The number on the board shows 333 players signed up for our event with about 45 minutes still left to register.
2011 World Series of Poker
We picked up the action on a
flop, three ways. The table checked to Phil Laak in position, and he put out a bet of 5,200. The small blind check-called, while the player in middle position tanked for a long while before re-potting to 17,800. Laak reraised all in for about 35,000 total. With one player already all in, the small blind tanked and called all in for about 13,000 total.
Showdown
Laak: 



Small blind: 



Middle Position: 



Laak's set of queens was well in front, but he had to fade a flush draw, and both opponents had a good low draw. The turn
meant the two all-in players would survive to split the low, and the river
kept Laak's set in front for the high. He takes a full half of that big pot, improving his stack to 49,000 -- the top of our counts.
James Bord just joined the field in that last wave of late registrants. And we just saw him put his backpack on and head right back out the door he came in. After being cut in half earlier this level, it looks like Bord has found a way to run through the rest of his stack in the span of just about 40 minutes.
The following players have been eliminated from the tournament:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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He's clawed his way all the way up to 41,500 chips. And that's good enough for the second-biggest stack in our chip counts. Ta-da!
On a flop of 

, the small blind checked as did John Monnette in the big. The under-the-gun player then bet 350, the small blind check-raised to 1,650, and both Monnette and UTG made the call. All three players decided to check the
turn, leading to the
river.
At this point the small blind fired out 5,000, Monnette called , and the UTG got out of the way.
Small Blind: 



Monnette: 



The small blind locked up the high while Monnette's low earned him half the pot. Monnette is sitting with a stack of 20,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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20,000
4,400
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4,400 |
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We're halfway through this Day 1, and we're headed off for our 30-minute mini dinner break.
Level: 5
Blinds: 150/300
Ante: 0
Just before the break, Jean-Robert's already short-stack was halved again when he tangled up in a pot with a player we don't recognize.
Bellande opened to 700 before the flop, and he bet all in for 625 after the
came. He showed up
, and his opponent was woking with
. The turn
filled in the straight for Mr. Opponent, and the river
means Bellande will only get half of the low with his matching ace-four.
He's down to just 1,200 lonely chips.
Please welcome to the room:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |
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15,000 | |