Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:18 PM Local Time
Laak Gives Up
It folded around to Darren Keyes on the button and he raised to 325. In the big blind was none other than Phil Laak and he defended his big blind.
The flop came down and Laak lead out himself with a bet of 375. Keyes called and the turn was added to the board. Laak checked this time and gave up after Keyes bet 675.
| Darren Keyes | 51,000 | 51,000  |
| Phil Laak | 49,000 | -1,000  |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:14 PM Local Time
Day 1b Field Approaching 2,000 Entries
While 925 players took part on Day 1a, today's field size has already climbed up to more than double of that with up to 1,905 entries. At least two players were eliminated in the Pavilion section mid-way through level one and the field size for the second of three starting days is expected to rise further in the hours to come.
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:10 PM Local Time
Magner Misses But Still Connects
The board read and James Magner bet 1,250 from the hijack into a pot around 2,000. The cutoff made the call and the turn came the .
Both players checked, the fell on the river and both players checked again. Magner turned over for a missed flush draw but still had tens up, his opponent mucked.
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:08 PM Local Time
Pulford Builds Stack
Four players including Jay Pulford and Christopher Frank invested 350 each to see a flop of and Kevin Ward bet 600 called, as did Ray Pulford, while Frank folded. Jason Paradis also came along to see the turn and the action was checked by Pulford, Paradis made it 1,700 to go and Ward called. Pulford then raised it up to 5,000 and that won the pot without further resistance.
| Ray Pulford | 55,000 | |
| Christopher Frank | 49,000 | -1,000 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:06 PM Local Time
Grossack Triumphs in Boat Over Boat Situation
When we arrived at the table Henry Liang had 11,850 in front of him and Adam Grossack had 6,500 in front of him. The board was already complete with on the board.
After a while, Grossack grabbed back his 6,500 to put in 5 chips of 5,000 to bet 25,000. Liang instantly called, but he saw the bad news when he tabled for a full house and saw Grossack open up .
Grossack won over half of Liang's starting stack with this hand.
| Adam Grossack | 77,000 | |
| Henry Liang | 23,000 | |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:06 PM Local Time
Late Registrations In Brasilia
| Alex Foxen | 50,000 | |
| Dan Harrington | 50,000 | |
| Brian Altman | 50,000 | |
| Kevin MacPhee | 50,000 | |
| Andreas Klatt | 50,000 | |
| Kelly Minkin | 50,000 | |
| Boris Kolev | 50,000 | |
| Bas De Laat | 50,000 | |
| Akash Seth | 50,000 | |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:04 PM Local Time
Khuri Check-Raises Elezra
Eli Elezra and Radwan Khuri were heads-up on the board. Khuri checked and Elezra bet 1,400 into a main pot of about 2,500. Khuri check-raised to 3,000 and Elezra called.
The river was the and Khuri checked to Elezra who thought for a few moments. "I'm not going to bet this because I don't think it's good" said Elezra as he turned over .
Elezra's read was correct and Khuri rolled over for eights full of fours to take the pot.
| Radwan Khuri | 55,000 | |
| Eli Elezra | 44,900 | -5,100 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 12:03 PM Local Time
Van Puffelen Flops Two Pair
Jesse Jones raised to 400 from the cutoff and was three-bet to 1,500 by Marijn van Puffelen in the small blind. Jamie Lunt folded his big blind so action was back on Jones who called.
The flop brought them the , Van Puffelen continued with a bet of 1,200 and Jones called.
The turn came with the , Van Puffelen bet another 3,500 into the pot and Jones called again.
The river completed the flush-draw on the board with the . Van Puffelen fired another 5,500 over the line. Jones looked at the board and at Van Puffelen. Jones decided to call. Van Puffelen tabled for the flopped two pair and took down the pot as Jones mucked his hand.
Two-time WSOP bracelet winner, Chris Bjorin is seated at the same table but wasn't involved in this hand.
| Marijn van Puffelen | 60,000 | |
| Chris Bjorin | 50,000 | |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:59 AM Local Time
Other Notables in Brasilia Room
Many players took their seat in Brasilia Room, including Doug Polk, the winner of last year $111,111 HIGH ROLLER for ONE DROP No-Limit Hold'em, and Anthony Zinno, who won the $25,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha in 2015. Jeremy Perrin, recent winner of Event #6: GIANT - $365 No-Limit Hold'em, is also among the field.
| Vitaly Lunkin | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Andrew Lichtenberger | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Anthony Zinno | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Fatima Nanji | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Katie Swift | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Melanie Weisner | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Robert Kuhn | 50,000 | |
| Dillon Ott | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Russell Rosenblum | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Jeremy Perrin | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Paul Volpe | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Ryan Rogers | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Doug Polk | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Shaun Deeb | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Stephen King | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Kyle Hartree | 50,000 | 0 |
| Lily Kiletto | 50,000 | 50,000 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:53 AM Local Time
Moss Off to a Good Start
The board read and Matthew Moss had bet 1,300 from the hijack and was called by Robert Irby in the under-the-gun position.
The on the river completed the board and Irby check-called the 3,000 bet of Moss. Moss tabled for the rivered trip jacks to take down the pot.
Immediately following that hand, Moss raised to 400 from under the gun. Steve McCluskey called in the hijack and so did Irby in the big blind.
They all checked through the on the flop to the on the turn. Irby then check-called the 1,500 bet of Moss and McCluskey folded.
The river completed the board with the , Irby now checked and Moss continued with a bet of 2,500 while watching the Columbia-England soccer game on the big screen. Irby considered his options for a while but then folded.
| Matthew Moss | 60,000 | 60,000 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:50 AM Local Time
Hastings Takes a Pot
Kenny Hallaert raised to 500 from under the gun and Paul Waring called. Brian Hastings called from the big blind and they went three handed to the flop.
The action checked around and the dealer burned and turned the . Hastings led out with a bet of 800, Hallaert folded and Waring called. They went heads-up to the river and Hastings fired out a bet of 3,000. Waring released his hand and Hastings took the pot.
| Brian Hastings | 51,000 | 1,000 |
| Paul Waring | 46,500 | |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:46 AM Local Time
Faces in Pavilion White
The following players have taken their seats at the tables here in the white section of the Pavilion room:
| Blake Bohn | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Antoine Saout | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Dieter Dechant | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Nick Petrangelo | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Anatoly Filatov | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Miguel Use | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Pierre Neuville | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Sergio Aido | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Richard Dubini | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Christophe De Meulder | 50,000 | |
| Shander de Vries | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Blake Whittington | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Jack Maskill | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Mark Vanderloo | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Jeff Lisandro | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Pieter Aerts | 50,000 | 50,000 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:43 AM Local Time
More Familiar Faces in Amazon Orange and Tan
| Jonas Lauck | 50,000 | |
| Michael Gagliano | 50,000 | |
| Josip Simunic | 50,000 | |
| Christopher Frank | 50,000 | |
| Hiep Doan | 50,000 | |
| Phil Laak | 50,000 | |
| Anuj Agarwal | 50,000 | |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:41 AM Local Time
Plenty of Further Notables Arrive in Amazon Gold
The table of Noah Schwartz got even more notable after Matt Giannetti and Ryan D'Angelo, while other notables such as Mark Gregorich, Patrick Serda and Carol Fuchs also sat down in the Amazon Gold section.
Kenny Hallaert, tournament director and WSOP Main Event finalist, can be found there as well and claimed an early pot when betting the heads-up turn of for 1,000 into a pot of 1,550 out of the big blind. His sole opponent was William Draper, who sent his cards into the muck.
| Kenny Hallaert | 50,800 | |
| Ryan D'Angelo | 50,000 | |
| Matt Giannetti | 50,000 | |
| Patrick Serda | 50,000 | |
| Mark Gregorich | 50,000 | |
| Carol Fuchs | 50,000 | |
| Daniel Murphy | 50,000 | 0 |
| Perry Friedman | 50,000 | 0 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:40 AM Local Time
Baksi Makes the Call on the River
The board read and Paul Baksi checked from late position. The player on the button bet 6,000 into a pot around 8,000 and Baksi quickly made the call.
His opponent turned over for a missed flush draw and Baksi tabled for two pair, securing the early in the day pot.
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:36 AM Local Time
Meyers Fires and Gets a Caller
The board read and Brandon Meyers put in a bet of 4,500 into a pot around 5,300. His opponent thought for just a moment and then made the call.
Meyers turned over for tens full of sevens and his opponent mucked his hand.
| Brandon Meyers | 58,100 | 8,100 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:30 AM Local Time
Some More Notables In Brasilia
| Kristen Bicknell | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Justin Liberto | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Mike Dentale | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Daniel Ott | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Michael Marder | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Kyle Hartree | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Simon Trumper | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Sam Cohen | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Johan Schumacher | 50,000 | 50,000 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:28 AM Local Time
Players in Brasilia Room
| Heidi May | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Neil Blumenfield | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Daiva Byrne | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Chanracy Khun | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Jake Schwartz | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Julien Sitbon | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Aaron Massey | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Mike Sexton | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Ludovic Riehl | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Michael Comisso | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Jared Griener | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Calvin Anderson | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Mustapha Kanit | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Thomas Muhlocker | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Jack Gong | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Jay Farber | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Nicolas Cardin | 50,000 | 50,000 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:26 AM Local Time
Merson Wasting No Time
Greg Merson and Roman Valerstein got involved in a pot the very first hand of the deck. There was close to 4,000 in the pot on the river on the board.
Valerstein checked and Merson tossed out a bet of 2,500. Valerstein folded and Merson was kind enough to turn over his . "I had to show you the very first hand" Merson said.
"I appreciate you showing me that" replied Valerstein and Merson scooped the pot.
| Greg Merson | 51,900 | 1,900 |
| Roman Valerstein | 48,100 | -1,900 |
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 11:20 AM Local Time
First Faces in Amazon Purple
Among those to take their seats in the Amazon Purple section were the one and only John Hesp, Barny Boatman, Tom Hall and Valentin Vornicu. Mike Krasienko is also in contention and got involved into an early pot. On the flop of , Krasienko bet 1,100 and folded to a raise.
| Alexis Fleur | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Barny Boatman | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Martin Staszko | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| John Hesp | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Valentin Vornicu | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| Mike Krasienko | 48,500 | -1,500 |
