2008 World Series of Poker

39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
6,844
Players Left
9
Next Payout
Place 9
$900,670
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
120,000 / 240,000
Ante
30,000

Let's Get Thierry-ous

Thierry in Event #48
Thierry in Event #48
T6 pro Thierry van den Berg and "Miami" John Cernuto limp into a flop of {J-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}. Both check. The turn is {2-Hearts} and Miami John checks. Thierry bets 600 and Miami John folds. Thierry is up to 21,000.

Dominik Kulicki's Empty Chair

The empty seat on table 14, seat six of the blue section of the Amazon Room now has a post-it note in front of it, explaining that the dwindling stack belongs to Dutchman Dominik Kulicki.

Kulicki had pre-registered but is among the last players to actually take their seat in today's field. With three previous WSOP cashes, including a 7th place in Event #23: $ 2,000 No Limit Hold'em at this year's WSOP, you would hope that Kulicki hasn't got his days confused as his stack is now down to 17,600.

Tags: Dominik Kulicki

He Wouldn't Lie About That...

Scotty Nguyen
Scotty Nguyen
Scotty Nguyen made an 875 bet on the river and his opponent made the call with two pair, jacks and nines. As he scooped the pot Scotty said, "That's the only bluff of the day," and the crowd laughed at Scotty's blatant falsehood.

Shulman's Kings Snapped Off

Allyn Jaffrey Shulman opened for 600 from late position and the big blind called. The flop was {Q-Spades} {6-Spades} {2-Clubs}. The big blind checked, Shulman bet 1,400 and the big blind called. The turn was the {10-Clubs}. The big blind check-called a 4,000 bet from Shulman. The river was the {A-Diamonds} and both players checked.

Shulman turned up {K-Diamonds} {K-Hearts} only to find that they were cracked on the river by the big blind's {A-Hearts} {Q-Clubs}.

"I knew that's what you had" groaned Shulman as her opponent dragged the pot. She's down to 9,500.

Another Set for Svetlana

Svetlana Gromenkova - Event #22
Svetlana Gromenkova - Event #22
Svetlana Gromenkova raised to 400 from late position and got a single caller in the small blind. They went heads up to a flop of {K-Hearts} {9-Diamonds} {6-Diamonds}. The small blind check-called Gromenkova's bet of 575 and the {3-Spades} hit the turn.

The small blind checked again and Gromenkova fired out 1,300. She got a call and the {5-Clubs} came off on the river. After a check from her opponent, Gromenkova bet 4,000 and got paid off. She showed {6-Hearts} {6-Clubs} for another flopped set and scooped the pot.

Not long ago, Gromenkova flopped a set of deuces to eliminate John Gale. She now commands a stack of just over 50,000 chips.

Tags: Svetlana Gromenkova

Alec Torelli Eliminated

It won't be this year for Traheho
It won't be this year for Traheho
The cutoff and Alec "Traheho" Torelli, on the button, saw the flop come down {A-Spades} {Q-Clubs} {7-Hearts}. The cutoff bet 1,000 and Torelli raised to 2,550. The cutoff called.

The turn was the {10-Spades} and the cutoff led for 3,500. Torelli raised all in for 9,000 total and the cutoff made the call.

Torelli's two pair with the {A-Diamonds} {7-Diamonds} was behind the cutoff's {K-Hearts} {J-Diamonds} going to the river.

The river landed the {6-Hearts} and had Torelli felted.

Tags: Alec Torelli

Game of Telephone

All sorts of rumors have been flying around today about some huge pots that went down inside the Rio last night in the cash games. One was about a $4000/$8000 PLO game where a million dollar pot was played out.

The other was about a $600,000 pot in a NLH game where a top pro made a sick call with pocket nines on a jack high board after his opponent moved all-in with a gutshot draw. They ran it twice and split the pot after the straight came on the second run.

We won't mention any of the names involved as you know how the details can get blurred as the story gets passed on. Let's just say they are well known players.

Pham Falling

David Pham bet 800 on a flop of {A-Hearts} {Q-Spades} {6-Clubs} after his one opponent, the big blind, checked. The big blind then raised to 2,000 and Pham called.

On a turn of {9-Hearts}, the big blind bet 3,000. Again Pham called.

The river fell {9-Clubs} and the big blind bet 5,000. Pham went into the tank for about three minutes, long enough for ESPN's cameras to wander by. He did eventually make the fold, but he's down to 5,025 in chips.

Poker Is Nice...

Chau Giang
Chau Giang
It's especially nice for Chau Giang when he can pick up a pot without showing his cards. After he check-called a 650 bet following a {9-Hearts} {9-Clubs} {2-Diamonds} flop and both players checked the {2-Spades} on the turn Chau took the pot when he bet 1,500 after the {Q-Clubs} came on the river. The other player folded and Giang got his stack back up to 21,500.