Frank Kassela is out. Greg Mueller is also out. We didn't see either elimination, but Ryan Hughes (at Mueller's table) now has 190,000 chips so we assume that Hughes did most of the damage.
Catching the action on fourth street, John Juanda fired a bet before Justin Smith tossed out a raise. Juanda thought for a moment before making it three bets and Smith made the call.
On fifth, Smith hit an ace and bet as Juanda check-called. Smith paired up on sixth and took the lead with Juanda calling, before both players checked down the river.
Smith: () /
Juanda: (-X) /
Juanda started with four to a low but bricked out as Smith scooped with his seventy-six low and pair of aces for the high. Smith is up to 36,000 with Juanda slipping to 67,000.
Siegel: X-X / / X
Juanda: X-X / FOLD
Opponent: X-X / / X
Johns: X-X / FOLD
The split-pot games have the tendency to swell pots as multiple players go multiple streets looking to catch at least half of the pot. A four-way pot was just played at Jordan Siegel's table, with Siegel taking home half of it.
Mark Johns was the player who completed third street, with Siegel, John Juanda and a third player all calling. Johns checked the lead on fourth street, allowing Siegel the opportunity to bet. All players called the bet.
On fifth street the fourth player in the hand made an open pair of queens. His bet was called by Johns before Siegel's raise drove Juanda out of the pot. The fourth player called and Johns also called.
The fourth player led again on sixth street. He folded Johns out of the pot, then had to call a raise from Siegel. Siegel bet seventh and was called, turning up for a straight-seven and a 6-5 low. The low was good, of course, but the high half was overtaken by the lone remaining player in the pot, who showed a full house. Chop it up!
Siegel is up to 114,000. Johns is quite healthy as well, with 96,000, while Juanda's 66,000 puts him above par.
Baker led the betting with Campbell all in on fifth street. Luske called Baker down in the side pot but Baker revealed () in the hole for a seven-high straight, good for the high and the low. Baker is now up to a commanding 150,000 and the tournament chip lead.
Ho: X-X / X FOLD
Puchkov: X-X / / X
Kassela: X-X / / X
Konstantin Puchkov and Frank Kassela both have already won a bracelet at the 2010 World Series. Kassela's came in Event 15, $10,000 Stud Hi/Lo; Puchkov won his two days ago in Event 31, $1,500 H.O.R.S.E. The two played a three-way pot recently along with Maria Ho. We came to the table with the action already at fifth street and Ho folding to a bet from Puchkov that Kassela called. On sixth street, Kassela checked and called a bet. It was the same action on the river, with Kassela calling two pair, queens and tens, as he opened and a third card in the hole. Puchkov silently turned up for a straight-seven and a six-five low. He scooped to climb to 72,000.
Matt Savage -- the best 16-handicap you'll ever play -- in Day 1 action.
While watching Ming Reslock scoop at Matt Savage's table, Savage informed everyone that the U.S. Open was over and that Graeme McDowell won. That prompted a golf discussion, with one player asking Savage what his handicap is. Savage replied, "16," which may have drawn a snicker from the media.
"Was that a Vegas answer?" the player asked after hearing the snicker. "I think that was a Vegas answer."
"That's the difference between gamblers and non-gamblers," said Pat Pezzin. "In Vegas, if you ask someone what their handicap is, it's probably four strokes lower. In Canada, if you ask someone what their handicap is, it's probably four strokes higher."
Greg "FBT" Mueller was the bring-in with Daniel Ospina completing the action. Mark Bartlog raised and the table folded back to Ospina who made the call.
Ospina led out on fourth but Bartlog raised. Ospina made the call and then fired out bets on fifth and sixth streets. On seventh, Ospina checked, Bartlog bet and Opsina called.
Ospina: (X-X-X) /
Bartlog: () /
Bartlog's seventy-four low was good to take it down and move up to 45,000 chips.
Bartlog has some sort of plant with him at the table. It appears to be sprigs of perhaps rosemary or similar herbs, and he's sniffing it between hands, to perhaps clear the mind. Following the hand, Mueller spoke up and complained about the plant as it was bringing Bartlog good luck.
"Hey Savage!" Mueller yelled across the rook to well-respected tournament director Matt Savage who is playing this event. "In your tournaments can players have a plant at the table? This guy is sniffing a plant!" added Mueller.
Savage gave a smile and a nod as he replied, "We have lots of plants at the Commerce!"
) / 
-X) / 
/ X
FOLD
FOLD
for a straight-seven and a 6-5 low. The low was good, of course, but the high half was overtaken by the lone remaining player in the pot, who showed a full house. Chop it up!
/ (X)
) in the hole for a seven-high straight, good for the high and the low. Baker is now up to a commanding 150,000 and the tournament chip lead.
and a third card in the hole. Puchkov silently turned up 
for a straight-seven and a six-five low. He scooped to climb to 72,000.
