Event #12: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2017 World Series of Poker

06-06-2017 14:18 UTC-8

Searching for Gold in the Amazon

Level 4 : 100/200, 25 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Maurice Hawkins	23,700 1,700	1,700
Jared Jaffee	17,500 10,000	10,000

JC Tran	17,400 11,200	11,200

Tim Reilly	15,500 8,000	8,000
Phil Collins	13,000 5,500	5,500
Moshin Charania	7,500
Ankush Mandavia	7,500

Upeshka De Silva	5,700 1,800	1,800

Chris Moorman	5,100 2,600	2,600

06-06-2017 14:02 UTC-8

Trying to Get a Tan in the Amazon

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Level 4 : 100/200, 25 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Sexton	20,000 12,500	12,500

Eddy Sabat	14,500 1,000	1,000
Roman Korenev	11,000 2,000	2,000

Adrian Mateos Diaz	11,000 3,500	3,500
David Pham	10,500 3,000	3,000

Nick Schulman	10,000 2,500	2,500

Matt Stout	8,700 700	700
Ashter Conniff	8,000 500	500
Cate Hall	4,600 2,900	2,900
Phil Hellmuth	3,325 1,375	1,375

Thomas Taylor	2,400 5,100	5,100

06-06-2017 13:54 UTC-8

Fourteen WSOP Bracelets Enter the Field

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Level 4 : 100/200, 25 ante

Phil Hellmuth (as seen in previous 2017 event)

You might think that we are about to write about multiple players joining in, with a combined 14 WSOP bracelets, but you would be wrong. I am speaking of the one and only Phil Hellmuth. The winningest no-limit hold'em player in WSOP history is here to battle it out and try to add bracelet number 15 to his collection.

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Hellmuth	4,700 2,800	2,800

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

06-06-2017 13:42 UTC-8

Some Updated Counts and Two More Big Names Enter the Fray

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Level 4 : 100/200, 25 ante

Allen Kessler (as seen in previous event 2017)

First off, Allen Kessler was noted as being down to roughly 1,000 in chips and at last check had upped his stack to 15,200. He had apparently gotten it in with versus pocket kings and flopped a straight, then in the latest of his double-ups, he got it in with versus after making a two pair and rivering a full house. "The Chainsaw" is out in full force.

Meanwhile two giant names in the poker world have taken their seats. Jason Mercier and JC Tran have seven WSOP Bracelets between them and both are recognized as two of the toughest tournament players on the planet. Keep an eye out for them throughout the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian England	35,300 7,000	7,000
Maurice Hawkins	22,000
Allen Kessler	15,200 11,600	11,600
Andy Frankenberger	13,100 5,350	5,350

Alex Keating	12,600 5,000	5,000

Chris Moorman	7,700 1,500	1,500

Samantha Cohen	7,200 850	850
Jason Mercier	6,900 600	600

JC Tran	6,200 1,300	1,300

Andre Akkari	4,025 3,675	3,675

Joseph Cheong	Busted

Tags: Allen Kessler Jason Mercier JC Tran

Level: 4

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 25

06-06-2017 13:37 UTC-8

2016 WSOP Main Event Champ Busts

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Level 3 : 75/150, 25 ante

Qui Nguyen, the latest winner of the WSOP Main Event, was a late entry this afternoon. We passed him a little bit ago as his table was commenting on the whereabouts of his raccoon hat, made famous as it sat atop Nguyen's head throughout his Main Event run and into the November Nine final table.

Nguyen was donning a new cap this year, disappointing others at his table. As we strolled by just now, Nguyen's seat was empty and according to his former tablemates, Nguyen moved all in on a jack-high flop with jack-ten. His opponent had made the call with queen-ten, as Nguyen was rather short-stacked his opponent went runner-runner to backdoor a flush and eliminate the defending champ from play.

Player	Chips	Progress
Qui Nguyen	Busted

Tags: Qui Nguyen

06-06-2017 13:00 UTC-8

Hawkins Wins the Easy Way

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Level 3 : 75/150, 25 ante

Maurice Hawkins (as seen in previous 2017 event)

Maurice Hawkins was in the small blind and limped in. The big blind raised to 450 and Hawkins three-bet to 1,100. The big blind then moved all in for what appeared to be roughly 4,500 and Hawkins snap-called.

Hawkins tabled and the big blind showed .

The board ran out and Hawkins eliminated his opponent and continued to chip up.

After the hand, Hawkins exclaimed, "I don't have to do anything, these guys are just giving me chips. I just have to say call and hold." He was referencing how easy the chips came to him while referring to another player on the table who has played a lot of hands and has had to make plays postflop in order to get his chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maurice Hawkins	22,000 4,300	4,300

Tags: Maurice Hawkins

06-06-2017 12:52 UTC-8

Stack Updates

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Level 3 : 75/150, 25 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Brian England	28,300 20,800	20,800
Niall Farrell	15,025 7,525	7,525

Taylor von Kriegenbergh	13,700 9,700	9,700
Samantha Cohen	8,050
Andy Frankenberger	7,750 650	650

Andre Akkari	7,700 100	100

Alex Keating	7,600 100	100

Joseph Cheong	7,400

Chris Moorman	6,200 1,300	1,300

Allen Kessler	3,600 900	900

06-06-2017 12:51 UTC-8

Engel Adds Some

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Level 3 : 75/150, 25 ante

Ari Engel threw out a bet of 400 on an board and got min-raised by the player to his immediate left. Engel called and the fell on the turn. Both players checked, seeing the river for free. Engel fired 1,525 into the pot and his opponent called. Engel tabled and his opponent mucked.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ari Engel	11,500 3,500	3,500

Tags: Ari Engel

06-06-2017 12:47 UTC-8

Amazon Orange Notable Stacks

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Level 3 : 75/150, 25 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Harrison Gimbel	17,500 10,000	10,000

William Kassouf	14,000 6,500	6,500
Nadezhda Magnus	9,000 1,500	1,500
Xuan Liu	8,000 500	500
TJ Cloutier	8,000 500	500

John Dolan	7,700 200	200
Vinny Pahuja	7,500
Tyler Patterson	7,500

TJ Ulmer	7,000 500	500
Faraz Jaka	6,000 1,500	1,500

Dennis Phillips	6,000 1,500	1,500
Dan O'Brien	4,000 3,500	3,500