On the second day of the 2014 World Series of Poker Event #37: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha, 113 players returned to the tables in the Amazon room. After 10 levels of play, the field would be reduced to only 11 with Marcel Vonk (604,000) bagged up the most chips. Vonk is the only one of those left who has won a WSOP event before, having claimed a bracelet in a $1,000 NLHE event in 2010.
The Dutchman is facing tough competition with Day 2 chip leader Brandon Paster (588,000), Galen Hall (553,000), Kevin Saul (506,000), and AP Phahurat (162,000) among those challenging him today.
Gabriel Nassif is also part of the final group, with the Frenchman looking for his second WSOP final table in a row after finishing eighth in Event #33: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em then immediately joining this competition for yet another deep run.
All players have $14,908 guaranteed for their efforts thus far while the elusive golden bracelet as well as the first-place payout of $264,400 are still up for grabs. Action resumes at 1 p.m. Las Vegas time with blinds at 6,000-12,000.
Once we are down to 10, the two tables will be combined for the unofficial final table. The PokerNews live reporting will keep you up-to-date about all key hands including hand-for-hand coverage once the official final table begins, at which point the live stream on a five-minute delay will begin on WSOP.com.
We didn't catch the action, but AP Phahurat was eliminated at the hands of Marcel Vonk after Vonk would hit a flush with his . Phahurat was eliminated in 11th place and they are now combining to a final table of ten. We'll have the new seat draw and chip counts shortly.
Dapreesch Scates limped and got three callers in Gabriel Nassif as well as the two players in the blinds. On the flop, Matthew Dames announced pot for 64,000 and Scates moved all in. The other two players folded and Dames made the call.
Scates:
Dames:
The turn changed nothing but the river gave Dames a straight and he doubled up for 165,000 whereas Scates was left with 10,000.
Those chips would go in the very next hand from early position, then Millard Hale raised to 32,000. Kevin Saul in the small blind next announced a pot-sized raise to 122,000 and Hale let go.
Scates:
Saul:
Scates picked up a huge draw on the flop, but both the turn and the river bricked to see him eliminated in 10th place.
Hand #38: Brandon Paster raised to 45,000 as first to act and got two callers in Dmitrii Valouev and Galen Hall in the blinds. On the flop, both players in the blinds checked and Paster made the continuation bet for 95,000. Valouev folded but Hall moved all in and was quickly called.
Paster:
Hall:
The turn was a blank for Hall and the river even completed the flush for Paster. Hall was eliminated in 9th place and headed to the payout desk.
Hand #92: Millard Hale opened for a pot sized raise of 105,000 and Kevin Saul made the call from the big blind. The flop came and Saul moved the rest of his chips into the middle. Hale made the call and he had Saul slightly covered so it was Saul who was at risk.
Hale:
Saul:
"Ouch," said Saul when he saw Hale's hand, knowing he was in bad shape. The turn was the giving Hale a flush and Saul was drawing dead. The river was the and Kevin Saul was eliminated in 8th place and Millard Hale survived a key hand to move his stack up to 450,000 in chips.
Hand #115: Matthew Dames raised pot size to 140,000 from the button and Dmitrii Valouev called all in for 105,000 from the big blind.
Dames:
Valouev:
"Hold one time," Valouev said with a grin on the face and pointed to his pair of deuces, followed by the laughter of all opponents.
The flop killed almost all hope for yet another double up as Valouev now needed running deuces to stay alive. It was all over after the turn and the river completed the board. For his 7th place finish, Valouev will receive $31,278.
Hand #120: Brandon Paster opened for 85,000 and Millard Hale re-raised the pot making it a total of 315,000. It was folded back to Paster who re-raised enough to set Hale all in. Hale snap-called and the hands were turned face up:
Hale:
Paster:
Hale was in the lead but that would change quickly on the flop as Paster flopped trips with the nut flush draw. The turn was the and Hale would need to hit the or to stay alive. The river was the and Paster's hand would hold up eliminating Hale in sixth place.
Hand #137: Gabriel Nassif raised to 80,000 and won the blinds.
Hand #138: Matt Humphrey opened to 85,000 and it was folded to Brandon Paster who re-raised the pot. Humphrey insta-shoved for the rest of his stack and Paster called. Their hands were as follows:
Humphrey:
Paster:
The flop came giving Paster an open-ended straight draw. He would get there on the turn but that would also give Humphrey outs to the nut flush. The river was the and an excited Paster went over to his rail. "Run good," he said. "Run f***ing good!" Humphrey was eliminated in fourth place which was good for $74,306.
Brandon Paster opened for 150,000 and Gabriel Nassif called out of the big blind. The flop came and Paster led out for 300,000. Nassif raised all in and Paster called. The hands were turned over:
Paster:
Nassif:
Nassif called out to his rail the cards he needed to avoid to stay ahead. One of those was a nine, which is precisely what the dealer would put out on the turn as it was the . Now it was Nassif who needed to catch a card but he would be unable to do it on the river and would be eliminated in third place.