Huge Lead For Ronnie Pease After Day 1A
Feb 14, '14
The first starting day of the Foxwoods Card Player Poker Tour Main Event drew a crowd of 63 players, but because of re-entries there were a total of 79 buy ins entered into the prize pool. The chip leader after 11 levels was Ronnie Pease who closed out the day with an astonishing 336,800-chip stack as just 22 players head into the second day of play on Sunday.
The weather on Thursday heavily influenced players making it to Foxwoods early and that might’ve hurt the numbers on Day 1a a little bit. The start of the day was quiet with just 23 but that quickly changed as many locals decided to give it a shot. Among the players in Fridays’ field we spotted WSOP bracelet winner Chris Tryba won won the $2,500 Mixed Hold’em event in 2012. Tryba did not have a pleasant day and halfway through he was knocked out. Tryba is likely to be back for more tomorrow as there is always the option to re-enter.
Micheal Esposito, 2012 WSOP Main Event seventh place finisher, also showed up and had huge swings throughout the day. In a giant pot Esposito tried to knock out two players holding the nut flush draw against the two pair of both of his opponents. Esposito did not hit and was left with just three big blinds. He did managed to run this back up but ultimately he was knocked out in the final level.
Chip leader Ron Pease had an outstanding day and made it all the way up to 265,000 chips before the last level of play. In the last level of the day Pease turned on the afterburner and closed out with the 336,800. He will be one of the favorites going into Day 2.
Day 1B of this tournament kicks off at 11:00am local time as we’re doing another 11 levels. With the current weather warning in place we’re hoping that all players will make it safely to the Foxwoods Resort Casino tomorrow.
Player Tags: Michael Esposito, Christopher Tryba
Huge Comeback From Esposito
Feb 14, '14
Michael Esposito sits on 37,000 chips while just a few hands ago we saw him get crippled down to 2,200 chips.
“I won ace-king versus ten-seven, I shove all in once without a call and then I double again with tens versus ace-queen,” Esposito told us.
A nice comeback for the biggest winner in today’s field as we’re heading towards the end of the night quickly.
Player Tags: Michael Esposito
Esposito Crippled After Huge Clash
Feb 14, '14
The flop showed 6
Q
10 when both Mark Lieberman and Kyle Carey checked to Michael Esposito.
The former October Niner bet 2,100 and that unleashed a ton of action. Lieberman check-raised to 4,500 and Carey, from his immediate left, moved all in for 36,600.
Esposito tanked for a long time and made sure he had both players covered. Eventually he put in the call and this put Lieberman in the tank. After a while Lieberman called for a total of 27,700 and Esposito had a chance at knocking out two players.
Esposito: A4
Lieberman: Q
10
Carey: Q
10
Both Lieberman and Carey were all in for their tournament life and all Esposito needed was a spade to take it down. Neither Lieberman or Carey had a spade, increasing Esposito’s chances even more.
The turn brought the 4 and the river the 6 splitting the pot between Lieberman and Carey. Esposito was left behind with just 3,000 chips while Carey profited a little by winning the side pot.
Player Tags: Michael Esposito, Mark Lieberman, Kyle Carey
There's a Seven-Figure Winner in Today's Field
Feb 14, '14
With the tournament clock showing 30 registered players so far the chances of finding super star players is not that big just yet. We did however managed to locate Michael Esposito who finished 7th in the 2012 WSOP Main Event for $1,258,040.
Esposito had some recent success as well with a recent Mohegan Sun final table where he finished sixth for $26,010. Last summer Esposito finished fourth in the $10,000 Bellagio Cup event for $109,634 and the event was ultimately chopped by David Peters and Jason Koon.
Player Tags: Michael Esposito
Esposito Sitting Pretty
Feb 15, '14
Michael Esposito has a very comfortable 85,000-chip stack after he just shattered the dreams of his opponent by doubling up through him and eliminating shortly afterwards.
Esposito told us he flopped a straight against his opponent’s set of kings and that resulted in a double up. A few hands later Esposito took the last 14,000 chips of his opponent when his pair of jacks held up against pocket treys.
Player Tags: Michael Esposito
Esposito Back At It
Feb 15, '14
Michael Esposito busted out during the final level of Day 1a and he’s back for more today. The former WSOP Main Event finalist told us he lost with queens versus a player with a flush draw yesterday night.
“It was kind of ironic as he had ace-four and hit his flush,” Esposito smiled as that was the hand that he held when trying to knock out two players yesterday.
Esposito sits on around the average stack right now as we’re halfway through the third level of play.
Player Tags: Michael Esposito
Ben Bianco Busts Michael Esposito in Brutal Fashion
Feb 16, '14
Michael Esposito, who finished seventh in the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event, has made his exit in a pretty rough way.
The hand started when Omar Saeed raised to 4,000 from the cutoff. Esposito three-bet to 10,000 from the button and Ben Bianco called from the big blind. Saeed checked his cards again but called. After a flop of 975 Bianco check-called Esposito’s 20,000 bet but Saeed chose to check-fold instead.
The turn was the K and Bianco snap-announced he was all-in for more than 200,000, sending Esposito into the tank.
“You got Aces, Queens?” Bianco asked Esposito.
After a few minutes Esposito, who had about 100,000 left, called.
Esposito showed pocket Aces, but Bianco’s pocket Kings put him way ahead with a turned set. Esposito needed an Ace to stay alive, but it never came.
After the hand Bianco has about 500,000 and appears to be the biggest stack in play.
Player Tags: Michael Esposito, Omar Saeed
