Event 55: $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop Day 1 | 2012 World Series of Poker

07-01-2012 11:16 UTC-6

The $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop is Set to Make Poker History

donpeters

The BIG ONE for ONE DROP $1,000,000 event, the largest buy-in tournament in poker history, has been in the works for over a year, and now the day has finally arrived where 48 players will take to the felt and battle for the $18,346,673 first-place prize, also the largest in poker history.

Out of each $1-million entry fee, $111,111 will be set aside for OneDrop, which was created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté and is “a charitable organization that develops integrated, innovative projects with an international scope, in which water plays a central role as a creative force in generating positive, sustainable effects for local and foreign populations and in the fight against poverty.”

With over $5 million going to a great charity, a prize pool of $42,666,672 will be up for grabs, which will be distributed to the final table of nine. The 48 players, who are comprised of an eclectic mix of poker professionals and philanthropic businessmen, will battle at six eight-handed tables, including one at the ESPN Main Stage, over the course of three days.

The other five tables in play will be in the Amazon Room Blue Section, which has undergone a dramatic transformation including new spectator seating, a flop camera plasma feed for each table for media and spectators to see community cards and “all in and calls.”

The tournament will be streamed live on WSOP.com and televised on ESPN, while the final day of the charity tournament will be broadcast live on ESPN 2 at 4:00 PM EDT and then on ESPN at 8:00 PM EDT until its conclusion. In regard to the live stream, David Tuchman will anchor and will be joined by Olivier Busquet and Justin Bonomo on Day 1, while Jason Somerville, Greg Mueller and Joe Hachem will provide commentary on Day 2.

Things will kick off as ESPN will tape a special intro featuring Cirque du Soleil drummers and the like. Meanwhile, the participants will arrive around Noon for interviews, a group photo, and to get acquainted with what is sure to become one of the summer’s most memorable spectacles.

The stage is set and the players are here, let's take a look at the 48:

Player	Occupation	Residence
Bobby Baldwin	Chief Design and Construction Officer, MGM Resorts Intl.	Las Vegas, NV
Frederic Banjout	CEO, Eden Shoes	Paris, France
Bob Bright	CEO, Bright Trading, LLC	Las Vegas, NV
Ilya Bulchev	Businessman	Moscow, Russia
Roland De Wolfe	Professional Poker Player	London, England
Tom Dwan	Professional Poker Player	Edison, NJ
Jonathan Duhamel	Professional Poker Player	Montreal, QC, Canada
David Einhorn	U.S. Hedge Fund Manager	Rye, New York
Antonio Esfandiari	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Phil Galfond	Professional Poker Player	Potomac, MD
Bertrand Grospellier	Professional Poker Player	Paris, France
Philipp Gruissem	Professional Poker Player	Germany
Giovanni Guarascio	Businessman	Montreal, Canada
Phil Ivey	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Eugene Katchalov	Professional Poker Player	New York, NY
Cary Katz	CEO, College Loan Corporation	Las Vegas, NV
Jens Kyllönen	Professional Poker Player	Finland
Guy Laliberté	Founder, Cirque de Soleil	Montreal, QC, Canada
Ben Lamb	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Tom Marchese	Professional Poker Player	Parsippanny, NJ
Jason Mercier	Professional Poker Player	Davie, FL
Michael Mizrachi	Professional Poker Player	Miami, FL
John Morgan	CEO, Winmark Corporation	Minneapolis, MN
Daniel Negreanu	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Paul Newey	Chairman, New Wave Ventures	Dorset, United Kingdom
Chamath Palihapitiya	Venture Capitalist	Burlingame, CA
Bill Perkins	Owner, Small Ventures (Private Equity)	Houston, TX
Paul Phua	Asian Businessman	Miri, Malaysia
Brian Rast	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Vivek Rajkumar	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Tobias Reinkemeier	Professional Poker Player	Brighton, Germany
Andrew Robl	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Phil Ruffin	Owner, Treasure Island Resort	Las Vegas, NV
Rick Salomon	Film Producer	Los Angeles, CA
Nick Schulman	Professional Poker Player	New York, NY
Noah Schwartz	Professional Poker Player	Miami, FL
Erik Seidel	Professional Poker Player	Las Vegas, NV
Mike Sexton	Professional Poker Player/Commentator	Las Vegas, NV
Dan Shak	Commodities Trader	Las Vegas, NV
Talal Shakerchi	European Hedge Fund Manager	Surrey, England
Mikhail Smirnov	Businessman/Poker Player	Moscow, Russia
Justin Smith	Professional Poker Player	Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Steven	Businessman/Car Dealer Owner	Wichita, KS
Sam Trickett	Professional Poker Player	East Retford, England
Haralabos Voulgaris	Professional Sports Handicapper	Winnipeg, Canada (Lotto seat)
Richard Yong	Asian Businessman	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Gus Hansen	$25,300 Mega Satellite – June 30 at Rio	Copenhagen, Denmark
Phil Hellmuth	Professional Poker Player - June 30	Madison, WI

The BIG ONE for ONE DROP is set to get underway at 1:11 PM PST when Laliberté gives the traditional “Shuffle Up and Deal” tableside at ESPN stage, so join us then as PokerNews brings you all the exciting action and eliminations as history is made at the 2012 World Series of Poker!

07-01-2012 16:59 UTC-6

Banjout Doubles; Boosted J Left with Just 30,000

Chad Holloway

As the rest of the players we going on break, we happened upon a huge pot between Justin "Boosted J" Smith and Frederic Banjout. There was a little over a million in the pot with a board reading {2-Clubs} {6-Spades} {8-Hearts} {A-Spades} {4-Spades} and Banjout had moved all in for 2.163 million.

From what Jonathan Duhamel told us, prior action saw Banjout check-raise the flop and then fire out big on the turn. Unfortunately that was all we were able to get amid all the excitement.

As it were, Smith was sitting in contemplation and waited for the dealer to get an exact count. A few of the other players found their way back to watch the hand, and out of nowhere Smith said, "I call."

Banjout then stood from his chair and slapped down {K-Spades} {Q-Spades} for the nuts. Smith was devastated and tossed his cards to the muck, though tournament rules state the hand must be shown. Per the floor's instruction, the dealer turned over Smith's hand . . . {7-Hearts} {5-Hearts} .

Smith thought he had been eliminated, but after the stacks were counted down, he was left with just 30,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Frederic Banjout	5,200,000 2,390,000	2,390,000
Justin Smith	30,000 -2,370,000	-2,370,000

Tags: Frederic Banjout Justin Smith

07-01-2012 17:21 UTC-6

Rast Finishes Off Smith

Chad Holloway

In the first hand back from break, Justin "Boosted J" Smith moved all in from middle position for 29,000 and Brian Rast isolated with a three-bet to 60,000.

Showdown
Rast: {A-Hearts} {10-Diamonds}
Smith: {Q-Hearts} {5-Spades}

The {5-Clubs} {4-Clubs} {8-Diamonds} gave Smith the lead and some hope of a long-shot comeback, but the {10-Spades} turn snatched it away as Rast paired his ten. The {4-Spades} river was no help to Smith, and he became the first player eliminated in Event 55: $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Smith	Busted

Tags: Brian Rast Justin Smith

07-01-2012 18:04 UTC-6

Trickett Relieves Banjout of a Lot of Chips

Chad Holloway

Sam Trickett opened, for what amount we're not sure, and Frederic Banjout raised to 85,000. Trickett responded with a four-bet to 285,000, Banjout called, and the flop came down {10-Clubs} {K-Hearts} {K-Diamonds} .

Banjout proceeded to call a bet of 330,000 before calling another bet of 575,000 on the {9-Spades} turn. When the {K-Spades} appeared on the river, Trickett bet 725,000 and Banjout hit the tank for a solid two minutes before making the call with {Q-Diamonds} {Q-Spades} . Unfortunately for him, Trickett turned over {A-Diamonds} {A-Hearts} for the winner.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sam Trickett	5,350,000 1,810,000	1,810,000

Frederic Banjout	3,200,000 -2,125,000	-2,125,000

Tags: Frederic Banjout Sam Trickett

07-01-2012 18:22 UTC-6

"The Guy on the End Has Two Nines"

[user101598]

When we reached Table 409, the flop had already been dealt {9-Clubs} {4-Clubs} {a-Spades} . David Einhorn checked, and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier tossed out a lavender T100,000 chip, announcing "ninety-nine."

Einhorn called the 99,000-chip bet, and the turn was the {j-Hearts} . Einhorn checked again, and Grospellier fired 222,000. Einhorn thought for a bit, then reached for a handful of chips, and check-raised to 888,000. Grospellier went into the tank, and while he did so, Gus Hansen stood up from his chair.

"Are you writing this hand down?" he asked our reporter, who nodded. "Write down that I open raised with {a-Clubs} {j-Clubs} and folded to ElkY's re-raise. I think the guy on the end has two nines, and ElkY...maybe {q-Clubs} ."

Noah Schwartz corrected him, because Hansen said he folded the {j-Clubs} .

"I mean {k-Clubs} {q-Clubs} ," Hansen restated. "Actually, I have no f***ing idea what ElkY has."

Grospellier made the call, and both players knuckled after the {3-Spades} completed the board. Einhorn tabled {9-Diamonds} {9-Hearts} for a set of nines - score one for Mr. Hansen - and Grospellier mucked.

"I made the greatest fold of all time!" Hansen announced when he returned to the table.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Einhorn	4,400,000 1,184,000	1,184,000
Bertrand Grospellier	1,300,000 -1,325,000	-1,325,000

Tags: Bertrand Grospellier David Einhorn Gus Hansen

07-01-2012 19:29 UTC-6

Rast Doubles Through Duhamel

donpeters

Jonathan Duhamel and Brian Rast just played a pot that ran a few minutes into the break. With the magnitude of this tournament, it's been common to see several hands run over into the break.

Picking up the action on the {J-Clubs} {6-Hearts} {4-Clubs} flop, Rast had raised a bet of 175,000 from Duhamel to 439,000 before Duhamel came back with a reraise to 865,000. After some tanking, Rast moved all in for 2.427 million. After 20-30 seconds, Duhamel said, "All right, I call."

Duhamel held the {A-Clubs} {6-Clubs} for a pair and a flush draw against Rast's {4-Diamonds} {4-Hearts} for bottom set.

The turn was the {J-Spades} and gave Rast a full house. The river was the {K-Spades} and kept Rast in front, delivering him with the double and nailing Duhamel with a big blow.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Rast	4,972,000 1,792,000	1,792,000

Jonathan Duhamel	1,300,000 -2,750,000	-2,750,000

Tags: Brian Rast Jonathan Duhamel

07-01-2012 19:50 UTC-6

Rast Busts Robl and Moves Over 8.3MM

donpeters

After an open, Andrew Robl three-bet to 100,000 from the button and Brian Rast four-bet to 270,000 from the big blind. Action folded back to Robl and he made the call to see the {Q-Clubs} {8-Clubs} {4-Clubs} flop.

On the flop, Rast fired 310,000. Robl raised to 735,000 and Rast came back with a shove. Robl had about 3.1 million on the flop and called all in. He held the {K-Clubs} {K-Diamonds} and Rast had the {A-Clubs} {K-Spades} . Robl's hand was best at the time, but Rast had the better flush draw along with the ace as an overcard.

The turn was the {9-Hearts} and kept Robl in the lead. The river completed the board with the {9-Clubs} and Rast spiked the ace-high flush to win the pot and bust Robl from the tournament.

Robl became the second player eliminated from the event while Rast moved to over 8.3 million in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Rast	8,350,000 3,378,000	3,378,000

Andrew Robl	Busted

Tags: Brian Rast Andrew Robl

07-01-2012 20:00 UTC-6

Hellmuth Just Calls

[user101598]

When we reached Table 411, the board read {a-Hearts} {q-Diamonds} {2-Clubs} {q-Hearts} . Phil Hellmuth led out for 50,000, and Paul Phua raised to 150,000. Hellmuth thought for thirty seconds or so, then called.

The river was the {6-Spades} , and Hellmuth checked. Phua thought for no more than fifteen seconds, then fired 475,000.

"Call!" Hellmuth exclaimed, the second the chips hit the felt.

Phua tabled {6-Hearts} {6-Clubs} for sixes full of queens, but Hellmuth had him beat with {a-Diamonds} {q-Clubs} for queens full of aces.

"What...?" Rick Salomon blurted.

The table was shocked that Hellmuth just called, and some players began needling him.

"What were you afraid of?" Chamath Palihapitiya asked.

"Yeah," Salomon added. "There's no one at this table that doesn't get it in there."

"There's no one else at this table named Phil Hellmuth," Hellmuth shot back.

"There's also no one else that catches cards like you," Mike Sexton jabbed.

The conversation continued when we left, and while Phua is down to 475,000 chips, Hellmuth is up to 7.1 million.

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Hellmuth	7,250,000 750,000	750,000

Paul Phua	475,000 -1,025,000	-1,025,000

Tags: Paul Phua Phil Hellmuth Rick Salomon

07-01-2012 20:47 UTC-6

Banjout Busts Kyllönen

donpeters

Frederic Banjout just busted Jens Kyllönen. That table, which is Table 401, has now claimed all three players to be eliminated so far on Day 1.

On the {5-Spades} {3-Hearts} {2-Hearts} flop, Banjout bet an unknown amount and Kyllönen made the call to see the {Q-Clubs} land on the turn. Banjout checked fourth street and Kyllönen fired 405,000. Banjout came back with a punch, check-raising to an even one million. This sent Kyllönen into the tank. He sat there contemplating for approximately three full minutes before moving all in for around 2.43 million. Banjout quickly called holding a flopped wheel with the {A-Diamonds} {4-Diamonds} . Kyllönen held the {A-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} and was only drawing to a chop.

The river completed the board with the {6-Diamonds} and Kyllönen lost the pot to get sent to the rail. Banjout moved over 7.5 million in chips with a big smile on his face.

Player	Chips	Progress
Frederic Banjout	7,600,000 4,130,000	4,130,000
Jens Kyllönen	Busted

Tags: Frederic Banjout Jens Kyllönen

07-01-2012 21:30 UTC-6

Perkins Flops Straight, Eliminates Duhamel

Shamus

Brian Rast opened for 45,000 from under the gun and got four callers — Jonathan Duhamel (hijack), Bill Perkins (cutoff), Richard Yong (small blind), and Brandon Steven (big blind).

The flop came {9-Clubs} {6-Clubs} {10-Spades} , and it checked around to Duhamel who bet 115,000. The action on Perkins, he stared at the board for a few seconds, then looked over at Duhamel, then at the dealer. "Raise," he said, then after carving out the calling chips, added another 350,000 for a total bet of 465,000.

The table promptly folded back to Duhamel who thought for a moment, then slid his remaining stack of about 325,000 forward to call.

Perkins tabled {8-Spades} {7-Spades} for a flopped straight, while Duhamel showed {Q-Clubs} {10-Clubs} for top pair and a flush draw. The turn was the {K-Hearts} and river the {8-Hearts} , and Table 401 has claimed yet another victim here just before the dinner break.

Player	Chips	Progress
Bill Perkins	2,850,000 1,790,000	1,790,000

Jonathan Duhamel	Busted

Tags: Bill Perkins Jonathan Duhamel