Former World Series of Poker Main Event champions Huck Seed (1996), Carlos Mortensen (2001), Robert Varkonyi (2002), and Jonathan Duhamel (2010) are all taking part in today's action in the tan and blue sections. Jerry Yang (2007) is seated in the orange section.
When it comes to popular poker players, Daniel Negreanu ranks right up there at the top of the list. The five-time bracelet winner currently sits in second on the 2013 World Series of Poker Player of the Year Leader Board with 598.34 points, thanks in large part to winning the inaugural WSOP Asia Pacific (APAC) Main Event back in April.
Surprisingly, Negreanu's success in the WSOP Main Event here in Vegas has been limited. His best performance came back in 2001 when he just missed out on the final table by finishing in 11th place. His next cash wouldn't be until five years later, and the next five years after that. Last year, Negreanu made a deep run before being eliminated by actor Kevin Pollak. Even so, it marked the first time "Kid Poker" had back-to-back cashes, which means this year he's looking to make it three in a row.
We caught up to Maria Ho in a pot with one other player who was in the small blind. On a board of , the player had bet 350 into Ho who made the call on the button. The river was the and once again the player in the small blind bet, this time for 400. Ho made the call again, but mucked when her opponent turned up for trips.
At another table down the way, Angel Guillen was also involved in a pot. From early position, a player made a raise to 300. Action folded around to Guillen in the small blind who made the call. The big blind also called. The flop came down and action checked to the original raiser who bet 400. Only Guillen called this time. Both players checked on the turn as well as the river. The original raiser shoed his and that was enough to take down the pot.
Even though Ho and Guillen lost these small pots, people say the Main Event is a marathon, not a sprint, and they have still got a long way to go.
We arrived at the table, just as Australian Bruno Portaro opened to 225 from the button. His opponent in the small blind then bumped it up to 725, which saw the big blind get out of the way.
“725? What? Well I want to know what glasses you are going to put on?” asked a surprised Portaro.
In front of Portaro’s opponent were three pairs of novelty glasses, all with different messages written upon them. The gentleman picked up and put on the pair that read “Call,” and Portaro obliged.
The flop came down , and the player in the small blind threw out a continuation bet of 750.
“Just making sure you have the same pair on,” joked Portaro, as he again made the call. “I don’t want to see you put on the ones that say “the nuts,” he added.
The fell on the turn, and a quick check from his opponent, saw Portaro fire out 1,100, which was enough to take down the pot.