Welcome back to the ARIA Resort & Casino, and Day 2 the inaugural Poker Masters for Event #2: $50,000 No-Limit Hold'em.
Wednesday saw the first tournament of the Poker Masters take place, and with it saw a total of 51 players create a $2,550,000 prize pool. Once play was complete for Day 1, it would be Matt Hyman leading the charge with 1,460,000 in chips over a final table consisting of German's Steffen Sontheimer, Koray Aldemir, Dominik Nitsche, and Stefan Schillhabel. Nick Schulman sits third in chips with 1,050,000 and is the second American along with Hyman, while three-time WSOP bracelet winner and Spain's Adrian Mateos rounds out the final table sitting in fourth place overall.
All eyes locked are locked on the $918,000 first prize, along with the early lead in the race to being crowned the Poker Masters Champion, and be the first recipient of the Poker Masters Purple Jacket™. For final table updates of Event #1, click here.
Today is expected to attract the same group of players that took part in Event #1 along with some potential new blood who were unable to take a seat yesterday. And with the registration and re-entry period open for the first 9 levels (approximately 7:00 p.m. PDT), it is expected that all the final table combatants will also be making an appearance. As was the case in Event #1, players will begin with 125,000 in starting chips and are allowed one re-entry. Levels will last 30 minutes with a 10-minute break after every three levels with plans to play down to the final table to the end of the day.
Inspired by the Aria High Rollers, the tournament rules are designed to speed up play and are specifically catered to the regular high-stakes players, including:
Seven-handed tables
A single ante posted by the big blind
A 30-second shot clock, with three 60-second time extensions
Players may re-enter once per event through level nine (with no re-entry in the final event)
Headphones and sunglasses are not allowed
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be providing continuous live updates from the tournament floor once play begins at 2:00 p.m. (PDT). Our updates will coincide with the live stream, and will not include any spoilers for those watching along on PokerGO. So stay tuned right here to PokerNews.com for updates from Event #2, and all the events on the Poker Masters schedule.
PokerGO is working hard to give its subscribers their money's worth. With the reboot of Poker After Dark, the addition of World Poker Tour main event final tables, and the new high roller tournament sensation, Poker Masters, there is plenty of new live streaming poker content to keep the community happy.
To continue reading Kim Yuhl's article, A Complete Guide to the Poker Masters: The Players, Side Bets and More, click here.
With around 16,000 in the middle, the dealer fanned the flop of and Bryn Kenney checked from the cutoff. Fedor Holz was on the button and made a bet of 11,000. Kenney called and the landed on the turn.
Kenney checked again and Holz shoved all-in. Kenney had around 102,000 remaining and would be at risk should he call. After nearly two minutes, Kenney stuck his chips in the middle and the cards were tabled. Kenney was out front with against Holz's . The river brought the and Holz hit a pair of queens to eliminate Kenney
The action folded to Ben Lamb in the small blind and he raised to 4,000. Scott Seiver bumped it up to 15,000 from the big blind, and as the clock counted down on Lamb, he four-bet to 37,000.
Seiver called, and when the flop landed , Lamb again used his full extension of time before betting out 45,000.
Seiver went into the tank before a forced time extension button of 60 seconds was utilized. Eventually a further 40 seconds passed, and Seiver mucked his hand and dropped to roughly 80,000 in chips.
On a board reading with around 22,000 in the middle already, Ben Lamb checked from the big blind and Isaac Haxton bet 19,000 from the hijack. Lamb made the call and the landed on the river.
Lamb checked again and Haxton took over a minute until he finally announced all-in. Haxton had Lamb covered and Lamb didn't take long to muck his hand. Haxton scooped another pot without going to showdown.
Daniel Negreanu was the first player of the Poker Masters to visit the payout desk after he finished in eighth place in Event #1 early Thursday morning for $102,000. It might not have been the finish he hoped for, but it also means he’s the first player on the leader board for the Poker Masters Purple Jacket™.
From the hijack, Doug Polk opened to 5,500 and Sergio Aido defended his big blind.
The dealer spread a flop and Polk continued for 6,000 with Aido check-calling.
The turn landed the and Aido again checked to Polk who bet 16,000. Aido responded with a check-raise to 45,000 and Polk called as the completed the board on the river.
Aido slid out a stack of blue 5,000-denomination chips amounting to a bet of 80,000; which was enough to put Polk all in.
"Might as well use one of these!" announced Polk as he threw in one his time extension buttons.
Polk then began cutting his stack down to reveal he had 67,000 remaining, and then eventually opted to push it all in to make the call for this tournament life.
Aido revealed his for a runner-runner straight, and Polk nodded a few times, re-checked his holdings, and then folded.
and Bryn Kenney checked from the cutoff. Fedor Holz was on the button and made a bet of 11,000. Kenney called and the 
landed on the turn.
against Holz's 
. The river brought the 
and Holz hit a pair of queens to eliminate Kenney
, Lamb again used his full extension of time before betting out 45,000.
with around 22,000 in the middle already, Ben Lamb checked from the big blind and Isaac Haxton bet 19,000 from the hijack. Lamb made the call and the 
landed on the river.
with roughly 65,000 in the middle, Adrian Mateos moved all in for 78,500.
and Aido again checked to Polk who bet 16,000. Aido responded with a check-raise to 45,000 and Polk called as the 
for a runner-runner straight, and Polk nodded a few times, re-checked his holdings, and then folded.
