Event 44: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day 2 Started
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 44: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Welds Leads Going into Day 2; Filippi Close Behind
Hello and welcome back to the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, where 297 survivors will return to the Amazon room in hopes of getting closer to a final table and eventual gold bracelet! Best positioned to do so heading into Day 2 is Tony Welds, who managed to bag up 131,900 in chips after eleven hard-fought levels of play during Day 1. Nipping at his heels is Amnon Filippi with 130,900 in chips. Filippi, who has over $2 million in live-poker tournament earnings, will be looking for his first World Series of Poker bracelet.
Some notables who failed to make it past Day 1 include Jason Senti, Tony Cousineau, Kathy Liebert, Liv Boeree, Barry Shulman and Terrence Chan - who, as a short stack, ran his 
into the pocket queens of Richard Acorino.
However, where there are victims in poker, there are also survivors. Notable names who managed to make it into Day 2 include Jude Ainsworth (96,600), Jonathan Little (63,500), Joe Cada (54,800), Soi Nguyen (46,500), Ivan Demidov (23,700), William Reynolds (15,700) and Blair Hinkle (90,200), who recently got 4th in Event 38: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em.
The plan today is to play ten levels or reach a final table, though, with so many entrants remaining, the former seems more likely.
Play is set to begin at 1:00 PM PST, so please stick with us here at PokerNews as the drama unfolds and we work our way toward a final table!
Level: 12
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 200
Cards in the Air
Level 12
: 600/1,200, 200 ante
Most of the players are in their seats and the first hands of Day 2 are being dealt.
Parmann Pushes
Level 12
: 600/1,200, 200 ante
Julian Parmann began today in the top five of the chip counts, and he's been active in the early going. Just now he opened with a raise to 2,400 from early position, and a short-stacked Russell Calverley called from a seat over. The flop came 
. Parmann continued for 2,000, Calverley raised all in for around 6,000, and Parmann called.
Parmann held 
for top pair while Calverley had 
for a lesser pair. The turn was the 
and river the 
, and Calverley is out. Parmann is sitting with about 90,000 at present.
Little Up Early
We caught up just as the dealer was scooping the cards into the middle, but it appeared that Jonathan Little busted a short-stacked player with a set of treys against his lone opponent's pocket kings.
Little is up to 70,000 following the hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
71,000 | 7,500 |
Seidel Sent to the Rail Early
We missed the hand, however, the noticed an empty seat with no chips where Erik Seidel was sitting. The eight-time bracelet winner, who started the day with just 13,600 in chips, has been eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Short Day 2s for the Short Stacks
Level 12
: 600/1,200, 200 ante
"Payout 432!" "Payout 429!" "Payout 424!"
The cacaphony of calls from dealers noting bustouts has been nonstop here in the first 15 minutes of play as the short stacks are busting at a fast clip. Nearly 50 have fallen already, and we expect the field to continue to shrink quickly.
Welds Wielding Big Stack
Chip leader Tony Welds opened for 2,600 from the hijack seat, then Phillip Weast pushed all in over the top for about 27,000 total from the cutoff. It folded back to Welds who hesitated just a moment before making the call.
Weast tabled 
, but Welds had 
, and after the board came 
, Weast joined the throng of players heading to the cashier while Welds increased his lead over the remaining field.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
151,000 | 19,100 |
|
Busted |
Hinkle's Stack Takes a Hit
We caught up with the action just as a short-stacked Travel Thomas was getting all in against Blair Hinkle.
Hinkle: 
Thomas:
The 
board kept Thomas in front and he doubled through Hinkle.
Hinkle, who won a bracelet back in 2008, is still sitting on a healthy 77,000 in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
77,000 | -13,200 |