Friday, September 21, 2018 1:31 AM Local Time
Jeffrey Morzella
At the end of 12 levels, the $2,200 High Roller with $50,000 guaranteed has bagged and tagged for Day 2. The day may have begun with 12 runners, but it ended with 65 for a prize pool of $130,000 so far. Registration remains open until cards are in the air at 2:00 p.m. on Friday for Day 2.
Leading the way is Tampa, Florida's Jeffrey Morzella with 242,600 chips. Behind him sits Leandro Faraminan with 196,500, followed by 2015 World Series of Poker November Niner Josh Beckley (172,800) to round out the top three. Just 16 players remain going into Day 2, but that number is sure to grow with registration still open until play begins. Familiar faces that made Day 2 include Jake Schwartz (172,500), Jonathan Hilton (166,500), Russ Head (107,700), Chris Conrad (77,800), 2016 WSOP November Niner Jerry Wong (61,400), Brett Bader (56,400) and Ben Zamani (40,000).
Morzella slowly chipped up throughout the day, but it was Beckley who made some big moves to come back from being short on chips to sitting in the top three. Faraminan also made a huge call with jacks on a board with three tens on it, catching his opponent bluffing with a rivered flush. He hung on to his chips and managed to bag big going into Day 2. Hassan Tahsildar moves on to Day 2 with 160,000 but had close to 300,000 nearing the last two levels of the day. He made some big hands but dwindled down to what is still a healthy stack for Day 2.
While many notable players filled the High Roller seats today, ones that were not fortunate enough to find a bag in this event include Scott Davies, Steve Nussrallah, Mark Stephen Edwards, Walid Maddah, Corey Bierria and Martin Ryan. All of these players still have a chance to jump back into the action for Day 2 with registration still open.
Day 2 will commence at 2:00 p.m. local time at Seminole Coconut Creek with at least 16 players remaining. Play will conclude once a winner is crowned, and payouts will be posted shortly after registration closes once cards are in the air.
Keep following along on WSOP.com for live updates throughout the day on the way to crowning a winner.
Friday, September 21, 2018 12:52 AM Local Time
On a board reading , Hassan Tahsildar checks from the big blind, as does Paul Domb from under the gun and Josh Beckley in the hijack.
The turn is the and action checks to Beckley who bets 6,500. Tahsildar and Domb both call.
The river is the and action checks to Beckley once again. He takes his time and then fires out a bet of 45,000. Tahsildar folds and Domb gives him a stare before eventually folding, sending the pot to the 2015 World Series of Poker November Niner.
Josh Beckley - 220,000
Hassan Tahsildar - 260,000
Paul Domb - 50,000
Friday, September 21, 2018 12:27 AM Local Time
Level 12 is the last level of the night, after which time players will bag for the night. Day 2 resumes at 2:00 p.m. on Friday and registration will be open until cards are in the air.
Friday, September 21, 2018 12:26 AM Local Time
Level: 12
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 300
Friday, September 21, 2018 12:22 AM Local Time
Howard Mash moves all in on the button for 33,500 and Paul Domb calls out of the big blind. Domb shows and is dominated by Mash's .
The flop comes and Domb flops a king to take the lead. Mash needs an ace or runners for Broadway to stay alive, but the 9h on the turn and the on the river don't help Mash and he hits the rail just before the end of the level.
Paul Domb - 75,000
Howard Mash - Eliminnated
Friday, September 21, 2018 12:17 AM Local Time
Chad Eveslage is under the gun and opens the pot, getting a call from Paul Domb on the button. Josh Beckley is in the small blind and three-bets, prompting a shove from Eveslage. Domb folds and Beckley calls.
Eveslage is at risk with , well behind Beckley's . The board runs out and Eveslage is eliminated.
Josh Beckley - 195,000
Chad Eveslage - Eliminated
Friday, September 21, 2018 12:00 AM Local Time
Brian Punch is under the gun and manages to get his remaining 40,000 in chips all in against Jonathan Hilton in the hijack.
Punch tables , well ahead of Hilton's .
The flop comes and Punch remains ahead with two aces. The turn is the but the river is the to give Hilton a set of jacks and send Punch to the rail.
Another player at the table says, "I folded one of your outs. You hit a one-outer, sir."
Jonathan Hilton - 155,000
Brian Punch - Eliminated
Thursday, September 20, 2018 11:48 PM Local Time
Level: 11
Blinds: 800/1,600
Ante: 200
Thursday, September 20, 2018 11:44 PM Local Time
The High Rollers are on a quick five-minute break. They'll play two more levels after this before bagging for the night.
Thursday, September 20, 2018 11:33 PM Local Time
On a board reading , Ian O'Hara is in the cutoff and faces a bet of 15,200 from Hassan Tahsildar from under the gun. O'Hara calls.
The river is the and Tahsildar puts out a big stack of chips, covering O'Hara's stack of about 35,000. O'Hara thinks about it for a moment and eventually calls. Tahsildar hesitates before tabling for two pair sevens and sixes, but his hand is good as O'Hara throws his cards into the muck and heads for the rail.
Hassan Tahsildar - 180,000
Ian O'Hara - Eliminated
Thursday, September 20, 2018 11:14 PM Local Time
Action folds to the player in the hijack and he raises to 2,800. Chad Eveslage is on the button and moves all in for 18,000, getting a quick call from his opponent.
Eveslage is at risk and well behind with , up against . The flop comes though and Eveslage pairs is three. The turn is the and the river is the to send Eveslage the pot.
Chad Eveslage - 38,000
Thursday, September 20, 2018 11:09 PM Local Time
Level: 10
Blinds: 600/1,200
Ante: 200
Thursday, September 20, 2018 11:01 PM Local Time
On a board reading , Josh Beckley checks from the small blind, as does Leandro Faraminan from the big blind. Hassan Tahsildar is on the button and bets 3,200, getting a fold from Beckley and a call from Faraminan.
The turn is the and Faraminan checks again. Tahsildar bets 5,300 this time and Faraminan calls.
The river is the and both players check. Faraminan tables for a pair of aces but it's no good against Tahsildar's for two pair kings and nines.
Hassan Tahsildar - 155,000
Leandro Faraminan - 130,000
Thursday, September 20, 2018 10:41 PM Local Time
Stephen Diamantas
Action folds to John DePersio in the hijack and he opens the pot. Stephen Diamantas moves all in for 13,700 on the button and DePersio calls.
Diamantas:
DePersio:
The flop comes and Diamantas pairs his ace to take the lead. The turn is the and the river is the to give Diamantas a much-needed double-up.
Stephen Diamantas - 30,000
John DePersio - 6,500
Thursday, September 20, 2018 10:25 PM Local Time
Level: 9
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 100
Thursday, September 20, 2018 10:16 PM Local Time
Players in the High Roller are now on a ten-minute break.
Thursday, September 20, 2018 10:15 PM Local Time
Action folds around to Jerry Wong in the cutoff and he raises to 2,000. Scott Davies three-bets to 6,000 on the button and Wong calls.
The flop comes and both players check to the on the turn. Both players check again to see the on the river. Wong puts out a big bet worth about 20,000 and Davies has a decision to make. After about a minute, he calls for his last 16,500. Wong tables for nine high and Davies reveals for a flush to double through.
In the very next hand, Wong is all in for 2,175 from the hijack and Davies raises to 4,000 from the cutoff. Wong tables , flipping against Davies' . The flop comes and Wong gets up from his seat. The turn is the and Wong is drawing dead to the on the river.
Scott Davies - 50,000
Jerry Wong - Eliminated
Thursday, September 20, 2018 9:50 PM Local Time
A huge pot takes place with 48,000 in the middle on a board reading . Walid Maddah is in the big blind and checks his option. Paul Domb is on the button and bets 20,000. "I don't think I'm good enough to fold this" says Maddah. "A set of jacks?" he asks. Eventually, Maddah tosses 20,000 in chips Domb's way. Domb tables for a set of fours, and Maddah angrily whips over on the wrong end of set-over-set.
Paul Domb - 140,000
Walid Maddah - 5,000
Thursday, September 20, 2018 9:35 PM Local Time
Level: 8
Blinds: 400/800
Ante: 100
Thursday, September 20, 2018 9:29 PM Local Time
Howard Mash is in the big blind and checks on a flop of . Russ Head also checks from middle position, as does Jerry Wong in the hijack. The turn is the and action checks to Wong who bets 3,000. Mash folds and Head calls.
The river is the and Head checks yet again. Wong reaches into his stack and puts out a bet of 11,000. Head thinks long and hard before deciding to call. Wong tables for ace high and a busted flush draw, and Head tables for a pair of tens to take down the pot.
Russ Head - 44,000
Jerry Wong - 37,000