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?"
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.
Today's tournament began with an hour long level at 25 antes, and although the second level has officially started, the antes will remain at the same amount.
For all intents and purposes, the play today will be divided into 2-hour levels, with the first block at 25 antes and a 25 bring-in, the second at 50 antes and a 25 bring-in, and the third at 75 antes and a 25 bring-in.
After six levels of play, the green T25 tournament chips will be colored up, and the ante for levels 7 and 8 will be 100 and 200 respectively.
With this tournament offering such a unique structure, we will be sure to provide periodic updates on the current antes and bring-ins to help you follow the action more accurately.
With the ante-only format creating pots of 250 before the cards are even dealt, the action has been escalating quickly on subsequent streets, as players must size their bets accordingly in proportion to the pot. The action so far has resembled a shallow-stacked cash game, with players finding their way into all-in pots holding merely coin flip hands during the first level of play.
We saw Paul Lieu take advantage of this fact recently, when he raised and reraised his way into an all-in confrontation with a player seated to his direct left.
After all of the chips were in the middle, the opponent tabled , which was crushed by Lieu's . After the flop brought no kings or Broadway cards, the other player stood to make his exit from the tournament floor.
"Nice hand there lucky," he offered as a parting shot to Lieu, who was already stacking his newly acquired chips.
"Lucky?" shot back Lieu. "No luck needed... I had the best hand."
"Just a joke buddy, nice hand," replied the defeated player. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
With the flop reading , David Williams saw his opponent check, and he fired a bet of 250 into the middle. After the other player flatted to see the turn come , he checked once more to the dangerous Williams, who responded with a bet of 400.
The opponent check-raised, however, making it 1,050 to play, and the 2004 Main Event runner-up released his hand.
The game's gabbiest pros have taken to Twitter to discuss their participation in today's Ante-Only tournament. Here is a small sampling of the tweets we've seen so far.
Even for many experienced players, the novelty of today's ante only format can create a number of questions regarding the rules.
In the first few minutes of play, we've overheard several pros asking the dealer, or their fellow players, for clarification on the finer points of ante-only poker.
Eric Baldwin missed the tournament director's announcement that a single large denomination chip tossed into the pot equates to a call, and he wanted to make sure before any mistakes were made.
"What if I toss a 100 chip in?," he asked the dealer. "That's just a call?"
Jennifer Tilly had a question of her own, wondering about the minimum amount to enter the pot.
"I can't check the 25 ante?," she asked her fellow players. "So the bring-in is to 50 then?"
With many of these players encountering ante-only tournament Hold'em for the first time, we expect to hear similar questions as the afternoon progresses.
![[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.
, which was crushed by Lieu's 
, David Williams saw his opponent check, and he fired a bet of 250 into the middle. After the other player flatted to see the turn come 
