A player in middle position raised to 700 and Canada's Eric Wasylenko called from the small blind, as did the big blind.
The flop came . Wasylenko and the big blind both checked, and the player in middle position bet 900. Wasylenko called, and the big blind folded.
The turn was the and both players checked to the river, which was the .
Wasylenko thought for a moment and fired out a bet of 2,500. His opponent had a pained look on his face and slowly released his hand, sending the pot Wasylenko's way.
Wasylenko is off to a hot start already and has more than doubled the starting stack so far.
A player in the cutoff opened, and Patrick Serda made it 1,900 to go from the button. The cutoff came back with a four-bet to 5,800, and Serda called after some thought. The two took in a flop, and Serda called an opening barrel of 3,100. When his opponent checked the turn, Serda fired in 6,100 and took it down.
Well-known grinder Ari Engel has joined the field and just played a pot against Fabrizio Gonzalez. The latter opened for a raise to 700 and Engel called from the hijack. The flop came , and Engel called a small bet of 550. Action was exactly the same on the turn, and a completed the board. Gonzalez bet 1,800 or so this time, leaving himself around 4,000 back. Engel grabbed enough chips to call but thought better of it and folded after about 30 seconds.
Despite the minor loss, Engel looks to be above the starting stack.
With about 2,800 in the pot already, on a board reading , the player in the big blind led out for 1,400.
Action was on Serge Pouliot in middle position and he thought about it for a minute before raising to 3,100. The hijack folded and the big blind had a decision. After a moment, the big blind called.
The turn was the . The big blind quickly checked, and Pouliot bet 6,200. Without much thought, the big blind folded, sending the pot Pouliot's way.
Kristen Bicknell was under the gun and check-called 1,200 from Andrew Chen on a flop. Bicknell checked the turn and Chen put in a blue T5,000 chip — if he verbalized an amount, we didn't hear it. Bicknell folded, ceding the pot to her fellow Canadian.
Mark Radoja bet 3,300 from the cutoff on a board of , and Dick Postel made it 7,000 to go out of the small blind. Radoja called, and the river was a . Postel slowed down with a check, and Radoja put in 4,300. Postel almost immediately moved all in. It was just under 24,000.
"Wow, the river check-raise... that's very rare," Radoja said after thinking a bit. "I just fall for it every time."
Someone eventually called a clock, and a bit after the floorperson began Radoja's minute count, Radoja verbalized a call. Postel shook his head and flipped in . Radoja showed and took the pot with top-top.
JC Alvarado grabbed a seat at the same table in the middle of the hand.
Midway through a hand, with about 1,500 in the pot, PokerStars qualifier Robert Smith was in the big blind and led out for 300 on a board reading . His opponent was in the hijack and raised to 1,000.
Smith tossed in a single blue T5,000 chip and the dealer announced "Raise". Smith said he was just trying to call, but the table explained to him that he was committed to a raise. After a moment, the dealer confirmed he had to raise. Smith shrugged his shoulders and agreed. His opponent called.
The turn was the . Smith checked and the hijack bet 4,400. Smith called.
The river was the . Smith checked again, and his opponent opted to check back this time.
Smith was slow to table his hand, but eventually showed for trip eights. His opponent shook his head in disappointment and flung his cards into the muck.
Juan Fernandez Camean raised to 700 from late position. The hijack called, as did Kristen Bicknell on the button.
Andrew Chen was in the big blind and three-bet to 4,000. Camean immediately four-bet to 8,200. The hijack and Bicknell got out of the way and action was back on Chen. After about a minute, he called.
The flop came and both players checked.
The turn was the . Chen checked, and Camean instantly moved all in. Chen laughed and they began exchanging some words. After about a minute, Chen opted to fold, sending the pot Camean's way.
. Wasylenko and the big blind both checked, and the player in middle position bet 900. Wasylenko called, and the big blind folded. 
and both players checked to the river, which was the 
. 
flop, and Serda called an opening barrel of 3,100. When his opponent checked the 
turn, Serda fired in 6,100 and took it down.
, and Engel called a small bet of 550. Action was exactly the same on the 
turn, and a 
completed the board. Gonzalez bet 1,800 or so this time, leaving himself around 4,000 back. Engel grabbed enough chips to call but thought better of it and folded after about 30 seconds.
, the player in the big blind led out for 1,400. 
. The big blind quickly checked, and Pouliot bet 6,200. Without much thought, the big blind folded, sending the pot Pouliot's way.
turn and Chen put in a blue T5,000 chip — if he verbalized an amount, we didn't hear it. Bicknell folded, ceding the pot to her fellow Canadian.
. Radoja showed 
and took the pot with top-top.
. Smith checked and the hijack bet 4,400. Smith called. 
and both players checked.