Event #14: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2013 World Series of Poker

Level: 2

Blinds: 25/50

Ante:

06-06-2013 13:15 UTC-7

When Does a Pair of Kings Beat a Pair of Aces?

[user253757]

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

Steve Rassi can thank Jonas Wexler for saving his tournament life, after a refreshing reminder that honor still has a place in poker.

We caught the action with three huge hands tabled surrounding a huge pot, with the board reading . A short-stacked player held the , and had earned the triple-up by besting Rassi's and an unknown opponent's .

With trip aces being shown, however, Rassi's excitement got the better of him, and he stood in defeat to depart the Brasilia Room, evidently thinking that the monster hand was held by a player who could cover him. The dealer must have also lost track of the stack sizes, because he mucked Rassi's hand and prepared to push the entire pot towards the unknown player.

That's when Wexler, an experienced young pro with multiple wins and cashes on the tournament circuit, intervened to right the wrong about to take place. Wexler informed the dealer that Rassi's pair of aces did, in fact, beat the kings held by the larger stacked opponent, and after some sorting, the chips were delivered to the proper owner.

Rassi couldn't believe his good fortune, and was extremely appreciative to both Wexler and the dealer for helping him through his first level jitters.

06-06-2013 13:21 UTC-7

Marvin Makes The Wrong Call

MrCleverFox

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

With the board reading Marvin Rettenmaier checked to his opponent, who made a bet of 250. After thinking about it for a bit, Rettenmaier made the call.

The river was the and Rettenmaier checked once more. This time his opponent responded by moving all in for 1,400 total.

Rettenmaier fell into the tank and after about two minutes of thinking, he finally threw in a single T1,000 chip, signifying a call. His opponent turned over for the nut flush and Rettenmaier mucked. Rettenmaier dropped well below starting stack after making the call.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marvin Rettenmaier	2,600 2,600	2,600

06-06-2013 13:33 UTC-7

Sensei Channing Teaches a Lesson

MrCleverFox

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

Neil Channing seems to be having fun at his table.

We caught Channing in a hand with another player who was on the button. With the board reading Channing bet 800.

"Eight hundred big ones," Channing said. "All U.S. Dollars. I've got more behind and I'm prepared to gamble it."

The player on the button called the bet.

"Now I have to reassess the situation," Channing said.

The river was the .

"All right, I'm all in," Channing said, double fisting his chips into the pot.

The player on the button flashed Channing his . "You're lucky a spade didn't come," he said as he folded.

"Yeah I'm really lucky a spade didn't come," Channing said sarcastically, showing his for a full house.

"Ok, I'm lucky a spade didn't come," the button player said. "Thank you dealer."

Player	Chips	Progress
Neil Channing	6,000 1,500	1,500

06-06-2013 13:39 UTC-7

Kat Fight

[user253757]

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

Two of the most accomplished female figures in poker, Kathy Liebert and Vanessa Selbst, are in the building today, and in fact they are seated only a table apart from one another.

Both Liebert and Selbst have become inspirations for the growing number women who preferred to play open events rather than ladies' only affairs, with Liebert becoming an icon for an earlier generation when women were outsiders in the poker world, and Selbst redefining the modern concept of hyper-aggressive, read based poker with her innovative approach to the game.

We recently witnessed Selbst drop a small pot, as she folded to a bet of 375 on the board. Nonetheless, she still holds enough chips to remain the most dangerous player at her table by a wide margin.

Meanwhile, at the next table over, Liebert took down a small pot with a continuation bet on a jack-high flop. She hopes to build a large enough stack here today to make a deep run, and cash for her second time here at the 2013 WSOP.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kathy Liebert	3,175 -1,325	-1,325

Vanessa Selbst	2,800 -1,700	-1,700

06-06-2013 13:52 UTC-7

Brick for Brikis

MrCleverFox

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

Josh Brikis got all his money in drawing live, but a brick on the river sent him packing early here on day 1.

With the board reading Brikis checked. Tony Dunst to his left made a bet of 800. The player in seat one made the call then Brikis moved all in for 1,900. Dunst moved all in over the top of Brikis and the player in seat one called both all ins, creating a monster pot.

Dunst:
Seat 1:
Brikis:

Brikis was behind, but if a came on the river he would be a huge benefactor. He could even still chop the pot with a river . Unfortunately, the river was the sending Brikis to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tony Dunst	9,700 5,200	5,200

Josh Brikis	Busted

06-06-2013 13:54 UTC-7

All's Fair in Love and Poker

[user253757]

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

For many players who grind the tournament circuit day in and day out, travelling to farflung locales in pursuit of poker prestige and piles of cash, the life of a touring pro does not leave much room for long-term relationships. For experienced WSOP Circuit regular Michael "Life" Taylor and his girlfriend Cassandra McCarville, however, one pair has held up just fine.

Taylor has been a fixture on the Circuit for the last two years, accumulating multiple cashes and deep runs, and finally capturing his first gold Circuit Ring at the Bicycle Casino in a $365 NLH event this year. Meanwhile, he has been teaching his lady the ropes of tournament poker, and as a longtime dealer in Arizona's casinos, McCarville has already proven to be an apt pupil.

After sweating and supporting Taylor from the rail in earlier WSOP events, and competing in this year's edition of the Casino Employee's Championship, McCarville took her seat today to play in her very first WSOP open event. She joins Taylor among the throngs of players chasing chips here today, and judging by her quickly doubled stack, Taylor might have some serious competition when it comes to the bracelet race in his own house.

Player	Chips	Progress
Cassandra McCarville	8,150 8,150	8,150
Michael Taylor	5,475 5,475	5,475

06-06-2013 13:58 UTC-7

Ken Moore Takes 'Em to the Cleaners

[user253757]

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

We caught the action with the final board reading and Ken Moore all-in against an unknown opponent. The player tabled for a turned straight, but Moore had him beat with his for the nuts.