Welcome to PokerNews' Day 2 coverage of Event #24: $5,000 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em. Yesterday's Day 1 drew a field of 541 players and after 10 levels of play, only 129 remain in the quest to capture a coveted World Series of Poker gold bracelet and the $622,998 first-place prize.
Chris Hunichen is the chip leader 177,200, followed by Bryn Kenney with 166,200. Among others to bag big stacks were Freddy Deeb (145,900), Kevin Saul (143,200), Calvin Anderson (133,100), and Greg Merson (132,700).
The plan for the day is to play another 10 levels, which will bring the field well into the money and down to perhaps the final two tables. Play is set to resume at 1 p.m. local time, so be sure to keep it here at PokerNews for live updates on all of the exciting action.
We caught the action on the turn, with the board showing . A player led out for 3,600 and was raised by JC Tran to 8,800. Giuseppe Pantaleo was next to act and he moved all in for right around 24,000 chips. The initial bettor folded and Tran called immediately.
Tran:
Pantaleo:
The river didn't help the German pro who was knocked out by one of last year's November Niners.
Grayson Ramage raised under the gun to 2,500 and from the cutoff it was Alex Bilokur who three-bet to 6,000. The 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Greg Merson was next to act from the button and he made it 14,500 to go.
Both blinds and Ramage gave up quickly after Bilokur went into the tank. After about two minutes, Bilokur put in a five-bet to 25,500 and the pressure was back on Merson. The Marylander went into the tank for 30 seconds before he announced he was all in, sitting in silence while his Russian opponent went into the tank.
Minutes went by and Bilokur kept counting down his stack down, not sure what his next move would be. After about six minutes, it was Bjorn Li who called the clock and in the final seconds of the countdown, Bilokur let go of his hand.
Merson raked in this nice pot and his run is already showing similar signs to the 2012 $10,000 NLHE 6-Max, a tournament he ultimately managed to win.
Matt Waxman joins the PokerNews Podcast at the top of the show to talk about winning a bracelet in 2013, debate whether or not the National Championship is a closed event, and tell the story of his first big heater in poker. The crew then gives play-by-play of a spat between Nick Schulman and the phone vendors outside of the Amazon Room, breaks down the recent bracelet winners, and more.
Two aggressive players just clashed, and the third one involved ending up getting knocked out. Andrea Dato raised under the gun to 5,000 and the action folded to Bryn Kenney, who raised to 13,500 from the small blind. Justin Oliver, who was seated in the big blind, moved all in for 38,400 and that put the pressure back on Dato.
The Italian-pro made the call after about a minute and Kenney took another minute before moving all in.
Dato shook his head in disbelief and folded his face up.
Kenney:
Oliver:
The board ran out and Kenney knocked Oliver out.
"You run bad, Bryn," Dani Stern said with a smile.
"Yeah, that you're not in that seat," Kenney replied with a bigger smile looking at the empty chair next to him.
Nicholas Petitti was all in and at risk for around 20,000 or so preflop with , and Jay Dragland had him at risk with .
Both players made a pair of aces on the flop, and Dragland took a commanding lead when the turn brought the . The bricked off on the river, and Petitti was eliminated.
At the neighboring table, we saw Scott Seiver get up from his chair and the dealer yell, "Payout!"
When we arrived, the board was completed and was sitting in front of Pierre Neuville. Neuville said Seiver flopped top two pair - this is obviously impossible because Seiver would've then made a full house - so we are to assume that Seiver may have had and was counterfeited on the turn.
While all of this was happening, Andrea Dato busted Viet Vo, Amanda Musumeci took out Kevin Saul, and Bjorn Li exited with unknown action.
Benny Chen raised to 5,200 from the hijack seat, Jean Gaspard three-bet to 12,000 in the cutoff, and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier called all in for 11,000 or so in the big blind. Chen called as well.
Both Chen and Gaspard checked it down as the flop, turn, and river came , and Grospellier opened up for queens and jacks. Gaspard revealed for kings and deuces, however and Grospellier hit the rail.
Dani Stern raised to 6,000 and Kevin Eyster called from his immediate left. This sparked a series of calls as Bryn Kenney, Matt Salsberg and Andrea Dato all called as well.
The flop brought out and Dato and Stern checked to Eyster who bet 16,500. Kenney grabbed a bit more and threw in what looked like 41,500 total. Salsberg, Dato and Stern folded and the action was back on Eyster.
"I'm all in," Eyster announced and Kenney dropped a few chips forward as he made the call.
Eyster:
Kenney:
The board ran out , and Eyster rivered a straight to secure a huge double up. On the flop Eyster was all in for 173,300 and he's now sitting in second place behind Dato, who's also at this table.
Alex Bilokur raised to 10,000 on the button, Greg Merson reraised to 28,000 in the big blind, and Bilokur moved all in for what looked like 120,000 or so. Merson quickly tossed out a single chip, signifying a call.
Bilokur:
Merson:
The dealer fanned a flop of and Bilokur got up out of the chair, but he wasn't drawing dead. The Russian could hit a runner-runner straight, and the on the turn kept him alive for one more street, but the bricked off on the river.
Benny Chen (Giving shuffle up and deal prior to Millionaire Maker) - Eliminated
Benny Chen moved all in for 98,000 on the button, and Jeremy Kottler called in the big blind.
Chen:
Kottler:
Kottler increased his lead on a flop of , but Chen had an inside straight draw. Unfortunately for him, the turn and river bricked , respectively, and he was elimianted in 25th place. He'll earn $16,196 for his efforts.
![[user139916]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. A player led out for 3,600 and was raised by JC Tran to 8,800. Giuseppe Pantaleo was next to act and he moved all in for right around 24,000 chips. The initial bettor folded and Tran called immediately.
and Kenney knocked Oliver out.
.
flop, and Dragland took a commanding lead when the turn brought the 
. The 
bricked off on the river, and Petitti was eliminated.
and 
was sitting in front of Pierre Neuville. Neuville said Seiver flopped top two pair - this is obviously impossible because Seiver would've then made a full house - so we are to assume that Seiver may have had 
and was counterfeited on the turn.
for kings and deuces, however and Grospellier hit the rail.
and Dato and Stern checked to Eyster who bet 16,500. Kenney grabbed a bit more and threw in what looked like 41,500 total. Salsberg, Dato and Stern folded and the action was back on Eyster.
and Bilokur got up out of the chair, but he wasn't drawing dead. The Russian could hit a runner-runner straight, and the 
on the turn kept him alive for one more street, but the 
, 
respectively, and he was elimianted in 25th place. He'll earn $16,196 for his efforts.
