Welcome to the mother ship for the $10,000 Main Event of Festa Al Lago here in Las Vegas. If it’s anything like last years event, we can promise you the earth and deliver maybe even more. Last year’s final ten included Minh Ly, Action Dan Harrington, Gavin Smith, Denmark’s Jan Sorensen and the man with the meanest beard in poker, Mr Barry Greenstein. It was of course the lovely Minh Ly who eventually took down the crown and a smidgeon over one million dollars after a titanic head to head duel with Action Dan. Who’ll do it this year? Stay with us for all the fun of the fair and our bountiful up to the minute Gutshot Live Coverage…and find out.
Minh Ly - Small head or big hat...you decide.
Play is scheduled to begin at around noon PST which at our reckoning is 8.00pm in the UK and 9.00pm for the rest of Europe.
With starting stacks of 20,000, the blinds and ante's for today's five 90 minute levels will be as follows...
1 50 / 100
2 100 / 200
3 100 / 200 Ante 25
4 200 / 400 Ante 50
5 300 / 600 Ante 75
35 minutes ago...
It's all change now, as players have started taking their seats in the Fontana Lounge...minutes to go.
Cards are in the air. 433 of the greatest players (and not so great) from all around the world have shown up to take a shot at one of the most coveted titles on the World Poker Tour. The Bellagio is known for putting on a good show and with $20,000 in starting chips, it promises to be a long one. Everyone will have plenty of time to formulate a game plan and put it into action.
In the room...
Action Dan Harrington, Phil Ivey, Freddie Deeb, Johan Storakas, Patrik Antonius, Joe Awada, Carlos Mortensen, Daniel Negreanu, Sam Farha, Barry Greenstein, TJ Cloutier, Current World Champion Jamie Gold, Allen Goehring, Cyndi Violette, Evelyn Ng, Huck Seed, Alex Jacob fresh from his win at the World Poker Championships, Gus Hanson, Paul Darden, Erick Lindgren, Amnon Filippi and Billy Baxter...
David Singer is the early bird, going out after flopping trip 9's only for his opponent to house up on the turn. One down.
We’re off to a strange start. Daniel Alaei bet 400 on the flop into an unknown player. The player froze in his tracks as he thought. He reached over to muck his hand, but was so shaky he promptly spilled his orange colored cocktail all over his hole cards. They had to dry off his cards with a napkin before he could toss his hand into the muck.
Elsewhere, David Benyamine made a late entrance, only to find himself straight into the big blind. It folded to the button who limped. Benyamine looked at his cards and instantly mucked them. Too early to see a free flop perhaps?
It was up to an old fella who not only can't see the cards, he can barely hear the dealer announce every card on the flop.
He said, “I bet $1,500.”
Unfortunately for him, someone had already bet $2,000 and it was up to him to decide to fold or call. The dealer told him to put in another $500 because he was forced to call the original $2,000. After a little bit of confusion the old man tossed in the extra $500 and angrily turned up KQ off-suit. He had no pair, king high, on an ace high flop. His opponent looked to the heavens for some help and looked back to recheck his hole cards. They were still the same and he flicked them into the muck. The old man, still unsure of what was going on, happily stacked the pot.
The board
Scott's opponent agonized over the big bet before finally calling. Fischman sighed loudly, “You got me.”
And turned up...
His opponent smirked and exposed his...
'WOW, how did you call that?!?!' exclaimed Fischman.
”Well, I knew what I had, and you're Scott Fischman, so I call.”
Ten minutes later as I walked by the table was STILL discussing the hand.
Shrieks could be heard from inside the poker room. They were emanating from the mens bathroom just next to the Fontana Bar. A man ran out back to the poker area muttering to himself, ''Fucking kidney stones!''
Very painful by all accounts...
With blinds at 50/100, Several players limped before the small blind raised it up to $800. Jean Robert-Bellande in the big blind called, as did John Tannous on the button. With 2700 in the pot, the three players see a flop of…
The small blind bets $2500 and both other players call. All 3 of them see a turn of…
The small blinds bets $5000. Jean Robert thinks for several minutes, then casually raises to $10000. Without hesitation, John Tannous raises all in for $12,200. The SB folds and Jean Robert reluctantly calls the remaining $2,200. John turns over…
for the nut straight. Jean Robert, almost in disbelief turns over pocket queens and is drawing dead. To add insult to injury, the small blinds grabs his cards from the muck and shows the pocket aces to the table.
The river card is the meaningless
and John Tannous takes down a huge pot leaving JRB with around $7,000.
Jamie Gold has been eliminated.
Remove two stacks and leave to simmer for 40 minutes...
Other notables still in the running...Thomas Whalroos, Jennifer Harman, Blair Rodman, Kathy Liebert (Mrs Vangor Toth to you and me), Kristy Gazes, Isabelle Mercier, Tim Phan, Mark Seif, Fabrice Soulier, John Hennigan, Nam Lee, Allen Cunningham, Amir Vahedi, Chau Giang, Liz Lieu, Scotyy Nguyen and Shullman's junior and senior.
Eric Froelich moved all-in only to find Great Brit, John Gale waiting in the bushes with a small straight…
for John
for Eric The card Eric needed, failed to come on the river and John Gale dragged in the pot.
With blinds at 50/100, John Juanda raised $450 from UTG. The action folded to a late position player who called. The two of them see a flop of…
Both players checked. The turn card came…
Juanda bet $1250 and was called.
The river came
Juanda bet $2400 this time and the late position player reluctantly called.
Juanda turned over 
His opponent mucked while stating ''That's good''
Juanda has been very active right from the start. He's been making moves but they haven't been working out for him.
The flop was...
Paul McCaffrey checked over to JJ who bet $1,800. Paul thought for a little bit before slipping in the call.
The turn came...
Paul pensively checked. Juanda took a moment before flipping in a blue chip, $5,000. Paul thought for a full two minutes before calling.
The river...
Paul again went into the think tank before checking. Juanda checked and Paul shook his head. ''I can't win,'' he said, shaking his head before tabling his...
Juanda nodded his head and flicked his cards in the muck. John Juanda was left sitting with just over $4,000.
The flop came down all rags and Juanda bet $700.
His opponent immediately put Juanda in for another $3,000 or so. Juanda didn't look too happy as he called. ''Do you have aces?'' he asked. His opponent turned up his pocket aces. Juanda tabled kings. A cold deck for sure, the turn and river would decide Juanda's fate. Unfortunately for JJ, no help arrived and he is one of our early exits.
Ariel Schneller was in a three way pot with Vanessa Rousso and an unknown.
The flop was...
It was checked to Ariel on the button, who bet $1,500. Rousso thought for a bit before announcing a raise. The raise was $2,600 more. The guy in the middle folded and Schneller immediately moved all in. Rousso beat him into the pot and it was on... for Ariel...
for Rousso...
Vanessa needed some help.
The turn...
Ariel had widened the gap making a full house. Vanessa needed the last ten in the deck to merely get her chips back...
''Man, you got my number in the worst way... You've got my number in the WORST WAY!'' laughed Vanessa as she stormed out of the Fontana Bar.
Early eliminations...
Mark Seif
John Bonetti
Cyndi Violette
Todd Brunson
Miami John Cernuto
Eric Froelich
Vanessa Rousso
John Juanda
Jordan Morgan 57,000
Victor Ramdin 55,000
Tex Barch 38,000
Layne Flack 37,000
Nick Schulman 37,000
Eric Seidel 35,000
Martin De Knijff 27,500
Kathy Loebert 23,000
Tim Phan 30,000
Thomas Whalroos 24,500
Erica Schoenberg 24,000
TJ Cloutier 22,500
Gus Hanson 21,000
Scotty Nguyen 20,200
Isabelle Mercier 22,500
David Sklansky 25,500
With $4500 in the pot and a flop of...
the player in the big blind bet $7000, exactly what Alex Jacob had left. After thinking for a couple minutes, Alex called the bet to the dismay of the player who remarked ''Good call'' Alex then said ''I was hoping you'd say that'' as he turned over...
The big blind turned over his hand
A hand which was very much alive with a flush draw and overcards. The turn and river were no help to the big blind however and Alex doubled up to $18,500
Just a short walk from the Fontana Bar, in the Bellagio's main poker room, are roughly a dozen more tables full of players with their hopes on the top prize here this year. Mike Matusow, who shares a table with fellow professionals Chad Brown and Layne Flack, seems more concerned with letting everyone know he’s a changed man. He was overheard saying ''I have good days and bad....about 70% of the time though...I feel great''
With blinds at 100/200, the player under the gun raised $350 to $550. Mike Matusow called the raise and with the action heads up, the players saw a flop of…
The pre-flop raiser checked, Matusow bet $300 and was quickly called.
The turn was the
Both players checked
The river was the
The under the gun player checked and Mike bet $1,500. His opponent quickly folded and Matusow showed pocket queens.
Sammy Farha has just busted out. Already low stacked, he moved in with pocket fives. Unfortunately for Sammy, his opponent directly to his left, woke up with pocket aces.
With only minutes of the second level remaining, Phil Hellmuth turned up and took a seat, having lost $1,650 in blinds. This has become the norm but would we be the first to ask this question?
If you're dealt to the immediate right of Hellmuth's empty seat. How do you like you small blind being up for sale on every round?
Joe Sebok has just been eliminated by wonderkid, Jeff Madsen. Jacks for Joe, Tens for Jeff. A TEN on the river and it was all over for the winner of this week's $5,000 event.
''Fourteen-four Chau? You really want to gamble huh? You can't raise him but you're gonna call fourteen-four from me? You call 600 and, don't even raise and you're gonna call fourteen-four. You're too chicken to call!'' said Freddy Deeb, goading Chau Giang.
Chau was taking his sweet time, enjoying his massage that has been ongoing since the beginning of the tournament. Chau finally called and showed his pocket queens. Deeb's AJ was in big trouble. The flop just about sealed it with a queen as the door card.
The turn and river were the final two nails in Deeb's coffin.
''Look, all in on the flop,'' said Jean Robert calling over witnesses to the mayhem.
Robert got all in pre-flop against an unknown for about $15,000 each. The flop was queen high and Robert held the two ladies, his opponent the aces. It ain't over till the river though, and when the turn brought an ACE Jean had only one out to win. No such luck and Robert, thinking he was out, started to head towards the door. He was quickly called back to tend to his remaining $375 in chips.
While Jeff Shullman and Eli Elezra were being eliminated. Jean Robert Bellande got his last few chips in with pocket Kings and trippled up with another King on the flop. Can he survive another one...
1 $1,090,025
2 $542,700
3 $292,220
4 $187,745
5 $125,240
6 $83,490
7 $75,145
8 $66,795
9 $58,445
10 $50,095
11-15 $41,745
16-20 $33,395
21-30 $25,050
31-40 $20,875
41-50 $16,700
51-100 $12,525
101 A night out with a reformed Mike Matusow
Blinds are now 100 / 200 with a running ante of 25.
360 players remain.
The flop came…
Victor called a 1500 bet from the big blind and they both saw the turn.
This time 1600 from the big blind. This time Victor called again.
On the river
It’s showdown time. Victor flips up
It’s good for top pair and the pot.
''Everybody signed the releases before the start of the tournament sir,'' said the floor man.
''OH SO I'M A NOBODY NOW!?'' shrieked the unknown.
The floorman, perhaps in a little over his head called in the big guns. Jack McClelland scurried over to see what was going on. Jack is a veteran and he kept his cool as the man complained about the release (which he could've read five times over by the time Jack was called in).
''Well, if you don't want to sign it, you won't get a hand.'' said Jack.
''Well, if I read this and I don't want to sign it, do I get my money back?!?!'' snapped the unknown.
''Nope,'' replied Jack as cool as Bellagio lemonade.
''Well, what does it say... summarize it for me!'' demanded the man.
Dan Harrington interjected, ''Well, it says if you win the tournament, Jack McClelland is entitled to all your winnings.''
''WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?!?!!? WHO IS THAT!??!?! WHHAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!'' shouted the man, steam shooting out of his ears.
By now, the rest of the table was practically in tears laughing as one man said, ''That's Jack,'' and pointed to the man.
Dan Harrington must have known what he was doing because the joke broke the tension as the non-signer finally began to chuckle along with the joke. He signed the paper and it was back to business as usual.
Thomas leads out on the showdown…
Seat four shows
The board
Chad Brown was eliminated when his
ran into his opponents
With Chad Brown in the big blind, the UTG player raises $800 to $1200. Action folded to a late position player who called the raise. The blinds and the small blind folded to Chad who re-raised $4100 to $5500. The UTG player re-raised to $12,400. Chad re-raised all in and his opponent called and quickly turned up his rockets. Chad knocked the table in disgust as he turned his hand over. The board came no help and the ex-actor is gone.
Allegedly a 19 year old Swedish guy has been playing high limit hold’em online with the best players in the world...and winnning. The phenom is supposedly unstoppable and from what is being overheard, his play is less than traditional. At one point Benyamine looked as though he was going to raise a pot, but instead opted to fold his hand to continue telling his story.
''Well I won 950, but then I lost that and 1.6 more,'' continued Benyamine referring to his recent results online. That was 1.6 million more in case you all were wondering.
''Matusow owes me TWENTY!!!'' he giggled. ''Hey Mike! You owe me twenty!'' he yelled to Matusow a few tables over.
''Yeah yeah,'' mumbled Mike, ''I had to come and join all you hypocrites.''
Scotty Nguyen walked over to ask Phil what was going on.
''Well, I bet Mike 20 that he would play another WPT event. He said he wasn't gonna play ‘em anymore and he sat out for three months! I had to bet him, I knew he couldn't stay away from the 25k at the very least,'' laughed Phil.
Scotty gave Phil a hearty backslap and returned to his table.
''Do you have a pair,'' asked Daniel. Antonius nodded and turned up...
Alaei winced and exposed...
You could never tell what the flop brought by looking at the two players, they remained completely emotionless...
Antonius had fallen way behind. Could Antonius find a seven? The turn...
By now both Alaei and Antonius were standing wondering what the river would bring...
An unbelievable turn of events for Antonius who jumped up, cried in triumph, and began to dance. Not really, he just sort of sat there as if wondering if he left the light on in the kitchen. Daniel Alaei out.
Daniel Negreanu
Justin Bonomo
Nam Le
Thomas Wahlroos
John Hennigan
David Williams
Paul Darden
Rick Murnick
Mimi Tran made it 5000. David Plastik pushed all-in for 12,000. Mimi called it quick, showing…
For David
The river
Puts Mimi’s King kicker into play.
Martin led out for $8200. Fischman pushed out the $8200, plus $30,000. This raise, if called, would put Martin all-in as he had just $14,875 remaining. Martin declared ''ok, I'm all in'' as he pushed he remaining chips across the betting line. ''You got me'' said Scott as he turned over
A relieved Martin turned up his hand...
No help for Scotty on 4th or 5th street and Martin's cowboys held up and he doubled through the former crew member...
All five players checked their hands.
The turn card brought the
The big blind led out with a bet of $9000. Ivey folded, as did two others. Sammy Been pondered the decision for quite some time. During the deliberations, the big blind remarked ''I've got you beat'' and ''I want you to fold.'' A nearby floor person reminded the players that under the new rules, you are not allowed to discuss such things, even if the action is heads up. After a couple more minutes, the same floor person called a clock on Sammy Bean. She informed him that he would have one minute, and that after that minute, ten seconds would be counted down backward and that if he had not acted on his hand, it would be dead.
With two seconds remaining...Been, who had the big blind covered, declared himself all-in. The big blind, painfully called showing
for a flush draw and a gutshot straight draw. Sammy turned up his hand
which was well in the lead...
A blank on the river sent the big blind home and Sammy Been won a sizeable, and lengthy hand.
The big blind checked and Alex bet $3,300. The big blind then check-raised Alex the minimum to $6,600. Alex thought for a bit before sliding in five blue chips. The $25,000 bet easily covered his opponent. The unknown thought for what seemed like forever before finally calling the rest of his chips. Alex turned up his pocket aces. The big blind disgustedly tabled his King-Jack off-suit.
The turn and river came clean for Alex and another player has dropped. The official number of players remaining in the tournament now stands at 222.
Kathy Liebert was all-in for her last $5450 with two players yet to act.
The player acting right after Kathy re-raised all in and the third player folded. Liebert showed
which was ahead of her opponent's
The
on the turn completed his flush and Kathy was drawing to four outs...although the
on the river was not one of them, and Liebert was out of the tournament.
''Ten seconds,'' said the floorman. Victor's opponent finally folded his Ace-King face up.
''Show the bluff,'' begged someone who was not even involved with the hand.
''Show the bluff? Is it good for the game? You won't be mad if I show the bluff will you?'' asked Victor of his opponent.
His opponent shook his head and looked anxiously to see what Victor would show. ''Ok, here's the bluff,'' Victor turned up his Ace-Jack for top two pair. His opponent slumped back in his chair no doubt feeling like the best player in the room if for just a few seconds.
Seemingly, the only shot we have of Victor...
Late in the day fallers
Gus Hanson, Paul Wasicka at the hands of Erick Lindgren, David Levi , Darrel Dicken at the hands of Frenchman Paul Magreil, Jordan Morgan, Mark Newhouse, JC Tran, Chau Giang, Barry Shullman, Gavin Smith, John Hennigan, Paul Darden, David Williams, Martin De Knijff and Daniel Negreanu.
And so ends another day one. After the World Series, going home at nine feels a bit strange. Most players probably won't know what to do with all the extra time before tomorrow's start. A little over half of the people who started today will not have that problem though, their tournament ended today.
A few notable chip counts...
Brandon Cantuv 130,000
Matt Wolfe 125,000
Abraham Gray 117,000
Johan Storakers 89,000
Ali Eslami 80,000
Juan Carlos Mortensen 80,000
Joe Tehan 76,000
Patrik Antonius 75,000
Alan Goehring 70,000
Chris McCormack 67,000
Fabrice Soulier 66,000
Jeff Madsen 65,000
Thithi ''Mimi'' Tran 65,000
Hasan Habib 64,000
Can Kim Hua 63,500
Chip Jett 62,000
Layne Flack 61,000
Tom Schneider 60,000
Peter Feldman 60,000
Tom Franklin 58,000
David Baker 58,000
Steve Brecher 54,000
Paul McCaffrey 54,000
Joe Bartholdi 54,000
John Tex Barch 54,000
Victor Ramdin 53,000
Alex Jacob 51,000
Amnon Filippi 49,500
Phil Ivey 48,500
James Van Alstyne 45,000
Jon Friedberg 41,000
John Gale 39,500
Doug Lee 37,500
Steve Zolotow 37,000
Erik Seidel 36,000
John Esposito 36,000
Chris Bigler 36,000
Mike Heintschel 35,400
Ralph Perry 35,000
Tuan Le 34,000
Young Phan 34,000
Scott Fischman 34,000
Huck Seed 33,500
Jason Lester 33,000
Erick Lindgren 33,000
Farzad Bonyadi 33,000
Thor Hansen 32,000
Burt Boutin 32,000
Tim Phan 32,000
Tony Cousineau 30,000
Nick Schulman 28,500
Billy Baxter 27,500
Raymond Davis (surely not!) 26,000
Allen Cunningham 26,000
Michael Mizrachi 24,000
Danny Smith 23,500
Blair Rodman 23,000
Nenad Medic 22,000
Scotty Nguyen 22,000
David Sklansky 21,000
Kyle Wilson 20,900
Paul Wasicka 19,200
Claus Nielsen 19,000
Joe Cassidy 19,000
David Oppenheim 18,500
Mikael Thuritz 18,500
Allen Kessler 17,500
David Pham 17,100
Day 1 : Day 2 : Day 3 : Day 4 : Day 5 :