Mike Matusow opened the hijack to 8,000 and Matthew Vengrin called in the cutoff. In the small blind, Chino Rheem squeezed to 50,000 and only Matusow called.
Rheem stood pat and Matusow took one. Rheem then checked it over to Matusow who tossed out a bet of 100,000. Rheem immediately slid a stack of green T-25,000 chips forward to put Matusow at risk, and he snap-called for 233,000 total.
"You're good," Rheem conceded as Matusow showed 7x6x5x4x2x for number four, an absolutely massive holding in this game, as he collected the full double.
Action picked up to the turn in a hand between Lawrence Brandt from under the gun and Bryce Yockey in the cutoff with 67,500 in the middle already.
With the board reading 9♣8♠6♥J♥, Brandt checked to Yockey who bet 45,000 and Brandt called.
Brandt checked for a third time on the 3♣ river before Yockey cut out a pot-sized bet of 157,500. Brandt had just 133,000 behind, so he had to make a decision for his tournament life. After a minute, Brandt shrugged as he felt he was too strong, and he slid forward a stack to call.
Lawrence Brandt: Q♦J♣9♥9♦
Bryce Yockey: A♥K♦Q♠10♥
Brandt held a set of nines, which were no good against the straight of Yockey, who collected a huge pot and sent Brandt packing.
Jason Mercier limped in from the cutoff and Daniel Negreanu raised to 10,000 on the button. Michael Mizrachi called in the big blind and Mercier also called.
Mizrachi and Mercier checked on the flop of 2♣A♣5♣ and Negreanu continued for 11,000. Mizrachi called and Mercier check-raised to 48,000. Negreanu folded and Mizrachi called.
Mizrachi checked on the K♠ turn and Mercier sized up to 102,000. Mizrachi called. Mizrachi checked once more on the 3♠ river and Mericer checked back.
"What the f***!" Negreanu said as Mercier checked back.
Mizrachi showed Q♣J♣10♥6♣ for a queen-high flush and Mercier mucked in defeat as he showed Negreanu the 3♣.
"I thought he had three-four of clubs for sure," said Negreanu, who noted that he had the K♣ in his hand.
Ali Eslami: XxXx/9x4xQx3x/Xx
Chino Rheem: XxXx/8xAxQx3x/Xx
Ali Eslami was still stacking up his chips and eating a sandwich as Chino Rheem completed. "Let's go, Mr. Bring-In. Just because you have all the chips doesn't mean you can play slow," Rheem said. Eslami called and Rheem bet again on fourth street.
Eslami called and Rheem bet on fifth. Eslami then raised. "Do you know that we're playing Razz?" Rheem said as he reraised.
"I'm going to burn money," Eslami added, putting in another raise.
"Do you know that you're going to win this hand? Are you cheating me right now?" Rheem said, calling down to sixth as Eslami bet again. Rheem called and both players checked on seventh.
Eslami showed Ax10x6x for 9-6-4-3-A and Rheem mucked 8x5x3x. "Do you know things I don't know? You're cheating, aren't you?" Rheem added as Eslami took the pot.
For many top pros and mixed game specialists, the $50,000 Poker Player's Championship is the most prestigious title on the World Series of Poker schedule. The event, featuring a nine-game mix, $50,000 buy-in and a field full of the best players in the world, is considered by many to be the ultimate test of poker skill.
Last year, after winning this event and ending an 11-year bracelet drought, Daniel Negreanu described the event as the one he wanted to win the most. Today, Negreanu finds himself off to a great start towards a title defense, going into Day 2 just outside the top ten with 662,000.
Day 1 Top Ten Chip Counts
Rank
Player
Country
Chip Count
Big Blinds
Big Bets
1
Ali Eslami
United States
903,000
301
75
2
Jeremy Ausmus
United States
886,500
296
74
3
Michael Mizrachi
United States
849,500
283
71
4
Chris Hunichen
United States
828,000
276
69
5
Christopher Vitch
United States
809,000
270
67
6
Mike Gorodinsky
United States
781,000
260
65
7
Justin Liberto
United States
739,500
247
62
8
Maxx Coleman
United States
721,500
241
60
9
Erick Lindgren
United States
710,500
237
59
10
Jon Kyte
Norway
699,500
233
58
Negreanu will have his work cut out for him as plenty of big names remain in the field, including six other former champions. Three-time PPC winner Michael Mizrachi was leading most of Day 1, ending the day with 849,5000, good for a top-three stack. Also among the returning champions are Mike Gorodinsky (781,000), John Hennigan (438,000), Phil Hui (470,000) Freddy Deeb (405,000) and Matthew Ashton (179,000).
Several more elite players remain in contention. Ali Eslami leads the field with 903,000, just ahead of six-time bracelet winner Jeremy Ausmus with 886,500. Of all the pros in the field, no player has as much momentum coming in as Benny Glaser, who just last week won his third WSOP bracelet of the summer and eighth overall. Glaser comes into Day 2 with a healthy stack of 392,500 and will look to become the first player to win four bracelets in a single summer with a victory in this event.
Benny Glaser
The action resumes at 1 p.m. local time, starting at Level 7, with the 1,500/3,000 blinds in no-limit and pot-limit games, and limits of 6,000/12,000 in the limit games. Play is scheduled for six 100-minute levels, with a 60-minute dinner break at the end of Level 9. Late registration ends at the conclusion of the dinner break around 7:30 p.m.
The first day attracted 88 entries and with three levels of late registration available today, it is all but inevitable that last year's attendance of 89 will be bested.
Stay tuned to PokerNews as we bring you all the exciting action as the best players in the world battle in one of the most prestigious tournaments of the year.
