2012 World Series of Poker

Event 45: $50,000 Poker Players Championship
Day: 1
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
qj98
Prize
$1,451,527
Event Info
Buy-in
$50,000
Entries
108
Level Info
Level
22
Blinds
0 / 0
Ante
0

"Never Bluff a Limit Player"

Matt Glantz
Matt Glantz

No-Limit Hold'em

Cary Katz opened for 1,300 from early position, which Nikolai Yakovenko called from the hijack. Stephen Mack came along from the cutoff, as did Glantz on the button, and both blinds got out of the way.

Katz was first to act and checked the {7-Spades}{8-Diamonds}{8-Clubs} flop, opening the door for Yakovenko to bet 1,800. Glantz was the only one of his three opponents to make the call, bringing about the {2-Hearts} turn.

Yakovenko proceeded to bet 3,800, which Glantz called, before checking the {2-Hearts} river. Glantz wasted little time in betting 6,500, and revealed {9-Spades}{9-Hearts} when Yakovenko called.

"Never bluff a limit player," Yakovenko joked as he threw his cards in the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Matt Glantz us
Matt Glantz
208,000
22,000
22,000
Nikolai Yakovenko ru
Nikolai Yakovenko
131,000
-19,000
-19,000

Tags: Stephen MackCary KatzMatt GlantzNikolai Yakovenko

Big Stacks and the Defending Champ

Here's a look at some of the current big stacks in the event along with defending champion Brian Rast's count.

Player Chips Progress
Bruno Fitoussi fr
Bruno Fitoussi
262,000
-33,000
-33,000
Ali Eslami us
Ali Eslami
253,000
83,000
83,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Michael Mizrachi us
Michael Mizrachi
231,000
-13,000
-13,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Matt Glantz us
Matt Glantz
225,000
17,000
17,000
Andy Bloch us
Andy Bloch
225,000
-10,000
-10,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Daniel Alaei us
Daniel Alaei
202,000
52,000
52,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
197,000
17,000
17,000
Brian Rast us
Brian Rast
170,000
42,000
42,000
WSOP 6X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer

Level: 4

Blinds: /

Ante:

Full Chip Count

Player Chips Progress
Ali Eslami us
Ali Eslami
253,300
300
300
WSOP 1X Winner
Bruno Fitoussi fr
Bruno Fitoussi
251,400
-10,600
-10,600
Michael Mizrachi us
Michael Mizrachi
231,900
900
900
WSOP 5X Winner
Andy Bloch us
Andy Bloch
225,000
WSOP 1X Winner
John Esposito us
John Esposito
223,000
-5,000
-5,000
WSOP 1X Winner
David ODB Baker us
David ODB Baker
220,000
Shaun Deeb us
Shaun Deeb
218,900
8,900
8,900
WSOP 6X Winner
Matt Glantz us
Matt Glantz
215,000
-10,000
-10,000
Keith Gipson us
Keith Gipson
208,000
-23,000
-23,000
Dan Kelly us
Dan Kelly
201,000
31,000
31,000
Daniel Alaei us
Daniel Alaei
200,000
-2,000
-2,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Stephen Mack us
Stephen Mack
200,000
50,000
50,000
Luke Schwartz gb
Luke Schwartz
199,000
22,500
22,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Minh Ly us
Minh Ly
196,000
5,000
5,000
Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
196,000
-1,000
-1,000
Lyle Berman us
Lyle Berman
190,000
-6,000
-6,000
WSOP 3X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
Robert Mizrachi
Robert Mizrachi
188,000
16,000
16,000
Naoya Kihara jp
Naoya Kihara
182,900
WSOP 1X Winner
Andrew Brown us
Andrew Brown
182,200
-35,800
-35,800
Allen Bari us
Allen Bari
181,000
4,000
4,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Huck Seed us
Huck Seed
176,500
26,500
26,500
WSOP 4X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
Jon Spinks gb
Jon Spinks
176,500
Abe Mosseri us
Abe Mosseri
175,000
-27,000
-27,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Jeff Lisandro au
Jeff Lisandro
168,500
-25,500
-25,500
WSOP 6X Winner
Gus Hansen dk
Gus Hansen
168,300
WSOP 1X Winner
Winamax

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Kenney Drops a Big One to Fuhs

Bryn Kenney
Bryn Kenney

Pot-Limit Omaha

Phil Ivey limped in early position and was met with a raise to 2,000 by Justin "Boosted J" Smith. Four players made the call back around to Ivey, who also decided to call. It was six-way action to the {A-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{K-Clubs} flop, and four checks put action on Fuhs.

He tossed out a single T5,000 chip, David Chiu folded, Josh Arieh called from the small blind, and Bryn Kenney called from the big. Ivey and Smith both got out of the way, and it was three-handed to the {8-Hearts} turn.

Once again action checked to Fuhs, and this time he bet out 12,000, a bet that both his opponents called. Not to be deterred, Fuh fired out a healthy 26,000 on the {8-Spades} river when action checked to him for the third time in a row.

Arieh shook his head and showed his hand to his next door neighbor before mucking, while Kenney made the call. Fuhs rolled over {A-Spades}{A-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts}{7-Hearts} for aces full, and he was pushed the hefty pot.

Player Chips Progress
Danny Fuhs
Danny Fuhs
236,000
80,000
80,000
Bryn Kenney us
Bryn Kenney
83,000
-48,000
-48,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Bryn KenneyDanny FuhsDavid ChiuJosh AriehJustin SmithPhil Ivey

Cloutier Fires the Turn

Pot-Limit Omaha

We caught the action in a three-handed pot with about 15,000 in the pot on a {10-Clubs}{5-Spades}{4-Diamonds} flop. David Benyamine was fired to act in the small blind and led out for 12,000, which Eric Cloutier called from the big blind. Daniel Negreanu folded from the cutoff, and it was heads-up to the {7-Spades} turn.

Benyamine must not have liked the card as he checked to Cloutier, who took the opportunity to bet 21,000. Benyamine thought for about ten seconds and then released his hand.

Player Chips Progress
Eric Cloutier ca
Eric Cloutier
175,000
37,400
37,400
David Benyamine fr
David Benyamine
138,000
-28,800
-28,800
WSOP 1X Winner
Daniel Negreanu ca
Daniel Negreanu
103,500
-5,800
-5,800

Tags: Eric CloutierDavid BenyamineDaniel Negreanu

Huge One For Kravchenko

Pot-Limit Omaha

Unfortunately we missed the first part of the action, but luckily the biggest bets were still coming up.

The board read {2-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{J-Clubs} when the action was on Shaun Deeb, he was in the small blind. Alexander Kravchenko had put in a 4,600 chip bet from the button and it seemed like Deeb had raised pot to 20,500. Kravchenko gave it some thought and made the call giving us heads up river action.

The river was the {K-Clubs} completing the flush draw, and Deeb thought for a minute before betting 33,500. The Russian bracelet winner, and fourth place finisher in the 2007 Main Event, counted out a large sum of chips and raised to 84,000.

Deeb immediately stood up from his chair, and sighed as he flipped his cap backwards. We heard him mumble something along the lines of, "He's never bluffing here," and was disgusted with this river raise. Deeb couldn't find a fold and made the call after which Kravchenko showed {A-Clubs}{A-Diamonds}{Q-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}.

Kravchenko had rivered the nuts, but also had the other nut flush draw on the turn. We couldn't get a clear look at the cards Deeb flashed, but {10-Clubs}{9-Clubs} was a part of it. Later he claimed to also have {8-}{7-} but suits remained unknown.

Player Chips Progress
Alexander Kravchenko ru
Alexander Kravchenko
235,000
102,700
102,700
Shaun Deeb us
Shaun Deeb
113,000
-105,900
-105,900
WSOP 6X Winner

Tags: Alexander KravchenkoShaun Deeb

Antonius vs. Grey

Stud-8

David Grey completed with the {K-Diamonds} and then called a raise from Patrik Antonius, who was showing the {7-Spades}. The latter proceeded to bet the turn, Grey called, and then both players checked fifth.

The Fin then check-called a bet on sixth before both players returned to checking on the river.

Grey: {K-Spades}{3-Hearts}{6-Spades} / {K-Diamonds}{2-Hearts}{Q-Spades}{J-Hearts}
Antonius: {x-}{x-} / {7-Spades}{7-Clubs}{J-Clubs}{Q-Hearts} / {x-}

Antonius wasn't in a hurry to show his cards, essentially saying he didn't have a hand, so Grey showed his pair of kings. It was good as Antonius scooped up his cards and gently tossed them to the dealer.

Player Chips Progress
David Grey us
David Grey
150,000
19,000
19,000
Patrik Antonius fi
Patrik Antonius
135,000
-5,000
-5,000

Tags: Patrik AntoniusDavid Grey