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

06-30-2009 06:49 UTC-12

The Penultimate Event Starting Soon

Shamus

We're just 15 minutes or so away from the start of Event No. 56, the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed event. With the start of today's event, the 2009 breaks the record for most bracelet events in a single series, the previous high-mark being 55. Just one more bracelet event remains after this one, of course -- the big one, the Main Event.

Right now the big board is showing that we already have nearly 600 entrants for this one, and that number is sure to climb over the next couple of hours. Back in a few with the start of today's event.

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

06-30-2009 07:08 UTC-12

Shuffle Up and Deal

Shamus

Cards are in the air and the next-to-last event of the 2009 World Series of Poker is underway!

The number of players registered as the first hands are being dealt has already moved past 650, and they're saying over 100 more are presently in line and soon to be seated.

Players are starting with 15,000 chips, distributed as eight green (25) chips, eight dark blue (100) chips, two light blue (500) chips, eight yellow (1000) chips, and one orange (5000) chip.

06-30-2009 07:18 UTC-12

No Average Joe

Shamus

A quick pass finds Shannon Shorr, John Duthie, Juha Helppi, Gavin Griffin, Andy Black, Bill Chen, Eli Elezra, and Barry Shulman are all here.

Last year's champion in this event is here, too -- Joe Commisso. In fact, he appears to be wearing a similar turquoise shirt to the one he had on when winning his bracelet last year.

06-30-2009 07:28 UTC-12

More Faces

Shamus

Also here today are Matt Graham, Adam Junglen, Vicky Coren, Marc Naalden, Alex Wilson, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Beth Shak, Vanessa Rousso, Burt Boutin, and Jennifer Tilly.

06-30-2009 07:35 UTC-12

Tough Field

Shamus

Whoever wins this event will have fought through a tough field, for sure. Among the others here are Tony "Bond18" Dunst, Dennis Phillips, Roland de Wolfe, Jeff "YellowSub86" Williams, Russell Rosenblum, Nikolay Evdakov, Peter Feldman, Erich Froehlich, Brock Parker, Phil Tom, Jeff Madsen, Marco Traniello, Antonio Esfandiari, Nenad Medic, T.J. Cloutier, Barny Boatman, and Isaac Haxton.

Scotty Nguyen is also here, baby. So is Bill Edler, Daniel Alaei, Dutch Boyd, Jamie Gold, Lee Watkinson, Erik Lindgren, Brandon Cantu, David "Chino" Rheem, Dario Minieri, and Justin Bonomo.

Tags: Jeff Williams

06-30-2009 07:41 UTC-12

More Arrive, One Leaves

Shamus

Looks like we've crept up past the 800-player mark as players continue to arrive.

We're one less now, though, as Rob Eckstut is an early elimination. With the board showing {5-Diamonds}

, Eckstut called with the last of his chips holding K-Q, but his opponent had {A-Diamonds}

for the flush.

Tags: Rob Eckstut

06-30-2009 07:49 UTC-12

Chan Checks Out

Shamus

Terrence "Not Johnny" Chan has been eliminated. He lost most of his stack in a hand in which all but 900 of his chips went in the middle against an all-in opponent with the board showing {A-Diamonds}

. Chan had {A-Spades}

, but his opponent had {A-Hearts}

. The river was the {10-Hearts}

, and Chan was in dire straits.

Soon after, it folded to Phil Laak in the small blind who raised, Chan reraised all in, and Laak called. Laak showed {4-Diamonds}

, while Chan tabled {K-Clubs}

. The flop was {A-Hearts}

and turn

, and Chan was still safe. But the {6-Diamonds}

river gave Laak the flush and Chan hits the rail early.

Tags: Phil Laak Terrence Chan

06-30-2009 07:57 UTC-12

Still More Arrivals

Shamus

Seats continue to fill rapidly here in the Amazon Room. Most of the room is currently being taken up with this event, with tables also being employed down the hall in the Brasilia.

Among those taking seats are Matt Hawrilenko, Jason Mercier, Florian Langmann, Victor Ramdin, Shawn Buchanan, Jason Potter, Ryan Nathan, Tony Cousineau, Daniel Makowsky, and Chad Batista.

06-30-2009 08:00 UTC-12