Much like the first event here at the 2010 WSOP Europe, the players are dropping very quickly here in Event #3. The antes have kicked into play, but the structure isn't too blame for the massive dropoff of players we've seen through the first few levels. If you've managed to hang onto your starting stack, you'd still have 15 big blinds to work with. From the 202 that began the day, the field is now down to 70. The tournament staff has begun moving players around in order to get all of the tables down to nine players instead of ten. That should also help to pick pace up a slight bit.
The plan is to play a full ten levels today or down to 15% of the starting field so that there is no scare of reaching the money. That 15% would be just about 30 players, so if we get down that low, play will be ending for the night.
A player in early position came in raising to 525, and John Tabatabai moved all in for 4,525 a couple seats over. Around the other side of the table, big blind Manig Loeser re-shoved all in over the top, and that sent the initial raiser deep into the tank. He would take several long minutes to decide before open-mucking and letting the other two duke it out.
Showdown
Tabatabai:
Loeser:
"That's all right," Tabatabai said. "I most certainly still have my 'one time' left." But it wasn't going to be this time. The board ran , and that's the end of the day for "Tabs".
Martin Hansen raised to 525 and was called by two opponents, one on the button and one in the big blind. The flop came down and the big blind checked. Hansen fired a continuation bet worth 850. The player on the button moved all in for about 3,000 and the big blind folded. Hansen quickly called as soon as action got back to him.
Hansen held the and was ahead of his opponent's . The turn and river came the , and the board made a straight, causing a chopped pot. So much for more chips for Hansen for the time being. He still has a little over 25,000 though and looks to be leading the way so far.
Ali Sarkeshik reached a flop of before moving all in for shrapnel with . His opponent, however, had spiked a pair with , which held up on a turn and river.
On the flop of , Ramsey Ajram checked to Martin Hansen, who bet out 900. Ajram made the call and the two saw the turn come the . Both players checked to see the fall on the river. Ajram fired 6,300 and Hansen went into the tank. He found the guts to make the call, despite the large overbet of the pot. He was right in doing so as his beat the of Ajram.
Hansen moved to 25,000 in chips and Ajram dropped to 12,300.
There was a raise UTG to 600, called by UTG+1, UTG+2 and the small blind Manig Loeser. Kevin Williams couldn't help himself and moved all-in for his recently doubled up stack.
The first players passed but the third pushed all-in behind and Loeser also folded.
Williams sheepishly turned over in a world of hurt against .
But the board came and Williams made a house so small it would have to be a bungalow.
Almost on cue James Dempsey turned up to sweat his friends, "All-in with four-high Kev? You've narrowed your range."
John Tabatabai just lost a good chunk of his stack and was knocked all the way down to about 5,000 after his pocket nines couldn't beat the pocket kings of his opponent. All of the money went in on the flop with the coming on the turn and the on the river.
I'm not sure if I expected him to stride in on a red carpet wearing an Armani suit and overpriced sunglasses, but November Niner and recently-made millionaire Matthew Jarvis is in my section, and it wasn't until after the break that I realised it was him.
It would appear as though his newfound fortune has inflated his massage 'roll, as Jarvis has been enjoying an Empire rubdown for the entire day, and seems to have his eye firmly fixated on smashing that massage record. Of course, that aim will depend heavily on his stack, and with around 10,000 in chips (average: 7,600), he's in with a chance.
button in Safari
and letting the other two duke it out.
, and that's the end of the day for "Tabs".
and the big blind checked. Hansen fired a continuation bet worth 850. The player on the button moved all in for about 3,000 and the big blind folded. Hansen quickly called as soon as action got back to him.
and was ahead of his opponent's 
. The turn and river came the 
, 
before moving all in for shrapnel with 
. His opponent, however, had spiked a pair with 
, which held up on a 
river.
, Ramsey Ajram checked to Martin Hansen, who bet out 900. Ajram made the call and the two saw the turn come the 
fall on the river. Ajram fired 6,300 and Hansen went into the tank. He found the guts to make the call, despite the large overbet of the pot. He was right in doing so as his 
of Ajram.
.
coming on the turn and the 
