George Lind III - Photo from the Omaha Hi-Low event a few days ago.
After eight levels of No Limit Deuce to Seven Single Draw we've eliminated nearly 75% of the field. And what a star-studded field it was. We saw the likes of Barry Greenstein, Phill Hellmuth, David Williams, Greg Raymer, David Singer, Doyle Brunson, Erik Seidel, Michael Mizrachi and Jean-Robert Bellande among others, all find their place on the rail.
But even more important is the amount of notable pros that will be in action tomorrow. Among the 73 players left are Phil Laak, Jason Mercier, Shaun Deeb, Eli Elezra, Justin Bonomo, Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier, Galen Hall and five-time Deuce to Seven bracelet winner, Billy Baxter.
For most of the day Travis Pearson led our field, fresh off of his $1,500 Omaha 8 or Better final table. At one point he had almost 45,000 when nobody else had crossed the 30,000 chip mark. But some setbacks towards the end of the day left him bagging up just 33,600, still one of our top five stacks. Our current chip leader is George Lind III with an astounding 52,200. Lind III made his move in the very last level to put himself in excellent position heading into day 2.
You will definitely want to check back in tomorrow as this is sure to have a fantastic list of names that make the money and you never know what is going to happen in a no-limit game. The action has been fierce already but can only get hotter on moving day. We'll see you all back tomorrow at 3pm local time when action commences in the Amazon Room.
Shaun Deeb knocked out Michael Binger in what was almost the last hand of the night. Deeb stood pat with against Binger's but the latter could only draw a and was hence eliminated.
Two players, one of which was Bernard Lee, checked to Jimmy Fricke after the draw and he bet 2,500. The third player in the hand check-raised to 5,200 and Lee clearly did not anticipate this. After mulling over the decision for a little while he decided to fold and Fricke quickly called.
The all in player showed an Eight-Five and Fricke mucked. "I had an Eighty-Seven!" Lee declared. This began a conversation at the table about who would have called and who would have folded. Lee also explained that had the third opponent actually had more chips, Lee would have been able to make the call. "There's no way he's going to get [Fricke] to fold with that bet. He has to have it."
Despite the hand, Lee is standing tall with over 20,000 and Fricke still has a healthy stack as well.
Max Pescatori and Shannon Shorr have both been knocked out in separate hands.
Pescatori was drawing one card with against a one card but his opponent drew a so the Italian didn't even both looking.
Meanwhile Shannon Shorr was all in for his last 4,500 with a against the big blind's , the latter quickly plucked out the for the nuts and Shorr simply mucked his hand.
Justin Bonomo has had a little more luck, all in and standing pat with he faded a one card draw from his opponent who paired. "ZeeJustin" is up to about 15,000.
After the draw, it was checked to Eli Elezra who slowly squeezed his draw card. Then he put the cards back down and took a chunk of blue chips worth 500 and put them in front of his cards. "Do you know what it is Eli? Or did you just squeeze?" his opponent asked. Elezra all but rolled his eyes on the thought of giving a response.
His opponent asked for a count and the dealer told him it was a bet of 5,000. After a couple of minutes, his opponent risked about half of his stack to make the call. "I know it's a seven, I just don't know which one." Elezra said. He slid out his cards and showed for "Number Two" and won the pot.
Travis Pearson raised to 1,100 with Eli Elezra calling in the small blind and Jason Mercier calling from the big blind. Elezra and Mercier both drew two and Pearson took one, Elezra then checked and Mercier bet 2,150. Pearson folded but Elezra tanked for several minutes before eventually making the call.
Mercier showed and it was good enough for the pot.
Under the gun, Bernard Lee raised to 800, Robert Williamson called and the small blind reraised to 2100. Lee decided to move all in for 6,500, forcing Williamson to fold and isolating the action with the three bettor who called. Lee decided to stand pat with a Queen-Eight but his opponent broke a Ten-Eight and picked up an Ace.
Lee used that pot to catapult his stack to what has now reached 20,000.