2008 World Series of Poker

39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
6,844
Players Left
9
Next Payout
Place 9
$900,670
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
120,000 / 240,000
Ante
30,000

The "All In" Paddle

Many poker fans will remember the debacle involving the Milwaukee's Best "All-In Button" back in 2006. The idea behind it was for players to be able to push the button into the middle in lieu of moving in towers and towers of chips. Naturally, there was a great deal of confusion regarding the button, and some pros were so horrified at the concept that they immediately threw it away upon arriving at their Day 1 table.

In 2008, we now have the "All-In Paddle." Given to the dealers only, it resembles something one might use to bid at an auction. The paddle will be raised to notify the floor of all-in-and-call situations at each table.

Mercifully, there have been few paddle sightings thus far in the opening hour of the Main Event.

Eli Elezra Arrives

Eli Elezra, during Event #37
Eli Elezra, during Event #37
Eli Elezra has recently made a late arrival to now take his seat in the blue section of the Amazon Room. He didn't waste any time getting involved in a hand.

In a raised pot, four players took a flop of {Q-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{4-Spades}. The preflop aggressor bet out for 650 and Elezra was the lone caller. The {2-Diamonds} on the turn was checked by both players. The river fell the {4-Hearts} and Elezra was forced to fold to the 2,000 bet of his opponent, as Elezra slips to 18,000.

Tags: Eli Elezra

Quick! Call Harry Potter!

Slytherin?
Slytherin?
A player over on table Blue 5 is decked out in a wizard's costume, just minus the hat. Upon further investigation, we discovered the identity of the wizard. Blake Cahail had a running bet during the World Series with his roommate Blair Hinkle that if one of them won a bracelet, the other would have to play the Main Event in a costume.

Blair Hinkle won a bracelet in Event #23, and as a result we have wizard Cahail.

Tags: Blair HinkleBlake Cahail

Top Two No Good

Tim West  - Event #34
Tim West - Event #34
We caught up to this hand on the turn. With the board reading {A-Diamonds} {7-Hearts} {Q-Clubs} {2-Spades} and decent pile of chips already in the pot, Tim West led out from under the gun for 1,650. His lone opponent, playing from the cutoff seat, put in a min-raise and made it 3,300 to play.

West made the call and the {9-Spades} hit the river. West checked and the cutoff seat bet 3,000. West raised to 10,000 and his opponent called all in. The players showed:

West: {Q-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds}
Opponent: {A-Clubs} {Q-Spades}

West's set of queens were good and he trimmed the field by one and took his stack to just shy of 30,000 on the hand.

Dwabble Me Up

We reached the table with the flop already dealt as {7-Hearts} {5-Hearts} {8-Spades}. Tom Dwan was involved once more and was heads-up with his opponent.

Dwan faced a bet that he raised up to 900 before facing a massive all-in bet. Dwan made the all-in call holding {8-Diamonds} {8-Hearts} for top set. His opponent showed {9-Hearts} {9-Diamonds} for an over-pair and gutshot straight draw.

The turn came {A-Hearts} and river {J-Diamonds} to change nothing. Dwan doubles up to 22,000.

Tags: Tom Dwan

Thomas Wahlroos Makes Promising Start

Thomas Wahlroos, during Event #28
Thomas Wahlroos, during Event #28
Thomas Wahlroos raised it up to 300 from middle position and found himself with two callers. They took a flop of {9-Hearts}{9-Diamonds}{3-Clubs} and Wahlroos led out for 650 which was min-raised to 1,300 by one of his opponents. Wahlroos made the call.

The turn was the {6-Spades} and Wahlroos check-called a bet of 1,500. The river brought the {9-Clubs} and again Wahlroos check-called for 1,500. His opponent flipped over {A-?}{J-?} as Wahlroos showed {Q-Clubs}{Q-Hearts} for a full house and a sizeable early pot.

Tags: Thomas Wahlroos

Andrew Prock Doubles Up

Andrew Prock from the final table of Event #53
Andrew Prock from the final table of Event #53
Andrew Prock's stack had dwindled down to around 2,000 chips. Andrew Prock was all in preflop and received one caller. Prock held {A-Diamonds} {K-Clubs} and his opponent held {J-Clubs} {10-Clubs}.

Board: {7-Hearts} {5-Hearts} {9-Hearts} {3-Spades} {K-Spades}

Prock's kings were enough to double him up to 4,000 in chips.

Tags: Andrew Prock

Let's Make It Interesting

In addition to his stack of 22,125 chips, Roland de Wolfe has two sheets of paper sitting in front of him, on which he's keeping track of all of the prop bets he's made with David Benyamine, sitting two seats to de Wolfe's left.

For the first 45 minutes of action, the pair have bet on practically every flop, e.g., whether or not an ace will fall (and where), etc.

After losing those chips earlier, Benyamine is still sitting at 12,300.

Tags: David BenyamineRoland de Wolfe

That's Asking a Bit Much

Young Phan
Young Phan
Before the flop there was a raise to 350 and Young Phan called on the button and Aaron Wilt did the same from the big blind. The flop came {5-Hearts} {Q-Hearts} {J-Diamonds} and after Wilt and the original raiser checked, Phan bet 3,500. Wilt called and the other player folded.

The turn brought the {J-Spades} and after Wilt checked Phan bet 5,000. That turned out to be too much, as Wilt threw his hand away. That's when Phan turned over {J-Hearts} {J-Clubs} for quads. "Why don't you have pocket queens?" Phan said, then continued. "Don't worry, I know you had kings or aces".

Tags: Young Phan

Gutterball Number Two

Dustin Dirksen has done it again. After a player in early position raised to 300, he reraised to 1,100 from the cutoff. Only the early position player called.

The flop came down {K-Clubs} {J-Hearts} {4-Hearts}. The early position player fired out a bet of 500, or about 25% of the pot. Dirksen just called. The turn fell {10-Clubs}, bringing the fireworks. The early position player overbet the pot for 5,000. Dirksen raised to 11,000 before his opponent reraised all in to 19,000. Dirksen made an easy call holding {A-Clubs} {Q-Spades}, the nut straight. His opponent had flopped a set of 4s with {4-Diamonds} {4-Clubs}, but the board did not pair when the river came {2-Clubs}.

Dirksen's opponent slowplayed to no pay and is out of the tournament. Dirksen himself now has 47,000 chips after rolling his second gutterball on the turn in ten minutes.

Tags: Dustin Dirksen