There's something about updating 4 Day 1's that is genuinely demoralising, that sense of deja vu cropping up on 3 separate occasions as you wait for that special day when the field actually starts to whittle down. This is especially true at this year's World Series where the field actually feels like it's getting bigger by the day. 1,300 on Day 1A, 1,500 on Day 1B and now, according to my source, over 1,700 here today. If it carries on at this pace, we'd be looking at 1,900 tomorrow for a total of 6,400 (if my maths, sorry, math, is correct). However, my Beagle senses inform me that tomorrow will break the patter, only around 1,000 signed up so far, most likely due to the potential lack of a break between Days 1 and 2.
Within this 1,700 plus field are a mixture of homegrown talent and huge American stars with the odd celebrity thrown into the melting pot. In fact, here at the Rio, the celebs are normally announced to the rest of the field, as are various previous Main Event winners (no one remembers second, huh?), and the first familiar face to receive that treatment was a very unlikely suspect indeed - Hip Hop's Nelly bowing for the receptive crowd. On closer inspection, I shall check out if he's still wearing that silly plaster and whether it's one of those Disney ones I used to have as kid.
Similarly being offered the VIP treatment is one player you wouldn't want to mess with, World Boxing Champion and Rocky 6 nemesis Antonio Tarver accepting his plaudits before taking over the microphone to say, "This is the only chance you're ever gonna have to knock me out." Oh yes, the old one's are the best.
In terms of British, and indeed Irish players, we seem to have a fair few representatives, many of whom appear to be donning the red and white of Ladbrokes who have a room down the hallway. Within that contingent lie some familiar faces, Steve Mitchel of Lincoln starting to crop up more and more often. Alongside the Ladbrokes boys are the long time circuit regulars such as Brighton's very own chatterbox Paul Parker, Dusk Till Dawner Paul 'ActionJack' Jackson, the Gutshot's Simon Hennessy, and Hit Squad's cheeky monkey, James Akenhead. Meanwhile, Rory Matthews is representing the kilt wearing nutters up North and Robin Lacey (no relation to Mike) is proudly wearing the team stripes of Green Joker Poker.
From one half of the convention centre only, there is an array of stars seated, although not quite as many of yesterday - the likes of Tim Phan, David Skalnsky, Kirsty Gazes, Phil Gordon, Phil Ivey and Todd Brunson ensuring that this hear carries poker celebrity weight.
One man who is in the field is Jim Pitman - Floppy will fill you in on why he is now know as 'That Guy' Pitman....
Pictured:
(1) Steve Mitchell
(2) Max Ward
(3) Radu Butan
(4) Daniel Palmer
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Yes, Jim Pitman (pic1), who kindly gave us a lift from the Orleans to the Rio, is the guy Hellmuth famously said, "Can't even spell poker," after he outdrew Hellmuth with K-J against A-K. Jim invented a matress for the back of pickup trucks and holds the only patent which has made him several million dollars, which isn't bad for something he calls 'a silly drunken idea'. He came in 6th in the $2,500 short-handed event earlier in the series and is already close to 30k having some guy bet 7k into him when he held the nut-flush...
We've had a few bustees already, this guy (pic2) had his
paid off by
for the full stack on a
board, Chris Ferguson has also hit quad Jacks and been paided off to the full.
The guy in the left of this photo (pic3) was all-in on the turn of a K-8-T-7 board with erm... K-4 against his neighbour in the Brasil shirt, who was just holding J-9. Then the former managed to to shove on a
board with
and was instantly called by another player. Holding
. Bizarrely, no 7 came.
This guy open-shoved (pic4). For all 20k. He got no callers. But the facial expression of the guy with the cigar is priceless.
Other pics:
Allen Cunningham and Jeff Kimber
DTD's Paul Jackson
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