The Tournament of Champions has resumed play, and so far 703 players have registered for the event. Day 1 will close after four more levels of play.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
30,000 | |
|
||
Soon after the dinner break, Brian Gates opened under the gun to find one caller out of the big blind.
The board came 5♠9♥5♥ and the action checked through.
A turn of the 7♣ brought some action as the big blind now chose to lead for 2,200. Gates called.
The K♣ slowed down the out-of-position player as he opted to check to Gates who fired 6,200, around two-thirds of the pot. After some time in the tank, the big blind eventually called and Gates tabled A♥A♣, besting his opponent's holdings to win the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
32,500
32,500
|
32,500 |
German soccer player & former Olympian Max Kruse qualified for the Tournament of Champions thanks to winning a bracelet at the 2022 WSOPE. He took down the €1,650 NLH Six-Max in Rozvadov last December after being on a bracket hunt for nearly a decade.
However, his hopes of being a two-time WSOP champion look slim today as he is one of the short stacks in the room.
There was around 15,000 in the pot on the K♦3♣4♣5♥ board. The small blind checked before Kruse bet 6,500 from the big blind. His opponent called.
The 8♥ river checked through to showdown, and the small blind tabled his 7♦7♣ for a pair of sevens. Kruse complimented his opponent's hand before mucking.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
11,000 | |
|
||
Brian Altman opened the cutoff to 1,600 at 400/800/800 blinds. It folded to Brent Roberson who opted to defend his big blind.
The 8♠9♦5♥ flop came and after a check from Roberson, Altman continued for 1,100. Roberson called.
The 5♠ landed on the turn and both Roberson and Altman checked.
The 9♣ fell on the river and Roberson didn't waste much time before throwing out a bet of 1,200.
Altman thought for a minute and put 1,200 into the middle to call.
Roberson rolled over 9♥7♣ for a rivered nines full of fives and Altman's hand found the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
33,000
33,000
|
33,000 |
|
13,100
-4,900
|
-4,900 |
Late registrant Nick Schulman has dropped below starting stack, but was seen dragging a small pot in. He opened to 1,600 from the cutoff and was only called by the big blind.
On the A♠4♣3♠ flop, Schulman continued for 1,000, and his opponent quickly folded. Another notable late entrant to the Tournament of Champions is Justin Saliba, who has found himself on Schulman's direct left.
Elsewhere in the room, William Corvino just lost a small pot. The middle position player opened to 2,000 and Corvino defended his big blind. Corvino then check-folded after his opponent bet 2,000 on the J♣8♠4♠ flop.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
36,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
|
|
22,000
-8,000
|
-8,000 |
|
|
||
|
12,000
12,000
|
12,000 |
|
||
The under-the-gun player raised to 1,800. Kyle Ciccarello was their only customer calling out of the cutoff.
Both players looked at the flop of 7♥6♠4♦. The original raiser continued for 1,600 and was swiftly called by Ciccarello.
On the J♦ turn, the under-the-gun player saw their opportunity to barrel again for 3,200. Ciccarello decided to bump this bet up to 8,200, but this didn't deter his opponent who called.
The river came 3♠. The action was checked to Ciccarello who put out one last bet of 11,000. After two minutes of frustration in the tank his opponent called, only to be delivered the bad news as the winning hand 6♦5♦ was tabled by Ciccarello.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
85,000
85,000
|
85,000 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
147,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
68,000
28,900
|
28,900 |
|
||
|
32,000 | |
|
|
22,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
The under-the-gun player raised to 1,600 finding one caller in the hijack. Pete Chen, in the cutoff, had another idea as he reraised to 6,200. The original raiser called and the hijack removed himself from the situation.
Once checked to on a board of 10♦9♠4♣, Chen continued for 5,000. His opponent called.
The under-the-gun player checked to Chen on the 3♠ turn only to face a bet of 12,000. This proved too much for Chen's opponent who folded, giving up the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
57,500
57,500
|
57,500 |
|
||
Gregory Soroka opened to 1,700 from the button and was called by the big blind.
The big blind check-raised to 3,800 after Soroka bet 1,500 on the J♠5♣3♣ flop. Soroka called.
The big blind then fired for 7,500 on the 3♠ turn and Soroka called again.
The river brought in the 10♠, which prompted the big blind to move all in for 23,600 and after a brief moment of mulling over his options, Soroka called.
The big blind tabled his 9♠8♠ for a flush but it was no good as Soroka held the A♠5♠ for the nut flush and eliminated his opponent.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
84,000
84,000
|
84,000 |
On the last hand before break Schuyler Thornton opened the button to 3,000 and only the big blind called.
The A♦7♥10♣ flop checked to the button and Thornton bet 3,000 and the big blind called.
The 5♠ turn went check/check and the river rolled off a J♣.
The big blind checked and Thornton wagered 12,000.
After what looked like a very difficult decision the big blind stuck in the chips.
Thornton tabled A♠J♠ for two pair and the big blind's cards found the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
105,000 |
