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Even though it's still the first round, there are still a plethora of intriguing encounters, such as:
Phil Ivey vs. Michael Mizrachi
Antonio Esfandiari vs. Justin Bonomo
Brandon Adams vs. Carlos Mortensen
Amit Makhija vs. JJ Liu
2010 World Series of Poker
Event #35: $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2010 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$2,406,400
Entries
256
Level
7
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
0
A few notes about today's first round...
Matches will feature 20-minute levels, with the blinds increasing thusly: 100-200, 100-300, 200-400, 300-600, 400-800, 500-1,000, 600-1,200, 800-1,600, 1,000-2,000, 1,200-2,400, 1,500-3,000, 2,000-4,000, 3,000-6,000. (No antes in heads-up play.)
Players will start with 30,000 chips. Check the blog for updates on chip counts in individual matches, as we won't be updating those over on the "Chip Counts" page as in other events.
The schedule has the first round starting at 5 p.m. and the second beginning at 10 p.m., although that schedule could be subject to change.
Also, only the top 32 will be paid in the event, meaning those who win two matches today will still need to win one more tomorrow to make it to the cash.
Players have concluded their pre-tourney wandering about, among them Tom "durrrr" Dwan, shopping prop bets. Cards are in the air!
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 0
A reliable source told me that he overheard Jonathan Aguiar joking: "This'll be an easy tournament to win. You only have to get past eight players and you've won a bracelet. It's like beating an STT."
Aguiar might change his mind, however, if he sees one of the favourites staring back at him.
"Thought I'd provide a bit of value to this event," smiled Chris Moorman as he entered the room. "I was actually hoping that I got someone like durrrr or Ivey, so that if I do lose, people wouldn't think anything of it. I don't want to lose to someone who everyone thinks is rubbish."
"What would happen if you got Doyle?" I inquired. "Would you just check every pot down? The match would never end!"
"I don't have Doyle. I have a guy who couldn't even find his seat. I must be able to beat someone like that, surely?"
Meanwhile, fellow Brit Sam Trickett has decided to give this one a bash. He's carrying a bag to his table as if he's been kicked out of the hotel by the Mrs. "I don't care who I have," he said confidently. "Yeah, I'd like to win against someone like Ivey, but it really doesn't bother me."
Players continuing to filter in, searching for their correct seat assignments. Not as simple as it sounds, as we've been relocated and thus players are having to negotiate the new signage to find where they are playing -- as well as whom their first round opponents will be.
Jonathan Aguiar was just standing by one table, lamenting the fact that Carlos Mortensen appeared to be his first round opponent. Then he reread his registration card and realized he's actually to play a couple of tables over.
"Good life!" he smiled, and wishing the 2001 WSOP Main Event champ well moved over to find out who he's actually playing here in Round 1.
We won't be able to get hold of a final player list until late registration closes, but it's quickly becoming clear that there are more stars participating than an entire series of Celebrity Squares. Something tells me that this is the event that's going to influence all your WSOP Fantasy Leagues.
Already spotted are the likes of Tom Dwan, Antonio Esfandiari, John Juanda, Annette Obrestad, Andy Bloch, Carlos Mortensen, and Jason Mercier, but more and more familiar names are trickling into the playing arena as I write.
For the first time this year, I was overawed when I entered the Rio. Sure, my jaw sank to the floor when I first witnessed the sea of tables heading off into the distance, but it's another thing to see them full with players. With several events taking place today, there's a real electricity in the air, and a distinct feeling that, today, the 2010 World Series is truly underway.
As a result, today's $10,000 Heads-Up No Limit Hold'em has been relocated to the Pavillion Room, the neighboring Amazon Room unable to provide the space required for a heads-up tournament. A smattering of players have already begun to make there way into the arena, and, all being well, we should be just several minutes away from kick-off.
The battle for one of the more prestigious bracelets among the preliminary events begins today. It's Day 1 of Event No. 35, the $10,000 Heads Up No-Limit Hold'em Championship.
Like last year, this event has been capped at 256 players, and we expect many from poker's elite to make up the field. Today will see two rounds' worth of play, with the 64 players managing to win two matches advancing to Day 2.
Leo Wolpert won this event last year, defeating eight opponents one by one to take the bracelet, including an especially tough final against John Duthie. In that final, Wolpert beat Duthie 2-1, with the deciding third match taking five hours before Wolpert finally took the last of Duthie's chips.
This year's final will also be a best-of-three affair, although all matches before that are one and done. Play gets underway at 5 p.m. local time. Back soon with reports on the early round matches!