Event 55: $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop Day 2 | 2012 World Series of Poker

07-02-2012 13:16 UTC-6

First Hand; Chamath Palihapitiya Busts

Happy_Freaked

John Morgan was under the gun on the first hand of play, and he opted to raise to 105,000. The action was folded around to Frederic Banjout who made the call from the big blind. One of the tournament short stacks, Chamath Palihapitiya, was in the big blind and he moved all in for a total of 630,000.

A high pressure situation developed right at the start of the day, and after some tanking Morgan made the call. Banjout contemplated making a move as well, but after a good ten seconds he kicked his cards into the pot.

"Wow what a start!" Morgan said as the cards were flipped up.

John Morgan
Chamath Palihapitiya

The flop came down {10-Clubs} {J-Diamonds} {Q-Hearts} and Morgan said, "Look at that," as he was hoping for his hand to hold up.

The turn was the {8-Hearts} , and the river the {3-Diamonds} ending Palihapitiya's tournament in 37th place.

"Good game buddy," Morgan said to Palihapitiya who shook his opponents hands before leaving the tournament area.

Player	Chips	Progress
Frederic Banjout	6,950,000 -120,000	-120,000
John Morgan	2,750,000 750,000	750,000
Chamath Palihapitiya	Busted

Tags: Chamath Palihapitiya Frederic Banjout John Morgan

07-02-2012 13:50 UTC-6

Smirnov Takes Care of Business; Dwan and Negreanu Out

Happy_Freaked

The elimination of Tom Dwan and Daniel Negreanu

We just saw a massive clash on Table 446 in which both Tom Dwan and Daniel Negreanu got eliminated. Russian high roller Mikhail Smirnov busted the two top professionals when his top set held up.

The action started off with Phil Galfond raising under the gun, and Dwan made the call in the hijack. Negreanu was in the cutoff, and he moved all in for his final 355,000 chips. Smirnov was on the button and he put in a four-bet to 700,000, and that got Galfond to fold.

Dwan decided to move all in, putting in a five-bet, and Smirnov made the call putting two of the biggest names in this field at risk.

Tom Dwan
Daniel Negreanu
Mikhail Smirnov

Dwan was in perfect shape to more than double up, but the flop spelled disaster when it rolled out {9-Hearts} {4-Hearts} {7-Diamonds} . Smirnov had flopped a set and took a commanding lead. The turn was the {8-Hearts} , and this opened up a large amount of outs for Negreanu to stay alive.

"Wow! Do I have outs!" Negreanu shouted, and he added "If I was ever going to use my one time, this would be it!".

Negreanu's one time didn't work out because the river was the {9-Diamonds} , and Smirnov ended up with quad nines. Negrenau and Dwan got eliminated while Smirnov jumps to the top of the pack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mikhail Smirnov	6,200,000 2,530,000	2,530,000
Tom Dwan	Busted
Daniel Negreanu	Busted

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Mikhail Smirnov Phil Galfond Tom Dwan

07-02-2012 13:59 UTC-6

Another Pro Gone; Mercier Busts Schwartz

Happy_Freaked

The day has started off with some massive clashes, and Noah Schwartz was our latest victim. He fell to Jason Mercier in another big all in pre flop.

From the button Schwartz raised it up to 125,000. Mercier was in the big blind, and he decided to move all in, putting huge pressure on Schwartz. For a total of 950,000 Schwartz made the call, and the following showdown went down.

Jason Mercier: {A-Hearts} {J-Spades}
Noah Schwartz: {A-Spades} {5-Spades}

The board ran out {3-Spades} {9-Spades} {3-Diamonds} {10-Hearts} {8-Diamonds} , and Schwartz got knocked out.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Mercier	5,300,000 1,090,000	1,090,000

Noah Schwartz	Busted

Tags: Jason Mercier Noah Schwartz

07-02-2012 14:23 UTC-6

Esfandiari on a Tear; Reinkemeier Out

Happy_Freaked

In back-to-back hands we just saw Antonio Esfandiari take pots down with pre-flop three bets. On the third hand he knocked out German pro Tobias Reinkemeier.

First Cary Katz attacked the blinds from the cutoff and Bill Perkins called his raise from the button. Guy Laliberté was in the small blind, he folded, and Esfandiari put in a three-bet. Both Katz and Laliberté laid it down, and Esfandiari showed the {K-Hearts} .

On the second hand Jason Mercier raised to 120,000, and this time Esfandiari three-bet to 400,000 from the small blind. Mercier double-checked his cards, and tossed them into the muck.

Esfandiari took down consecutive pots, and when it got folded to him on the button he raised once more making it 150,000. Reinkemeier was in the small blind, he looked down at this cards and moved all in for 1,2550,000. Mikhail Smirnov folded his big blind, and Esfandiari made the call.

Antonio Esfandiari
Tobias Reinkemeier

The window card was the {K-Spades} , but Reinkemeier was drawing very slim when the {Q-Hearts} and {5-Spades} showed up. Esfandiari had made a set, and Reinkemeier needed running cards to stay alive. The turn was the {A-Diamonds} , and he had some hope as a ten would give him a winning straight. The river was the {Q-Spades} , and Esfandiari made quads.

Reinkemeier shook some hands, and left the tournament as Esfandiari is now one of the chip leaders.

Player	Chips	Progress
Antonio Esfandiari	8,900,000 2,200,000	2,200,000

Tobias Reinkemeier	Busted

Tags: Antonio Esfandiari Tobias Reinkemeier

07-02-2012 14:39 UTC-6

Yong Jumps Up, Morgan Falls Down

Happy_Freaked

Chamath Palihapitiya and John Morgan during the bust out

Two big hands just made an end to John Morgan's tournament as he ran a huge semi bluff on Richard Yong. Yong was not going anywhere with his trips, and he's now one of the big stacks.

The flop read {10-Spades} {10-Clubs} {8-Clubs} when Yong bet 300,000. Morgan decided to raise it up to 900,000, but that wasn't enough for Yong who made it 1.9 million. Morgan didn't seem impressed, he moved all in, and Yong called his remaining chips off.

John Morgan
Richard Yong

Morgan was looking for a club or running straight cards in order to stay alive, and the turn was the {J-Hearts} . Morgan could still win this big pot with a seven, queen or a club, but the river was the {J-Diamonds} giving Yong a full house.

On the next hand Yong raised it up to 130,000, and John Morgan moved all in for 650,000 from the hijack. Ilya Bulychev was in the cutoff and he moved all in as well. Yong folded and we got see another heads-up showdown.

John Morgan
Ilya Bulychev

The board ran out {5-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} {2-Hearts} {J-Spades} {Q-Spades} , and Bulychev's pair held up. Morgan was knocked out and we are down to 28 players.

Player	Chips	Progress
Richard Yong	8,700,000 4,200,000	4,200,000
Ilya Bulychev	2,300,000 700,000	700,000
John Morgan	Busted

Tags: Ilya Bulychev John Morgan Richard Yong

07-02-2012 15:09 UTC-6

A Gruissem Exit for Hansen

donpeters

On the button, Gus Hansen raised to 190,000. Philipp Gruissem reraised to 580,000 from the big blind and Hansen moved all in for 3.4 million. Gruissem called.

Gruissem: {A-Hearts} {K-Diamonds}
Hansen: {J-Spades} {10-Spades}

The flop, turn and river ran out {7-Hearts} {5-Spades} {3-Diamonds} {A-Spades} {A-Diamonds} and Gruissem won the pot with trip aces to send Hansen out the door.

Player	Chips	Progress
Philipp Gruissem	6,150,000 2,350,000	2,350,000

Gus Hansen	Busted

Tags: Gus Hansen Philipp Gruissem

07-02-2012 16:06 UTC-6

Gruissem Takes Care of Ivey

Happy_Freaked

Phil Ivey raised from the cutoff to 200,000 and Philipp Gruissem put him all in from the big blind. Ivey called off his remaining 1.3 million and we got to see an all in showdown.

Phil Ivey
Philipp Gruissem

The flop brought out {9-Spades} {J-Diamonds} {8-Spades} , and Gruissem picked up more outs to bust the eight-time bracelet winner. The turn was the {10-Diamonds} and Ivey made a straight, but Gruissem also picked up a flush draw. The river was the {4-Diamonds} , and Ivey was gone.

Ivey got up and left through one of the side doors and Gruissem stacked his new chips. We are down to 25 players.

Player	Chips	Progress
Philipp Gruissem	8,000,000 1,850,000	1,850,000

Phil Ivey	Busted

Tags: Phil Ivey Philipp Gruissem

07-02-2012 16:55 UTC-6

Rast Ends Bright's Tournament

Happy_Freaked

Bob Bright was just all in for his final 1.3 million chips, and he was up against Brian Rast.

Bright turned over {A-Hearts} {K-Clubs} , and was in need of serious help since Rast tabled {K-Hearts} {K-Spades} .

The flop brought out {Q-Spades} {J-Diamonds} {7-Spades} and Bright picked up some extra outs. Every ten would give him a straight, but the {2-Spades} on the turn took away one of those outs. Bright was looking to catch an ace or a non-spade ten on the river, but he missed. The river was the {3-Spades} and Bright was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Rast	11,800,000 1,575,000	1,575,000

Bob Bright	Busted

Tags: Bob Bright Brian Rast

07-02-2012 17:40 UTC-6

Rast First Player to Crack 20MM; Hellmuth Steaming

Happy_Freaked

From the cutoff Brian Rast raised to 250,000 and both blinds, Philipp Gruissem and Phil Hellmuth, called.

The flop came down {4-Hearts} {4-Spades} {10-Hearts} and Gruissem checked to Hellmuth who fired out 350,000. Rast made the call and Gruissem folded.

The turn was the {A-Spades} and Hellmuth checked to Rast who bet out 650,000. Hellmuth called and the river brought out the {Q-Diamonds} .

Hellmuth checked once more and Rast bet 1.15 million. Hellmuth stood up, sat down and started talking.

"The one guy I know I'm going to bust and he just gets there hand after hand," Hellmuth said as he made the call.

"NO, HE DIDN'T DO THAT!" Hellmuth screamed when Rast turned over {K-Spades} {J-Spades} for a rivered straight.

"That f***king idiot," Hellmuth added to his rant while pacing away from the table.

"You're one heck of a player aren't you? I know you'd try buddy, and I know you'll try again. You'll bluff your money off to the one guy you can't bluff!" Hellmuth added as Rast quietly stacked his chips. He's now over 20 million and chip leader by a serious margin in this event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian Rast	20,300,000 4,900,000	4,900,000

Phil Hellmuth	6,500,000 -1,400,000	-1,400,000

Tags: Brian Rast Phil Hellmuth

07-02-2012 18:39 UTC-6

Mercier Eliminated in Massive Clash with Esfandiari

donpeters

The entire tournament floor has been silenced with the elimination of Jason Mercier. He and Antonio Esfandiari began the hand both over 10 million in chips and in the top five. At the end of the carnage, Mercier was left slinging his bag over his shoulder and quickly heading out the door. No one in the room had words for how big of a clash this really was.

After the first goup of players folded to Esfandiari, he raised on the button to 250,000. Mercier was in the small blind and put in a three-bet to 680,000. After Cary Katz got out of the way from the big blind, action fell back on Esfandiari.

Esfandiari took some time to himself and then four-bet to a nice, big 1.6 million. Mercier didn't flinch, but instead studied intently. He then fired back with a bigger bullet, five-betting to 2.89 million as if to say, "Your move, Antonio."

The man widely known as "The Magician" reached into his hat and pulled out 4.489 million rabbits for the six-bet. Mercier began the hand with a bit over 10 million in his stack and ripped it all into the middle. Esfandiari snap-called to create a ridiculously huge pot worth approximately 22 million in chips. Mercier was the player at risk, but Esfandiari would be extremely crushed if he were to lose this confrontation.

Esfandiari tabled the {A-Diamonds} {A-Clubs} and Mercier turned over the {K-Spades} {K-Hearts} with a dejected look on his face. After the {J-Clubs} {7-Spades} {4-Diamonds} flop, the look on Mercier's face only fell more empty as Esfandiari stayed in front.

Mercier was looking for a king, but the turn card was the {6-Spades} and the room became dead silent waiting for the river. The only noise heard in the room was the slap of the final card off the deck — the {6-Clubs} — and Mercier extended his hand to Esfandiari before exiting to the rail.