Live Tournament Updates
Vital Statistics
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
2008 WPT North American Poker Championship Day 1c Tournament Director: Robert Kipp Starting Chips: 30,000 Opening Blinds: 50-100 Starting Players: 166 90-minute levels with 15-minute breaks Day 1 will play for five levels with no dinner break.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Fallsview Casino Resort, Season VII, North American Poker Championship11:35 AM, 10/12/08
Official Player Count
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
166 players have entered the tournament today. This makes a total 454 entrants into the 2008 North American Poker Championship.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Fallsview Casino Resort, Season VII, North American Poker Championship11:32 AM, 10/12/08
Sixty Second Profile: Mike "SirWatts" Watson
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
Canadian poker player, Mike “SirWatts” Watson, had to fight his way through a tough final table earlier this year at the WPT Bellagio Cup to take down the title and over $1.6 million. Beating David Pham, David Benyamine, Gabrial Thaler, Ralph Perry and fellow online pro, Luke “IWEARGOGGLES” Staudenmaier, Watson had no easy task in front of him. This tournament will not be much different. With eight other former WPT Champions in the field today, Watson’s home field advantage will be severely limited. However, right before the last break, Watson took a pot away from his opponent with a strong raise on the river. With thousands of hours of online experience and a WPT Championship now under his belt, Watson will be one of the top players to watch today.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Fallsview Casino Resort, Season VII, North American Poker Championship11:15 AM, 10/12/08
Level 2
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
Players are back from break and return to blinds of 100-200.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Fallsview Casino Resort, Season VII, North American Poker Championship11:13 AM, 10/12/08
Level 2 Begins
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
The players return from break to begin Level 2, with increased blinds of 100-200.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Fallsview Casino Resort, Season VII, North American Poker Championship11:10 AM, 10/12/08
Break
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
Players are on their first 15 minute break of the day.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Fallsview Casino Resort, Season VII, North American Poker Championship10:57 AM, 10/12/08
River Aggression Works for Watts
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
On a board of K
9
5
4
5 and with 7,000 in the pot a player bets 2,100 into Mike "SirWatts" Watson. Watson quickly re-raises to 10,500. His opponent folds and Watson takes the pot.
10:48 AM, 10/12/08
Negranu Playing His Kind of Game
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
Daniel Negreanu opens the pot in middle position for the minimum raise of 200. Two players call in late position as well as the big blind.
The flop comes 1096. The big blind checks it over to Daniel, who bets 350. The player to his immediate left calls and the other two players get out of the way.
The turn is the K. Negreanu bets out again for 900. He is quickly raised to 2,300. Daniel asks "you really flopped a flush?...I still would have outs". Then he counts out a call and puts four orange chips equaling 4,000 in his hand saying "if my card comes I'm betting 4,000." and he makes the call.
The river brings the 9, pairing the board. Daniel simply drops the 4,000 in chips he already had prepared in his hand onto the felt. His opponent looks sick and beings to think over his decision as Daniel keeps talking and putting him on different hands. "You had to have flopped the ace-high flush to raise me here" as he points to the turn card. "Maybe you have a goofy hand like king-eight of spades." He even accuses him of having "air".
Finally a player calls clock and the floor is called over. With less than ten seconds left Negreanu's opponent folds and Daniel takes the pot.
10:42 AM, 10/12/08
Nick Schulman Loses a 28,000 Pot Early
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
On a board of K107Q3 Nick Schulman's opponent bets 11,500 into a 15,000 pot. Schulman thinks it over for a few moments before making the call with a frown on his face. His opponent shows AJ for the nut straight and Schulman mucks his cards. He is now down to 8,800.
Nick Schulman is one of the nine former WPT champions that we have in the field today. At only 21 years old Schulman won the 2005 World Poker Finals at Foxwoods in 2005.
10:22 AM, 10/12/08
Sixty Second Spotlight: Daniel Negreanu
Level 40: 2,000,000-4,000,000, 300,000 ante
All-time WPT money earner? Check. 15 WPT cashes? Check. 7 WPT final tables? Check. 2 WPT titles? Check. 4 WSOP Bracelets? Check. WPT Player of the Year? Check. WSOP Player of the Year? Check. Hometown win? TBD. The hometown favorite grew up just an hour and a half north of Niagara and now is looking to do one of the only things he has not been able to accomplish in his illustrious poker career: a Canadian title. The North American Poker Championship will provide him the chance at the perfect time – Negreanu is fresh off a heater coming out of the WSOP Europe where he cashed three times including a 5th place finish at the Main Event for $395,000. Daniel is already off to a good start, being dealt two red aces in the first few minutes of the tournament. With his skills and cards like that his table should prepair themselves for a long day.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Fallsview Casino Resort, Season VII, North American Poker Championship10:05 AM, 10/12/08
