The increasing blinds and antes are taking their toll, as some players who seemed reasonably healthy a level or two ago now feel forced to make a move. Dan Kelly was recently the victim of this situation. He raised pre-flop to 5,500, only to see an opponent move all in for 37,500. Everyone else folded. Kelly thought for a moment but decided it wasn't worth the risk and folded his cards. He still has about 170,000.
We missed the action while recording Brendon Rubie's massive pot being built, but PokerStars Team Pro Randy "naonoko" Lew lost his chips and headed for the cashier's cage.
A raising war just occurred between Australian poker pro Brendon Rubie and an opponent who wishes he stayed there. Rubie began the battle by three-betting to 24,500, a move which was met by a four-bet to 44,500. Undeterred, Rubie calmly cut 63,500 from his stack and slid it into the pot.
When he heard his opponent announce himself all-in for approximately 40,000 more, Rubie snap called and rolled over . The mother of all poker hands had her son Big Slick dominated, and while the made top pair on a board of , Rubie scooped perhaps the largest pot of the night.
Rubie, who has cashed for over $1,000,000 in his live tournament career, is now the overwhelming chip leader in the "Millionaire Maker" event as Day 2 marches onward.
Scott Clements raised under-the-gun to 4200, and a player reraised all-in for about 25,000. Action folded around to Clements, who thought for a minute before calling. The all-in player turned over , and Clements turned over for a virtual coin-flip. The board ran out , and Clements sent his opponent to the rail with his pocket pair.
We came to the table on the turn with the board showing . A player had bet 5,000 and "Johnny World" Hennigan threw out three orange chips for a raise to 15,000. His opponent went into the tank. After about a minute, he asked Hennigan how much he had behind, and Johnny World told him about 50,000. After about another minute, he asked again, and got virtually the same response. Pretty soon after that the clock was called, giving Hennigan's opponent 60 seconds to act or his hand would be folded. With about five seconds left, he went all-in and Hennigan called. Hennigan showed for a flush, and his opponent showed . The meaningless river card was the , and Hennigan doubled up.
WPT Jacksonville Main Event 2011 winner Anthony Ruberto raised it up to 4,500. His opponent called out of the blinds. They took a flop of . Roberto's opponent immediately pushed all in. Roberto took little time in calling. They showed:
Roberto:
Opponent:
Roberto needed to fade clubs to get the knockout. The turn was the . The river came the and that gave Roberto the winning straight. Roberto got the knockout and is now at 88,000.
We caught the aftermath of a classic cooler situation, with and straddling an enormous pot of more than 40,000 chips. A board of showed that no bad beats had occurred this time.
The proud owner of the rockets was Budwey Salhab, and after the dealer counted out the player's stacks, his stack of 60,900 had been doubled in style.
We came upon the action as Scott Clements faced a flop bet of 7,500 with the board showing . Clements thought for a few moments and made the call, then both players checked the turn card. Clements checked again when the fell on the river, but his opponent bet 7,000. Clements called, and the bettor tabled for a flopped pair of kings. Clements mucked his hand, and his opponent pulled in the pot. Clements, who started the day 12th in chips, still has about 71,000.
An unknown player raised his button, making it 4,500 to go, and John "World" Hennigan made the call from the big blind. A flop of prompted checks from both players, and after the on the turn, Hennigan checked once again. This time, his opponent put him to a test, betting 4,000, and World flatted to see the river.
Fifth street came and the action repeated, with Hennigan checking and flat-calling a bet of 4,000. After showing for a turned pair, Hennigan took the pot down and built his stack to a respectable level.
. The mother of all poker hands had her son Big Slick dominated, and while the 
made top pair on a board of 
, Rubie scooped perhaps the largest pot of the night.
, and Clements turned over 
for a virtual coin-flip. The board ran out 
, and Clements sent his opponent to the rail with his pocket pair.
. A player had bet 5,000 and "Johnny World" Hennigan threw out three orange chips for a raise to 15,000. His opponent went into the tank. After about a minute, he asked Hennigan how much he had behind, and Johnny World told him about 50,000. After about another minute, he asked again, and got virtually the same response. Pretty soon after that the clock was called, giving Hennigan's opponent 60 seconds to act or his hand would be folded. With about five seconds left, he went all-in and Hennigan called. Hennigan showed 
. The meaningless river card was the 
, and Hennigan doubled up.
and that gave Roberto the winning straight. Roberto got the knockout and is now at 88,000.
showed that no bad beats had occurred this time.
turn card. Clements checked again when the 
fell on the river, but his opponent bet 7,000. Clements called, and the bettor tabled 
for a flopped pair of kings. Clements mucked his hand, and his opponent pulled in the pot. Clements, who started the day 12th in chips, still has about 71,000.
prompted checks from both players, and after the 
on the turn, Hennigan checked once again. This time, his opponent put him to a test, betting 4,000, and World flatted to see the river.
for a turned pair, Hennigan took the pot down and built his stack to a respectable level.