39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event Day 1b | 2008 World Series of Poker

07-04-2008 18:32 UTC-7

A Vegas Problem With No Name

[user76079]

Overhearing a conversation and then embarking on a similar conversation myself didn't come up with the answer. There is a name missing to what seems to be a common Las Vegas problem.

You come to Las Vegas to play poker, to party, to do whatever you want to do. Whatever it may be, you always end up doing to excess and wearing yourself out. Extreme tiredness sets in and the only way to solve this is to go to bed and catch-up on sleep.

The problem is that when you try to sleep, you can't. You go into a half-sleep where you're sort of dreaming but still conscious of the real world. This state can last for hours before you finally drop off. This is bad preparation for what is to many, the biggest tournament of their lives.

A common problem that no one I've spoken to knows the name for.

07-04-2008 18:33 UTC-7

Chuck Wagon

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[user38368]

An early-position player raises to 750 and a player in late position calls. Chuck Thompson, executive host of the Bay 101 casino, calls out of the big blind.

The flop is {4-Spades}

and Thompson checks. The EP player bets 1,700 and the LP player folds. Thompson check-raises to 6,200 and the EP folds. Thompson is up to 41,000.

07-04-2008 18:39 UTC-7

Rare Day 1 Tables of Death

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[user25067]

Lee Watkinson is now sitting on the right of Alex Kravchenko in a little final table reunion from last year. Watkinson finished eighth in the 2007 Main Event while Kravchenko finished fourth.

Also looking deathly are Tables 5 and 8 in the Orange section. David Grey and Steve Zolotow are seated together on Table 5, while Peter "Nordberg" Feldman was recently moved to Erik Seidel's right on Table 8.

07-04-2008 18:42 UTC-7

Two's Company...Four's A Good Time!

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[user67765]

John Duthie was overheard to be discussing dinner plans with his friendly massage therapist, and in-between some flirtatious joking he appeared keen to accept the invitation to join her at dinner. The therapist then commented that she was going to leave early to avoid the dinner rush, but John said he had to play out the final 20 minutes of play. That is until the therapist said that there were going to be two other therapists joining them, which prompted John to jump out of his seat and jokingly run for the exit!

Tags: John Duthie

07-04-2008 18:42 UTC-7

Better Than Gold

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[user75032]

No $12 million this year for Jamie Gold.

2006 Main Event winner Jamie Gold is out of the tournament. He moved all in preflop for 2,700 from the small blind with {k-Hearts}

. Pat Pezzin snap-called from the big blind with {Q-Hearts}

. "Look what I ran into," Gold said disbelievingly.

Gold couldn't come up with anything that could beat a pair of queens when the board came out {7-Hearts}

. He shook the hand of every player at the table, wished them all good luck, picked up his bag and headed for the exit from the Amazon Room.

The player in the four-seat turned to Pezzin after the hand and said, "Jamie's mother is over there, you know. She's gonna want to know who you are because you just busted her son."

"I don't care," replied Pezzin, drawing some smiles and laughter from the rest of the table as he stacked up his 51,000 in chips.

07-04-2008 18:46 UTC-7

Caught in a Moshe

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[user38368]

T6 pro Julian Powell raises to 800 on the button and Moshe Elezra calls in the big blind. The flop is {7-Hearts}

and Moshe checks. Powell bets 1,100 and Moshe calls.

The turn is {4-Hearts}

and Moshe checks. Powell bets 2,300 and Moshe calls.

The river is {10-Clubs}

. Moshe checks. Powell bets 3,500 and Moshe calls.

Powell shows {Q-Spades}

to the

of Moshe and climbs to 48,000. Moshe has 17,000.

07-04-2008 18:47 UTC-7

Thorson Eliminates Varkonyi

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donpeters

Olga Varkonyi (event #15) eliminated from the Main Event

William Thorson raised to 825 and then Olga Varkonyi sitting on his immediate left reraised to 2,500. It folded back around to Thorson and he made the call. Before the flop came down, Thorson checked in the dark.

The flop was {J-Diamonds}

and Varkonyi moved all in for about 24,000. Thorson called in a heartbeat and turned over {J-Hearts}

. Varkonyi rolled over {Q-Hearts}

and she would need some help to stay alive.

The turn was the {9-Clubs}

and the river the {A-Spades}

. Varkonyi missed her outs and was sent to the rail.

The PokerStars pro Thorson, moved up to 54,000 on this hand.

Tags: Olga Varkonyi William Thorson

07-04-2008 18:49 UTC-7

Clark Barred

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[user38368]

Brian Clark busts with {A-Diamonds}

versus

on a board of {4-Hearts}

.

07-04-2008 18:50 UTC-7

The Sunglass Hut

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[user25067]

Cricketer Shane Warne-- one of many sunglass lovers in the Amazon Room

Here at PokerNews, we strive to bring you the most up-to-date, scientifically verified information in the poker world. During a recent lull in the action, we conducted an investigation to help answer one of the WSOP's most burning questions.

How many players are wearing sunglasses?

Based on a sample size of 40 tables, approximately 2.45 players per table have chosen to shield their eyes from the glare of the lights and the gazes of their opponents. That's about 315 players, or 27 percent of the field.

Again, these numbers are highly accurate and scientifically calculated.

07-04-2008 18:54 UTC-7

Formica Flushed

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[user25067]

With the board reading {Q-Spades}

Silvio "The Italian Stallion" Formica faced a 4,000 bet from his opponent on the river.

"The only way you're gonna win is if you have a third queen or backed into a flush. Here's my 4,000," he said as he dribbled four yellow chips into the pot, making the call.

The big blind turned over {J-Clubs}

, indeed having backed into the flush.

"You were right," sighed Formica, showing {7-Spades}

as his opponent raked in the pot.