It was like Groundhog Day all over again as we returned from dinner with a familiar group of players and another nine levels of poker in front of us. The evening session drew 268 runners, including a few players in for the first time after taking the afternoon off. Those one-bulleters included Kevin Calenzo, Chad Batista, Seneca Easley, and Corey Burbick, and they're all still around as play wraps up for the day.
The evening session progressed briskly to this point, and a few notables were able to amass dangerous stacks. Foremost among them is three-time WSOPC winner Huy Nguyen who went on a big rush during tonight's session. He bagged up 83,400 when play concluded, and that will put him well above average as he returns tomorrow.
Other notables who survived to the bag-and-tag included Matt Brady, Aaron Massey, Steve Karp, and Jeff Banghart.
Everyone is chasing Philip Samuels, though, and his count of 160,500 gives him the overall lead from the two flights. It looks like Day 1a's leader, Jacob Viccellio will come into the day in second place, and Maxim Sorokin bagged up 128,200 to put his name among the overnight chip leaders, too.
Day 2 is slated for high noon on Sunday (er, that's today), and we'll be back with less than 400 players and another long day of poker to be played. Until this afternoon, then, all that's left is goodnight.
A player in middle position opened the pot with a raise to 1,500 and was called by three others, including Chad Batista from the small blind
The action was checked to the original raiser on the flop and he bet 2,500. Two players, including Batista, called to see the turn. They all proceeded to check, delivering the on the river. Batista bet a sneaky 2,300, getting through the player in the big blind. The raiser, though, took about 45 seconds before tossing in the chips to call.
Batista mucked, while the player in the middle seat showed to win the pot.
"Almost folded," he said.
"Yeah, was hoping. I put up a valiant effort to win the pot," said a smiling Batista.
Huy Nguyen opened to 900 in middle position and Ebony Kenney re-raised to about 5,400 from the hijack, leaving about 200 behind. Action folded to Nguyen and he-raised, leading Kenney to call all in.
Nguyen:
Kenney:
Kenney found absolutely no help from the board as it ran out to give Nguyen the pot.
button in Safari
flop, Jamie Kerstetter got her stack of 14,225 into the middle with 
and looked to hold up against her opponent's 
.
turn and 
river secured the double up.
flop and he bet 2,500. Two players, including Batista, called to see the 
turn. They all proceeded to check, delivering the 
to win the pot.
to give Nguyen the pot.
