Thursday, June 23, 2022 2:30 PM Local Time
Betancourt Rivers Top Boat
Action was picked up as Robbie Betancourt, on the button, called the small blind's shove of 11,500.
Small blind:
Robbie Betancourt:
Betancourt pulled way ahead when the flop gave him trip aces, leaving his opponent drawing incredibly thin. The turn changed nothing before the on the river needlessly improved Betancourt to aces full of kings. Betancourt scooped the pot while his opponent departed for the rail.
Thursday, June 23, 2022 2:26 PM Local Time
Rigby Nearly 97% Favorite to Win 80,000-Chip Pot, Settles for Painful Chop
Bill Hansen tossed his last 300 chips into the middle from under the gun and Randy Levin bet from late position. Phil Rigby raised from the cutoff and Levin called.
The flop came and the two eventually were all in with nearly 80,000 chips (200 big blinds) in the middle with Levin at risk.
Bill Hansen:
Randy Levin:
Phil Rigby:
While Hansen had flopped a straight for the few chips in the main pot, Rigby was lightyears ahead for the big sidepot and could only lose against running queens.
Despite having over 98% equity against Levin and being nearly a 97% favorite to win, a rolled off on the turn and an came on the river to put a straight on the board, resulting in max pain for Rigby and a second chance at life for Levin.
Hansen would be forced into the big blind the very next hand and was rivered to see him go bust with his first bullet of the day.
| Phil Rigby | 46,000 | 46,000  |
| Randy Levin | 38,000 | 38,000 |
| Bill Hansen | 600 | 600 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 2:11 PM Local Time
"Clean Living" for Larson
Over at table 503, Dan Casetta flagged down PokerNews to tell about Linda Larson, who has been running good in the early stages of today's tournament and has amassed one of the biggest stacks in the room.
"Clean Living is your title," Casetta said, "Let it be a lesson to the degenerates, you give up the drinking and the smoking and you start running good."
Casetta told us that during level 2, he played a hand against Larson. He had aces against Larson's jacks. "I tricked her into getting it all in preflop," he told us. Larson then turned a jack to make a set and bust Larson's aces to double up.
Not too long after, Larson ran queens into kings, and once again made a set when a queen came on the turn. This time, she delivered a knockout blow to her opponent.
This isn't Larson's first run in the Senior's Championship, as she placed 271st for a cash of $3,074 in the 2017 iteration of the tournament, the largest cash of her career. She'll look to match and exceed that level of success this year, and has positioned herself well in the early going to do just that.
| Linda Larson | 68,000 | 68,000 |
| Dan Casetta | 20,500 | 20,500 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 2:08 PM Local Time
Back-to-Back Aces for Mirabelli
Action was picked up when Eddie Mirabelli was all in and at risk against Brett Brucaleri in a 42,000 pot.
Eddie Mirabelli:
Brett Brucaleri:
The board came down and Mirabelli's aces held up.
In the very next hand, a player opened but made a mistake with the sizing. It was ruled he had to open to 10,000. Mirabelli was in middle position and pushed his stack all in. The opener was visibly unhappy, but elected to call it off.
Opponent:
Eddie Mirabelli:
It was back-to-back aces for Mirabelli, who raked in another stack after the board ran out .
| Eddie Mirabelli | 62,500 | 62,500 |
| Brett Brucaleri | 40,000 | 40,000 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 1:51 PM Local Time
Pruitt Flops Nuts, Holds to Eliminate Opponent
George Pruitt opened from under the gun and the big blind called.
The flop came . Pruitt and his opponent ended up in a raising war, with the big blind eventually being all in for his remaining 21,200 chips.
Big Blind:
George Pruitt:
Pruitt's straight would have to dodge a paired board in order to knock out the player in the big blind.
The turn brought the and the on the river sealed the big blind's fate.
| George Pruitt | 54,500 | 54,500 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 1:44 PM Local Time
Inselberg Wakes Up With Aces
After an under-the-gun raise to 900, David Toneman announced all-in for 12,000 in middle position.
On the button, Mark Montgomery just called, before David Inselberg reshoved all in from the big blind. Montgomery was visibly unpleased but finally called it off for his last 6,000. He was covered and also at risk.
David Toneman:
Mark Montgomery:
David Inselberg:
The dealer spread out to keep Inselberg' aces in the lead, who subsequently eliminated two players in one hand.
| David Inselberg | 69,000 | 69,000 |
| Mark Montgomery | 0 | 0  |
| David Toneman | 0 | -17,500 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 1:42 PM Local Time
Select Chip Counts from Bally's
| Joe Schulman | 50,000 | 50,000 |
| John Corr | 47,000 | |
| Kelly Vande Mheen | 42,000 | 42,000 |
| Greg Raymer | 35,000 | -10,000 |
| JJ Liu | 34,000 | 34,000 |
| Paul Schiff | 30,000 | |
| Dan Hake | 9,800 | -1,700 |
| Tavish Margers | 0 | 0 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 1:21 PM Local Time
Serrano Absolutely Delighted After Hitting River Set
A player in late position limped and Spain's Abraham Serrano put his remaining 3,200 chips into the middle from the hijack and the Troy Donaldson called from the cutoff.
Abraham Serrano:
Troy Donaldson:
The flop was very safe for Donaldson, with the turn eliminating any possibilities of a chop.
However, the river doubled Serrano up and kept him alive in the tournament.
Speaking in his native Spanish, Serrano expressed his delight to be featured in PokerNews and that he could do so in such a manner.
| Troy Donaldson | 30,000 | |
| Abraham Serrano | 7,500 | |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 1:11 PM Local Time
Happy Fifty for Van den Berg
In this massive field of seniors, a Dutch player feeling a bit younger and fresher than average is Thierry van den Berg. Van den Berg literally turned 50 this morning, making him the youngest player in the field.
"And trust me, it feels good to be young !" he commented, "I could not play yesterday on day 1a, but today, it's official. I'm a senior!"
| Thierry Van Den Berg | 42,000 | 42,000 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 1:09 PM Local Time
O'Malley Turns the Nuts
After a raise to 900 from early position, Ken O'Malley reraised to 2,200 from middle position, getting a call from the original aggressor.
The river was checked through before O'Malley fired 2,000 on the turn. His opponent took a few minutes before moving all in with O'Malley covered. O'Malley made the snap call with the effective stack of 9,800.
"I got ace-queen" his opponent said, turning over
"I got the nuts," O'Malley responded, showing for the king high straight.
Once the river hit the table to complete the board, O'Malley scooped the pot.
Thursday, June 23, 2022 12:58 PM Local Time
McGhee's Doubles Up After Flush Draw Comes Through
With 6,000 already in a three-way, three-bet pot, the board came .
It checked around to the hijack, who opened to 2,500. The small blind three-bet to 8,000 and Michael McGhee, who was in early position, contemplated for about a minute before making the call with just 12,300 chips behind. The hijack then went into the tank for about 90 seconds before eventually folding.
The turn came the and the small-blind player shoved for the rest of McGhee's stack. McGhee called and already had his opponent drawing dead.
Michael McGhee:
Small Blind:
The completed the board and McGhee was able to take his stack to nearly 50,000 while his small-blind opponent was left with just a few thousand remaining.
After the hand ended, the hijack player claimed to have folded .
Thursday, June 23, 2022 12:50 PM Local Time
Strike For Coen
In early position, Jasop Gedrick opened to 800. He was called by his neighbor, two players in middle position and Sam Coen on the button.
Then, Chia-yi Chua made it to 3,200 from the small blind and Jasop Gedrick announced all-in for 3,400. Everybody called and five players saw a flop, with one player already all-in.
is a flop checked to one of the player in middle position, who bet 1,000. Coen made it to 4,000. Chua called and they were heads' up to the turn :
Chua checked, then called a 5,000 bet from Coen. River was a . On this card, Chua tanked before pushing the rest of his stack, around 13,000. Coen snap-called.
Jasop Gedrick:
Chia-yi Chua:
Sam Coen:
With two-pair Kings and Jacks, Sam Coen took the best from his opponents : Jasop Gedrick could not hold Queens, and Chia-yi Chua just mucked his hand.
| Sam Coen | 120,000 | 120,000 |
| Jasop Gedrick | 0 | 0 |
| Chia-yi Chua | 0 | 0 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 12:49 PM Local Time
Zanarelli Doubles Up with Set Over Set
Action was picked up with three players still in the hand, a board of , and around 3,000 in the pot. Action checked to Stefano Zanarelli in late position. He moved all in for 9,000. The small blind snap jammed behind for 13,200. The middle position player thought for a bit before eventually making the laydown, meaning it was time to showdown.
Stefano Zanarelli:
Small Blind:
Upon seeing that both players had sets, the middle position player shared that he had folded kings, and was not grateful that he did. Zanarelli was way out in front, with the small blind drawing dead to quads. The board completed , changing neither player's hand. Zanarelli scooped the pot and doubled his stack.
Thursday, June 23, 2022 12:06 PM Local Time
Break
Players are now on their first 20-minute break of the day.
Thursday, June 23, 2022 12:01 PM Local Time
Leibgorin Made Two Pair
Just before the break, Michel Leibgorin opened to 1,000 in late position and received calls from the cutoff and button.
On a flop, Leibgorin bet 1,000 and was only called by the player in the cutoff. The turn was a and this time, Leigborin checked. He faced a 2,200 bet and check-raised all in to put his opponent at risk. The player called.
Opponent:
Michel Leibgorin:
Leibgorin was ahead with two pair and remained ahead after the river to eliminate his opponent.
| Michel Leibgorin | 32,000 | 32,000 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 11:57 AM Local Time
Raymer Back and Off to Hot Start
2004 Main Event Champion Greg Raymer is back for Day 1b of the Seniors Championship after failing to bag in Day 1a, although he still put on quite a performance. After seeing his chip stack reduced to a single 100 chip yesterday, he managed to run his stack back up to over 26,000 before his eventual elimination. So far in Day 1b, he's off to a much better start.
"Night and day," he told PokerNews, "Yesterday I lost half my stack on my first hand, today I doubled up on my first hand."
| Greg Raymer | 45,000 | 45,000 |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 11:47 AM Local Time
Joslin Scores Early Knockout
Rick Joslin and his opponent were all-in for his opponent's last 10,000 chips on the board.
Joslin, who expressed to PokerNews that he had checked the flop, turned over , letting his opponent make runner-runner two pair with their
Thursday, June 23, 2022 11:47 AM Local Time
Fisher Could Not Do Better
In the middle position, Robert Davis raised it to 800. It was called twice, before Gary Fisher made it to 4,000. When action was back on Davis, he quickly announced all-in, for 10,500.
Two players folded before Gary Fisher called.
Robert Davis:
Gary Fisher:
The board came and Robert David avoided the elimination with the pocket Kings.
| Robert Davis (AK) | 22,000 | |
| Gary Fisher | 7,500 | |
Thursday, June 23, 2022 11:40 AM Local Time
Smith Takes it with Two Pair
Action was picked up after Patrick Smith made the call of his opponent's all-in move for 7,900 on the turn. Smith had him covered, and the two were off to the races.
Opponent:
Patrick Smith:
Smith was way ahead with his top two, and the river did nothing to change that, as he scooped the pot and sent his opponent to the rail.
Thursday, June 23, 2022 11:33 AM Local Time
Stud Hi-Lo Finalist Papastratis Out
Action was picked up after a raise to 1,000 from Chris Papastratis in early position and a call from another player. Then, Cedric Darrett glanced over at Papastratis stack and raised it to 13,000.
It was about Papastratis' remaining stack, and he decided to call it off to put himself at risk. The other player folded.
Chris Papastratis:
Cedric Darrett:
The dealer fanned out a board and Darrett made a set of sixes on the turn to eliminate Papastratis.
| Cedric Darrett | 39,000 | 39,000 |
| Chris Papastratis | 0 | 0 |