Before every session, Tournament Director Jack Effel reminds players that they should NOT take their chips off the table when they go to dinner. Seems pretty obvious, right? I mean, who would actually do that?
Well, as we were leaving for dinner a player nearly did exactly that. It was the last hand, he tossed his cards in the muck, grabbed up his meager stack of chips, and was rising from his seat when the dealer stopped him with a stern, "Leave your chips ON THE TABLE." So not everyone pays as close of attention as they should.
This hand occured just before the break. A middle-position player raised to 4,500. Dario Minieri called from middle position as did another player in late position. Sorel Mizzi, with the button, put in a re-raise to 20,500. Christian Abele in the small blind wasted little time moving his entire stack of 180,000 towards the center. The initial raiser called and the other players folded. Mizzi claimed to have folded A-K as his fold closed the action. The players showed...
Abele:
Opponent:
Abele was in a bit of trouble. That is until the board filled out . Abele spiked a set on the turn to win the pot and increase his stack to 275,000.
A player raises to 4,000, blind player Hal Lubarsky reraises from the small blind to 12,000, his opponent moves all in for 30,000, and Lubarsky calls with . His opponent shows , and he'll need to improve to stay alive.
The board comes , and Lubarsky's kings hold up to win the pot, eliminating his opponent and increasing his stack to 155,000.
2002 WSOP Champion Robert Varkonyi
Mark Van Der Ben from Team PokerNews raised with A-J. Robert Varkonyi re-raised to 4,000. Van Der Ben called. The flop was . Varkonyi bet 5K and Van Der Ben called. The turn was the . Van Der Ben checked, Varknoyi bet 10,000. Van Der Ben check-raised to 36,000. Varkonyi went into the tank before he called. The river was the . Varkonyi's won the pot with Q-10. He increased his stack to 107,000.
On the very next hand, Mark Van Der Ben was eliminated.
PokerNews caught up JC Tran on his break from Day 2b of the Main Event. JC talked about his great table draw, catching some hands, and about taking advantage of having such a huge chip advantage on the rest of his table.
The 2000, 2001, and 2002 World Champions are all still in this event and are playing in Day 2b: Chris Ferguson, Carlos Mortensen and Robert Varkonyi. Other world champions still in: Huck Seed and Berry Johnston.
Ted Forrest
Ted Forrest limps from middle position for 1,600, the player on the button raises to 11,400, and Forrest raises to 76,400 expecting to put his opponent all in. But his opponent has a bit more than Forrest figured, and he moves all in for 89,500. Forrest calls with , and his opponent shows . It's a race situation.
The board comes , and Forrest's opponent wins the pot with two pair, aces and kings. Ted Forrest drops down to 212,300 in chips.
Prahlad Friedman
Friedman raised to 5,000 and after a middle-position player called Stuart Fox re-raised to 30K. Friedman moved in for his last 39,000 and Fox called, turning over pocket Tens that dominated Prahlad's pocket Eights. A Ten on the flop put an end to the drama and Friedman was eliminated.
. Abele spiked a set on the turn to win the pot and increase his stack to 275,000.
, and Lubarsky's kings hold up to win the pot, eliminating his opponent and increasing his stack to 155,000.
. Van Der Ben checked, Varknoyi bet 10,000. Van Der Ben check-raised to 36,000. Varkonyi went into the tank before he called. The river was the 
. Varkonyi's won the pot with Q-10. He increased his stack to 107,000.
, and his opponent shows 
