2008 World Series of Poker

Event 2 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
104
Prize
$831,462
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$5,363,085
Entries
3,929
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
20,000

Silky Smooth

Today's restart is the largest restart outside of the Main Event in WSOP history. From getting the players in their seats with the correct chip stack, to the introduction of the new chip counting ID system, to the procedure used for hand-for-hand play, all of the staff -- dealers, runners, floor people and tournament directors -- have been absolutely top-notch. For a restart that could have been filled with extremely painful bumps in the road, things have gone as smoothly as possible.

There hasn't been much to complain about at the start of this year's WSOP.

Double Up or Go Home

We join this hand on the flop, with the board showing {10-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} {7-Clubs} , and the action on Anthony Perry. He checks it over to Michael Ium, who puts in a bet of 10,000. Perry check-raises all in for his last 29,000, and Ium makes the call.

Anthony Perry shows {K-Hearts} {J-Spades} , and Michael Ium tables the hand in the lead, {A-Hearts} {8-Spades} . The {6-Spades} on the turn makes Ium a straight, and the river {2-Diamonds} fails to hit Perry and sends him out to the lobby. Ium has upped his stack over the first big milestone, sitting with 104,000.

Durante vs. Meyvis

From late position, Felix Wright opens the pot to 3,200. Nathan Meyvis on the button and Roberto Durante in the small blind both make the call.

The flop comes down {10-Clubs} {9-Spades} {2-Spades} , and action is checked to the raiser. Wright makes a continuation bet of 5,700 before Meyvis raises all in for 10,100 total. In the small blind, Durante has the exact same amount of chips, and surprisingly he too puts in his last 10,100, causing Wright to duck out of the hand.

When the cards are turned over, Meyvis has {A-Spades} {A-Hearts} , but sees that he ran into a set when Durante shows {9-Diamonds} {9-Clubs} . The turn and river are {3-Spades} , {3-Diamonds} , and Meyvis is out. Durante, meanwhile, is back up to 40,000.

"Attention Players!"

Jimmy Sommerfeld has been active on the micrphone giving advice and information to the players in the room.

"OK players, we have a line at the cashier's cage, so if you could start playing a little better, we can get this line down a little." A few nervous chuckles could be heard here and there, but most of the players are settling in here, trying to make a deep run to the final table.

A Quick Note

Due to the rapid rate of player eliminations and the long line at the payout table, the folks who typically relay that information to us are quite busy at the moment. As soon as the pace dies down, we will have the Prizepool and Payouts list up to date.

One Up, One Down

A double-up always makes life look a little better. Kenny Tran got his stack in preflop against Ashley Mayhew. Tran tabled {A-Diamonds} {K-Hearts}; Mayhew was behind with {A-Spades} {10-Spades}. A nine-high board was no help to Mayhew. Tran is now at 26,000.

At a different table, Todd Brunson got his own stack in holding ace-queen. Unfortunately his opponent had two of the other three aces. To add insult to injury, the case ace hit the flop. Brunson is out of the tournament.

Tags: Kenny TranTodd Brunson

Racing in the Desert

Seated in middle position, Matthew Piggott puts in a raise to 4,000. From the button, Linh Nguyen puts the rest of his chips in the pot, approximately 18,000 total. Piggott makes the call, and tables {8-Clubs} {8-Diamonds} , while Nguyen shows down {A-Diamonds} {K-Diamonds} .

The flop is a dry desert for Nguyen, {2-Hearts} {9-Clubs} {9-Hearts} , but the turn and river look much more like the oasis that he needed. The fourth street {A-Clubs} puts him ahead, and the {K-Clubs} on fifth lock it up for Nguyen, who doubles up to about 40,000.

Miracles Do Exist

Matthew Rousu goes all in for his tournament life from the cutoff with {K-Hearts} {Q-Clubs} . The call comes from the small blind player, Benjamin Hamnett, who is miles ahead with {K-Diamonds} {K-Spades} .

How quickly things can change.

When the dealer spreads the flop, it shows {10-Hearts} {J-Diamonds} {A-Clubs} , giving Rousu the nut straight. Hamnett is left drawing to a chop or runner-runner, and the {7-Diamonds} {7-Clubs} do not get him there. After the hand, Rousu is up to 31,800.