After 10 levels of play, Marco Johnson leads the Day 2 field of Event #8: $2,500 Eight-Game Mix after he bagged 354,300. A mere 19 players remain out of the 192 that started the day, and Johnson stayed among the leaders for most of the day.
One of the survivors is Greg "FBT" Mueller, who is gunning for nothing less than the championship after finishing second in this event to David "ODB" Baker for $167,637 last year. Mueller currently ranks fifth in chips with 258,200. He trails Johnson, Steven Wolansky (321,400), Chris Tryba (287,800) and Dario Alioto (261,400). Other notable remaining players include Robert Mizrachi (157,000), Day 1 chipleader Eric Crain (117,700) and former main event third-place finisher Josh Arieh (101,600).
It seemed that Mueller was on a downward spiral after Crain dealt Mueller a huge blow late in the night during the No-Limit Hold'em round when he made quad jacks after shoving preflop with jack-eight. Mueller managed to battle back to a top-five stack despite the setback.
Greg Raymer, who came into the day with a very short stack, hit the rail early on, and a slew of top pros from the loaded field joined him. They included Phil Ivey, Allen Kessler, David Williams, Todd Brunson, Scott Fischman, Justin Bonomo and Vanessa Selbst among others.
Play resumes at 2 p.m. PST tomorrow, and we will continue to update you as the players are whittled down to a champion, who will earn $225,104 and a coveted gold bracelet.
We caught Crain doing what he said he wouldn't: playing PLO. Everyone folded to him on the button, and he raised it up. Both blinds called, and everyone checked it down. Mike Kim announced a pair of tens, and Crain and the other player mucked.
Perhaps Crain will go back to folding it down in PLO, since it did for him exactly what he predicted it would: lost him chips.
Greg Mueller opened with a raise from the cutoff and Michael Malm called from the button.
The dealer produced a flop of and both players checked. The paired the board on the turn and Mueller led out. Malm called and the river was the . Mueller led once more and Malm tanked for about forty-five seconds before dropping in a call.
Mueller fanned which was good enough for a scoop. Mueller now has about 245,000 to Malm's 68,000.
Josh Arieh called bets from Benjamin Pollak on third and fourth showing a four-five, while Pollak had two diamonds. Arieh then came out firing when he caught a king and Pollak a blank. Both players checked sixth street, and Pollak bet the end. Arieh tanked, then called.
Arieh: /
Pollak: /
Arieh's pair of threes was good for the pot and a "wow" from one of his tablemates.
After committing most of his chips at the start of the hand, we found Christopher Vitch tossing his last 100 chip in on fourth street. Dario Alioto and Michael Malm were both in and contesting for a side pot heading to fifth street. Alioto led out on fifth and Malm folded his hand. The rest of the cards were drawn and Vitch was unable to conquer Alioto's trip jacks. He was sent to the rail while Alioto absorbed his chip stack.
We picked up with the action on fifth street to see Greg Mueller toss out a bet. Marco Johnson cut out a raise and Mueller called. Sixth street was dealt and Mueller led once more. Johnson called. Mueller led on seventh as well and Johnson opted to toss away his hand.
and both players checked. The 
paired the board on the turn and Mueller led out. Malm called and the river was the 
. Mueller led once more and Malm tanked for about forty-five seconds before dropping in a call.
which was good enough for a scoop. Mueller now has about 245,000 to Malm's 68,000.
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