2024 World Series of Poker
The tables in the blue section keep on breaking to balance the shrinking field, which has already reached around 1,150 hopefuls still in contention. There was a short waiting line at the payout desk with last year's WSOP Main Event final table dealer Tyler Mitchell among those eliminated.
He was joined by Scott Blumstein, Jack O'Neill, and Matt Waxman, among others.
In a heads-up pot on a flop of 7♦7♠5♠, the big blind led out for 40,000 and Fabiano Kovalski raised to 77,000 on the button. The big blind called.
The big blind checked on the A♥ turn and Kovalski sized down to 40,000. The big blind called.
The A♣ river completed the board and the big blind took some time before leading out for 40,000. Kovalski gave it some thought and called. The big blind could only show a bluff with 8♣5♦ as Kovalski showed 9♠7♥ to win the pot with sevens full of aces.
The under-the-gun player raised to 22,000 and John Kim three-bet shoved all in for 56,000, putting himself at risk. Under the gun made the call.
John Kim: 2♠2♥
Under the gun: K♥Q♣
The board ran out 5♣8♠9♠3♣5♦, and Kim's pair of deuces held to secure him the much needed double up.
Arriving on a turn of A♣3♥10♠K♠, Preben Stokkan in the small blind checked to Yiannis Liperis in the cutoff. Liperis bet 20,000 chips before Stokkan moved all in.
Liperis made the call to put Stokkan at risk, and the cards were tabled.
Preben Stokkan: A♦3♦
Yiannis Liperis: K♥Q♦
Stokkan's two pair had a monster lead over Liperis' pair and gutshot. However, the J♣ river gave Liperis Broadway to eliminate Stokkan from the Main Event.
On another table, Day 1a chipleader Joshua Feiger was eliminated after he ran his final few blinds into pocket aces and could not win.
Vincent Procopio was under the gun and got his last 178,000 in the middle against an opponent in early position.
Vincent Procopio: A♠A♣
Opponent: K♥K♦
Procopio was far ahead with aces against kings and held up through the 7♣8♣Q♣Q♠J♠ board to earn a double up, leaving his opponent with just one chip behind.
At the same time at another table, Max Kingstone got his last 150,000 in with A♠Q♣ but Mathias Pedersen had A♣K♣. Both players paired their ace on the flop, but Kingstone improved no further and Pedersen took the pot to send him to the rail.