Event 45 - $10,000 World Championship Pot Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2009 World Series of Poker

06-23-2009 13:03 UTC-12

Official Prizepool

Offical prizepool information has just been released. Here's a look at some of the details:

275 Entrants
27 Players Paid
1st Place - $633,335
9th Place - $77,136
27th place - $24,055

For a full list of payouts, click here.

06-23-2009 12:48 UTC-12

Barry Greenstein Eliminated

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In the hand previous to his elimination, Barry Greenstein did not call a bet from Cornel Andrew Cimpan and instead opted to leave himself with 600 chips. Cimpan implored him, "Come on, Barry. Give me the book!" (referring to the signed copy of Ace on the River Greenstein gives to the opponent that felts him at a tournament.) However, Barry wanted to save on to his last chips for another hand.

* * *

On the next hand, Greenstein was all in from the small blind. Cimpan tried his best to get in the pot so he could receive an autographed copy of the book, however another player pushed him out of the pot and went on to eliminate Greenstein.

06-23-2009 12:46 UTC-12

The Magician Makes His Chips Disappear

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A player in middle position opened with a raise, and the button made the call. In the big blind, Antonio Esfandiari reraised to 6,000. The initial raiser folded, but the player on the button reraised to put his opponent to the test. Esfandiari called all in for another ~3,000 on top.

Showdown
Button: {A-Hearts}

Esfandiari: {A-Spades}

The flop helped Esfandiari, pairing his kicker. With four cards out, the board read {9-Hearts}

. But a re-suck {J-Diamonds}

on the river was a bad card, sending The Magician out in a puff of smoke.

Tags: Antonio Esfandiari The Magician

06-23-2009 12:36 UTC-12

Keven Stammen Takes A Pot From Grinder

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On a board of {Q-Diamonds}

Keven "Stammdogg" Stammen checked and Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi bet 1,500. Stammen check raised to 5,000 and Grinder called quickly.

The river brought the {Q-Hearts}

and Stammen bet 13,000. The Grinder tanked for a few minutes, and even grabbed his chips as if he was going to slide them all in. He gauged the reaction from Stammen, smiled, and then mucked his hand.

Keven Stammen - 65,000
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi - 22,000

Tags: Keven Stammen Michael Mizrachi

06-23-2009 12:27 UTC-12

Play Resumes

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Players return from break to level 5 with increase blinds of 300-600.

Level: 5

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 0

06-23-2009 12:08 UTC-12

Just Before Break...

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...Greg Raymer slipped back a little bit in a heads-up pot.

The flop showed {2-Spades}

, and the player first to act bet 2,500. Raymer made the call, and the turn came the {Q-Hearts}

. Both men checked this time, seeing a free river that brought the {9-Hearts}

. Once again, the early-position opponent bet out, this time firing 6,400. Raymer made the call, and his opponent tabled {9-Spades}

.

Raymer shook his head and slid his cards into the muck. "One-outer," he said with another shake of the head. He's down to 33,000 after that loss.

06-23-2009 12:03 UTC-12

Color Up and Break

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The clock has been paused at the end of the fourth level. The green T25 chips are being colored up and raced off, and then the players will be on a 20-minute break.

06-23-2009 12:02 UTC-12

Mercier Doing Work

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A player under the gun limped into the pot, and both Jason Mercier and Isaac Haxton followed suit from late position. The player in the small blind raised to 2,325, enough to fold the first limper. Mercier decided to make a reraise though, and now Haxton got out of the way. The small blind then moved all in, and Mercier made the call to put him at risk.

Showdown
Mercier: {7-Hearts}

Small blind: {10-?}

Mercier flopped lucky, and the board ran out {7-Diamonds}

. With his sevens full, Mercier comes from behind to knock out another player, chipping him up to 88,000 as the break approaches.

Tags: Jason Mercier

06-23-2009 11:57 UTC-12

Vitaly Lunkin Eliminated

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Vitaly Lunkin is fresh off a second place finish in yesterday's PLO Championship, but will not be following it up with another deep run.

Relatively short stacked, Vitaly Lunkin was all in for 7,000 before the flop with {Q-Clubs}

against his opponent's {J-Diamonds}

.

The board came {K-Diamonds}

eliminating Lunkin from the tournament.

Tags: Vitaly Lunkin