Event #43: $500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold'em Day 1 | 2022 World Series of Poker

Level: 6

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

06-20-2022 13:44 UTC-7

French Finds Miracle River

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 5 : 300/500, 500 ante

A player opened under the gun to 1,000 and was called by Dominick French one seat over. Action folded to the cutoff, who moved all in for 7,100. The blinds got out of the way as did the initial raiser to send the action back to French, who made the call with the larger stack.

Cutoff Player:
Dominick French:

Though the cutoff player was at risk he was also way ahead of French, who came into this tournament fresh off a deep run and cash in Event #37: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Millionaire Maker. The flop changed nothing except to give the cutoff player a gutshot to go with his superior pocket pair. No help came for French on the turn either, leaving him drawing to just two outs. His razor thin equity did not matter though as French was able to spike the on the river to eliminate his opponent in brutal fashion.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominick French	29,000

Tags: Dominick French

06-20-2022 13:33 UTC-7

A Round of Counts in Paris

David Salituro

Level 5 : 300/500, 500 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Justin Barnum	44,000
Blair Hinkle	40,000

Jessica Teusl	31,000 -7,500	-7,500

Chance Kornuth	24,500 -500	-500

Ryan Laplante	22,000

Maria Konnikova	20,000

Level: 5

Blinds: 300/500

Ante: 500

06-20-2022 13:01 UTC-7

Break Time

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante

Players have been sent on their first 20-minute break of the day. They will return to blinds of 300/500 with a 500 big blind ante.

06-20-2022 12:49 UTC-7

Field is Growing

David Salituro

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante

The field has grown so big that a new section of the Paris Ballroom had to be opened up to accommodate all the new players.

Players seated in this section include Chance Kornuth and Jesse Sylvia.

Player	Chips	Progress
Chance Kornuth	25,000 25,000	25,000

Jesse Sylvia	25,000 25,000	25,000
Natalie Hof	25,000 25,000	25,000
Drew Scott	25,000 25,000	25,000
Jessica Teusl	25,000 -8,100	-8,100

06-20-2022 12:44 UTC-7

Updated Chip Counts

David Salituro

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Fabrizio Di Santo	53,000 18,000	18,000
Ren Lin	52,000 23,000	23,000

Walter Pizzi	35,000 -23,000	-23,000
Blaise Bourgeois	34,500 3,500	3,500

Rania Nasreddine	32,000
Jeremy Wien	24,000 -1,000	-1,000

Michael Perrone	22,500 -2,500	-2,500

06-20-2022 12:43 UTC-7

Mellanen Shoves River

Cottrell van Wingerden

Level 4 : 200/400, 400 ante

Kasper Mellanen opened to 800 from middle position and action folded around to the big blind, who defended.

The big blind checked on a flop of and Mellanen continued for 1,500 only to see the big blind raise to 3,500. Mellanen made the call to send the two players to the turn.

The turn put three spades on the board, something that did not seem to discourage the player in the big blind, who fired off another bet of 3,500. Once again Mellanen called.

On the river the card had barely hit the felt before the big blind player put out a third bet of 3,500. Mellanen considered for a while before eventually announcing all in. His opponent, looking somewhat uncomfortable, asked for a count. The dealer determined Mellanen's shove was for 14,600 and the player in the big blind, after going into the tank for a little while longer, eventually let go of his hand. Mellanen meanwhile, who in 2020 finished third in Event #38: $600 Online Monster Stack for $90,260, added a significant chunk to his stack.