Event #65: $10,000 Main Event Dia 1b | 2014 World Series of Poker

2014-07-07 01:22 UTC-7

Luxemburger Leads Day 1b Survivors

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Nível 5 : 200/400, 50 ante

Day 1b of the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event is in the books, and leading the roughly 1,300 survivors is Trey Luxemburger. Luxemburger bagged 193,450 chips – less than Day 1a leader Martin Jacobson (200,100) – and he was trailed closely by Sarkis Hakobian (190,125) and Ryan Buckholtz (189,000).

Luxemburger has no prior results on the Hendon Mob database, Hakobian has a single cash, and Buckholtz has $375,648 in career live tournament earnings. Buckholtz also has one cash at the 2014 WSOP, finishing 397th in Event #51 for $4,670.

Also among the leaders is Matt Affleck, who of course made a deep run in the 2010 Main Event. Affleck, who refers to this event as the “McMain Event,” already has three cashes in the grand daddy of them all, and will enter Day 2b with 122,150.

Former champions Dan Harrington and Huck Seed survived the day, as did November Niners Michiel Brummelhuis, Kevin Schaffel, and Antoine Saout, and notables Brian Hastings, Marvin Rettenmaier, Erik Seidel, Vanessa Selbst, and Jason Somerville.

Not everyone was as fortunate, however, and there were a bevy of bustouts, including David Diaz, Mohsin Charania, Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, Paul Volpe, Chris Moorman, Joe Serock, Dan Shak, Robert Mizrachi, Minh Ly, Andy Black, David “Doc” Sands, and Kevin Saul. Shak was crippled with ace-king against pocket aces, and Moorman ran ace-queen into Volpe’s pocket queens.

Day 1b attracted a total of 2,144 runners, bringing the total player count to 2,915. This number is 30 players higher than 2013, and the WSOP staff is confident that Day 1c will be one the biggest flights in Main Event history. In 2013, the third and final flight attracted a total of 3,467 players.

The Main Event continues on Monday with Day 1c action starting at high noon. PokerNews will be on hand for another five 120-minute levels as we continue to march towards the November Nine.

Tags: Trey Luxemburger

2014-07-06 23:27 UTC-7

Player Spotlight: Former NFL Player and Flag Football Coach Eric Stocz

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As former tight end for the NFL's Detroit Lions, Eric Stocz now spends his time coaching flag football for kids in grades 2-8 and spends a part of his summer each year here in Las Vegas participating in the World Series of Poker Main Event.

We caught up with Stocz as Day 1b players were heading to their last break of the evening. He shared how he got involved in poker, his biggest challenge at the table, and talked a little about the infamous poker games on the team plane.

PokerNews: How’s your day going?

Eric Stocz: I’m having a great day. A little up and down. This is my fourth World Series and I’m hanging in there and happy to be here.

You used to play for the Detroit Lions and then went on to work in the fitness industry, specifically with kids. Tell us a little about that.

I played for the Lions from 1996-1998 and on retirement I used to work with sports camps for kids and I did that for about eight or nine years. That was a camp that I ran, a speed and strength camp. I would have my old teammates come out.

Then I changed my emphasis towards coaching and spent my time coaching a football team at the local high school. Now I run a flag football camp through the NFL in West Bloomfield, Michigan. On top of that, I am also a personal trainer. I don’t have any kids of my own so it’s great to have them all day long and I have a lot of fun with it.

So how did you get involved in poker?

I am such a competitive person and it seems like every time I go and play a sport, I get hurt. I found that poker allows me to feed my competitive spirit without me getting hurt. And as long as I keep my head straight and I don’t go crazy with the gambling, it’s a good thing.

What do you find is your biggest challenge at the poker table?

I am a person with major ADD, it is really hard for me to sit still. I live a very active lifestyle so sitting still for so long is a challenge. You will always know where I am at in a poker room because I am always up and down.

You hear all the rumors floating around about poker games on the planes when the team is heading out of town. Is there any truth to those?

It is totally true. For a guy that was making $350,000 per year, which was a lot for me, I was playing against some guys that were making big-time money. So when I lost it was a lot of money to me. It was fun, well not the losing part. But yeah, basically we gambled on the plane all the time.

Do you play poker outside of the World Series?

No, not really. In Michigan they have local poker charity rooms and they are everywhere plus there are three casinos near by as well. So it’s tough not to play. But I come out here and play in these big events and seeing all different types of people from different countries, it’s just really to be a part of this.

So how do you prepare for the World Series if you aren’t playing regularly?

I have been playing for so long and I do a lot of reading so it feels like I just pick up where I left off. To me, a poker game is a poker game. This just happens to be for a lot of money.

Tags: Eric Stocz

2014-07-06 22:31 UTC-7

Final Break of the Day; Matt Affleck Makes a Charge

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Four years ago, Matt Affleck suffered one of the worst beats you can imagine near the bubble of the World Series of Poker Main Event final table bubble. After an inconsequential flop, Affleck was all in and at risk with pocket aces against the pocket jacks of Jonathan Duhamel, and the eventual champion spiked a jack to take a massive chip lead.

Now, on Day 1b of the 2014 Main Event, Affleck is making a charge. We caught Affleck in one significant pot in Level 4, where he check-raised on the flop and fired two more bullets on the turn and river. His opponent tank-folded after the final community card was dealt and Affleck was pushed the pot.

Also among the leaders at this time are Jeff Norman, Samuel Moore, Trey Luxemburger and Steve Ryan.

Among the players to bust during Level 4 were Eddie Blumenthal, Vivek Rajkumar, Dan O'Brien, Bob "Uncle Krunk" Panitch, Max Silver, Justin Smith, Ami Alibay, Mathew Frankland, Chris Tryba, Timothy Adams, Philipp Gruissem and Nick Cassavetes.

Gruissem was all in and at risk with a very short-stack holding , and was crushed by an opponent's . The aces held up, and the German hit the rail. Cassavetes was also done in with suited gappers - - against a wired pair of eights.

The players will be on recess for 20 minutes before playing the fifth and final level of the evening. In the meanwhile, check out this video:

Tags: Matt Affleck

2014-07-06 21:29 UTC-7

Player Spotlight: NASCAR Driver Jason White

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We were introduced to Jason White by 2013 Main Event runner-up Jay Farber via Twitter. White is the driver of the #24 Toyota in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and spends most weekends on the track. This weekend he traded four wheels for 30,000 in tournament chips and is taking a spin on the felt. We caught up with White just as the Day 1b players were headed to dinner, where he was kind enough to give us a few minutes.

PokerNews: What brings a NASCAR driver to the poker table?

Jason White: Well, me and my buddies have been playing poker for years back home. I also play a lot with the other drivers and teams at the track when there is down time. I love to play, but I don’t really have time to do it very often.

We race all year long, but by chance I was off this weekend, so I thought I would come on out and give it a shot. I met Jay a few years ago at the night clubs and when he made the November Nine last year, I was cheering him on. I thought that was awesome and we have become better friends since then. He comes to an occasional race and we have had a lot of fun. He was giving me some tips. It’s been a really cool experience so far.

Is this your first Main Event?

It’s actually my second. I played about three years ago and made it until Day 3. I am hoping to do a little better this time.

It doesn’t sound like you get the chance to play live tournaments very often, do you?

No, I don’t get to play them at all. This is only my second real tournament, the first one being the other main event I played. I have played tournaments in my home game but nothing like this. You definitely have to have more patience than in the home games. Jay’s been kind of coaching me on that kind of stuff.

What kind of tips does Jay give you?

Basically, he said not to get too wrapped up in hands. The main tip he gave me is all about survival. He said if you can just make it to the next day, then you are still in it. Keep the pots as small as you can. When you can pull off a win, pull off the win and if you lose, try to lose as little as possible.

What skills can you take with you from the driver’s seat to the poker table?

Endurance and focus are the big things. In racing, you are sitting in a car for three to four hours in 120 degree heat and you have to keep your focus. Sitting at a poker table for 10 hours a day is also hard. The tournament is long and keeping your focus is probably the biggest thing you can do to help your chances.

You have to see where you are at on the track. Likewise, you have to feel where you are at on the poker table. On the track, I’m looking to pass and at the poker table I’m looking to steal. You have to measure up your competition and find where the best place to make a move on them is. Racing and poker are two different things, but it definitely relates in some areas.

How is your day going so far?

I would say I am doing pretty good. I was up to about 60,000 in chips but got rivered to bring me down to about 35,000. If it wasn’t for that I would have been up to about 100,000. I am still doing OK. Jay ended yesterday with 52,000 and said if I could stay around that range I would be fine. Those last hands weren’t great, but I have to keep focus and survive the day so I can go on to the next.

So, do you have next weekend off, too? You might need it, you know.

Yeah. That might be a challenge. We’ll have to see but it would be a good problem to have.

Tags: Jason White Jay Farber

2014-07-06 21:25 UTC-7

No Day 2 For Cassavetes

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Nível 4 : 150/300, 25 ante

Hollywood director Nick Cassavetes has been eliminated from the World Series of Poker Main Event.

We did not catch Cassavetes' elimination but players at his former table explained that he moved all in for his final 4,000 chips holding . Cassavetes was called by and the board brought mere blanks to send him to the rail.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Nick Cassavetes	Eliminado

Tags: Nick Cassavetes

2014-07-06 21:21 UTC-7

Williams Steps Out of the Phone Booth

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There was a raise and a call in front of David Williams, who three-bet to 2,400 in the hijack seat. Both of his opponents called, and the trio all checked on a flop of . The turn was the , the original raiser checked, and the player in the middle bet 3,500.

Williams raised to 8,500, the original raiser folded, and the bettor moved all in for an additional 13,550. Williams went deep into the tank, then called.

Williams:
Opponent:

Williams was drawing stone dead, and his opponent filled up on the river () for kicks and grins.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
David Williams	54,000	-21,000

Tags: David Williams

2014-07-06 21:10 UTC-7

Day 1b Numbers In: 2,144 Entrants

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Nível 4 : 150/300, 25 ante

The World Series of Poker Main Event attracted 2,144 runners for Day 1b. Combining that with the 771 entrants from Day 1a gives the 2014 Main Event a total of 2,915 competitors so far in action and chasing after the $10 million guaranteed first-place prize.

While some might've been down on the Day 1a field being less than that of 2013, today more than made up for it. Furthermore, the WSOP tweeted out that Day 1c's number is already higher than both Day 1a and Day 1b combined, which means things are looking nice and plump for the third and final starting day.

2014-07-06 20:41 UTC-7

Early Exit for Rajkumar

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Nível 4 : 150/300, 25 ante

The 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event was a very short-lived experience for high stakes player Vivek Rajkumar. Rajkumar, who played in the Big One for One Drop in 2012, managed to cash in the Main Event in the last two years but he wasn't as fortunate this year.

The players at his former table explained to us how Rajkumar lost most of his chips with a queen-high flush versus an opponent's ace-high flush. On the next hand, Rajkumar - who had just 1,800 chips remaining - was knocked out.

In total Rajkumar, who's no longer a regular on the tournament circuit, has $4.3 million in career earnings. His biggest result was a WPT victory in 2008 when he took home $1.4 million.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Vivek Rajkumar	Eliminado

Tags: Vivek Rajkumar

2014-07-06 19:01 UTC-7

Dinner Break; Little and Seidel Among Leaders

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Three levels are in the books on Day 1b of the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event, and among the chip leaders on the 90-minute dinner break are six-figure club members Jonathan Little, Jeff Norman, Joe DeGeorge, Sung Yi, Erik Seidel and Trung Nguyen.

With nearly $5.8 million in career live tournament earnings, Little is the most experienced of the bunch. We'll see if the professional poker player and coach can continue to run it up after the dinner break. Seidel of course finished runner up to Johnny Chan "The Master" in the 1988 WSOP Main Event.

Paul Volpe is eyeing another deep run in the Main Event - he finished 20th in 2012 - and won a nice all-in pot during Level 3. Chris Moorman was all in and at risk with against the 2014 WSOP bracelet winner's , and the pocket queens held up. Volpe is sitting around 70,000 chips.

Also exiting this past level were Russell Thomas, Toby Lewis and Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier. Grospellier flopped top two pair against bottom set, and was eliminated before the antes.

The players are now on dinner break for 90 minutes, and we're going to take one with them. For the time being, enjoy this Main Event strategy video with Joseph Cheong:

https://www.pokernews.com/video/wsop-2014-joseph-cheong-knows-how-to-get-deep-in-the-main-ev-9013.htm

2014-07-06 19:00 UTC-7

Two Pair for Current Chip Leader Jeff Norman

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Jeff Norman raised to 750 from middle position and and was called by the player on the button and Narendra Banwari in the big blind.

The flop fell and Banwari checked to Norman who bet 1,425. Only the player on the button called to see the turn where Norman bet 3,125. Another call from the player on the button led to the river which both checked.

Norman tabled for two pair, his opponent mucked and Norman collected the pot.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Jeff Norman	145,700	10,700