Play has ended for Day 1, but Day 2 action will begin at 3 p.m. with 173 players returning on their mutual quest of reaching Tuesday's final table. The average chip stack is 12,786 and blinds will start at 300-600 with 600-1,200 limits.
Some notable players still alive in the hunt are:
Men "The Master" Nguyen, Josh Arieh, Barry Greenstein, David Chiu, David WIlliams, John Juanda, Scott Clements, Jimmy "gobboboy" Fricke, Victor Ramdin, Dutch Boyd, "Miami" John Cernuto, Kristy Gazes, Max Pescatori, Eric Froehlich, Mel Judah and Barney Boatman.

Note: Finally Max Pescatori made a day 2.

Blinds: 300-600
Stakes: 500-1,000

Players Left: 173

Chip Counts:

Marc Goodwin: 33,500
Barry Greenstein: 27,000
Jimmy Fricke: 27,000
Men Nguyen: 26,000
Scott Clements: 25,800
Dutch Boyd: 24,800
David WIlliams: 22,600
Victor Ramdin: 22,000
David Chiu: 22,000
John Cernuto: 20,000

Average Stack: 12,786

Eliminations: Mike Matusow, Berry Johnston, Allen Kessler, Matt Savage, Paul Magriel, Matt Savage

Big Hands:

One Potentially Loud Table

One table in particular seems more made for TV than random. It features three players who are known for what comes out of their mouths - Mike Matusow, Men Nguyen and Josh Arieh.
So far, Nguyen has done the most damage. One three-way hand brought a board of 86272. When the betting was said and done, Nguyen showed K965 for the flush and his opponents split the low pot with the same hands - A763 and A1073.
Ariah and Nguyen tangled a few times early with the same results. In one hand, Nguyen raised preflop and Arieh and two other players called. The flop came AAJ, Nguyen bet out and everyone folded immediately.
Another hand had Arieh limping from the button, Nguyen raising from the big blind and Arieh calling. The flop came out K-J-X and Nguyen tossed some chips into the pot. Arieh's cards hit the muck immediately and Nguyen flashed two aces before raking in the pot. Nguyen ends the day with around 26,000 in chips.
The table was later joined by Barry Greenstein, who though not as loud as his new company, can still say some pretty entertaining things.... LOL Donkaments.

Muzzled

A short stacked Mike Matusow got his remaining 800 all in preflop and was called by 6 players. The board came QJ952, and after the player in seat 7 bet out the rest of the players he showed AKQ10 for a straight. Matusow showed KQ76 and headed for the door.
On his way out, a dissapointed Matusow said, "Two hours and 37 minutes without winning a pot and another day of outlasting two-thirds of the field for nothing."

Grinder One-Outered

Michael Mizrachi was short stacked and needed to get something going quick. He got the remainder of his chips all in as the board came K8363. Mizrachi's opponent showed 3-3 in his hand for quads and Mizrachi looked at his cards and muttered, "I got one outered," then mucked.

Matt Savage Eliminated

Down to his last 400 chips, Matt Savage raised all in for 400 from the cutoff and the small blind reraised to 1,000. The big blind called the raise as did the player in seat 8. The flop came A92, and seat 8 bet 500. The small blind called and the big blind folded. The turn was the 8 and seat 8 bet 1,000, the small blind called. The river was the 4 and seat 8 bet 1,000. this time the small blind folded and before Savage could even turn up his cards for the main pot, seat 8 turned over the wheel (AK53) to scoop the pot. So just like that, everyone's favorite tournament director hit the rail.







 

Blinds: 200-400
Stakes: 400-800

Players Left: 279 of 553

Chip Counts:
Scott Clements: 23,100
Jimmy Fricke: 21,000
Ed Fernandez: 17,500
John Cernuto: 16,000
Jordan Morgan: 15,800
Max Pescatori: 15,400
Raphael Zimmerman: 15,000
Marc Goodwin: 14,500
John Juanda: 14,000
David Chiu: 13,000

Average Stack: 7,928

Eliminations:
Andy Bloch, Justin Bonomo, Bill Chen

Big Hands:

Almost a Family Pot, Barry Greenstein Takes It Down

Eight of the nine players at Table 34 limped in to see a flop, one of which was all in (seat 4). The flop came 864 and it got checked around to Barry Greenstein who bet 300. Victor Ramdin called and the player in seat 9 raised to 600. Both Greenstein and Ramdin called the raise. The turn was Q and seat 9 bet 600, both Greenstein and Ramdin called. The river was the J and seat 9 moved all in for 375. Greenstein raised to 975 and Ramdin called. Greenstein turned over AJ92 for the nut low. Seat 9 turned over 10964 for the straight to the king (high). Seat 4, the all in player mucked his hand as Greenstein and seat 9 split the pot.

Andy Bloch on the Verge of Extinction

Starting the hand with only 2,300 chips, the player in seat 7 raised to 600. Seat 8 reraised to 900 and Andy Bloch reraised to 1,200. Seat 7 capped it at 1,500 and both Bloch and seat 8 saw the flop. The flop came Q107, and Bloch bet out 300. Seat 7 called and seat 8 raised to 600. Bloch reraised all in for 200 more (800 total), seat 7 called and seat 8 completed his raise and reraised on top of it to 1,200. Seat 7 called. The turn was the 8 and seat 8 bet 600, seat 7 called. The river was the 6 and both players checked the side pot. All three players turned over their hands.


Bloch: AJ102
Seat 7: A432
Seat 8: KK65

Seat 8 won half the side pot with a pair of kings (high) while seat 7 won half the side pot with the 8-7-6-2-A low. Seat 8 won half the main pot with the high hand while both Bloch and seat 7 split the other half of the main pot with the same low hand. Essentially, Bloch got quartered. He's down to about 1,500 after the hand.

Bloch Triples Up and Finds Life... Briefly

A short-stacked Andy Bloch got it all in against two opponents and the board came out QJ46Q. Bloch showed a big hand - A-A-K-2, which was good enough for the high and low, scooping the pot. Although Bloch tripled up, his comeback was shortlived.

Andy Finally Bloch Elimianted

A few hands later...On a flop of 974, Andy Bloch bet 300 and was raised by one of the other players in the hand. Bloch reraised to 900 and seats 8 and 9 called the raise to see the turn. The turn was the 8 and Bloch bet 600. Seats 8 and 9 both call. The river was the 6 and Bloch threw his last 175 in the pot. The other two players both callled. Seat 9 turned over 101088 for the straight (high) while seat 8 showed 101032 for the 7-6-4-3-2 low. Bloch mucked his hand and made his way towards the exit.

Blinds: 150-300
Stakes: 300-600

Players Left: 369 of 553

Chip Counts:
Jimmy Fricke: 21,500
Scott Clements: 19,000
Jordan Morgan: 18,750
John Cernuto: 18,100
Matthew Glantz: 16,800
John Juanda: 14,400
David Chiu: 12,700
Mike Matusow: 12,000
Barry Greenstein: 10,250
Ed Fernandez: 10,00

Average Stack: 5,995

Eliminations:
Mark Gregorich, Todd Brunson, Jeff Lisandro, Chau Giang, Amnon Filippi, Chip Jett, Phil Hellmuth, Michael Binger, Chris Ferguson

Big Hands:
Boyd Loses a Big Pot

Dutch Body raised to 600 preflop and was called the player in seat 1 and seat 7. The flop came J63 and seat 1 immediately bet out 300. Both Boyd and seat 7 called and the turn brought the K. Seat 1 checked this time, Boyd bet out 600 and seat 7 re-raised to 1,200. Seat 1 called and Boyd raised it yet again up to 1,800. Everyone called and the 2 came on the river. This time, seat 1 bet out and was called by Boyd and seat 7. Seat 1 showed A-7-5-4 for a rivered straight and the nut low, and neither Boyd or seat 7 showed before they mucked their cards. After not taking any part of the big pot, Body's stack was under 4,000.

Matt Savage Scoops With the Wheel

On a flop of Q53, beloved tournament director Matt Savage bet 200 and both the players in seat 8 & 9 made the call. The turn was the J and and once again Savage bet 200. Seat 8 called and seat 9 raised to 400. Savage called the raise as did seat 8. The river was the 4 and everyone checked around. Savage missed a bet on the river looking for a check-raise as he turned over AQ32 for the wheel, scooping the pot with both the high hand and the low hand.

Mark Gregorich Eliminated

After facing near elimination on the previous hand, Mark Gregorich sat back down after winning a 125 piece of the side pot. The very next hand and Gregorich was all in for 125 in a five-way pot. All four players to his left in seats 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 called the 200 blind bet. The flop came 643, and seat 4 bet 200, seat 5 called while both seat 2 and seat 3 folded. The turn was the K and seat 4 bet 400. Seat 5 called and the river was the 4. Both players checked and turned their hands over.

Seat 4: KK108
Seat 5: AQJ2

Seat 4 made a set of kings on the turn and a full house on the river for the high hand while seat 5 made the 6-4-3-2-A for the low hand. Seats 4 and 5 split the pot while Mark Gregorich threw his hand into the muck.



 

Blinds: 100-200 (Moving Up To 150-300)
Stakes: 200-400 (Moving Up To 300-600)

Players Remaining: 375

Chip Leaders:

Scott Clements: 19,000
Jordan Morgan: 18,750
Matthew Glantz: 16,800
John Juanda: 14,400
David Chiu: 12,700
Mike Matusow: 12,000
Ed Fernandez: 10,000
Men Nguyen: 9,700
Justin Bonomo: 8,900
David Williams: 8,400

Average Chip Stack:  5,995

Big Hands:

Hanging With The Boys... And The Master

Shannon Elizabeth and Men Nguyen tangled with the player in seat 4 and Elizabeth was the only one who came away empty handed. On a 8873 board, Elizabeth bet 400 and was called by both opponents. The 7 came on the river and Elizabeth check-folded after Nguyen bet and the other player called. Nguyen showed A7109 for the high hand and his opponent showed A2Q9 for the low hand, chopping the pot.
A few hands later, Elizabeth was involved in a 3-way pot in which she showed down A7X X on a K8277 board, giving her a rivered set good enough for the high pot. Her opponent showed 5-4 X X for the low.

Table Control

David Chiu is controlling his table and gathering chips with ease. Chiu raised to 400 preflop and got one caller. After a A84 flop, Chiu bet and his opponent instantly folded. Chiu had around 12,000 after the level.

Ramdin Gets Full

On a 6-3-3-K-6 board, Victor Ramdin showed down A-K-10-3 for a full house and his opponent mucked, giving Ramdin the whole pot. The win gave him around 10,000 in chips.

Note: Players are on a 30 minute dinner break.

Blinds: 75-150 (Moving Up To 100-200)
Stakes: 150- 300 (Moving up to 200-400)

Players Remaining: 460 of 553

Chip Leaders:

John Juanda: 11,400
MIchael Mizrachi: 10,500
David Chiu: 10,200
Josh Arieh: 9,200
Hoyt Corkins: 9,000
Men Nguyen: 8,200
Justin Bonomo: 8,200
Allen Kessler: 8,200
Billy Argyros: 7,700
David Williams: 7,400

Average Chip Stack: 4,809

Big Hands:

Bonomo Crushes Opponent With Set Over Set

Justin Bonomo raised a hand to 300 perflop and got one caller. The board came AJ5 and Bonomo's opponent led out for 150. Bonomo called and the Q came on the turn. Bonomo check-raised his opponent's bet to 600 and his opponent called. The 10 fell on the river, Bonomo bet 300 and was called. His opponent showed J-J-A-4 for a flopped set, and he was visibly frustrated when he saw Bonomo's better flopped set of A-A-7-5. There was no low hand. Bonomo had around 8,200 at the end of the level.

Hellmuth Splits Pot, Orally Jabs Opponent After Hand
Phil Hellmuth bet 150 on a K85 flop and his opponent raised to 300. Hellmuth made the call and check-called his opponent's bet of 300 on the 10 turn card. Both players checked when the 3 fell on the river and Hellmuth showed 8644 for the low and his opponent showed AK1010 for the best high hand. After chopping the pot, Hellmuth vocalized his surprise at the way his opponent played the hand, and his opponent replied, "You escaped again." Hellmuth looked ammused and replied, "You've escaped from me a couple times."

Farha Takes Half of a Big One, Still Short On Chips

Sammy Farha got his last 750 in chips in on a board of 10627 against two players. The K fell on the river and Farha showed AA84 for the nut flush and the best high hand. One opponent showed A1093 for the best low hand, and the other opponent mucked. Farha took half the pot and sat with around 2,000 after the hand.

What a Quack...

Paul Magriel looked to have an opponent on the verge of elimination, when he put the player all in on the turn of a 7632 board. But the river card was the J and Magriel's opponent showed J942 for a rivered two pair of Jacks and deuces, that beat Magriel's 8732, which gave him a flopped two pair of sevens and threes. His opponent also took the low and doubled up. Magriel had around 3,500 after the hand.

Note: The official numbers have just been released...With 553 entrants creating a total prizepool of $1,006,460, 54 places will be paid out with a grand prize of $225,483.

Blinds: 50-100
Stakes: 100-200

Players Left: 499 of 553

Chip Leaders:
Tom Schneider: 9,400
Woody Deck: 7,250
Jordan Morgan: 6,800
Matt Savage: 6,500
William Chen: 6,300
Men Nguyen: 6,000
Dutch Boyd: 5,800
Kristy Gazes: 5,700
Barry Greenstein: 5,400

Eliminations:
Greg Raymer
Frankie O'Dell

Big Hands:

How Dare You Make a Better Straight Than Phil Hellmuth, Sir

The player in seat 3 limped in under the gun for 100, Phil Hellmuth completed from the small blind and the big blind checked his option. The flop came K105, and Hellmuth bet 100, seat 3 called, and the big blind folded. The turn was the J, and Hellmuth bet 200, seat 3 called. The river brought the 4 and once again Hellmuth bet 200. Seat 3 raised to 400, Hellmuth reraised to 600, and Seat 3 threw in a fourth bet for 800. Hellmuth shook his head, "This is so sick" as he called the last bet. Seat 3 turned over AQJ3 for the nut straght to the ace. Seat 3 flopped an open-ended straight draw and the nut flush draw. He made the straight on the turn, and according to Hellmuth, so did he. Hellmuth briefly flashed his cards, claiming to have had the king-high straight and the queen-high flush draw. He threw his cards into the muck saying, "I'm surprised a frickin heart didn't come and make me lose another bet." Seat 3 had a good laugh, Hellmuth not so much.

Floor to Table 32, and Hurry

A large crowd started to gather aound Table 32 as Allen Kessler and Marcel Luske were going at it over a particular ruling. Apparently Marcel Luske made a forward motion with a stack of chips, signifying a call, but decided to check at the last minute. Kessler didn't like that and felt that forward motion should and did constitute a legal bet. The floor person came over and made the ruling, stating that forward motion doesn't constitute anything, the chips must fall into the pot to be a legal bet. That means that since Luske did not release the chips, there was no bet. Whether or not he motioned forward with them is irrelevant. Kessler persisted to voice his discontent with the ruling and Luske started to become somewhat aggressive, rising from his chair and yelling at Kessler. Kessler tried to end it with, “Well, I’m going to put this on the internet anyway.” Luske screamed back, “I don’t care what you put on the internet. Are you trying to threaten me? Huh? What’s next, are you going to send your friends after me? For more information on this mishap, be sure to check out Kessler's Blog by clicking here.

Layne Flack Settles For Half the Pot

The player from under the gun came in for a raise and the player in the cutoff made the call. Layne Flack raised from the button and both players called the raise. The flop came A98, and Flack bet out. Both opponents called. The turn was the 7 and everyone checked to Flack who bet. UTG called and the cutoff raised. Flack called the raise while the UTG player folded. The river was the 5 and both Flack and the cutoff checked. The cutoff turned over J10K6 for the straight (high) and Flack showed 34A7 for the low hand. Flack flopped top pair and turned two pair looking for a scoop, but the turn also made his opponent's straight, Flack had to settle for half the pot.

Blinds/Antes: 50/75, 75/150 limits

Players Remaining: 551 of 551

Notable Chip Counts:
Tom Schneider - 7,100
Amnon Filippi - 5,800
Jordan Morgan - 5,775
Matt Savage - 5,600
Kristy Gazes - 5,100
Brett Jungblut - 5,000
Perry Friedman - 4,675
Chip Jett - 4,600
Barry Greenstein - 4,400
Mel Judah - 4,400

Big Hands:

Jimmy "gobboboy" Fricke Gets Scooped

The total number of participants in the $2,000 Omaha high-low tournament has reached 551, although registration for this tournament has not yet closed. Nevertheless, last year’s total of 534 players has officially been beaten. It seems that many of the top pros are joining this tournament as soon as they bust out of the $10,000 stud world championship, currently still going on elsewhere in the Amazon Room. This is creating some very stacked late entry tables, one in particular featuring Men the Master, Hoyt Corkins, Greg Raymer, and Jimmy Fricke.

On that table, the player in the cut-off raised pre-flop and Jimmy Fricke called from the button. Both blinds called as well, and the four players saw a flop of K76. The small blind checked, the big blind bet, and the original raiser folded. Fricke raised from the button, and the small blind called both bets. The big blind raised again, and Fricke and the small blind called. The 5 on the turn brought a check from the small blind, a bet from the big blind, and a call by both players. All checked the 4 on the river, and the small blind turned over T842. When the dealer announced his hand, eight-high straight for high and a live deuce for low, both the big blind and Fricke mucked their cards.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Phil Hellmuth Has Arrived

In his trademark tardy fashion, Phil Hellmuth sauntered into the Amazon Room in the middle of level two and found his seat, dressed in full race car driver apparel. No word on any accidents in the parking lot...

After one player from middle position limped into the pot, Hellmuth and another late position player joined only to have Perry Friedman raise from the button. The small blind and all the limpers called, and the five players saw a flop of T64. The small blind and the original limper checked to Hellmuth, who commented that he didn’t think checking was the right play for him as he fired a bet into the pot. One of the limpers called, and Friedman raised. The small blind called, Hellmuth called, and another limper called.

On the 5 turn, all checked to Friedman who again bet. All players called, and the 7 brought another round of checks. This time Friedman checked, causing Hellmuth to erupt with a burst of, “God, dang it! I’ve got the nuts.” He turned over his AK94 for the nut flush. Friedman flipped over his AT62 for ace-deuce nut low. “Checking ace-deuce? Really?” Hellmuth wondered as he split the pot with Friedman.

Blinds/Antes: 25/50, 50-100 limits

Players Remaining: 520 of 520

Big Hands:

Kristy Gazes Starts Out the Day Getting Quartered

On a board of T9742, two early position players checked to a player in middle position who made a bet of 100.  Kristi Gazes called in the cut-off as did the other two players.  Kristi eagerly flipped over her A364 to show that she had made the nut low.  Unfortunately, the bettor turned over the AK93 for the nut high (ace-high flush) and nut low (ace-trey).  Gazes wound up with a quarter of the pot, an unfavorable outcome in Omaha high-low split.

Ted Forrest Mucks to the Nut Straight

After one limp from the player under-the-gun and a raise from a player in middle position, Ted Forrest cold-called the raise from the button.  Both blinds called the raise as well, as did the under-the-gun limper.  All five saw a flop of K97.  All players checked to Forrest, who made a bet.  Only the big blind and the initial raiser called, and the three remaining players saw the T turn card.  The big blind led out, the original aggressor folded, and Forrest called.  Forrest faced another bet from his lone opponent on fifth street after the 5 hit the felt.  After his bet was called, the big blind turned over QJ49 for the nut straight.  Because a low was not present on this board, this hand would be guaranteed to scoop the entire pot unless Forrest held exactly a queen-jack for a tied nut straight.  Forrest instead mucked his cards.

Do you play too many Omaha eight-or-better starting hands?  Lou Krieger has advice for you about Omaha high-low split.

The cards are officially in the air for event No. 16, $2,000 Omaha high/low split eight-or- better.