Dan Buzgon Eliminated

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

The player on the button raises to 800 and Dan Buzgon, who recently moved from a broken table, moves all-in from the small blind for 3,950. Shaun Deeb is in the big blind and starts prodding Buzgon to tell him who he is and what name he used to play under online.

Buzgon tries to keep quiet while Deeb tries to elicit people near the table to help him out.  Finalyl, Buzgon acquiesces and tells Deeb, "I'll give you a hint.  It starts with 'wild.'"

"Oh," Deeb says.  "You're Wildman75."  He tosses his cards in the muck and the intial raiser calls.

Buzgon shows 1010, but he is dominated by the other player's KK.  Deeb lets out a "yeah" and tells the table he folded pocket fives.

Buzgon gets no help from the J8394 board and he is eliminated.

Kessler Checks Quads

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

Five players limp into the pot and see a flop of 1088.  Action checks to Vitor Coelho in middle position and he bets 400.  Jason Mercier is next to act and raises, making it 1,725 to play.

Action folds back around to Allen Kessler in the big blind and Kessler calls.  The other player involved in the hand folds.

The turn brings the 6 and everyone checks.  The river is the 8, putting three eights on the board.  Action checks around once again and Kessler throws his hand up before revealing 89 for quad eights.

Allen Kessler - 31,500

Setback for Venovski

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

After cruising near the top of the counts all afternoon, Alex Venovski is back to an average stack after he gets it all-in preflop holding pocket jacks to another player's ace-queen.  The player flopped a queen, Venovski failed to improve, and now he is back down to 31,500. 

Dan Buzgon Almost Folds the Turn

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

With around 14,500 in the pot and the board reading 5329Q, Dan Buzgon checks and his opponent bets 13,500.  Buzgon is sitting on around 19,000, so the bet represents the majority of Buzgon's stack.

Buzgon thinks a bit, counts his chips, then gives his chips a high toss into the pot.  His opponent shows 55 for a set of fives.

"I almost folded the turn," Buzgon tells the table.  He briefly flashes his 22 for a set of deuces, then slides his cards to the muck.

Dan Buzgon - 5,500

Matt Giannetti Gets Daniel Buzgon to Lay Down A-K Preflop

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

In the last hand of Level 4, after some preflop raises, Dan Buzgon makes it 2,250 from the button, and Matt Giannetti makes it 5,550 from the cutoff. Buzgon thinks for a bit and then folds AK face up. 

Giannetti offers no information on his hand, mucking without showing as he takes the pot.

Raj Vohra Wasting No Time

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

Raj Vohra was one of the last players to register before Day 1A registration closed a few minuts ago.  Even though he is one of the last players to get in the field, he is already above the average stack.

Action folds to Vohra on the button and he raises to 750.  Brian Hawkins calls from the small blind and the big blind calls as well.  

The flop comes Q108 and Hawkins bets 1,450.  The player in the big blind folds and Vohra raises, making it 3,500 to play.  Hawkins calls.

The turn is the 4 and Hawkins checks.  Vohra bets 6,200 and Hawkins calls.

The river brings the K and Hawkins checks again.  Vohra announces he is all-in for around 22,500.  Hawkins has Vohra covered.  Hawkins debates a minute before folding and Vohra takes one of the first pots he plays today.

Raj Vohra - 45,000

Darryll Fish vs. Matt O'Donnell

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

Photo: Darryll Fish (right) tanks for nearly half the break after Matt O'Donnell (left) put him all in.

In the last hand of Level 4, the board shows J52K9 with about 10,000 in the pot. Darryll Fish checks under the gun, and Matt O'Donnell bets 25,000 from late position -- enough to put Fish all in.

A group of players remained to watch the hand during the break, and after a few minutes, Fish looks up and says, "You guys can go on break if you want. It's gonna be a minute." Three of them stay to watch to the end.

Eventually, six-and-a-half minutes into the break, Fish folds, and O'Donnell takes the pot.

Matt O'Donnell  -  91,000
Darryll Fish  -  20,600

Level 5 Begins

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

The players return from break to begin Level 5, with increased blinds of 150-300 and a 25 ante. There will be a one-hour dinner break after Level 6 (about 6:30 pm).

Registration for Day 1A is now closed, with 125 players registered. There are 104 players still alive as play resumes.

Any players eliminated today have the option of re-entering tomorrow for Day 1B.

Tony's Funny Valentine

Level 5: 150-300, 25 ante

Adam Katz Crippled By a Straight Flush

Level 4: 100-200, 25 ante

With around 4,500 already in the pot and the board reading 542, the player in the small blind bets 2,500 and Adam Katz raises to 6,100 from midde position.  The other two players in the hand fold.

The player in the small blind moves all-in for 37,675 total.  Katz quickly calls with AK for overcards and the nut flush draw.  His opponent shows 67 for an open-ended straight flush draw.

The 10 on the turn changes nothing, but the 8 on the river gives Katz's opponent a straight flush and the pot, leaving Katz with just 600 or so chips.

Katz was eliminated a few minutes later.