2011 World Series of Poker

Event #1: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2011 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
q6
Prize
$82,292
Event Info
Buy-in
$500
Prize Pool
$382,500
Entries
850
Level Info
Level
23
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
5,000

Martin Chips Up

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Stefan Martin raised to 2,900 UTG+1 and the opponent in next position called. Everyone else folded and the players took a flop of {q-Diamonds}{j-Spades}{9-Diamonds}. Martin checked, then snap shoved after his opponent led out for 5,000. His opponent mulled it over for about 30 seconds before she laid her hand down. Martin has about 62,000 after the hand.

Tags: Stefan Martin

Alex Alashkar Becomes a Top Stack

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

A player from middle position opened the hand with a raise to 2,300. Alex Alashkar, who had one of the largest stacks at the table already, reraised all in. The big blind followed suit and shipped in his last 9,000 chips. The initial raiser folded and the hands were turned up.

Alashkar: {J-Spades}{J-Clubs}
Opponent: {5-Clubs}{5-Hearts}

The table had a mini roar when they saw that the opponent hit a set of fives but quieted as they realized it was accompanied with a jack. The final board was {5-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{j-Hearts}{10-Clubs}{a-Spades} and Alashkar has moved to one of the top spots on the leader board with 63,000.

Tags: Alex Alashkar

Tens Never Fail

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Bob Dillon declined to sing us a song but did have a nice hand to put him up over 60,000.

We didn’t see the pre-flop action, but a player from the button got it all in for about 10,000 with {8-Clubs}{8-Diamonds} against Dillon’s {10-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}.

The flop was {3-Spades}{3-Hearts}{K-Clubs} for no change in the standings, but the turn was {8-Spades} to give Dillon two outs for the win. At some point as all this unfolded, Dillon did announce that “tens haven’t failed me all day” and for drama’s sake, I’d like to think it was right before he spiked the {10-Spades} on the river and took down the hand.

The two players hugged it out and Dillon stacked his newly won chips to put his count just over 60,000.

Tags: Bob Dillon

Barela Chips Up

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Mike Barela and another player got all the chips in preflop with Barela holding the {j-Diamonds}{j-Spades} versus his opponent's {A-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}. The board favored Barela showing the {j-Hearts}{9-Spades}{7-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}{8-Spades} and helping him chip up to around 53,000.

Tags: Mike Barela

Thanh Ngo Closing in on 100k

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Thanh Ngo is up to 96,000 after eliminating an opponent. We caught her in a big pot after the flop showed up {3-Clubs}{a-Hearts}{5-Clubs}. Ngo and her opponent got it all in after the flop with Ngo showing {a-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}, and her opponent showing {a-Clubs}{7-Clubs}. Ngo avoided the flush when the turn and river ran out {4-Hearts} and {4-Spades}.

With her shipping this pot she moves up to the top of the leader board.

Tags: Thanh Ngo

Nearing the Money

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

We officially have less than 100 players remaining in the tournament and with 81 spots paying, we imagine play will begin to tighten up as we get closer to the money.

Double for Dulay

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

A player in middle position raised to 3,400 only to see Juan Dulay re-raise on the button with his final 7,100. The initial raiser made the call also putting much of his stack at risk.

Dulay: {q-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}
Opponent: {a-Spades}{5-Hearts}

The flop, {4-Hearts}{10-Spades}{k-Hearts}, was good news for Dulay and the {q-Hearts} turn gave him two pair. Although his opponent still had three outs left, the {3-Diamonds} river would be even more good news for Dulay and he quickly stacked his 16,000 in chips.

Tags: Juan Dulay

Baker Turns Up the Heat at His Table

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Jason Baker has quietly upped his chip stack to just over 70,000. He did most of his damage on a hand where he raised 4,000 preflop. The cutoff shoved all in for 12,700 total, and Baker thought for about 30 seconds before calling. He flipped up {a-Hearts}{k-Diamonds} which was dominating his opponents {a-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}. The flop came {4-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}, and the turn brought the {10-Diamonds} giving both players a big flush draw. The river came the {3-Clubs}, and Baker scooped the pot.

Baker then won the next two hands, both times raising to 4,000 preflop and inducing folds around the table.

Players Tightening Up

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

Something you don't see very often is a player laying down pocket kings, especially pre-flop. We just saw a woman go into the tank for a few minutes after another player put out a large raise pre-flop. She then folded her pocket kings face up stating, "I'm not too fond of kings, I always run into aces." We don't know if the other player held aces or not, but anything is possible.

The Other Baker Takes a Hit

Level 9 : 500/1,000, 100 ante

While Jason Baker is trending up, it's a different story for Rich Baker who is now down to about 3,500.

After the player in the cutoff raised to 2,500, Baker shoved from the small blind.. A quick call from the player in the cutoff revealed {A-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}. A dejected Baker turned over {A-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} and was unable to catch up as the board came down {7-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{3-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{10-Hearts}.

Luckily for Baker, he had his opponent slightly covered and is still alive in the tournament, albeit with about four big blinds.

Tags: Rich Baker