miami Boss."
"I'm the Detroit Boss," responded Harb without missing a beat.
"All right, all right. The Detroit Boss. I like that!" finished Suied.
After 10 levels of play yesterday, only 62 of the 535 players remain in the first Pot-Limit Hold'em event of the series. Today we'll play another ten 60 minute levels. We could however be done earlier, as we'll also be halting the tournament when we reach a final table of nine.
Robert Corcione from Bellingham, Massachusetts is in the lead with 144,600 in chips. His nearest rival is non other than Las Vegas rounder Mike Carson who won his one and only bracelet in the year 2000 in this very event, although it was a $3,000 buy-in back then. Also still in is defending champion Nick Jivkov with 18,100. Last year he won $189,818 after defeating 638 players. Can he go back to back and another $166,136 this year?
There are plenty of recognizable players still left in the field. Dutch player Pim de Goede, who won side-events during EPT's in Madrid and Monte Carlo, brings 74,500 to the table and German super star Johannes Strassmann has 56,900 to start the day with. Strassmann has slightly more than Jason Mercier (55,200) and Allen Cunningham (52,100). Matt Stout (30,500), Melanie Weisner (23,200) and Cary Katz (13,100) have more pressure on them as we start with blind level 11 (600/1,200) at 1 p.m.
flop against bracelet winner Mike Carson, winner of the $3,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em in 2000. Mercier and Carson both checked the flop to see the 
land on the turn. Mercier bet 3,300, and Carson made the call. The river completed the board with the 
, and Mercier checked. Carson bet 4,700, and Mercier gave it up.
. De Goede showed 
. The 
on the turn didn't help Benger and neither did the 
on the river. "Time and counseling will heal all wounds" said Binger with a smile as he departed a couple of spots from the money.
, we found Daniel Suied fire out a 4,100-chip bet. His sole opponent, Lev Rofman, quickly called.
dropped down on fourth street and Suied moved 8,500 into the middle. Rofman cut out a raise of the pot which was enough to put Suied, who only had 19,000 behind, all in.
. The board ran out 
, and Roy was able to double up. Vinsant was left with just 8,000 in chips.
. Kenneth Shelton bet out 1,400 and Weisner made the call. The river was the 
.