WSOP $50,000 H.O.R.S.E Day 1 - At A Glance

[Djinn]

H

Allen Kessler gets the rockets - and takes a pot of nearly 20k off Jani Sointula, after getting to the river with the board .  I think the river was checked, with the for Kessler (pictured with something in his eye) winning the pot. 
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Can anyone comment on Hellmuths ability at the non-texas games?

It's impossible to tell really unless I watch his every move, and even then, I'm no genius on all the games.

However, I did speak to John Duthie during one of the breaks, and he send that although people seem to think that the Hellmuths of this World only play this Event due to its status as 'The Real Main Event' and the one that identifies the true poker players, the standard is actually very high.

He also stated that the reason why there aren't more Brits playing is because of the money rather than lack of skill in the 5 games. "Most of the Americans in this get bought in," he added.

Had a very quick corridor-chat with Padraig Parkinson, who was walking towards the tournament area with John Duthie.  I asked if they were playing, and Padraig said something along the lines of not being foolish enough to take on the Americans at their game for lots of money, making a parallel with how UK and European players "love to come play pot limit Omaha with Americans..."

More Europeans willing to take them on, however, but seeming to continually be playing each other:

Gus Hansen
John Kabbaj

The former taking a pot off the latter with (board ), Kabbaj calling the Great Dane down but mucking at the end.

[snoopy1239]

Tony G -- couldn't see
David Benyamine -- couldn't see
Andy Black -- 99k
Bruno Fitoussi -- 122.5k
John Kabbaj -- 101k
Alex Kravchanko -- 133k
John Duthie -- 108k


E

As I was accumulating counts, I witnessed Eli Elezra win the biggest pot of the night off Tuan Le (I beleive David Chui was also involved).

Eli had and revealed , whilst Tuan Lee simply mucked his without even showing his other three cards.

115k pot goes to the High Stakes Poker star.

[snoopy1239]

S

With showing, John Cover bets 2.4k, only to be re-raised to 4.8k by Daniel Negreanu and his . Cover called.

After they were dealt their face card, I believe a bet was made and called (although I didn't see who did what) and Negreanu took down the pot with vs. , Kid Poker's full house pipping his opponent's concealed flush.

Nice pot for Negreanu who moves up the ladder.

[snoopy1239]

S

As I complete what has become a routine circuit of the two rows of tables, I spot a slight kafuffle at Table Antonius. Calmly receiving a massage, which, incredibly, appears to be focussed on the ears, Antonius sits patiently and silently in his chair, awaiting the arrival of the Tournament Director.

When the TD arrives, however, it is not Antoius who requires a ruling, but more the dealer, as Ralph Perry, the other player in the hand, had unfortunately been the victim of what I’d call ‘jumpy card disease’ in which his final ‘face down’ card managed to fall the wrong way up as it was dealt.

As the two discussed what happened and what should occur next, Antonius continued to receive his ear massage in his familiar nonchalant manner. Shirt unbuttoned, upright posture, Antonius really has a supremely confident ‘I am a Greek God!’ look about him, and you can just tell that if the TD somehow announced his ruling of “I have decided that Patrick is to be disqualified”, the Flying Fin would probably still have the same expression on his face.

Of course, that wasn’t the ruling, and the TD decided that the fairest thing to do was to have Antonius reveal his final face card too. As such, the hands looked like this:

Perry = ? ? ()

Antonius = ? ? ()

The previous street appeared to have been bet (2.4k), re-rasie to 4.8k and call (not sure who made the final call), but both checked the final card, perhaps due to the dealer’s faux-pas.

Perry may have evaded a dead-hand situation, but he still lost the hand as Antonius revealed what appeared to be 5-5-Q for a set.

[snoopy1239]

--- apologies for the hour delay, we' weren't being lazy, just hampered by horrid host problems. Should be okay no though ---

Anyhow, back to the poker...

As expected very few exits, although I do know that Jeff Lisandro has departed. Rumour has it though that mixed Limit poker isn't his strength and that perhaps he was out of his depth slightly. Still, he seems to be kicking ass elsewhere, he's already won one bracelet this year.

[Djinn]

We've been offline for about a half hour due to actual technical difficulties, so we have a bit of a backlog of stories, but that will make the next fifteen minutes seem action packed.  Apologies for the delay.
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E  Ante 300, bring-in 300, then 1,200/2,400

David Oppenheim and Isabelle Mercier get involved in a pot. 
Mercier:  ? ?
Oppenheim:  ? ?      Isabelle calls his 6th street bet and then faces another 2,400 when all their cards are out... thinking for a while, she eventually calls showing  .
Oppenheim's made a comfortable low, but just a pair of deuces for the high hand. 

[snoopy1239]

Meanwhile, on another and perhaps less menacing table, there was three-way action involving former bracelet winner Mark Vos, and veteran female player Maureen Feduniak.

There was an early 1.2k bet from Vos that was called in two places, a 1.2k bet from Maureen on the next street – again, called twice, a treble check next card, before Muareen called a final 2.4k bet on the end.

By then, the hands looked like this:

Maureen = ? ?

Vos = ? ?

Mateyboy = ? ? – fold

On their backs, and Maureen takes the pot, with 3-2-K in the hole for two pair.

[snoopy1239]

Courtesy of worldseriesofpoker.com:

1st  Eli Elezra -- $355,000
2nd  Abe Mosseri -- $203,000
3rd  Bruno Fitoussi -- $194,000
4th  Alexander Kravchenko -- $181,000
5th  Barry Greenstein -- $175,000
6th  Phil Ivey -- $175,000
7th  Allen Cunningham -- $171,000
8th  Andy Bloch -- $170,000
9th  Scotty Nguyen -- $165,000
10th  Gavin Smith -- $165,000

[Djinn]

Meanwhile Bill Chen took a pot off Max Pescatori at the end of the last round I was watching pre server-hiccup, betting after his final downcard came giving him ? ? ?
Max called the 2,400, but handed over the pot when he was shown and what was probably the although I was standing a table's length away and my eyesight isn't what it was.  Plus I was distracted by the following:

Mike Matusow, clearly having just won something he shouldn't have, saying, "See how skilful it was for me to hit that case Ace on the river?  I'm playing my C game don't worry...
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O

Just been watching the effortlessly smooth Bruno Fitoussi get cheerfully involved in pot after pot of the Omaha 8/b, first getting Chip Reese to pass on the turn with the board reading , but showing him his hand after he passed - I glimpsed the A-A-3-x, then winning the next pot, also on the turn.  Not showing that one.  I wonder if that's his favourite H.O.R.S.E. game - I am sure they all have their preferred and least preferred rounds: does anyone actually like Razz?

[Djinn]

They've just announced that the H.O.R.S.E. tournament is now going on dinner break.  Does that mean a hotdog, a plastic cup of lukewarm Pepsi and a 20 minute power nap on a bench in the hall?  No - not for those who pay $50k for one tournament - these high-rolling all-rounders get a complimentary trip to the steakhouse.  For two hours.  That probably includes four courses, after dinner cigars and a 20 minute power nap on a bench in the hall.

Back at 9pm US time - that's 5am UK time (eek!) - hope some of you insomniacs will join us for more...

[snoopy1239]

The blinds are now 1,600 and 3,600 and we're on Razz. Looks like Eli Elezra is still your chip leader:

1st  Eli Elezra -- $375,000
2nd  Bruno Fitoussi -- $215,000
3rd  Abe Mosseri -- $203,000
4th  Sherkhan Farnood -- $188,000
5th  Alexander Kravchenko -- $181,000
6th  Barry Greenstein -- $175,000
7th  Phil Ivey -- $175,000
8th  Allen Cunningham -- $171,000
9th  Andy Bloch -- $170,000
10th  Phil Hellmuth Jr. -- $168,000

courtesy of worldseriesofpoker.com

[snoopy1239]

R

Nice pot for the Duffster!

John Duthie = ? ?

Toto Leonidas = ? ?

Duthie bets 3.6k, Toto calls.

Final card dealt, Duthie bets out again, Toto calls.

Duthie shows to take the pot.

[snoopy1239]

The board reads 143 players on 18 tables with an average stack of 103,496.

I couldn't see Johnny Chan on my last outing, so it looks like one of the many legends playing today has bitten the dust.

[snoopy1239]

S

David Grey = ? ?

Tuan Le = ? ?

Grey bets 3.6k, Le calls.

Grey =

Le =

Greay bets 3.6 again, Le calls.

Grey then bets 3.6k (although he shoved in a brown chip and announced a bet of 25k), but this time Le folded.

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To prove that the price of poker has gone up, Patrick Bueno is struggling with just 39,400, after losing a chunky pot to well-respected cash game pro, David Oppenheim.

Oppenheim was showing and Bueno . The Frenchman bets, and the American called.

Next cards out were for Oppenheim and for Bueno. This time it's Oppenheim leading the way, Bueno calling the 3.6k.

Final face up card is an and respectively. Bueno bets out what is currently showing as Ace high, but Oppenheim makes it 7.2k, which Bueno hesitantly called.

Cards dealt face down, and Bueno check-folds to a bet, but the hand on a whole cost his a decent amount.

[Djinn]

R

Carlos Mortensen and Bon Phan play a hand against each other, caught from when Mortensen was showing X X and Phan X X .  It was the recent WPT Final champion doing the betting, and Phan stayed with him all the way.
On 6th street Carlos Mortensen had X X vs. X X .  He bet the final street without looking, but Bon Phan called revealing his and taking the pot.