2012 World Series of Poker

Event 2: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a10
Prize
$517,725
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$2,836,350
Entries
2,101
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

Juanda Doubles Again

We missed the preflop action, but Alan Sass told us that Vanessa Selbst had limped on the button. Todd Keikoan called in the small blind, then John Juanda shoved from the big blind. Selbst folded, then Keikoan went into the tank.

After a thinking over it, Keikoan finally called with {A-Spades}{10-Clubs}. Juanda was behind, holding {A-Clubs}{8-Diamonds} and would need to hit an eight to survive, as Keikoan had a covering stack.

The flop ran out {Q-Hearts}{A-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}, giving Juanda the eight he needed to survive. The turn was the {2-Spades} and the river was the {3-Spades} and those two bricks propelled Juanda to over 300,000 in chips. Keikoan is still alive though and is currently sitting on about 185,000.

Player Chips Progress
John Juanda id
John Juanda
WSOP 5X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
300,000 150,000
Todd Keikoan us
Todd Keikoan
185,000 15,000

Tags: John Juanda

Derek Wolters Doubles Through Bradley Craig

The action folded around to Derek Wolters in the cutoff and he open jammed for 84,000. Two folds later and Bradley Craig made a very reluctant call in the big blind.

Wolters{Q-Diamonds} {J-Diamonds}
Craig{6-Diamonds} {6-Hearts}

The dealer turned over the first four cards - {K-Diamonds} {8-Spades} {7-Spades} {3-Spades} - and Craig was nearly home and dry. Then on fifth street Craig's worse fears came true when the {J-Hearts} hit the deck. Craig's eyes seemed to roll inside his head as he was forced to hand over a big portion of his stack to Wolters.

Player Chips Progress
Derek Wolters us
Derek Wolters
175,000 97,000
Bradley Craig us
Bradley Craig
127,000 -358,000

Tags: Bradley CraigDerek Wolters

Smith Far From Done

After begin knocked down to right around 110,000 chips Dan Smith just regained some much needed chips. He gave us the shortest possible rundown of the action and we wrote down, "{9-}{9-} vs {A-}{Q-}, up to 230,000" chips.

Smith back up to more than the average stack.

Player Chips Progress
Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
WSOP 1X Winner
230,000 100,000

Tags: Dan Smith

Crushing Hand: Strickland v Smith

Dan Smith on a heater of his short lifetime (this hand apart :))
Dan Smith on a heater of his short lifetime (this hand apart :))

Poker is a game that combines both skill and luck and it is this wonderful combination of elements that make the game so exciting. This tremendous concoction means that even the very best players cannot win all of the time. When they do win all of the time it is known in the game as a heater, and that is exactly what Dan Smith is going through at the moment.

Smith has already won $1,748,942 in 2012 alone, including three $5,000 side events at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo earlier this month. So with the first major event of the WSOP underway it is no surprise to see Smith in the final 48 panning for gold.

Heater or no heater, Smith is going to have to focus on his recovery after losing a huge point to Kenneth Strickland. JP Kelly told us that Strickland limped into the pot before calling a Dan Smith raise. The flop was {J-Spades} {10-Clubs} {7-Hearts} and Strickland moved all-in. Smith called instantly and had Strickland crushed.

Strickland{K-Diamonds} {K-Spades}
Smith{A-Hearts} {A-Spades}

Turn: {6-Clubs}

Dan Smith was just about to become our chip leader.

River: {K-Hearts}

Ouch! A stunned silence permeates around the table and Smith takes the whole think like the champion he is. Strickland now has 410,000 and Smith is down to 130,000.

Player Chips Progress
Kenneth Strickland us
Kenneth Strickland
410,000 331,800
Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
WSOP 1X Winner
130,000 -152,000

Tags: Dan SmithKenneth Strickland

Selbst Busts One, Then Doubles One

Vanessa Selbst just busted one player, then doubled one immediately after. Fortunately, she only lost a few chips from her stack.

On the first hand, Selbst raised to 12,000 from the button. The small blind called, and the big blind had missed their hand, so they were folded. The flop rolled off {J-Spades}{6-Clubs}{Q-Spades}. The small blind checked, and Selbst bet a very tiny 10,000. The small blind made the call.

The turn was the {5-Clubs} and the small blind checked again. This time Selbst bet out 19,000. The small blind then shoved for over 70,000. Selbst quickly called with {K-Hearts}{Q-Hearts} for top pair. The small blind tapped the table and reluctantly showed {J-Clubs}{9-Hearts} for middle pair. The {8-Hearts} hit the river and Selbst collected the pot to push her near 700,000.

Immediately after that hand, Selbst got herself involved in yet another pot.

Action folded to the cutoff, Andras Stumpf, who raised to 12,000, and Selbst three-bet to 26,500. Stumpf thought briefly before shoving all in for 175,500. Selbst did not think long before announcing a call.

Selbst{A-Hearts}{J-Hearts}
Stumpf{K-Clubs}{Q-Hearts}

"Wow man, that was a ballsy shove," a table mate said to Stumpf.

The board ran off {K-Spades}{7-Spades}{J-Clubs}{9-Spades}{5-Diamonds} to give Stumpf top pair and the suck out to double up to 351,000.

Selbst is still sitting on around 500,000.

Player Chips Progress
Vanessa Selbst us
Vanessa Selbst
500,000 -85,000
Andras Stumpf hu
Andras Stumpf
351,000 267,700

Tags: Vanessa Selbst

Level: 18

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 500

Dinner break!

Level 17 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

We will be back in 60 minutes with another five levels of exciting poker from the Amazon Room. Some of the best tables in this tournaments are right at the rail so make sure to make your way down to the Rio to watch all the action if you are able to!

Back to Back Pots For JP Kelly

JP Kelly does not carry the same weight of name as a Hellmuth, Ivey or Negreanu but within the professional circle he is one of the most feared players in the game. Whether it is cash games, tournaments, live or online JP Kelly plays everything and more often than not wins everything as well. His live tournament earnings stand at $1,792,750 and he owns both WSOP and WSOPE bracelets. In 2010, JP Kelly joined 581 other hopefuls in an attempt to win back-to-back WSOPE £1,000 No-Limit Hold'em titles and incredibly finished in 2nd place. Here is JP Kelly doing what we said he does - winning.

Kenneth Kottwitz raised to 9,000 in first position and JP Kelly called on the button. The flop was {Q-Clubs} {10-Clubs} {4-Clubs} and Kottwitz made the continuation bet for 16,000 and JP Kelly made the call. Heading to the turn and the {7-Diamonds} and Kottwitz waved the white flag. He checked to JP Kelly and the lad from London town made a bet of 24,000 to win the pot.

-

Andrew Badecker opened in early position, JP Kelly called in the cutoff and so did the small blind. The trio saw a fairly innocuous looking flop of {5-Diamonds} {2-Hearts} {2-Clubs} and Badecker made the first move with a 15,000 bet. A studious looking JP Kelly raised to 32,000, the small blind folded and Badecker made the call. Both players checked through the {7-Hearts} turn and we finally arrived at the end game with the {J-Clubs}. Badecker checked for the second consecutive time and JP Kelly bet 55,000. A smirk and a smile later and Badecker had folded, handing the pot to JP Kelly.

Player Chips Progress
JP Kelly gb
JP Kelly
WSOP 2X Winner
260,000 120,000
Andrew Badecker us
Andrew Badecker
WSOP 1X Winner
250,000 83,000
Kenneth Kottwitz us
Kenneth Kottwitz
110,000 55,900

Tags: Andrew BadeckerJP KellyKenneth Kottwitz