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

04-19-2024 11:50 UTC-5

Gu Goes Big

Jeremy Geist

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Dominique Prefontaine opened in late position to 900 before getting called by Karim Abdelhamid on the button and by the small blind. The action was then on Weiping Gu in the big blind who put in a three-bet to 4,200. Prefontaine and Abdelhamid called but the small blind folded.

They were three ways to a J♣3♠4♦ flop. Gu led for a large sizing of 7,200. Both players called on their way to a K♣ turn. Gu sat in the tank for almost two minutes before putting in an overbet of 41,300 into a pot of about 35,000.

Prefontaine quickly folded but Karim Abdelhamid sat in the tank for over three minute before he eventually found the fold. Gu dragged a massive pot without seeing a river or showing down his hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Weiping Gu	70,000 70,000	70,000
Karim Abdelhamid	50,000 50,000	50,000
Dominique Prefontaine	15,000 15,000	15,000

Tags: Dominique Prefontaine Gu Goes Big Karim Abdelhamid

04-19-2024 12:10 UTC-5

Break Time

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Jeremy Geist

Level 3 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Players in the Main Event are now on their first scheduled 15-minute break of the day.

Level: 4

Blinds: 300/500

Ante: 500

04-19-2024 12:37 UTC-5

Pitcher Gets Trappy

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Jeremy Geist

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

Michael Pitcher opened in early position to 1,100 and only got called by Philippe Belanger in the big blind.

The 9♠7♣9♦ flop laned and the action checked through to a A♣ turn. It surprisingly checked through again to an A♦ river.

Belanger checked and Pitcher didn't take long before throwing out a bet of 2,000. The Belanger snap called.

Pitcher rolled ever A♠J♠ for top boat and Belanger mucked. Its worth noting that this was a small loss for the stack of Belanger who is sitting healthy towards the top of the leaderboard.

Player	Chips	Progress
Philippe Belanger	80,000 80,000	80,000
Michael Pitcher	45,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Michael Pitcher Philippe Belanger

04-19-2024 13:08 UTC-5

Briere Catches Vijayaratnam Off Guard

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Jeremy Geist

Level 4 : Blinds 300/500, 500 ante

The action was opened in middle position to 1,100 before it folded to Jacques Briere in the cutoff who called. It folded to Senthuran Vijayaratnam in the small blind who took a moment and then put in a three-bet to 5,600.

The original raiser folded but Briere stuck around to see the K♦Q♦10♣ flop. Vijayaratnam continued for 5,000 and Briere called.

The blank 2♠ landed on the turn and Vijayaratnam sized-up with a bet of 12,500. Briere went deep into the tank. He picked up his cards multiple times and looked to be ready to fold. However, it may have just been a hollywood as after about a minute in the tank he announced he was all in.

Vijayaratnam smiled and shook his head a bit as if he was not expecting the jam. After only a moment he mucked and Briere scooped a healthy pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Senthuran Vijayaratnam	50,000 50,000	50,000
Jacques Briere	45,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Jacques Briere Senthuran Vijayaratnam

Level: 5

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

04-19-2024 13:26 UTC-5

Smith Wins the Battle of the Blinds

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Jeremy Geist

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

The action folded all the way to 2023 Bracelet winner Bradley Smith in the small blind who limped and then action was on Michael Korovine in the big blind who put in a raise to 2,500.

Smith called and they were off to an 8♠3♥J♥ flop. Smith checked and Korovine continued for 3,000.

Smith called again and the 4♦ rolled off on the turn. Smith checked again and Korovine sized-up to 6,000. Smith went into the tank and then put in a big check-raise to 17,000. Korovine looked a bit frustrated but pretty quickly mucked to the strong action of smith.

Smith dragged the pot and sits with a very healthy stack early on.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bradley Smith	130,000 130,000	130,000

Michael Korovine	25,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Bradley Smith Michael Korovine

04-19-2024 13:40 UTC-5

Leah Keeps Calling

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Jeremy Geist

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Gary Ng opened in middle position to 1,200 before the action folded all the way to WSOP Bracelet winner Mike Leah in the big blind who called.

The 3♣4♥A♠ flop landed and the action checked to Ng who continued for 1,200. Leah called.

The J♥ rolled off on the turn and it checked to Ng who bet out for 2,000. Leah called again.

The 7♥ rolled off and it checked to Ng for the last time. He bet 2,000 again but couldn't get Leah to go away. He called and Ng simply said "king" before showing king-ten for a bluff. Leah showed down A♥9♦ and scooped.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Leah	145,000 145,000	145,000

Gary Ng	20,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Gary Ng Mike Leah

Level: 6

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

04-19-2024 14:03 UTC-5

Miguel Pushes Bennett Off His Pairs

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Jeremy Geist

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

The action was joined on a board of A♦5♦6♠.

Nelson Miguel was on the button and called a 2,700 bet from middle position. The action was then on Thomas Bennett in the small blind who put in a check-raise to 9,000. The middle position raiser folded but Miguel flat called again.

The 8♠ hit the turn and the action checked through to an 8♥ river. Bennett checked again and the action moved to Miguel who bet out for 11,500. Bennett tanked for a moment and then folded A♠5♠ face up saying that he had kicker problems after getting counterfeit.

Miguel scooped and is sitting with about double the average.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nelson Miguel	95,000 95,000	95,000
Thomas Bennett	35,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Nelson Miguel Thomas Bennett