Monday, July 2, 2018 2:44 PM Local Time
Rockowitz Wins One From Myers
Jesse Rockowitz opened to 800 under the gun. Chuck Myers, in middle position, called.
The flop came . Rockowitz bet 600. Myers called. The turn was the . Rockowitz checked. Myers bet 2,300. Rockowitz check-called. The filled up the river and was checked around. Rockowitz showed . His opponent sent his hand to the muck.
| Jesse Rockowitz | 49,000 | |
| Chuck Myers | 45,000 | |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:42 PM Local Time
Abdulazeem Eliminated
Abdullah Abdulazeem is eliminated from the tournament in the second level of Day 1a. There was a raise to 1,200, a three-bet to 2,600, a four-bet to 6,000 and Abdulazeem five-bet all-in for about 26,000. The only player to call was the four-bettor who showed and he was miles ahead of Abdulazeem's .
The board ran out and Abdulazeem was eliminated from the 2018 World Series of Poker Main Event.
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:41 PM Local Time
Reixach Among Early Casualties
There is an open seat on the table of Justin Bonomo and the Spanish colleagues confirmed that Sergi Reixach had been sent to the rail from there. Reixach was involved in a cooler when he flopped middle set with a pair of eights only for Bret Maynard to turn over top set of kings upon showdown on the river.
Stand-up comedian Ray Romano has also joined the mix and some other early big stacks are Seth Davies and Lisa Pickell.
| Seth Davies | 110,000 | 25,000  |
| Bret Maynard | 105,000 | |
| Lisa Pickell | 95,000 | |
| Arne Ruge | 60,000 | -4,000  |
| Ray Romano | 55,000 | |
| Sergi Reixach | 0 | |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:38 PM Local Time
Houston Takes a Few Chips Back With Big Slick
The board showed , Robert Beaulieu led out for 1,000 into a pot around 5,000, a late position opponent called and Paul Houston made the call as well from the cutoff.
The dealer flipped over a on the turn and Beaulieu bet 2,000. The action folded to Houston who chucked in the 2,000 and the then hit the river.
Beaulieu threw out a 2,000 bet again and once again Houston made the call. Beaulieu turned over for a pair of kings and Houston showed for a pair of kings with a higher kicker, enough to pull in the pot.
| Paul Houston | 47,100 | |
| Robert Beaulieu | 44,500 | |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:37 PM Local Time
Middle Pair is Enough for Luth
Peyman Luth raised to 800 from early position and the player in the cutoff called. Orson Young called from the big blind and they went three handed to the flop.
Young checked and Luth tossed out a bet of 1,200. The player in the cutoff called and Young folded. The turn was the and Luth bet 4,500.
The cutoff called and both players checked the river card. Luth rolled over his for middle pair and that was enough to earn him the pot.
| Peyman Luth | 85,000 | 36,000 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:32 PM Local Time
Why Is Eugene Katchalov Late to the WSOP?
Eugene Katchalov just arrived at the Rio Las Vegas to play his first World Series of Poker event: the 888poker Crazy 8's tournament. Katchalov has been staying busy outside of poker. He got married, started an e-sports company and has been traveling the world.
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:30 PM Local Time
Mechammil Takes it On the Turn
Hassan Mechammil opened to 1,000 from early position. Alexander Krisak, from one seat over called, along with Loi Nguyen from the big blind.
A flop of was dealt. Nguyen checked and Mechammil bet 1,500. Krisak called and Nguyen folded. The turn was the . Mechammil threw in a bet of 2,500, that was enough to get Krisak to fold.
| Hassan Mechammil | 55,000 | 55,000 |
| Alexander Krisak | 43,000 | 13,000 |
| Loi Nguyen | 28,000 | 28,000 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:25 PM Local Time
Another One for Ramdin
Victor Ramdin and Jared Bleznick were heads-up on the board. Bleznick checked and Ramdin bet 5,300 into a main pot of 8,000. Bleznick called and both players quickly checked when the hit the river.
Ramdin tabled his for the nut straight and Bleznick mucked his hand face down.
| Victor Ramdin | 108,500 | -6,500 |
| Jared Bleznick | 51,800 | 7,300 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:25 PM Local Time
Defending Champion Blumstein Takes a Seat
Defending WSOP Main Event champion Scott Blumstein has entered the fray on Day 1a and, despite not being involved in any of the action yet, has already made an impact on his table. All smiles, very chatty and interacting with the other players at the table, the atmosphere is very relaxed.
The table also features three-time WSOP bracelet winner Brian Yoon, Jean Montury and Lacey Jones.
Yoon just raised to 800 first to act and was called by Joseph Ingalls in the big blind. After a flop both players checked. Ingalls checked the turn, Yoon bet 1,000 and folded to Ingall's check-raise of 4,500.
| Brian Yoon | 75,000 | 8,000 |
| Jean Montury | 52,000 | |
| Scott Blumstein | 49,000 | |
| Lacey Jones | 48,000 | 1,500 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:22 PM Local Time
More For Stuve
Robert Stuve opened to 650 from middle position. The player from one seat over called.
The dealer spread a flop of . Stuve bet 650. His opponent called. The turn brought the . Stuve continued for 1,250. His opponent called again. The filled up the river and Stuve fired 3,400. His opponent gave up his hand.
| Robert Stuve | 89,000 | 9,000 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:21 PM Local Time
Ladies Treat Khuu Right
The board read , James Juvancic checked from early position and Chuc Khuu bet 2,600 from late position into a pot around 5,000. The cutoff stuck around and so did Juvancic.
The turn came the , action checked to Khuu who fired out 7,000, the cutoff folded and Juvancic made the call. The river fell a and both players checked, Juvancic tabled for a pair of sixes and Khuu then showed for a pair of queens, taking down the pot.
| Chuc Khuu | 80,300 | |
| James Juvancic | 20,350 | |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:14 PM Local Time
Gabel Versus Katz
Vincent Gabel raised from middle position to 650 and both players in the blinds called. All three players checked on the board and the turn was added on to the board.
This time the small blind checked to Cary Katz in the big blind and the latter bet out 1,200. Gabel called and the player in the small blind folded.
The river was the and Katz fired another bet. He put 2,800 in the middle and Gabel called after about a minute. Katz tabled for missed flush draw and Gabel won with
| Vincent Gabel | 76,000 | 19,000 |
| Cary Katz | 43,000 | -1,000 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:12 PM Local Time
Updated Chip Counts
| Jameson Painter | 59,000 | 59,000 |
| Jake Schindler | 51,500 | -500 |
| Brian Rast | 50,000 | 0 |
| Scott Margereson | 45,000 | 45,000 |
| Stephen Chidwick | 42,300 | -7,700 |
| Pratyush Buddiga | 39,500 | -11,000 |
| Orson Young | 31,000 | 31,000 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:12 PM Local Time
Dougles Takes From Duthweiler
On the flop of , Tobias Duthweiler check-called a bet of 1,300 by Shane Douglas and check-raised the turn from 2,100 to 8,600 out of the blinds. Douglas didn't go anywhere and called to see the on the river. Both players elected to check and Duthweiler announced "I have a six," while Douglas rolled over the to drag in the big pot.
| Shane Douglas | 75,000 | 75,000 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:07 PM Local Time
Straight For Perez
Cesar Perez opened to 1,200 from early position. Van Tran, on the cutoff, called.
The flop came . Perez bet 1,600. Tran called. The dealer burned and turned the . Perez checked. Tran fired 2,000. Perez check-called. The river completed the board and was checked around. Tran tabled and Perez revealed for a rivered straight to win the pot.
| Van Tran | 52,000 | 52,000 |
| Cesar Perez | 41,000 | 41,000 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:05 PM Local Time
Stuve Stacks Further Chips
Joining the action on the heads-up flop of , Kalidou Sow led for 3,000 and Robert Stuve raised it up to 6,500, which Sow called. Both ended up checking down the turn and the river and Stuve showed for a straight to win the pot.
"It is good to run in the Main Event, but most people save it for level 18 and later," Frank Kassela joked from the other side of the table before adding "I am rooting for you." Stuve is the current chip leader on the table that is filled with big names such as Kassela, Sow and Antonio Esfandiari.
Below are further assorted counts from the Orange section.
| Igor Merda | 85,000 | 35,000 |
| Robert Stuve | 80,000 | 19,000 |
| Quyen Phan | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| Andre Haneberg | 48,000 | -12,000 |
| Antonio Esfandiari | 38,000 | 3,000 |
| Kalidou Sow | 35,500 | -8,500 |
Monday, July 2, 2018 2:00 PM Local Time
Fishman Flops it and Holds on
Kenneth Fishman opened to 850 from under the gun, Bart Lybaert in the hijack, the cutoff, and Montgomery Cole in the small blind all called.
The flop fell , Fishman led for 1,000 and action folded to Cole who raised to 2,000. Fishman made the call and a fell on the turn.
This time it was Cole that led, he bet 2,000, Fishman quickly raised to 5,000 and Cole then three-bet to 10,000. Fishman thought for a second and then made the call.
The came on the river and both players decided to check. Cole turned over for two pair and Fishman turned over for a flopped straight, taking down the pot. "I didn't like that turn card," said Fishman as he stacked up some newly acquired chips.
| Kenneth Fishman | 66,850 | |
| Bart Lybaert | 49,000 | |
| Montgomery Cole | 34,000 | |
Monday, July 2, 2018 1:59 PM Local Time
Shober Sets Up Fandrich
Dave Shober raised to 750 from early position and Sam Soverel called. Samuel Fandrich re-raised to 3,900 from the button and both players called.
They went three handed to the flop and Shober led out with a bet of 6,700. Soverel folded, Fandrich called and the turn was the . Both players knuckled the felt and the completed the board.
Shober led out with a bet of 8,400 and Fandrich called. Shober turned over his for a flopped set of tens and Fandrich mucked.
| Dave Shober | 79,000 | 79,000 |
| Samuel Fandrich | 38,000 | |
Monday, July 2, 2018 1:57 PM Local Time
Kassela Loses to Stuve
Robert Stuve raised to 750 from late position and big blind Frank Kassela was the only player that called. The flop came down and Kassela check-called a bet of 1,300.
The turn was the and Kassela check-called again, but this time the bet was 2,000. The river completed the board and Kassela check-called a final time. The bet was 3,000 and after Kassela called Stuve opened up for top set and Kassela let go of his hand.
| Robert Stuve | 61,000 | 2,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 48,000 | |
Monday, July 2, 2018 1:55 PM Local Time
Moracastro Gets Klick to Fold
Jared Klick, under the gun, limped. Action folded to Jose Moracastro, on the cutoff, who raised to 800. Klick called.
Players saw a flop of . Klick checked. Moracastro bet 1,000. Klick check-called. The turn came the . Klick checked again. Moracastro continued for 2,000 and Klick called. The river completed the board and Klick checked for a third time. Moracastro threw in a bet of 5,000 and Klick tank-folded.
''Good fold,'' commented Moracastro raking in the pot.
| Jerad Klick | 42,000 | 42,000 |
| Jose Moracastro | 37,000 | 37,000 |