With 222 people coming in with chips, only 17 left the day with their markers. Jamie Armstrong finished the day with the most chips, bagging 1,434,000. Right behind him was Noah Vaillancourt with 1,212,000 and Eric Baldwin with 887,000,making this no easy pickings for anyone. Those players will return tomorrow in the Amazon room to fight it out.
Of course the day was filled with plenty of players hitting the rail early. Of those departed Maria Ho made the strongest impression. Dictating the action at her table most of the day. Here is a look at what happened when we watched her table for an orbit early on today. Eventually a few bad beats caused Ho to be on the chopping block, and she never recovered and was sent packing. A few other players that left us today were Martin Staszko, Matthew Prior, Ryan Gentry, and Huy Nguyen.
Nguyen especially had a rough go at it, coming out with a monster stack early on today, but falling after a string of bad beats, including this one. Alan Keating who came out of the woodwork late, making a strong impression by acquiring chips. In the end though he was vanquished by Jamie Armstrong.
Tomorrow the 17 remaining players will play down until an ultimate winner is crowned. Will it be Eric Baldwin? The former collegiate baseball champion and current career poker player had many highs today, knocking out opponents, doubling up late, and just knowing when he is ahead and getting value. The truth is anyone could come out tomorrow and walk away with a World Series of Poker bracelet.
The golden bracelet along with $440,829 is going to be awarded to one of these 17 players tomorrow. Stay tuned to PokerNews tomorrow at 1:00 PST to stay up to day with all the eliminations.
We came upon this hand on the turn between Eric Baldwin and Bona Sar. Action was on the turn with the board showing . Sar bet 40,000 and Baldwin tossed in a stack of green T25,000 chips - enough to put Sar all in.
Sar called quickly and Baldwin moaned, "I guess that's not good for me."
Sar:
Baldwin:
The river bricked with and Baldwin sent chips across the table.
Table 439 seems to be a magnet for some of the best in today's field. Local pro Eric Davis, Dan Smith, Christian Harder, Joseph Cappello, and Maria Ho are all sharing shoulder space, and we decided to record and entire orbit of action at this death table. Here is what happened.
Hand 1: It was battle of the blinds after everyone folded to the two left of the button. Davis in the small blind completed the blind and the big blind was kind enough to check so both players saw a flop. With a board exposed, Davis placed a bet that would put his short stacked opponent all in and at risk. The big blind declined the offer and opted to fold.
Hand 2: This recent hand started with action folding to Cappello in the hijack who decided that moving all in was the best move. Smith folded in the cut-off, and action was on Davis who took his time measuring his possibilities. In the end though Davis moved all in. The blinds folded and both player's cards were tabled.
Davis:
Cappello:
With a board running out and Cappello failing to improve he was sent packing.
Hand 3: Christian Harder opened for 8,000 and stole the blinds and antes.
Hand 4: Maria Ho started the action out by raising to 8,000 and action folded around to the button who after some self-convincing made the call. The blinds folded and both players were witness to a flop. Ho moved all in, essentially putting her short stacked opponent all in. Ho's opponent snap called and flipped over for a pair of jacks with a nut flush draw. Ho tabled for a weaker pair, and no flush draw. Ho would need a 10 if she wanted to deliver the knock out blow.
A on the turn gave a non-heart queen as a potential out for Ho, but it didn't matter as the rattled off the deck for the river. Ho sits with about 270,000 after the hand, just a minor set back
Hand 5: Maria Ho was at it again the very next hand opening for 8,500 from under the gun. Davis then quickly raised to 21,500. The rest of the table folded and it was back on Ho. Ho folded face up, and struck a deal with Davis to pay $5 to see his hole cards. Davis agreed and showed as he pocketed a Lincoln. Apparently the two players had done this before with Davis paying Ho to see her cards.
Hand 6: One of the short stacks at the table started the hand out by moving all in for 28,500. Action folded to Ho on the button and she placed the call. Cards were tabled, and it was Ho who was ahead.
Ho:
Opponent:
A board plopped out of the deck and Ho was awarded the fairly sizable pot.
Hand 7: Maria Ho can't stay out of a pot it seems. It was battle of the blinds with the table folding around. Ho raised to 11,000 and the big blind folded.
Hand 8: Yet again we saw Maria Ho getting involved in a pot, this time from the button after everyone else had folded. She demanded 8,500 to anyone who want to see a flop. The small blind folded, and Smith in the big blind moved all in. Ho completed the call and yet again possessed . Smith was forced to table a weaker hand, .
A flop was spread furthering Ho's lead on the hand. A on the turn gave Smith a straight-draw. The on the river though is what ended up stealing the hand away from Ho.
Hand 9: A player in middle position raised it up to 11,000 and the player in the hijack moved all in for 46,000. The initial raiser snap called and showed , while his opponent could only muster up . With a board running out the short stack was eliminated. Many good lucks and good byes were wished and he made his way to the rail