Event #52: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship Day 1 | 2018 World Series of Poker

06-25-2018 16:13 UTC-7

Vallee Adds to His Stack

TKBluffs

Level 2 : 300/600, 0 ante

The under-the-gun player raised and Ray Henson called from the cutoff. Eric Vallee reraised from the button and the player in the small blind put in a third bet. It folded back to Vallee who called and they went heads up to the flop.

The small blind led off with a bet and Vallee called. The turn was the and the small blind checked to Vallee who bet. The small blind quickly folded and Vallee scooped the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eric Vallee	55,000 55,000	55,000

Tags: Eric Vallee Ray Henson

06-25-2018 16:34 UTC-7

Erik Seidel Joins the Field

TKBluffs

Level 2 : 300/600, 0 ante

The Event #52: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship continues to grow and one player who needs no introduction in the poker world has just taken his seat. Erik Seidel certainly knows a thing or two about the game of limit hold'em.

He won his very first WSOP bracelet by taking the down the 1992 $2,500 Limit Hold'em event for $168,000. His next limit hold'em bracelet came after taking down the 1994 WSOP $5,000 Limit Hold'em event for $210,000.

Seidel has now earned more than $34,000,000 and eight WSOP bracelets throughout his illustrious poker career and he's ready to put his starting stack to work.

Player	Chips	Progress
Erik Seidel	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Erik Seidel

06-25-2018 16:34 UTC-7

Benyamine and Helppi Take Down Pots

Milko van Winden

Level 2 : 300/600, 0 ante

David Benyamine raised from middle position and that was enough to take down a small pot, as every single one of his opponents folded their hand.

On one of the other tables, Juha Helppi raised. The player in the big blind defended his hand, but a continuation bet from Helppi on the flop was enough to take down a small pot.

Helppi has been chipping up nicely in the first level of the day and is at 58,000 right now. We also checked for some other notables in the field and how their stacks are doing after the first level.

Player	Chips	Progress
Juha Helppi	58,000 8,000	8,000

David "ODB" Baker	51,000 2,000	2,000

Chris Hunichen	39,000 -11,000	-11,000
Ian Johns	35,000 -15,000	-15,000

Tags: David Benyamine Juha Helppi

06-25-2018 16:38 UTC-7

Over 50 Entries

Milko van Winden

Level 2 : 300/600, 0 ante

With Eli Elezra, Kahle Burns, and Shawn Buchanan joining the tournament, the field has grown to 51 entries. The late registration for the event is still open until the start of Day 2 tomorrow.

Last year, the tournament had 120 entries, but late registration was only open for the first eight levels of the day. We'll keep an eye on the official number of entrants to see if it could break last year's field size.

Player	Chips	Progress
Eli Elezra	50,000 50,000	50,000

Kahle Burns	50,000 50,000	50,000

Shawn Buchanan	50,000 50,000	50,000

06-25-2018 16:52 UTC-7

Hunichen Bets the River

TKBluffs

Level 2 : 300/600, 0 ante

Chris Hunichen raised from early position and David Olson called from the big blind. They went heads up to the flop and both players checked. The turn was the and again both players knuckled the felt.

The river was the and Olson checked for a third time. Hunichen tossed out a bet and that was enough to get a fold from Olson.

Player	Chips	Progress
David Olson	60,000 60,000	60,000

Chris Hunichen	58,000 19,000	19,000

Tags: Chris Hunichen David Olson

06-25-2018 16:58 UTC-7

Burns Wins Without Showdown

Milko van Winden

Level 2 : 300/600, 0 ante

Kahle Burns and his opponent both had four bets in the middle when the dealer put out a flop.

Burns bet and got raised, but he called. Both players checked on the turn and Burns led out again on the river. His opponent threw his cards in the muck and Burns won the hand without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
Kahle Burns	55,000 5,000	5,000

Tags: Kahle Burns

06-25-2018 17:07 UTC-7

Taking a Break

TKBluffs

Level 2 : 300/600, 0 ante

The Event #52: $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship players are now on their first 15-minute break of the day. PokerNews will pick right back up on all of the live Day 1 action when play resumes.

Level: 3

Blinds: 40/800
Limits: 800/1,600

06-25-2018 17:35 UTC-7

Table #440 Gets a Bit Tougher

TKBluffs

Level 3 : 400/800, 0 ante

Daniel Negreanu retuned from the break and he is now sharing the felt with two new players on Table #440. Negreanu looked to his left to see Andre Akkari sitting in the six seat.

"Why hello! Are you going to be all action today or are you playing your A-game?" Negreanu asked.

"Let's do it all action," responded Akkari with a smile.

Negreanu then looked to the new player in the eight seat and it was his old friend Kevin Song. "Why hello, Kevin Song!" Negreanu said and the two exchanged some friendly banter.

Song is fresh off a runner-up finish in Event #41 $1,500 Limit Hold'em. He fell just short of winning his second WSOP bracelet but earned $107,242 and is right back it looking to make another deep WSOP run here in the $10,000 Limit Hold'em Championship.

Player	Chips	Progress
Daniel Negreanu	61,000 9,500	9,500

Kevin Song	50,000 50,000	50,000

Andre Akkari	50,000

Tags: Andre Akkari Daniel Negreanu Kevin Song

06-25-2018 17:43 UTC-7

Ray Takes Down a Four-Way Pot

Milko van Winden

Level 3 : 400/800, 0 ante

Michael Moore raised preflop from the cutoff and Eli Elezra put in a third bet from the button. Todd Witteles called from the small blind and Kyle Ray did the same from the big blind. The action was back on Moore and he also called to see a four-way flop.

The flop came down and Eli Elezra jokingly said he can't possibly have the best hand if this is the flop they're seeing with four players. Witteles checked to Ray and he put out a bet. Moore, Elezra, and Witteles called and the turn was the .

Witteles checked again to Ray and he put in another bet. Moore folded, but Elezra called. Witteles also threw his hand in the muck and the river was the . Ray bet out once again and Elezera started talking about how his hand is never good here, before folding and showing the .

Ray took down a nice pot, but is still below the starting stack, while Witteles already has about 1.5 times the starting stack.