I embrace controversy, it makes the game interesting, so when I heard the floor called over to Table 26, my blood instantly picked up pace.
On this occasion, the ruling involved Robert Williamson III. With the board reading , Williamson III bet 2,700 and his opponent threw in the call.
Encouraged by the dealer, Williamson III revealed , only for his opponent to claim that he'd announced "raise." Although two players confirmed this, neither the dealer nor Williamson III had heard the declaration, so the floor was called.
After a brief debate, the final decision was that said player was not allowed to raise, and also had to leave his call in the middle, which considering he had for the busted flush draw, was not an ideal situation. Nevertheless, Williamson picked up the pot.
Whilst the dealer confessed, "I take full responsibility that I probably made a mistake," we asked the tournament director for clarification on the ruling, before being told: "If cards are exposed, it cuts off the action."
It was an interesting scenario that left us with numerous questions as to the best possible solution: Should he be entitled to raise if two people heard him? Should he be given the option to fold?... and so on.
Perhaps the most intriguing question, however, is that if he was given the option to raise, would he still do so knowing he was up against a set, and if so, how much would he raise, and would Williamson make the call if he were, say, to move all in? I guess we'll never know.
Vladimir Shchemelev raised to 700 from middle position. He was welcomed with two callers before the flop came down . Shchemelev bet 1,000 after the flop and only one of the players called.
Fourth street brought the and both players checked to see the fall on the river. Shchemelev check-raised a bet of 1,600 from his opponent to a nice-and-juicy 11,000. His opponent tossed his hand into the muck and Shchemelev scooped the pot to move to 45,000 in chips.
We arrived to see Hac Dang sitting in middle position and calling a bet of 1,250 from a player in the small blind. After Dang called, a player in late position folded and the two remaining players saw the come on the turn.
Dang's opponent bet 2,800 into the pot and Dang tanked for a number of minutes before finally deciding to fold. Dang is now down to 21,700 chips. Mind you, that still leaves him with over a hundred big blinds - plenty of room to make some moves.
We're not sure what exactly is going on, but Jane Gold - illustrious matriarch of the Gold family, whose progeny include exactly one Main Event champion - had both arms fully outstretched when we strolled by her table, and was making very small curious motions with her hands. We watched her for a while, but she neither stopped doing it nor gave any suggestion that she knew she was doing something not perfectly natural and run-of-the-mill for an average day at the WSOP Main Event.
Nevertheless she must be doing something right - she's doing somewhat better than her son, on 32,500.
Jamie Gold was all in preflop for his last 2,950 chips and a gentleman by the name of Yan Hua had him at risk.
Gold:
Hua:
ESPN cameras swarmed the feature table here in the Red Section to capture the all in situation.
"I could get lucky," Gold said with that familiar, $12 million grin.
The flop was not so good for Gold however.
"Hearts are no good," he professed.
"How about the ace of hearts?" Kevin Saul chirped in. "That'd be a good sweat."
The on the turn was yet another brick, and only one card separated Gold from either a double up or elimination.
Once instructed by the ESPN production crew, the dealer burned one card and delivered yet another brick; the . Gold shook Hua's hand and headed towards the rail.
"It's ok," the 2006 champ told the camera. "My mom is going to take this down."
Jane Gold is indeed in the field today, sitting with 32,500 chips over in the Orange Section.
"So sick," said Michael Martin as he rose from his seat. "My table's so good, and it looks like they've stopped breaking the tables in here."
"Every single player at my table knows what they're doing," he claimed. "It's ridiculous."
Judging by Martin's reaction, the standard here in the Main Event has dramatically improved from last year. Of course, my sample size is small, but only yesterday Steve Jelinek was echoing the same sentiment. Is the WSOP getting tougher?
Despite the opposition, Martin is still in adequate shape with 29,000.
Liv Boeree has been very short ever since running into a set of kings early. Just recently she moved all in from early position and received a call from one player; Chuck Kelley.
Boeree:
Kelley:
Media members stormed the table, much to the chagrin of Boeree.
"It's not that big of a pot people," she chuckled. "Really."
The flop was clean, , but Boeree knows this is a seven card game.
"I've got a long way to go," she announced.
Perhaps she's psychic, because when the dealer was directed to burn and turn a card he delivered the .
"Ooooooooohhhhhhhh!" the table boomed.
The river was a meaningless and Boeree hit the exit.
Ronnie Bardah raised from the hijack seat to 450 and the small blind made the call. The flop came down and the small blind checked to Bardah. He checked behind.
The turn brought the and the small blind fired 750. Bardah tossed in the call before the dealer placed the down on the river. The small blind checked and Bardah fired 2,200. His opponent folded the claiming, "These aren't good anymore," and Bardah won the pot.
Bardah is a Brockton, Massachusetts native who cut his teeth in poker along the East Coast in cardrooms such as Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods along with Atlantic City. Bardah's got nearly $115,000 in career tournament winnings, mostly from small buy-in events in states that border the Atlantic Ocean. His largest flat out win came back in August of 2007 when he won the $500 No-Limit Hold'em event at the Empire State Hold'em Championships. Bardah has played the WSOP Main Event a few times, but has never made it to the money. He'll surely be looking to get that monkey off his back this year and is off to a nice start, up to 41,000 in chips.
With the board reading , Darus Suharto and one opponent put 600 each before the fell on the river. The first player checked to Suharto and he fired 1,500. His opponent tank-called before Suharto turned up the for trip eights.
Suharto's opponent mucked and the Canadian pro moved back up to 20,000 chips.
![[user4144]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, Williamson III bet 2,700 and his opponent threw in the call.
, only for his opponent to claim that he'd announced "raise." Although two players confirmed this, neither the dealer nor Williamson III had heard the declaration, so the floor was called.
for the busted flush draw, was not an ideal situation. Nevertheless, Williamson picked up the pot.
. Shchemelev bet 1,000 after the flop and only one of the players called.
and both players checked to see the 
fall on the river. Shchemelev check-raised a bet of 1,600 from his opponent to a nice-and-juicy 11,000. His opponent tossed his hand into the muck and Shchemelev scooped the pot to move to 45,000 in chips.
come on the turn.
flop was not so good for Gold however.
on the turn was yet another brick, and only one card separated Gold from either a double up or elimination.
. Gold shook Hua's hand and headed towards the rail.
, but Boeree knows this is a seven card game.
.
and Boeree hit the exit.
and the small blind checked to Bardah. He checked behind.
and the small blind fired 750. Bardah tossed in the call before the dealer placed the 
, Darus Suharto and one opponent put 600 each before the 
fell on the river. The first player checked to Suharto and he fired 1,500. His opponent tank-called before Suharto turned up the 
for trip eights.
