2011 World Series of Poker

Event #45: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Day: 1
Event Info

2011 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aa
Prize
$455,356
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Prize Pool
$2,601,000
Entries
2,890
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
10,000

Kelly Knocked Out

Level 9 : 300/600, 75 ante

The table folded around to Dan Kelly in late position. Kelly checked his cards and set his lone column of chips out in front of him, an all-in raise to about 4,600. It folded to the big blind who looked at his cards, paused a beat, then made the call.

Kelly flipped over {J-Clubs}{7-Hearts} and was drawing live versus his opponent's {A-Spades}{5-Clubs}. But the board came {Q-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}{9-Spades}{10-Spades}{9-Diamonds}, and Kelly has been eliminated here at the start of Level 9.

Tags: Dan Kelly

Cards in the Air

Level 9 : 300/600, 75 ante

And back down on the felt. Gravity.

Speaking of gravity, circumstances are becoming more serious as the field continues to shrink. Just 534 remain of our starting field of 2,890. The top 297 pay.

Level: 9

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 75

Calling Kelly

Level 8 : 200/400, 50 ante
Dan Kelly
Dan Kelly

Dan Kelly opened with a raise to 800 from under the gun. It folded around to the big blind who reraised to 2,500. Kelly leaned forward to get a look at his neighbor's stack, sat back for a moment, then announced he was all in.

His opponent wrinkled his brow in thought, taking a full minute to consider the situation as he revolved chips around between his fingers. He rechecked his cards, then, finally, made the call.

Kelly showed {6-Clubs}{6-Diamonds} and his opponent {8-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}. The board came {J-Clubs}{4-Spades}{2-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}{K-Clubs}, and the eights held. Kelly has been knocked back to just 4,800 after that one.

Tags: Dan Kelly

Ship it to Singer

David Singer put out a raise preflop and got one caller before another player at the table decided to shove all in. The all-in player had well over 10,000 chips and Singer called while the third player got out of the way.

Singer: {k-Diamonds}{q-Spades}
Opponent: {6-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}

It seems that the player who shoved all in had gotten his hand caught in the cookie jar and would need some help to survive. The player who folded preflop to the shove seemed disgusted when he saw the hands and told the dealer, "turn me a ten and make me sick." Indeed the board ran out with a ten when it came {10-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{9-Clubs}{9-Spades} giving Singer the win and sending the other player to the rail.

Singer stacked up around 38,000 after the pot was pushed his way.

Player Chips Progress
David Singer us
David Singer
38,000 25,400

Tags: David Singer

Ladies and Gentlemen, Give a Warm Round of Applause

Level 8 : 200/400, 50 ante

When we heard one player clapping sarcastically and applauding his opponent's "great play" with derision, we stopped to take a look. The frustrated player had gone all-in with {Q-Clubs}{Q-Hearts} and was called by an opponent holding {4-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}. With nearly equal chip stacks, a loss here would cripple the player holding queens in the hole.

While his overpair was certainly best before the flop, the arrival of five board cards can change everything in a hurry. The flop came {5-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}{J-Spades} and the queens were by far the best hand. After the turn card came {3-Hearts}, the man with the overpair was one card away from building a big stack to wield later in the tournament.

River: {6-Diamonds}

With that, the opponent's lowly pair of fours had transformed into a runner-runner straight and the pot was shipped his way. The player who took the bad beat was left with just 600 chips and began applauding his opponent's play, clapping and laughing to show his disapproval.

Post-Hand Analyses (Cont.)

Level 8 : 200/400, 50 ante

Again, overheard as we pass through the tables...

"I'm just a big donkey. I overplay big pairs."
"You scared the sh*t out of me! That was the most angry-looking grimace I've ever seen!"
"Don't you love your children?" "It depends on the week."

Samantha Cohen Sweet Talks Her Way to a Stack

After making a deep run in Event # 8, another $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em event, Samantha Cohen was spotted trying better that performance here today.

After two players limped in front of her, Cohen looked down to squeeze the {A-Spades}{K-Clubs}. Rather than try to massage some chips out of her opponents, the outspoken Cohen immediately slid her entire stack of 7,650 into the middle.

The action folded around to the second limper, who immediately began talking to himself, saying "I limped so you would push, but then you did it so fast, now I'm intimidated." Cohen just smiled and waited for his next move, saying "Most men tell me they want it ... but when they get it they're too intimidated."

The bluster may have had its intended effect, because eventually the player went with his initial plan and called Cohen's bet. He turned over his {A-Clubs}{Q-Clubs}, placing his stack at risk in the process, but found himself dominated by a better kicker.

With the player asking for queens, the flop came {J-Spades}{K-Diamonds}{J-Clubs} and now he began asking for tens instead. After the {2-Clubs} fell on the turn, clubs were the order de jour, but the {A-Diamonds} on the river was no help and he hit the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Samantha Cohen us
Samantha Cohen
15,500

Tags: Samantha Cohen

Mount Hellmuth Threatening to Erupt

Do Not Anger Phil Hellmuth (Event # 16)...You Won't Like Him When He's Angry
Do Not Anger Phil Hellmuth (Event # 16)...You Won't Like Him When He's Angry

We passed by Phil Hellmuth's table hoping to catch a glimpse of his infamous Poker Brat persona, and the 11-time bracelet winner did not disappoint. After Hellmuth limped into the pot from under-the-gun, an older gentleman raised to 1,500 and Hellmuth came along for the ride.

The flop fell {4-Diamonds}{6-Clubs}{7-Diamonds} and Hellmuth tapped the table, as did his opponent. After the {A-Hearts} arrived on the turn, Hellmuth continued his slowplay and checked once again. This time, his opponent opted for a bet of 1,500 and Hellmuth aggressively tossed his chips into the middle for a call.

The river fell {10-Clubs} and Hellmuth hit the table hard for a check. His opponent was done betting as well and revealed his {A-Diamonds}{K-Diamonds} for top pair, top kicker. Hellmuth stood up and peered across the table to see what he was up against, and when the news hit him, it hit him hard.

The Poker Brat winced as he tossed his cards angrily in the muck, talking to himself and pacing around the table. The mass of railbirds on hand to watch TV's most well-known player got their money's worth, taking pictures and whispering to each other as Hellmuth retook his seat.

Player Chips Progress
Phil Hellmuth us
Phil Hellmuth
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 17X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
2,300 -5,200

Tags: Phil Hellmuth