We hadn't heard a lot of barking since Ted Bort's arrival during the previous level. Then we noticed Ted Bort's stack quickly sliding into the danger zone by the start of Level 2. And now he's out, his return trip to the WSOP cut short after just over three hours of play. Or 21 in dog hours.
A player in middle position opened for 500 and Matt Affleck called behind him in the hijack. The button called but then Chris Bjroin raised to 2,500 from the small blind. All three of his opponents folded as Bjorin took down the pot to increase his short stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
36,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
|
|
15,000 |
Earlier we told you guys about a hand that Lex Veldhuis won where he check called the whole way. On this hand, it was Veldhuis's opponent who check called the whole way, but the result was the same: Veldhuis winning chips. Veldhuis was in the cutoff heads up against his opponent in the small blind on a flop of 
. The small blind check called a bet of 800 from Veldhuis. The turn brought the 
, and this time, he check called a 2,000 bet from Veldhuis. On the river, the 
, the small blind checked a third time, and when Veldhuis bet 5,200, he once again called. Veldhuis showed 
for a pair of aces, and it was good enough to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
40,000
8,000
|
8,000 |
|
||
We just walked by Ari Engel's table and he appears to be gone. Since he's been nursing a short-stack all day, its safe to say that he's been eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
||
After a plethora of limps, six players saw a flop of 
. All six of the players checked once again and the turn came 
. The player sitting in the big blind bet out 300 and everyone folded around to Maria Ho who made the call. The 
hit the river and Ho's opponent bet out 1,000. Ho made the call only to see her opponent table 
for the king high flush. Ho flashed the 
and then mucked her hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
33,000
4,700
|
4,700 |
We only walked up to the table to see the full 
board out and George Danzer facing a bet of 1,500 from an opponent in middle position. Danzer made the call and the player announced, “Ace high.” Danzer turned over 
for kings and eights to take down the pot.
The following hand, a mid-position player raised to 600 and received calls from Nick Maimone (hijack), Danzer (cutoff) and Jordan Rich(big blind). When the flop came down 
, it was checked around to Danzer who bet 1,600 which was enough to get all of his opponents to fold.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
65,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
||
Preflop action had left three players still in the hand, including Josh Arieh in the big blind. Together the trio had built a pot of 6,100.
The flop came 
, and the small blind checked. Arieh fired a bet of 2,400, then the player in late position raised all in for about 20,000. The small blind got out, and after tanking for a bit Arieh called the raise, committing his entire stack of about 19,000.
Arieh tabled for top pair, but was behind his opponent's 
. The turn was the and river the , and Arieh -- who finished third in the WSOP ME in 2004 -- hits the rail before the end of Level 2.
We've lost our first player who started the day at the featured table. We missed the action before the turn, but with the board reading 
Duwayne Kosi ended up all in holding the 
against Balaz Biri's 
. Biri's two pair was in the lead but Kosi had a flush draw. The river brought the which changed nothing and Kosi was sent to the rail while Biri chipped up to 43,000.
With the board reading 
, Ruthenberg checked from the big blind to the player under the gun who bet out 3,000. An early position player got out of the way and Ruthenberg made the call.
Fifth street came the 
and Ruthenberg tossed out a bet of 8,000. His opponent made the call and Ruthenberg turned up for a rivered flush. His opponent mucked his hand and Ruthenberg was able to drag the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
46,000
8,700
|
8,700 |
|
||
Annette Obrestad opened with a raise to 400 from under the gun, then the player in the cutoff three-bet to 825. It folded back around and Obrestad called.
The flop came . Obrestad checked, her opponent fired 750, and Obrestad called. Both then checked the 
turn.
The river brought the 
and a bet of 1,100 from the 2007 WSOPE Main Event champion. Her opponent thought a moment, then let his hand go.
Obrestad sits with 32,800 now. Incidentally Jason Alexander (who appears to have photo-bombed this pic) is sitting one table over behind a stack of about 46,000.
