Event 57 - $10,000 World Championship No Limit Hold'em Day 1b | 2009 World Series of Poker

07-04-2009 17:04 UTC-12

Sabat Doubles Again

[user76023]

And Eddy Sabat is doing rather well at this all-in-and-needing-to-win thing. He just doubled once more to 9,000 after successfully racing {J-Spades}

against

after the board came {Q-Hearts}

.

07-04-2009 17:04 UTC-12

Maimone Takes a Hit

[user67765]

Nick Maimone has just taken a hit after calling the all in of a short-stacked opponent. The board was {7-Spades}

when the chips went into the middle with Maimone showing {Q-Spades}

for a queen-high flush, but his opponent tabled {A-Spades}

for the ace-high flush.

The river bricked and Maimone drops back to 110,000.

07-04-2009 16:59 UTC-12

Paluf and Interesting

[user46392]

"All in and call!" bellowed a gentleman who was not the dealer, and various media types scurried over to witness it.

The gentleman in question was one Ryan Paluf. His opponent tabled {J-Hearts}

. "Oh no," said the rather excitable Paluf, that's impossible." He turned over {J-Clubs}

.

"Come on," he continued, "Freeroll me one time."

But the flop came down rainbow. "Oh, no fun," said Paluf, but still didn't sit back down. "Sickest hand ever," he announced, "Made by space aliens."

A moment later there was a second Paluf cry of, "All in and call!" but there were no takers this time and he showed the table pocket eights. "Come on, doesn't someone have tens this time?"

07-04-2009 16:58 UTC-12

Sometimes You Know It's Coming

[user67765]

From the button, Juha Helppi was holding {Q-Hearts}

when he floated the 900-chip bet from his opponent in middle position when the flop read {4-Hearts}

.

Perhaps Helppi sensed something as he raised when the {Q-Clubs}

fell on the turn and then fired another 7,000 as the river also fell favorably with the {J-Hearts}

. His opponent made the call, raised his eyebrows and mucked as Helppi has recovered well from being short earlier in the day to now be at 48,500 chips.

Tags: Juha Helppi

07-04-2009 16:52 UTC-12

Everyone's Looking to Beat the Odds

Shamus

Actor, singer, and WSOP bracelet holder Patrick Bruel has been playing a patient game today at his table, tucked away over in a corner of the Amazon Room. He has been folding most hands and largely staying out of trouble. He currently is sitting with 26,500.

Bruel has acted in dozens of films and recorded several best-selling albums. His 2002 CD of duets Entre Deux sold over two million copies in France. He won his WSOP bracelet in 1998 in a $5,000 Limit Hold'em event.

Bruel is sitting near the large screen television on which is playing a replay of the Buster Douglas-Mike Tyson heavyweight title fight from 1990 where Douglas scored one of the biggest, most unexpected upsets in sports history. Bruel is chatting with his table mates about having seen Tyson fight various times, though none was at that fight in Tokyo when Douglas shocked the world. Douglas was over a 40-to-1 underdog in that one.

Kind of an appropriate backdrop for an event where, really, everyone -- even the established champs and former bracelet holders -- is an underdog to win.

Tags: Patrick Bruel

07-04-2009 16:50 UTC-12

Grondin Flush with Chips

[user67765]

Four players including Laurence Grondin took a flop of {K-Diamonds}

. Grondin led the betting, firing 2,400 into the middle with all three opponents making the call.

The turn landed the {5-Diamonds}

and the action checked to a late position player who fired 6,000. One folded, as Grondin and another opponent both made the call as a big pot was brewing.

On the {8-Hearts}

river, Grondin took control once again with a healthy 20,000-chip bet which was called by only the LP player.

Incredibly it was {A-Hearts}

for the ace-high flush for Grondin versus {K-Hearts}

for the king-high flush for her opponent.

Grondin collects the monstrous and now sits well placed for Day 2 action with 84,000 chips.

Tags: Laurence Grondin

07-04-2009 16:50 UTC-12

Lucky Man

[user46392]

Jim Bookstaff's impressive 120,000 stack was there, but he was not. Well, 120,000 in level four entitles you to stroll off for a while, doesn't it?

While I was examining his stack, one of his table mates piped up. "His name is I Hit Everything," he informed me, wistfully. "Flushes, gutshots..." Several other table residents began to speak up with their various bad beat stories as your blogger quietly backed away from the table...

07-04-2009 16:44 UTC-12

Sabat Hits the River

[user76023]

Eddy Sabat has doubled up after he fired his last 2,300 all in preflop with {Q-Hearts}

only to be called by the button's {J-Spades}

. The

flop looked unhelpful but the beautiful {7-Hearts}

gave many more outs, one of which was the {6-Spades}

that came on the river.

Sabat is now back up to about 6,000.

07-04-2009 16:43 UTC-12

Rios Chips Up

[user67765]

Jesse Rios is now up to a commanding 112,000 chips after check-calling 900 on the flop, 1,000 on the turn, before the river was checked down on a board of {8-Hearts}