Event 56 - $5,000 Six-handed No Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2009 World Series of Poker

06-30-2009 09:22 UTC-12

Ceremony and Song

Shamus

An extra delay here while we have the daily bracelet ceremony. Today it is Carsten Joh, winner of Event No. 51 ($1,500 No-Limit Hold'em), who is being presented his bracelet, with the German national anthem being played.

06-30-2009 09:02 UTC-12

Break Time

Shamus

Players are on the first 20-minute break of the day.

06-30-2009 09:01 UTC-12

Diary of a Madman

Shamus

Daniel Negreanu has arrived. And everyone has noticed.

It's another multi-event day for Negreanu, and he apparently has built a decent stack over in the other event, to which he is anxious to return. With another tournament to play, Negreanu is gambling it up in this one. Here's a recent wild sequence from Kid Poker:

After a flop of {8-Spades}

, Negreanu checked from the big blind, his opponent bet 500, he check-raised to 2,000, and his opponent called. The turn brought the {9-Clubs}

, and Negreanu instantly shipped his 15,000 into the middle and his opponent called. Negreanu had {J-Spades}

for the flush draw, and his opponent {A-Clubs}

. "Give me a spade, or I go to my other tourney," said Negreanu with a grin. The river was the {3-Diamonds}

, and Negreanu was down to less than 2,500.

On the very next hand, the button raised to 375, then Negreanu went all in from the small blind. The big blind folded and the button called, showing {Q-Clubs}

to Negreanu's {A-Spades}

. The board came {7-Hearts}

, and Negreanu was back to close to 5,000.

On the next one, Negreanu open-shoved all in blind from the button and the small blind (who had 30,000) called him with {10-Clubs}

. What did Negreanu have? {A-Spades}

. (No shinola.) The board came {8-Hearts}

, and Negreanu was up to nearly 10,000.

On the hand after that, Jason Mercier raised to 375 from under the gun, Negreanu raised to 800 from the cutoff, Mercier made it 4,000, Negreanu shoved all in, and Mercier called. Mercier showed {A-Hearts}

and Negreanu {J-Diamonds}

. The flop brought a jack -- {2-Spades}

-- and the turn was the {7-Clubs}

and the river the {7-Spades}

. Negreanu was up to 20,000, and Mercier suddenly down to 4,600.

Mercier would double up through Negreanu soon after that, knocking Negreanu back to 14,175. On the next hand, Kid Poker again open-shoved all in with {A-Clubs}

and the player in the small blind snap-called him with {A-Diamonds}

. Another sweet flop for Negreanu -- {10-Hearts}

-- inspiring him to jump on his chair. The turn was the {3-Spades}

and the river the {K-Spades}

, and Negreanu was up to 30,000.

Like a tornado leaving a trailer park, Negreanu left after that hand, scampering back over to his other event.

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Jason Mercier

06-30-2009 08:49 UTC-12

Phillips Eliminates Singer

Shamus

Dennis Phillips just knocked out David Singer. Preflop betting got all of Singer's chips in the middle with {A-Clubs}

against Phillips' {J-Hearts}

. The board came {8-Clubs}

, and Singer is out.

Phillips is up to 46,000, having tripled his stack already by the middle of Level 2.

Tags: David Singer Dennis Phillips

06-30-2009 08:47 UTC-12

E-Dog Chews Up Chino

Shamus

David "Chino" Rheem raised to 350 from the cutoff seat, Erick Lindgren reraised to 1,000 from the button, the blinds folded, and Rheem made the call.

The flop came {Q-Spades}

. Rheem checked, Lindgren bet 1,000, and Rheem called. The turn was the {J-Clubs}

, and both checked. The river was the {4-Hearts}

. Rheem checked, Lindgren again bet 1,000, Rheem check-raised to 3,100, Lindgren made it 6,500, and Rheem called with his last chips.

Lindgren showed {A-Spades}

for queens full, and Rheem mucked. Rheem is out, and after a rocky start Lindgren is back up to 13,000.

Tags: David Rheem Erick Lindgren

06-30-2009 08:39 UTC-12

Alaei Gets Action With Aces

Shamus

Daniel Alaei raised to 3,200, a player in the cutoff reraised all in for 18,000, and it folded back to Alaei who snap-called with the 11,000 or so he had behind.

Alaei had {A-Diamonds}

, and his opponent {A-Spades}

. The board came {10-Hearts}

, and we have another elimination. Alaei is at 29,000 now.

Tags: Daniel Alaei

06-30-2009 08:35 UTC-12

Saab Story

Shamus

David Saab, sporting his usual Superman shirt, raised to 400 from late position, and the player in the small blind reraised to 1,575. It folded back to Saab. "Do I have a big sign on my head that says raise me?" he cracked before making the call.

The flop came {2-Spades}

. The SB bet 2,300, and after some hem-and-hawing Saab called. Both checked the {A-Clubs}

on the turn.

The river brought the {8-Diamonds}

, and Saab quickly -- and somewhat surprisingly, given the deliberate nature of his previous actions -- shoved all in for 10,000. His opponent didn't take too long to make the call with his last 8,000 chips.

Saab showed {8-Clubs}

for the rivered set, and his opponent hit the rail. Saab is up to 26,000.

Tags: David Saab

06-30-2009 08:31 UTC-12

Demidov Deliberates, Decides Well

Shamus

With the board showing {5-Hearts}

, Ivan Demidov bet 425, his opponent raised to 1,100, and Demidov called. The river brought the {10-Hearts}

. Demidov checked, and his opponent bet 2,025.

Demidov thought a good while, then made the call, showing {Q-Diamonds}

. It was a good call, as his opponent had been bluffing with {A-Spades}

.

Demidov is up to 20,000.

06-30-2009 08:27 UTC-12

Coren Scorin'

Shamus

A player under the gun raised to 375, and the table folded around to Vicky Coren who called from the big blind. The flop came {2-Spades}

, and Coren hit the felt with her fist to check. Her opponent bet 300, and she called. Both checked the {8-Diamonds}

turn.

The river was the {A-Diamonds}

, and Coren quickly tossed out 1,200. Some quizzing from her opponent appeared to reveal she'd intended the bet even before the ace hit. After a bit more contemplation, her opponent let it go, and a smiling Coren dragged the pot. She now has 19,500.

Tags: Vicky Coren