Humberto Brenes is strong enough to fold when necessary
Team PokerStars Pro Humberto Brenes opened for 800 from under the gun and got two callers from the hijack seat and the small blind.
The flop came . It checked to the player in the hijack seat who bet 1,325. The small blind folded, but Brenes quickly called, then said he was checking the turn in the dark.
The dealer burned a card and dealt fourth street -- the . Brenes' opponent paused, then fired 2,325. Brenes sat motionless, then pointed across the table, indicating he wanted to know how much his opponent had left behind. About 12,000, it appeared.
Finally after a minute or so, Brenes quietly pushed his cards dealerward. Brenes has had a good start today, though, and has about 64,000 at present.
Four players saw the flop come down and action was checked by the first player. Phil Ivey was next up and fired 600. The player after him called and the other two folded. The turn brought the and Ivey check-folded to a bet of 1,500 from his opponent.
LeBron James just announced that he is headed to the Miami Heat. A few people booed, a few stood up, clapped and cheered while others just started up the chatter about how stacked the Heat now are with Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and James together on one team.
My old gym partner Audley Harrison was just involved in a pot, the professional boxer calling a raise of 1,300 from the button before reaching a flop.
Both players checked, only for Harrison to reach down with those giant paws and make a "little bet" of 1,050 on the turn. His opponent called.
On the river, his opponent checked once again, and although he went to pull out some more chips, his spider senses inexplicably tingled at the last second and he made the check.
It was ultimately the right decision as his opponent revealed for the flopped set and turned boat. I don't know if Harrison checked an ace or not, but if he did, it was a lucky escape as his opponent played his hand slower than a slug through treacle.
From early position, Phil Ivey raised to 800 and the button made the call. The flop came down and a bet of 1,300 was all Ivey needed to win the pot right then and there.
An under-the-gun player limped, the cutoff seat limped, the button limped and then action moved to Phil Ivey in the big blind. He squeezed in a raise to 1,800. The player under the gun called and the cutoff called. The button folded.
The flop came down and Ivey checked. The next player bet 2,500 and the cutoff folded. Ivey made the call.
The turn brought the and both players checked before the fell on the river to put four clubs on board. Ivey fired 6,000.
"How many clubs are out there?" said Ivey's opponent. "6,000? I call."
Ivey nodded his head and his opponent tabled the . Ivey mucked and dropped to 24,000 in chips.
The ESPN cameras continue to circle, looking for interesting hands to include in the Day 1 coverage later this summer. Occasionally the presence of the cameras appears to unnerve some players, while others are clearly quite comfortable to be in the spotlight.
Recently there was a hand in which a player opened with a raise to 800. "All right," said David Tuchman, noting the presence of the camera at his table. "This is for the cameras," he said, and reraised to 2,150. It folded around and his opponent, perhaps taking Tuchman's comment into account, reraised again to 7,000.
Tuchman then made it 12,000, at which point his opponent decided he didn't like this program anymore and shut it down. Tuchman showed his hand -- to the camera, that is: pocket aces.
Tuchman is sitting with 32,000 as we edge close to the end of the level and the dinner break.
Jason Alexander fired out 1,000 on a flop and was called by his opponent before the dealer dropped the on the turn.
Alexander tossed in a 5,000-denomination chip and his opponent again made the call as the river landed the .
Alexander checked, his opponent fired out 7,000 and Alexander made the call tabling his to best his opponent's and collect the pot to send him to 33,000 in chips.
Phil Ivey raised from the cutoff seat to 800 and the big blind made the call. The flop came down and the big blind fired 1,200. Ivey made the call.
The turn added the to the board and the big blind fired 2,000. Ivey again made the call.
The river completed the board with the and the big blind checked. Ivey fired a bet of 6,000 and his opponent paid it off. Ivey tabled the and his opponent showed that he was ahead on the flop with the for bottom two pair. His hand was counterfeited though and Ivey won the pot to push his stack back to 34,000 in chips.
. It checked to the player in the hijack seat who bet 1,325. The small blind folded, but Brenes quickly called, then said he was checking the turn in the dark.
. Brenes' opponent paused, then fired 2,325. Brenes sat motionless, then pointed across the table, indicating he wanted to know how much his opponent had left behind. About 12,000, it appeared.
and action was checked by the first player. Phil Ivey was next up and fired 600. The player after him called and the other two folded. The turn brought the 
and Ivey check-folded to a bet of 1,500 from his opponent.
flop.
turn. His opponent called.
for the flopped set and turned boat. I don't know if Harrison checked an ace or not, but if he did, it was a lucky escape as his opponent played his hand slower than a slug through treacle.
and a bet of 1,300 was all Ivey needed to win the pot right then and there.
and Robert Varkonyi fired a 7,000-chip bet. From the cutoff sea, his opponent called.
and Varkonyi fired the same bet and his opponent tanked. After a few minutes he eventually folded.
and Ivey checked. The next player bet 2,500 and the cutoff folded. Ivey made the call.
and both players checked before the 
fell on the river to put four clubs on board. Ivey fired 6,000.
to best his opponent's 
and the big blind checked. Ivey fired a bet of 6,000 and his opponent paid it off. Ivey tabled the 
and his opponent showed that he was ahead on the flop with the 
for bottom two pair. His hand was counterfeited though and Ivey won the pot to push his stack back to 34,000 in chips.
