WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond, Day 2 Recap

Level 11: 600-1,200, 200 ante

By BJ Nemeth


Here's a look back at some highlights from the first two days of the WPT Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic.



Defending champion James Dempsey (in light blue) joins Mike Sexton, TD Jack McClelland, and the rest of the WPT talent as they welcome players to Bellagio and give the traditional "Shuffle up and deal."



At the start of play, WPT Commentator Mike Sexton (standing) walks thru the field to welcome the players and check out some of the action. Here, he chats with three-time WPT winner Carlos Mortensen.



Unlike last year, this year's event offered unlimited rebuys during the registration period, which extended thru the first eight levels. So players who busted had the option of re-entering with a fresh starting stack of chips all the way until 5:00 pm on Day 2.

Last year's tournament attracted 413 players, but with the re-entry format, this year the field grew to 503 entrants. The prizepool hasn't been released yet, but first prize is expected to be about $1.3 million.



Two-time WPT winner Randal Flowers was among the early chipleaders on Day 1. Flowers entered the tournament only one time, and heads into Day 3 with an above-average chip count of 96,500.



On Day 1, there was a meet-and-greet session for fans to interact with Mike Sexton and the Royal Flush Girls, held inside the high-limit area known as "Bobby's Room."



Mike Sexton poses for a photo with a fan. Sexton and the Royal Flush Girls were also giving out autographed photos.



Even members of the WPT Champions Club can be fans. Taylor von Kriegenbergh, who earned $1.1 million for winning the 2011 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown, was just as excited to talk to Mike Sexton as the other fans.



Like Mike Sexton, the Royal Flush Girls were interacting with the fans, taking photos, and signing autographs in "Bobby's Room."



WPT Reporter Diana Cox interviewed defending champion James Dempsey during one of the breaks. Dempsey survived thru the registration period on one entry, but he was eliminated late on Day 2.



In addition to interacting with the fans, the Royal Flush Girls (left to right: Danielle Ruiz, Angelique Velez, and Jeannie Duffy) also interact with the players, such as Darryll Fish.



Greg "FBT" Mueller (right) watches as Phil Galfond pulls in a pot to pass the 200,000 mark and take the chip lead early on Day 2. Galfond kept his chips in non-standard stacks, and didn't want to count them. He didn't even know he was chipleader until he was interviewed by Diana Cox on the next break.

Galfond was in for two entries, while Mueller was in for only one. Both players are in strong shape heading into Day 3 -- Mueller with 137,700 in chips, and Galfond with 179,300.



Dan O'Brien (left) and Sam Trickett (center) were two of the players who took advantage of the unlimited re-entry format. O'Brien was one of 18 players who bought in three times, while Trickett was one of three players who bought in four times.

Unfortunately, the strategy didn't work for either one of them, as they both busted late on Day 2.



It may not be a shock to those that know them but Daniel Negreanu was the king of re-entries, one of just three players who bought in six times. Unfortunately, the $61,800 investment didn't pay any dividends for Negreanu, as he eventually busted for the sixth time after registration closed on Day 2.

The other two players who bought in six times -- who shall remain anonymous for now -- are both still alive in the tournament.



Mike Sexton (left) sits in Bobby's Room with the legendary Doyle Brunson as they wait for a big cash game to start on Day 2. While this tournament is named in Brunson's honor, he has been playing far fewer tournaments recently, preferring to focus on the high-stakes cash games.



With 10 minutes left at the end of Day 2, Antonio Esfandiari (center) was asked to select a random card to determine how many hands each table would play to end the day. Esfandiari chose the card face down, and then asked Scotty Nguyen (right) to flip it over.

Why was Esfandiari chosen for this honor? Well, this event may be named in honor of Doyle Brunson, but Esfandiari has owned it in recent years, winning it two years ago, and final tabling it again last year.



As he usually does, Will Failla (center) organized a side bet among players to guess the number of hands that would be played at the end of the day. Each player puts in $100, and whoever picked the right number wins it all.

As you can see, Failla picked five -- and he won the money. The card that Esfandiari had selected was the 5.



In the final minutes of Day 2, it became clear that the chipleader would be two-time WPT winner Michael Mizrachi. Mizrachi only bought in one time, but so far, he has made the most of it.



At the same table, Kenna James (center, in the black cowboy hat) moves all in on the final hand, and a crowd gathers around as most of the other tables had finished. James's opponent eventually folded, giving James the victory in the last hand of the night.

Kenna James still has an uphill climb ahead of him on Day 3, as he finished with 32,900 -- a little more than a third of an average stack.



When play finally ends, the WPT cameras converge on chipleader Michael Mizrachi to get his reactions for the TV show.



With 166 players remaining, only the top 54 will finish in the money. (The prizepool has yet to be announced, but first prize should be around $1.3 million.) Here's a look at the leaderboard heading into Day 3:

1. Michael Mizrachi - 272,600 (227 bb)
2. Frank Rusnak - 255,900 (213 bb)
3. Arthur Morris - 242,000 (201 bb)
4. Warwick Mirzikinian - 232,200 (193 bb)
5. Ravi Raghavan - 211,500 (176 bb)
6. Chino Rheem - 209,000 (174 bb)
7. Ty Reiman - 202,700 (168 bb)
8. Vanessa Selbst - 202,100 (168 bb)
9. Tony Dunst - 201,400 (167 bb)
10. Sorel Mizzi - 198,600 (165 bb)

Day 3 begins Thursday at 12:00 noon PT. Stay tuned to WPT.com for live coverage and chip counts throughout the day.

Day 2 Closes with 166 Still in the Hunt and Michael Mizrachi in Front

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Day 2 at the World Poker Tour Five Diamond World Poker Classic has come to a close at Bellagio and from the 503 total entrants there are 166 players who have advanced to Day 3.

The overnight chip leader is Michael Mizrachi with 272,600. Other players at the very top of the chip standings to end the night were Frank Rusnak (255,900), Arthur Morris (242,000), and Warwick Mirzikinian (232,200). They are joined near the top by Vanessa Selbst, Joe Elpayaa, Gavin Smith, Jason Somerville, Noah Schwartz, Ravi Raghavan, Phil Galfond, and Chino Rheem.

Notables that busted out of the tournament on Day 2 were Dee Dozier, Michael Kamran, Marvin Rettenmaier, Xuan Liu, Tommy Vedes, Taylor von Kriegenbergh, Dan Fleyshman, Cliff Josephy, Ashton Griffin, Maria Ho, Jonathan Little, and multiple re-entry purchasers Sam Trickett and Daniel Negreanu.

Check back in at noon PT tomorrow when the field will return and play five more levels of poker on the march to our next WPT champion. Blinds will be 600-1,200 with a 200 ante at the start of play. The top 54 places get paid so the money bubble should burst on Day 3.

Stay tuned for official chip counts, which will be released by the tournament staff later tonight.

Short-Stacked Sands

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

David "Doc" Sands just won a small pot but is still short-stacked. 

Sand raised to 1,200 from middle position and the player in the cutoff called. The flop was Q103, Sands bets 3,000 and the cutoff calls. The turn was the 3 and both players check. The river was the A and Sands bet 4,500. The cutoff folded and Sands won the pot but is still short-stacked with 22,500. 

David Sands - 22,500 (22 bb)

Five More Hands

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

The tournament clock has been stopped and the field was informed that they will play five more hands. There are 183 players that have survived according to the tournament clock.

Stay tuned as we will be collecting chip count information from the bag and tag and catching the final hands of the night, which will be posted soon. 

ODB Done In

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

David "ODB" Baker has been eliminated from the tournament. 

Baker got the last of his short stack all-in with A5 against an opponents 66. The board was dealt 642QA and Baker's chips went to his opponent. 

The Twitternet: The (Defending) Champ is (Not) Here (Anymore)

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Busted the five diamond at the end of day 2, very tilted right now so i'm off for a morale boosting dinner #wpt

— James Dempsey (@FoieGrasAddict) December 6, 2012

West vs. Galfond

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

The flop reads 972 when the button bets 4,100 and Tim West raises to 20,000. Phil Galfond calls from the big blind and the button folds. The 2 falls on the turn and West wastes no time shoving all in for 8,500.

Galfond calls with J9 and West holds AA. The river brings the K and West's hand holds up for him to double up.

Tim West - 65,300 (65 bb)
Phil galfind - 195,000 (195 bb)

Team 3-Bet Update

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

There were seven players in the field sponsored by 3-Bet Clothing, and six of them are still alive. Here's an update on how they're doing.

3-Bet player Jason Koon just doubled up a short stack after getting it all in preflop as the dominant favorite. The short stack was on the button with A7, and Koon had the best of it with 77. But the board came AJ2Q6, and the short stack paired his ace to double up. Koon is still well above average with 135,000.

In the back corner of the room, 3-Bet player Antonio Esfandiari saw a flop of 942 against Brock Parker. They reraised each other until Parker was all in for about 50,000 with A9 for top pair, top kicker. Esfandiari turned over J6 for a heart flush draw.

The turn was the K, the river was the 7, and Antonio Esfandiari won the pot with a heart flush to eliminate Parker from the tournament.

3-Bet Player Chip Counts:
Scott Clements  -  180,000  (180 bb)
Brian Rast  -  165,000  (165 bb)
Greg "FBT" Mueller (pictured above)  -  150,000  (150 bb)
Antonio Esfandiari  -  145,000  (145 bb)
Jason Koon  -  135,000  (135 bb)
David "Doc" Sands  -  33,000  (33 bb)
Jonathan Little  -  Eliminated

Steven Kelly vs Shawn Buchanan

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Shawn Buchanan raises to 2,500 from the button and Steven Kelly three-bets to 5,800 from the small blind. Buchanan calls and the flop is J94. Kelly bets 3,300 and Buchanan calls to see the J fall on the turn. Both players check and see the A open on the river. Both players check again and Kelly reveals AQ. Buchanan mucks and Kelly now has about 40,000. 

Steven Kelly - 40,000 (40 bb)

Action Resumes w/ 34:15 Left

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

The tournament staff calls the players back to their seats, and action resumes with 34:15 left on the clock. The delay ended up being a little less than 15 minutes, and action should end tonight shortly after 9:00 pm.