Event #4: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Day 1 Started
2011 World Series of Poker
Event #4: $5,000 No-Limit Hold’em
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2011 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$4,065,500
Entries
865
Level
32
Blinds
60,000 / 120,000
Ante
15,000
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
Welcome back to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino and the 42nd Annual World Series of Poker for the commencement of Event #4: $5,000 No Limit Holdem!
With three events already being contested this week, today is the big test to truly see how the recent Black Friday events have effected poker in this country. Many of the top tournament grinders are in town, and with major sites unavailable at this time, the question that some of us are asking is, can this result in an upturn of numbers for the preliminary events?
Last year saw Jason DeWitt best a 792-player field to take home the coveted gold bracelet and $818,959 in prizemoney. That field that he managed to sit atop of was one of the most highly skilled and talented ones of this buy-in range, and the way the tournament floor is being set-up, an 800-plus field isn't unlikely - especially with the fact that there are 600 players already registered with registration open until 4:30 pm.
PokerNews will be on the floor throughout the day providing extensive live coverage of all the action, so make sure to stay tuned right here to PokerNews.com from 12:00 pm PST as we start the accent to crowning the Event 4 Champion.
Level: 1
Blinds: 50/75
Ante: 0
Level 1
: 50/75, 0 ante
Tournament announcements have been made and cards are now in the air.
Level 1
: 50/75, 0 ante
Right now the board reads that 625 players have signed up for this event. According to the WSOP staff, there's still about 100 people in line trying to get in. On top of that, registration will remain open through the first four levels of play. We should see another event topping its field size from last year in this one as well.
Level 1
: 50/75, 0 ante
With the tournament currently being split into two sections of the Pavilion Room, our PokerNews reporter went for a quick stroll and spotted some interesting tables.
Reigning Champion Jonathan Duhamel is currently seated alongside a player he knows fairly well; fellow final tablist John Dolan.
Online whiz-kids Ryan "g0lfa" D'Angelo and Andrew "luckychewy" Lichtenberger will not only have to battle each other, but also Heather Sue Mercer.
Taking a look at our chip counts page will give you a better understanding, but the likes of Matt Stout, Dan Kelly, Mike Watson, Dan Smith, Jonathan Little, Isaac Haxton and Brock Parker have all taken a seat in today's field.
Dan O'Brien and Sam Trickett wasted little time in playing a big pot here in the first level with the blinds at 50-75. We caught up with the action on the flop of 
. Trickett was first to act and had bet 800. O'Brien put out the call and off to fourth street they went.
The 
fell on the turn and Trickett fired again, wagering 2,300. O'Brien was right there with him with another call to see the 
complete the board on the river. Trickett took his time and then bet 10,500, with 450 behind. O'Brien began to tank before saying, "This is a fun hand." The two engaged in a bit of chatter back and forth where O'Brien mentioned he had a pair and that it was a petty good hand, but not a great one. Trickett responded by asking which pair and that spawned some laughter from the table.
After a bit more in the tank, O'Brien finally gave it up. Trickett thought about showing while he raked his chips and then revealed the 
, claiming, "I just blew up."
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
19,125
4,125
|
4,125 |
|
11,000
-4,000
|
-4,000 |
Level 1
: 50/75, 0 ante
Jason Mercier has just arrived at taken a seat at a table with fellow poker pro Kathy Liebert.
"Heat is on now," Liebert said.
Upon sitting down, Mercier asked, "What are the blinds at?" When a player beside him replied, "Fifty, seventy-five," Mercier said, "Sillyness...lets get the blinds up."
It is no surprise that an event like this attracts the highest quality field, and with people still in line registering, here are a few more late stragglers that have waltzed through the door.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,000 | |
|
|
15,000 | |
|
15,000 | |
|
||
|
15,000 | |
|
15,000 | |
|
15,000 | |
|
15,000 | |
|
15,000 | |
|
||
|
15,000 | |
|
|
||
|
15,000 | |
|
15,000 | |
Level 1
: 50/75, 0 ante
It is not uncommon to find to friends sitting on the same table - even with a player field of over 700 players.
However two best friends have managed to find a seat together with Eric Baldwin and Justin Young seated together. They were soon joined by Allen Bari, and there is no doubt that there will be a little spice on this table!