Event #10: $5,000 Main Event Championship Day 1d | 2023 WSOP Paradise

12-12-2023 11:49 UTC-5

Accused Private Poker Game Cheater: "I Didn't Bring Any Cards Anywhere"

Kaelaine Minton

Level 5 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

One day after being accused of cheating a California home game out of millions, Tony Mars issued a statement to PokerNews denying the allegations.

Wesley Fei and Nikhil "Nik Airball" Arcot, both Hustler Casino Live regulars, claim that Mars, who also plays on HCL, brought a special UV-marked deck that allowed him to decipher face-down cards.

The alleged scandal occurred in a game at a private residence in Yorba Linda, California, a community in Orange County.

Read the full story on what happened here!

Level: 6

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

12-12-2023 12:08 UTC-5

Assorted Chip Counts

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Brandon Bloom

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Aram Zobian	155,000 155,000	155,000

Barry Hutter	120,700 29,700	29,700

Ryan Riess	104,300 69,300	69,300

Patrick Tardif	101,000 51,000	51,000
Daniel Smiljkovic	89,500 39,500	39,500

Jeff Gross	73,000 23,000	23,000

Dan Cates	72,500 72,500	72,500

Masashi Oya	69,000 19,000	19,000

Ren Lin	52,000 2,000	2,000

Bertrand Grospellier	50,000 50,000	50,000

Steven Markowitz	49,700 12,300	12,300
Shaun Deeb	49,500 26,500	26,500

Felipe Ramos	48,900 48,900	48,900

Yuval Bronshtein	48,700 48,700	48,700

Phil Hellmuth	47,700 -2,300	-2,300

Aram Oganyan	45,100 -4,900	-4,900

Isaac Haxton	38,400 -11,600	-11,600

Matthew Stumpf	38,100 6,100	6,100
Justin Bonomo	35,000 35,000	35,000

Martin Zamani	20,500 -32,900	-32,900
Chris Brewer	18,300 -31,700	-31,700

12-12-2023 12:09 UTC-5

Mello Mellows Out Riess

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Chris Land

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Action folded to a player in the hijack who raised to 1,600 and found callers in Alan Mello from the cutoff, Ryan Riess on the button, and the player in the big blind, before taking a four-way 3♣Q♦8♠ flop.

Action checked to Mello who bet out for 2,000. Riess was the only caller before the dealer brought the 7♠ out on the turn.

Mello paused briefly before betting out again, this time for 6,200. Riess checked his cards one last time before sliding them toward the muck and conceding the pot to Mello.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ryan Riess	69,200 -35,100	-35,100

Alan Mello	43,800 43,800	43,800

Tags: Alan Mello Ryan Riess

12-12-2023 12:17 UTC-5

Hammoud Doubles Through Gibbs

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Brandon Bloom

Level 6 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Rami Hammoud raised to 1,600 from middle position and Thomas Muehloecker three-bet to 4,800 in the hijack. The cutoff called, Derek Gibb called in the big blind, and Hammoud moved all in for 31,200. Everyone folded back to Gibb who called.

Rami Hammoud: A♣Q♥
Derek Gibb: 8♥8♣

The 6♠A♠9♦ flop vaulted Hammoud in front, and the Q♠ turn and 9♥ river secured his double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Rami Hammoud	73,200 36,900	36,900
Derek Gibb	65,000 -3,000	-3,000
Thomas Muehloecker	59,000 59,000	59,000

Tags: Derek Gibb Rami Hammoud Thomas Muehloecker

Level: 7

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 1,000

12-12-2023 12:35 UTC-5

Persad Gets the Favorable Flop, Doubles Through Hum

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Chris Land

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Action folded to Geoffrey Hum on the button who raised to 2,000 only to see Balkaran Persad jam from the big blind for a little over 16,000. Hum made the call to set up a runout with Persad at risk.

Balkaran Persad: K♥J♠
Geoffrey Hum: A♣Q♥

The board ran out J♥K♣7♦3♣6♠, giving Persad two pair and securing the full double.

Player	Chips	Progress
Geoffrey Hum	53,400 53,400	53,400
Balkaran Persad	33,500 33,500	33,500

Tags: Balkaran Persad Geoffrey Hum

12-12-2023 12:36 UTC-5

Kabhrel Pips to Double; Everybody Happy

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Brandon Bloom

Level 7 : Blinds 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Martin Kabrhel was all in for 29,000 in the small blind and at risk against Kasparas Klezys in the hijack.

Martin Kabrhel: A♥J♥
Kasparas Klezys: A♠10♦

The Q♦4♥4♣ flop brought chop possibilities, but the 2♠ turn and 9♦ river kept Kabhrel in front with his superior kicker.

"Good call, very good call," assured Kabhrel. "Nobody busted, everybody happy."

Player	Chips	Progress
Martin Kabrhel	60,000 60,000	60,000

Kasparas Klezys	34,000 34,000	34,000

Tags: Kasparas Klezys Martin Kabrhel

Level: 8

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 1,200

12-12-2023 12:52 UTC-5

Yu Takes From Bonomo

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Brandon Bloom

Level 8 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

On a 9♦5♣4♣ flop, Ben Yu checked the big blind, and Justin Bonomo bet 2,000 from under the gun. Yu called.

The 3♣ turn was checked to the 4♦ river and Yu led out for 11,000, prompting Bonomo to muck.

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Bonomo	77,500 42,500	42,500

Ben Yu	52,000 52,000	52,000

Tags: Ben Yu Justin Bonomo