The second starting flight of the day, which we call Day 1b, is set to begin in about ten minutes. The Day 1a field has been roped off to separate the two fields as the two tournaments will overlap for three levels or so. Think two tournaments in the same room and you'll have an idea of what's going to happen.
Any player eliminated here on Day 1a is eligible to re-enter in the new flight, as are any new players. The tournament staff have prepared dozens of tables, and it looks like this field will have no problem surpassing the 500 mark.
A dejected-looking Kevin Calenzo, who you might recall as the 2011-12 World Series of Poker Circuit Event Caesars Palace Main Event champ, just walked through the tournament area.
He informed us that he had been eliminated in a blind-versus-blind situation where he held and his opponent pocket kings. "I don't know," Calenzo responded when asked if he'd be firing another bullet in the Day 1b flight. "I want to watch the game at nine." Only time will tell if Calenzo comes back.
Allie Prescott is doing what he can to try to return to a WSOP Circuit Main Event final table within a month after having finished ninth at WSOP-C Caesars Atlantic City just a few weeks ago.
Prescott has been struggling with below average chips for most of the day. But we just saw the Tennesseean pick up a few in a hand in which he raised preflop from the hijack seat and was called by the cutoff, then fired a c-bet on a flop and forced a fold.
Allen Kessler had been holding steady at around 70,000 for the last few levels, but he recently dropped a bit. Fortunately for him, he got some chips back by cracking pocket queens.
We caught the action with around 3,000 in the pot and a flop of . An early-position player fired out 2,200 and received a call from Kessler, who was in the cutoff. Kessler then called a bet of 4,000 on the turn before both players checked the river.
The bettor tabled and seemed none too pleased when Kessler rolled over the winning .
Greg Raymer on Day 1a of the 2013 WSOP Circuit Foxwoods.
We're not sure of the preflop action, but we do know that in a blind-versus-blind battle, Greg Raymer bet 1,200 from the small blind on a flop and received a call from player in the big, who is pictured to Raymer's left.
Both players then checked the turn and Raymer checked for a second time when the completed the board on the river. The big blind took the opportunity to bet 3,100, leaving himself just 7,500 behind, and Raymer sprung to life with a check-raise to 10,000. The big blind didn't seem thrilled and folded after thinking about it for thirty seconds or so.
Brian Ali has been battling with his short stack here in Level 7. Just now he was all in on a couple of occasions, and has survived both instances.
The first saw the player to Ali's right open with a raise to 1,000, then Ali pushed all in and everyone folded, including the opener. "Come on, get 'em in there!" said Ali with a grin as he showed his .
A similar scenario unfolded shortly thereafter, with the same player raising to 1,000, Ali reraising all in, and this time the player calling. Ali had and needed help against his opponent's . The board brought such help, though, coming to give Ali sevens and fives and preserve his tourney life.
We saw Aaron Massey collecting his things over at Table 24 and quickly made our way over. Unfortunately the dealer was too quick and scooped up the cards, but not before we saw that the winner of the hand held on a board that contained the .
Massey seemed unhappy, but he was kind enough to inform us that five players each paid 800 to see the flop, which contained two diamonds including the . Massey held and raised to 5,525 after one opponent led out for 2,750. The rest of the field folded, the bettor moved all in, and Massey snap-called off his stack. Unfortunately for him, the river was a diamond and he was eliminated from the tournament.
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and his opponent pocket kings. "I don't know," Calenzo responded when asked if he'd be firing another bullet in the Day 1b flight. "I want to watch the game at nine." Only time will tell if Calenzo comes back.
flop and forced a fold.
. An early-position player fired out 2,200 and received a call from Kessler, who was in the cutoff. Kessler then called a bet of 4,000 on the 
turn before both players checked the 
river.
and seemed none too pleased when Kessler rolled over the winning 
.
flop and received a call from player in the big, who is pictured to Raymer's left.
turn and Raymer checked for a second time when the 
completed the board on the river. The big blind took the opportunity to bet 3,100, leaving himself just 7,500 behind, and Raymer sprung to life with a check-raise to 10,000. The big blind didn't seem thrilled and folded after thinking about it for thirty seconds or so.
and needed help against his opponent's 
to give Ali sevens and fives and preserve his tourney life.
on a board that contained the 
