A player in early position opened for 250 and action folded all the way around to Allen Kessler on the button. Kessler called and the blinds released. The flop came 
and both players checked. The turn came 
and the unknown player bet 300 and Kessler called. The river came 
, the unknown player bet 625 and Kessler called.
The unknown player tabled 
and Kessler mucked.
Level: 3
Blinds: 75/150
Ante: 0
We picked up the preflop action as Roland Isra was three-betting from the button behind a cutoff raise. Mr. Cutoff raised it right back to a total of 1,725, and Isra made the call to see the flop.
It came 
, and the aggressor quickly bet 3,000. Isra called just as quickly, and the 
hit fourth street. "All in," came the instant announcement from the cutoff. It was 14,600 total, and Isra gave it just a cursory look before surrendering his cards into the muck.
Isra finished sixth in the WSOPC Main Event in Atlantic City a month ago, and he's already notched two deep runs in preliminary events here in Council Bluffs.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
18,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
Mark "P0ker H0" Kroon entered a hand from under the gun and only the small blind would play with him. Before the dealer spread the flop Kroon warned his opponent that if he shouted "Crabcakes and football!" that meant he flopped the nuts.
The dealer spread the 
flop and Kroon shouted "Crabcakes and football!"
His opponent checked, Kroon bet and his opponent quickly moved all in. Kroon moved his chips all in just as fast and tabled 
. "I told you what I would do sir," Kroon said.
His opponent tabled 
and was in need of help to win the hand. He bricked when the board completed 
and Kroon chipped up considerably to around 30,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
With a raise to 300 in front of him, Gary DeBernardi three-bet to 750, and the raiser called to see a heads-up flop.
It came 
, and Mr. Raiser check-called another 825 from "Debo". They both checked through the 
turn, and the 
put trips on board on fifth street. The Raiser led out with a small bet of 300, and DeBernardi quickly flicked 1,300 into the pot. His opponent called reluctantly.
DeBernardi tabled for the best nines full, and it was good enough to take it down just as his fellow-Wisconsinite Mark Kroon was involved in a big pot two tables over...
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
23,000
3,000
|
3,000 |
Level: 2
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
We heard him before we saw him, as is usually the case. And it's not like he's a short man. Mark "P0ker H0" Kroon's booming laugh just rang out through the poker room, and we looked up just in time to catch him leaving the room. He'll be back, though. Kroon's buddy Gary "debo34" DeBernardi is in his seat, and the other half of Wisconsin's most dynamic duo should be back at some point this afternoon.
Masters bets to sweat, you know.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
20,000 | |
|
|
20,000 |
The number on the board has ticked up to 181 players so far for Day 1a, and it appears that just two of them are ladies. We recognize one of them as Amanda Musumeci, the second-to-last lady standing in the 2011 WSOP Main Event. Musumeci finished in 62nd place in Vegas, and she's already made two WSOPC prelim final tables this year.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
20,000 |
Fresh off a final table appearance in Event #9 $1,000 NLHE yesterday, Bryan Moon announced before the hand, "I don't want to play any big pots early." That said, by the time the river card was dealt there was close to a 30,000 pot in the middle.
The board read 
and Moon bet out 1,250 on the river. His opponent was basically committed to call with all the chips in the middle. He tossed out a call and Moon tabled 
for two pair and his opponent mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
30,000 |
We found Kevin Saul opening for 150 and the small blind called. The flop came 
, the small blind checked and Saul bet 200. The small blind called to see the turn. The small blind check-called 300 and the river brought the 
. The small blind checked a third time and Saul bet 1,200. After a short thought the small blind tossed in a call, followed shortly by his cards when Saul tabled for a straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
22,000
2,000
|
2,000 |
|
||
