Event 26 - $1,500 Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2009 World Series of Poker

06-12-2009 16:46 UTC-12

First Ace I See I'm Gonna...

Here's a hand that well illustrates the urgency being faced by some of the short stacks at the moment...

Preflop betting left three players all in, with a fourth one who had them covered also vying for the pot. Each of the four players held an ace: {A-Clubs}

,

,

,

.

As it happened, the community cards brought four hearts, giving the hand to the player holding {A-Hearts}

and eliminating two others.

06-12-2009 16:42 UTC-12

Number Crunching

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Exactly 400 players have been eliminated, leaving 243 still alive and fighting for that $197,488 first prize.

The average stack is 11,907 right now, or a little less than 12 big bets.

06-12-2009 16:39 UTC-12

Jousting with Justin

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Justin Bonomo just butted heads with the same opponent on consecutive hands.

On the first, Bonomo bet and raised the entire way as the board came {A-Spades}

, and on the end turned over {A-Diamonds}

for two pair, enough to claim the pot.

On the second, Bonomo again led the betting to the end, until pulling up on the river with the board showing {6-Spades}

. After it went check-check on fifth street, his opponent turned over Q-10 for a rivered pair. "King high," said Bonomo, tossing his cards to the dealer.

Bonomo now has about 20,000.

06-12-2009 16:34 UTC-12

Table Captain

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Tom Franklin looked out from beneath his straw hat with a brim reading "Captain Tom" and raised from the cutoff, and the big blind called. The flop came {J-Clubs}

. The BB checked, Franklin bet, and his opponent folded.

Franklin has 15,500.

Level: 8

Blinds: 0/0

Ante: 0

06-12-2009 16:32 UTC-12

A Small One for Sabyl

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A middle position player bet, two players called, and Sabyl Cohen called from the big blind as well. The flop came {A-Hearts}

, and all checked. The turn was the {8-Clubs}

. Cohen bet, one player called, and the others folded.

The river was the {4-Diamonds}

. Cohen bet again, leaving herself just a few behind. Her opponent, also with a small stack of 2,400, decided to let it go.

Cohen has about 4,000.

Tags: Sabyl Cohen

06-12-2009 16:29 UTC-12

Knowing One's Limits

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"I'm all in!" someone just announced, jokingly, drawing laughter all around.

The general mood in the room is serious as players continue to be eliminated at a rapid clip, but some of the tables have developed a somewhat light-hearted dynamic in this fixed limit event. Perhaps the knowledge that no one can be eliminated without at least some forewarning is making some players relatively more relaxed. (At least that's how they appear.)

06-12-2009 16:16 UTC-12

Shannon Gets Her Share

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An interesting hand on Table #1 involving Shannon Elizabeth, who continues to nurse a short stack.

With the board showing A-3-3-x-K, Elizabeth checked, her opponent bet, and she made the call, leaving herself just 1,200 behind. Her opponent showed A-Q, and Elizabeth turned over A-10, conceding the pot.

The dealer had already begun to shovel the chips toward her opponent when it was pointed out by another player that in fact the players had split the pot. The chips were duly divided, and Elizabeth hangs on.

She's won a couple of pots since then, as is now at 8,000.

Tags: Shannon Elizabeth

06-12-2009 16:10 UTC-12

The Croc Takes a Bite

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With the board showing {5-Hearts}

, a player bet, Billy "The Croc" Argyros raised, his opponent three-bet, and Argyros called. There was a bit of confusion regarding the betting and sequence, but all was worked out by the time the dealer burned one and dealt the river, the {6-Clubs}

.

The early position player bet, and Argyros said "call," yet tossed out 1,600 -- which would consitute a raise. A raise it was, his opponent called, and Argyros turned over {A-Diamonds}

for trip fours. His opponent mucked. Afterwards, Argyros explained the confusion on the turn had led to his mistake on the river, though all worked out well for the Croc.

Argyros now has 14,000.

Tags: Billy Argyros

06-12-2009 15:56 UTC-12

The Perfect Storm

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After some preflop betting, three players, including Jon Van Halle, saw a flop come {A-Diamonds}

, and all three checked. The turn then brought the {5-Diamonds}

, and some fireworks.

The trio ended up capping the betting on the turn -- a bet and four raises, or five big bets total. The river was the {3-Clubs}