Live Tournament Updates
Jason Koon Crippled
Level 3: 100-200, ante
With around 20,000 already in the pot and the board reading 10
94
A
, Jason Koon and another player get it all-in. Koon has the other player's 16,300 chips covered, but not by much.
Koon shows KK for a pair of kings, but his opponent holds 1010
for a set of tens. The river 7 is no help to Koon and he loses the pot and is left with just a handful of chips.
Jason Koon - 2,600
03:06 PM, 04/27/12
In Just Six Hands, Will Failla Takes the Chip Lead
Level 3: 100-200, ante
Photo: Jonathan Little (right) showed up on time, but watched as late-arrival Will Failla (left) busted two players in his first six hands to take a big chip lead.
A few hands after doubling up, Will Failla knocks out yet another opponent.
After a flop of 8-7-4, another player was all in with top two pair against Failla's 96 (open-ended straight draw). The turn was a 10, giving Failla the nut straight. He managed to fade a full house on the river to eliminate his second opponent of the day, securing the chip lead with 91,000.
Failla showed up shortly after the first break and claims to have only played six hands, in which he managed to bust two players from his table.
Will Failla - 91,000
02:57 PM, 04/27/12
Roller Coaster Half Hour for Tony Dunst
Level 3: 100-200, ante
Sorted In: Tony Dunst, Season X, bestbet JacksonvilleUp to 23k, sank to 9 then doubled through Shaun Cunix with JJ on 953 when be cold-3 bet flop with 42. Got to 29k but lost some betting stuff
— Tony Dunst (@Bond_18) April 27, 2012
02:56 PM, 04/27/12
James Dempsey Has a Goal
Level 3: 100-200, ante
Photo: The WPT TV camera captures the action as Phil Collins (left) checks the river and waits for James Dempsey (right) to act.
James Dempsey set a goal for himself this tournament. He wants to win ClubWPT Player of the Day. He is inquring with the WPT staff what it takes to earn such an honor. He learns it usually requires ending the day near the top of the counts, but he also hears about how a crazy hand or a really big bluff can earn the honor too.
That thought is fresh on his mind when a player raises to 425 from early position and Phil Collins calls in the cutoff. Dempsey is on the button and raises to 1,425 total. The initial raiser folds and Collins calls.
"This could be the hand," Dempsey says, referring to his Player of the Day chances.
The flop comes K104 and Collins checks. Dempsey bets 2,200 and Collins calls. The turn is the 4 and Collins checks a second time. Dempsey bets 3,800 and Collins calls.
The river is the J and Collins checks a third time. Dempsey assembles a large stack of chips, then bets 9,300. Collins thinks for over a minute, then calls, leaving himself with 16,000 behind.
Dempsey shows AA for aces up. Collins checks his cards a couple of times, then mucks.
"I guess this isn't the hand," Dempsey says, again seemingly more concerned with Player of the Day than the pot.
Collins, meanwhile, has something else on his mind. "I wonder if I call if it is not a rebuy," he muses to the table.
James Dempsey - 68,000
Phil Collins - 16,000
02:53 PM, 04/27/12
Will Failla Doubles Up As He Busts a Player
Level 3: 100-200, ante
Will Failla hasn't been at his seat for 10 minutes before he plays a big hand.
After five players see a flop of 932, Will Failla gets it all in with A3 for middle pair and a flush draw against a player's bottom two pair. (The other three players fold.)
The turn is the 9, pairing the board to give Failla the better two pair, counterfeiting his opponent's hand. The river bricks and Failla gets his first knockout of the day as he takes the chip lead with 65,000.
02:51 PM, 04/27/12
Looking Around the Field
Level 3: 100-200, ante
Joe Serock, who finished third in the last two WPT events on American soil, takes a shot at three final tables in a row here at the WPT Jacksonville best bet Open. Royal Flush Girls Angelique Velez (left) and Brittany Bell check out the action.
Greg Lee earned his entry into this event by winning a tournament on ClubWPT.com.
Vince Van Patten (pictured) and Mike Sexton have been in the WPT Commentating Booth since the World Poker Tour began ten years ago. Both players are in the field and playing here on Day 1A.
Not counting the WPT Celebrity Invitational, this is just the second WPT event that Vince has played. His only other entry was in the WPT L.A. Poker Classic back in Season VI.
02:29 PM, 04/27/12
Level 3 Begins
Level 3: 100-200, ante
The players return from their first break to begin Level 3, with increased blinds of 100-200. The tournament clock shows 101 players remaining from a field of 107, for an average chip count of 31,800.
There will be a one-hour dinner break after Level 6 (about 6:40 pm ET), and action will continue until the end of Level 9 (shortly before 11:00 pm ET).
02:27 PM, 04/27/12
Anthony Yeh Decides to Show
Level 2: 75-150, ante
Anthony Yeh raises to 400 from middle position and Matt Stout reraises to 1,200 from the cutoff. The player on the button cold four-bets to 3,400, but that doesn't deter Yeh. He five-bets to 9,250 and Stout folds.
The player on the button thinks around 30 seconds before he flashes an ace and tells Yeh, "Good hand," before folding. Yeh decides to show his holdings to the table and flips over K9.
Anthony Yeh - 44,000
01:58 PM, 04/27/12
Timothy Miles vs. Vitor Coelho
Level 2: 75-150, ante
With around 700 in the pot and the board reading J75, Timothy Miles checks from the big blind and Vitor Coelho bets 700 on the button. Miles calls and the turn brings the 2. Miles checks, Coelho bets 1,400, and Miles calls.
The river is the 7 and Miles leads out, betting 3,400. Coelho leans back in his seat, then eventually asks Miles, "For realy?"
Coelho thinks a bit longer, then tells Miles, "Okay, I'll pay you off." Coelho calls and Miles shows Q7 for trip sevens.
"I had it until then," Coelho tells him. He turns over the J for top pair, then shows the 5 as well for a flopped two pair.
Timothy Miles - 34,000
Vitor Coelho - 33,500
01:52 PM, 04/27/12
Steven Merrifield Eliminated By Darren Elias
Level 2: 75-150, ante
A player in early position limps in and Darren Elias raises to 600 on the button. Steven Merrifield is in the small blind and makes it 1,400 to play. The limper in the hand folds and Elias calls.
The flop comes 1054 and Merrifield bets 2,100. Elias calls. The turm is the 5. Merrifield bets 3,600 and Elias calls.
The river is the 4 and Merrifield bets 5,300. Elias sits motionless for a good minute, then announces he is all-in, having Merrifield's remaining 20,000 or so covered. Merrifield thinks for maybe five seconds before calling.
Elias turns over 1010 for tens full of fives. Merrified flashes his hand, AA, before he gets up and heads for the door.
Darren Elias - 64,500
Steven Merrifield - eliminated
01:40 PM, 04/27/12
