So said John Juanda, fresh off his fifth-place finish at last night's $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship. Juanda has arrived and is about to take his seat once the second level begins. He's standing by Billy Baxter's table, and it was Baxter whom he was directing his observation.
"He's already made two sevens!" said J.C. Tran, sitting at Baxter's table. "That's why he's Mr. Lowball," smiled Juanda.
Baxter is sitting with about 12,500 at present, with all three add-on chips.
From under the gun, Chad Brown raised to 350 and Phil Ivey called on the button. Brown drew one and Ivey did the same. Brown checked post draw and Ivey checked behind, announcing a pair of threes. Brown showed the and Ivey said, "Just take it Chad, take it."
Brown's back to 7,400 and Ivey's on 29,000. Ivey has already used all of his add-on chips.
Tom Dwan raised to 275 and then Tom Schneider reraised from the small blind. Dwan made the call. Schneider stood pat and Dwan drew two. After the draw, Schneider fired 750 and Dwan called after a brief moment in the tank. Schneider showed a and Dwan mucked.
Schneider improved to 9,000 chips and still has all three add-on chips while Dwan slipped to 5,600 with three add-on chips.
"What's the total on this one?" asked Shawn Sheikhan of the Tournament Director as he passed by his table. "77, right now," was the reply.
Late registrants are arriving, although they are being made to wait until the start of the next level to join the fray. Among those engaging in some pre-tourney socializing before being allowed to play are Freddy Deeb, Vanessa Rousso, Brandon Cantu, Justin Smith, and Sirous Jamshidi.
As if the $10,000 buy-in isn't enough, some of the players in the field are looking to gamble even more. Earlier, the Mizrachi brothers, Robert and Michael, were trying to book action with Shawn Sheikhan and Mike Wattel in a teams bet. That bet fell through.
In other news (we're not quite sure of all the details or the exact bet), Tom Dwan spent a solid five minutes trying to talk Phil Ivey into a bet. First, Dwan tried to give Ivey a $5,000 chip and asked for 50% more of himself. Ivey literally laughed in his face. After that, Ivey said he could get 50% more of himself for $10,000. Dwan didn't accept, but did come back with the same $5,000 chip and some $100 bills. Ivey laughed at him again saying, "What is this? I'll just give this to the massage therapist."
Dwan tried telling Ivey that he was trying to sucker him into a bet. Ivey repsonded by saying that he wasn't looking for any edges, but rather just wanted to "gamble high".
Eventually, Dwan came back with three $5,000 chips and put them on the table in front of Ivey, asking for 150% of himself. Ivey thought it over. He looked around the room and said, "Problem is, I see all these bad players in here." He then thought it over for a little bit longer before saying, "You got it."
Daniel Alaei opened with a raise to 250 from under the gun, then Brandon Adams reraised to 1,000 from late position, forcing all -- including Alaei -- to fold.
On the next hand, it was Chad Brown opening for 250 from UTG, and Adams once again reraised to 1,000. Others folded, but this time Brown called.
Both players stood pat. Brown checked, Adams bet 2,000, and after thinking a few seconds Brown called. Adams showed , and Brown mucked.
"Coming in raising, reraising," said Michael Binger afterwards. "But if you got it...."
Adams has used those good cards early on to chip up to 9,750. Brown has 4,800. Both still have all three of their add-on chips.
David Williams and Nick Binger checked to Robert Mizrachi. Williams and Binger were acting from the small and big blinds and Mizrachi was on the button. Post draw, Mizrachi fired 1,100. Williams called first fairly quickly and then Binger took his time. Eventually he made the call.
"NIne-eight," announced Mizrachi, but Williams turned up a for a better hand. Mizrachi and Binger then mucked their hands.
Williams moved up to 9,325 chips, but only has two add-on chips left after losing his entire stack earlier.
Billy Baxter, winner of seven WSOP bracelets (all in lowball events) just now felted 2009 WSOP Player of the Year Jeff Lisandro in a hand in which Baxter drew to a Number One -- .
Lisandro took his first add-on, while Baxter chips up to 12,000.
Team PokerStars is pretty heavily represented today in Event No. 19 despite the big $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em event that's still running across the room. Representing Team USA are Barry Greenstein, Vanessa Rousso and Chad Brown. George Danzer is sporting the Germany badge while Anton Allemann has on the Switzerland colors. Both Dario Minieri from Team Italy and George Lind from Team Online are also here, less than 24 hours after they finished in the Stud Hi-Lo Championship last night. Both of them made the money in that event and will be looking for the same in this one.
Also here are David Williams, Robert and Michael Mizrachi, Nick and Michael Binger, David Grey, Huckleberry Seed, Brandon Adams, Carlos Mortensen, Jean-Robert Bellande, Andy Black, and Doyle Brunson.
We're seeing fans start to populate the rail here, too, to get a look at this star-studded field.
Players are currently seated around ten tables, with most full at seven-handed.
and Ivey said, "Just take it Chad, take it."
