Still getting to know players in today's field, which now has ballooned to more than 400 during late registration. Just happened on a hand between a couple we don't yet know that was interesting enough to share nonetheless.
Four had gone to the flop, and just two remained by the river at which point the board showed a tantalizing . The player in early position rapidly fired a confident-looking bet of more than half the pot, and his opponent considered for a few moments before folding his hand face up -- . The winner showed one of his cards while scooping the chips, the .
"Sick hand, dude," was the main comment. "I think he had it," said the river-folder, perhaps more to himself than to anyone else.
Two days ago, Gregory Fishberg shipped a $1,000 preliminary event here at Caesars for $46,657. It was his second WSOP-C final table appearance - the first coming a year ago - and he sits in third place on this stop's tournament points leaderboard.
We caught up with him moments ago with the board reading . An opponent checked to Fishberg who checked behind and mucked when his opponent rolled over for the nut-flush. Fishberg avoided the trap, and is just below starting stack.
When we reached the table, the board read and Scott Carpenter was all in. His opponent was standing up and mulling the decision over.
"I know I'm supposed to fold," he professed. "But am I good enough to fold?"
The player tanked for a little longer, muttering an obscenity here and there, before finally calling and tabling the . Carpenter rolled over for a straight flush and his opponent high-tailed towards the exit.
The river was a meaningless and the pot was shipped to Carpenter.
"I've never had a straight flush in my life," he gushed as he stacked his newfound chips.
Eric Ladny has had a strong first two-and-a-half levels thus far. Just now he opened another pot with a raise to 400 from the cutoff and got one caller on the button.
The flop came , and Ladny continued with a bet of 550 which his opponent called. The turn was the , prompting a check from Ladny. The button pushed out a bet of 1,200, and Ladny called.
The river was another deuce -- the -- and Ladny quickly tapped the table again to check. His opponent didn't hesitate either, this time betting 2,200. Ladny thought for a moment, and when he announced he was calling his opponent immediately nodded, acknowledging he was beat.
"Show me a winner," Ladny's opponent said, holding his cards face down over the felt. Ladny obliged, turning over , and his opponent mucked.
Ladny is up over 40,000 now, better than twice his starting stack.
In 2005, Steven Dannenmann finished runner-up to Joe Hachem in the WSOP Main Event and became a household name. His easy-going, nonchalant style of play inspired amateur players much like Chris Moneymaker did by winning in 2003.
Dannenmann is in the field today and when we last saw him he was laughing and smiling as always. He is coming off of a win at the Borgata in January for $37,000, so perhaps another deep run is in the cards.
"You're saying you didn't have 'Hong Kong Phooey'?!"
They're enjoying themselves at Table 25, where the above statement of incredulity caused us to stop for a moment as we made our rounds. From there ensued a discussion of players' places of birth, and when one identified himself as Canadian lots of friendly joshing ensued. That's when the player from Canada came over to catch us up on what was happening.
"Lemme give you the Cliffs Notes," he began with a grin. "Seat 1 is a bigot, Seat 4 is an a**hole, and I'm the obnoxious Canadian." The table broke up in laughter. "These are the good guys right here," indicating seats 6-9, "and those are the bad guys," pointing across the table.
Very helpful, the way he divided the table like that… with a Hong Kong Phooey chop (hi-ya!).
. The player in early position rapidly fired a confident-looking bet of more than half the pot, and his opponent considered for a few moments before folding his hand face up -- 
. The winner showed one of his cards while scooping the chips, the 
.![[user101598]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. An opponent checked to Fishberg who checked behind and mucked when his opponent rolled over 
for the nut-flush. Fishberg avoided the trap, and is just below starting stack.
and Scott Carpenter was all in. His opponent was standing up and mulling the decision over.
. Carpenter rolled over 
for a straight flush and his opponent high-tailed towards the exit.
and the pot was shipped to Carpenter.
, and Ladny continued with a bet of 550 which his opponent called. The turn was the 
, prompting a check from Ladny. The button pushed out a bet of 1,200, and Ladny called.
-- and Ladny quickly tapped the table again to check. His opponent didn't hesitate either, this time betting 2,200. Ladny thought for a moment, and when he announced he was calling his opponent immediately nodded, acknowledging he was beat.
, and his opponent mucked.
