39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1d | 2008 World Series of Poker

07-06-2008 13:03 UTC-7

Yang's Fruitless Aggression

[user67765]

Jerry Yang brought a unique style to the WSOP last year and his almost maniacal approach worked brilliantly on that final table. However, it seems that Yang is approaching today's play with a similar level of recklessness, which is proving to be a little less successful. He is playing most pots and often calling players down with light holdings.

In a recent hand, Yang limped under the gun, and the player on the button raised to 400 with Yang making the call. They took a flop of {2-Spades}

and Yang check-called the 900-chip bet of his opponent. The turn was the {Q-Hearts}

and both players checked. The river brought the {A-Diamonds}

and Yang checked to his opponent, who fired 1,600. Yang insta-called and turned over {9-Clubs}

, apparently believing that his hand was good. But his opponent flipped {Q-Diamonds}

for a set of queens to take down the pot.

Yang is already down to 10,400 chips.

Tags: Jerry Yang

07-06-2008 13:07 UTC-7

Kostritsyn with the Best

MarcC

We approached the table and the river was already out to reveal a board of {5-Hearts}

. Alex Kostritsyn is in the big blind and leads out for a 1,600 bet, only to be raised up to 6,100 by his opponent.

He calls, showing {9-Diamonds}

for trip jacks and it's good to beat the {A-Diamonds}

of his opponent.

Kostritsyn up to 30,000 already.

Tags: Alex Kostritsyn

07-06-2008 13:08 UTC-7

ESPN Featured Tables

[user66118]

Over in the arena area, we are keeping an eye on Mark Seif and UFC fighter Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell. At some point or another, Phil Hellmuth is slated to join the players at that table and bask under the warm glow of the stage lights.

Phil Ivey has the bridesmaid seat. He is among the players seated at Green Table #15, the secondary featured table. He doesn't get center stage, but there are still plenty of ESPN cameras and railbirds surrounding the table to make him feel right at home.

07-06-2008 13:09 UTC-7

Hai, Table Captain

[user38368]

Hai Le bets 350 in late position and the cutoff calls. The flop is {9-Diamonds}

and Hai bets 600. The cutoff calls. The turn is {A-Diamonds}

and both check. The river is {A-Spades}

and both check. Le shows {8-Spades}

for the turned flush. He's got 37,000.

07-06-2008 13:12 UTC-7

Elizabeth Taking Things Slow

[user67765]

Shannon Elizabeth is off to a solid start to the day after catching a couple of nice flops. Elizabeth called bets on the flop and turn, before checking down the river on a board of {J-Spades}

. Elizabeth showed down {9-Clubs}

for two pair to take down the pot against an opponent's {Q-?}

.

She then followed that up by flopping trips with {A-Clubs}

on a board of {9-Clubs}

. Elizabeth checked the flop, raised the turn and then checked down the river. Her opponent showed only {7-Hearts}

for a missed draw.

Elizabeth looks content to play small-ball poker as she moves up to 21,500.

Tags: Shannon Elizabeth

07-06-2008 13:15 UTC-7

Doug Lee Walking the "Straight" and Narrow

[user42991]

Preflop, Doug Lee raised to 500 and his opponent in the big blind called. The flop of {10-Clubs}

was checked to Lee and he bet out 200. His opponent then raised to 1,500. Lee went into the tank for a bit and said, "flush draw or something." Lee then made the call.

The turn fell the {A-Diamonds}

, and his opponent bet out 3,000. Lee then raised to 7,000 total and said, "How do you like that for your flush draw?" Lee's opponent then went into the tank and thought for several minutes. Finally, Lee called the clock on his opponent. After the floor came over, Lee's opponent made the call.

The river fell the {6-Spades}

and both players checked.

Lee showed {K-Spades}

for the nut straight. His opponent showed {J-Clubs}

for a set. After the hand, Lee moved up to 31,100 chips.

Tags: Doug Lee

07-06-2008 13:20 UTC-7

Moneymaker Gives Back

[user75032]

As much as you hear about all of the bad sides of poker, there are plenty of good sides too. The story of Donald Hobbs is one example. Hobbs is a guy who was involved in a horrible automobile accident that ultimately caught the attention of Chris Moneymaker. One of Hobbs' therapists tried to get an autographed photo of Moneymaker to give to Hobbs, an avid poker player, as Hobbs was undergoing a long and painful recovery from his injuries. When Moneymaker heard the story, and realized it was just over the state line in Kentucky, a few miles from his home in Tennessee, he did one step better - he came to the hospital and played poker with Hobbs in person.

After the poker session was over, Moneymaker promised Hobbs that, if Hobbs was up to it, Moneymaker would bring him out to Las Vegas and buy him into the Main Event. He was good to his word. Hobbs is seated at Blue #5, on the rail, with two family members and Moneymaker just behind him. Moneymaker arrived about fifteen minutes into Level 1 and asked Hobbs how it was going.

"I'm bored," said Hobbs.

"You can't be bored," laughed Moneymaker. "You're playing for ten million dollars! You have to play for ten more hours today. And you're playing with Dario Minieri, one of the best players in the world. You can't be bored."

Then Moneymaker turned to Hobbs' family members and added, "He's bored. That's not good."

We wish Donald Hobbs all the best luck in the Main Event.

07-06-2008 13:21 UTC-7

Wolfe Gets Run Over by Wheel

[user38971]

On a flop of {5-Spades}

, Paul Wolfe was all in holding {5-Hearts}

against an opponent who had flopped the wheel with {A-Diamonds}

. Wolfe found some help with the {2-Spades}

on the turn, but the river bricked for him. Wolfe is down to just 2,000 after the hand.

07-06-2008 13:22 UTC-7

Yang Stumbles Again

[user67765]

Sebastien Moreau raised it up from the button to 600, with Jerry Yang making the call from the small blind. A middle-position limper also made the call.

They took a flop of {K-Hearts}

and it was checked through.

The turn was the {Q-Diamonds}

and it was checked to Moreau, who led out for 1,400. Yang then announced a check-raise to 4,000. The MP player folded before Moreau moved all in for about 20,000.

Yang went into the tank for about five minutes as two camera crews and multiple media outlets swarmed around the table, as Yang's tournament life was hanging in the balance. However, he eventually laid down his hand, to be left with only 5,300 chips at the halfway mark of the first level.

Tags: Jerry Yang Sebastien Moreau

07-06-2008 13:24 UTC-7

Williams Drops More Chips

donpeters

A player limped from early position and David WIlliams raised the action to 350. A middle-position player called behind Williams, and the limper called as well. The three players saw the flop came down {7-Hearts}

and it was checked to Williams.

Williams bet out 675. The player behind folded and then the other player called. The river came the {4-Clubs}

and a bet of 1,000 was fired into Williams. Williams mucked his hand and dropped to 7,000 chips.

On the next hand, Williams limped in, as did a few other players. The flop came down {K-Spades}

. The big blind led out for 300 and Williams called. The button called as well.

The turn was the {10-Diamonds}