The clock reads 3,397 players but that number will increase since the registers are still open. If we take into account that people who bust also will be able to sign-up for Day 1b we'll have a huge increase on the previous record.
Melanie Weisner just took her seat and, for anyone interested, isn't spotting any patches today. Ana Marquez also took her seat and so did Isaac Baron. Last but not least we just saw James Mackey sit down. In 2007 he won a bracelet and was the third youngest player to ever do so at that time. Nowadays there are lot more young bracelet winners, but back in 2007 it was the story of the summer.
Jason Mercier knows a thing or two about World Series of Poker events. After all, he does hold two gold bracelets. He's still looking for his first in hold'em, though, as the two he has are from pot-limit Omaha events.
On this hand, Mercier opened to 125 from middle position before the players on the button made the call. Everyone else folded, then the dealer ran out the flop. Mercier bet 125, and his opponent called.
The turn was the , and Mercier slowed down with a check. The button also checked.
The river was the , and Mercier checked again. The button fired 400, and Mercier gave it up.
Despite losing this pot, Mercier has already built his stack above starting and sits with 6,150.
The player in the small blind just bet out 225 which made the player in the big blind fold immediately. German poker pro Jan Collado had a different plan though and raised the action to 625 from the hijack. It was a four-way pot preflop and the player on the button folded. The small blind was not that easy to get rid of though and he even took the more aggressive option of three-betting: 1,725. Collado made the call and the dealer had to her work again: on the turn. The small blind bet out 2,000 and Collado made the call rather quickly.
The river brought the and the small bind announced allin. Collado had about 1,900 left and so did the small blind so this was a do or die moment for the both of them. Collado looked like he had a tough decision and said "Really?" a couple of times. Eventually he folded and the small blind quickly mucked his cards while he stacked the chips he just won.
The player under-the-gun limped and right next to him Mike Leah took a peak at his cards. He raised it up to 150 but that was certainly not the end of it. A player in mid-position three-bet to 400 and the player on the button made the call. The under-the-gun limper also made the call for 400 and action was back on Leah who took a look at the stacks involved. He bumped the action to 1,900 which had three quick folds as a result. Leah showed the and took down the big pot without even seeing a community card.
In a blind-v-blind situation, we came onto the action on a flop of . Ivey bet 200 from the small blind position, and his opponent calls. The turn was the , and Ivey continued for 500. He slowed down and checked when the fell on the river. His opponent bet 700, and Ivey quickly called. The big blind announced "six." Ivey nodded and turned over , while his opponent tabled for a split pot.