2012 World Series of Poker

Event 33: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
1010
Prize
$440,238
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,000
Entries
2,795
Level Info
Level
30
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

Dream and Drive: WSOP Glory

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

The field has just grown to 2,568 players as we enter the second level of play. It is a recreational players dream as they get the chance to sit next to their idols, play cards and have a chat. Here are some players from differing backgrounds.

Scott Geiger is a professor of business who resides in Tampa, Florida. Geiger comes to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) every year with his friends Eric, Brad and Bill. Each year he flicks his $1,000 into the pot in the hope of achieving his dreams of winning a WSOP bracelet. To Geiger this is what it's all about. The chance to play cards with the big boys, have some fun and hopefully make a big score. Geiger would like to wish his father Bill, a very happy fathers day.

In stark contrast to Geiger we have Andre Akkari. Akkari travels the world playing poker for a living and until 2011 was more notable for his online exploits than his offline exploits. Then in 2011, Andre Akkari stood up and said, 'here I am,' when he took down a $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event for $675,117. The WSOP bracelet winner has yet to cash at this years WSOP and is hoping that he breaks his duck in Event #33.

Two very different people, from very different backgrounds and this is what makes the World Series of Poker the very in the business.

Tags: Andre AkkariScott Geiger

A Punk and an Online Wiz Who Has Won a Chunk

When you talk about the differences between online poker and the brick and mortar card rooms, they are summed up perfectly when you look at Kyle Weir and Jonathon Kalmar.

Kalmar, or as he is known to his mates Kalie the Skalie, is a rough and tumble Northerner from England in the U.K. He is one of those guys you just don't fancy getting into a bar room brawl with. He strides around the Rio in his Doc Martens boots and punk rocker t-shirts reminiscent of the UK in the 1970s. Kalmar is your classic live poker grinder who has earned close to $2 million since 2004. His most impressive performance to date came when he finished 5th for $1,255,069 in the 2007 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event.

At the other end of the poker scale you have Kyle Weir. Weir looks young enough to be Kalmar's kid. He is sat at his table, head covered by a beenie hat, rocking to some music. He doesn't look old enough to have his own paper round and yet you know he is at home in his surroundings. Weir is one of the young guns. The Internet generation forced out into the card rooms by their own government. What Weir and Kallie the Skalie do have in common is $1,000,000 scores. Kalmar took his down in the 2007 Main Event and Weir did likewise when he won the $10 Million anniversary Sunday Million on PokerStars.

Here are a couple of hands for the contrasting pair.

Jon Kalmar raised to 125 in early position and there were two callers before the small blind made it 425 to play. It was only Kalmar that made the call and the pair headed to the flop. The dealer laid the {K-Spades} {10-Hearts} {2-Hearts} on the felt and the big blind came out betting for 425; Kalmar made the call. It was the {3-Hearts} on fourth street and the big blind checked to Kalmar and he bet 900. Back to the big blind and he check-raised all-in and a gutted looking Kalmar mucked his hand.

Jon Kalmar ~ 2,125.

There was a raise to 175, in the cutoff, Kyle Weir called on the button as did the big blind. The flop was {J-Diamonds} {8-Spades} {5-Spades} and the initial raiser bet 350 when checked too. Action on Weir and he raised to 850, the big blind folded and the initial raiser flicked in the call. The turn card was the {K-Diamonds} and the initial raiser tapped the felt. A confident looking Weir bet 1,025, the initial raiser moved all-in for 2,225 and Weir bit his hand off.

Weir{J-Hearts} {J-Spades}
Opponent{A-Hearts} {K-Spades}

So Weir's opponent had hit his king on the turn but Weir had flopped a set. The {7-Diamonds} river confirmed the inevitable and Weir just looked at us and said, "great start."

Kyle Weir ~ 7,000

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kyle Weir us
Kyle Weir
7,000
4,000
4,000
Profile photo of Jonathon Kalmar
Jonathon Kalmar
2,125

Tags: Jonathon KalmarKyle Weir

Greg "The Fossilman" Raymer

In May 2004, Greg Raymer made history when he became a World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event champion earning $5,000,000 after his heads-up victory over David Williams. Just one year later and the man nicknamed The Fossilman made another impressive run when he finished in 25th place in the 2005 Main Event earning $304,680. Here is a Raymer hand for you.

We caught the action on a four-handed flop of {6-Clubs} {5-Spades} {4-Diamonds}. The action checked to Greg Raymer, in mid-position, and he bet 1,500. The player in the cutoff made the call and the two blinds folded. The turn card was the {7-Diamonds} and Raymer moved all-in for 1,000 and his opponent made the call.

Raymer{8-Spades} {8-Diamonds}
Opponent{8-Clubs} {7-Clubs}

So both players had made their straights and we were looking at a split pot.

River: {4-Spades}

Chop it up.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Greg Raymer us
Greg Raymer
3,800
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Greg Raymer

Benyamine Down and Mizzi Out

Sorel Mizzi came over to the media desk to charge his iPad and several moments later came back to pick it up.

"Still in?" We asked.

"Nope." Said Mizzi.

World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holder David Benyamine is not out, but he does have his work cut out. We caught the action at the river with 900 in the pot and a board with {8-Clubs} {5-Hearts} {J-Diamonds} {Q-Spades} {K-Diamonds} on the board. Benyamine bet 450 from the small blind, the big blind raised to 1,300 in the big blind and Benyamine called. His opponent showed {A-Hearts} {10-Diamonds} for the straight and Benyamine mucked.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of David Benyamine fr
David Benyamine
725
-2,275
-2,275
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Sorel Mizzi ca
Sorel Mizzi
Busted

Tags: David BenyamineSorel Mizzi

Level: 3

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

Table #20: WSOP Bracelet Holders Duhamel & Polychronopoulos

Two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet holders Jonathan Duhamel and Athanasios Polychronopoulos are seated together at Table #20 and both have had great starts to the day. Polychronopoulos won Event #48: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em in 2011 and Duhamel was our Main Event champion back in 2010.

Polychronopoulos has 13,000 chips and told us that there weren't any real stand out hands, instead he just grinded his way up in a series of small pots. Duhamel has 9,400 chips and Polychronopoulos was kind enough to tell us about his first double up hand. He told us that Duhamel had rivered aces-full on a board of {A-} {7-} {6-} {6-} {9-} and moved all-in and an older Englishman, who talked a lot, wore glasses and was called Barry made the call. That fits the description of legendary Hendon Mobster Barny Boatman to a tee...well except for the talkative part, Barny is as quiet as a mouse.

Postnote: Barny Boatman confirmed that it was him in the hand versus Duhamel and he also had a full-house.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Athanasios Polychronopoulos us
Athanasios Polychronopoulos
13,000
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Jonathan Duhamel ca
Jonathan Duhamel
9,400
6,400
6,400
Profile photo of Barny Boatman gb
Barny Boatman
Busted

Tags: Athanasios PolychronopoulosJonathan Duhamel

The Globetrotter Kara Scott

The globetrotter Kara Scott has finally landed in Vegas. We believe this is only her second event and she has already run into some trouble early doors. Scott, who has 5 World Series of Poker (WSOP) cashes to her name, and was easily one of the busiest people at last years WSOP (as the amazing anchor for ESPN), has just tweeted that she lost most of her chips with a straight flush draw that bricked. Scott is down to 14BB.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kara Scott ca
Kara Scott
1,400
-1,600
-1,600

Tags: Kara Scott

Leo Margets is Out

We reported earlier that Leo Margets got her chips into the middle in the first few hands of the day. She has just done the same again, only this time the outcome was reversed and fatal.

We caught the action with Margets on her feet. The dealer was counting her stack to see if she had any chips remaining. She was all-in pre flop holding {9-Hearts} {9-Spades} and her conqueror was holding {A-Clubs} {A-Hearts}. The board showed {4-Spades} {6-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} {J-Clubs} {6-Diamonds} and after the count was confirmed Margets was out.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Leo Margets es
Leo Margets
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner
Winamax

Tags: Leo Margets