Event #43: $50,000 Poker Players Championship Day 1 | 2023 World Series of Poker

06-18-2023 23:50 UTC-7

Paur Versus Urbanovich

Mike Patrick

Level 6

No-Limit 2-7 Single Draw

Dzmitry Urbanovich raised to 7,500 in the cutoff and got a call from Taylor Paur in the small blind.

Each player drew one, and then Paur led out for 7,000. Urbanovich flicked in a call to see Paur's 8x7x6x4x3x to help boost his stack back toward its starting point.

Player	Chips	Progress
Taylor Paur	195,000 -45,000	-45,000

Dzmitry Urbanovich	188,000 16,000	16,000

Tags: Dzmitry Urbanovich Taylor Paur

Level: 6

Limit Flop/Draw: 3,000-6,000, 6,000-12,000 Limits
Stud Games: 2,000-6,000, 6,000-12,000 Limits, 1,500 Ante
Pot-Limit & No-Limit: 1,500-3,000, 3,000/4,500 Ante

06-18-2023 23:25 UTC-7

Player	Chips	Progress
Kane Kalas	Busted

Smith Puts on the Pressure

Jeremy Geist

Level 5

No-Limit Hold'em

David "ODB" Baker opened under the gun to 6,000. Dan Smith called in middle position and Brian Yoon defended his big blind.

The K♠5♦3♠ board checked to Baker who put out a bet of 20,000. Dan Smith was next to act and put in the raise to 60,000. Yoon got out of the way and Baker went into the tank for about a minute before he made the call.

The 4♥ turn hit the board and Baker checked again. Smith went into the tank for almost two minutes before putting out another bet of 75,000. Baker looked over his chips, did some accounting of Smith's, and eventually decided to return his cards to the dealer.

Smith dragged a much needed pot to get him back over starting stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dan Smith	325,000 10,000	10,000

David "ODB" Baker	270,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Brian Yoon Dan Smith Smith Puts

06-18-2023 23:09 UTC-7

Ivey Scores Massive Double-Up Through Ashton

Mike Patrick

Level 5

Pot-Limit Omaha

Phil Ivey has rocketed to the top of the chip counts after the largest pot of the day was sent his direction.

After Greg Mueller raised to 6,500 in the cutoff and Matthew Ashton called in the small blind, Ivey three-bet to 26,000 in the big blind. Both Mueller and Ashton called, and a big pot that would get a lot bigger was brewing.

The flop came Q♦3♥9♦ and Ashton led out for 32,000. Ivey took some time to think and then made the call. Action was on Mueller now and he also called, leaving himself 64,000 behind.

The turn came 4♣ and after about a minute of thought, Ashton bet the pot, sliding out a stack of green T-25,000 chips that totaled 275,000.

Ivey then went into the tank, covering his mouth as he thought through his decision for over two minutes, then cutting out his chips and sliding them all forward to the tune of 347,000.

Mueller then went into the tank for about a minute before deciding to fold and preserve his remaining stack.

Ashton dropped a call in and the hands were revealed that would either double up or eliminate Ivey.

Phil Ivey: A♥K♦Q♠J♣
Matthew Ashton: A♦K♠2♦2♠

Ashton's aggression with his flush draw and wheel draw had been picked off by Ivey's pair of queens and straight draw.

The river brought the 10♠, giving Ivey his straight to win the massive pot and send him to the top of the leaderboard.

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Ivey	868,000

Matthew Ashton	400,000

Greg Mueller	64,000

Tags: Greg Mueller Matthew Ashton Phil Ivey

06-18-2023 23:09 UTC-7

Deeb Jams and Shows Ladies

Connor Richards

Level 5

Pot-Limit Omaha

Shaun Deeb opened to 6,000 in the cutoff and Yong Wang three-bet to 21,000 on the button. Jared Bleznick called in the big blind and Deeb also called.

Bleznick led out for 36,000 on the 8♦7♥4♠ flop and Deeb raised the pot for around 170,000. Wang folded and Bleznick followed suit.

"Almost starting stack," Deeb said as he took down the pot. "Almost got my rebuy in."

Player	Chips	Progress
Yong Wang	340,000 -90,000	-90,000
Jared Bleznick	280,000 5,000	5,000
Shaun Deeb	250,000 120,000	120,000

Tags: Jared Bleznick Shaun Deeb Yong Wang

06-18-2023 23:06 UTC-7

Jungleman Attempts to Terminate PPC Field for 3rd Straight Year

Chad Holloway

Level 5

Dan "Jungleman" Cates, dressed in full Terminator costume, has begun his mission to three-peat in one of the most prestigious World Series of Poker (WSOP) events — the $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship.

In 2021, Cates defeated Ryan Leng heads-up for his first bracelet thanks in large part to a questionable fold from his opponent late in the game. Last year, he backed up his repeat prediction and took it down for the second straight year.

The two major victories gave Cates a combined $2.4 million in earnings. He only has four career WSOP cashes and has always been more of a cash game and online poker player. Later this week, however, he could become a three-time bracelet winner and also join Michael Mizrachi as the only three-time Poker Players Championship champions.

Follow the 2023 Poker Players Championship on PokerNews

06-18-2023 22:59 UTC-7

Hall of Famers Among Recent Eliminations

Mike Patrick

Level 5

Player	Chips	Progress
Yuval Bronshtein	Busted

Daniel Negreanu	Busted

John David Rogers	Busted
Ralph Perry	Busted

John Hennigan	Busted

06-18-2023 22:50 UTC-7

Lamb Takes from Katz

Connor Richards

Level 5

Pot-Limit Omaha

Cary Katz limped in from early position and Ben Lamb raised to 10,000 on the button. Katz called.

Katz checked on the A♣7♠J♠ flop and Lamb continued for 18,000. Katz called. Katz checked again on the 2♦ turn and threw his cards in the muck as Lamb counted out a bet.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Lamb	400,000 25,000	25,000

Cary Katz	340,000 -58,000	-58,000

Tags: Ben Lamb Cary Katz

06-18-2023 22:47 UTC-7

More Chip Updates From The Floor

Jeremy Geist

Level 5

Player	Chips	Progress
Matthew Ashton	760,000 10,000	10,000

James Obst	735,000 495,000	495,000

Scott Seiver	610,000 -10,000	-10,000

Julien Martini	440,000 -29,000	-29,000

Talal Shakerchi	435,000 35,000	35,000

Ian Johns	375,000 50,000	50,000

Phil Ivey	350,000 -110,000	-110,000

Brian Rast	325,000 5,000	5,000

Yuri Dzivielevski	310,000 -15,000	-15,000

Jonathan Cohen	310,000 15,000	15,000

Roy Thung	290,000 25,000	25,000
Renan Bruschi	252,000 85,000	85,000

Daniel Zack	240,000 -60,000	-60,000

Taylor Paur	240,000 -60,000	-60,000

Greg Mueller	215,000 15,000	15,000

Marco Johnson	215,000 -85,000	-85,000

Anthony Zinno	200,000 -125,000	-125,000

Dzmitry Urbanovich	172,000 -93,000	-93,000
Philip Sternheimer	100,000 -320,000	-320,000
Kane Kalas	39,000 -116,000	-116,000
Wil Wilkinson	22,000 -68,000	-68,000