[user75032]
Some players would tell you there's never a bad time for aces, but really the best time for aces is when an opponent is dealt a nearly-as strong hand that never improves. Like pocket jacks. Warwick Mirzikinian was dealt on the button and called a raise to 2,000 of a late position opponent. The flop was as non-threatening as could be, . Mirzikinian's opponent bet 4,000, then moved all in after Mirzikinian raised to 8,000. Mirzikinian made the call and was shown the of his opponent. The board blanked out . Mirzikinian sent his opponent to the rail and moved to 80,000 in chips.
[user80015]
Bergeron runs into Smith's aces.
It was bad timing for Craig Bergeron when he ran his into Elliot Smith's . Following a series of raises preflop both players eventually got their stacks in with the board running out to see Bergeron eliminated and Smith close in on 100,000 chips.
[user92162]
Top five chip stacks
With play beginning to slow for the night, the top five chips counts are:
Noah Schwartz - 125,000
Christopher Chronis - 117,000
Derek Cheung - 112,000
James “Andy McLEOD” Obst - 111,000
Patrik Antonius - 96,000
[user75032]
The Crown Poker Room is abuzz with the recent victory of David Steicke in the $100,000 No-Limit Hold'em challenge, so much so that Steicke has completely usurped the spotlight from the Main Event. It doesn't help that some of the players have probably started "clock watching" as we are now under an hour to go before Day 1a concludes.
[user75032]
Martin Comer got his signals crossed.
Back-to-back hands panned out badly for Martin Comer. Both came at the expense of Barny Boatman.
First, Comer raised from the cutoff to 2,050. Boatman was in the big blind and pushed all in for 13,250 after the small blind folded. Comer was unwilling to play for that price.
On the very next hand, Comer raised again, this time to 1,600. Boatman was in the small blind and reraised to 4,600. Comer called to a flop of . Boatman immediately moved all in for 13,575 and Comer called.
Boatman:
Comer:
Boatman's aces held up as blanks hit the turn and river. He moved to 37,500 in the counts.
"You should have called me last time," said Boatman. "I had nothing!"
[user92162]
Brian McFadden is fast on track to being the comeback story of the 2009 Aussie Millions. After being down to just 1,200 chips, he's now fought his way back to over 37,000.
In the last hand McFadden moved his last 14,000 chips into the pot on the flop . With action on Daniel Kochan who took a few moments to think, smiled at McFadden and asked "Do you want a call?"
Before McFadden had a chance to answer Kochan tossed the call into the middle and McFadden answered by tabling for a set. It was well ahead of the held by Kochan.
With the board completing with the turn and river McFadden achieves the remarkable and rolls back ever closer to average stack, and looks set to progress through day one.
[user92162]
Quads are always well timed.
Harris Pavlou found a boost courtesy of David Saab in a hand that extended long into the break.
Four players limped up to see a flop. From there, Pavlou fired 700, and was raised to 1,700 by David Saab. Pavlou was the only player who made the call and they went to the turn.
The turn saw Pavlou check to Saab, who also checked behind. The river came the a scare card for Saab. Pavlou immediately fired 6,000 into Saab which sent him into the tank. After at least three minutes in the tank muttering to himself and trying to question a stoney faced Pavlou, Saab eventually made the call.
He was obviously shocked when Pavlou matter-of-factly said, "Quads" and tabled . Saab hastily mucked.
Saab drops to around 40,000. Pavlou joins him at around 40,000.
![[user75032]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
on the button and called a raise to 2,000 of a late position opponent. The flop was as non-threatening as could be, 
. Mirzikinian's opponent bet 4,000, then moved all in after Mirzikinian raised to 8,000. Mirzikinian made the call and was shown the 
of his opponent. The board blanked out 
. Mirzikinian sent his opponent to the rail and moved to 80,000 in chips.
into Elliot Smith's 
to see Bergeron eliminated and Smith close in on 100,000 chips.
. Boatman immediately moved all in for 13,575 and Comer called.
. With action on Daniel Kochan who took a few moments to think, smiled at McFadden and asked "Do you want a call?"
to send Wong to the rail and Antonius up to 91,000 chips.
flop. From there, Pavlou fired 700, and was raised to 1,700 by David Saab. Pavlou was the only player who made the call and they went to the turn.
saw Pavlou check to Saab, who also checked behind. The river came the 
. Saab hastily mucked.
