Event #44: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day 1 Completed
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #44: $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Karim Ends Day 1 as Chip Leader, Kelly Close Behind
Level 10
: 400/800, 100 ante
Day 1 of the $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em Event #44 has come to an end. Ten levels and 12 hours have been recorded and the chips are bagged. A total of 1,072 players started earlier today, generating a prize pool of $2,926,560. Just 117 of those will make the money guaranteeing them at least $5,560, with first place receiving $592,684 for their efforts.
Heading into Day 2 as the chip leader will be Zohair Karim, who bagged up 128,700 in chips. He played aggressively throughout the day, going unnoticed as he reached the six-figure mark, before he flopped a set of fours, and was able to take out two players in the same hand to rocket up to 140,000 in chips. He will lead a pack of 229 players including PokerStars Team Pros Matthias De Muelder (74,500), Jonathan Duhamel (65,700), Jason Mercier (65,100), Joe Cada (58,900), Randy Lew (28,300) and Alexander Kravchenko (20,450). Others too also bag up chips for the night are Lauren Kling (65,200), Scott Clements (48,000), Michael Gathy (43,000) and Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi (34,700).
Dan Kelly finished just behind Karim, bagging up 113,700 in chips. This progression continues a great 2013 WSOP for Kelly, who up to this point, has cashed in eight events, including two final tables. It won’t be any surprise to anyone, if Kelly can run deep once more.
Not every big name made it to Day 2 as the likes of Phil Hellmuth, Jason Somerville, Eric Baldwin, Annette Obrestad, Allen Kessler, Nacho Barbero, Angel Guillen and Jake Cody all hit the rail throughout the day.
The players that will be returning will be coming in at 1:00 pm local time on Tuesday and play another 10 levels or until a final table is determined, which ever comes first. Make sure to check in to PokerNews later today for the continuing coverage of Event #44 $3,000 No-Limit Hold-em.
Five More to Go
Level 10
: 400/800, 100 ante
The tournament staff just announced that five more hands will be dealt before bagging and tagging begins.
Jeremy Wien Rebounds From Brutal Beat
Level 10
: 400/800, 100 ante
Earlier in the day we saw Jeremy Wien stand up for an all-in confrontation, with his 
pitted against the 
of an opponent.
Although he seemed calm with a chop the most likely scenario, Wien was understandably concerned about the rare possibility of his big slick being beaten by a flush.
Sure enough, the flop fell 
, and Wien was on the edge of a terrible suckout.
"This isn't going to happen," he pleaded to the heavens. "This can't happen."
When the 
arrived on the turn, his tablemates jokingly told Wien to relax, saying "it's not coming, don't worry" while the dealer burned and turned fifth street.
River: 
"No!," screamed Wien, his chair toppling over in the commotion. "It really happened didn't it?"
Despite this extremely difficult beat, which dropped him to around 5,000 in chips late in the day, Wien regained his composure and returned his focus to the task at hand. Currently, Wien holds a stack of about 21,000, which is good for a little more than half the average. With work still left to do, Wien knows that the most harrowing hand of this tournament has already been dealt, and after surviving the mother of all tilts he is ready to return for Day 2 tomorrow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,000 | 21,000 |
Don't Mess With the Zohair
Level 10
: 400/800, 100 ante
With Zohair Karim flying under the radar for most of the day while he built a huge chip lead, we caught up with the circuit grinder to find out how he accumulated so many chips so quickly.
According to Karim, one pivotal hand that pushed him from 100,000 to 140,000 in short order happened when he flopped a set with 
.
Apparently, Karim flatted a raise of 12,000 from the button, as did a player in the big blind, and the three saw a flop of 
hit the felt. Karim smooth called a bet of 7,000 in the flop, after tanking to induce further action, and when the turn (
) and river (
) arrived on board, he got both opponents to ship with and 
respectively.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
145,000 | 13,000 |
Kling Climbing
Level 10
: 400/800, 100 ante
The action started with the player in middle position opening to 1,700. Carlos Mortensen and Eddy Sabat called from the hijack and cut-off respectively, before Lauren Kling bumped it up to 5,700 in chips. Only Sabat came along for the ride, as the flop came 
. Both players opted to check, as the 
fell on the turn. Sabat checked once more, before Kling threw out a bet of 5,900. Almost a minute passed, before Sabat laid down his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
68,000 | 38,000 |
|
45,000 | -9,450 |
Notable Names Stacking as the Field Shrinks
Level 10
: 400/800, 100 ante
With under 300 runners remaining in contention, there are dozens of pros still vying for this WSOP bracelet. Here is a list of those doing battle in the Brasilia Room's Gold section.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
132,000 | 14,000 |
|
68,900 | 21,900 |
|
63,900 | 50,900 |
|
54,400 | 31,900 |
|
52,000 | 45,300 |
|
41,400 | |
|
34,900 | -1,600 |
|
33,500 | 22,500 |
|
33,200 | |
|
31,000 | 22,000 |
|
27,900 | -40,100 |
|
25,000 | 16,000 |
|
17,500 | -5,500 |
|
17,300 | |
|
12,800 | 4,900 |
Some Updated Chip Counts!
Level 10
: 400/800, 100 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
71,000 | 21,000 |
|
67,000 | -5,000 |
|
40,000 | 16,000 |
|
30,000 | -15,000 |
|
25,500 | 15,700 |
Level: 10
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 100
Kravchenko Missed Draw
Level 9
: 300/600, 75 ante
The board read 
, and Alexander Kravchenko had just bet out 3,800 from late position. His opponent was on the button, and tanked for a few minutes, before announcing all in for 11,725, which was called by Kravchenko.
Kravchenko: 
Opponent: 
Kravchenko had and up and down straight draw, as well as a flush draw, but his opponent was leading the hand with a pair of sevens. The river produced the 
, giving Kravchenko’s opponent trip sevens, as he dropped down to 68,000 in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
68,000 | 59,600 |