Level: 2
Blinds: 50/75
Ante: 0
Level: 2
Blinds: 50/75
Ante: 0
After a bet of 50 and two calls on a flop of French pro Anthony Lellouche check-raised to 100 with everyone making the call to see the turn. Lellouche bet 100 and again everyone called to see the river, Greg Dyer now led out from the small blind for 100, the big blind folded as did Lellouche with a sigh.
The button made the call and Dyer quickly declared, "Wheel" turning over which scooped the pot.
Tables are coming together on the outside of the Pavilion Room with all the late registration players including a few big names such as Barry Greenstein and Justin Smith who were in a heated conversation with their railers, Chad Brown and Ali Eslami. No doubt they were talking about yesterday’s developments of Phil Ivey’s boycott of the WSOP as we all are.
Men Nguyen was at a table next to them and no doubt more big names will be added to the field as the opening levels finish up.
We caught up on the turn of a board where action was capped between Pat Pezzin, Scott Clements and another opponent. On the river, it was checked to Clements who bet 150 and both players called.
Their cards:
Clements:
Opponent:
Pezzin: Mucked
Clements won the high half with a straight, the opponent the other half with the nut low while Pezzin got chopped out.
We came in to this hand as all the flop bets were being scooped into the pot and the turn was being dealt. The board read and at this point the pot was already pretty hefty.
On the turn, the player in the big blind bet 150 with calls from two players in early position and Chris Tryba in middle position. NAPT Los Angeles Champ Joe Tehan raised to 300 with calls from the big blind, one of the middle position players and Tryba.
The river was a and the action checked around to Tehan who bet another 150. All players called and the cards were flipped.
Tehan showed for a straight and the nut low, but Tryba and the player in the big blind both showed for a higher straight. Clearly disappointed that he wasn't scooping the pot, Tehan attempted to help the dealer split it up but it took everyone a second to figure it out, including Tehan. One of the players with the straight took a playful jab at Tehan asking, "You new to this game Joe?"
Tehan smiled and said nothing as he scooped half of the very large pot and chipped up to well above the starting stack of 4,500.
We started today with about 740 players but the board has already hit 878 which is 60 more than last year but still 40 short of the total back in 2009. It is looking as though we will break the 900 mark during the third level however.
We overheard Mike Matusow laugh quite loudly so we went over to see what was up. In typical fashion, ‘The Mouth’ was sounding off in regards to something involving the penalty ruling when a player doesn’t raise with the nuts on the river.
Meanwhile on the table behind his, Humberto Brenes bet both the turn and river on a board but his opponent folded on the end. Brenes was in a good mood though as he hummed along while he dragged the pot and gave the dealer a quick wave afterwards.
Kevin MacPhee was in a three-way pot on the river of a board and elected to check behind, showing but neither other player could beat it and both mucked.
"I checked a scooper...checked a scooper..." laughed the American, "you can tell this is my best game!"
On the flop of , Ali Eslami bet and Men "The Master" Nguyen raised. Eslami came back with a three-bet and Nguyen called.
The turn brought the to the board. Eslami bet and Nguyen called to see the come in on the river. Eslami bet and Nguyen called again.
Eslami tabled the for an ace-high flush and Nguyen mucked his hand. Eslami improved to about 6,500 while Nguyen dropped back to 4,000.
Just before the break, we picked up the action on a board where a player bet 75, Tom Dwan made it 150 and two other players called as did the original bettor. On the turn, the player led out again this time for 150, Dwan raised to 300 and another player called. Instead of just flat calling Dwan's raise this time though, the original bettor made it 450. No stranger to aggression, Dwan capped it and both players called. On the river, once again the original bettor led for 150. Dwan was no longer in the raising mood however and just called while the other player folded.
The original bettor showed for bottom full house which was good as Dwan mucked. He was down to 2,000 chips after the hand but gave his opponent a friendly smile afterwards.