Event #8: $1,700 Main Event Day 1a | 2024 WSOP International Circuit Playground

04-18-2024 20:48 UTC-5

A Few Notables and a Few Rising Stacks

Jeremy Geist

Level 14 : Blinds 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Antonio De La Cruz	600,000 560,000	560,000
Jinrong Zhang	425,000 75,000	75,000
Jason Baker	405,000 405,000	405,000
Drew Scott	325,000 325,000	325,000
Chanracy Khun	245,000 160,000	160,000

Sundiata DeVore	235,000 235,000	235,000

Level: 15

Blinds: 3,000/5,000

Ante: 5,000

04-18-2024 21:19 UTC-5

Yuan Wins the Classic Flip

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Jeremy Geist

Level 15 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

Ryan Smith opened to 10,000 from middle position before the action was on Soufiane Bakas in the cutoff who wasted little time before moving all in for his last 90,000. It then folded to Wangchao Yuan in the big blind who sat in the tank for about a minute and then jammed. Smith quickly folded and the cards hit their backs.

Soufiane Bakas: A♣K♠ All in
Wangchao Yuan: Q♠Q♦

The full board ran out Q♣A♠7♣7♥10♥ and Yuan sent Bakas to the rail with his middle set.

Player	Chips	Progress
Wangchao Yuan	400,000
Ryan Smith	200,000
Soufiane Bakas	Busted

Tags: Ryan Smith Soufiane Bakas Yuan Wins

04-18-2024 21:20 UTC-5

Bubble Time!

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Jeremy Geist

Level 15 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

The first flight is paying 41 players and they are now down to just 43 remaining. The floor has called hand-for-hand play.

The bubble is here!

04-18-2024 21:47 UTC-5

Break Time!

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Jeremy Geist

Level 15 : Blinds 3,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

The players have paused hand-for-hand play to take a 15-minute break and will return to the bubble with 42 player remaining.

Level: 16

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 6,000

04-18-2024 22:20 UTC-5

Bubble Bursts In Pretty Gross Fashion

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Jeremy Geist

Level 16 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Maxim Kogay was in middle position and moved all in for his last 35,000 and his tournament life. It then folded all the way to Kyle Hucker in the big blind who called and the cards hit their backs.

Maxim Kogay: A♦7♣ All in
Kyle Hucker: A♥4♣

Kogay had Hucker dominated, but again, the deck wasn't having it. The 4♦J♥J♦ flop landed and Hucker jumped ahead. There were plenty of chop outs for Kogay but the 5♠ turn and 10♥ river did not bring the help he needed as Hucker dragged the pot and Kogay made his way to the rail.

The players are now in the money and will play till the end of level 17.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kyle Hucker	310,000 145,000	145,000
Maxim Kogay	Busted

Tags: Kyle Hucker Maxim Kogay

Level: 17

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 8,000

04-18-2024 22:51 UTC-5

Royal Flush and the Last Woman in the Field is Chip Leading!

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Jeremy Geist

Level 17 : 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

The action folded to Joel Malo in middle position who moved all in for his last 75,000. It then folded to Khaly Dang in late position who asked for a count and flicked in a call.

The cards hit their backs.

Joel Malo: K♠10♠ All in
Khaly Dang: 10♦10♣

Malo jokingly complained about his misfortune of running into a good hand but his mood would change a bit on the 2♦A♠3♠ flop that gave him the nut flush draw. "I got a good sweat!" he said as the dealer burned and turned the J♠ giving him the flush. The fun would not be over as the river came the Q♠ giving him the royal flush!

Malo scooped the pot but it was Dang, the last woman left in Day 1a, who is still the overwhelming chip leader after playing a great bubble strategy that helped her acquire a pile of chips and some ammo to keep the pressure on as the end of the day draws near...

Player	Chips	Progress
Khaly Dang	730,000 730,000	730,000

Joel Malo	160,000 160,000	160,000

Tags: Joel Malo Khaly Dang Royal Flush

04-18-2024 23:08 UTC-5

A Friendly Wager Amongst Friends Turns Into a Sweat

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Jeremy Geist

Level 17 : 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

There was a simple wager made. A last-longer bet between three friends in the WSOPC Playground Main Event. No huge wager, just a couple hundred to whoever can stay in the longest.

Drasko Zdero was one of these three friends and is currently the last one standing and in the money.

However, there is a very special twist. Zdero has never played poker before.

You heard that right. Zdero jumped into the deep end on Day 1a with his two good friends, who play all the time, to see if he could hang. He has zero Hendon Mob entries, no tournament experience, and yet here he is, the last one standing of his three friends.

He has secured a cash and a pay jump already...lets see how far the rookie can make it!

Player	Chips	Progress
Drasko Zdero	110,000 110,000	110,000