As we were walking through the field, a player at Nam Le's table motioned for us to come watch the action. His name is Robert "The Thorn" Rosengarten and he seems to be one of the most enthusiastic players in today's field. While most of the players are quiet and subdued, Rosengarten has his table in stitches.
While we were standing nearby, Rosengarten pointed to his friend on the rail explaining that he was his "agent" to which the table chuckled. He also pointed to the stage where the remaining bracelets are displayed in glass boxes and told us "You can even go touch my box up there!" no doubt referring to the one for this event which he plans on winning.
After the next hand was dealt, a player in middle position raised to around 600, Nam Le called, and then Rosengarten declared (loudly) "I've waited six years for this!" and pushed all his remaining chips into the pot. Action folded back around to the original raiser who called Rosengarten's all in. Nam Le debated for a bit before deciding to fold.
Rosengarten:
Opponent:
Rosengarten's queens were ahead and the flop came giving him a set, but also giving the other player a gutshot straight draw. The turn was the and Rosengarten said "I can't look!" and turned away before the river card was dealt. When the dealer put out the on the river, the table let out an "ooooh" seemingly just to throw Rosengarten off, and he turned around to see that he had indeed won the pot.
Action folded around to the button, who put in a raise to 1,275. The small blind got out of the way and action was back on Jonathan Zaun, who you might recall as the player who won a freeroll to get a seat in this event. He thought for a moment before stacking his chips, amounting to around 5,000, and pushed them in the pot. The button made a quick call and it was off to the races.
Zaun:
Button:
Zaun held the best hand when the money went in, which is oftentimes the only thing you can hope for in tournaments such as this. The kept Zaun's tens out in front, but it did provide the button with a flush draw. The dealer burned and slowly revealed the , filling the said flush draw.
Zaun simply nodded his head in reaction to the bad news, but knew not all hope was lost as he held an open-ended straight flush draw. If either the or hit the river, he'd be saved. The table reacted sharply when the peeled off on the river. It was the right number and color Zaun needed, but not the right suit.
Zaun collected his things and exited the Pavilion Room, nine hours after starting his first-ever World Series of Poker event.
Robert Cheung, who won a bracelet back in 2007 after taking down Event #38 $1,500 NLHE, had good start here on Day 1a, but his fortunes have quickly reversed. In a recent hand, Cheung was under the gun and raised to 650 after looking down at . He received a call from the small blind and it was heads up to the flop.
Cheung had flopped top pair with top kicker, not too mention the ace-high flush draw. He promptly bet 975 after the small blind had checked, and received a call. When the hit the turn, the small blind surprised Cheung by leading out for 2,000. Cheung thought for a moment before putting in a raise to 6,500, the small blind moved all in, and Cheung snap-called.
The small blind rolled over for the superior hand, meaning Cheung needed to hit the river. Unfortunately for him, the blanked and he was sent to the rail and no doubt off to another tournament.
Don't forget to check out our Day 1 coverage of the $50,000 Poker Players Championship. Also, be sure to check out the video below as Lynn Gilmartin catches up with the pros prior to the big event.
We didn't catch the hands, but it appears both Dan Heimiller and Jason Potter have been eliminated from the tournament as their former seats are occupied by new players.
An early-position player opened for 800 and received a call from Bob Whalen on the button. When the flop fell , the early-position player bet 1,150, Whalen called, and the was put out on the turn. Both players checked, as they did on the river, and Whalen rolled over . It was good as his opponent mucked.
A player in middle position raised to 800, Allen Le and the cutoff both called, and the big blind raised to 5,900. The original raiser folded and Le went all in. The cutoff got out of the way and the big blind called putting himself at risk with his last 7,000 in chips.
Le:
Big Blind:
The board ran out and the other player hit the rail while Le's stack climbed to 21,200.
After a player open with a standard raise, another player three bet holding . Kenny Nguyen looked down at and decided to move all in. The original raiser folded while the other player made the call, creating a pot worth 19,000.
It was off to the races as the flop came down , leaving Nguyen wanting. The turn was interesting as it gave the sevens a set, but Nguyen a flush draw. That flush draw was filled when the spiked on the river; however, it also paired the board and improved the sevens to a full house.
We're not sure of the specifics, but the dapper Tony Dunst has been eliminated from the tournament. After his elimination, Dunst Tweeted: "Busto, sooooooo tired"
It's fairly early in Vegas, so we're guessing he'll get a good night's sleep.
![[user198205]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
giving him a set, but also giving the other player a gutshot straight draw. The turn was the 
and Rosengarten said "I can't look!" and turned away before the river card was dealt. When the dealer put out the 
on the river, the table let out an "ooooh" seemingly just to throw Rosengarten off, and he turned around to see that he had indeed won the pot.
kept Zaun's tens out in front, but it did provide the button with a flush draw. The dealer burned and slowly revealed the 
, filling the said flush draw.
or 
hit the river, he'd be saved. The table reacted sharply when the 
peeled off on the river. It was the right number and color Zaun needed, but not the right suit.
. He received a call from the small blind and it was heads up to the 
flop.
hit the turn, the small blind surprised Cheung by leading out for 2,000. Cheung thought for a moment before putting in a raise to 6,500, the small blind moved all in, and Cheung snap-called.
blanked and he was sent to the rail and no doubt off to another tournament.
was put out on the turn. Both players checked, as they did on the 
river, and Whalen rolled over 
turn was interesting as it gave the sevens a set, but Nguyen a flush draw. That flush draw was filled when the 
spiked on the river; however, it also paired the board and improved the sevens to a full house.