David "The Dragon" Pham has been sent to the rail in a bit of a cooler of a hand as described to us by ex-PokerNews reporter, turned poker phenom Anthony Yeh (so we're certain it's 100% accurate!).
A middle position player tossed out 325 with the intention to raise, but with the blinds now at 100/200, he was forced to make it 400 to play. Yeh called as did Pham in the big blind.
They saw a flop of and action checked around. The turn was a repeat and it was checked around again. However on the river, Pham checked to the preflop raiser who tossed out 1,150. Yeh folded but Pham wasn't done with quite yet. He check-raised and made it 3,500 to go. His opponent them moved all in to put Pham to a decision for his tournament.
Pham went into the tank for a long time before making the call with for a full house, but he'd been trumped by his opponent's for jacks full of aces. Pham is out.
On a flop of Gavin Griffin checked to Scott Clements who tossed out 850. Griffin made the call.
The turn brought a repeat and it was check, check, before the completed the board on the river. Griffin led out with a bet of 1,250 but Clements made it 2,900 to go. Griffin snap-folded and Clements takes it down.
Clements is up to 19,000 with Griffin struggling with 13,200.
A player in middle position raised to 600 before Praz Bansi three-bet to 1,500 in the hijack seat. Not to be outdone, the big blind four-bet all in for 5,600 total, and Bansi made the call when the table folded back to him, racing for a chance to eliminate a player.
Showdown
Bansi:
Opponent:
The board ran out full of blanks:
Bansi sends a double across the felt, slipping back to 16,000.
Facing a bet of 650 on a flop of , PokerStars Team Brazil Pro Maridu Mayrinck made the call and saw the hit the turn. Action checked to Mayrinck on the button who fired 950. Her opponent made the call and the fell on the river.
Again it was checked to Mayrinck who thought for a moment, but she decided to check behind. Her opponent showed for a pair of sevens which was enough as Mayrinck mucked. She's down to 12,000.
When three players saw a flop of , they liked what they saw as a huge three-way pot developed.
Brock Parker, in the small blind, checked over to the player in the big blind who fired 1,600. Erich Kollmann then moved all in before Parker re-raised all in over the top. The big blind couldn't find a reason to fold as he came along as well!
Parker:
Big Blind:
Kollmann:
Kings everywhere but Parker's two pair held the lead. That is, until the binked the turn to put the big blind ahead, and it stayed that way through the river.
Kollman was eliminated and Parker was crippled to his last 2,000 chips.
On the very next hand Parker tried to put those chips to work with his up against an opponent's . The board rather brutally ran out to give his opponent a backdoor running straight (while fading clubs!) to eliminate Parker from the tournament.
A player in middle position raised to 450 to open the pot, and both blinds called including Phil Ivey in the big blind.
The three of them took a flop of , and the blinds checked to the raiser. He continued out with 675 chips, the small blind folded, and Ivey check-raised to 2,100 straight. His opponent instantly reraised, and Ivey called all in for his last 6,325 total chips.
Showdown
Ivey:
Opponent:
Ivey was on the flush draw with his ace, trailing the top pair of his opponent. Things would get no better on the turn, which was a very blank , but the river was a bit more friendly to arguably the greatest poker player that has ever lived. The dropped off the deck on fifth street, giving Ivey the winning pair of aces and doubling him up to about 14,000.
Registration is closed for our event, and we finally have some numbers for you.
A very impressive 792 runners turned up for this $5,000-buy-in event, a huge increase over last year's 655. Their entries have generated a prize pool worth $3,722,400 which will be distributed over the last 72 players left standing.
The minimum cash is worth $10,497, and each of the final tablists will be guaranteed more than $60,000. The six-figure paydays start with seventh place, and the final heads-up pairing will have each locked up more than a half-million dollars.
The lucky man or woman who claims every chip in play will be handed the gold bracelet and a handsome check for $818,959. With the payouts now fixed firmly in their sights, the 680 remaining players are off into the meaty middle section of Day 1.
Phil Hellmuth raised it up to 525 from middle position and David Williams made the call on the button. The big blind made the call and we were three ways to a flop of .
The big blind tapped the table and Hellmuth followed up with a small bet of 550. Williams made the call as the big blind got out of the way.
The turn was the and Hellmuth released a second barrel worth 1,100. Again Williams tossed out calling chips as the railbirds huddled closer to catch a glimpse as a big pot appeared to be developing.
The hit the river which was sure to slow someone down. That player was Hellmuth, as he checked over to Williams who fired 2,000.
"You had to know I had a big hand. I bet every street!" muttered Hellmuth. "So you're either bluffing or you rivered it..." he continued.
After a little time in the spotlight, Hellmuth finally gave it up. He slips to 10,825 with Williams up to 34,500.
"It's a long game. You're time is coming!" added Hellmuth.
We approached the table of Beth Shak with all of her last 19,375 chips in the middle on the turn against Ryan Schmidt.
The board read and Shak showed but she would need help on the river as Schmidt tabled for a Broadway straight.
Shak was looking to pair the board on the river but it wasn't to be as the fell and sent her crashing to the rail. Meanwhile Schmidt is happily stacking up 43,000 chips.
![[user67765]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and action checked around. The turn was a repeat 
and it was checked around again. However on the 
river, Pham checked to the preflop raiser who tossed out 1,150. Yeh folded but Pham wasn't done with quite yet. He check-raised and made it 3,500 to go. His opponent them moved all in to put Pham to a decision for his tournament.
for a full house, but he'd been trumped by his opponent's 
for jacks full of aces. Pham is out.
and it was check, check, before the 
completed the board on the river. Griffin led out with a bet of 1,250 but Clements made it 2,900 to go. Griffin snap-folded and Clements takes it down.
, PokerStars Team Brazil Pro Maridu Mayrinck made the call and saw the 
hit the turn. Action checked to Mayrinck on the button who fired 950. Her opponent made the call and the 
for a pair of sevens which was enough as Mayrinck mucked. She's down to 12,000.
, they liked what they saw as a huge three-way pot developed.
binked the turn to put the big blind ahead, and it stayed that way through the 
river.
to give his opponent a backdoor running straight (while fading clubs!) to eliminate Parker from the tournament.
, but the river was a bit more friendly to arguably the greatest poker player that has ever lived. The 
and Hellmuth released a second barrel worth 1,100. Again Williams tossed out calling chips as the railbirds huddled closer to catch a glimpse as a big pot appeared to be developing.
and Shak showed 
for a Broadway straight.