2012 World Series of Poker

Event 16: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em - Six-Handed
Day: 1
123
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Matthew Matros
Winning Hand
6♥5♥
Prize
$454,835
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$2,165,400
Entries
1,604
Level Info
Level
27
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Nick Maimone Leads Field After Day 1

Dan O'Hair
Dan O'Hair
Level 11 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

After 11 long levels of play, Day 1 of Event 16: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em Six-Handed is history. The massive field kept climbing throughout the first four levels and eventually landed on a total of 1,604 entrants, which generated a handsome $2,165,400 prize pool. Nick Maimone would end the day as chip leader with 175,900. World Series of Poker bracelet-winner Mark Radoja is nipping at his heels, however, with 172,500.

The entrants fell just as fast as they rose – with over a third of the field eliminated by the end of the beginning of the fifth level. In fact, eliminations came so swiftly that we were even able to burst the money bubble on the final level of the day. Only 137 survived to see Day 2 – a mere 8.5% of the original field.

This event was popular with the pros, to be sure. Some who made an appearance, but were unable to survive into Day 2, include Daniel Negreanu, Shannon Shorr, Shaun Deeb, Dwyte Pilgrim, Faraz Jaka, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, Vanessa Selbst, Jerry Yang and Phil Ivey.

Another notable elimination was that of online cash-game sensation Viktor Blom, who earned his first WSOP cash for finishing in 151st place ($2,706).

Even so, plenty of big names were able to bag up chips for the night, including Mike “The Mouth” Matusow (15,700), Todd Terry (84,600), Tristan Wade (84,200), Tony Dunst (21,000), Adam Junglen (43,500), Sam Grafton (99,400), Matt Matros (118,700) and Frank Kasella (75,000).

Here are our chip leaders going into Day 2:

RankPlayerChip Count 
1Nick Maimone175,900 
2Mark Radoja172,500 
3Thijmen Stocker156,000 
4Joe Cappuccio152,000 
5Matt Matros118,700 
6Matty Levine105,000 
7Sam Grafton99,400 
8Mark Burford91,200 
9Andy Seth86,00 
10Todd Terry84,600 

Day 2 is set to begin at 1:00 PM local time. Please stay tuned to PokerNews as we make our way to the final table. Until then, we wish you a good night!

An Orbit with Viktor Blom

[user196975]
[user196975]
Level 5 : 100/200, 0 ante
Viktor Blom is playing in his first WSOP in Vegas.
Viktor Blom is playing in his first WSOP in Vegas.

Tournament poker is seemingly a never-ending grind that drags on for hours. We like to give an inside look at what it's like to play an orbit with a pro. We stood behind online phenom Viktor Blom and recorded everything he did.

Hand 1 - Blom was seated in the big blind and the small blind open-raised and Blom called. The flop came {6-Diamonds} {4-Spades} {5-Hearts} and both players checked. The turn brought the {A-Clubs}, the small blind bet 700 and Blom called. The river came {4-Diamonds} and both players checked again. Blom tabled {A-Diamonds} {10-Diamonds} and took the pot.

Hand 2 - From the small blind Blom folded after Mike Mattusow opened from under the gun for 450.

Hand 3 - Blom folded preflop from the button after another player opened and a third player three-bet. Blom popped in his headphones (to listen to what we secretly believe was some Europop) and Mattusow was lecturing the table about poker math and how it applies to tournaments differently than in cash games.

Hand 4 - Blom folded preflop from the cutoff.

Hand 5 - Blom mucked his cards as soon as he got them. Blom started tapping his foot rapidly as if he were a drummer in a punk band.

Hand 6 - Dealer Change! Blom folded preflop from under the gun.

Tags: Viktor Blom

Six-Handed Madness Fills the Rio

[user196975]
[user196975]
Cards will be flying all over the Rio today.
Cards will be flying all over the Rio today.

One of the more popular events at the World Series of Poker kicks off today. It's Event 16 $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Six-Handed and last year's field attracted 1,920 players that saw Geoffrey Klein take down the bracelet and over $500,000.

Players will start with the usual three times the buy in starting stack, 4,500, and will play ten levels today. Should they get within one table of the money bubble play will be extended until it bursts.

It's going to be a packed house today. All of the Brasilia Room, the top two sections in the Pavilion and additional spillover into the Amazon Room are going to be in play. Registration will be open through the first four levels and we expect to be adding players all the way up until registration closes.

Compared to “regular” nine or ten-handed play, six-handed tables tend to breed action as players have less time to sit and wait for premium hands – lest they blind themselves out. As such, many poker professionals claim they prefer short-handed games and that they require more skill to play well.

Cards will be in the air promptly at 12:00 p.m. PST and follow all the WSOP action live on PokerNews.com.