Prior to the start of the $100K Super High Roller, rumor had it that some wealthy Macau businessmen would be making their way to Monte Carlo to partake in the action. That proved true as several of the players in the field are Macau Big Game regulars. Two of them, Richard Yong and Paul Phua, have just taken a seat in the tournament.
Interestingly, the ever-friendly Yong decided to mix it up straight out of the gate. In his first hand, Yong opened for 6,000 from the hijack and received a call from Max Altergott in the cutoff. Vladimir Troyanovskiy and Vanessa Selbst called from the cutoff and button respectively, and then Igor Kurganov three-bet them all to 33,000 from the big.
Not to be outdone, Yong announced a raise and four-bet to 88,000. Three folds put action back on Kurganov, and he politely asked Yong if it was really his first hand. Yong confirmed that it was, and then Kurganov announced that he was all in. Yong snap-folded and let out a little chuckle. Just like that he is down to 162,000.
Meanwhile, Chun Lei Zhou became the eighth player to reenter the tournament, which is just one shy of equaling last year's nine reentries.
Timothy Adams opened for 8,000 from the cutoff and was met by a three-bet to 25,500 from Ole Schemion in the small blind. Steve O'Dwyer then flatted from the big blind, and Adams took his time before pushing back with a four-bet to 65,700.
Schemion must have wondered what he started, and he promptly folded. O'Dwyer, who was slumped forward in his chair, took about 20 seconds before releasing his hand.
While the Super High Roller tournament begins with a huge buy in and a concentrated field, the France Poker Series Main Event boasts the exact opposite: a massive field stumping up €1,000 apiece. PokerStars Blog looks in, and spies a special 1 per cent incentive offered by Jake Cody to his Twitter followers.
Vanessa Selbst does not make a habit of folding to three-bets from a single player. In this hand she opened from early position for 5,500 and the player in the small blind made it 16,000.
The big blind folded and Selbst had another looked at her cards. A quizzical expression crossed her face and she laid it down to Erik Seidel’s raise, giving him a wide berth.
Patrik Antonius opened under the gun for 6,000, and Dario Sammartino (cutoff) and Daniel Negreanu (button) made the call. In the big blind it was Justin Bonomo who shoved allin for his remaining 65,800. Antonius quickly folded, and so did Sammartino.
Negreanu wasn't so quick to release his hand though. He asked the dealer to pull in the 6,000, and saw he needed to add 59,800 to make the call. After some more pondering he called.
Daniel Negreanu:
Justin Bonomo:
Bonomo would make a pair, but it wouldn't be the right one: . Justin Bonomo left the tournament area, we're unsure if he's intending to re-enter.
With Phil Ivey having rebought, the tournament has now had 51 entries in total. Only 40 players bought in last year meaning the field has already greatly increased, thanks in part to a number of players from Macau.
Entry is open until the start of Day 2 so the field could yet grow further.
Vladimir Troyanovskiy opened to 5,200 and was called by Igor Kurganov and Antonio Esfandiari before Adrian Mateos made it 22,000 from the small blind. Troyanovskiy folded but Kurganov and Esfandiari both called to see a flop which all three players checked.
The turn was the and Mateos checked, Kurganov fired a 41,000 bet and that enough to get Esfandiari and Mateos to both fold.
Mike McDonald opened for 6,500 from the cutoff, got a caller on the button and when action got to Phil Ivey in the small blind he made it 21,000. The big blind folded and McDonald got a count of Ivey’s remaining stack (130k) and raised to 42,000.
Ivey’s chips were arranged haphazardly in front of him and he languidly leaned forward to push them all in making a verbal declaration. McDonald made the call.
Ivey:
McDonald:
The cards ran out . As the eight hit the turn Ivey said, “There’s a hundred out the window. Last year, same thing right?” Ivey then wandered off to look for the floor saying, “I need to play again.” Expect him back in action soon.
![[user252447]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
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was checked around and they saw a river card 
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flop which all three players checked.
. As the eight hit the turn Ivey said, “There’s a hundred out the window. Last year, same thing right?” Ivey then wandered off to look for the floor saying, “I need to play again.” Expect him back in action soon.
