Event #1: $500 Casino Employees | 2023 World Series of Poker

05-31-2023 19:40 UTC-8

Jiang Catches Runners to Double

Chris Land

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Action folded to Bruce Jiang in the cutoff who slid his last 375,000 into the middle. Peter Thai called in the small blind.

Bruce Jiang: J♦10♦
Peter Thai: Q♥7♦

The flop came 2♦4♠Q♦, giving Thai top pair and putting one foot out the door for Jiang. The 9♣ turn gave Jiang an open-ended straight draw and the 8♣ river completed the runner-runner nut straight for Jiang who survives another all in to double to 1,070,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Peter Thai	5,400,000 25,000	25,000

Bruce Jiang	1,070,000 570,000	570,000

05-31-2023 19:34 UTC-8

Updated Chip Counts Returning From Break

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
James Urbanic	7,000,000 500,000	500,000
Benson Tam	4,700,000 -400,000	-400,000

Keith McCormack	3,300,000 800,000	800,000
Sean Balfour	2,500,000 800,000	800,000
Paul Blanchette	1,900,000 -400,000	-400,000
Joe Pavan	1,800,000 -1,000,000	-1,000,000
Bruce Jiang	500,000 -1,575,000	-1,575,000

05-31-2023 19:30 UTC-8

Play Has Resumed

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 30 : 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante

The remaining eight players have returned to their seats. Cards are in the air!

Level: 30

Blinds: 80,000/160,000

Ante: 160,000

05-31-2023 19:26 UTC-8

WSOP BOSS PICKS NEGREANU OR HELLMUTH

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Brad Whitehouse

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

05-31-2023 19:13 UTC-8

Break Time!

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Chris Land

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

The remaining eight players at the final table have been sent on a 20-minute break.

05-31-2023 19:12 UTC-8

Aggression From Urbanic Takes Down a Three-Bet Pot

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Chris Land

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

James Urbanic opened from the cutoff to 275,000 only to see a three-bet from Peter Thai in the small blind to 625,000. Urbanic called and a flop of J♣Q♣A♦ was spread.

Thai led into Urbanic for 700,000. After a brief moment of deliberation, Urbanic announced all in creating a clash between two of the biggest stacks at the table.

Thai seemed pained by the decision as he went into the tank for about three minutes. Eventually, he tossed his cards toward the muck and Urbanic climbed back up the chip counts.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Urbanic	6,500,000 1,715,000	1,715,000
Peter Thai	5,375,000 40,000	40,000

Tags: James Urbanic Peter Thai

05-31-2023 19:00 UTC-8

Lisa Eckstein Eliminated in 9th Place ($5,686)

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Benson Tam raised in late position and it folded to Lisa Eckstein in the big blind, who quickly put her approximately 1,000,000 chips into play. Tam called, easily covering and putting Eckstein at risk.

Lisa Eckstein: 10♣10♥

Benson Tam: Q♦J♠

The flop helped Tam immediately, rolling off K♥7♠J♦, the A♦ on the turn had some of the table rooting for a Queen on the river, but her dreams of winning a bracelet today were thwarted when the 9♠ completed the board on the river.

Eckstein was heard throughout the tournament claiming that a woman would win again this year, especially when she was the last one standing. According to a friend of Eckstein on the rail; she was born with a deck of cards in her hand and has a family packed full of card players. She congratulated her opponents around the table before collecting her belongings and heading to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Benson Tam	5,100,000 1,390,000	1,390,000

Lisa Eckstein	Busted

Tags: Benson Tam Lisa Eckstein

05-31-2023 18:47 UTC-8

Urbanic Forces a Fold From Jiang

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Chris Land

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Bruce Jiang opened to 225,000 from the cutoff. The button and small blind folded making way for James Urbanic to call from the big blind to see a flop of 6♦K♣2♦.

Action checked through to a 10♥ turn which saw both players check again.

The river brought the 9♠ which prompted a bet of 300,000 from Urbanic. Jiang eventually decided on a fold and the pot was pushed to Urbanic.

Player	Chips	Progress
James Urbanic	4,785,000 285,000	285,000
Bruce Jiang	2,075,000 -225,000	-225,000

Tags: Bruce Jiang James Urbanic

05-31-2023 18:35 UTC-8

Mark Kawamoto Eliminated in 10th Place ($4,477)

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Claudio Elizalde

Level 29 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante

Mark Kawamoto was in late position when he went all-in for 335,000. Joe Pavan looked over the meager stack and reluctantly called.

Mark Kawamoto: J♠10♥

Joe Pavan: A♥4♠

Kawamoto looked geared up to double going into the river on a board of J♣Q♠7♣9♣ but the A♦ was a dagger to the heart. Kawamoto graciously circled the table and wished his opponents good luck in the remainder of the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joe Pavan	2,800,000 700,000	700,000
Mark Kawamoto	Busted

Tags: Mark Kawamoto Joe Pavan