Jeff Lisandro is one of the more decorated players in the field, with six World Series of Poker bracelets and a WSOP Circuit Ring on his many list of poker accolades, in addition to 84 WSOP cashes and a player of the series award, which came back in 2009. Add this to over US$5.7 million in live tournament winnings, and it's fair to say Lisandro is a seasoned player.
It's still early doors and we have yet to catch the man in action in a significant pot, but this being an Omaha tournament it will just be a matter of time until this happens. Currently, Lisandro's chips are still close to the 25,000 starting stack, though he padded it out a little after raising the button to 400 and finding callers in Christine Hia and Bernie Stang.
Both checked the flop over to Lisandro, whose pot-sized 1,200 bet was enough to get it done and climb above starting stack to 26,000.
Barry Forrester limped into the pot from the hijack before Alex Horowitz raised to 300 from the cutoff. Malcolm Trayner three-bet to 1,050 from the small blind. Forrester folded. Horowitz called.
The flop came and Trayner continued for 1,500. Horowitz called.
Trayner quickly announced 'pot' after the dropped on the turn. Horowitz snap-called the 5,200-bet.
The completed the board and Trayner tossed out 5,050. Horowitz didn't hesitate and called.
Trayner fanned out for a flush, and took down the pot, after Horowitz mucked his hand.
The field has quickly grown from 65 to 80 and there has already been an early elimination. The man in question is Julien Sitbon, who had a rough start but can still re-enter, should he choose.
Sitbon's chips disappeared in two hands, the first one a three-way pot against Jason Rix and John Moffit. The action was picked up on the flop with 1,300 already in the pot and the community cards spread and action had been checked around to Rix in the cutoff.
Rix tossed out a bet of 700 with Sitbon then check-raising to 3,200 in total with Rix the only caller to take play heads-up to the turn. Sitbon continued with the betting lead, making it 7,600 to go and Rix made the call to bring the duo to the river, where the action went check, check.
"Kings," declared Sitbon. Rix turned over for a queen-high flush.
"Wow, really?" said Sitbon, starting at the board, then back at his hand, which soon ended up in the muck and the pot was shipped Rix's way.
The next orbit and Sitbon's seat was empty with tablemate Thomas Lee scooping in the pot and relaying the details after the fact. Lee and Sitbon had gone to war on the flop with Lee on the flush draw and Sitbon holding three pairs and the blocker. Lee got there and stacked up to 39,500 while Sitbon hit the rail.