There will be just 11 players returning to the Miranda Room at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino to finish off what has been an excellent start to the 2017 WSOP in Event #1: $565 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'Em.
Chris Gallagher leads them all with 519,000 chips as he searches for that coveted WSOP bracelet and $68,817 first place prize. Chris Solomon is right on his heels with 513,000 and Jermel Stephens continues to move up the leaderboard with 418,000. After such a fast-paced Day 1 that saw 651 players enter the tournament, play is expected to slow down a little as players fight for the majority of the $325,500 prize pool.
Cards will be in the air at around 12:00 p.m. local time with the blinds starting at 6,000/12,000 and a 2,000 ante. Blind levels will be increased to 60-minutes for Day 2 with a 15-minute break every two levels. Play will conclude once a winner is crowned for this opening event.
Follow along with the PokerNews team for all of the live updated action throughout the entire series.
Alex Cordova raised to 28,000 from the cutoff, and Nathan Bolinger moved all in for 60,000 from the small blind. Cordova thought for a moment and eventually called.
Nathan Bolinger:
Alex Cordova:
Bolinger was well ahead, but the flop came and Cordova took the lead with a pair of sevens.
The turn was the and the river was the , making Bolinger the first to be eliminated today.
The final 10 players are about to come together for the unofficial final table. A redraw will be posted shortly.
Haviv Bahar moved all in from under the gun for 130,000. Action folded to Victor Kim on the button and he paused for a moment before moving all in over the top for 360,000. Both the blinds folded.
Kim was well ahead with , and Bahar showed , needing to catch one of the two remaining jacks in the deck.
The board ran out and Bahar was eliminated on the official final table bubble.
All remaining players are guaranteed a payout of $4,547.
Chris Gallagher was in late position and raised to 55,000. Victor Kim was on the button and moved all in for 147,000. Adem Arbuckle was in the big blind and counted out his stack before moving all in for 227,000. Gallagher folded.
Victor Kim:
Adem Arbuckle:
It was a classic coin flip, and the flop came , keeping Arbuckle in the lead with a pair of tens.
The turn was the , and Kim needed an ace or a jack to stay alive. The river was the and Kim was eliminated.
All remaining players are guaranteed a payout of $5,941.
Vincent Russell raised to 50,000 from the hijack, and Chris Solomon three-bet to 150,000 from the small blind. Russell immediately moved all in for 235,000 and Solomon asked for a count before calling.
Vincent Russell:
Chris Solomon:
"I have ace-ten of clubs," said Russell. Solomon tabled his king-nine off suit, and the flop came , putting Solomon in the lead with a pair of kings. Russell began to gather his things as the came on the turn, and the hit the river, sending him to the rail.
All remaining players are guaranteed a payout of $7,903.
Hand 39: Alex Cordova raised to 50,000 from the hijack, and Josh Clanton flashed the before folding his big blind.
Hand 40: Cordova raised to 50,000 from middle position, and Chris Gallagher three-bet to 150,000 on the button. Cordova shoved for 373,000 and Gallagher snap-called.
Alex Cordova:
Chris Gallagher:
The flop came and Cordova took the lead with two pair, aces and queens. The turn was the , giving Cordova a full house. The river was the insignificant and Cordova doubled through Gallagher.
Chris Gallagher moved all in for 74,000 from the hijack, and Bryan Hollis called on the button.
Chris Gallagher:
Bryan Hollis:
The flop came and Hollis solidified his lead with a pair of queens. The turn was the and Gallagher picked up some outs to survive. The river was the and Gallagher was sent to the rail.
All remaining players are guaranteed a payout of $10,698.
Hand 68: Alex Cordova was in the small blind and raised to 50,000. Chris Solomon defended his big blind.
The flop came and Cordova checked. Solomon bet 55,000 and Cordova called.
The turn was the and Cordova led out for 140,000. Solomon immediately moved all in. Cordova went into the tank for about a minute before deciding to call.
Cordova tabled for two pair, kings and tens and Solomon showed for trip tens. The river was the and Cordova was eliminated.
All remaining players are guaranteed a payout of $20,629.
Hand 83: Josh Clanton limped in from under the gun, as did Chris Solomon from the small blind. Jermel Stephens was in the big blind and checked his option.
The flop came and Solomon checked. Stephens bet 200,000 and Clanton instantly moved all in for 418,000. Solomon folded and Stephens called.
Stephens tabled for top pair and Clanton tabled for a set of jacks.
The turn was the and Clanton celebrated as Stephens was drawing dead to the on the river. Clanton doubled through, leaving Stephens with less than three big blinds.
Hand 84: Chris Solomon limped in on the button, and Jermel Stephens went all in for 52,000. Josh Clanton called from the big blind, as did Solomon. The flop came and both players checked to the turn, which was he . Solomon led out for 100,000 and Clanton folded.
Stephens was drawing dead with as Solomon tabled for a straight. The river was the and Stephens was eliminated.
All remaining players are guaranteed a payout of $29,372.
Hand 127: Chris Solomon raised to 60,000 and Bryan Hollis three-bet to 165,000. Solomon called.
The flop came and Hollis continued for 170,000. Solomon stacked up his chips and slid his entire stack forward, moving all in for 655,000. Hollis snap-called.
Solomon tabled and Hollis showed . Solomon needed some help with ten-high, but the turn was the and he was drawing dead to the on the river.
Solomon was eliminated and is the runner up in Event #1: $565 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em, taking home $42,508 for his deep run today. Hollis is the winner and has earned himself $68,817 for the win, along with the first gold bracelet of the 2017 World Series of Poker.
and Cordova took the lead with a pair of sevens. 
and the river was the 
, making Bolinger the first to be eliminated today.
, and Bahar showed 
, needing to catch one of the two remaining jacks in the deck.
and Bahar was eliminated on the official final table bubble.
, keeping Arbuckle in the lead with a pair of tens. 
, putting Solomon in the lead with a pair of kings. Russell began to gather his things as the 
before folding his big blind. 
and Cordova took the lead with two pair, aces and queens. The turn was the 
and Cordova doubled through Gallagher.
and Hollis solidified his lead with a pair of queens. The turn was the 
and Gallagher picked up some outs to survive. The river was the 
and Cordova checked. Solomon bet 55,000 and Cordova called.
and Solomon checked. Stephens bet 200,000 and Clanton instantly moved all in for 418,000. Solomon folded and Stephens called.
as Solomon tabled 
for a straight. The river was the 
and Hollis continued for 170,000. Solomon stacked up his chips and slid his entire stack forward, moving all in for 655,000. Hollis snap-called. 
on the river.