Level One Hour Two Update: Dario Minieri Eliminated
Jul 07, '10
Blinds: 50-100
Average Chip Counts 30,000
Notable Chip Counts:
David Williams – 80,000
Johnny Chan – 65,000
Adam Junglen – 52,000
Leo Margets – 47,000
Andy Seth – 45,300
Jennifer Leigh – 45,000
Pieter de Korver – 43,000
Jason Gray – 42,000
Thayer Rasmussen – 40,100
Brian Rast – 40,000
Card Player Chip Counts:
Steve Murphy — 37,800
Christina Lindley — 35,500
Dani Stern — 30,000
Tony Dunst — 29,700
Notable Eliminations:
Dario Minieri
Big Hands:
Oppenheim Gets Caught
The player in seat 2 raised to 325 preflop and Paul Magrill made the call from late position. David Oppenheim also made the call and the flop came down 765.
Seat 2 and Magrill each checked and Oppenheim bet 500. Seat 2 made the call but Magrill got out of the way. The turn was the 8 and seat 2 checked. Oppenheim bet 1,600 and seat 2 called.
The river was the Q and seat 2 check-called 2,200 from Oppenheim.
“You got it,” Oppenheim said as he tapped the table. “No pair.”
Seat 2 tabled 75 for two pair on the flop and took down the pot. Oppenheim was at 23,000 after the hand.
Eric Baldwin Loses Minimum
Picking up the action on the flop, the board read K6610 and there was 700 in the pot.
The player in seat 7 checked and Eric Baldwin did the same. The A fell on the river and both players checked once more.
Seat 7 then tabled K9 and Baldwin mucked. He was at 30,500 after the hand.
Chau Giang Takes One Off Antonio Esfandiari
On a board of AQ610 Antontio Esfandiari checked from the small blind. Chau Giang checked from the button. Both players then checked the 8 river with 2,000 in the pot. Giang tabled the Q9 and Esfandiari mucked. Giang was up to 29,000 after the hand.
Christian Harder Wins with Set-Over-Set
Christian Harder bet a QJ6 flop. His opponent raised him all in for about 12,000. Harder made the call with a set of jacks. His opponent showed the 66 for bottom set. Harder’s opponent failed to hit the one outer and Harder was back up 25,000 after the hand.
Dario Minieri Eliminated
A player from middle position bet 4,000 on a J84 flop. Dario Minieri moved all in for 23,000 total. Minieri’s opponent called with pocket kings. Minieri tabled the K9 for a flush draw. The 5 on the turn and the 9 on the river were bricks for Minieri and he was eliminated. Minieri had a decent 2010 World Series of Poker. He cashed four times but fell short of making any real noise. The bracelet-winner’s highest finish this year was eighth place in the $10,000 seven card stud 8 or better championship.
Gray Cuts Isaia With His Diamonds
Picking up the action after the board had run out J43A2, there was 10,000 in the pot.
Jason Gray fired 4,000 and Alessio Isaia decided to look him up. Gray turned over QJ for the flush and Isaia mucked. Gray took in the pot and was at 42,000 while Isaia slipped to 16,125.
Hawrilenko Can’t Steal It
The player in seat 2 raised to 300 and Matt Hawrilenko made the call from the button. The blinds also called and the flop came down A76.
Action was checked to Hawrilenko and he bet 500. Everyone threw in the call and the turn was the 2. Everyone checked to see the 9 on the river.
Action checked to seat 2 and he bet 800. Hawrilenko folded and the blinds followed suit as seat 2 took the pot. Hawrilenko was at 33,000 after the hand.
Sexton Not Happy About His Runner-Runner Flush
Mike Sexton was heads up with the player in seat 3 when the flop came JK3. Both players checked, but when the 8 hit on the turn Sexton fired out a bet of 600. Seat 3 called.
The river was the 6 and Sexton bet 1,500. Seat 3 reraised, doubling Sexton’s bet to 3,000.
As Sexton thought it over seat 3 said, “Runner-runner,” and smiled, alluding to the runner-runner flush he had made.
Sexton responded with, “I see that. The thing is, I made runner-runner.”
Sexton eventually called, and sure enough both players were telling the truth. Their hands:
Seat 3: AQ
Sexton: 109
Seat 3 showed the ace-high flush and Sexton’s 10-high flush was no good. He sighed and turned to watch the conclusion of the Germany-Spain World Cup action. He had around 26,400 in chips after the loss.
Jaka Makes Big Lay Down
Entering the action late, Faraz Jaka looked pained as he pondered his opponent’s bet of 13,000 on a board of AQ8K7. Jaka eventually folded AQ face up. He still had around 35,000 after the hand.
Jordan Rich raised to 3,500 from the cutoff and Jason Gray reraised to 8,000 from the small blind. The action folded back around to Rich who reraised to 23,000. Gray moved all in for a total of 90,600 and Rich went into the tank.
After a few minutes of thought, Rich made the call with QQ and saw the bad news. Gray held AA and the board added insult to injury when it ran out AK86A, giving Gray quad aces and a stack of over 180,000. Rich was left crippled with just 7,800.
Jason Gray moves all in from the cutoff for his last 35,000 with A-4 and is called by Dennis Kreutzer with A-K. The board offered no help for Gray and he was eliminated on the bubble.
Gray, one of last year's final tablists, was immediately given a seat to next year's Aruba Poker Classic for being the honorary bubble boy.
Jordan Rich raised to 3,500 from the cutoff and Jason Gray reraised to 8,000 from the small blind. The action folded back around to Rich who reraised to 23,000. Gray moved all in for a total of 90,600 and Rich went into the tank.
After a few minutes of thought, Rich made the call with QQ and saw the bad news. Gray held AA and the board added insult to injury when it ran out AK86A, giving Gray quad aces and a stack of over 180,000. Rich was left crippled with just 7,800.
Jason Gray moves all in from the cutoff for his last 35,000 with A-4 and is called by Dennis Kreutzer with A-K. The board offered no help for Gray and he was eliminated on the bubble.
Gray, one of last year's final tablists, was immediately given a seat to next year's Aruba Poker Classic for being the honorary bubble boy.
Players remaining: 711 of 1,297 Eliminations:
Jack Haley
Big Hands and Storylines:
Mark Garner Amassing a Big Stack
Mark Garner raised to 1,600 in late position and action folded around to Ted Lawson in the blinds. Lawson raised to 4,000 and Garner made the call. Lawson bet 8,000 on the Q62 flop and Garner made a cautious call. The flop – 4 – put four clubs on the board. Lawson checked over to Garner who wasted little time in betting 16,000. Lawson went into the tank, waiting five minutes before folding his AA face up. Garner, in a sporting gesture, showed his A9. Lawson’s reaction to the hand: “You are so lucky! Jesus!”
Lawson is down to 50,000 on the hand and Garner, lucky or not, now has an impressive 148,000.
Krazy Eyez Killa
Brandon Adams and an opponent got all in on a J9910 board. Adams showed Q9 while his opponent needed a jack to claim the pot outright with his QJ. The river was the 10 and Adams made a full house. This pot gave him another addition to his massive stack. Adams is one of the day 1a chip leaders with 152,000.
(Gobb)O! The Humanity!
Jimmy “Gobboboy” Fricke went to a flop heads-up in position. On a flop of K95, Fricke bet 3,000 after being checked to. The 10 slowed down the action, as both players checked. The river was the 3 and Fricke’s opponent immediately looked to his stack before betting 7,500. “Ace-jack of spades?” asked Fricke. He shuffled his chips a bit before looking his opponent up. He was not too happy to see 99. “You re-raise the flop, you get it all,” piped Fricke, “Every cent.” After the hand, Fricke was down to 21,000.
Gray twins can't stay apart
After a player in early position player raised to 1,100, Craig Gray reraised to 3,300 from the button. The blinds and the raiser folded, and Gray took down the pot. He now has 26,000 chips. Meanwhile, his brother Jason Gray was moved from the orange section to the blue, and is now seated at the table right behind Craig. He currently has about 28,000 chips.
Maya Antonius drops some chip to four-flush
On a board of Q6329, Maya Antonius checked and then her opponent checked behind. Her opponent flipped over pocket jacks with the J and took the pot of roughly 6,000. After the hand Antonius had roughly 35,000 chips.
Shawn Sheikhan raised to 6,500 from middle position and was called only by the two players in the blinds.On a flop of A75, the action was checked to Sheikhan who fired a bet of 12,000 into the pot.The small blind called, allowing the big blind to get out of the way.The turn brought the A and another check from the small blind.Sheikhan launched four orange 5,000 chips across the line, and the small blind made the call.“Black card,” Sheikhan requested as the dealer put down the Q on the river.“God damn it,” Sheikhan exclaimed upon sight of the red queen. The small blind checked, and Sheikhan announced that he held an ace.The small blind turned over J10 and Sheikhan was verbally distraught.He flashed the Ac as he mucked his cards.
On the next hand, the player under the gun raised to 7,000 and Sheikhan made the call as the next player to act.All other players folded, and the dealer put down a flop of J86.Both players checked, and the 9 came on the turn.Again the under-the-gun player checked, prompting a bet of 15,000 from Sheikhan which was quickly called.The player check-called another bet of Sheikhan’s, this time 20,000, when a blank fell on the river.“You got it,” Sheikhan declared after his opponent made the call.The player turned over 1010 and Sheikhan mucked his cards.
After the two-hand downward spiral, Sheikhan was left with only 110,00 in chips.
Traply Needs No Trap To Snare Gray
Peter Traply raised to 5,300 from early position and Jason Gray called from the cutoff. The flop was AJ10 and Traply led out for 9,500, Gray called. Traply bet another 22,000 on the 5 turn and Gray again called. The river was the 4 and Traply fired a third bullet – 48,000 – which Gray called after a minute of thought. Traply tabled KQ for a flopped straight which was good to take down the sizeable pot. Traply is now up to 245,000; Gray is down to 75,000.
Matusow Takes a Hit
Mike Matusow raised pre-flop from middle position and was met with an all-in raise from an opponent. Matusow learned that it would be 8,500 more to call, and call he did. Matusow was pleased to see that his Q10 was live against his opponent’s A3. The board offered no help, however, as it ran out J545K. After losing that pot, Matusow is down to 112,000.
Hevad Khan Doubles Up with an Unlikely Suck Out
After the action folded around, Hevad Khan made it 6,000 to go from his position on the button.The small blind folded, but the player in the big blind elected to call.The flop came 644 and the big blind led out with a bet of 8,000.Khan announced a raise and moved all in for an additional 36,300.The camera crews came rushing over while the big blind deliberated his situation, ultimately deciding to call.“Nice call.Do you have a pair?” Khan asked, to which his opponent nodded and turned over 22.Khan turned over A7 and needed to catch a card.The 8 on the turn didn’t directly improve Khan, but the 6 on the river counterfeited the deuces and brought a round of gasps from the players and spectators.Khan’s ace-high was good enough to double him up and bring him close to 100,000 in chips.
The two players had a recent history. After a flop of 554 Khan bet 11,500 and his opponent called. Both players then checked the 7 on the turn and 10 on the river. The button then showed 33 which was enough to win the pot.
Rousso Makes Jacks Work
Vanessa Rousso was in the small blind, and play was folded until a player in late position moved all-in for 28,000. Rousso, not with a lot of chips herself, made the call and turned over JJ. The all-in player held 74, and the flop gave him numerous outs, coming 642. However he had two swings and misses, as the 2 came on the turn and 8 hit the river to send the chips to Rousso. She now has about 74,000 in chips.
Hansen Dominated
Gus Hansen raised to 6600 from middle position and the small blind then moved all-in for 17,500. Hansen admitted he wasn’t crazy about his cards. “This is my worst hand of the day, which means I’m probably going to call,” he said. He came close to folding, but finally threw in the chips to call. He didn’t like realizing he was up against A6. “Oh my God, I wanted diamonds,” he said, turning over K7. Neither player would connect with the board that finished J8432 and the small blind stayed alive. A few hands later in the big blind, Hansen was given a walk, at which time he flipped over another king-seven. “Now I’m one-for-two” he quipped.
Agarwal drops 12,200x3 with tens
Aditya Agarwal faced bets of 12,200 on the flop, turn and river and called every time. The board in the end was K8792 and Agarwal's opponent flipped over AJ for a flush. Agarwal showed the 10 for a worse flush. His opponent then asked to see his other card. Agarwal didn't like it, but his opponent saw it was the T. After the hand Agarwal had roughly 200,000 chips.
Players remaining: 711 of 1,297 Eliminations:
Jack Haley
Big Hands and Storylines:
Mark Garner Amassing a Big Stack
Mark Garner raised to 1,600 in late position and action folded around to Ted Lawson in the blinds. Lawson raised to 4,000 and Garner made the call. Lawson bet 8,000 on the Q62 flop and Garner made a cautious call. The flop – 4 – put four clubs on the board. Lawson checked over to Garner who wasted little time in betting 16,000. Lawson went into the tank, waiting five minutes before folding his AA face up. Garner, in a sporting gesture, showed his A9. Lawson’s reaction to the hand: “You are so lucky! Jesus!”
Lawson is down to 50,000 on the hand and Garner, lucky or not, now has an impressive 148,000.
Krazy Eyez Killa
Brandon Adams and an opponent got all in on a J9910 board. Adams showed Q9 while his opponent needed a jack to claim the pot outright with his QJ. The river was the 10 and Adams made a full house. This pot gave him another addition to his massive stack. Adams is one of the day 1a chip leaders with 152,000.
(Gobb)O! The Humanity!
Jimmy “Gobboboy” Fricke went to a flop heads-up in position. On a flop of K95, Fricke bet 3,000 after being checked to. The 10 slowed down the action, as both players checked. The river was the 3 and Fricke’s opponent immediately looked to his stack before betting 7,500. “Ace-jack of spades?” asked Fricke. He shuffled his chips a bit before looking his opponent up. He was not too happy to see 99. “You re-raise the flop, you get it all,” piped Fricke, “Every cent.” After the hand, Fricke was down to 21,000.
Gray twins can't stay apart
After a player in early position player raised to 1,100, Craig Gray reraised to 3,300 from the button. The blinds and the raiser folded, and Gray took down the pot. He now has 26,000 chips. Meanwhile, his brother Jason Gray was moved from the orange section to the blue, and is now seated at the table right behind Craig. He currently has about 28,000 chips.
Maya Antonius drops some chip to four-flush
On a board of Q6329, Maya Antonius checked and then her opponent checked behind. Her opponent flipped over pocket jacks with the J and took the pot of roughly 6,000. After the hand Antonius had roughly 35,000 chips.
Shawn Sheikhan raised to 6,500 from middle position and was called only by the two players in the blinds.On a flop of A75, the action was checked to Sheikhan who fired a bet of 12,000 into the pot.The small blind called, allowing the big blind to get out of the way.The turn brought the A and another check from the small blind.Sheikhan launched four orange 5,000 chips across the line, and the small blind made the call.“Black card,” Sheikhan requested as the dealer put down the Q on the river.“God damn it,” Sheikhan exclaimed upon sight of the red queen. The small blind checked, and Sheikhan announced that he held an ace.The small blind turned over J10 and Sheikhan was verbally distraught.He flashed the Ac as he mucked his cards.
On the next hand, the player under the gun raised to 7,000 and Sheikhan made the call as the next player to act.All other players folded, and the dealer put down a flop of J86.Both players checked, and the 9 came on the turn.Again the under-the-gun player checked, prompting a bet of 15,000 from Sheikhan which was quickly called.The player check-called another bet of Sheikhan’s, this time 20,000, when a blank fell on the river.“You got it,” Sheikhan declared after his opponent made the call.The player turned over 1010 and Sheikhan mucked his cards.
After the two-hand downward spiral, Sheikhan was left with only 110,00 in chips.
Traply Needs No Trap To Snare Gray
Peter Traply raised to 5,300 from early position and Jason Gray called from the cutoff. The flop was AJ10 and Traply led out for 9,500, Gray called. Traply bet another 22,000 on the 5 turn and Gray again called. The river was the 4 and Traply fired a third bullet – 48,000 – which Gray called after a minute of thought. Traply tabled KQ for a flopped straight which was good to take down the sizeable pot. Traply is now up to 245,000; Gray is down to 75,000.
Matusow Takes a Hit
Mike Matusow raised pre-flop from middle position and was met with an all-in raise from an opponent. Matusow learned that it would be 8,500 more to call, and call he did. Matusow was pleased to see that his Q10 was live against his opponent’s A3. The board offered no help, however, as it ran out J545K. After losing that pot, Matusow is down to 112,000.
Hevad Khan Doubles Up with an Unlikely Suck Out
After the action folded around, Hevad Khan made it 6,000 to go from his position on the button.The small blind folded, but the player in the big blind elected to call.The flop came 644 and the big blind led out with a bet of 8,000.Khan announced a raise and moved all in for an additional 36,300.The camera crews came rushing over while the big blind deliberated his situation, ultimately deciding to call.“Nice call.Do you have a pair?” Khan asked, to which his opponent nodded and turned over 22.Khan turned over A7 and needed to catch a card.The 8 on the turn didn’t directly improve Khan, but the 6 on the river counterfeited the deuces and brought a round of gasps from the players and spectators.Khan’s ace-high was good enough to double him up and bring him close to 100,000 in chips.
The two players had a recent history. After a flop of 554 Khan bet 11,500 and his opponent called. Both players then checked the 7 on the turn and 10 on the river. The button then showed 33 which was enough to win the pot.
Rousso Makes Jacks Work
Vanessa Rousso was in the small blind, and play was folded until a player in late position moved all-in for 28,000. Rousso, not with a lot of chips herself, made the call and turned over JJ. The all-in player held 74, and the flop gave him numerous outs, coming 642. However he had two swings and misses, as the 2 came on the turn and 8 hit the river to send the chips to Rousso. She now has about 74,000 in chips.
Hansen Dominated
Gus Hansen raised to 6600 from middle position and the small blind then moved all-in for 17,500. Hansen admitted he wasn’t crazy about his cards. “This is my worst hand of the day, which means I’m probably going to call,” he said. He came close to folding, but finally threw in the chips to call. He didn’t like realizing he was up against A6. “Oh my God, I wanted diamonds,” he said, turning over K7. Neither player would connect with the board that finished J8432 and the small blind stayed alive. A few hands later in the big blind, Hansen was given a walk, at which time he flipped over another king-seven. “Now I’m one-for-two” he quipped.
Agarwal drops 12,200x3 with tens
Aditya Agarwal faced bets of 12,200 on the flop, turn and river and called every time. The board in the end was K8792 and Agarwal's opponent flipped over AJ for a flush. Agarwal showed the 10 for a worse flush. His opponent then asked to see his other card. Agarwal didn't like it, but his opponent saw it was the T. After the hand Agarwal had roughly 200,000 chips.
Chip Leaders:
David Benyamine: 556,000
Toto Leonidas: 525,000
Tony Ma: 510,000
Chau Giang: 450,000
Mike Matusow: 420,000
Jason Gray: 410,000
David Chiu: 340,000
Greg Jamison: 300,000
Ram Vaswani: 270,000
Danny Dang: 260,000
Eliminations:
Brent Carter Eliminated in 16th Place ($27,612)
Stuart Patterson Eliminated in 15th Place ($33,135)
Pat Pezzin Eliminated in 14th place ($33,135)
Big Hands: Brent Carter Eliminated in 16th Place ($27,612)
On a flop of A93, Brent carter got it all in with AQ88 against Jason Gray's 9772. carter had the best hand when the money got in with top pair, but Gray had middle pair and a low draw. The turn was the 3 and the river was the 9. Gray made trip nines on the river and that was enough to send Brent Carter home in 16th place ($27,612).
Pat Pezzin Eliminated in 14th place ($33,135)
Short stacked and all in before the flop, Pat Pezzin held KK102 against Shun Uchida's AQ82. The board came J44JA. Pezzin had the best hand going to the flop with pocket kings, but Uchida spiked an ace on the river, trumping Pat Pezzin's kings and sending him home in 14th place 9$33,135).
Richard Alm - 528,000
Benjamin Zamani - 460,000
Tony Gargano - 380,000
Harold Akiona - 320,000
Malyshev Nikolay - 310,000
Eliminations:
Conor Tate
Kazuki Ikeuchi
Peter Christensen
Keven Sammen
Big Hands and Storylines:
Gray dodges and doubles
Jason Gray got all in on the turn against John Myung with the board Q85J and was in danger of being eliminated. Myung held AT and Gray had AA. But the 3 came on the river, meaning Myung didn't hit his straight or flush. After the hand Gray had roughly 150,000 chips, and now has even more.
Cards no longer going Yeh's way
After a great stretch, Philip Yeh has seen some of his chips go to other players. In the middle of the level he called an all in from late position with A3. He as ahead of his opponent's JT, but a ten came on the flop and Yeh didn't catch an ace. He once had over 400,000 chips, and is now down to 300,000 chips.
Richard Alm - 520,000
Phillip Yeh - 400,000
Harold Akiona - 380,000
John Myung - 360,000
Benjamin Zamani - 320,000
Harold Akiona - 320,000
Malyshev Nikolay - 310,000
Ali Salman - 280,000
Aliaksandr Dzianisau - 260,000
Big Hands and Storylines:
Players frustrated by tourney structure
As the players returned from dinner break, many of them discussed the tournament's structure. With the blinds now heading to four and eight thousand, many players have less than 20 big blinds.
Battle goes Akiona's way
A player from early position raised to 17,000 and three players made the call. The flop came 974 and Ben Zamani bet 21,000. Harold Akiona raised to 71,000. The other two players got out of the way and Zamani made the call. Both players checked after the 8 on the turn and T on the river. Akiona showed KQ for the flush, which beat Zamani's pocket nines for a set. After the hand Akiona had roughly 380,000 chips, while Zamani had 350,000 chips.
Gray makes blind call and wins
A player moved all in from middle position for 31,500. It folded to Jason Gray in the big blind, and he asked a couple times how much for him to call. Finally he made the call and flipped over his hand for everyone -- including himself -- to see. He had 72, and was up against his opponent's AT. But a seven and two came on the flop, and he won the pot with two pair. After the hand Gray had ove 150,000 chips.
Oppenheim Gets Caught
6
5
and seat 2 checked. Oppenheim bet 1,600 and seat 2 called.
6
Dario Minieri Eliminated
Hawrilenko Can’t Steal It
Jordan Rich raised to 3,500 from the cutoff and Jason Gray reraised to 8,000 from the small blind. The action folded back around to Rich who reraised to 23,000. Gray moved all in for a total of 90,600 and Rich went into the tank. 
Gray twins can't stay apart
Shawn Sheikhan Loses Half His Stack in Two Hands
Hevad Khan Doubles Up with an Unlikely Suck Out
Brent Carter Eliminated in 16th Place ($27,612)
Gray dodges and doubles
Battle goes Akiona's way