Event #54: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Day 1a Started
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #54: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$3,459,000
Entries
3,844
Level
29
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000
Day 1a Awaits
Welcome to Day 1a of Event #54, the last of the $1,000 buy-in no-limit hold'em events on this summer's WSOP schedule.
Last night saw the exciting conclusion to the most recent $1K NLHE event (Event #47), with the winner, Shawn Busse, turning his $1,000 investment into a cool $485,791. Not a bad ROI, there!
The prize pool for this event could be even larger, as most are speculating this last shot at a lower buy-in event might attract more runners than we've seen thus far in the $1K events. We'll find out tomorrow (Day 1b) whether or not that turns out to be the case.
Meanwhile, come back at noon local time for the start of Day 1a of Event #54 where thousands will be trying to turn a grand into something really grand.
Wake Up!
Tournament Director Jack Effel was just about to begin his opening announcements to kick off Event #54 when he was interrupted by a short siren and recorded message from the "Rio audio alert system."
Not quite sure what the alert is for -- perhaps someone opened a door somewhere that shouldn't have been opened. In any event, players are seated and don't appear too concerned, but it looks like we'll be waiting just a couple of extra minutes before cards go in the air.
Level: 1
Blinds: 25/25
Ante: 0
Notable Names
Marco Traniello, Jennifer Tilly, Adam Levy, Eric Baldiwn, Jeff Madsen, Allen Kessler and Gavin Griffin are just a few of the pros who've been spotted thus far.
Rockets Pay Off Early for Chainsaw
In one of the first hands of the day, a player at Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler's table opened from early position by tossing out a single black (100) chip. It folded to Kessler on the button, and he asked for some clarification as to whether the bet had been a call or raise, and Kessler was told it was being regarded as a call.
Kessler then raised to 325. The player in the small blind made it 1,100 to go, forcing out the BB as well as the original limper. Kessler promptly set out his entire stack for an all-in reraise, and his opponent took about twenty seconds before making the call.
Kessler flipped over 
, and his opponent showed 
. The board went 
, and Kessler took the pot. His opponent began to get up, but Kessler stopped him. "You may have one or two chips left," said the Chainsaw.
Indeed, a post-hand count showed he had a single green (25) chip left. Kessler, meanwhile, enjoys a nice start to his day, quickly moving to 5,925.
As Far as the Eye Can See
There are a lot of players here in the vast Pavilion Room playing poker. Seats continue to fill as this first level proceeds, and we're seeing a few more familiar faces as we make our initial rounds.
Among those here are Adam Levy, Kara Scott, James Mackey, Thomas Fuller, Tony Dunst, Neil Channing, Corwin Cole, David Pham, Tiffany Michelle, Dennis Phillips, Matt Hawrilenko, and Maria "Maridu" Mayrinck.
Sex and the City
When you think poker, you might not think Sex and the City. Well that is not the case over at Table 82. Recently a player, who is a grown man, was involved in a hand and was making a bet; at the same time, his phone rang to the ringtone of the Sex and the City theme. We're not sure if the player was embarassed but it did elicit a laugh from the table.
Bolotin Bounces One
With the board showing 
and just 125 in the middle, Alex Bolotin made an oversized bet of 350, and his short-stacked opponent called with his last 200 chips. Bolotin showed 
and was drawing thin against his opponent's 
.
But thin was enough, as the river brought the 
, giving Bolotin the straight and knocking out his opponent. No less than two players afterwards claimed they'd folded treys, meaning Bolotin was apparently drawing even thinner.
Bolotin has 3,100 now.
Dwan Sighting
It looks like Tom "durrrr" Dwan is still attempting to win those bracelet bets. He is playing in Seat 5 over at Table 21.