WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open, Day 1B Recap

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

By BJ Nemeth


Here's a look back at the first two days of the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open.



The Seminole Hard Rock Casino uses a deck that is subtly different than most -- if you look closely at the jack of diamonds, you'll see that he is rocking an electric guitar and wearing sunglasses.



Players gather outside the Seminole Hard Rock poker room to get their nicotine fix and share bad beat stories during a break on Day 1B. All of the pre-final table days will be played here in the poker room.



As players arrive each day, they are greeted by Royal Flush Girls Tugba Ercan (left) and Angelique Velez. Every player who enters the tournament also receives a WPT swag bag with the items shown here -- t-shirt, hoodie, and water bottle.



Who wouldn't want their photo taken with WPT Champions Club member Dwyte Pilgrim? Both Rodney Legendre (right) and fellow WPT Champions Club member Steve Brecher (left) posed for a photo on Day 1A.



WPT Champions Club member Matt Giannetti was the early chipleader on Day 1A, and one of the first over the 100,000 mark. Giannetti enters Day 2 in excellent position with more than 150,000 in chips.



Around 4:30 pm each day, Royal Flush Girls Angelique Velez (left) and Tugba Ercan were outside the poker room for a meet-and-greet with players and fans. Here, they pose for a picture with Laurent Liverpool, who is part of the WPT Montreal crew, spending his February in a much warmer part of the world.



WPT host Vince Van Patten was also on this week hand to meet fans and pose for pictures outside the poker room.



Allen "Chainsaw" Kessler (seated) received a visit from his sister Laura and her husband Richard on Day 1A. Laura agreed to play "How Well Do You Know Your Brother?" by answering questions about Allen's poker career and telling us what Chainsaw was like growing up.

You can watch the video of Allen Kessler and his sister by clicking here.



Reigning WPT Player of the Year Joe Serock was among the chipleaders for most of Day 1B, and survived to Day 2 with more than 100,000 in chips.



The winner of this event will not only get their name engraved on the WPT Champions Cup, he or she will also receive this special WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open electric guitar. How's that for a unique and cool trophy?



While the WPT event was playing out upstairs, Royal Flush Girls Angelique Velez (foreground, left) and Tugba Ercan (top right) joined WPT host Vince Van Patten (top left) to host a special sit-n-go in the Seminole Hard Rock poker room.

Seven lucky players were able to enter the rake-free $100 sit-n-go, and anyone who busted Vince, Angelique, or Tugba received a WPT swag bag. In addition to first prize, the winner also received a very nice WPT chip set.



WPT Champions Club member Tony Ruberto was among the chipleaders on Day 1B, and survived to Day 2 with 131,000 in chips. Ruberto won one of the first WPT titles ever awarded in Florida at WPT Jacksonville in November, 2011.



Here's a look at the top of the leaderboard heading into Day 2:

1.  Raj Vohra  -  262,700  (218 bb)
2.  David To  -  260,100  (216 bb)
3.  Evan Teitelbaum  -  206,900  (172 bb)
4.  Mark Darner  -  195,000  (162 bb)
5.  Todd Jacobson  -  193,000  (160 bb)


Day 2 begins Sunday at 1:00 pm ET, and action is scheduled to continue as long as it takes until the field reaches the money (final 36 players). Stay tuned to WPT.com for live coverage and chip counts throughout the day.

Day 1B ClubWPT Player of the Day - Tony Ruberto

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Day 1B has 80 Survivors and 143 Total Return Tomorrow at 1 p.m.

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Day 1B has come to a close at the World Poker Tour Lucky Hearts Poker Open at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Florida and 80 players have made it through the day. Combined with the 63 survivors from Day 1A we will have a returning field of 143 players for Day 2 on Sunday. The overall chip leader tomorrow will be Raj Vohra with 262,700.

The chip leader at the end of Day 1B is Evan Teitelbaum with 206,900. He is joined near the top by Mark Darner (195,000), Todd Jacobsen (193,600), Cesar Fuentes (185,000), and Leif Oskarsson (172,000). Notables in the six-figure chip club include Champions Club member Tony Ruberto (131,000), recent WPT final tablist Matthew Burnitz (110,400), and WPT Season X Player of the Year Joe Serock (103,100).

Notables to make an exit from the tournament today were Harrison Gimbel, Ebony Kenney, Andy Frankenberger, Brian Hastings, Rhynie Campbell, Ted Lawson, Mukul Pahuja, Jonathan Tamayo, Guillaume Darcourt, Hans Winzeler, Micah Raskin, and John Spadavecchia.

We also got the lowdown on the prize pool today. The total number of entrants is 369 players (25 percent growth over last year) and the total prize pool is worth $1,199,250. The top 36 players will take home a minimum of $7,795 and the eventual champion will receive $323,804 at the conclusion of the final table on Tuesday.

Check back in at 1 p.m. ET tomorrow as the remaining field plays down to the money bubble. The WPT Live Updates team will be here to bring you all of the action from Sunny South Florida.

Three More Hands

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

The tournament clock has been stopped and the field was informed that they will play three more hands. There are 90 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. 

Another One Bites the Dust

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Micah Raskin is among the late eliminations on Day 1B of the WPT Lucky Hearts Poker Open. 

The Twitternet: Go Fish for a Flush

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

57cc > KQ allin on K34cc up to 70k or so #LuckyHearts

— Darryll Fish (@The_DFish) February 10, 2013

Brian Hastings Triples Up, Then Busts

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Brian Hastings moves all in from the hijack for 4,500, Leif Oskarsson calls from the button, and Ami Alibay calls from the small blind.

The flop comes 993, and Oskarsson and Alibay check the dry side pot. The turn is the 7, and Alibay bets 5,000. Oskarsson thinks for a while before he folds.

Alibay shows 88, but Hastings turns over J9 for trip nines.

The river is the 9, and Hastings wins the pot with quad nines to triple up in chips.

Brian Hastings  -  15,000  (18 bb)

Unfortunately, the rebound didn't last long for Hastings, and he was eliminated about 10 minutes later.

Adam Levy Doubles Up

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Both Adam Levy (hi-jack) and a player in late position contribute 4,600 preflop, then the first three cards hit the table KJ10. Late position checks and Levy bets 5,100. His opponent calls and the 8 falls on the turn.

Late position checks, levy bets 9,000, and late position raises all in. Levy calls all in and they flip over their cards. Levy holds AQ and his opponent shows QJ. The river falls 4 and Levy wins the hand to double up.

Adam Levy - 100,000 (125 bb)

Leif Oskarsson Doubles Thru Brian Hastings

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

With the board showing Q829 on the turn and about 20,000 already in the pot, Leif Oskarsson bets 11,000 from the big blind, Brian Hastings moves all in from the button for 56,700, and Oskarsson tanks for well over three minutes before he calls all in for 52,000 with 98 (two pair, nines and eights).

Hastings turns over 86 for a pair of eights with a heart flush draw, and he needs a heart on the river (except the nine of hearts) to bust Oskarsson.

The river is the 6, and Oskarsson wins the pot with two pair to double up.

Leif Oskarsson  -  112,000  (140 bb)
Brian Hastings  -  4,700  (5 bb)

The Twitternet: Go Fish

Level 10: 500-1,000, 100 ante

Been folding away the last couple levelsand got in 26k @ 4/800 w KQ against AA and rivered 2 pair #oops #skillgame #LuckyHearts

— Darryll Fish (@The_DFish) February 10, 2013