The players are back in their seats, and they are ready to get started again! They are playing Level 9, which means the blinds are 500-1000 with a 100 ante.
2013 World Series of Poker
Event #62: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em Main Event
Day: 2ab
It is time for the players to go on their 90-minute dinner break. If you are just now joining us, here’s what you missed in Level 8.
Barry Greenstein busted early in the level. His 
wasn’t able to catch up with the 
of Brian Pinkus, making Greenstein one of the many Day 2 causalities.
Another one of the players knocked out in this level was last year’s 10th place finisher Gaelle Baumann. Baumann ended the Day 2a/b last year as the chip leader, but she won’t be able to do that this year, as her 
couldn't beat the 
of her opponent.
Greg Merson has continued to build up a huge stack in his title defense here today, as he is up to over 220,000. He got a good portion of that when he knocked out Wilfried Harig, who he also knocked out of the Main Event last year in 15th place.
Lastly, the chip lead has been traded back and forth between Raj Vohra and Sergio Castelluccio throughout the level. Vohra took it earlier when his tens knocked out a player who had ace-queen, then Castelluccio took it right back a few hands later. At the moment, it looks like Vohra has the lead as we go to dinner, as he is sitting on 355,000.
Play will resume at 8:15 p.m. local time, and while you wait, check out the WAG Diaries video below with Sam Trickett and Natasha Sandhu.
We found Cliff Josephy, on the button, raising up a bet of 4,000 from the cutoff to 13,000. The board read 
. A third player, who had checked from the blinds, cold-called the bet. The original bettor called as well after a few minutes of tanking. The river brought a 
, completing the four-straight, and the first two players checked to Josephy.
"I'm afraid," he said as he checked. The first player showed 
for top pair and a missed flush draw.
"I've got that beat," Josephy said. The cutoff seemed reluctant to table his hand, so Josephy announced that he had a straight, turning over 
. The cutoff mucked, and Josephy dragged the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
245,000
22,300
|
22,300 |
|
||
Dan Owen opened for 2,400 preflop from middle position and he only found a call from Sorel Mizzi in the big blind.
The flop came down 
and Mizzi check called a bet of 3,000 from Owen. On the 
turn, both players checked.
The river dropped the and this time Mizzi decided to lead with a bet of 6,500. Owen tanked for a bit, then called, showing 
for top pair on the flop. Mizzi mucked his hand and with that Owen was able to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
176,000
-20,500
|
-20,500 |
|
123,600
-21,400
|
-21,400 |
After Phil Galfond opened with a raise from middle position, two players called from late position including John Hennigan playing on the button. Then the small blind repopped it to 6,500, and after the big blind stepped aside all of the other three players called the raise.
That meant a pot of about 27,000 was up for grabs as the four players saw a flop come 
. The small blind bet 20,000, Galfond called, and the other two players ditched their cards.
The turn then brought the 
and an all-in shove from Galfond's opponent, and he quickly called. "Set?" said his opponent, and Galfond quietly said yes as he tabled his 
. His opponent reacted frustratedly as he stood and showed his 
, exiting soon after the river came the as Galfond earns a huge pre-dinner boost to his stack.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
255,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
||
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
335,000
14,000
|
14,000 |
|
225,000
22,000
|
22,000 |
|
219,000
-3,000
|
-3,000 |
|
||
|
210,000 | |
|
180,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
170,000
83,500
|
83,500 |
|
||
|
155,000
10,000
|
10,000 |
|
||
|
135,000
-35,325
|
-35,325 |
|
125,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
|
105,000
-60,000
|
-60,000 |
|
105,000 | |
|
||
|
105,000
-13,000
|
-13,000 |
|
102,000
-6,000
|
-6,000 |
|
|
||
|
35,000
-30,000
|
-30,000 |
After a preflop raise to 1,800 four players called, including Max Lehmanski on the button, Ryan Riess in the small blind, and Thomas McTeer in the big blind. The flop came 
, and action checked around to Lehmanski. He bet 2,400, and only Riess called. Both players checked the 
turn. Then completed the board on the river, and Riess checked. Lehmanski moved all in for 18,500, and Riess went into the tank. Lehmanski has been known for tanking for a lot of decisions, and his behavior may have started to rub off on his tablemates. Riess took a full four minutes before folding, and Lehmanski took the pot, bringing his stack up to 33,500.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
33,500
-16,500
|
-16,500 |
Mike Sexton's seat was missing when we passed his table moments ago, and Bryce Yockey was kind enough to let us in on the details. According to Yockey, Sexton came in for a raise, Yockey called, and Chad Visser three-bet to 4,800. The action folded back to Sexton, who moved all in for around 15,000, and only Visser called.
Sexton:
Visser:
Visser's jacks held as the board rolled out 
, and Sexton was eliminated. Visser now sits with 140,000 chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
140,000
104,250
|
104,250 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
We missed the action, but John Juanda was recently eliminated from the tournament. He went straight to twitter to inform of his bust out.
Got it all in with KQdd VS J7 on 745dd board and didn't improve, so just like that I'm out of WSOPME. #suicidewatchFollow @LuckBoxJuanda
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
||
After a raise from the hijack seat to 2,500, Joe Bartholdi reraised to 7,000 on the button. Abdulaziz Almashal called from the big blind, then action went back over to the hijack seat. He four-bet and made it 22,500 to go. Bartholdi fired back with a reraise to 47,500, and Almashal folded. The hijack seat also folded, and Bartholdi won the pot.
Bartholdi is most famous for winning the World Poker Tour World Championship in 2006 for $3,760,165. In that event, Bartholdi beat out a field of 605 players to take the title. In total, he has over $4.25 million in live tournament earnings, including nine World Series of Poker cashes. His best WSOP finish came in 2005 when he took fifth place in a $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event for $71,445. Bartholdi's most recent WSOP result was from 2011 when he took 111th place for $4,998 in the $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em — Shootout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
170,000
-7,000
|
-7,000 |
|
|
155,000
30,000
|
30,000 |