2.03pm: End of the level
The players are on a 15 minute break.
2pm: Jaka kills Kenney, almost
Bryn Kenney is down to just 18,300 chips after paying off Faraz Jaka on the river. Jaka raised pre-flop from the cut-off and Kenney called from the button. Both checked the 2♦ 7♣ 5♣ flop before Jaka led for 16,000 on the turn. Call. The river came K♣ and Jaka over bet to the tune of 70,000. Kenney tanked for a minute and made the call but mucked upon seeing Jaka’s 5♦ 5♥ for a set. — MC
1.58pm: Ryan belts one down the fairway
Ryan Fair is now up to 330,000
. Can we call it quits and say he won? Maybe not. The American, we suspect, knocked out Tobias Kuder. The German’s seat is suspciously empty and Fair’s stack has increased by around 130,000, which is pretty much what Kuder was packing. — RD
1.53pm: Bad news for the table
Lawrence D. Greenberg just got unluckily rivered by Daniel Alaei to bust. The two were in the blinds and a pre-flop raising war saw the chips in the middle. Greenberg was in great shape with Kâ™ K♦ versus Alaei’s Q♣ Q♥ but he was out the door after the 4♥ 3â™ 2â™ 4â™ Q♥ board. Alaei is up to 265,000 now and his tablemate Matt Affleck isn’t too happy about that fact. “That’s bad for all of us”, he said. “I rate him as one of the top five players in the world”, he continued. — MC
1.45pm: Scouting report
A quick whiz around the tournament showed the following.
* Frederik Jensen is out. The barrel-chested Dane was seen departing to the rail.
* Dan Heimiller is up to 150,000 after leading 30,000 into a K♦ 6♦ 4♥ 5♠board.
* Matt Marafioti three-bet from the big blind to beat off a small-blind steal.
More as it happens. — RD
1.40pm: Gregg busts another
Tony Gregg, the runner-up in the 2009 PCA main event, has eliminated another player today. Jonathan Little was the man to bust with ace-jack. Gregg had him dominated with ace-queen. A queen on the flop sealed the deal. — MC
1.30pm: Elias outs Fierro
Nico Fierro is out after shoving for 27,000 from the cut-off with A♣ 2♥ and being looked up by Darren Elias in the big blind with 7â™ 7â™ . The board ran 7♦ 5♦ 2â™ 2♦ 4♦ . It was a great flop for Elias and he survived the small sweat the turn provided to bust Fierro. — MC
1.15pm: United Nations
Just behind the high roller enclosure the World Cup of Poker is getting ready and that means lots of photo shoots involving flags and tracksuits. It’s not quite the United Nations, but it is a welcome distraction from online pros discussing four- and five-bet shoving ranges. — RD
1.11pm: Gomes gone
Team PokerStars Pro Alex Gomes is out after losing a race to Tony Gregg. Gregg raised to 2,600 and Erik Seidel called before Gomes moved all-in for 25,000. Gregg made the call with 10♥ 10♦ , Seidel folded. Gomes tabled K♣ Q♦ but failed to hit on the 3♦ 3♣ 6♣ 7â™ 8♥ board. — MC
LEVEL UP: BLINDS 800-1,600, ANTE 200
1.02pm: Josephy busts
Cliff Josephy has just been busted by Matt Affleck, who has taken two early scalps in this first level. Affleck opened for 3,600 and picked up one caller before Josephy moved all-in for a stack that looked like it was in the 25-30,000 region. Affleck made the call.
Josephy: 8♠8♥
Affleck: A♦ Aâ™
Josephy failed to catch a break and hit the rail. Affleck over 100,000. — RD
1pm: Alaei lets one go
Team PokerStars Pro Max Lyov is up to 135,000 chips after forcing Daniel Alaei to fold on the river. The Russian raised from second position to face a three-bet to 16,600 from Alaei on the button. Lykov responded by four-betting to 16,600 and Alaei called. The flop came 8♣ 6♦ 5♥ and Lykov continued with a 17,200 bet. Call. Both players checked the A♦ turn before Lykov led for 24,800 on the 8♥ river. Alaei folded and dropped to 85,000 chips. — MC
12.50pm: Table break
Luke Schwarz’s table has broken and he’s just been moved to the vacant seat next to Harry Kaczka (Schwarz has position). Olivier Busquet is a few seats round and seemed fine with Schwarz’s arrival., Giuseppe Pantaleo did not. The German scowled across the tables at him, but then again he might be giving everyone that look after a heavy night at the PokerStars party last night. It’s a factor most players don’t figure into their variance. — RD
12.45pm: Timoshenko coolered
Yevgeniy Timoshenko is out after being coolered on the river by Will Molson. There was a cut-off raise before Timoshenko three-bet to 7,200 on the button and Molson four-bet to 15,500 from the big blind. The original raiser folded but Timoshenko was going nowhere and five-bet to 25,700. Molson moved all-in and Timoshenko snap called.
Molson: Q♠Q♦
Timoshenko: A♠A♥
The board ran 4♣ K♦ 8♥ K♥ Q♥ . Molson spiked the two outer on the river to bust Timoshenko who smiled and said “Good game”. — MC
12.30pm: Jaka back into the throng
Faraz Jaka was in Day 2 of the $5,000 Bounty Shootout yesterday but failed to make it through (Scott Baumstein won his heat, arguably the most aggressive of the day). Jaka instantly jumped into the high roller event where he seems adequately stacked. He does, however, have Brynn Kenney directly on his left who has already been using the three-bet button him. Odds on Jaka to have as disappointing day today as yesterday? — RD
12.22pm: Affleck afflicts pain on Sandra
Team PokerStars Pro Sandra Naujoks has been eliminated early here on day two. She was down to just 19,000 when she got it in against Matt Affleck. Affleck tabled Aâ™ K♥ to Naujoks’ 9♦ 10♦ and the board ran 5♦ K♥ 4♣ 4♥ 8♥ to make two-pair for the young American. — MC
12.07pm: Cards are in the air
Play in underway. There is a eerie silence in the room today cut only by the sound of chips being riffled. Seeing as the PokerStars party went on into the early hours the lack of conversation is understandable. — MC
12pm: Welcome back for Day 2
Ninety players return today as we try to get down to a final table. Before the players can think about that though they must navigate their way via the bubble. Sixteen players will get paid and seeing as the first payout level is $55,490 it is not a bubble to take lightly. But that is a long way off for now.
Ryan Fair sits at the top of the pile for now with 217,200 but he’s being chased by a host of talented players including last year’s main event runner-up Tyler Reiman (205,400) and last year’s defending high roller champion William Reynolds (170,800).
There are more than a few Team PokerStars Pros left with a chance at at the million-dollar first prize. They include: Andre Akkari (63,300), Humberto Brenes (52,600), Joe Cada (22,300), Joe Hachem (55,500), Alex Gomes (84,600), Leo Fernandez (167,600), Alex Kravchenko (21,100), Johnny Lodden (34,300), Max Lykov (164,200), Juan Maceriras (137,700), Jason Mercier (75,600), Sandra Naujoks (17,900), and Vanessa Rousso (79,100). Play will begin shortly.
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