Michelle Stott
Octavian Voegele and Michelle Stott were heads up in a pot that had been raised preflop. There was 2,700 chips in the pot as the flop came down . Stott checked from the big blind position, and Voegele bet 1,775. Stott made the minimum raise, putting out 3,550 chips, which her opponent called.
The turn brought the , and Stott bet out all in for 16,000. Her opponent went into the tank for a few minutes before saying, "Only losing to kings and aces," as he folded, claiming to have laid down two queens.
"It was," said Stott, as she dragged in the pot. She is up to 25,800.
Sherif Derias moved his last chips in on the turn with the board reading but Karib Karib made the call.
Derias showed for top pair, but Karib tabled for a turned two pair.
Fortunately for Derias, the river landed the to counterfeit the two pair of Karib and the queen kicker of Derias played. He survives to jump to 8,000, with Karib slipping to 14,000.
Andrew Jeffreys fired 1,025 on the flop, 2,000 on the turn, and 5,500 on the river on a board of and was called down the whole way by his opponent, who tabled for top two pair.
However Jeffreys revealed for the nut flush to collect a nice pot. Jeffreys, who final tabled Event #23 at this year's World Series of Poker, is now up to 31,000 and will be looking for a repeat performance in this event.
Over on Table 42 we pick up a sizable three-way pot. The flop shows , and there are more than 2,000 chips in the middle of the table. Two late-position players check pensively, and action comes to Celina Lin in the cutoff seat. She thinks for a while before firing 3,400 chips into the pot. The first opponent comes along, while the second man ducks out, and it's heads up to the turn.
Fourth street: . When it's checked to Lin again, she pauses to consider her options once more, before moving all in for 12,650. Her opponent goes into the tank as this drawn-out hand awaits resolution. Finally, he slips his cards into the muck, and Lin takes down the pot. She is up to 22,000.
Donnie Peters
After some betting with an opponent, Matthew Kirk moved all in on the flop of . His opponent made the call with . Kirk held two cowboys -- .
The turn was the and the river the , fading Kirk of an ace or the straight draw that his opponent needed. Kirk eliminated his opponent and increased to 38,000 chips.
Joel Dodds is an early casualty from today's event after he flopped a set of queens but his opponent turned a set of aces. Dodds' opponent moved in on the river and Dodds tanked before eventually making the call for his tournament life only to discover the bad news.
David Gorr has just doubled up, severely denting the Main Event hopes of Andre Andrade.
All the chips went in on the turn with Gorr's turning a straight on a board of against Andrade's for trip sevens.
Needing the board to pair on the river, or any non-spade five or ten for a chop, Andrade watched as the peeled off to leave him with only 900, as Gorr doubled to around 40,000.
We mentioned earlier that Steve Topakas is splashing around a bit in the early going, but he's not the only one at his table who is feeling frisky.
We find another hand in progress at his table, and the board shows . The opponent in the hand leads out with a bet of 1,500 chips, and Topakas doesn't like it. After a minute, he open-mucks his hand, revealing . His opponent flashes his , and the pot is his. Steve Topakas was less than thrilled. "Nice bet," he said. "Next time I take all your chips."