The featured table inside the "mothership" of the Amazon room is where the legendary Doyle Brunson is seated. We already mentioned that Brunson offered the official "Shuffle Up and Deal" to start the tournament, but he is also playing in today's field. We'll certainly be keeping an eye on him throughout the day.
Joining the featured table a little late was Mickey Appleman who also has had a lot of prior success in the WSOP.
We've spotted a couple more players who have taken their seats in the tan section including Jason Alexander who is best known for his role as "George" on the TV show "Seinfeld." We'll try to refrain from making any "no chips for you!" jokes throughout the day, but we aren't making any promises.
2011 November Niner Filippo Candio is here today, hoping to improve on his fourth-place finish from a year ago.
Just now the Italian opened with a raise to 225 from the cutoff and got two callers from the button and big blind. The flop came . It checked to Candio who bet 300, then the player on the button raised to 1,800. The big blind folded, but Candio called.
The turn was the . Candio checked this time, and watched as his opponent pushed out a bet of 1,200. Candio called. The river then brought the and another check from Candio. The big blind carved out a bet of 3,000, and finally Candio let it go.
Candio had already picked up a few chips before that one, though, and now sits with 33,400.
Barry Shulman opened to 250 from early position and was called by Vanessa Selbst to his immediate left. Both blinds came along as well.
The flop came and the small blind led out for 625. Everyone folded around to Selbst, who called.
The turn brought the and the small blind player led out again for 1,500. Selbst tanked for a bit, but landed on a call.
A completed the board and, undeterred, Selbst's opponent fired one last barrel for 2,125. Selbst let out an, "Oh man...," under her breath and pushed in a call. Her opponent revealed the for a flopped two-pair and Selbst mucked - sending her down to 25,600.
You may have heard about the raffle conducted by Daniel "jungleman12" Cates recently to award an entry into the Main Event. After announcing the giveaway, Cates spent a couple of weeks sending out tweets to followers announcing locations where they could pick up tickets to enter. The only stipulation for entrants was that they had never played in the Main Event before.
After several such meetings, a final drawing was finally made and local player Bob "Poker Grump" Woolley was the lucky recipient of the Main Event entry. In addition to winning his seat, Woolley scored an instructional session with the internet phenom as well.
Woolley has chosen to play Day 1a, and finds himself seated at a table with at least a few opponents with a bit more WSOP experience than himself. Sitting across from him is 2004 WSOP Main Event winner Greg Raymer, while a couple of seats over is 2007 WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider, who also made a deep run in the WSOP ME in 2009, finishing 52nd. Oh, and as if that weren't bad enough, Olivier Busquet and David Chicotsky have taken seats there, too.
Winning the seat might have been easy for Woolley. Now the hard part begins.
We didn't get any of the betting action, all we saw was Raymond Rahme, 2007 WSOP Main Event 3rd place finisher, all in on a board. His opponent held for trips but Rahme had for a full house, aces full of queens, and the nuts to double up.
With the board already reading both Evelyn Ng in the small blind and the player on the button checked. The river brought the and when Ng checked again her opponent fired out a bet of 7,000. Ng called but then mucked when the other player showed his for fives full of sevens. Ng was left with 18,500 after the hand.
With the Main Event being such a huge, ridiculous, spectacle of a field, it's very seldom that you see terrible/horrible table draws, but table 362 in Amazon Purple may be the worst we've seen yet.
In seat 1 we have recent $50,000 Poker Player's Championship Final Tablist Matt Glantz, in seat 4 we have Card Player Editor-In-Chief and WSOPE Main Event Champion Barry Shulman, and in seat 5 we have Team PokerStars Pro (USA) and bracelet winner Vanessa Selbst.
Glantz even tweeted his disappointment at his bad luck of the draw.
"Main Event Day 1A. I recognize every single player at my table. Is this even possible? @vanessaselbst , Barry Schulman & cardrunner pro"
The ESPN cameras have already been all over the table and we'll be there as well.
![[user198205]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. It checked to Candio who bet 300, then the player on the button raised to 1,800. The big blind folded, but Candio called.
. Candio checked this time, and watched as his opponent pushed out a bet of 1,200. Candio called. The river then brought the 
and another check from Candio. The big blind carved out a bet of 3,000, and finally Candio let it go.
and the small blind player led out again for 1,500. Selbst tanked for a bit, but landed on a call.
completed the board and, undeterred, Selbst's opponent fired one last barrel for 2,125. Selbst let out an, "Oh man...," under her breath and pushed in a call. Her opponent revealed the 
for a flopped two-pair and Selbst mucked - sending her down to 25,600.
board. His opponent held 
for trips but Rahme had 
for a full house, aces full of queens, and the nuts to double up.
and when Ng checked again her opponent fired out a bet of 7,000. Ng called but then mucked when the other player showed his 
for fives full of sevens. Ng was left with 18,500 after the hand.