WSOP Circuit regular Arkadiy Tsinis limped under the gun and action folded all the way to Joe Serock, who limped from the small blind. The big blind checked his option and the three players saw a flop of .
Serock was first to act and led out for 150, which inspired the big blind to fold. Tsinis made the call and then the dealer burned and turned the . Serock slowed down with a check and then folded when Tsinis shoved all in for 875.
It was a good thing he did, too, as Tsinis showed the for a set.
It was a short and not-so-sweet stay for Andy Frankenberger in Event #4: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em, which was his first tournament of the summer. Find out what happened and what his next event will be.
We stopped by Ari Engel's table to watch a hand, and in it he opened for 125 from the hijack and got the next four players to fold to swipe the blinds. Nothing too special, but it did bring him up to 6,500, which is more than twice the starting stack. Not too shabby for Level 2.
In another hand across the room, there was 575 in the pot on a board reading when Kathy Leibert bet 500 from the big blind and her under-the-gun opponent folded. Again, nothing too special, but it did bring her up to 5,000.
There is something special about the World Series of Poker. Every summer players from around the world travel to Las Vegas for their shot at poker glory. Oftentimes this results in players from vastly different backgrounds meeting at the green felt. Take for instance David "Devilfish" Ulliott and Everett Carlton.
The two couldn't come from more different backgrounds. The former is a poker legend in the UK with a gold bracelet, a poker book, and numerous TV appearances to his name. The latter is a grinder from the Midwest who can be found playing the WSOP Circuit and Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT). Today the two are seated side by side over at Table 99.
Carlton, who resides in St. Paul, Minnesota, used to be a high stakes golf player but took up poker in 2003 after being diagnosed with malignant melnonoma from exposure to the sun. While he was recovering he saw poker on TV and the rest is history. Carlton has $629,809 in total WSOP & Circuit earnings, which includes a Circuit ring win in the 2009/2010 WSOP Circuit Event #3: $550 No Limit Hold'em at Caesars Palace. Last year he finished third in the 2013 44th Annual World Series of Poker Event #17: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em for $224,455. In addition, the soft-spoken Carlton has made a name for himself on the MSPT where he holds the record for most final tables and cashes with eight and ten respectively.
On the flip side is Ulliott, a brash and talkative player that has established himself as one of poker's first true characters. Back in 1997, "the Devilfish" made a name for himself at the WSOP by winning the the 28th Annual World Series of Poker Event #9 $2,000 Pot Limit Hold'em for $180,310. From there Ulliott went on to rise to poker superstardom in the groundbreaking Late Night Poker television program. Love him or hate him, the Devilfish is truly a poker legend.
David "Devilfish" Ulliott
Carlton and Ulliott come from completely different backgrounds and have opposite personalities, but at the WSOP it doesn't matter. Today they will compete against one another amid thousands of others looking to capture the same prize. Poker truly is a great game.
The Event #4: $1,000 No-Limit Hold'em field is so big that it is currently taking place in three different rooms. The Brasilia Room is the main area, but overflow has players seated in both the Amazon and Pavilion Rooms. We took a stroll through the latter and there were dozens of familiar faces. Here is a small sample of them.
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. Serock slowed down with a check and then folded when Tsinis shoved all in for 875.
for a set.
