Wednesday, June 1, 2016 1:04 PM Local Time
The first four levels are complete, and the field is on a 20-minute break.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 1:04 PM Local Time
Mike Majerus, who won a 2002 WSOP bracelet in Limit Hold 'em for $407,120, has amassed one of the biggest stacks in the room.
"Tanya is giving me tips," he says, pointing to one of his tablemates. Then he adds, "I need a nap."
As the tournament reaches its first break, Majerus holds about 27,000 chips.
Mike Majerus - 27,000
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 1:04 PM Local Time
Peter Lynn raises to 700 from early position, and the hijack and cutoff both call before the button moves all-in for 3,350. Action folds around to Lynn who calls, and both the hijack and cutoff quickly fold.
Another player wishes the button good luck, and he says, "I'll need it!"
He's right.
Peter Lynn tables and the button flips over . The flop comes , giving Lynn a set and extending his lead considerably. The turn leaves the button drawing dead, and the falls on the river to give Lynn a full house and a nice pot.
Peter Lynn - 16,000
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 1:00 PM Local Time
Valerie Cross is heads up on a board reading . She shoves all in for 3,650 into a pot of about 5,000.
Her opponent seems to have a very tough decision. He holds chips in his hand and claps them together a few times. He then grabs the chip protecting his cards and pushes his hand into the muck.
"Good hand," he says to Cross as she collects her winnings.
Cross has been a little up and down, but is now back to almost double the starting stack.
Valerie Cross - 9,300
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 1:00 PM Local Time
Joseph "Jammin' Jay" Zeman is no stranger to the Casino Employees event. He made the final table for an eighth-place finish five years ago, and he said he's looking to grab the bracelet before his eligibility for the event ends this year.
But he starts the hand down from his 5,000-chip starting stack when he raises to 500 from under the gun. He is called by another early player, and by Peter Lynn, the big stack at the table, who is in the small blind. The flop is and Zeman pushes a yellow 1,000 chip forward. Neither of his opponents call, and Zeman takes in some much-needed chips before the first break of the day.
Joseph Zeman - 5,700
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:44 PM Local Time
Denise Terry is one of four players who limp to see the flop. The action checks to Terry, who bets 500, and two players call.
The turn is the , which puts three hearts on the board. The first player to act doesn't get the chance to do so before Terry tosses a 1,000 chip into the pot. She then takes it back, realizing the first player hadn't acted yet. He checks, she bets the 1,000 and the next player calls. The first player then folds.
The river is the and Terry is now first to act. She leads for 1,000 and her opponent calls. Terry shows for the nut flush.
"I had a flush too," her opponent says before mucking. "A smaller one."
Denise Terry - 7,700
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:43 PM Local Time
Last year's champ of this event, Brandon Barnette raises to 400 in middle position and the small blind calls.
The flop comes . Both players check.
The turn comes and the small blind checks.The dealer mistakenly thinks Barnette has checked behind, but he actually had not acted and bets 750 right as the dealer turns over the on the river. Given that a card was exposed and it is unclear whether Barnette bet out of position on the river or in position on the turn, a floorperson is called over for a ruling.
The floorperson rules that the bet was on the turn and the action stands, so the will be shuffled back into the deck and a new river will be dealt . Barnette's opponent calls the 750-chip bet.
The new river is the . Both players check. Barnette shows the and his opponent shows for a chopped pot.
Brandon Barnette - 8,300
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:41 PM Local Time
The number on the clock has climbed to 688 entries for Event #1, matching last year's field size just three levels into the day. Registration and single re-entry are available for another two hours, or until about 2:20 p.m., so that number will continue to grow as the afternoon progresses.
The record for attendance in this event was set back in 2006 when 1,232 players participated. That number is probably out of reach this year, but today's turnout will still represent a nice increase over last year's WSOP opener.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:36 PM Local Time
Level: 4
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 25
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:35 PM Local Time
WSOP Live Updates reporter Valerie Cross has more than 10,000 chips and opens under the gun to 350. She is called by both of the blinds.
The flop is . The small blind checks, then Stephen Lieberman in the big blind bets 750. Cross calls and the small blind folds.
Lieberman and Cross both check the on the turn. The river is the and Lieberman bets 1,250. Cross plays with her chips for a short time before folding, thus slipping under twice the starting stack.
Stephen Lieberman - 7,700
Valerie Cross - 9,325
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:34 PM Local Time
A player in early position limps in before David Tuchman raises all in from middle position for 1,175. The player on the button calls and the initial limper folds.
Tuchman:
Opponent:
The flop is , giving Tuchman's opponent a pair of aces.
"Not looking good," says Tuchman, "Ten of hearts."
The turn is , giving Tuchman a flush draw.
"Heart, heart, heart," requests Tuchman.
The river is the , giving Tuchman a king-high flush to double up.
David Tuchman - 2,700
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:17 PM Local Time
The player in the hijack opens to 450 and Glenn Okada calls from the button.
The flop comes and the preflop raiser bets 750. Okada counts out his chips and hesitates for a moment.
"All in," he says.
Okada puts his last 1,950 into the pot and his opponent leans back for a second. His opponent eventually calls and the two are all in for Okada's tournament life.
The turn and the river complete the board with the and the and Okada doubles up.
Okada -
Opponent -
Glenn Okada - 5,600
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:09 PM Local Time
Hiromasa Ogawa raises from late position to 250. The button and big blind call.
The flop comes . The big blind checks. Ogawa bets 200 and the button folds.
The turn comes . The big blind checks, Ogawa studies and checks behind.
The river is the . The big blind bets 600 and, without much hesitation, Ogawa raises to 2,000. The big blind calls and Ogawa tables to win with a full house.
Hiromasa Ogawa - 14,000
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:06 PM Local Time
Peter Lynn recounted the first hand of the Casino Employees tournament at his table. He called a raise holding , and saw a flop of . Both players' chips were all-in after another diamond on the turn, with Lynn's opponent showing . The river was another ; Lynn had both trips and a king-high flush to crack the aces. He has continued to amass chips in the first hour of the tournament, and has nearly three times the starting stack.
Peter Lynn - 14,500
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:03 PM Local Time
Level: 3
Blinds: 75/150
Ante: 25
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 12:03 PM Local Time
Following a flop of with roughly 1,800 in the pot, the player who is under the gun checks to Carl Vidal in the cutoff, and Vidal checks as well.
The turn is the and Vidal's opponent bets 1,000. After a few moments, Vidal calls to see the river. The under-the-gun player opts to fold his hand, giving Vidal the pot with no river action.
Carl Vidal - 5,600
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 11:57 AM Local Time
Chad Holloway has been having a rollercoaster day up to this point. He was just eliminated in Level 2 when he flopped two pair with and his opponent flopped a set of aces with . We don't know yet if he'll take the rebuy.
Chad Holloway - 0
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 11:54 AM Local Time
Andrew Del Rio is one of four players to see the flop. The first player to act shoves all in for his remaining 1,225.
"That was fun," he says once his chips are all in the pot. "Good enough."
Del Rio is the only player to call and shows for top pair and a backdoor flush draw.
"I told myself I was going to go with any pair," says his opponent, as he turns over .
The turn and the river complete the board with and the and Del Rio scores the knockout.
Andrew Del Rio - 8,700
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 11:42 AM Local Time
Chad Holloway is in the big blind. A player from middle position raises preflop and Holloway defends. The flop comes and Holloway checks. His opponent makes it 325 to go. Then Holloway shoves all in for his last 2,700.
His opponent takes about 30 seconds, checks his cards again, then looks back at Holloway. After a couple more seconds, he folds.
Chad Holloway - 3,800
Wednesday, June 1, 2016 11:34 AM Local Time
Level: | 2 | | Blinds: | 50/100 | |