Gus Hansen has been playing predominately high stakes cash games. However, he makes his debut appearance at 2018's World Series of Poker for the Poker Players Championship event. Sasha Salinger of PokerNews catches up with what Gus Hansen has been up to and what inspired him to register the Poker Players Championship event. Does playing high stakes mixed cash games put him at an advantage or a disadvantage in a field full of professional poker players who play many high roller tournaments a year?
2018 World Series of Poker
Though it is unclear what happened during his first hour of play, Joe Elpayaa is down to 3,650 from the 10,000 starting stack. There is still plenty of time to spin it up and failing that, Elpayaa may well choose to fire another bullet and make use of the unlimited reentries available in this tournament.
Meanwhile, Yuliyan Kolev just lost a very small pot at showdown. The flop read ![]()
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and he had bet 500 in position, which his opponent called. The ![]()
turn and river saw a check-check apiece and Kolev mucked when his opponent turned over ![]()
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
3,650
3,650
|
3,650 |
We are only at Level 2 of the day but the tournament clock already shows 1,448 entrants. Here are some more familiar faces that have taken their seats:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
10,000 | |
|
|
10,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
10,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
10,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
10,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
|
10,000 | |
|
|
10,000 | |
The player in middle position opened to 250. Annette Mucci, on the button, three-bet to 600. The player in the big blind called. The original raiser called.
The flop came ![]()
![]()
. The big blind checked. The original raiser bet 800. Mucci raised to 2,000, enough to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,700 |
It's no surprise when the nuts is good for the pot. Getting paid for it, however, is a different story. That is just what John Orth managed to do though. Holding ![]()
in his hand and hitting by the turn on a ![]()
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board, Orth bet a substantial 4,275 into the pot and found one caller. "You've got the flush and the best one too," said another player at the table. That he did and he climbs to 18,600.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
18,600
18,600
|
18,600 |
Patrick Lacey opened to 250 under the gun. The player in middle position three-bet to 750. Lacey called.
A flop reading ![]()
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was dealt. Lacey checked. The player in middle position bet 750. Lacey check-raised to 2,000. His opponent called.
The turn came the
. Lacey threw in a bet of 2,150. His opponent gave up his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
42,000
42,000
|
42,000 |
As we head towards the first break, here's how some of the players are doing so far.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,500
6,500
|
6,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,075
925
|
925 |
|
|
||
|
|
8,850
1,150
|
1,150 |
|
|
8,750
1,250
|
1,250 |
|
|
3,250
6,750
|
6,750 |
|
|
||
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There was a bet of 8,575 in on the river and a call. John Darby had the best of it with ![]()
and his opponent was counting out his chips to hand over. It secured Darby a 24,200 pot, which is a great early start to the comp for the American.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
24,200
24,200
|
24,200 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
22,500
12,500
|
12,500 |
|
|
21,000 | |
|
|
15,500
5,500
|
5,500 |
|
|
12,700
2,700
|
2,700 |
|
|
11,200
1,200
|
1,200 |
|
|
||
|
|
9,800
200
|
200 |
|
|
8,000
850
|
850 |
Players are now on their first 20-minute break of the day.