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

Blaszkiewizz knocks out a player

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

We caught the action on the turn with 1,500 in the pot and the board reading {9-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{j-Spades}{2-Diamonds}. Facing a bet of 700, Blaszkiewizz raised to 1,500, and his opponent thought for a minute before calling, leaving himself just 200 left. That last 200 got in on the river, the {5-Spades}, and Blaszkiewizz showed {9-Diamonds}{9-Spades} for a flopped set, and his opponent was eliminated.

Tags: James Blaszkiewizz

Defending Champ Doubles Up

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

Hoai Pham, the defending champion of the Casino Employee event just doubled up. When we caught up with the action the board read {a-Hearts}{k-Hearts}{3-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{5-Hearts} and Pham had just pushed all in. His opponent tanked for a bit before making the call. Pham excitedly declared, "Nuts!" and flipped over his {q-Hearts}{9-Hearts} to take the pot. He now has a little over 6,500 in chips.

Tags: Hoai Pham

John Deng Boosts His Stack

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

After getting all his chips in on the turn with the {k-Hearts}{q-Hearts}, John Deng managed to double up against his opponent's {10-}{10-} on a board of {Q-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{7-Clubs}{J-Spades}{7-Diamonds}. He won the following hand as well to help boost his stack up to almost 5,000. Deng works at the Casino Royale in Sacramento, CA.

Tags: John Deng

Two Players Flop Sets, Aces Hold Up

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

Ken Deng, an employee of the Venetian Casino, raised to 350 in middle position after two players limped before him. The button called and the two limpers folded.

The flop came {a-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{7-Clubs}. Deng bet 375, the button raised to 1,000, then Deng re-raised all in for 1,900. The button called and flipped up {7-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}. Deng showed {a-Hearts}{a-Spades}.

The turn came {a-Clubs} giving Deng the win before the {9-Hearts} on the river.

Tags: Ken Deng

Bad Beats Abound

Level 1 : 25/50, 0 ante

When Michael Sussman and another player got all their chips in pre-flop, Sussman's {A-Clubs}{K-Diamonds} was trailing to his opponents {k-Spades}{k-Clubs}. The board then ran out {10-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{j-Hearts} to give Sussman a Broadway straight, and the win. Sussman yelled "Send it!" as his opponent stormed away from the table. His opponent was crippled, but not eliminated, yet he seemed to disappear after the hand.

Tags: Michael Sussman

Main Event Dealer Dealt His Last Hand

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

Shaun Harris, who dealt at the 2010 Main Event Final Table and also got 24th at this event last year, is out.

Under the gun, Harris raised to 175 with one caller in middle position. The cutoff then re-raised to 625 and after tanking for a couple minutes, Harris re-raised to 2,500. The cutoff snap shoved for a little under 3,000 with a call from Harris who held {Q-}{Q-} to the cutoff’s {A-Spades}{K-Hearts}. The board ran out {9-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{K-Diamonds} to cripple Harris’ stack down to 1,075.

The next hand, the player under-the-gun limped, the player on the button raised to 275, and a dejected Harris moved all in from the big blind for 1,075. The player under-the-gun then shoved his whole stack for close to 3,000 with a quick fold from the player on the button. Harris flipped over {A-Diamonds}{K-Clubs} to the UTG’s {J-Clubs}{J-Spades}. The board ran out {8-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}{8-Clubs}{9-Diamonds}{9-Spades} to send Harris to the rail before the end of the first level.

Tags: Shaun Harris

Level: 2

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

Gamarra Loses Some Chips, Still Healthy

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

After chipping up to 7,300, Gamarra just lost a bit of his stack. With four players in the pot, Gamarra called a 400 bet on a flop of {7-Spades}{q-Clubs}{8-Clubs} and the other two players folded. Both players checked the {10-Hearts} and the river came the {7-Hearts}. Gamarra called a 600 bet, and mucked when his opponent showed {a-Clubs}{7-Clubs} for rivered trips. Gamarra dropped to 6,200, which is still well above average.

Mike Leasure Doubles Up

Level 2 : 50/100, 0 ante

A friendly pot developed pre-flop when five players limped in. The flop came {7-Clubs}{Q-Diamonds}{K-Spades} and the small blind bet out 150. Mike Leasure was the only person to call and see the {7-Spades} fall on the turn. The small blind bet 400 and Leasure raised all in to 1050. The small blind made the call with his {k-}{6-} but was was drawing slim to Leasure's {q-}{q-}. The river brought the {a-Diamonds} and Leasure doubled his stack.

Tags: Mike Leasure