The bracelet winner the last time the World Series of Poker spread a $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em tournament back in 2012 doesn't appear to be faring as well at the start here.
Andy Frankenberger defended his big blind against a 700-chip open from 2013 WSOP Main Event 3rd-place finisher Amir Lehavot and the two went heads-up to an flop.
Both players checked and checked again on the turn, but when the river fell, Frankenberger bet 1,000.
"Jack high," he said, as Lehavot made the call and turned over to take the pot.
Chris Moorman called a bet of 4,000 from Gaelle Baumann in position on a board of . Baumann put her last 10,000 in on the river, and Moorman snap-called.
Baumann shrugged slightly and showed for king-high, and Moorman took her stack with .
Before Vanessa Selbst took the poker world by storm over the past few years, earning $10,548,896 to date, Kathy Liebert spent the better part of the last decade as poker's top earning female.
Her $5,938,818 in career live tournament earnings is still nothing to sneeze at and she's off to a relatively decent start here today.
She checked her option after Galen Hall limped in from the small blind in a recent hand and they went heads-up to the flop. Hall led out for 200 and Liebert called allowing the dealer to burn and turn the . Hall then bet 600 and Liebert folded, taking a small step back on her way forward, now sitting on 38,900.
Out of the big blind, Mike Matusow bet 7,500 on a board of after significant money went in on the turn. His opponent on the button stacked all of his chips and pushed them into the middle.
"That's so sick," Matusow said before calling.
He needn't have worried, as his was miles ahead of the held by the player on the button.
The dealer burned and turned a , and Matusow had his opponent covered.
Brandon Stevens made it 550 on the button before Sam Trickett announced he wanted to make it pot.
The dealer didn't hear at first, but eventually got the message and Trickett put in 1,850. Stevens made the call and the flop came down . Trickett fired again, making it 1,500. Stevens called and the turn brought the .
This time Trickett checked and folded when Stevens bet 3,500.
Noah Schwartz bet 1,000 on the flop, and Antonio Esfandiari raised to 2,000 on the button. Schwartz made the call, and the turn came a .
"What, no speech?" Schwartz said with a smile as the dealer brought fourth street out.
"I know you're not one to give up," Esfandiari said before betting 3,300.
Schwartz turned serious as he raised to 9,300, and Esfandiari thought for awhile before calling. On the river, Schwartz checked it, and "The Magician" fired 14,400. Schwartz quickly called, and Esfandiari showed for a full house.
A disgusted Schwartz threw into the middle, showing he had a straight with a redraw on the turn.
Barney Boatman's fast start has slowed down. We caught him opening to 500, and getting two callers, including Mohsin Charania on the button, before Jared Hamby three-bet to 1,900 from the big blind. Boatman and Charania were the only callers and the flop came down .
Hamby checked, as did Boatman, leaving Charania to take the lead. He did, making it 2,300. Only Boatman called and they both checked down the turn and river.
"Jack high," said Boatman, mucking as Charnia turned over .
Eric Froehlich check-called 2,000 from Mike Matusow on a board of . The river brought a , and Froehlich checked. Matusow bet 5,000, and Froehlich verbalized a call.
"Top two," Matusow said, tabling . He took down the pot.
flop.
turn, but when the 
river fell, Frankenberger bet 1,000.
to take the pot.
. Baumann put her last 10,000 in on the 
river, and Moorman snap-called.
for king-high, and Moorman took her stack with 
.
flop. Hall led out for 200 and Liebert called allowing the dealer to burn and turn the 
was miles ahead of the 
held by the player on the button.
. Trickett fired again, making it 1,500. Stevens called and the turn brought the 
.
into the middle, showing he had a straight with a redraw on the turn.
turn and 
river.
, and Froehlich checked. Matusow bet 5,000, and Froehlich verbalized a call.
. He took down the pot.