2013 World Series of Poker

Event #22: $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
Day: 1
Event Info

2013 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
9675
Prize
$279,431
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,378,350
Entries
1,021
Level Info
Level
26
Blinds
15,000 / 30,000
Ante
0

“BeL0WaB0Ve” is Below the Starting Stack

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

Back in April, Kevin “BeL0WaB0Ve” Saul won the World Series of Poker Circuit Foxwoods $1,675 Main Event for $194,178. Today, Saul is in action and looking to add a gold bracelet to go along with his championship ring.

In a recent hand, there was 825 in the pot and a board reading {k-Clubs}{9-Spades}{7-Hearts}{a-Clubs} when a player in early position bet 525 and Saul called. The {2-Hearts} river saw the early-position player fire out 775, and it did the trick as Saul opted to fold. Saul, who has cashed in all of his lammers, is currently sitting with 2,525.

Meanwhile, Saul's fellow WSOP Circuit grinder Ryan Lenaghan has been eliminated from the tournament.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Kevin Saul us
Kevin Saul
2,525
-1,975
-1,975
Profile photo of Ryan Lenaghan us
Ryan Lenaghan
Busted

Tags: Kevin Saul

The Matador Clashes With Kid Poker

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante
Daniel Negreanu Warily Eyeing Carlos Mortensen Across the Table
Daniel Negreanu Warily Eyeing Carlos Mortensen Across the Table

Every WSOP tournament with hundreds of tables in play invariably produces a pairing of poker pros who are extremely familiar with one another's game, and today at Table #81 Red, Daniel Negreanu and Carlos Mortensen are competing to become the table captain.

The man known as the Matador took the early lead in that regard, winning a decent pot and absorbing some of Negreanu's stack in the process.

After Negreanu opened for 100 from under the gun, Mortensen three-bet to 450, getting two callers in addition to Kid Poker.

On the flop of {7-Clubs}{q-Diamonds}{a-Spades}, Negreanu checked to the raiser, and Mortensen obliged with a c-bet for 850. This was good enough to force folds from his three opponents, and minutes after taking his seat the 2001 WSOP Main Event Champion has started to build his stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Carlos Mortenson (Carlos Mortensen)
Carlos Mortenson (Carlos Mortensen)
6,150
6,150
6,150
Profile photo of Daniel Negreanu ca
Daniel Negreanu
3,750
-750
-750

An Omaha Tutorial

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante
Omaha Poker
Omaha Poker

For those new to the game of Omaha, or those who might need a refresher, here's a tutorial of the game courtesy of PokerNews' Rules Section.

The one glaring difference between Omaha poker and Texas hold'em is that players receive four hole cards in Omaha rather than two. In order to produce a winning hand, a player must you use two cards from his hand, but can only use two cards. Like Texas hold'em, Omaha is a game of community cards with a flop, turn and river, and the betting rounds play the same.

Omaha high is a fast-action poker variation and is one of the favorite poker variations for high-stakes players. Due to the wider range of hands that can be made in Omaha as opposed to Texas hold'em, players of Omaha tend to look to make the nuts much more often than not. Other hands are much more susceptible to losing.

In Texas hold'em, a hand that has made the second, third or fourth nuts is often a very powerful holding, nut in Omaha there is a greater chance your hand is no good and you must proceed with extended caution. Let's take a look of an example of this.

The hero has {10-Spades}{9-Spades}{8-Hearts}{7-Hearts} on a board of {7-Spades}{9-Hearts}{k-Hearts}{j-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}. Although this is the second best hand with a jack-high straight, any combination of {q-}{10-} in your opponent's hand would complete a higher, king-high straight and defeat you. Given that a single opponent holds four cards in Omaha as opposed to two in Texas hold'em, the probability is higher than the villain has the nut straight.

Another example would be holding the {9-Spades}{9-Hearts}{j-Spades}{j-Clubs} on a board of {9-Diamonds}{k-Spades}{q-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}. Yes, you have a set of nines, which would be a pretty holding in Texas hold'em, but there are several hands that could defeat you here and in Omaha, it's much more likely one of your opponents is holding such a hand. First of all, there are two sets higher than yours with a set of kings or a set of queens available. Then, there is a straight possible if a player holds . Furthermore, any two diamonds in an opponent's hand would make a flush.

Due to the nature of so many better hands, an opponent may just be calling your bets with a set of kings or queens as they may fear a straight or flush, so even if you are not facing any immediate aggression, you could still be beat so proceed with caution.

Huckleberry Floats Down the River

Level 2 : 25/50, 0 ante
Huck Seed
Huck Seed

We saw longtime pro Huck Seed call a bet of 500 with the flop reading {2-Diamonds}{j-Clubs}{a-Diamonds}, perhaps floating the draw heavy board in hopes of taking the pot down if the board bricked out.

When the {A-Spades} came on the turn, both players tapped the table, and the {4-Hearts} fell on the river.

Sure enough, with no fifth diamond arrving on board, and his hesitant opponent checking once again, Seed fired out a bet of 500 and took the pot down with ease.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Huck Seed us
Huck Seed
5,300
800
800
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 4X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer

Level: 2

Blinds: 25/50

Ante:

Wade Lets It Go

Level 1 : 25/25, 0 ante

Tristan Wade is no stranger to pot-limit Omaha. In fact, he place third in this very event last year for $102,690. Wade is back in action and looking to improve upon that finish in this year's tournament.

In recent hand, four players took a flop of {6-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}{a-Diamonds} and players in the small blind and middle position checked to Wade, who bet 100. The cutoff called, as did the middle-position player, and it was three-way action to the {2-Diamonds}. After a check, Wade bet 250 and only the cutoff came along for the ride. Wade opted to slow down on the {9-Diamonds} river and then quickly chucked his cards to the muck after the cutoff bet 650. The cutoff then showed the {9-Spades}{6-Spades}{6-Clubs}{a-Clubs} for a full house.

Wade has 1,425 sitting in front of him plus two rebuy lammers worth 1,500 apiece.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Tristan Wade us
Tristan Wade
4,425
-75
-75
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Tristan Wade

Devo's (De)vices

Level 1 : 25/25, 0 ante

Pro Bryan Devonshire is a veteran of the tournament poker circuit, with an impressive résumé spanning a number of years, and several notable wins on the WSOP Circuit and other major venues. With that said, he certainly knows his way around the technicalities of a poker table's intricate system of rules and regulations.

Although the WSOP prohibits players from using their smartphones, iPads, or other devices while engaged in a hand, Devo has found a way to stay connected until the last possible moment. By only clicking his device off right before the fourth card of every deal is distributed, Devonshire has assured himself a few extra moments of technological diversion, but one especially strict dealer was having none of it.

Devonshire's table recently had to have the floor arbitrate a minor dispute between the pro and the man pitching the cards, who believed that all devices must be put away when the first card is dealt.

The normally laid back and gregarious Devonshire was a bit perturbed at the delay in the action, but after the floor affirmed his belief in the three-card-off rule, he returned his focus to the game at hand.

More Notables in the Field

Level 1 : 25/25, 0 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of John Duthie gb
John Duthie
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Jeremy Ausmus us
Jeremy Ausmus
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 6X Winner
Run It Once
Profile photo of Bill Chen us
Bill Chen
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Mike Leah ca
Mike Leah
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Ryan Lenaghan us
Ryan Lenaghan
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Michael Benvenuti us
Michael Benvenuti
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Fabrice Soulier fr
Fabrice Soulier
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Leif Force us
Leif Force
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Joe Kuether us
Joe Kuether
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Gabirel Nassif
Gabirel Nassif
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Chris Demaci us
Chris Demaci
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Ted Lawson us
Ted Lawson
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Tom Schneider us
Tom Schneider
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 4X Winner
Profile photo of Blair Rodman us
Blair Rodman
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Jeff Madsen us
Jeff Madsen
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 4X Winner
Profile photo of Tristan Wade us
Tristan Wade
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Yuval Bronshtein il
Yuval Bronshtein
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Bryan Devonshire us
Bryan Devonshire
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Barny Boatman gb
Barny Boatman
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Brett Richey us
Brett Richey
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Mike Sexton us
Mike Sexton
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
Profile photo of Dave O'Callahan
Dave O'Callahan
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Nacho Barbero ar
Nacho Barbero
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Alex Kravchenko ru
Alex Kravchenko
4,500
4,500
4,500

Read full

Florian Surkamp Flops Hard in Four-Way All-In

Level 1 : 25/25, 0 ante

As is typical in the game of Pot-Limit Omaha, players are getting their chips in the middle quite willingly as the first level of play unfolds, and German player Florian Surkamp is glad they are.

We watched Surkamp, whose large stack suggested he had already doubled in a previous hand, get it all-in against no less than three opponents.

Showdown:

Surkamp: {K-Hearts}{k-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{4-Clubs}
Opponent #1: {q-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{k-Spades}{j-Diamonds}
Opponent #2: {10-Spades}{j-Clubs}{q-Clubs}{q-Hearts}
Opponent #3: {5-Hearts}{q-Spades}{j-Hearts}{7-Clubs}

Surkamp was in good shape with pocket kings over pocket queens, as both of the other queens were out of play, while none of his opponents held an ace.

The flop came {2-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}, and suddenly it was Surkamp's lowly deuce that gave him a commanding lead in the hand, and the turn ({A-Hearts}) and river ({9-Spades}) left him with trips, and a massive pot pushed his way.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Florian Surkamp
Florian Surkamp
10,500

Silver Bullets

Level 1 : 25/25, 0 ante
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of AP Phahurat us
AP Phahurat
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Ben Yu us
Ben Yu
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 4X Winner
Profile photo of Nancy Birnbaum us
Nancy Birnbaum
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of John Racener us
John Racener
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Konstantin Puchkov ru
Konstantin Puchkov
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Andre Akkari br
Andre Akkari
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Annette Obrestad no
Annette Obrestad
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Matt Affleck us
Matt Affleck
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Darryll Fish us
Darryll Fish
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Noah Schwartz us
Noah Schwartz
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Tony Cousineau us
Tony Cousineau
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Matt Keikoan us
Matt Keikoan
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Barry Shulman us
Barry Shulman
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 2X Winner
Profile photo of Kathy Liebert us
Kathy Liebert
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Steve O'Dwyer ie
Steve O'Dwyer
4,500
4,500
4,500
Profile photo of Gavin Griffin us
Gavin Griffin
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Andy Frankenberger us
Andy Frankenberger
4,500
4,500
4,500
WSOP 2X Winner