button in SafariRunner-Runner Sends Player Home Early on WSOP Main Event Day 1b
It never takes long before at least one player is eliminated on Day 1 of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.
Yesterday, a player gambled with ace-king and ran into pocket aces to be eliminated moments after the $10,000 buy-in World Championship event began. Today, pocket rockets sent the first elimination home quickly again.
Brutal Bad Beat
As reported by PokerNews live reporter Erick Torres, Shraga Vrubel limped from the hijack with A♦A♣ with around his 60,000-chip starting stack about 30 minutes into the Day 1b session. Stephen Lee, an American player, raised to 800 from the button with 7♣7♥.
Lee would then call a limp-raise to 3,800 from Vrubel, who was setting the trap with pocket aces. The flop came out 10♣6♦7♦. Vrubel didn't know it at the time, but he was in a world of hurt. He tossed out 10,000 chips before Lee, who flopped middle set, raised to 25,000. Vrubel then came back over the top with an all-in bet that was snap-called.
There was 132,000 chips in the pot and Vrubel was in trouble of busting early from the Main Event with pocket aces. But the 8♦ on the turn gave him a flush draw, along with three chop outs. The Q♦ on the river completed the flush without pairing the board, and it sent Lee out the door in disappointment, knowing he was the first elimination on Day 1b, all thanks to a runner-runner.
Vrubel, an Israeli with over $200,000 in live tournament cashes, is off and running in the second of four Day 1 starting flights. There were over 725 players registered at the time of publishing, including three eliminations. Michael Mizrachi is not one of those early bustouts, but last year's Main Event winner has arrived to defend his title. Antonio Esfandiari, Kenny Hallaert, and Kevin Martin were among some of the early participants.
ESPN will livestream Day 1b this evening on the sports network's subscription-based app. PokerNews will have you covered with live updates of the tournament from start until a winner on Aug. 5.
