Players from all over the world have found their way to the M Resort in Las Vegas, as we just spotted five players from across the pond in the room.
Spanish pro Sergio Aido had a huge stack in the European Poker Malta and Monte Carlo events this past Spring, but he did not manage to make the final table. In 2013 Aido won the UKIPT London event for $217,530, which is his biggest score to date.
Austrians Gerald Karlic and Artur Koren are here today as well, and the former's coming off some close calls this year. Karlic finished eighth in the World Poker Tour Vienna event, 17th in the most recent Aussie Millions Main Event and 17th in the $3,000 no-limit hold'em event at the World Series of Poker.
Koren already has a WSOP and EPT final table under his belt, as he finished third in the $5,000 no-limit hold'em for $208,177, and fourth in EPT London for $271,477 in October of last year.
Brits Oliver Price and Mike Hill are also in attendance, and both have had successful months leading up to the summer in Las Vegas.
The player in the cutoff opened to 300, Joe Serock called from the button and the player in the small blind three-bet to 875. Only Serock called to see the flop come down .
The small blind continued for 1,500, Serock called and the fell on the turn. Both checked to see the river where action was checked to Serock. He bet 4,000 and his opponent called after about 30 seconds.
Serock tabled for a pair of tens, but his opponent turned over for a set of nines to win the pot.
Avelino Tapang was all in for approximately 17,000 on the flop against Ryan Yum. Tapang had the , and Yum had the .
Tapang needed to dodge a lot of outs to stay alive, but he couldn't do it after the landed on the turn, and the fell on the river. The river gave Yum a straight, and Tapang was sent packing.
Jared Hamby raised to 375 from the hijack and Eric Afriat called from the button.
The flop came down and Hamby continued for 400. Afriat called, the hit the turn and Hamby checked. Afriat bet 1,400, resulting in a quick from from Hamby.
The following hand the player in the hijack opened to 425 and Afriat three-bet to 1,025 from the cutoff. His opponent called to see the flop fall and led out for 1,000. Afriat raised to 2,400 and after a few moments, his opponent folded.
From the cutoff seat, Jared Hamby raised to 350. Play folded over to the player in the big blind, Michael Rush, and he reraised to 1,000. Hamby decided to call, and the dealer dealt the flop. Rush fired 3,200, and Hamby raised to 10,000. Rush moved all in for a tad more at 10,700, and Hamby called.
Hamby had flopped middle pair and a straight draw with the . Rush had the .
The aces held for Rush after the turn and river to give him the double. Hamby dropped back to 9,000.
Dutchman Pim de Goede just scored the first knockout of the day, and he celebrated jokingly with the players at his table, as the atmosphere is very easy going and jovial.
The action started with the player under the gun who raised to 300, and the lady to the player's left three-bet to 600.
De Goede summarized the lady's play as loose and aggressive, and a third player got involved who called the three-bet with a little over 5,000 left behind.
The Dutchman four-bet with pocket aces to 2,600, and after the initial raiser folded the lady and the short stack both called.
The flop brought out and De Goede checked to the lady who bet 5,000, followed by the short stack calling all in for 2,500. De Goede check-raised all in for 13,000 chips and his shove was called right away.
De Goede was in front with his aces against the pocket eights of the short stack, and the of the aggressive lady. The turn brought a and the river a to give De Goede a huge pot in the second level of the day.
Players are allowed to re-enter this event all the way up until the start of the second day, so eliminations are not final just yet as we saw the first player exit the room.
Picking up the action after the river of a with about 7,000 in the pot, Joey Couden (with 3,000 committed on the river) was in the tank in the big blind after Jesse Yaginuma raised to 10,600 from the cutoff.
Couden gave it some thought, but ultimately folded.