Phil Ivey hasn't been having a great day so far, but he just managed to chip up a little bit.
Bryn Kenney raised it up to 3,000 under the gun and Phil Ivey called in middle position. Justin Smith called in the hijack, David Chiu on the button and Josh Arieh from the big blind.
The flop came down and the action was checked to Ivey who bet 1,500, and only Smith folded. The turn was the and it got checked to Ivey again who bet 3,000 now. This time Josh Arieh raised it up to 6,000 and Ivey called.
The river was the , and Arieh bet 3,000, Ivey raised to 6,000 after which Arieh put in 9,000 and Ivey called. Arieh showed and Ivey turned over . Both players had the same straight and chopped the pot.
As we were counting the chips another hand was already in play, and the board showed when both Bryn Kenney and Frank Kassela called Ivey's 3,000 chip bet. The river was the and again Ivey saw his bet getting called by two players.
Ivey showed for a full house, and Kenney showed for the winning low. Kassela's money was chopped and Ivey profited a little in these two hands.
We caught the action on the turn when Doyle Brunson called a bet from Hoi Cheung. The Poker Hall of Famer then took the lead on fifth and proceeded to bet, which Cheung called. The same action was repeated on sixth before it went check-check on seventh.
Brunson: /
Cheung: / /
Brunson rolled over an 8-6-5-2-A low and Cheung scooped up his own cards and tossed them to the dealer.
Brian Rast poses with the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy after winning The Players Championship last year.
Last year, this very event attracted 128 players and created a prize pool of $6,144,000. The lion's share of that, a juicy $1,720,328, went to Brian Rast, who defeated Phil Hellmuth in heads-up play to capture the title. Here is a look at the last hand of that tournament as reported in last year's blog:
Hand #217
Phil Hellmuth had the button, and raised to 400,000. Brian Rast called, and the dealer fanned . Rast led for 500,000, and Hellmuth moved all in.
Rast stood up. "I'm sorry Phil, I have the nuts. I call."
Rast:
Hellmuth:
"One more fade!" Rast's rail chanted. "One more fade!"
The turn was red, but the changed nothing. Hellmuth couldn't look, Rast had his head in his hands, and the room fell silent.
The completed the board, and ended the tournament.
Rast's friends jumped over the wall and onto the stage, jumping up and down in celebration. After things calmed down, Rast and Hellmuth shook hands.
"If I were you, I'd tip that dealer a million," Hellmuth told Rast.
Hellmuth will have to settle with a third runner-up finish at the 2011 World Series of Poker, and of course his $1,063,034 in prize money.
"Oh Triple Draw, I f***king love this game," Luke Schwartz just said as the first hand of 2-7 Triple Draw was dealt. The action got folded to Schwartz who immediately raised to 3,000. Roland Israelashvili was his only caller from the small blind.
Israelashvili needed two cards while Schwartz stood pat right away.
"I guess I'll check," Israelashvili said, after which Schwartz fired out 1,500 right away. Israelashvili made the call and took one card on the next draw. Schwartz stood pat.
Again Israelashvili check-called, this time the bet was 3,000. On the final draw he took one card again, and Schwartz stood pat. Israelashvili now lead out for 3,000 and Schwartz raised right away. Israelashvili tanked for a little bit and then called with .
"I had an eight-six-five," Schwartz said and Dan Shak he didn't know Israelashvili that well if he raised the last draw with that hand. Schwartz smiled and seemed to be in a good mood nonetheless.
On a flop Michael Mizrachi just checked to Allen Cunningham, with approximately 40,000 chips already in the pot. Cunningham bet 17,000 and Mizrachi opted to raise to 34,500. Cunningham folded his hand and the 2010 $50,000 Players Championship winner showed while uttering the words, "I had to do it."
Mizrachi is doing well on the first day of play and finds himself near the top of the leader board.
Daniel Alaei raised from early position and cleared the field all the way around to Danny Fuhs in the big blind. He opted to defend and then check-called a bet on the flop before the duo checked both the turn and river.
"Three," Fuhs announced. Alaei then rolled over to take down the pot.
and the action was checked to Ivey who bet 1,500, and only Smith folded. The turn was the 
and it got checked to Ivey again who bet 3,000 now. This time Josh Arieh raised it up to 6,000 and Ivey called.
, and Arieh bet 3,000, Ivey raised to 6,000 after which Arieh put in 9,000 and Ivey called. Arieh showed 
and Ivey turned over 
. Both players had the same straight and chopped the pot.
when both Bryn Kenney and Frank Kassela called Ivey's 3,000 chip bet. The river was the 
and again Ivey saw his bet getting called by two players.
for a full house, and Kenney showed 
/ 
. Rast led for 500,000, and Hellmuth moved all in.
completed the board, and ended the tournament.
flop Michael Mizrachi just checked to Allen Cunningham, with approximately 40,000 chips already in the pot. Cunningham bet 17,000 and Mizrachi opted to raise to 34,500. Cunningham folded his hand and the 2010 $50,000 Players Championship winner showed 
while uttering the words, "I had to do it."
flop before the duo checked both the 
