Event #29: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Day 1 | 2022 World Series of Poker

06-14-2022 02:32 UTC-7

Ian O'Hara Leads Record-Smashing Field; Hellmuth Still Alive in Title Defense

David Salituro

Level 10 : 1,000/1,500, 2,500 ante

Records are made to be broken, and Day 1 of Event #29: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw smashed one today.

A field of 437 players eclipsed the previous tournament record by more than 140, creating a prize pool of $583,395. After 10 hour-long levels, just 122 remain of that original enormous field to chase the World Series of Poker bracelet and $127,809 first prize.

Leading the way is Ian O’Hara, who built up a chip lead of 294,500 by the end of the day. O'Hara has 39 career WSOP cashes and three final table appearances, but he has yet to win his elusive first bracelet. Brandon Shack-Harris (235,500) and 2007 Player of the Year Tom Schneider (207,500) also finished Day 1 among the largest stacks.

Event #29: $1,500 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Top 10 Chip Counts

Place	Player	Country	Chips
1	Ian O'Hara	United States	294,500
2	Brandon Shack-Harris	United States	235,500
3	Jon Kyte	Norway	213,500
4	Tom Schneider	United States	207,500
5	Gabe Paul	United States	189,500
6	Michael Lang	United States	185,000
7	Ilkka Heikkila	Finland	172,500
8	Jonathan McGowan	United States	172,000
9	Yosif Nawabi	United States	170,500
10	Yanni Raz	United States	166,000

Jake Schwartz, runner-up to Phil Hellmuth in this event a year ago, bagged up 157,500. Hellmuth, who had been sidelined by a bout with COVID-19 for the past week, returned to defend his title near the end of late registration and made it through with 121,500. Mike Matusow (149,500) and 2022 bracelet winner Alex Livingston (103,000) are also among those returning for Day 2.

The story of the day, though, might have been Yanni Raz. The former member of the Israeli army and Los Angeles real estate tycoon didn’t intend to play in this tournament. He didn’t even know how to play 2-7 Lowball. He thought he was buying in to a No-Limit Hold’em event and tried to get a refund when he realized his mistake. But, despite needing to re-enter, he finished the day with 166,000, looking to complete a remarkable run to the bracelet.

Plenty of notables saw their tournament end on Day 1, including Daniel Negreanu, Maria Ho, and reigning Main Event champion Koray Aldemir.

The remaining players will return at 2 p.m. local time tomorrow inside the Bally’s Event Center. They are scheduled to play until just five remain.

Stay tuned to PokerNews throughout the day as this star-studded field jostles to make the money and secure a seat at the final table.

Tags: Alex Livingston Brandon Shack-Harris Daniel Negreanu Ian O’Hara Jake Schwartz Koray Aldemir Maria Ho Mike Matusow Phil Hellmuth Tom Schneider Yanni Raz

06-14-2022 01:52 UTC-7

Hellmuth Snaps Off Hastings Near the End

David Salituro

Level 10 : 1,000/1,500, 2,500 ante

A player in middle position raised to 4,000 before the draw. Phil Hellmuth called in the cutoff, as did Brian Hastings and Antonin Teisseire in the blinds.

Hastings and Teisseire each took two, the original raiser patted, and Hellmuth drew one. Hastings led out for 10,000 and Teisseire quickly folded.

The player in middle position called, as did Hellmuth. Hastings showed a nine-seven.

"Nine-six," Hellmuth said excitedly, showing to win the multi-way pot and cross 100,000 as he tries to defend his title.

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Hellmuth	110,000	36,500
Brian Hastings	71,000	9,000
Antonin Teisseire	55,000

Tags: Antonin Teisseire Brian Hastings Phil Hellmuth

06-14-2022 01:10 UTC-7

Schwecht Leaves Linde on Fumes, Doubles Raz

David Salituro

Level 10 : 1,000/1,500, 2,500 ante

Dylan Linde three-bet to 8,400 before facing an all-in shove for 62,000 from Tobias Schwecht. Linde went into the tank for about a minute before calling, standing pat and showing .

Schwecht took one with and got a nine on the last card to win the pot and double up, leaving Linde with 1,000.

The next hand, Schwecht raised pre-draw and called an all-in raise from Yanni Raz for 27,000. This time it was Schwecht with a nine-eight and Raz needed to improve with .

"You're running good," Raz said as he prepared to look at his last card, which came a to give the 2-7 rookie a double-up.

"I'm running better," he added after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tobias Schwecht	100,000
Yanni Raz	55,000	36,000
Dylan Linde	1,000	-43,000

Tags: Dylan Linde Tobias Schwecht Yanni Raz

06-14-2022 00:56 UTC-7

Negreanu Joins Familiar Faces, Busts on First Hand

David Salituro

Level 9 : 600/1,200, 1,800 ante

Daniel Negreanu was just moved to a new table that included Mike Matusow, Men Nguyen, and Frank Kassela.

On his first hand at this table, Nguyen opened to 3,500 before Negreanu moved all in for around 20,000. Kassela re-shoved and Nguyen folded.

Kassela stood pat with a ten-eight, while Negreanu was showing and took one.

"It's either a four or a five," Negreanu said as he peeled his last card, but it turned out to be a four, giving him an unwanted pair.

"I paired fours every time," he yelled as shot up from his seat, his cards dropping on the floor.

"What's Event #44? That's the one you're going to win," quipped Matusow. "I miss you, Daniel. I was hoping to play with you the rest of the day."

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Matusow	120,000	58,000
Frank Kassela	75,000	-24,500
Men Nguyen	46,000
Daniel Negreanu	Busted

Tags: Daniel Negreanu Frank Kassela Men Nguyen Mike Matusow

06-13-2022 23:42 UTC-7

"No Gamble No Future"

Mike Patrick

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 1,500 ante

Ren Lin raised to 2,500 under the gun and was called by Tom McCormick in the big blind.

Both players drew one and McCormick checked to Lin, who plunked down a bet of 6,400 with his trademark "no gamble no future" quote.

McCormick and the dealer were momentarily confused as the dealer tossed an 'all-in' button in front of Lin, who still had over 40,000 behind.

The mistake was corrected and McCormick then took a few moments before opting to fold.

Lin showed , then collected his newly earned chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ren Lin	63,000	20,000
Tom McCormick	21,400	400

Tags: Ren Lin Tom McCormick

06-13-2022 23:25 UTC-7

Hall Takes Out Glaser, Lehr

David Salituro

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 1,500 ante

Keith Lehr moved all in for his last 13,000 and was called by Galen Hall. Benny Glaser also called, leaving himself just a few thousand behind, and all three players took one.

Hall bet enough to put Glaser all in after the draw and the British bracelet winner committed the rest of his chips.

"Nine," Hall announced, showing a nine-eight. Glaser mucked, while Lehr showed as his first four cards before pairing his three on the draw to join Glaser on the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Galen Hall	70,000	-15,000
Benny Glaser	Busted
Keith Lehr	Busted

Tags: Keith Lehr Galen Hall Benny Glaser

06-13-2022 22:53 UTC-7

Hellmuth Receives a Gift On His Return

Mike Patrick

Level 8 : 500/1,000, 1,500 ante

The defending champion in this event, Phil Hellmuth has just taken his seat after missing the last eight days of action with COVID-19.

It didn't take him long to get into the mix, raising to 800 under the gun before a potential opponent on the button three-bet him.

Hellmuth came back with a four-bet to 8,000 and his opponent called.

Hellmuth drew one card and his opponent stood pat.

Both players then checked and Hellmuth declared "king".

"King what" replied his opponent, and Hellmuth rolled over .

Hellmuth's smooth king was good, with his opponent claiming he had king-ten.

"What a gift", commented a tablemate, as Hellmuth stacked chips for the first time in over a week.

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Hellmuth	33,000	33,000

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

06-13-2022 21:30 UTC-7

Brunson Inciner-EIGHT-ing Faces

Mike Patrick

Level 6 : 300/600, 900 ante

Earier in the day, Todd Brunson tweeted about a hand where he eliminated a player and "incinerated his face" in the process...

Another kid went pat and fired out after I took one with a 9. I felt bad about it since we was a nice kid, but I ha… https://t.co/LcSWu9AXHB
— Todd Brunson (@ToddBrunson)

The incinerations are continuing with another victim falling to a Brunson pat hand.

After Yanni Raz opened to 2,400 in early position a player in the hijack and a player in the cutoff both called.

Brunson then lit the incineration torch with a three-bet to 9,400.

Raz folded but the hijack then moved all in for 16,500.

The cutoff folded, then Brunson cranked the gas on his torch and called.

The hijack drew one and Brunson rolled over what a tablemate said was his sixth pat eight or better with .

The hijack could only make and his face along with his chip stack was incinerated as Brunson approaches the 100,000 chip mark.

Player	Chips	Progress
Todd Brunson	98,000	9,400
Yanni Raz	10,600	-3,400

Tags: Todd Brunson Yanni Raz

06-13-2022 20:25 UTC-7

Ho Trashes Aldemir's Property After Losing Pot

Mike Patrick

Level 5 : 300/500, 800 ante

How's that for a teasing headline? Rest assured it was all very friendly.

After Ryan Riess was all in pre-draw for crumbs, Thomas Newton raised to 1,000 and was called by Koray Aldemir, Maria Ho, and Mark Fraser.

Riess then drew three, Newton took two, Aldemir one, Ho two, and Fraser three.

Action was then checked to Aldemir who bet 3,000. Only Ho called to see Aldemir turn over . Ho mucked her cards with playful anger claiming she had the smoothest of tens, then took a post-it note a friend had given Aldemir that read "Hooray for Koray" and tossed it onto the ground.

Nearby floor staff saw the incident and while they considered banishing Ho from the tournament for her outburst (ok, no they didn't - everyone had a good laugh), the post-it note was retrieved and arguably the most fun table in the room carried on to the next hand.