$10,000 Main Event - Day 1D - Level 2
Jul 06, '08
Blinds: 100-200
Chip Leaders:
Shawn Conix - 57,200
Doug Lee - 53,000
Mike Postle - 50,000
Thomas Keller - 50,000
Victor Ramdin - 50,000
Thanh "Tony" Huynh - 47,500
Stephen Kenna - 46,500
Tom Chambers - 46,000
Antonio Esfandiari - 44,000
Ryan Daut - 44,000
Shun Uchida - 43,000
Chris Overgard - 42,000
Steve Billirakis - 42,000
Rick Murnick - 42,000
Allen Cunningham - 41,000
Other Notables:
Shane Schleger - 40,000
Dan Shak - 37,000
Hevad Khan - 37,000
Jose Canseco - 36,000
Thayer Rasmussen - 33,000
Ari Engel - 32,000
Alexander Kostritsyn - 25,000
Mark Newhouse - 20,000
Ray Coburn - 18,000
Greg Dyer - 17,000
Allen Kessler - 17,000
Carlos Mortensen - 12,000
Jennifer Tilly - 11,500
Tom Schneider - 11,000
Shannon Elizabeth - 7,500
Jerry Yang - 6,900
Big Hands and Storylines:
Shulman Shipped Sugar sans Show
The action folded to Jeff Shulman who raised to a total of 600 from his position in the cut-off. Both the players in the button and small blind folded, and the player in the big blind made the call. The flop came A
7
4
, generating a check from the player in the big blind. Shulman continued his aggression by firing a bet of 16,500 into the pot, and his opponent folded. That pot put Shulman’s stack to just over 16,000.
Champion’s Chips Chomped, Chugs On
A player in middle position made it 600 to go, and Jerry Yang made the call as the next player to act. Immediately to his left, another opponent called and the action folded to the big blind. After making the call, the big blind checked a flop of J84. The original aggressor checked as well, and Yang made a bet of 2,400. After deliberating, the player to his left declared himself to be all in and pushed his chips into the middle. The action folded to Yang, who went into the tank. Yang’s opponent had him covered, so at least three camera crews stormed into the area to capture the potential elimination of the defending champion. “If I fold, will you show?” Yang asked his opponent, who remained motionless. After a few minutes, Yang mucked his hand face up, showing that he held AJ
. His opponent didn’t show his cards, but later told Yang he had flopped a set of fours. The loss brought Yang’s stack to fewer than 9,000 in chips.
Yang made up for some lost ground on the next hand by raising to 600 from middle position. The player in the cut-off called, and the two saw a flop of AQ8. Yang checked, and his opponent checked behind. The K on the turn brought another check from Yang, but this time his opponent made a bet of 1,000. Yang called and the dealer put out the J on the river. Yang led out for 2,150 and his opponent folded.
Ferguson Holding Steady
Chris “Jesus” Ferguson was the button and watched as the player under the gun limped, along with another player in middle position. Ferguson called the 200, as did the small blind, before the big blind threw out a raise to 1300. The player in middle position called, as did Ferguson. The flop came Q72, and all three players checked. They also checked the 8 on the turn. After the 5 fell on the river, the player from middle position bet 1500 and the others folded. Ferguson remains with 21,400 in chips.
Shulman Steps Aside
Jeff Shulman raised to 600 from the cut-off position and was called by the small blind. The flop came 1032 and both players checked. The 7 on the turn was also checked. The 2 paired the board while bringing a flush on the river, and the small blind bet 800. Shulman folded and was shown pocket sixes by the winner. Shulman has 17,000 in chips.
Too Aggressive...
Richie Smith shunned the timid, wait-and-see attitude that many players take on in the first level and instead opted for a hyper-aggressive style that nearly resulted in his elimination. On a flop of 1055, Smith, in a pot against Patrick Bruel, moved all-in with pocket jacks against the Frenchman. Bruel nearly broke his wrist trying to get his chips into the pot with his pocket tens. But like so many men who have played in the main event, Bruel will get to regale his friends (over and over again, I’m sure) with a bad beat story. A jack binked on the turn and Bruel was crippled. Smith apologized for the bad beat, but would defend his aggression to the death, “I’m relentless,” said Smith, emboldened by his growing chipstack.
Too Passive
Not everyone is Richie Smith, something that Shane Schleger was quick to learn today. On a flop of AQ6, action checked around to Schleger who bet 125. One player called and they saw the 6 on the turn. Action went check-check and the Q came on the river. She once again checked to Schleger who quickly checked behind. “Shaniac” mucked when she showed K6 for turned trips. Somewhere in the Brasilia Room Richie Smith is shaking his head in disgust.
Player Tags: Chris Ferguson, Jeff Shulman, Patrick Bruel, Jerry Yang
