Event #26: $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship Day 2 | 2013 World Series of Poker

06-15-2013 12:13 UTC-7

T.J. Cloutier Cashes, Calls, Cracked

[user253757]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

T.J. Cloutier Has Bit the Dust Here at the Seniors Championship

Just a few minutes after the announcement was made that the Seniors Championship bubble had been broken, T.J. Cloutier went broke as well.

We missed the action ourselves, but upon noticing the living legend's seat conspicuously empty, we inquired as to Cloutier's whereabouts.

"It was me, I'm the bad guy," said Alan Weiland, informing us that it was he who did the deed. "I open-shoved with , T.J. called me with , and an came on the flop."

After eliminating a six-time bracelet winner, and cashing at the WSOP, Weiland definitely has a few stories to tell when he returns home.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alan Weiland	32,000	2,500
T.J. Cloutier	Busted

Tags: Alan Weiland T.J. Cloutier

06-15-2013 12:12 UTC-7

Anderson Outkicks Kunichoff

[user253725]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

Alexander Kunichoff has continued the aggressive play that made him the chip leader at the end of day 1. We arrived at the table on as the flop was dealt during a recent hand against David Anderson. With the board reading , Kunichoff bet 5,000, and Anderson raised to 14,000. After Kunichoff called, both players checked the on the turn, and then Kunichoff bet 10,000 when the fell on the river. Anderson thought for a moment, then pushed forward chips for a call. Kunichoff turned over , but Anderson had him beat with .

Even after taking a hit during the hand, Kunichoff sits with 166,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexander Kunichoff	166,000	14,600

Tags: Alex Kunichoff

Level: 13

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 200

06-15-2013 11:59 UTC-7

Jim Thomas Slides into the Money With 0.9 Big Blinds

[user253757]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

Jim Thomas Only Had Two of These Left When the Bubble Broke

Coming into Day 2 with a stack of only 6,100, Jim Thomas knew it would be a tight squeeze if he hoped to make the money. Just 45 minutes into the first level of play, Thomas hadn't seen a card higher than a , and with no chance to double, his stack had slipped to just 1,100, or less than a single big blind.

With the button being passed around the table slowly but surely, Thomas knew his last two chips would be forced into the middle in just three hands, and he was prepared to meet his fate holding a random hand.

That's when he heard the tournament director's voice boom over the microphone, announcing that dealers must stop and stand at the completion of the hand. After five minutes that must have felt like an eternity, during which Thomas assumed a few more hands would have to be dealt, a second announcement was made.

"Congratulations players, you have all made the money!"

With that, Thomas retook his seat secure in the knowledge that yesterday's grueling 11-level grind had paid off, and with his second cash in his fourth Seniors Championship, Thomas is now batting an impressive .500 in these massive field, shallow stack events.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jim Thomas	1,100	1,100

Tags: Jim Thomas

06-15-2013 11:49 UTC-7

Some Chip Counts at the Bubble

[user253725]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mark Kroon	74,000	24,100
Adam Varrenti	66,000	15,500
Joseph Aronesty	66,000	10,400
Michael Moore	38,600	12,000
Robert Varkonyi	33,000	-6,900

06-15-2013 11:47 UTC-7

In the Money!

[user253725]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

The tournament staff paused play in preparation for hand-for-hand play, but by the time all tables had completed their current hands, enough players had been knocked out to make hand-for-hand unnecessary. All remaining players have now made the money and are guaranteed a minimum payout of $1,903.

06-15-2013 11:36 UTC-7

Cloutier Charming His Table

[user250068]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

The veteran "senior" T.J. Cloutier was giving the "youngsters" at the table a lesson on bubble play by raising and taking at least two pots in a row - with a short stack no less. One of the youngsters told him he wasn't in a position to abuse the bubble and then he folded to Cloutier.

Cloutier went on to say: "There are socks down deep in my drawer almost as old as you." Keep in mind the minimum age for this event is 50 years old.

Player	Chips	Progress
T.J. Cloutier	18,000	18,000

Tags: T J Cloutier

06-15-2013 11:30 UTC-7

John Strzemp Won't (Set)tle for Second Best

[user253757]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

John Strzemp (Seen Here in the 2011 PokerStars.net Caribbean Adventure Main Event)

If not for an unfortunate deuce on the river way back in 1997, casino executive John Strzemp would have a banner hanging from the Rio's rafters. Instead, Stu Ungar finished off his improbable, and sadly unsustainable, comeback from drug and alcohol abuse, winning the 1997 World Series of Poker Main Event by making the wheel straight on fifth street.

Strzemp has achieved extraordinary success since that fateful river card fell, rising to the position of Chief Administrative Officer for Wynn Resorts, but one accomplishment that has eluded him is the one all poker players desire most: a gold WSOP bracelet.

Strzemp entered the day with a respectable stack, but the longtime tournament player knew he needed to build during the protracted money bubble to give himself a realistic shot at returning to the WSOP final table stage.

In a recent hand, Strzemp did just that, doubling up with after getting his last 14,900 all in on the river. The final board showed , and with top set on the flop, Strzemp had strung his opponent along perfectly to notch the elimination.

Despite four cards to the wheel straight arriving on board yet again, Strzemp did not let lingering memories of that hand against The Kid affect him.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Strzemp	42,500	9,800

Tags: John Strzemp Stu Ungar

06-15-2013 11:30 UTC-7

Impressive Bubble Play

[user250068]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

We have lost 43 players in the first 30 minutes of play bringing us to within 7 players of the money. Walking down the aisles of The Senior's Championship, it was impressive to see the big stacks putting the small stacks to the test. With the small stacks hoping to cash, the big stacks are using that to their advantage in quite an impressive manner. Of five tables that we passed, three of them had the big stack 3-bet all in forcing their short stack opponent to fold as we get closer to the money.

06-15-2013 11:30 UTC-7

Money Bubble Approaching

[user253725]

Level 12 : 600/1,200, 200 ante

The official tournament clock says we now have 446 players remaining. With 441 making the money, the bubble will burst shortly, and the tables will likely begin hand-for-hand play soon.