2010 NAPT Venetian

2010 NAPT Venetian Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info

2010 NAPT Venetian

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
1010
Prize
$827,648
Event Info
Buy-in
$4,750
Entries
872
Level Info
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
20,000

Phillips Bluffing Early

On a board of {9-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{J-Diamonds}, the pot sat at 2,500 between Carter Phillips and one other player. Phillips had the button and was in position on his opponent.

The player bet out 1,800 and Phillips flat-called, bringing the {6-Diamonds} as the final card on board. The first player fired 3,200 and then Phillips took some time. He tossed out two chips, one worth 1,000 and one worth 10,000 and the raise was up to 11,000. His opponent opted not to call the extra 8,000 and mucked his hand. Phillips flashed the {10-Diamonds}{8-Hearts} to the table for a ten-high bluff and scooped in the pot to move up to 36,000 chips.

Tags: Carter Phillips

Level: 2

Blinds: 75/150

Ante: 0

Kid Poker Not Kidding Around

It took Daniel Negreanu less than a level to double his starting stack. He reports that he flopped a set of jacks. When his opponent turned two pair, all the money went in. The Kid's now got 60,000 with which to small ball his table to death.

Must be nice.

Tags: Daniel Negreanu

LaGarde Drops One

Matt "mlagoo" LaGarde raised from the hijack seat to 300. He was called in two spots, both of which had position on him, the cutoff seat and the button. After a flop of {J-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}, LaGarde continuation bet 800. The cutoff seat folded and the button called.

The turn card was the {K-Clubs} and LaGarde checked. His opponent quickly bet 1,200 and won the pot.

Tags: "mlagoo"Matt LaGarde

Suied Loses a Few Chips

On the flop of {A-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}{2-Spades}, a few players checked to Danny Suied. He fired 250 and only the player to act right before Suied made the call, leaving them heads up to the turn.

The turn brought the {J-Diamonds} to the board and the first player checked. Suied stayed aggressive and bet 600, verbally announcing his bet as he tossed out a T1,000 chip. His opponent called.

The river was the {7-Spades} and both players checked. The first player tabled second pair, holding the {Q-Clubs}{10-Hearts}, and Suied mucked his hand, losing a few chips in the process.

Tags: Danny Suied

Bracelet vs. Bracelet

Reigned WSOP Main Event champion Joe Cada is seated with a fellow bracelet winner in Andrew Brown. After Cada raised it up to 250 preflop from early position, Brown called out of the big blind and the two took a flop of {Q-Hearts}{J-Spades}{J-Clubs}.

Brown checked and Cada fired 500. Brown made the call and then turned to tip the cocktail server a few bucks for bringing him a drink.

The turn card was the {9-Clubs} and Brown checked again. Cada fired 1,050 and Brown hesitated for a bit before folding his hand.

Tags: Andrew BrownJoe Cada

Player Spotting

There's not a cash game to found in the Venetian at the moment. Every last inch of space in the giant poker room is filled with tournament tables. Earlier we identified the starting table of doom (Hevad "Rain" Khan, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, and Jon "PearlJammed" Turner). It's even scarier now that Robert Mizrachi has joined the mix.

Other tough tables we found:
• Miami John Cernuto and Dennis Phillips
• James "Mig.com" Mackey and Adam Junglen
• Daniel Negreanu, Will "the Thrill" Failla, and Joe Serock
• Andrew "LuckyChewy" Lichtenberger, Jon Friedberg, and Johnny Neckar
• Justin "BoostedJ" Smith and John Duthie
• Carter King and Blair Hinkle
• Erica Schoenberg and Josh Arieh

Also seated in the main poker room: Shane "Shaniac" Schleger, Tony Korfman, Theo Tran, Vanessa Rousso, Jimmy "Gobboboy" Fricke, Matt "AllInAt420" Stout, Brandon Cantu, Gavin Griffin, and Kevin Schaffel.

Formatting Notes

You might be wondering how this tournament is all going to play out. Here's what we know:

* Play is starting out 10-handed. This almost certainly has to be a function of space and a desire to allow as many people to enter the tournament as NAPT and Venetian can fit.

* As players are eliminated throughout the day, tables will move to 9-handed play.

* The schedule for today is to play eight one-hour levels.

* Tomorrow the players will play six levels or down to 56 players remaining. Play will be 9-handed.

* From Day 3 onwards, play will be 8-handed.

Searching for Tough Draws

With so many players in action and so many pros in attendance, it's hard to pick out one table that is notably tougher than any other. So far a front-runner has to be Table 41, conveniently located near the poker room rail. Former WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer is in the 2-seat; online guru Jon Turner is in the 6-seat; and two to Turner's left is Hevad Khan.

A Smashing Success

"Massive" cannot begin to describe the scope of the event that's shaping up today here at the Venetian. Global Live Events Head Jeffrey Haas confirmed just after Jason Alexander called "Shuffle up and deal!" that more than 850 players were registered for the tournament. Given that the tournament was only announced six weeks ago, that is a staggering number.

We're slowly making our way across the acres of poker tables in a search for familiar faces. Some players are straggling in late, of course, but hopefully we won't miss anybody (we've definitely spotted Marco Traniello, to whom we apologize profusely *again* about that whole thing in San Remo where we didn't spot you until Day 2.)

We've already seen one 10-hand penalty meted out to a player who inadvertently exposed his hand on the turn, thinking that he was already at showdown. A floor supervisor was summoned to the table.

"Unfortunately, sir, you're on a 10-hand penalty. The good news is that you won the pot."