Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:19 PM Local Time
Assorted Chip Counts
| Billy Baxter | 73,500 | 73,500  |
| Kevin Rabichow | 72,000 | 12,000 |
| Perry Friedman | 71,000 | 11,000 |
| Johnnie Moreno | 68,000 | 8,000 |
| Frank Kassela | 62,200 | 2,200 |
| Connor Drinan | 58,500 | -1,500  |
| Stephen Chidwick | 37,100 | -22,900 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:18 PM Local Time
Rough Start Continues for Farber
Jay Farber mucked his losing hand in frustration by lifting his cards into the air and releasing them toward the dealer as his hand was no good after his opponent Adam Ross rivered two pair with , the turn being an ace and the river a five.
The 2013 Main Event runner-up shook his head and played with his early dwindled chip count.
| Adam Ross | 73,000 | 73,000 |
| Jay Farber | 34,000 | -18,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:14 PM Local Time
Gavin Bets into Steinberg
Max Steinberg and Lexy Gavin were heads up in a pot with on show. Gavin checked to Steinberg who had position and he checked it back.
On the turn, Gavin lead for 500 and Steinberg called. The river was a brick and Gavin barreled for 1,500, which Steinman quickly folded to.
| Lexy Gavin | 66,000 | 6,000 |
| Max Steinberg | 63,000 | 3,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:13 PM Local Time
Willson Catches a Big Bluff
Aaron Willson checked a flop from middle position, and Shawn Quinn bet 1,000 into a pot of 2,300 from the hijack. Shay Sarusi raised to 3,600 on the button, Willson called and Quinn folded.
The fell on the turn, and Willson checked. Sarusi bet 12,300, and Willson thought for a few moments before verbalizing a call.
Willson checked a third time on the river, and Sarusi emptied the clip with a bet of 11,000. Willson paused for just a moment this time before calling, and Sarusi grimaced before tabling for a pure bluff. Willson rolled over for trip fives, and he took down the big early pot.
| Aaron Willson | 97,500 | |
| Shawn Quinn | 56,200 | -3,800 |
| Shay Sarusi | 29,000 | |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:08 PM Local Time
Foxen Picks One Up
Four players invested 600 to see a flop, and action checked around to the turn. Alex Foxen, currently atop the Global Poker Index Rankings, announced, "Nine-hundred," before tossing a single 1k chip into the pot. One by one, his opponents folded, and Foxen, who was off to a slow start here in the early stages of Day 1a, picked up the pot.
| Alex Foxen | 51,500 | -8,500 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:08 PM Local Time
Former Champ Claims Two Pair
Gregory Back raised to 500 from the hijack only to have 2016 WSOP champ Qui Nguyen three-bet to 1,500 from the cutoff. The button and blinds all folded, but Back called to see a flop.
Back checked and folded when Nguyen continued for 2,400.
"Two pair," Nguyen told back with a sly smile.
| Qui Nguyen | 58,000 | 1,500 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:07 PM Local Time
Adams Put to Early Test
Brandon Adams was involved in a hand from middle position with Brian Brunner to his immediate left. They both saw a flop of . Action went check-check and the turn was the . Adams led out with a bet of 800. Brunner put in a raise to 2,400 which Adams called.
The river came the . Adams checked and Brunner decided to put him to the test with a 4,000 bet. Adams went into the tank and rubbed his forehead in thought while assessing the board. After about thirty seconds he relented and folded his hand.
| Brian Brunner | 65,000 | 65,000 |
| Brandon Adams | 54,000 | -6,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 1:03 PM Local Time
More Notables in Amazon Tan
Only around half the tables are in use at the moment in Amazon Tan but already there are a host of notable names in the field, including bracelet winners Kevin Gerhart, Max Steinberg and Joey Weissman.
| Joey Weissman | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Max Steinberg | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Georgios Karakousis | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Michael Lang | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Christopher Barrett | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Kevin Gerhart | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Jimmy Kebe | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Hye Park | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Lexy Gavin | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Kevin Berthelsen | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Brad Sailor | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Sergi Reixach | 60,000 | 60,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:59 PM Local Time
Chen Wins a Couple With Eights
There was over 9,000 in the pot in a blind-versus-blind battle on a board reading . Mo Chen had checked and action was back on him after his opponent put in a bet of 5,000. Chen check-raised to 12,000 and his opponent tossed in chips to call.
After calling, Chen's opponent turned over for a straight. Chen tabled for a rivered full house and took down the sizeable pot.
On the following hand, a player raised from the cutoff to 500 and Chen called on the button. The flop came and the original raiser made a continuation-bet of 800. Chen called and the two proceeded to check the turn and river .
At showdown, Chen's opponent announced he had no pair while Chen tabled and took down a second consecutive pot with pocket eights.
| Mo Chen | 71,200 | 71,200 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:59 PM Local Time
The 2016 WSOP Champ Takes His Seat
Table 442 in the purple section of the Amazon Room is tucked in the corner, and while the players there have been chatting and having a jovial time, things got a bit more serious when 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event Qui Nguyen took his seat in the tournament.
It was three years ago that Nguyen topped a 6,737-player field to win the Main Event for just over $8 million.
"I just enjoy playing with a professional player," said an excited Richard Lester seated two to Nguyen's left.
| Qui Nguyen | 60,000 | 60,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:56 PM Local Time
Faces In the Crowd
| Frank Kassela | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Kevin Rabichow | 60,000 | |
| Jason Mangold | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Brandon Shack-Harris | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Johnnie Moreno | 60,000 | 60,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:55 PM Local Time
My Stack App Activated
PokerNews has activated the My Stack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone.
You can download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately. Your followers can see all the live action that you're involved in.
Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:55 PM Local Time
Fox Chipping Up Early
Two-time WSOP gold bracelet winner Elio Fox checked a board from the big blind, and his opponent on the button bet 1,200 into a pot of around 1,500.
Fox woke up with a check-raise to 5,200, sending his opponent into the tank. After a minute, he slowly slid his cards to the dealer, shipping the pot to Fox.
| Elio Fox | 70,000 | 10,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:47 PM Local Time
Top Pair, Top Kicker No Good For Farber
On the turn the board read , after a check James Church bet 2,200 which was called by 2013 Main Event runner up Jay Farber.
The river was the . Farber checked and Church checked back. Farber hopefully turned over but that was only second best to the wheel of Church. Farber waved his hand as if to say 'go ahead, take the pot' as it was pushed towards Church.
| James Church | 68,000 | 68,000 |
| Jay Farber | 52,000 | -8,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:46 PM Local Time
Maccaroni Gets the River Fold
Matthew Maccaroni checked from early position against an opponent on the hijack, and the opponent checked back with the board showing . The river brought the , Maccaroni bet 1,800 and the opponent immediately folded.
"The river was not as kind to me," said the opponent, as Maccaroni raked in the pot and chipped up to 74,000.
| Matthew Maccaroni | 74,000 | 74,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:42 PM Local Time
Torelli Picks Off a Bluff
A player in the hijack opened to 600 and received calls from Alec Torelli on the button as well as both players in the blinds. The four players saw a flop of and action checked to Torelli, who bet 1,200. Only the big blind called as action went heads up to the turn . The big blind led out for 2,200 and Torelli called.
The river was and the big blind led again for 3,300. Torelli looked him up.
The big blind tabled for ace high and Torelli showed and took down the pot with his pair of nines.
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:42 PM Local Time
Welcome to the Party
| Donnacha O'Dea | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Barry Faecher | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Neil Patel | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Paul Balzano | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Brandon Adams | 60,000 | |
| Darren Rabinowitz | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Kane Lai | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Tom Koral | 60,000 | 60,000 |
| Ema Zajmovic | 60,000 | 60,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:40 PM Local Time
More Faces In Orange
There are even more familiar faces visible throughout Amazon Orange.
| Connor Drinan | 60,000 | |
| Katie Lindsay | 60,000 | |
| Brian Hastings | 60,000 | |
| Mike Del Vecchio | 60,000 | |
| Heidi May | 60,000 | |
| Michael Marder | 60,000 | |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:36 PM Local Time
Gerecke Goes Up
Mark Gerecke faced a 2,300 bet from an opponent on the big blind, with the board reading . Gerecke called, and the river brought the . Gerecke showed and took down the pot with his top pair.
The same two players went head-to-head again on the following hand, with Gerecke getting the best of it once more. Gerecke's was the winner on a board, and after that small pot he's up to 68,000 on Level 1.
| Mark Gerecke | 68,000 | 68,000 |
Wednesday, July 3, 2019 12:33 PM Local Time
Griener Takes Pot With Two Pair
Action picked up on the turn with a board that read . Jared Griener bet 1,800 and his opponent called. The river was the . Griener fired again, this time for 2,500 and got a quick call.
Griener turned over which bested the of his opponent to take an early pot.
| Jared Griener | 67,000 | 7,000 |