Dan Zack made a pot-size pot of 12,000 on a flop of 2♣7♥10♣ and Keir Sullivan called.
Both players checked the A♦ turn before the 4♣ fell on the river. Zack checked again, and Sullivan quickly tapped the felt as Zack opened up Q♣Q♥ to take the pot.
On a flop of 7♦7♣5♣, Phil Ivey in the big blind and John Smith on the button checked through to a turn that brought the 2♣.
Still, no action as both players checked down to a river that came the 4♥. Ivey now leads for 3,000. Smith pondered his decision before making a swift call. Ivey showed 6♥9♦, conceding the pot to the ace high of Smith who tabled A♦J♣.
Julien Martini and Shaun Deeb were heads-up in a three-bet pot with 15,000 chips in the middle. The flop came Q♠7♥6♠ and Martini check-called a bet of 5,500 from Deeb.
The turn brought the 6♣ and Martini checked again. Deeb fired out another bet of 14,000 and Martini stuck around to see the 5♣ on the river. Martini checked for the third time and Deeb put together a bet of 38,000. Martini looked him up and Deeb showed A♣Q♦ for the good to take a big lead in their matchup.
Level: 2
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 0
A big pot of around 35,000 was already in the middle as Isaac Kempton and Jimmy D'Ambrosio went to the river on a board of 10♥3♥4♠10♦9♣.
"How much would you call," D'Ambrosio asked.
"One chip," Kempton replied.
D'Ambrosio put in one, a red 5,000 chip, but Kempton quickly folded.
"Yeah, bluff No. 2," D'Ambrosio yelled as he raised his arms in the air.
Chidwick raised from the button to 1,200 and Ben Yu called.
Both players saw a flop of 5♠J♦K♣. Yu checked to Chidwick in position as he fired out 1,000. Yu three-bet to 3,500 and Chidwick called.
The turn came the 2♣, Yu continued for 6,500. Chidwick stewed for some time over his decision before raising to 22,000 which earned the fold and the pot.
With around 6,000 in the pot, Mikita Badziakouski led out for 2,200 on a board of 5♥2♥5♣6♥ and Thomas Eychenne called.
The river came the K♠ and Badziakouski slowed down and checked. Eychenne quickly checked back and took the pot with 6♠2♠ as Badziakouski flashed 9x7x for a missed draw before mucking.
Defending champion Dan Smith is back in action this year and matched up against Landon Tice in the first hand.
Smith and Tice built a pot of 3,000 heading to the turn on a board of 5♦2♥K♥10♥ and both players checked. The river came the K♦ and Tice led out for 600.
Smith quickly called with 8♥5♥ for a pair of fives to win the pot and take an early lead in the match.
The bracket has been drawn and the 64 players are now in their seats to begin play.
Level: 1
Blinds: 300/600
Ante: 0
button in Safari
