Event #38: $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em (Four Handed) Day 1 | 2013 World Series of Poker

06-21-2013 15:42 UTC-7

Anderson Doubles Through Laak

Josh_Cahlik

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

Calvin Anderson was under the gun and he moved his entire stack of 3,950 into the middle. Phil Laak dropped enough chips to call into the middle and the blinds folded their cards.

Anderson tabled and stood up from the table while Laak showed . The two were racing for Anderson's tournament life as the flop brought .

Fourth street saw the hit the felt and the finished the board, giving Anderson a queen-high straight.

"He made the straight!" chimed Laak. "That's brilliant!"

Laak was forced to ship most of his stack over to Anderson, who now has about 8,100. The Unabomber is now down to just 3,000 in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Calvin Anderson	8,100

Phil Laak	3,000 -6,300	-6,300

Tags: Phil Laak Calvin Anderson

06-21-2013 15:47 UTC-7

You Gotta Know When to Fold 'Em

[user253757]

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

It has often been said that the main skill separating amateur players from professionals is the ability to fold. With the average tournament consisting of hundreds and hundreds of unplayable hands, bad flops, and tough turns, knowing when and why to lay a hand down is a crucial component of long term success. While folding may not be exciting, exercising the patience to wait for a better situation, rather than impulsively pushing the chips forward, is what propels the same professionals to the final table every summer.

We witnessed Phil Laak demonstrate this fact recently, after "The Unabomber" opened to 375 from the button. When his opponent moved all in for about 12,000, effectively putting Laak all in if he called, the savvy tournament veteran assessed the situation soberly.

"It could be a race," he said aloud, wondering if he was in the classic pair vs. overcards situation. "This might be what we call a race."

Rather than moving his last 3,600 into the middle in a marginal spot, Laak found the fold button and slid his cards toward the dealer. If Laak happens to make a run here today, he may look back at this fold as a key moment in the tournament. And if he happens to be felted soon, he might just wish he made his stand here. Such is life.

Meanwhile, at the next table over, we spotted Jason Somerville in a similar spot, faced with a large bet of 1,200 on the board. Somerville had checked to his opponent, and after seeing the size of the other player's wager, the experienced pro tossed his cards into the muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Somerville	8,850 -2,150	-2,150

Phil Laak	3,600 600	600

Tags: Jason Somerville Phil Laak

06-21-2013 15:52 UTC-7

Recent Eliminations

Josh_Cahlik

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Antonio Esfandiari	Busted

Phil Laak	Busted

Ana Marquez	Busted

06-21-2013 15:54 UTC-7

Two Pair for Volpe

Josh_Cahlik

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

The player under the gun opened to 400 and the button called. Paul Volpe called from the small blind and the big blind came along as well.

The entire table of four players saw a flop of and Volpe led out for 700. The big blind folded and the initial raiser made it 1,700 to go. The button folded and Volpe called the raise. The turn was the and both players tapped the table to see the river. Volpe cut out a bet of 3,250 and his opponent called.

Volpe rolled over for two pair and was able to drag in the pot. He's now sitting around 23,000 in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Volpe	23,000 10,000	10,000

Tags: Paul Volpe

06-21-2013 16:04 UTC-7

Marafioti Doubles, and the Massage Continues

[user253757]

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

Matt Marafioti moved his last 2,600 or so chips into the middle, and he was called in one spot. With the , Marafioti was flipping against his opponent's .

On the flop, Marafioti's pair of eights had held, and the on the turn kept him in front. When the completed the board on the river, Marafioti secured the double up, and more importantly, he got to keep his seat.

"Yay, I get to stay" he said as the river card fell. "I was enjoying this massage."

Player	Chips	Progress
Matt Marafioti	5,800 -1,400	-1,400

Tags: Matt Marafioti

06-21-2013 16:14 UTC-7

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

[user253757]

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

Maria Ho is a Diamond in the Rough Here on Day 1

Maria Ho reraised an opponent to 1,200 before the flop, and they responded with a four-bet to 3,100. Ho then moved all in for her last 13,050, and the other player made the call.

Showdown:

Ho:
Opponent:

Both players held suited big slick, and according to the PokerNews Poker Odds Calculator, the likelihood of a chopped pot was 85.69%.

Flop:

With two diamonds on the flop, Ho opened up the possibility of stealing the entire pot away from her now distressed opponent. When the arrived on the turn, Ho made her flush while eliminating an opponent in one of the most agonizing ways possible. The fell on the river just to rub it in, and with that Ho moved her stack above the 25,000 plateau.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maria Ho	27,000 14,400	14,400

Tags: Maria Ho

06-21-2013 16:22 UTC-7

Recent Eliminations

Josh_Cahlik

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
David Sands	Busted
Chino Rheem	Busted
Eugene Katchalov	Busted

AP Phahurat	Busted
Jason Koon	Busted

Angel Guillen	Busted

David Williams	Busted

Lars Bonding	Busted
Ali Eslami	Busted

George Danzer	Busted

Rupert Elder	Busted
Dan Kelly	Busted
Kurt Jewell	Busted
Dutch Boyd	Busted

Cary Katz	Busted
Jake Cody	Busted

06-21-2013 16:28 UTC-7

Johnny Flops the World

[user253757]

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

We saw a huge pot developing between John Hennigan and two opponents, and eventually the man known as "Johnny World" was scooping the chips his way.

The flop had fallen and Hennigan checked to a player in the one seat, who fired a bet of 1,100 into the middle. Next to act, another player moved all in over the top, making it 2,875 to play. Hennigan asked for a count, and then rolled his calling chops into the pot. The original bettor flatted the all in as well, and the turn card came .

Hennigan then led out for 3,400, a bet which folded the remaining opponent and left "Johnny World" to show down with the all-in player, who just happened to hold . Hennigan turned over his , having flopped top pair and a flush draw, and wouldn't you know it, the completed the board on the river.

With his opponent understandably upset, World simply collected his new chips in silence, while a tablemate offered a "nice flop" from across the table.

Player	Chips	Progress
John Hennigan	31,200 8,200	8,200

Tags: John Hennigan

06-21-2013 16:36 UTC-7

Counts Before Break

Josh_Cahlik

Level 4 : 100/200, 0 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Harrison Gimbel	35,000

John Hennigan	26,500 -4,700	-4,700

Shane Schleger	26,300 -2,200	-2,200

Faraz Jaka	24,500 5,050	5,050

Ivan Demidov	17,500 500	500

Jon Turner	15,000
Olivier Busquet	14,700 7,300	7,300
Joe Tehan	13,500 -12,500	-12,500
Matt Salsberg	9,800 -200	-200
Todd Terry	9,700 -2,300	-2,300
Brian Rast	9,500 300	300

Bertrand Grospellier	8,000 -2,500	-2,500

Ludovic Lacay	6,200 -2,000	-2,000
Mickey Petersen	5,100 -5,300	-5,300

Dario Minieri	Busted

Matt Marafioti	Busted