Event 10: $5,000 Seven Card Stud Day 1 | 2012 World Series of Poker

Jun 03, 2012

The Celtics Won, Grinder

Level 4 : 200/400, 50 ante

Michael Mizrachi - easier to smile when receiving a massage

The NBA game just ended with the Heat missing a game-winning basket — much to the delight of the world's biggest Celtics fan, Chris Amaral.

Amaral is seated just one table away from Michael Mizrachi who is a huge Miami Heat fan. And he couldn't resist a big needle.

"Woo!" Amaral yelled as the final horn sounded. Even louder, his big voice boomed through the Amazon Room: "Hey, I'm in a hand right now. Somebody find the Grinder and tell him the Celtics WON!" Just a second later, he added, "Oh, and eat s***!"

Even Mizrachi had to smirk a bit at Amaral's antics.

Tags: Chris Amaral Michael Mizrachi

Jun 03, 2012

Updated Chip Counts

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Jun 03, 2012

Where'd That Come From?

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Kevin Taylor

Ivey: (x-x) / {6-Hearts} {j-Spades} {3-Hearts} {2-Clubs} / (x)
Barbero: (x-x) / {j-Diamonds} {k-Spades} {q-Clubs} {5-Diamonds} / (x)

We didn't get to the table until the sixth card had been dealt, but we saw that PokerStars pro Nacho Barbero had bet out, and Ivey had made the call. One other player was in the hand, and he called as well. The last card was dealt, and Barbero bet out again. This time, Ivey raised, and the other player folded. It was back to Barbero, who sat back in his chair with a confused look on his face. Eventually, he put out a reraise, and Ivey quickly made the call.

Barbero showed {10-Diamonds} {k-Diamonds} {2-Diamonds} for three diamonds in the hole, which made a flush for him. Ivey looked confused as he mucked, and another player at the table chimed in "Where'd that come from?" Regardless, Ivey is down to 12,000, which Barbero is up to 24,000.

Tags: Nacho Barbero Phil Ivey

Jun 03, 2012

Playing Checkers and Chess

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Chad Holloway

After a player brought it in and another player completed, Josh Arieh called and Phil Ivey put in two bets. The bring-in and completer both folded while Arieh made the call. The two-time bracelet winner proceeded to check-call a bet on the turn before check-folding on fifth.

Arieh: (x-x) /
Ivey: (x-x) /

Arieh may have identified the problem as he pointed out on Twitter:

golferjosh Joshua Arieh I late reg'd the 5k checkers tournament. But one guy at my table is playin chess. Good to see u mr. Ivey June 03 2012

Tags: Josh Arieh Phil Ivey

Level: 4

Limits: 200/400

Ante: 50

Jun 03, 2012

Riskky Business

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John D'Agostino was getting pretty short on chips until this pot with Scott "BigRiskky" Clements. We picked up the action as Cyndy Violette was involved in their three-way pot.

Clements: (x-x) / {7-Spades} {6-Hearts} {3-Spades} {10-Clubs} / (x)
Violette: (x-x) / {5-Hearts} {A-Spades} {Q-Diamonds} {10-Spades} / (x)
D'Agostino: (x-x) / {Q-Clubs} {2-Spades} {7-Hearts} {6-Clubs} / (x)

On third street, D'Agostino tried to raise, but there was some confusion and he ended up flatting instead. Violette bet her lead on fourth, D'Agostino raised, and both Clements and Violette called. D'Agostino got another bet in on fifth street, then another on sixth. On sixth, though, Clements found a raise, and that folded Violette out of the way. D'Agostino called the extra bet, though, then check-called one last bet on seventh.

Clements tabled Clements: {6-Diamonds} {6-Spades} {4-Diamonds} / {7-Spades} {6-Hearts} {3-Spades} {10-Clubs} as he announced his trip sixes. They were no good. D'Agostino rolled over {Q-Hearts} {Q-Spades} {3-Clubs} / {Q-Clubs} {2-Spades} {7-Hearts} {6-Clubs} , and his set of ladies were the best set.

That exchange has allowed D'Agostino to climb out of the basement and back up to about 11,500.

Tags: John D'Agostino Cyndy Violette Scott Clements

Jun 03, 2012

Kassela Continues to Climb

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Chad Holloway

Frank Kassela is no stranger to Stud. Back in 2010 when he captured the Player of the Year honors, the father of five captured two bracelets in Stud events: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship for $447,446 and $2,500 Razz for $214,085. While neither of those are in the same variant as today's tournament, Kassela is well on his way to a third bracelet.

In a recent hand, Kassela brought it in only to have a player in Seat 6 complete. Both the player in Seat 4 and Kassela came along for the ride, and then the latter led out after taking the lead on the turn, which both his opponents called.

Kassela: {2-Spades} {4-Clubs} / {3-Spades} {A-Spades} {5-Hearts} {6-Diamonds} / {6-Spades}
Seat 6: (x-x) / {Q-Diamonds} {8-Hearts} {A-Diamonds}
Seat 4: {10-Hearts} {Q-Spades} {8-Spades} / {10-Diamonds} {J-Hearts} {7-Hearts} {6-Clubs}

Fifth street saw Seat 6 check and Seat 4 fire out a bet. Kassela put in a raise, Seat 6 folded and Seat 4 made the call. Kassela proceeded to bet sixth, Seat 4 raised and a call ensued. Seventh saw Kassela slow down with a check-call, and he seemed somewhat surprised his straight was good against his opponent's two pair.

Tags: Frank Kassela

Jun 03, 2012

Sweating the Game

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Level 3 : 200/400, 50 ante

The NBA Eastern Conference Finals are on the TV along the far wall, and it's turned into quite a game.

Phil Ivey just showed up, and his seat is in front of the TV, facing away. As such, Ivey is spending 80% of his time turned away from the action at his table as he sweats the last few minutes of the game. It's possible he has a larger investment in the game on TV than the $5,000 he put up for a seat in this Event #10.

Also in the room is Chris Amaral, one of the biggest Celtics fans you'll see. And by "biggest", we mean the Celtics jersey the towering Amaral is wearing is likely sized XXXL. He too is spending most of his time watching the TV screen, but he's a little more vocal than Ivey.

"Yes! Kevin Garnett baby!" he just yelled loudly across the relatively quiet tournament floor. "Hey, how about we get some surround sound set up for this game?"

We've got a few Heat fans in the field, too. Most notably, Michael Mizrachi hasn't looked back at his poker table in at least three minutes as his eyes are likewise glued to the screen.

We're used to this sight here in the Amazon Room. Players putting up five or ten thousand dollars to play in a poker tournament that they're not at all interested in.

Tags: Chris Amaral Michael Mizrachi Phil Ivey

Jun 03, 2012

Breaking Down The Stacked Tables

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Kevin Taylor

Level 3 : 200/400, 50 ante

Everywhere you look in this event, you will find bracelet winners. It's tough to find a table that doesn't have one, but we wanted to find out which table has the most bracelet winners. Three tables stood out to us.

Table 365
Dan Kelly- 2010- $25,000 No-Limit Holdem Six Handed

Daniel Negreanu- 1998- $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em, 2003- $2,000 S.H.O.E, 2004- $2,000 Limit Hold'em, 2008- $2,000 Limit Hold'em

Frank Kassela- 2010- $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship, 2010- $2,500 Razz

Table 351

Phil Ivey- 2000- $2,500 Pot Limit Omaha, 2002- $2,500 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo, 2002- $2,000 S.H.O.E., 2002- $1,500 7 Card Stud, 2005- $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha, 2009- $2,500 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball, 2009- $2,500 Omaha Hi/Lo / 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo, 2010- $3,000 H.O.R.S.E.

Corey Zeidman- 2012- $1500 Stud Hi/Lo

Josh Arieh- 1999- $3,000 Limit Hold'em, 2005- $2,000 Pot Limit Omaha

While these two tables each have three, Table 362 has both of them beat, as they have bracelet winners in half of the seats in play.

Owais Ahmed- 2011- $2,500 Omaha hold 'em/Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo

John Hennigan- 2002- $2,000 H.O.R.S.E., 2004- $5,000 Limit Hold'em

Jeff Lisandro- 2007- $2,000 Seven-Card Stud, 2009- $1,500 Seven-Card Stud, 2009- $10,000 World Championship Seven-Card Stud H/L-8, 2009- $2,500 Razz, 2010- WSOPE £5,250 Pot-Limit Omaha

Perry Friedman- 2002- $1,500 Limit Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better

Jun 03, 2012

Harman Clawing Back

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Chad Holloway

After a player brought it in with the {2-Clubs} , Stephen Su completed and found a lone caller in the form of Jen Harman. The latter proceeded to call abet on the turn, and then watched Su fire out another bet on fifth street. This time Harman pushed back with two bets and Su hit the tank. After about 40 seconds he conceded the hand and allowed Harman to take down the pot.

Su: (x-x) / {Q-Diamonds} {2-Diamonds} {9-Hearts}
Harman: (x-x) / {9-Spades} {5-Diamonds} {7-Hearts}