We mentioned before how Dan Harrington is here. The 1995 WSOP Main Event champion is seated over at one of the three tables still set up from Event 55: $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop. At the other two tables in that section sit a couple of other aces — 2001 ME champ Carlos Mortensen and 2008 winner Peter Eastgate.
Just now the Poker Hall of Famer Harrington was recognized for his achievements with an announcement over the public address. His table had folded around to him at the very moment of the announcement, and as he stood to wave in acknowledgement of the applause, he fired a raise to which everyone folded.
Poker tournaments, especially the World Series of Poker, bring everybody out to the table: professionals, amateurs, stars of film and television, etc. It also brings out athletes, and Georges St-Pierre isn't the only one in the building today. PokerNews has spotted a former football player in the field today and one we've seen in the WSOP Main Event before.
Eric Stocz was born in Ohio in 1974, and he was drafted as a tight end by the NFL's Detroit Lions in 1996. He played with them for three years before leaving the game and seeking out other interests to occupy his time. One of those interests, apparently, is poker.
Stocz notched his first live cash in 2008, and later took down the Heartland Poker Tour $1,500 Main Event in Mount Pleasant in 2010 for more than $117,000.
Since his big victory, Stocz has racked up more than $60,000 in live tournament earnings. One of the highlights of his poker career came last year when Stocz finished in the money in the WSOP Main Event for $30,974. He also final tabled another HPT Main Event, this one in Reno for $11,100.
Stocz will be looking for back-to-back cashes in the WSOP Main Event and even top his performance from last year. First things first, though, and he'll be grinding through here on Day 1b.
Brian Rast has a knack for building a big stack early in tournaments and he is well on his way to doing the same today.
After a player in early position limped, Rast raised to 400 from middle position. The player on the button called, but the player in the small blind had other ideas and re-raised to 1,675. The player in the big blind called, the original limper folded, Rast called, and the player on the button called.
Got all that? Good.
The flop came down and the blinds checked it over to Rast. He bet 2,700, chasing out all opponents except for the player on the button. The hit the turn and Rast check-called 3,350 from his opponent. Both players opted to check the river.
Carlos Mortensen, sitting just a few feet away from the huge banner with his picture on it commemorating his 2001 WSOP Main Event win, raised 3x to 300 from middle position and got a single caller in the big blind.
The flop came and both players checked. The turn was the and when Mortensen's opponent checked, "El Matador" fired a bet of 400 which was called.
The river was the and again the big blind checked. This time Mortensen bet 500, and after a bit of thought his opponent let it go.
Martin Kabrhel made a big splash at the 2011 World Series of Poker after cashing four times including a cash in the Main Event. We've heard very little from Kabrhel this either other than him being shut out of playing the Big One for One Drop once it reached the player cap.
We found Kabrhel seated in the Orange section of the Amazon room. He opened a pot to 250 from middle position only to have the cutoff three-bet to 675. Kabrhel called and the flop came .
Kabrhel checked to his opponent who continued for 900. Kabrhel took one yellow t1,000 chip off of his stack and sat thinking for a moment before calmly sliding it forward.
Fourth street brought the and Kabrhel checked once again. His opponent upped the bet to 2,000 and Kabrhel sat motionless once again. This time, however, Kabrhel raised to 6,000. A sigh was heaved from the mouth of Kabrhel's opponent and he released his cards into the muck.
There was nearly 3,000 in the middle and the flop had come when a player sitting in the small blind bet 1,750 and after some thought Bernard Lee called. Both then checked the turn. The river brought the and a check from Lee's opponent, and the instant Lee set chips out for a bet his opponent pushed his cards away.
Picking up the action after the river of a board, action was checked to 2012 WSOP bracelet-winner Chris Tryba. He bet 850 and was called by both of his opponents.
Tryba tabled for a flush, besting his opponent's holdings to win the pot.
3Bet Poker Clothing (www.3BET.us, @3BetClothing) will be giving away 1% equity in their company to the player wearing their patch who lasts the longest in the Main Event. The contest is free to enter and the Grand Prize of 1% equity will "tip" at 500 participants — registration is now open at the 3Bet booth at the WSOP.
World class professionals Brian Rast, Jonathan Little, Scott Clements and John Phan have joined the company as co-owners and wear 3Bet exclusively at the tables when they play. 3Bet was founded by 30-year veterans in the clothing industry and avid poker players themselves with a focus on comfortable and stylish hats, hoodies, tees, poker dry-fits and more.
3Bet also is giving away $500 cash to one lucky winner who joins their mailing list during the WSOP and there is free shipping on all orders (International shipping coming soon) through the end of the Main Event at www.3BET.us.
Here is a video where Kristy Arnett caught up with Rast during a break to see how his Main Event has started, talk a bit about the summer and also the massive $1,000,000 buy-in $2,000/4,000 cash game that's rumored to have been running at Aria.
Yevgeniy Timoshenko open limped from under the gun and a player in early position raised to 325. The player in the hijack seat and the big blind came along, as did Timoshenko for a four-way pot.
All four players checked the flop, however, when the fell on the turn, action checked around to Timoshenko - who chucked out an 800 bet. Everyone quickly folded and Timoshenko scooped the pot.
Timoshenko is currently sitting a bit under the starting stack of 30,000.
and the blinds checked it over to Rast. He bet 2,700, chasing out all opponents except for the player on the button. The 
hit the turn and Rast check-called 3,350 from his opponent. Both players opted to check the 
river.
for top pair to win the pot.
and both players checked. The turn was the 
and when Mortensen's opponent checked, "El Matador" fired a bet of 400 which was called.
and again the big blind checked. This time Mortensen bet 500, and after a bit of thought his opponent let it go.
.
when a player sitting in the small blind bet 1,750 and after some thought Bernard Lee called. Both then checked the 
turn. The river brought the 
and a check from Lee's opponent, and the instant Lee set chips out for a bet his opponent pushed his cards away.
board, action was checked to 
flop, however, when the 
