Live Tournament Updates
Day 2 Underway, Registration Still Open
Level 5: 300-600, 75 ante
The second day of action in the WPT World Championship is underway and, in addition to the 98 Day 1 survivors, there are some new faces in the field as well. Dan Shak is one of the players who are just now taking their seat. There should be new players trickling in all day too, as registration won't close until midway through Day 3 action.
The schedule for today is the same as yesterday. There will be four ninety-minute levels with a fifteen-minute break after the end of each level. There is no dinner break and play will conclude right around 7pm.
Cards are in the air and blinds are now up to 300-600 ante 75.
12:09 PM, 05/20/12
WPT World Championship, Day 1 Recap
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
By BJ Nemeth
WPT Anchor Kimberly Lansing has missed the last few tournaments here on the World Poker Tour, but she had an excellent reason -- maternity leave. Lansing gave birth to her son Jake in early March, and gives him a kiss as they check out the beautiful Bellagio Conservatory.
The Royal Flush Girls welcome the players to the start of the WPT World Championship. From left to right: Brittany Bell, Tugba Ercan, Ivy Teves, and Jeannie Duffy.
Kimberly Lansing interviews ClubWPT.com qualifier Harley Shepherd during a break on Day 1.
Shawn Cunix (right) won WPT Jacksonville earlier this month, where he played against Will Failla (left), who finished sixth in that event.
We don't know what they're talking about here, but Cunix could be asking how deep he will need to finish in this event to catch Will Failla in the WPT Player of the Year race. Failla leads the race with 2,050 points, and Cunix would need a fourth-place finish here to catch him, and a third-place finish to pass him. Of course, that assumes that Failla doesn't increase his lead by cashing in this last event of Season X.
Erik Seidel (standing, left) won the inaugural WPT High Roller event here at Bellagio during last year's WPT World Championship, capping off an amazing run in the first half of 2011 where Seidel won three high-roller events ($25,000 or higher buy-ins), finished in the top four in two others, won the NBC National Heads-Up Championship, and finished second in a WPT event, narrowly missing his second WPT title.
Unfortuntely, this season was not as successful for Seidel on the World Poker Tour. Seidel is the only player who cashed in all nine seasons of the World Poker Tour, but that streak ended when he was eliminated here on Day 1. Seidel went 0-for-Season X, but still holds the record with cashes in nine straight seasons. However, WPT Champions Club members Shawn Buchanan and Lee Markholt are knocking on the door with cashes in eight straight seasons.
Joe Serock (left) made back-to-back WPT Final Tables here in the U.S., finishing third both times to briefly take the lead in the WPT Player of the Year race. Failla regained the points lead at WPT Jacksonville, but Serock can pass Failla with a 15th-place or higher finish here. Serock is off to an excellent start, finishing Day 1 with about 200,000 in chips.
Serock posed for a photo with Nicolas Fraioli and Royal Flush Girls Ivy Teves (left) and Brittany Bell during one of the breaks.
Tommy Vedes won the WPT Seminole Hard Rock Showdown in Hollywood, Florida last month, joining the elite club of players with two WPT titles. Vedes is the first player to win multiple titles since Antonio Esfandiari won his second title in the WPT Bellagio Five Diamond World Poker Classic in December, 2010.
There have been 21 WPT titles awarded this season, and each title includes entry into the WPT World Championship. But since WPT Barcelona champion Luka Berglund is under 21 years old, he is ineligible to play here in Las Vegas.
Of the 20 remaining Season X champions, 18 entered on Day 1 -- only WPT Ireland winner Dave Shallow and WPT Grand Prix de Paris winner Matthew Waxman have yet to show up.
Unfortunately, WPT L.A. Poker Classic champion Sean Jazayeri (pictured above) was eliminated in the middle of Day 1, the only Season X champion to bust so far. The rest will attempt to become the first player since Tuan Le to win the WPT World Championship after winning a WPT title earlier that season. (Tuan Le did it all the way back in Season III.)
Matt Giannetti won WPT Malta last September, which was particularly notable because he was part of the WSOP's November Nine. While those nine players were on hiatus waiting to play out the WSOP Main Event final table, Giannetti went out and won himself a WPT title.
Bobby Oboodi won the WPT Borgata Poker Open last September, earning $922,441.
Daniel Negreanu poses for a photo with Leah Gwozdecki during the first break. Gwozdecki and her husband are visiting from Winnipeg, Canada, and were excited to get a photo with fellow Canadian Negreanu.
There were 103 entrants on Day 1, though registration remains open until the beginning of Day 3. That's right, players can still enter this tournament on Monday, and those that do will still have 62.5 big blinds to begin play.
As for those who played Day 1, only a small handful didn't survive the day. Here are the unofficial chipleaders heading into Day 2:
1. Steve O'Dwyer - 231,750
2. Masa Kagawa - 228,675
3. Tyler Smith - 221,600
4. Guillaume Darcourt - 215,250
5. Vanessa Selbst - 207,425
Day 2 begins at 12:00 noon PT, and the field will play four 90-minute levels. Stay tuned to WPT.com for continuing live coverage of the WPT World Championship.
10:49 AM, 05/20/12
Day 1 Ends With ~98 Players
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
There were 103 players who began this tournament on Day 1, and most of them survived -- unofficially, there are 98 players remaining. However, registration remains open until the beginning of Day 3, so that number will grow.
Yes, you can start this tournament on Day 3. The blinds on Day 3 will be 800-1,600 (200 ante), so a starting stack of 100,000 will still be worth 62.5 big blinds.
Steve O'Dwyer is the unofficial chipleader with 231,750, and the full list of official chip counts will be posted later tonight.
07:25 PM, 05/19/12
James Dempsey vs. Guillaume Darcourt
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
With the board showing 6
22
10
on the turn, reigning WPT L.A. Poker Classic champion James Dempsey bets from the big blind, and WPT Bucharest (Season IX) Guillaume Darcourt calls. There is now a little more than 60,000 in the pot.
The river card double-pairs the board with the 10, and Dempsey tanks for several minutes before he checks, and Darcourt checks behind. Darcourt shows Q
Q for two pair, queens and tens, and Dempsey mucks. Guillaume Darcourt takes the pot.
Guillaume Darcourt - 210,000
James Dempsey - 85,000
06:54 PM, 05/19/12
Michael Mizrachi Puts Isaac Baron to the Test
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
Season X WPT Vienna Champ Morten Christensen raises to 1,000, then Michael Mizrachi reraises to 2,600 behind him. Isaac Baron is in the big blind and reraises to 8,400. Christensen folds and Mizrachi calls.
The flop comes 1083 and Baron bets 8,500. Mizrachi calls. The turn is the 2 and Baron bets 17,000. Mizrachi calls again. The river is the J and Baron slows down and checks. Mizrachi bets 48,000, which is enough to put Baron all-in for his remaining 46,575.
Baron thinks for several minutes. He stares at the board and says, "The jack? That really hit you?" Mizrachi doesn't say much. Baron thinks a while longer then asks, "Will you show if I fold?"
"You won't want to see them," Mizrachi tells Baron.
Baron thinks a while longer, then pump fakes his cards into the muck to try to get a reaction out of Mizrachi. He doesn't fold though and one of the other players at the table calls the clock.
A floor person comes over and gives Baron a one minute countdown. As the clock winds down, Mizrachi comments that Baron is making his heart race. As the floor person counts down the final ten seconds, Mizrachi pulls his t-shirt over his face.
Baron sits silently as the clock expires and his hand is declared dead. Mizrachi shows him 24 for just a pair of deuces and Baron squirms and lets out a long sigh at having folded what is presumably the best hand.
After being down to 10,000 chips early in the day, Mizrachi has more than rallied back and is now sitting well above starting stack.
Michael Mizrachi - 155,000
Isaac Baron - 46,500
06:52 PM, 05/19/12
Vanessa Rousso vs. Tony Ruberto
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
Vanessa Rousso raises from the cutoff, WPT Jacksonville's autumn winner Tony Ruberto reraises from the big blind, and Rousso four-bets to 17,500. Ruberto calls.
The flop comes J106, Ruberto checks, Rousso bets 25,000, and Ruberto thinks for a bit before he folds. Vanessa Rousso takes the pot.
Vanessa Rousso - 125,000
Tony Ruberto - 106,000
06:50 PM, 05/19/12
Joe Serock Up to 200K
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
Noah Schwartz raises to 1,100 from under the gun, Season X Lucky Hearts Poker Open winner Matt Juttelstad calls, as does Cary Katz and Jean-Noel Thorel. Joe Serock is in the big blind and makes it 6,000 to play. Schwartz calls, Juttelstad folds, and both Katz and Thorel call as well.
The flop comes 543 and Serock bets 15,000. Katz is the only caller. The turn brings the 8 and Serock checks. Katz bets 17,000 and Serock calls.
The river is the 9 and both players check. Serock shows QQ for an overpair of queens, which is good enough to take the pot.
Joe Serock - 200,000
Cary Katz - 78,000
06:19 PM, 05/19/12
Barry Shulman Shoves
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
With around 40,000 in the pot and the board reading 73259, Barry Shulman moves all-in for his remaining 65,875. He is up against Bay 101 Shooting Star runner-up Ubaid Habib, who is facing a decision for the ajority of his remaining 75,000 or so chips.
Habib eventually gives it up and Shulman takes the pot. Before he mucks, tablemate John Hennigan calls for Shulman to show the bluff.
"I'm not showing anything," Shulman says with a smile.
Barry Shulman - 107,000
Ubaid Habib - 75,000
06:10 PM, 05/19/12
Zack Hyman vs. Masa Kagawa
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
After a flop of 1094, Zack Hyman checks from the small blind, Masa Kagawa bets from late position, and David Chiu calls from the button. Hyman check-raises to 6,700, and Kagawa reraises to 18,700. Chiu folds, and Hyman calls.
The turn card is the 8, and both players check.
The river card is the Q, and Hyman bets 30,000. Kagawa tanks for a little while before he folds, and Zack Hyman takes the pot.
Zack Hyman - 142,000
Masa Kagawa - 170,000
06:04 PM, 05/19/12
A Field Full of Champions
Level 4: 200-400, 50 ante
Photo: WPT L.A. Poker Classic champion Sean Jazayeri gives a brief interview to the WPT cameras after his elimination.
There have been 21 events prior to the Championship, which means there have been nearly two dozen players awarded both WPT title and a seat into the WPT World Championship. Save for WPT Barcelona Champ Lukas Berglund, who is still under 21, all of the champions from the season are expected at the Bellagio.
So far, almost all of the winners are already taking advantage of their shot at another title. WPT Amneville Champ Adrien Allain is the latest winner to join the field, which means now only WPT Ireland winner Dave Shallow and WPT Grand Prix de Paris Champ Matthew Waxman are missing from the field.
Waxman Tweeted that he will be late registering midway through Day 2, so he will be joining the fray soon. No word yet on when Shallow plans to show up.
One of the Season X winners who won't be picking up a second title this week is LAPC winner Sean Jazayeri, who busted midway through the Day 1 action.
05:56 PM, 05/19/12
