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This is the Prize Awaiting the Winner of Event #45 (Ante-Only No-Limit Hold'em)
Today marks the second iteration of one of the World Series of Poker's most innovative tournaments: Event #45 ($1,500 Ante Only No-Limit Hold'em). Last year, Greg Hobson captured the title as this groundbreaking format debuted on poker's premier stage, taking home $256,691 in prize money after emerging from the 939 runner field.
In this second hurrah for the ante-only tournament, which forgoes the traditional small blind/big blind + ante structure typical to NLH play, requiring every player to contribute an ante on every hand from the first deal onward, we expect a star-studded field to make their way to the Brasilia Room. Last year Daniel Negreanu, Barry Shulman, Joe Cada, Matt Glantz, Dennis Phillips, David Williams, Jennifer Tilly, Christian Harder, Phil Hellmuth, Randy Lew, Dan O'Brien and Erick Lindgren were just some of the notable names to try their hand at this unique structure.
Professional poker players are known for their willingness to try new games, variants, and strategies, and today's ante-only tournament provides the perfect venue to test their skills against one another in a relatively novel venue. The $1,500 buy-in, however, gives recreational players the opportunity to dive right in and try this action packed game out for themselves, so we expect to see another field approaching 1,000 runners by the time registration ends.
To get ready for all of the exciting action on the felt today, take a peek at the PokerNews Daily Update video, featuring the fabulous Lynn Gilmartin, and then keep it here throughout the day for continuous coverage of Event #45 ($1,500 Ante-Only No-Limit Hold'em), live from the Rio in Las Vegas.
Greg Hobson Finishing 11th in Event 4 $1,500 Six-Max
We have a special guest in the building today. He is the man who plans on defending his title in this event, Greg Hobson. Hobson already has two cashes this year with one being an 11th place finish in the $1,500 Six-Max Event that took place earlier this series. His biggest accomplishment was last year in this very event where he took a whopping $256,691 when he outlasted 939 players to win this event. It does not look like there will be quite as many entrants this year but that won't stop Hobson from going for his second bracelet in this very entertaining Ante Only Event. We will keep an eye and see how Hobson does throughout the tournament.
Former Child Actor and Pro Tennis Player Vince Van Patten (Seen Here in Earlier WSOP Play)
Vince Van Patten has been a well known personality for nearly his entire life, as the son of famous actor Dick Van Patten. Following in his father's footsteps, Van Patten also became well regarded for his on-screen work, appearing in commericals, television shows, and feature films.
Later in his life, Van Patten played professional tennis, and in 1979 the talented athlete was recognized as the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Rookie of the Year. Van Patten played in numerous major events, including a quarterfinals appearance in the 1981 French Open.
He also tried his hand at poker as the years progressed, playing in some of the toughest cash games in California, as well as the tournament circuit.
Today, Van Patten is in the house trying to add a gold WSOP bracelet to his eclectic list of accomplishments, but after nearly tripling up in a recent hand, he was forced to go back to the drawing board.
Van Patten had his last 1,225 all in against two opponents, with the board reading . When the other two players got it all in as well, Van Patten stood and tabled his for a powerful drawing hand.
He soon found out the bad news, however, when one player rolled over , neutralizing his club flush draw, and the other for two pair. Van Patten was down to non-club sixes or jacks to make his straight, and he did not appear to be very confident in his chances.
Turn:
Van Patten spiked his straight on the turn, and he was poised to triple through and regain his footing in this ante-only tournament.
River:
"F--k!," said Van Patten jokingly, as the river card created a three-way chopped pot. "Why'd ya have to do that to me?"
Joe Cada (Seen Here in Earlier WSOP Play) Has Had a Resurgent Summer in 2013
After winning the WSOP Main Event in 2009, Joe Cada suffered from the usual hangover associated with winning poker's premier prize at such a young age, only registering one live cash during the following year.
Rather than go the route of Jamie Gold or Jerry Yang, however, and disappear from the poker circuit altogether, Cada reapplied himself to the craft of tournament poker. He cashed twice at the 2011 WSOP, including a 26th place finish in the $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed Championship, and the improvement did not end there.
This year has seen Cada return to the WSOP stage in fine form, as he has cashed three times already, including a pair of 4th place finishes after making final table runs.
The champ is in the house here today, chasing the elusive second bracelet that seems to be the measuring stick among professional players. We will be sure to track Cada's progress as he attempts to secure his fourth cash of the summer, and perhaps, his third final table appearance.
Humberto Brenes (Seen Here in an Earlier WSOP Event)
Humberto Brenes has been a mainstay here at the World Series of Poker since the first ESPN broadcasts changed the poker landscape a decade ago. As the holder of two gold bracelets, Brenes is well respected among the poker community, but he would like nothing better than to win his third this summer.
We caught up with Brenes as he played a head-up pot, after "The Shark" opened for 250 before the flop. When the dealer fanned the across the felt, Brenes watched his opponent tap the table, and he responded with a c-bet of 725.
His opponent flatted to the see the arrive on the turn, and again he checked to the Costa Rican pro. Brenes obliged with another bet, this time for 1,100, and again the opponent smooth called.
Both players checked the river, and the opponent announced "ace-high" while tabling the . Brenes had him beat with the for top pair on the flop, and the pot was pushed his way.
Two of the field's most accomplished actors, Vince Van Patten and Jennifer Tilly, have found the ante-only format to be worse than a bad audition, and both have hit the rail midway through the first day of play.
Today, Desilva has been weaving his way through the minefield known as Day 1, and just as he did in the "Millionaire Maker," the young tournament grinder has managed to build a big stack early on.
Desilva currently sits on about 22,000 in chips, which is good for five times the starting stack, and judging by his past performance here at the WSOP he will continue to be a dangerous opponent as his stack grows.
Justin Young and the 'Stache Have Been Stacked Here on Day 1
We saw Justin Young and his incredible mustache move all in with the flop showing , but when he was called down he announced simply "ten-high." Young's was a drawing hand, and he needed help on subsequent streets to survive.
His opponent tabled the , and when the turn () and river () failed to provide Young with a straight, he was showered just before the second break of the day.
Phil Hellmuth (Seen Here in an Earlier Event) Will Not Be Notching His Historic 100th Cash Here Today
The ante-only tournament was a short affair for Phil Hellmuth, after he was moved to a table featuring fellow poker pros Humberto Brenes and David Williams.
We overheard Brenes offering his friend a few words of encouragement when he took his seat, but despite the well wishes, Hellmuth was soon sent to the rail.
"Tranquilo, tranquilo," whispered Brenes, using his native tongue to tell Hellmuth to calm down.
The "Poker Brat" wrapped his arms around Brenes in a bear hug, obviously glad to have found a friend among the masses here in the Brasilia Room, but he was unable to heed "The Shark's" warning.
Just a few hands after arriving, Hellmuth saw Brenes open for 325, and he flatted in position. Williams, however, decided to apply the pressure, and he went for the squeeze play with a three-bet to 1,525.
Brenes got out of the way, but Hellmuth quickly heaped his handful of a stack forward, and Williams called just as quickly.
Showdown
Hellmuth:
Williams:
Hellmuth was crushed with his ducks, and Williams' jacks held through the board, sending Hellmuth off in the perpetual search for his historic 100th WSOP cash.
On the flop, Clinkscales and four players checked, but a bet of 400 from the fifth player cleared the field. With the action back on him, Clinkscales flatted to take the on the turn.
After tapping the table for a second time, Clinkscales called a bet of 700, and the completed the board on the river.
Clinkscales checked once more, and his opponent continued with a bet of 1,300. After a brief tank, Clinkscales looked the player up, but quickly mucked his hand when he saw the for a rivered two pair.
![[user253757]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. When the other two players got it all in as well, Van Patten stood and tabled his 
for a powerful drawing hand.
, neutralizing his club flush draw, and the other 
for two pair. Van Patten was down to non-club sixes or jacks to make his straight, and he did not appear to be very confident in his chances.
across the felt, Brenes watched his opponent tap the table, and he responded with a c-bet of 725.
river, and the opponent announced "ace-high" while tabling the 
. Brenes had him beat with the 
for top pair on the flop, and the pot was pushed his way.
was a drawing hand, and he needed help on subsequent streets to survive.
) and river (
) failed to provide Young with a straight, he was showered just before the second break of the day.
on the turn.
completed the board on the river.