Phil Ivey has traded in his golf spikes for a stack of chips here in the Stud World Championship, arriving during the first break. It appears he knew what he was doing, as he's off to a flying start. We found him involved in a clash with Greg Raymer, another latecomer, with a big pot building toward seventh street.
In the end, there was a pot of more than 7,000 chips piled in the middle of the table, and Ivey showed down a full house, threes full of tens. It was the winner, as Raymer stacked his cards and returned them to the dealer. After that exchange, Ivey is quickly up to about 34,000, dropping Raymer down close to 24,000.
Alexander Kravchenko is legendary for being a stony-faced poker player but it seems that the antics of Tony G can crack a smile on his stoic face. We came to their table with Kravchenko showing a board of (X-X) / and the G's board showing (X-X) / .
"Can we just go all in?" asked Tony G with a laugh. The whole table tittered, and even Kravchenko permitted himself a smile. The two men went to sixth street, with Kravcehnko catching a and betting into Tony G's . Again Tony called.
On the river, Kravchenko fired dark. Tony G peeked at his last card, then opened all three hole cards, . "How can I win?" he asked as he shipped in his cards. Kravchenko obligingly showed one card -- a for a pair of nines.
We join a heads-up confrontation between Alessio Isaia and Joe Cassidy on fifth street. Cassidy shows (X-X) , and he fired out a bet. Isaia's board read (X-X) , and he opted to raise it up. Cassidy called.
Sixth street came the for Cassidy, and he fired at the pot once again. Just as before, Isaia raised with the , and Cassidy called.
On seventh street, Cassidy checked, Isaia bet once more, and Cassidy again called.
Showdown
Isaia: () ()
Cassidy: (X-X) (X) MUCK
Having made his queen-high flush on sixth street, Alessio Isaia's winner earned him a healthy pot at the expense of Joe Cassidy.
David Benyamine has inched out to an early chip lead in today's event and seems determined to throw those chips around. He called with the showing after Andy Bloch brought it in with the but before Nick Schulman completed the . Bloch called, then Benyamine switched everything up by throwing in a raise. Schulman and Bloch both called.
Fourth street brought the for Benyamine and a ten for each of Bloch and Schulman. Benyamine fired out a bet but was unable to shake either of his opponents. That changed on fifth street, when each player caught what looked like a brick. This time Benyamine's bet earned him two folds and the pot. He showed the .
With registration now closed, the board shows that 142 players have bought into today's World Championship. We'll have the full breakdown of the prizepool as soon as it's made available.
Just now joining the field are: John Juanda, Erick Lindgren, Phil Ivey and Greg Raymer. A new table, #232, has been put in play and includes the likes of Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer, Alexander Kravchenko, Alexander Kostritsyn and PokerNews' own Tony G.
We pick up the action in a three-way pot over on the Table of Doom with the fifth street cards already out on the table.
Eli Elezra: (X-X)
Andy Bloch: (X-X)
Pawel Andrzejewski: (X-X)
On fifth street, Elezra had the lead, and he opted to bet. Bloch made the call next door, while Andrzejewski raised it up to 1,000. Both opponents put in the extra bet to see the next card.
On sixth street, Elezra drew the , picking up a pair on board. He led out once again with a bet of 500. Bloch ducked out, but Andrzejewski made the call after pulling the .
On seventh street, heads up now, Elezra glanced at his card before tapping the table. Andrzejewski made a bet, and Elezra called.
When he turned his cards over, Andrzewjewski's hand read (). His two pair was plenty good to rake in that big pot, and he has worked up over the 35,000-chip mark.
and the G's board showing (X-X) / 
.
and betting into Tony G's 
. Again Tony called.
. "How can I win?" he asked as he shipped in his cards. Kravchenko obligingly showed one card -- a 
, and he fired out a bet. Isaia's board read (X-X) 
, and he opted to raise it up. Cassidy called.
for Cassidy, and he fired at the pot once again. Just as before, Isaia raised with the 
, and Cassidy called.
) 
)
showing after Andy Bloch brought it in with the 
. Bloch called, then Benyamine switched everything up by throwing in a raise. Schulman and Bloch both called.
.
, picking up a pair on board. He led out once again with a bet of 500. Bloch ducked out, but Andrzejewski made the call after pulling the 
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