2012 World Series of Poker

Event 61: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2012 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k5
Prize
$8,531,853
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$62,021,200
Entries
6,598
Level Info
Level
42
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
300,000

A Chat with Kristy Arnett

Level 1 : 50/100, 0 ante

Our very own PokerNews hostess, Kristy Arnett, is playing her first World Series of Poker Main Event today. Earlier this year, Arnett earned his first WSOP cash. She shares some of the key pieces of advice that pros have shared with her before taking her seat.

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Good Start for Kassela

Frank Kassela has had a good start to the day, seeing his stack already increase to just shy of 35,000 in chips. A recent hand that went Kassela's way started when the action was folded to the player in the cutoff and they opened the pot to 300. Kassela then three-bet to 850 from the small blind and the dealer spread out a {6-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}{10-Diamonds} flop.

On the flop, Kassela led for 1,100 and his opponent called. A {4-Diamonds} was then slapped on the turn and Kassela led for 1,700. The {2-Spades} completed the board on the river and Kassela again led, this time for 2,400. It was too much for Kassela's opponent as they folded and sent the pot to Kassela.

Player Chips Progress
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Frank Kassela
34,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 3X Winner

Tags: Frank Kassela

More in the Orange Section

More players have been spotted throughout the Orange Section of the Amazon Room. Included in these recognizable faces is Kevin Pollak, with the Hollywood star sitting just a few tables away from Ray Romano.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of John Monnette us
John Monnette
30,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Profile photo of Pius Heinz de
Pius Heinz
30,000
Profile photo of Tatjana Pasalic
Tatjana Pasalic
30,000
Profile photo of Luca Pagano it
Luca Pagano
30,000
Profile photo of René Angélil
René Angélil
30,000
Profile photo of Allen Cunningham us
Allen Cunningham
30,000
WSOP 5X Winner
Profile photo of Naoya Kihara jp
Naoya Kihara
30,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Kevin Pollak
Kevin Pollak
30,000
Profile photo of Steve Gross us
Steve Gross
30,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Frank Kassela us
Frank Kassela
30,000
WSOP 3X Winner

Haxton Takes an Early Hit

Isaac Haxton called a raise to 250 from the button and was among four players to see an {A-Spades}{J-Diamonds}{9-Spades} flop.

Action checked to Haxton and he bet 650. Only one player, the original raiser, called to see the {4-Hearts} where he opted to lead out 1,100. Haxton popped it to 5,500, but was unable to shake his opponent. Both players quickly checked the {7-Clubs} river and the original raiser tabled {A-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds} for two pair.

Haxton mucked, giving his opponent the early pot.

Player Chips Progress
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Isaac Haxton
25,000
-5,000
-5,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Isaac Haxton

Early One for JJ

JJ Liu has just taken down some early chips. We arrived at the table with a {4-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds}{k-Hearts} flop already out on the felt and Liu involved in a pot against one opponent. The player in question was in the small blind and opted to check-call a bet of 250 here, with Liu sitting in the under-the-gun seat.

When the {2-Clubs} rolled off on the turn, Liu was checked to again and she bet 500. Her opponent called and a {6-Hearts} river was dealt. Liu's opponent again checked, then called when Liu bet 1,000. When Liu tabled {a-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}, it was enough to send her opponent's cards to the muck and rake in the handy pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of JJ Liu tw
JJ Liu
31,600
1,600
1,600

Tags: JJ Liu

"Can I Talk To Him?"

We saw that Eric Baldwin was heads up with another opponent on a board that read {k-Spades}{2-Spades}{5-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}, and Baldwin had checked his option. His opponent fired out 800, and Baldwin came along. The river was the {4-Clubs}, and Baldwin checked again. His opponent didn't slow down, as he fired out 2,600.

This sent Baldwin into the tank, and after about 20 seconds, he looked to the dealer and said, "Can I talk to him? That's ok right?" The dealer confirmed that he could, but Baldwin didn't do much talking after that. He simply tossed in the call, then mucked when he was shown the {k-Diamonds}{q-Diamonds}.

That hit drops Baldwin and his mustache down to 25,000 early.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Eric Baldwin us
Eric Baldwin
25,000
-5,000
-5,000
WSOP 2X Winner

Tags: Eric Baldwin

Bjorn To Be Free

Bjorn Li might not be a common name to most poker fans, but with two cashes in this year's World Series of Poker and a sixth-place finish in the Aussie Millions Main Event, Li is quickly becoming someone everyone should be aware of.

We recently caught up to him over in the Tan Section facing a preflop bet of 300 from an unknown opponent in early position. The table folded over to Li on the button and he three-bet to 1,025. The rest of the table folded back to the early-position player and he made the call.

The flop came {6-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{4-Spades} and the early-position player checked. Li's response was to bet out 1,425. The early-position player then raised to 4,200. A few moments passed and Li made the call.

The {9-Clubs} on the turn brought another bet from Li's opponent, this time for 5,000. Li again took a few seconds and made the call.

The {4-Diamonds} on the river saw the early-position player slow down and check. Action was then on Li who measured out his stack a few times, thinking about what his best option was. Eventually, Li moved all in for around 18,000. The early-position player thought for 30 seconds or so and threw his cards away.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Bjorn Li
Bjorn Li
39,000
9,000
9,000

Tags: Bjorn Li

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Level 1 : 50/100, 0 ante

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Rough Start for Mueller

The board read {7-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{k-Spades} when we arrived and saw that Greg Mueller was heads up with another player. There was about 2,500 in the pot, and his opponent bet 2,000. Mueller raised to 4,500, but his opponent clicked it right back to 9,500.

Mueller went into the tank, telling the table that he had a flush. Eventually, he tossed in the call, and his opponent showed {a-Clubs}{k-Clubs} for the ace-high flush. Mueller sent his cards to the muck, and he's down to about 20,000 early on.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Greg Mueller ca
Greg Mueller
20,000
-10,000
-10,000
WSOP 3X Winner

Tags: Greg Mueller