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.
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.
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.
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."
"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.
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.
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.
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.
This tournament has some interesting rules to it that allow for play to be a little faster and more aggressive. First, there is no limping allowed pre-draw. If you're going to enter the pot, you must raise. This seems most interesting in blind-versus-blind situations. If action folds to you in the small blind, you cannot complete. You can only raise or fold.
Second, post-draw bets have to be at least double the amount of the current big blind. For example, if the blinds are 50-100 and you want to bet post draw, you have to bet at least 200.
Both of these rules should help to spice things up a bit.