Blinds/Antes: 600-1,200

Players Left: 56 of 152

Eliminations: Andrew Black, Andy Bloch

Chip Leaders:

Emmanuel Sebag: 450,000
David Benyamine: 357,000
Adam Houran: 240,000
John Juanda: 225,000
Phil Hellmuth: 205,000
Josh Arieh: 190,000
Alexander Kostritsyn: 180,000
Rafi Amit: 180,000
Erick Lindgren: 172,200
Gavin Smith: 150,000

Big Hands:

A Pot of Strange

In a four way pot involving David Chiu, David Benyamine, Andrew Black, and Josh Arieh, a flop of J54 saw action: David Chiu started the fun by moving all in for his last 20,000. Benyamine then raised to a hundred thousand, and Andrew Black called all in for 80,000. "Oh my god," said Arieh. "I really don't know what to do." "Nobody can play your hand for you," chided Chieu gently. Arieh tanked for about three minutes, saying, "This hand and that hand last hour are the longest I've ever thought in my life." Finally, he folded, and Chiu showed AA for an overpair, which was somehow the best hand at that point. Benyamine had king queen jack ten, and Black had jack ten nine deuce. The 2 on the turn briefly gave Black the best hand, his top and bottom pair in position to essentially scoop the whole pot, but the 4 on the end paired the board, giving Chiu a higher two pair. Benyamine took the side pot with jacks and fours, king kicker. Arieh later would say he folded a wrap straight draw, and would have been eliminated had he called.

I'll Take This One...

After the button player raised the pot to 15,800, Hellmuth immediately "repotted." "I'll take this one, you take the next one, kid," Hellmuth said. The "kid"thought for about a minute before finally electing to fold.

Players are now done for the night and will reconvene in the Brasilia Room at 3 pm tomorrow.


 

Blinds/Antes: 500-1,000

Players Left: 63 of 152

Chip Counts:

David Benyamine: 357,000
Emmanuel Sebag: 330,000
Adam Houran: 202,500
Josh Arieh: 190,000
Alexander Kostritsyn: 180,000
Tom Dwan: 220,000
Rafi Amit: 180,000
Gavin Smith: 175,000
Erick Lindgren: 163,000
Thomas Wahlroos: 131,000
Tom Dwan: 155,000

Eliminations: Scottie Nguyen

Big Hands:

Scotty Eliminated

Scotty Nguyen was all in after the turn on a board of J95A drawing live against Adam Hourani's 55: Ngyuen held A8 for the nut flush draw, plus the 8 for a higher set. The river was black, but no help to Scotty, as the 3 spiked, sending Scotty home in 65th place.

Arieh's Sick Call

After Andrew Black open raised to 3,000, Arieh called in position, and the big blind player in seat 8 raised the size of the pot. Black folded, and Arieh called. The flop came 953 and seat 8 bet 20,000. Arieh called. The turn was the K and seat 8 immediately shoved, enough to put Arieh all in for his lats 70,000. Arieh tanked for close to five minutes before finally electing to call--with bottom two pair. Arieh's opponent, who held J1098, was drawing to a queen for a straight, a diamond for a flush, or any assortment of two pair or trips against Arieh's Q753. The 4 bricked on the river, however, and Arieh clapped his hands in delight as he was shipped a pot worth close to 200,000.


Players are now on a twenty minute break.
 

Blinds/Antes: 400-800

Players Left: 90 of 152

Chip Counts:

Emmanuel Sebag: 330,000
David Benyamine: 290,000
Tom Dwan: 220,000
Gavin Smith: 175,000
Erick Lindgren: 163,000
Tony G: 131,000
Andrew Black 125,000
Daniel Negreanu: 110,000

Eliminations: Phil Ivey

Big Hands:

Gerasimov Makes Gutsy Call

Kiril Gerasimov checked a board of K86Q and Dario Minieri, the pre-flop aggressor, bet 21,500. Gerasimov made the call. The river was the 10 and again Gerasimov checked, and again Minieri bet, 25,000 this time. The bet represented about three quarters of Gerasimov remaining chips, and he hesitated, deliberately counting out the stacks of orange 1,000 chips. Finally, he called, and Minieri tapped the table, conceding defeat. Gerasimov showed 107 for the ten high flush, and Minieri mucked. Gerasimov is up to about 120,000.

Ivey Done in By Durrr

Phil Ivey checked the bet to Tom Dwan on a board of 1084 and Dwan bet 4,700. Ivey announced that he was raising the pot: "Whatever that is." Dwan then reraised enough to put Ivey all in. Dwan showed down A10KQ for top pair with the king high flush draw and running cards to a straight or flush, while Ivey revealed 6572: any non-club three, five, six, or nine would make his hand. But the J on the turn made both player a flush and had Ivey drawing dead, who was out of his seat and bolting for the exit even before the river turned.

Blinds/Antes: 300-600

Players Left: 99 of 152

Chip Counts:
Emmanual Sebag: 200,000
Jason Mercier: 175,000
Andrew Black: 153,000
Phil "OMGClayAiken" Galfond: 120,000
Erik Cajelais: 110,000
Ralph Perry: 109,000
Joe Hachem: 105,000
Robert Williamson III: 104,000
Erik Seidel: 103,000

Eliminations:
Burt Boutin, Chad Brown, Gus Hansen, David Benefield

Big Hands:

Defending Champion Gone

Last year's winner in this event, Burt Boutin got all in against David Benyamine on a board of 98884. Boutin held A-10-9-9 and was good on the flop with a full house, but Benyamine had A-Q-8-2 and hit quads on the turn, sending Boutin packing.

Ivey = Aggressive Play

Phil Ivey has won three straight pots at a stacked table. SItting with him are Lee Watkinson, Gavin Smith, Tom "Durrr" Dwan, Freddy Deeb and Joe Hachem.
In the second, the flop came 642 and Ivey bet 3,000. Dwan folded. In the third, Ivey bet 3,000 on a flop of J53and Watkinson, Smith, Dwan, Deeb and Hachem all folded.



 

Official Numbers: 152 entrants with 483 rebuys made up a total prizepool of $3,085,930 with 18 places being paid, 18th place receiving $54,003 and 1st place receiving $817,781.

Blinds/Antes: 250-500

Players Left: 108 of 152

Chip Leaders:
Jason Mercier: 175,000
Andy Black: 147,000
Gavin Smith: 134,000
Eric Cajelais: 123,000
Phil Galfons: 123,000
Phil Ivey: 114,000
Robert Williamson III: 113,000
Jeff Williams: 110,400
Johnny Chan: 102,000
Joe Hachem: 102,000

Elimiantions: Steve Song, Brandon Cantu, Jordan Morgan, Robert Mizrachi

Big Hands:

Oh No You Didn't!

As if Table 15 couldn't possibly get any better, right before the dinner break that one empty chair that had been haunting the other seven players all day had finally been filled. Table 15 had one empty seat in the first three levels and there was a lot of speculation and wishfull thinking as to who would be the poor schmuck that ended up with that table draw. Then one of the floor people came over and told the dealer to make room, another table had broke and there was a new player heading their way. That's right, you guessed it, none other than Phil Ivey walked up with his new seat card and several racks of chips. And there it was, the dream team of final tables. One table, eight men and thirty-one bracelets...need I say more.

And then the unthinkable happened...the table broke. It was sure fun while it lasted said one player. Comparing stacks as they racked up their chips, Negreanu said to Jamshidi, "How much are you in for?" Jamshidi replied, " Not much, just $30,000." Negreanu looked stunned, "Just $30,000? That's not bad at all...I'm in for $85,000." Negreanu racked up his chips with a smile on his face and headed for his new adventure at Table 9.

Table 9
Seat 2: Joe Beevers
Seat 3: Daniel Negreanu
Seat 4: Michael Binger
Seat 5: Patrik Antonius
Seat 8: Howard Lederer
Seat 9: Eli Elezra

Negreanu Bets Elezra Off of a Pot

Daniel Negreanu limped in from under the gun, followed by Michael Binger in early position, seat 6 in middle position, and Howard leder from the cutoff. Eli Elezra raised to 3,500 and Negreanu called, the others folded. The flop came 872, and Negreanu bet 10,000. Elezra tanked for a minute then folded. Negreanu raked the pot saying, "I was ready to play for it all." Elezra said, "Aces double suited." Negreanu replied, "You were ahead then, I just had the straight draw and the flush draw...9-10-J all diamonds."

Patrik Antonius Gets Some Chips Back

Michael Binger limped into the pot from under the gun and Patrik Antonius raised to 2,250 (pot) from early position. The player on the button called the raise as did Daniel Negreanu in the big blind and Michael  Binger. The flop came Q94, and Antonius moved all in for 11,500. Everyone folded, including Binger who tanked for several minutes first. Elezra said, "No! Don't give him any chips."








 

Note: The rebuy period has officially ended with the completion of Level 3, and the players have taken a sixty-minute dinner break, returning at about 9:30 pm local time.

Blinds/Antes: 200-400

Players Left: 126 of 152

Chip Counts:
Jason Mercier: 124,000
Eric Cajelais: 111,000
Phil Ivey: 100,000
Gavin Smith: 97,000
Andy Black: 95,000
Robert Williamson III: 95,000
Josh Arieh: 85,000
Phil Galfond: 84,000
Jeff Williams: 79,000
Bill Gazes: 75,000
Average Stack: 12,063

Eliminations: Barney Boatman, Theo Tran, Toto Leonidas

Big Hands:

Seidel Triples Up, Negreanu Rebuys Again, Williamson Takes a Hit

After rebuying on the previous hand Negreanu raised to 1,000 with a fresh stack after Erik Seidel limped in from early position. Robert Williamson III (table chip leader with 163,000) called the raise from the small blind and so did Phil Hellmuth from the big blind. Seidel called the raise as well, and the flop came 1064. Negreanu bet 4,000 and Williamson raised to 14,000. Hellmuth folded and Seidel called. Negreanu moved all in for 19,000 total, Williamson and Seidel both called. The turn was the 9, and with Negreanu all in, Seidel moved all in for 15,450 for the the side pot. Williamson called and the river was the 5.

Negreanu: 8664
Seidel: J875
Williamson: KQ104

Negreanu had middle set when he moved all in on the flop, Williamson with top pair and Seidel with a few different straight draws. The turn made Seidel's straight to the ten and the river offered no additional help to any of the players. Negreanu goes broke, Williamson takes a big hit in chips and Seidel almost triples up to 92,000 after this hand. Negreanu rebuys with another double add-on. That's three add-ons in the span of four hands for Negreanu.

Lindgren Triples Up, Negreanu & Alaei Rebuy Again

The very next hand after Erik Seidel tripled up, Daniel Negreanu, Daniel Alaei and Erick Lindgren all see a flop (J95). Negreanu bet the pot and Alaei called. Lindgren moved all in and both Daniels called.

Lindgren: AJ96
Negreanu: 10953
Alaei: X-X-X-X

Negreanu had bottom pair and Lindgren had top two pair on the flop. Alaei's cards were unknown. Negreanu made two pair on the river, not good enough and Lindgren tripled up to roughly 82,000 after the hand. Both Negreanu and Alaei rebought with double add-ons.

Note: Players are now on their first twenty-minute break of the night and will return to Level 3 around 7:40 pm local time.

Blinds: 150/300

Players Left: 152

Chip Counts:
Phil Ivey: 104,000
Rob Hollink: 62,000
Josh Arieh: 56,000
Phil Galfond: 55,000
Phil Hellmuth: 49,000
Tom Dwan: 46,000
Ralph Perry: 45,000
David Benyamine: 45,000
Robert Williamson III: 44,000
Tony G: 41,000

Eliminations: Jordan Morgan, Tex Barch.

Big Hands:

"Clean-Up on Table 15..."

The chips continue to flow wild and free at stacked table 15. Alex Kravchenko was a late arrival to the table that also features Phil Hellmuth, Erick Lindgren, Daniel Negreanu, Erik Seidel, Robert Williamson III, Sirous Jamshidi and Daniel Alaei. Lindgren had Hellmuth shaking his head early in the second level, when four players called 500 to see the flop. The flop came AJ4, and play was checked to Hellmuth on the button who bet 2000. Lindgren, in the small blind, check-raised to 10,000 and play was folded back to Hellmuth who put Lindgren all-in for his remaining 4000 in chips. Lindgren laughed as he showed his hand, 5444, trips in his hand while hitting bottom set. Hellmuth held QJJ3 for middle set. The turn brought the 2, which provided a flush draw for Lindgren, and the river completed the prayer as the 7 appeared.
"I had to be 10-1 on that hand," said Hellmuth.
"I'll take the over on that," said Alaei.
"You're right," said Hellmuth. "I was probably 20-1."
"96 percent," chimed in Negreanu.
The table has been so popular that spectators have been ushered away on a couple of occasions as play continues.

Williamson Doubles Through Negreanu

On a flop of 1054, Negreanu bet 6000 and Williamson III raised all-in for 18,475. Negreanu called and showed AK105 for top two pair. Williamson III had 10976 for the flush draw and straight potential. The turn was the 2, and Williamson missed both his flush and straight possibilities, but nailed the 6 for two better pair on the river.

Erik Seidel Shows a Big Bluff

Daniel Negreanu limped from under the gun and Phil Hellmuth raised to 1,800 (pot) from the cutoff. Erick Lindgren called from the button and Erik Seidel repotted (3,800) from the small blind. Sirous Jamshidi folded the big blind and Negreanu, Hellmuth and Lindgren all made the call. The flop came AA10, and Seidel bet 2,000. Everyone folded and Seidel turned over 9-8-6-5 for a stone cold bluff. Everyone laughed as Seidel raked a considerbaly large pot with rags. After the hand Seidel is up to roughly 25,000 in chips.

Gazes Sees It Through

Bill Gazes wasn't up against what he expected, but still needed help. He got it. On a flop of K92, Gazes bet pot for 22,000. He was check-raised all-in for another 12,000. His opponent held AA82, while Gazes showed QQJJ. The 9 on the turn didn't change things, but Gazes spiked the Q on the river for a full house and swept the pot.

Negreanu Busted by Williamson, "Give Me a Double!"

On a flop of Q43, Robert Williamson III bet the pot (~20,000) and Negreanu called all in.

Williamson: 7654
Negreanu: AJ52

Williamson flopped a pair of fours and a straight draw while Negreanu just held overcards and a straight draw. The turn was the 6, giving Williamson the seven-high straight and Negreanu the six-high straight. The river was the 3 and Negreanu was out of cips...but not for long. He looked at the dealer and said, "Alright buddy, give me a double!" Refering of course to a double-add on. Negreanu rebuys while Williamson has roughly 62,000 after the hand.

Late Additions

Late additions to the field have included Andy Bloch, Gus Hansen, and Howard Lederer. Hansen has joined a table featuring Rafi Amit, Chad Brown, David Benyamine and defending champ Burt Boutin, while Lederer now sits with tournament chip leader Phil Ivey, Phil Laak, and Michael Binger.

Blinds/Antes: 100-200

Players: 139 (Approx.)

Big Hands:

With all of the top pros condensed into one quadrent of the Amazon Room, the greatest concentration of pros in any WSOP event has to be at Table 15. According to Robert Williamson III, "I'll bet before the rebuys are over, we've had two hundred-thousand dollar pots on this table."

Table 15
Seat 1: Robert Williamson
Seat 2: Phil Hellmuth
Seat 3: Erick Lindgren
Seat 4: Erik Seidel
Seat 5: Sirous Jamshidi
Seat 6: Daniel Negreanu
Seat 7: Daniel Alaei
Seat 8: Alex Kravchenko

Phil Hellmuth Wins a Monster, Williamson and Jamshidi Go Digging

Erick Lindgren limped in from under the gun and Sirous Jamshidi limped from middle position. Daniel Negreanu called from the cutoff, Daniel Alaei called from the button and Robert Williamson III made a raise form the small blind. Phil Hellmuth reraised the size of the pot (3,800), Lindgren folded and Jamshidi, Alaei and Williamson called, Negreanu folded. The flop came 1095, and Williamson moved all in. Hellmuth raised all in and Jamshidi called all in. Three-way all in and Hellmuth had them both covered.

Williamson: 8554
Hellmuth: AKQJ
Jamshidi: AA93

Williamson flopped bottom set, Jamshidi held the overpair and Hellmuth was drawing to the nut straight. The turn was 6, no help, but the river was the K, giving Hellmuth the nut straight to the king. Hellmuth raked a monster pot while both Williamson and Jamshidi went digging for rebuys. After the hand Hellmuth had roughly 55,000 in chips.



The Ralph Reward

Kirill Gerasimov got it started, but it was Ralph Perry who cleaned up. Gerasimov raised preflop to 2000 and had a three callers before Phil Laak reraised all-in. Gerasimov, Michael Binger and Ralph Perry all followed suit, generating a pot of 49,000. Perry was all-in for 14,300 and appeared behind preflop with his cards 7643. Binger had called with the Q1098, while Laak and Gerasimov both held pocket aces, Laak with AA64, and Gerasimov with AA104. But it was the low-card Perry who was all over the flop that came K53. The 6 on the turn completed the straight while the 2 on the river completed the board. Laak, Binger and Gerasimov all rebought after the hand.


Grinder Loses Set Over Set, Opponent Makes Quads on River

On a flop of Q-J-8, Michael Mizrachi got it all in with a set of jacks against an opponent's set of eights. The case eight rivered and Mizrachi was forced to rebuy after his opponent sucked out with quads.

Booth Busted

Brad "Yukon" Booth opted to leave aftrer his massive draw failed to come home. On a flop of 9-8-4, Booth held J-10-7-6 with a flush draw. His opponent held A-7-7-6 for a low open-ender. A deuce on the turn set the stage for an ace on the river to bust Booth who decided against a rebuy.

Amit Rebuys Early

David Benyamine bet 3,000 on the turn with the board reading Q652. Rafi Amit raised to to 11,000 and Benyamine called. The river was the 9, Benyamine checked, then called an 8300-all-in bet from Amit. Benyamine held Q885 for two pair, and Amit mucked before rebuying.

Cards are in the air for Event no. 28 ($5,000 Omaha w/Rebuys). Since this is a rebuy event, players will be able to rebuy for the first three levels at the rate of 10,000 chips for $5,000. Be sure to check back with CardPlayer.com for hourly updates from the tournament floor.