Bjorn Li might not be a common name to most poker fans, but with two cashes in this year's World Series of Poker and a sixth-place finish in the Aussie Millions Main Event, Li is quickly becoming someone everyone should be aware of.
We recently caught up to him over in the Tan Section facing a preflop bet of 300 from an unknown opponent in early position. The table folded over to Li on the button and he three-bet to 1,025. The rest of the table folded back to the early-position player and he made the call.
The flop came and the early-position player checked. Li's response was to bet out 1,425. The early-position player then raised to 4,200. A few moments passed and Li made the call.
The on the turn brought another bet from Li's opponent, this time for 5,000. Li again took a few seconds and made the call.
The on the river saw the early-position player slow down and check. Action was then on Li who measured out his stack a few times, thinking about what his best option was. Eventually, Li moved all in for around 18,000. The early-position player thought for 30 seconds or so and threw his cards away.
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We saw that Eric Baldwin was heads up with another opponent on a board that read , and Baldwin had checked his option. His opponent fired out 800, and Baldwin came along. The river was the , and Baldwin checked again. His opponent didn't slow down, as he fired out 2,600.
This sent Baldwin into the tank, and after about 20 seconds, he looked to the dealer and said, "Can I talk to him? That's ok right?" The dealer confirmed that he could, but Baldwin didn't do much talking after that. He simply tossed in the call, then mucked when he was shown the .
That hit drops Baldwin and his mustache down to 25,000 early.
JJ Liu has just taken down some early chips. We arrived at the table with a flop already out on the felt and Liu involved in a pot against one opponent. The player in question was in the small blind and opted to check-call a bet of 250 here, with Liu sitting in the under-the-gun seat.
When the rolled off on the turn, Liu was checked to again and she bet 500. Her opponent called and a river was dealt. Liu's opponent again checked, then called when Liu bet 1,000. When Liu tabled , it was enough to send her opponent's cards to the muck and rake in the handy pot.
Isaac Haxton called a raise to 250 from the button and was among four players to see an flop.
Action checked to Haxton and he bet 650. Only one player, the original raiser, called to see the where he opted to lead out 1,100. Haxton popped it to 5,500, but was unable to shake his opponent. Both players quickly checked the river and the original raiser tabled for two pair.
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Frank Kassela has had a good start to the day, seeing his stack already increase to just shy of 35,000 in chips. A recent hand that went Kassela's way started when the action was folded to the player in the cutoff and they opened the pot to 300. Kassela then three-bet to 850 from the small blind and the dealer spread out a flop.
On the flop, Kassela led for 1,100 and his opponent called. A was then slapped on the turn and Kassela led for 1,700. The completed the board on the river and Kassela again led, this time for 2,400. It was too much for Kassela's opponent as they folded and sent the pot to Kassela.
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There was 600 in the middle on a board reading when we arrived at the table. Raymond Rahme was heads up with the small blind, who fired out 525 into the pot. Rahme made the call, and the river was the . The small blind thought for about 20 seconds before tossing out 1,675. Rahme tanked for about a minute before tossing in the call.
The small blind showed for jack high, to which Rahme replied "Nothing?" He then flipped over for an underpair, which was good enough to take the pot. Despite that win, it's been a rough start for Rahme, as he's down to 15,000.
Over in the Tan Section sits Kennii Nguyen. Nguyen has had an impressive showing so far this year at the World Series of Poker with six cashes, including a second-place finish in Event 19: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em. Nguyen is always very recognizable, as he sports a very colorful and large jester's hat. Today he seems to have added matching shoulder pads to go along with his loud hat.
Recently, we caught up to Nguyen as he was getting involved in a pot. The flop read and Nguyen's early-positioned opponent bet 500. Nguyen raised to 1,025. A call was made and both players were granted access to the turn.
The on fourth street saw a check from Nguyen's opponent and a bet of 1,775 from the jester. Nguyen's opponent took a minute or so before folding face up. Nguyen said it was a good fold, and raked in the pot.
A few tables away sits Jay Rosenkrantz. Recently, we caught up to him on the button facing a bet of 800 from an early-position player. The board read and Rosenkrantz had a decision to make. Instead of simply calling or folding Rosenkrantz raised and placed 3,200 in the middle. Rosenkrantz's opponent quickly called, and was sickened to see Rosenkrantz flip over for the straight. The early position player mucked and Rosenkrantz took down the pot.
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and the early-position player checked. Li's response was to bet out 1,425. The early-position player then raised to 4,200. A few moments passed and Li made the call.
on the turn brought another bet from Li's opponent, this time for 5,000. Li again took a few seconds and made the call.
on the river saw the early-position player slow down and check. Action was then on Li who measured out his stack a few times, thinking about what his best option was. Eventually, Li moved all in for around 18,000. The early-position player thought for 30 seconds or so and threw his cards away.
, and Baldwin had checked his option. His opponent fired out 800, and Baldwin came along. The river was the 
, and Baldwin checked again. His opponent didn't slow down, as he fired out 2,600.
.
flop already out on the felt and Liu involved in a pot against one opponent. The player in question was in the small blind and opted to check-call a bet of 250 here, with Liu sitting in the under-the-gun seat.
rolled off on the turn, Liu was checked to again and she bet 500. Her opponent called and a 
river was dealt. Liu's opponent again checked, then called when Liu bet 1,000. When Liu tabled 
flop.
where he opted to lead out 1,100. Haxton popped it to 5,500, but was unable to shake his opponent. Both players quickly checked the 
river and the original raiser tabled 
flop.
when we arrived at the table. Raymond Rahme was heads up with the small blind, who fired out 525 into the pot. Rahme made the call, and the river was the 
. The small blind thought for about 20 seconds before tossing out 1,675. Rahme tanked for about a minute before tossing in the call.
for an underpair, which was good enough to take the pot. Despite that win, it's been a rough start for Rahme, as he's down to 15,000.
and Rosenkrantz had a decision to make. Instead of simply calling or folding Rosenkrantz raised and placed 3,200 in the middle. Rosenkrantz's opponent quickly called, and was sickened to see Rosenkrantz flip over 
