Time for Another Break
Level 8
: 175/350, 35 ante
Players are now on another five-minute break.
2021 WSOP.com Online Bracelet Events
Event #11: $400 NLH Ultra Deepstack
Day: 1
Level: 8
Blinds: 175/350
Ante: 35
Eric "8Bracelets" Vanauken Looking for First Piece of WSOP Gold
Level 7
: 150/300, 30 ante
When it comes to licensed, regulated online poker in the United States, one of the major players is New Jersey's Eric "8Bracelets" Vanauken.
For the 44-year-old Vanauken, who is married with three kids ages 8, 11, and 20, he’s never really had a nine-to-five job. Instead, he fancies himself a real estate broker engaging in flips and investments while playing poker on the side of course.
“I first learned playing $4/$8 limit at Foxwoods in early 2000 and now play now $20/$40 and $30/$60 when I can find a game, or settle on $1/$2 or $2/$5 NLH," he said. "I have played the WSOP Main Event two times with no luck busting on Day 2 both times.”
Additionally, Vanauken grinds a decent amount on the virtual tables under the screen name “alwaysliquid,” which stems from the movie Wall Street when Gordon Gekko tells Bud Fox about how money never sleeps and you need to always be liquid.
“Since New Jersey went legal I play on Borgata and WSOP. I used to play PokerStars but had an issue with them over a year ago and have since boycotted them. I do very well on Borgata. I even shipped the Mega Thursday [not long ago] on my phone from an Applebee’s parking lot as I had no WiFi at home due to power outage.”
As for his recent online successes, Vanauken was pleased but wanted to remain humble.
“I am humbled to be able to compete with all of the great players in New Jersey,” he said. “I’m proud that all of my studying and grinding has been producing favorable results in the past few years, taking me from an average breakeven player to a profitable one. At the same time, I try to maintain being humble with this great game and what it has provided for me and my family.”
Proudest Poker Accomplishments
For Vanauken, the scores rank up there among his proudest poker accomplishments, which includes beating a poker legend.
“In 2013, I beat Joe McKeehen for the Borgata Limit Championship,” Vanauken said. “I think that was the last limit event held at Borgata.”
Other highlights on his poker résumé include finishing sixth in the 2018 WSOP Circuit at Canada’s Playground Poker Club and finishing runner-up in a pair of WSOP Circuit online events back in March.
“So close to a ring but the two cashes of $35k and $20k within a few days definitely eased the quarantine pain,” Vanauken said.
Vanauken is in action today looking for his first piece of WSOP hardware.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
9,375 |
Level: 7
Blinds: 150/300
Ante: 30
Zamani Takes a Bit From Laplante
Level 6
: 125/250, 25 ante
Martin "BathroomLine" Zamani raised to 675 from early position, two players called and big stack Ryan "Protential" Laplante defended from the big blind.
The flop came the 
. Zamani bet 1,525 and Laplante called. The turn was the 
. Zamani bet again for 4,575 and was called again.
The river came the 
. Zamani fired for a third time for 11,437 into a pot of 15,250. Laplante surrendered his hand this time and sent a bit of his large stack over to Zamani.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
147,137 | 12,149 |
|
|
68,860 | 68,860 |
Summer Online Circuit Event Rungs July 16-27 on WSOP.com
Level 6
: 125/250, 25 ante
The WSOP.com Summer Online Circuit Event runs July 16–27. You’ll have a chance to win over $1 Million in guarantees, 12 WSOP Gold Rings, a chance to climb to the top spot on the $10k Series Leaderboard, and entry into the $25,000 Freeroll.
$10k Player of the Month Leaderboard
- Pays in Tournament Tickets to the top 10 players in the Gold Ring events
- First-place leaderboard finisher gains a seat into the $250,000 Year-End Championship event(which will award a WSOP Gold Bracelet)
$25,000 Freeroll – July 30 @ 4:30pm
- Each ring event winner from the series as well as the top 10 finishers on the $10k Player of the Month are eligible to participate in freeroll.
Grinder’s Only Second Chance Freeroll – July 30 @ 5:00pm
- The winner of this freeroll will earn a seat into the $250,000 Year-End Championship Event.
- Players who played in at least 3 Gold Ring events will be eligible to participate.
Year-End Championships
This event will award $250,000 in prize money as well as a WSOP Gold Bracelet. Only eligible players are invited to participate in this event. To become an eligible player:
- Win a WSOP Gold Ring Event during the 2021 season
- Win a $10,000 Player of the Month Leaderboard
- Win a Grinder’s Online Second Chance Freeroll
- Be one of the top 50 players on the Cumulative Circuit Leaderboard
Summer Online Circuit Schedule
| Event | Date | Time (PT) | Buy-in | GTD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #1 - $40,000 GTD Limit O8 or Better 8-Max 3X Re-entry | 7-16 | 4:00 PM | $320 | $40,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #2 - $75,000 GTD NLH 2X Re-entry | 7-17 | 4:00 PM | $215 | $75,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #3 - $150,000 GTD NLH Monster Stack 3x Re-entry 8-Max | 7-18 | 2:00 PM | $525 | $150,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #4 - $50,000 GTD PLO $320 8-Max 3X Re-entry | 7-19 | 2:00 PM | $320 | $50,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #5 - $75,000 GTD NLH 6-Max 2x Re-entry | 7-20 | 4:00 PM | $320 | $75,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #6 - $75,000 GTD PLO High Roller 8-Max 2x Re-entry | 7-21 | 4:00 PM | $1,000 | $75,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #7 - $50,000 GTD NLH Freezeout | 7-22 | 4:00 PM | $250 | $50,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #8 - $50,000 GTD NLH Deep Turbo 2x Re-entry | 7-23 | 4:00 PM | $215 | $50,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #9 - $100,000 GTD NLH Double Stack 2x Re-entry | 7-24 | 4:00 PM | $320 | $100,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #10 - $200,000 GTD NLH Main Event 3x Re-entry 8-Max | 7-25 | 2:00 PM | $525 | $200,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #11 - $50,000 GTD PLO BIG $500 6-Max 3X Re-entry | 7-26 | 4:00 PM | $500 | $50,000 |
| WSOP Summer Circuit Event #12 - $100,000 GTD NLH High Roller 6-Max 2x Re-entry | 7-27 | 4:00 PM | $1,000 | $100,000 |
Level: 6
Blinds: 125/250
Ante: 25
Freedman Busts but Jumps Back into Action
Level 5
: 100/200, 0 ante
Wendy "Cardthartic" Freedman moved all in for 916 from the cutoff and Keith "btu2apulp" Sanders called from the big blind.
Wendy "Cardthartic" Freedman: 
Keith "btu2apulp" Sanders: 
The 
flop gave Sanders top pair but Freedman did pick up a gutshot straight draw. Unfortunately for her, neither the 
turn nor 
river completed it.
Freedman was felted on the hand but opted to re-enter for a fresh 50,000 stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
50,000 | 50,000 |
Early Eliminations
Level 5
: 100/200, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted | |
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Busted |
Top Ten Early Chip Counts
Level 5
: 100/200, 0 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
150,852 | 150,852 |
|
|
134,988 | 84,988 |
|
|
109,981 | 109,981 |
|
|
107,997 | 107,997 |
|
|
106,053 | 56,053 |
|
|
103,593 | 103,593 |
|
|
100,163 | 100,163 |
|
|
98,853 | 98,853 |
|
98,575 | 98,575 |
|
|
12,151 | 12,151 |