Six players limped into the pot preflop, and they saw the first three board cards come . In middle position, Isaac Haxton was the first to fire at the pot, and he made it 775 to go. Next door, Roberto Romanello raised to 1,500, and that's not enough in France, or in Wales, or anywhere else. The dealer made him add the extra 50 chips to make it legal at 1,550. The other four players folded out of the way, and action stalled back on Haxton. After a good while considering, he reraised to 4,200 total, and Romanello uncapped his cards and slid them muckwards.
It's been a sluggish start for Ike today, but that pot helps him recoup some of those chips. He's at about 25,100 now.
Roger Hairabedian and Sami Kelopuro saw the flop of for 2,600 each. Hairabedian checked and Kelopuro bet 2,450. Hairabedian called.
The turn was the and Hairabedian checked again. Kelopuro fired 6,500. Hairabedian tanked for a little bit and then folded his hand, giving this one to Kelopuro.
Action folded to Dan Fleyshman in the cutoff seat and he raised to 400. Jason Mercier reraised to 1,025 from the button and action folded back over to Fleyshman. He quickly called.
The first three community cards came down . Fleyshman checked and Mercier bet 875. Immediately after Mercier bet, Fleyshman tossed out a single black T100 chip to signify a call before getting the full amount from his stack and putting it in.
The turn brought the to pair the board. It also completed a possible diamond flush draw. Fleyshman checked and Mercier checked behind. At this point, Fleyshman bet 2,000 in the dark before the river card.
The river was the and Mercier studied. He then put in a raise to 8,250. Immediately, Fleyshman called.
Mercier rolled over the for a full house, queens full of tens, and Fleyshman mucked his hand.
If you've been around a poker tournament any time in the last couple years, you're aware that Apple's iPad has become more essential equipment at the tables than, say, deodorant. A quick scan of the room sees at least a half-dozen players multi-touch gesturing their way through this Day 1.
Jason Mercier is rocking the white-iPad-against-black-rail look, and he's got a game of Chinese Poker up on his screen. Not coincidentally, Nenad Medic is also playing a little 13-card poker a couple tables away, and we think there's a fair chance that the two have some side-wagering going on between them.
Alex Kostritsyn appears to be catching up on the forums over in the corner of the room, and both Jon Aguiar and Dan Shak are doing a little Twittering from his iPad. It's normally finances for Shak, but today it's Randy Dorfman who's spending his time in between hands watching the NYSE ticker flash by.
Sam Stein has his iPad out, too, and he appears to be getting his soul crushed in a game of Hanging with Friends.
Our favorite iPad user in the room is Fabrice Soulier, though. The 2011 bracelet winner is fervently grinding through the updates on PokerNews as he plays. Hi, Fabrice!
With about 2,800 in the middle, the flop was between Jason Mercier, Joao Barbosa and one other player. The first player bet 1,450 before Barbosa raised to 4,000. Mercier reraised to 8,300 and the first player folded. Barbosa then tanked for a bit. Eventually, he moved all in for approximately 23,000. Mercier quickly checked his hole cards and then called.
Mercier held the for middle set, which was bad news for Barbosa holding the for bottom set.
The turn brought the and the river the . Barbosa couldn't hit his one outer and was eliminated from the tournament.