Monday, June 30, 2014 2:09 AM Local Time
Sam Trickett Dominates Day 1
On Sunday, Day 1 of the second-ever $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop came to a close. A grand total of 42 players put up the $1,000,000 entry fee to compete in what will be the largest buy-in poker tournament of the year. At the end of nine levels it was 2012 Big One for One Drop runner-up Sam Trickett who bagged up the biggest stack with 13.4 million in chips.
Trickett's day began with an exciting start as he scored the first elimination of the tournament just one level into the day. Trickett clashed with David Einhorn in a hand where the former turned the nut straight against the latter's flopped set of jacks. Einhorn was eliminated from play and Trickett suddenly held double starting stack. From there, it seemed that Trickett could not be stopped as he continued to score eliminations. Trickett rivered a straight to crack Igor Kurganov's pocket queens in a four-bet pot to eliminate Kurganov roughly halfway through the day. Shortley thereafter, Trickett and Selbst played an eight-million chip pot where the three-time WSOP bracelet winner six-bet shoved with ace-king. Trickett called with pocket kings and the two endured a roller coaster of a run out. Trickett finished on top and the first-ever woman to participate in the Big One for One Drop was eliminated from play.
While Trickett finished with the largest stack in the room, others thrived throughout the day as well. Tom Hall's stack seemingly consistently trended upward and he bagged up the second largest stack with 9.125 million. Rounding out the top three is recent 10-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Ivey with 7.675 million in chips.
Also returning for Day 2 is reigning Big One for One Drop champion Antonio Esfandiari. Roughly halfway through the day, Esfandiari found a key double up through Dan Smith. From there on, Esfandiari continued to build his stack and earned a good chunk of chips in a more than two-million chip pot with Erik Seidel. Esfandiari bagged up 6.725 million in chips which is good for fifth in chips overall. Interestingly enough, Esfandiari bagged up fourth in chips in this event two years ago. Day 1 chip leader and last year's runner-up Trickett, on the other hand bagged up sixth in chips two years ago. These two are seated next to one another to start Day 2.
The starting field of 42 players was reduced to just 31 by the end of the night. Those to fall throughout the day include Stanley Choi, Max Altergott, Brian Rast, Philipp Gruissem, Jason Mercier, Niklas Heinecker, Smith, and Rono Lo who fell on the last hand of the night.
Play resumes on Monday at 1 p.m. when the final 31 players will return to play a full 10 levels. As always, PokerNews will be on hand to provide the latest updates from this exciting event!
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:44 AM Local Time
End-of-Day Chip Counts
| Sam Trickett | 13,400,000 | -950,000  |
| Tom Hall | 9,125,000 | 1,170,000  |
| Phil Ivey | 7,675,000 | 0 |
| Daniel Colman | 6,875,000 | 415,000 |
| Antonio Esfandiari | 6,725,000 | 325,000 |
| Noah Schwartz | 6,275,000 | -180,000 |
| Rick Salomon | 5,890,000 | 1,415,000 |
| David Sands | 4,615,000 | 15,000 |
| Phil Galfond | 4,390,000 | 490,000 |
| Daniel Negreanu | 4,270,000 | -530,000 |
| Erik Seidel | 4,250,000 | 1,050,000 |
| Brandon Steven | 4,205,000 | 105,000 |
| Tobias Reinkemeier | 4,125,000 | 285,000 |
| Doug Polk | 3,885,000 | 335,000 |
| Connor Drinan | 3,685,000 | 480,000 |
| Gabe Kaplan | 3,475,000 | 1,335,000 |
| Tony Gregg | 3,415,000 | 415,000 |
| Isaac Haxton | 3,370,000 | -260,000 |
| John Juanda | 3,215,000 | -275,000 |
| Cary Katz | 2,945,000 | -280,000 |
| Paul Newey | 2,845,000 | -330,000 |
| Bill Klein | 2,840,000 | -180,000 |
| Erick Lindgren | 2,175,000 | 425,000 |
| Christoph Vogelsang | 2,060,000 | -890,000 |
| John Morgan | 1,800,000 | 0 |
| Talal Shakerchi | 1,685,000 | -965,000 |
| Daniel Cates | 1,670,000 | 370,000 |
| Greg Merson | 1,625,000 | 80,000 |
| Scott Seiver | 1,165,000 | -65,000 |
| Guy Laliberté | 1,030,000 | -270,000 |
| Jean-Robert Bellande | 1,005,000 | -255,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:43 AM Local Time
Rono Lo Eliminated on the Last Hand of the Day
Phil Galfond raised from the button to 105,000 and Rono Lo called from the button. Phil Ivey was seated in the small blind and he three-bet to 320,000. Galfond tanked for a bit before calling and Lo called immediately with just 80,000 chips left behind.
The flop brought out and Ivey bet 500,000. Galfond folded after about 20 seconds. Lo threw his final chips into the pot and the showdown went as following.
Ivey:
Lo:
The board ran out , and Lo was knocked out on the last hand of the day.
| Phil Ivey | 7,675,000 | 1,025,000 |
| Rono Lo | 0 | -1,400,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:34 AM Local Time
Bagging and Tagging
Day 1 of the 2014 $1,000,000 Big One for One Drop has come to a close and the remaining players are bagging up their chips. Stay tuned for end-of-day chip counts and a recap to close the day.
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:33 AM Local Time
Smith Busts at the End of Day 1
With around one million left in his stack, Dan Smith was all in with the preflop against the for Brandon Steven. The flop, turn, and river ran out , and Smith was eliminated.
| Brandon Steven | 4,100,000 | 1,040,000 |
| Dan Smith | 0 | -1,050,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:27 AM Local Time
Al Pacino
Over on Table 353 in the front corner of the room where Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey are seated, Rono Lo opened with a raise to 240,000 — or in other words, six times the big blind.
"That's Al Pacino," said Ivey immediately, looking around the table while tossing in his hand as a fold. The entire table was looking back at Ivey confused by the comment about Al Pacino and what Ivey was referring to before they also folded.
Ivey looked back to Lo's big preflop raise to signal the table he was talking about that and then said, "He's not f***ing around. That's Al Pacino right there."
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:25 AM Local Time
Three More Hands
Tournament staff has announced three more hands before bagging and tagging for the night.
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:24 AM Local Time
Heinecker Eliminated by Ivey
Action folded around to Phil Ivey in the small blind who raised enough to put Niklas Heinecker all in. Heinecker called for his tournament life of what looked to be around 750,000.
Ivey:
Heinecker:
The board ran out , keeping Ivey's ace-king in the lead and sending Heinecker packing. Heinecker is the fourth German to be eliminated from play today, leaving Tobias Reinkemeier as the last German standing in the field.
| Phil Ivey | 6,650,000 | 850,000 |
| Niklas Heinecker | 0 | -510,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:24 AM Local Time
On the Shorter Side of Things
| John Morgan | 1,800,000 | -50,000 |
| Daniel Cates | 1,300,000 | -45,000 |
| Guy Laliberté | 1,300,000 | -525,000 |
| Jean-Robert Bellande | 1,260,000 | -505,000 |
| Scott Seiver | 1,230,000 | -580,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:20 AM Local Time
More for the Doctor
David "Doc" Sands checked to Tom Hall on a flop of , and he tossed out 125,000. Sands called.
The turn was the , Sands check-called another 300,000 from his opponent, and the completed the board. Both players checked, and Sands turned over for a pair of sevens.
Hall mucked.
| Tom Hall | 7,955,000 | -300,000 |
| David Sands | 4,600,000 | 570,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:19 AM Local Time
More For Esfandiari, Less For Merson
Greg Merson raised to 90,000 and Antonio Esfandiari three-bet to 200,000 from his immediate left. The action folded back to Merson who called, and the flop brought out .
Merson checked to Esfandiari who bet 250,000. Merson check-raised to 625,000 and Esfandiari made the call.
The turn was the and Merson tanked for a bit before betting 230,000. Esfandiari quickly called and the river was the . Both players checked and Merson showed , which was no good versus Esfandiari's .
| Antonio Esfandiari | 6,400,000 | 1,520,000 |
| Greg Merson | 1,545,000 | -1,180,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:19 AM Local Time
Polk Picks Off Cates' Bluff
With 1.11 million in chips in the middle on the final board of , Doug Polk checked to Daniel Cates. Cates bet 650,000, and Polk went into the tank.
"Damnit, what should I do?" asked Polk after a minute or so.
A short little bit after, Polk made the call, and Cates responded by instantly mucking his hand. The dealer informed Polk that he must show, and Polk showed the .
"You're the best," commented Cates.
| Doug Polk | 3,550,000 | 850,000 |
| Daniel Cates | 1,345,000 | -1,965,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:11 AM Local Time
Sands of Time
John Juanda and David "Doc" Sands were heads up going to the flop in a raised pot. The dealer fanned on the felt and Juanda came out swinging with a bet of 80,000. Sands cut out a call and the came down on fourth street.
Juanda reached into his stack and moved out 180,000. Sands once again moved out a call, allowing the board to complete with the . After roughly 30 seconds, Juanda tapped the table and checked to Sands who knocked the felt right back. Juanda showed for merely ace-high and was ultimately bested by Sands' for a pair of jacks.
Sands pulled in the pot and now has about 4.03 million in chips while Juanda's stack has been decreased to 3.49 million.
| David Sands | 4,030,000 | 290,000 |
| John Juanda | 3,490,000 | -605,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:08 AM Local Time
Mercier Done In By Colman
From the hijack seat, Tony Gregg raised to 90,000. Jason Mercier reraised all in for 755,000 from the cutoff seat, and play folded over to Daniel Colman in the small blind. He took his time, then called. Everyone else, including Gregg, folded, and that left Colman to do battle with the at-risk Mercier.
Mercier had the , and Colman had the .
The flop came out to keep Colman in the lead. The on the turn changed everything, though, as it gave Mercier a pair of aces to put him in front. Needing to dodge a nine or a seven on the river, Mercier couldn't do it when the completed the board to give Colman a straight.
| Daniel Colman | 6,460,000 | 1,440,000 |
| Jason Mercier | 0 | -845,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:07 AM Local Time
Klein and Smith Take Turns Shoving on Table 349
Scott Seiver raised to 90,000 in the cutoff, Bill Klein called on the button, and Connor Drinan three-bet to 325,000 out of the small blind. Both Seiver and Klein called, putting over a million chips in the middle.
The trio all checked on a flop of , and the turn was a repeat seven - the . Drinan checked, Seiver tossed out 380,000, and Klein moved all in for 1.685 million. Drinan quickly folded, and Seiver mulled the decision over a bit before releasing as well.
On the next hand, Seiver raised to 90,000 out of the hijack seat. Klein called in the cutoff, Drinan called on the button, and Dan Smith moved all in out of the small blind. The action folded to Klein, who looked at Smith for a count.
"Seven-hundred and five 'K,'" Smith told him.
"Thank you," Klein responded.
He eventually folded, and as Drinan was about to muck, Smith raised his arm in the air in victory. Drinan paused for a beat, then finally pushed his cards into the muck. Smith received a hearty high-five from his neighbor Brandon Steven, and was overheard saying something about having "large balls" to jam into three opponents.
| Connor Drinan | 3,205,000 | -595,000 |
| Bill Klein | 3,020,000 | 895,000 |
| Scott Seiver | 1,810,000 | -1,015,000 |
| Dan Smith | 1,050,000 | 300,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 1:00 AM Local Time
Heinecker Losing Ground
As if word from the German camp couldn't get much worse, Niklas Heinecker has just dropped down to 510,000 in chips.
After shoving all in from the small blind over two limps (Rono Lo and Phil Ivey) and taking down the pot preflop, Heinecker lost a good chunk of his stack to Cary Katz on the very next hand.
Action folded to Heinecker on the button, and he raised to 80,000. Katz called from the big blind, and the flop came down . Both players checked, and the turn was the . Both checked again, and the river was the . Katz bet 40,000 and commented about his bet was a "weak nine." Heinecker raised to 135,000, and Katz called.
Heinecker showed the , but Katz had the for the better pair and he won the pot.
| Phil Ivey | 5,800,000 | -215,000 |
| Cary Katz | 3,225,000 | 435,000 |
| Rono Lo | 1,400,000 | 75,000 |
| Niklas Heinecker | 510,000 | -315,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 12:58 AM Local Time
Schwartz Sends Gruissem Packing
Noah Schwartz opened with a preflop raise to 110,000 only to have Philipp Gruissem three-bet ship all in over the top for right around 700,000. Action came back to Schwartz and he called.
Schwartz tabled and was racing with Gruissem for his tournament life with . The board ran out , allowing Schwartz to finish the hand with sevens full of fours. Gruissem was sent packing while Schwartz increased his stack to 6.455 million.
| Noah Schwartz | 6,455,000 | 1,010,000 |
| Philipp Gruissem | 0 | -495,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 12:53 AM Local Time
Shakerchi's Flopped Flush Sends Rast Packing
While following a hand on Phil Ivey's table we heard the dealer on the adjacent table announce, "Seat open!"
We rushed over to the table and saw Brian Rast gather his belonging, as he was just knocked out by Talal Shakerchi.
Isaac Haxton was kind enough to reconstruct the hand for us and he explained that Shakerchi raised under the gun and Rast called. The flop came down and Shakerchi checked. Rast bet, Shakerchi put his opponent all in and Rast called.
Shakerchi showed for a flopped flush while Rast was looking for a fourth heart with . The turn and river brought mere blanks and Rast the rail in the final level of the day.
| Talal Shakerchi | 2,650,000 | 465,000 |
| Brian Rast | 0 | -935,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 12:52 AM Local Time
Esfandiari Flirts With Five Million
Greg Merson opened the action with a raise to 85,000 and Antonio Esfandiari made it 185,000 from the next seat over in the cutoff. Erik Seidel was on the button and after a moment he moved out a four-bet to 425,000. The blinds folded and Merson followed suit, putting action back on the reigning champ. Esfandiari dipped into his stack and came out with a five-bet to 1.015 million. Seidel went deep into the tank.
After about two minutes of pondering his action, Seidel opted to flat call the five-bet. With well over two million in the middle, the duo took a flop of . It was roughly one minute before Esfandiari continued out for what looked to be 630,000. Seidel quickly released his cards and Esfandiari was pushed the sizable pot.
"I was not expecting that," said Esfandiari as he stacked his new chips. The reigning champion is now sitting on about 4.88 million in chips.
| Antonio Esfandiari | 4,880,000 | 1,030,000 |
| Erik Seidel | 3,200,000 | -1,300,000 |
Monday, June 30, 2014 12:49 AM Local Time
Altergott Doesn't Get a "Trickett"
Gabe Kaplan raised to 100,000 on the button, Max Altergott reraised to 240,000 out of the big blind, and Noah Schwartz cold four-bet to 1.7 million in the big blind. Kaplan, who had 2.1 million behind, folded, and Altergott, who started the hand with 1.865 million, went deep into the tank.
While he mulled the decision over, the German started to look around the room. He wasn't looking at anything or anyone in particular - and he would turn his attention to Schwartz every so often - and his eyes darted back and forth.
"Sorry guys," he said after three or for minutes.
He eventually grabbed his entire stack with one hand and the cards with the other. One second it looked as if he was going to fold, and the next he was going to commit all of his chips.
Finally he moved all in for a little more than Schwartz's raise, and Schwartz turned his hand over, signifying a call.
Schwartz:
Altergott:
Schwartz took the lead on a flop of , and the on the turn was a brick.
"Come on!" Altergott said. "Give me a Trickett!"
Altergott was not dealt a "Trickett," rather he was eliminated when the completed the board. He was the third player eliminated from Table 354 today.
Schwartz is up to 5.445 million.
| Noah Schwartz | 5,445,000 | 2,000,000 |
| Gabe Kaplan | 2,140,000 | -105,000 |
| Max Altergott | 0 | -1,870,000 |