2010-11 World Series of Poker Circuit - $1,000,000 National Championship

National Championship
Day: 1
Event Info

2010-11 World Series of Poker Circuit - $1,000,000 National Championship

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
kq
Prize
$300,000
Event Info
Entries
100
Level Info
Level
21
Blinds
10,000 / 20,000
Ante
3,000

National Championship

Day 1 Completed

Day 2 Seating Assignment with Chip Counts

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Table 22

SeatPlayerChip Count
1Jesus Cabrera61,100
2Tuan Bui Le20,800
3-empty-NA
4La Sengphet165,000
5Drazen Ilich66,600
6Shiva Dudani96,000
7Kunal Patel27,600
8Huy Nguyen122,700
9Jonathon Poche121,400

Table 23

SeatPlayerChip Count
1Mark Sykes30,400
2Adam Hui75,100
3Charles “Woody” Moore95,100
4Matthew Lawrence57,600
5Scott Clark38,600
6Roland Isra64,000
7Robert Scott14,800
8Tim West53,500
9Brian Ali13,900

Table 24

SeatPlayerChip Count
1Peter Mavro49,500
2Curt Kohlberg94,600
3Allen Kessler23,100
4Jim Anderson25,500
5Harry Cullen40,700
6Kyle Cartwright51,300
7Traci Brown33,500
8Josh Evans32,300
9Stanley Quinn92,600

Table 26

SeatPlayerChip Count
1Chris Klodnicki51,000
2Kenny Ngueyn22,000
3Andrew Barber56,100
4Bernard Lee70,900
5Sam Barnhart23,800
6DJ Blanchard24,100
7Peter Ippolito36,100
8Dwyte Pilgrim36,300
9Doug Carli72,800

Day 1 Concludes with 35 Players Remaining in the National Championship

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante
La Sengphet
La Sengphet

For the past nine months, the 2010/2011 World Series of Poker Circuit has traveled to 15 different venues, offering 154 gold-ring, and attracted more than 20,000 poker players to its tournaments, each looking to qualify for the inaugural National Championship $1,000,000 Freeroll. After months of hard work, 100 qualifiers made their way to Las Vegas to compete for the $300,000 and a WSOP bracelet.

Day 1 of the National Championship saw nearly all of the 100 qualified players actually take their seats. Unfortunately, a number of players were unable to attend for a plethora of reasons including Brett Richey, Gary Friedlander, and Dennis Summers. While some missed the golden opportunity to compete in the prestigious event, others were intent on taking advantage, perhaps none more so than La Sengphet, who emerged as the Day 1 chip leader with 165,000.

After eight levels of play, only 35 players remained. Joining Sengphet among the chip leaders are Jonathon Poche (121,400), Shiva Dudani (96,000), and Curt Kohlberg (94,600). In addition, a number of notable names are still in the field including Allen Kessler, Bernard Lee, Charles “Woody” Moore, Dwtye Pilgrim, Chris Klodnicki, and WSOP-C poster boy Kyle Cartwright.

While some players thrived, many failed to survive. Among those who hit the rail were World Poker Tour Player-of-the-Year Andy Frankenberger, Ali Eslami, Steve Zolotow, David “Doc” Sands, Steven Brecher, Allie Prescott, and Shannon Shorr.

Day 1 of the National Championship certainly delivered top-notch poker action, living up to all the anticipation and hype. Tomorrow, the remaining players will return to play down to the final nine and the first-ever National Championship final table. Action is set to resume at Noon tomorrow, so be sure to join us then for all the live updates from Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Action Halted

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Level 8 has expired on the tournament clock which means action has come to an end on Day 1. Players are currently completing their last hand and will soon bag their chips. We'll be back shortly with a chips stacks, the new seating assignments, and of course a recap of Day 1 action.

Dudani Chipping Up

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Shiva Dudani opened to 2,200 and was called by James Anderson to see a {J-Hearts}{A-Clubs}{5-Hearts} flop.

Dudani continued for 3,000 only to have Anderson bump it up to 9,000. Dudani made the call before check-calling 14,500 when the turn landed the {10-Spades}.

The river of the {6-Spades} went check, check and Dudani tabled his {A-}{Q-} to collect the pot and move to just shy of 100,000 in chips.

Tags: James AndersonShiva Dudani

Mavro Clips Sengphet

La Sengphet opened to 2,700 from middle position only to be encountered with a 6,800-chip three-bet from Peter Mavro.

Sengphet made the call, but when she was greeted by a 7,000-chip continuation-bet on the {K-Clubs}{3-Hearts}{2-Diamonds} flop, she tossed her {9-Clubs}{9-Spades} face up into the muck.

Mavro slid his cards towards the muck to move to over double his starting stack as Senghet slipped below the 90,000-chip mark.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of La Sengphet us
La Sengphet
88,000
-5,000
-5,000
Profile photo of Peter Mavro
Peter Mavro
41,000
-8,000
-8,000

Tags: La SengphetPeter Mavro

Poche Slips; Still Sits On Top

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Jonathon Poche defended his big blind after an under the gun raise of 2,300 to see a {9-Diamonds}{K-Hearts}{10-Hearts} flop fall.

Both players checked before Poche took the lead with a 3,600-chip bet when the turn landed the {A-Diamonds}. The original raiser made the call as the {A-Clubs} completed the board with Poche opting for a check.

Poche however would kick his cards to the muck following a bet of 8,300 from his opponent as he slipped to 118,000 in chips.

Tags: Jonathon Poche

Calenzo's National Championship Run Comes to an End

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

After a player on the button raised to 2,300, Kevin Calenzo moved all in from the small blind for his last 7,600. Josh Evans then moved all in from the big blind for around 25,000, which forced the button out.

Calenzo: {2-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}
Evans: {K-Clubs}{Q-Hearts}

It was a coinflip as the dealer burned and began to deal the flop. "Ohhhh, not in the door," Calenzo sarcastically moaned as he saw the {K-Hearts}, which was followed by the {10-Diamonds} and {7-Diamonds}. The {9-Hearts} turn changed nothing and neither did the {4-Clubs} river. Evans took down the pot to increase his stack to 35,000 while Calenzo hit the rail.

Tags: Kevin CalenzoJosh Evans

WSOP-Circuit Characters: Sam Rose

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

The 2010/2011 World Series of Poker Circuit has produced its fair share of characters. A great example of one, who unfortunately didn't qualify for the National Championship, was Sam Rose, who we met in the Main Event in Hammond. It was there that Rose asked us to cover him, which we did when he was short stacked and in need of a double. In that hand, Rose was down to 7,400 when man to his right opened to 7,000, and Rose counted down his stack before deciding to just flat-call.

As the dealer was making the pot right, Rose started chatting. He was already standing up from his chair, and he asked us for a pen. "Here. I'm like Barry Greenstein," he said, pulling a non-descript square of white paper from his pocket. It was a voucher for a buffet comp. "I'm gonna sign this and give it to the guy who knocks me out!" Rose announced. He scrawled his John Hancock across the back, but as it turned out, Rose doubled on the hand.

Whether or not he gave away that voucher when he eventually busted is beyond us!

Tags: Sam Rose

End of the Day for Casey Hayes

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

In middle position Drazen Ilich opened to 2,300 and found a call from Casey Hayes in the small blind.

The flop came down {k-Spades}{9-Spades}{5-Hearts} and Hayes checked to Ilich who bet 2,900. Hayes opted for a check raise to 7,300, Ilich moved Hayes all in and Hayes called. Hayes flopped top pair with {k-Clubs}{10-Clubs} but was well behind the {K-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} of Ilich.

The turn was the {3-Diamonds} and the river was the {8-Hearts} sending Hayes to the rail and moving Ilich into the top five with 78,000 chips.

Tags: Casey HayesDrazen Ilich