Friday, July 13, 2018 11:04 PM Local Time
Tanouye Bags Overall Chip Lead in Day 1b of $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold'em
Out of the 947 entries to try their luck on Day 1b of Event #75: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold'em, just 96 bagged chips at the conclusion of play.
With two starting flights now in the books, no player has accumulated a stack larger than that of Jeffrey Tanouye, who advanced to Day 2 with a stack of 601,000. Tanouye vaulted into the chip lead about an hour after the dinner break when he stacked two players who both held pocket kings when he held pocket queens by flopping a set and turning a boat. Jerry Robinson bagged the next largest stack with 533,000. But with Day 1c still to be played, there's room for a new leader to emerge before Day 2.
Several familiar faces advanced alongside the chip leaders, including Aaron Mermelstein (327,000), Tristan Wade (264,000), David "ODB" Baker (206,000), Scott Bohlman (134,000), Benny Glaser (94,000), Kelly Minkin (71,000), and 2014 Main Event champion Martin Jacobson (62,000).
Unfortunately, not all the fan favorites were fortunate enough to survive the day. Most notably, Phil Hellmuth, who won his fifteenth career bracelet yesterday, busted on the final hand of the night. Jesse Sylvia also left with a consolation prize, while Barry Greenstein, Maria Konnikova, Matt Stout, Andrew Barber, and Chris Ferguson all left empty-handed.
Day 1c will begin Saturday, July 14, at 11am PST and will follow the same structure as the previous two starting flights. All players will combine for Day 2 action Sunday, July 15, at noon. Keep it here for continuing coverage of this tournament, and of course, the final table of the Main Event brought to you by the PokerNews Live Reporting team.
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:49 PM Local Time
End of Day Chip Counts
Jeffrey Tanouye | 601,000 | 0 |
Jerry Robinson | 533,000 | 0 |
Kevin Wang | 353,000 | 353,000 |
Michael Wasserman | 349,000 | 306,000 |
Chad Layne | 332,000 | 0 |
Aaron Mermelstein | 327,000 | 0 |
Tyler Patterson | 324,000 | 324,000 |
Mark Babekov | 316,000 | 316,000 |
Barry Hutter | 302,000 | 302,000 |
Tristan Wade | 264,000 | 0 |
Dylon Chafin | 252,000 | 252,000 |
Richard Cox | 241,000 | 241,000 |
Artur Koren | 233,000 | 233,000 |
Jeff Siegal | 232,000 | 232,000 |
Frank Stepuchin | 215,000 | 0 |
David Baker | 206,000 | 206,000 |
Thomas Boivin | 204,000 | 204,000 |
Keith Donovan | 204,000 | 14,000 |
Krzysztof Stybaniewicz | 202,000 | 202,000 |
Minh Tran | 201,000 | 201,000 |
Veerachai Vongxaiburana | 192,000 | 0 |
Narimaan Ahmadi | 188,000 | 188,000 |
Brian Berlin | 184,000 | -35,000 |
Edouard Echinard | 182,000 | 0 |
Sampson Simmons | 178,000 | 178,000 |
Robert Nehorayan | 174,000 | 174,000 |
Danny Noam | 174,000 | 174,000 |
James Romero | 168,000 | 168,000 |
Aaron Frei | 168,000 | 168,000 |
Todd Butts | 160,000 | 160,000 |
Larry Nance | 159,000 | 159,000 |
Yoon Kim | 155,000 | 155,000 |
Patrick Truong | 155,000 | 155,000 |
Samuel Phillips | 155,000 | 155,000 |
Tony Scherer | 147,600 | 147,600 |
Albert Ng | 147,000 | 147,000 |
Scott Sanders | 145,000 | 145,000 |
Brayden Gazlay | 144,000 | 144,000 |
Joe Serock | 140,000 | 0 |
Ryan Skop | 139,000 | 0 |
Perati Muhamet | 137,000 | 137,000 |
Chase Bianchi | 134,000 | -24,800 |
Scott Bohlman | 134,000 | 0 |
Adrian Moreno | 128,000 | -7,000 |
Christopher Staats | 128,000 | 128,000 |
Jared Hamby | 127,000 | 0 |
Vasili Firsau | 124,000 | 124,000 |
Dan Iman | 122,000 | 122,000 |
Aaron Miles | 122,000 | 84,500 |
Philip Ford | 121,000 | 121,000 |
Jesse Martin | 121,000 | 121,000 |
Yan Shing Tsang | 121,000 | 121,000 |
Michael Gagliano | 120,000 | 120,000 |
Ryan Buckholtz | 117,000 | 117,000 |
Daniel Pauly | 117,000 | 117,000 |
Gary Hasson | 115,000 | -6,000 |
Jonathan Zarin | 115,000 | -10,700 |
Matthew Lambrecht | 112,000 | 112,000 |
Jesse Yaginuma | 108,000 | 108,000 |
Riley Keohen | 105,000 | 105,000 |
Ozgur Arda | 102,000 | 102,000 |
Yang Zhang | 101,000 | 101,000 |
Scott Peterson | 100,000 | 100,000 |
William Migely | 99,000 | 99,000 |
Richard Bianchi | 95,000 | 95,000 |
Benny Glaser | 94,000 | 0 |
Brian Richardson | 94,000 | 94,000 |
Phil Laak | 94,000 | 0 |
Kolade Akadiri | 93,000 | 93,000 |
Renato Nomura | 92,000 | 0 |
Matthew Stein | 92,000 | 92,000 |
Park Yu Cheung | 91,000 | 91,000 |
Javier Montano | 91,000 | 91,000 |
Kurt Jewell | 90,000 | 90,000 |
Joseph Hebert | 84,000 | 84,000 |
Simon Deadman | 83,000 | 83,000 |
Joseph Cheong | 77,000 | 36,500 |
Chris Dasilva | 74,400 | 74,400 |
Matt Glantz | 74,000 | 0 |
Grzegorz Wyraz | 73,000 | 0 |
Kevin Eyster | 73,000 | 0 |
Negie Marucci | 72,000 | 72,000 |
Kelly Minkin | 71,000 | 0 |
Julius Malzanini | 67,000 | -21,000 |
Phong Than Nguyen | 67,000 | 67,000 |
Bruce McPhillips | 64,000 | 64,000 |
John Zentner | 63,000 | -30,000 |
Martin Jacobson | 62,000 | 0 |
Scott Davies | 57,000 | -18,000 |
Franklin Sears | 57,000 | 57,000 |
Rex Clinkscales | 52,000 | -1,000 |
Georgy Philippovich | 48,000 | 48,000 |
Pakinai Lisawad | 38,000 | 38,000 |
Bryce Landier | 36,000 | 36,000 |
Sergio Grosso | 30,000 | 30,000 |
Randall Wilson | 21,000 | 21,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:39 PM Local Time
End of Day 1b
Play for Day 1b has concluded. A recap of the day's action will be posted in due course.
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:21 PM Local Time
Four More Hands
Four more hands will be played at each table before the remaining players bag and tag for the night.
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:21 PM Local Time
Sylvia Stacked by Stepuchin
Scott Davies relayed that Jesse Sylvia was just eliminated in the following manner:
Sylvia shoved from middle position for about four big blinds, action folded to Frank Stepuchin in the small blind, and, chicken wing still in hand, he called in the dark to put Sylvia at risk. The big blind folded and the two players tabled their hands.
Jesse Sylvia:
Frank Stepuchin:
Sylvia was ahead and Stepuchin needed to improve in order to stack him. The board missed Sylvia entirely but Stepuchin paired his four to win the pot and send Sylvia to the payout desk.
Frank Stepuchin | 225,000 | 90,000 |
Jesse Sylvia | 0 | -78,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:12 PM Local Time
Some Updated Post-Bubble Counts
Anson Tsang | 197,000 | 32,000 |
Jared Hamby | 160,000 | 115,000 |
David "ODB" Baker | 151,000 | -19,000 |
Kelly Minkin | 93,000 | 16,500 |
Sparrow Cheung | 83,500 | 22,500 |
Phil Hellmuth | 81,000 | -57,000 |
Scott Bohlman | 75,000 | 15,000 |
Martin Jacobson | 74,500 | 9,500 |
Matt Glantz | 56,500 | 5,500 |
Dylan Linde | 51,000 | -56,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:05 PM Local Time
Donovan Sends Another One Out
Keith Donovan opened to 12,000 from middle position. The player on the button three-bet shoved for 55,000. Donovan made the call.
Keith Donovan:
Opponent:
The runout was and Donovan took down the pot, eliminating his opponent.
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:01 PM Local Time
Level 18 started
Level: 18
Blinds: 2500/5000
Ante: 500
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:01 PM Local Time
Davies Doubles With Kings
Bracelet winner Scott Davies was in middle position and got his stack in preflop against a player in early position who had him covered.
Scott Davies:
Opponent:
Davies had a commanding lead with his kings and his opponent needed to improve in order to stack him. After the board ran out Davies was still best and he took the pot to double up.
Scott Davies | 75,000 | -1,900 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 10:00 PM Local Time
Money Bubble Bursts, Money Split
Keith Donovan opened to 11,000 under the gun. The player from one seat over shoved for 19,000. Action folded back to original raiser who made the call.
Keith Donovan:
Opponent:
The board ran and Donovan took down the pot, eliminating his opponent.
Since another player was eliminated at another table simultaneously, the money bubble was split and the two players eliminated took home $1,121 each.
Keith Donovan | 142,000 | 142,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:45 PM Local Time
Bubble Reached
With 144 players remaining and 143 places paid, the tournament has reached the bubble. Play will be hand-for-hand until it breaks.
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:41 PM Local Time
Hand-for-Hand
There are 144 players left out of 947. With 143 being guaranteed to min-cash, play is now in hand-for-hand mode.
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:29 PM Local Time
Hellmuth Overshoves
Action folded to Phil Hellmuth in the hijack and he raised to 12,000. The player in the big blind was the only caller.
The flop came ,the big blind checked, and Hellmuth jammed for over 100,000. His opponent, who had about 70,000, folded, and the dealer pushed the pot Hellmuth's way.
Phil Hellmuth | 138,000 | 20,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:26 PM Local Time
Bubble In Sight
The tournament clock shows 150 players left out of 947. With 143 players being guaranteed a min-cash of $2,242, they are now close to the money bubble.
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:21 PM Local Time
Level 17 started
Level: 17
Blinds: 2000/4000
Ante: 500
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:04 PM Local Time
Break
Players are now on their last 20-minute break of the day.
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:03 PM Local Time
''I'm Not Looking At the Card''
On a flop of , Frank Stepuchin bet 8,900 in the big blind. The player on the cutoff raised to 18,000.
''Where are you from?'' asked Stepuchin while eating a chicken wing. His opponent didn't answer. Stepuchin called.
The turn brought the . Stepuchin checked. The cutoff continued with a bet of 20,000.
''Again, where are you from? Do you have any questions for me?'' continued Stepuchin. He still didn't get an answer, and proceeded to call.
The river filled up the board. ''I'm not looking at the card even though I can see it from the corner of my eye. You've been looking at me the entire time. Did I look at the card?'' Stepuchin asked. ''Can I ask you a question?'' he continued. His opponent didn't react and Stepuchin checked. His opponent checked back.
Stepuching tabled and his opponent mucked. ''Yes!'' celebrated Stepuchin. "If I have 600,000 in front of me I will get rid of this chicken wing."
''If you have 600,000 in front of you, you go get another chicken wing,'' answered Jesse Sylvia, jokingly, sitting at his table.
Frank Stepuchin | 135,000 | 47,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 9:01 PM Local Time
Cheung Folds to a Check-Shove
Action folded to Sparrow Cheung in the hijack and he opened to 7,000. The small blind didn't see the raise and tried to complete, but he realized his mistake and ended up calling the 7,000. The big blind called, as well.
The flop came and both blinds checked. Cheung bet 12,500, the small blind folded, and the big blind check-raised all in for 44,300. Cheung went into the tank briefly before he folded and the big blind took the pot.
Sparrow Cheung | 61,000 | 41,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 8:47 PM Local Time
Baker Bets and Wins
There were about 25,000 chips in the pot and the flop was out when we got to the table. David "ODB" Baker bet 6,500 from middle position, the hijack called, and Martin Jacobson folded from the button.
The fell on the turn and both players checked.
The river brought the , Baker bet 6,500, the hijack folded, and Baker took the chips.
David "ODB" Baker | 170,000 | 14,000 |
Martin Jacobson | 65,000 | 50,000 |
Friday, July 13, 2018 8:44 PM Local Time
Sylvia Finds a Double
The player under the gun raised. Jesse Sylvia, on the cutoff, moved all in for 37,100. Action folded back to the original raiser who tank-called.
Jesse Sylvia:
Opponent:
The board ran and Sylvia got doubled up.
Jesse Sylvia | 78,000 | 35,000 |