Poker coach Faraz Jaka opened to 600 from early position and Pavel Ignatov three-bet to 1,800 on the button. Jaka called.
Jaka checked on the flop of Q♦2♦9♦ and Ignatov quickly checked back. Jaka checked once more on the 10♠ turn and folded as his Russian opponent fired for 2,000.
Jaka's students will be able to learn about his thought process in the hand as he announced earlier this week he'll be documenting every hand he plays in the Main Event.
Taylor von Kriegenbergh, Gianna Avdic McIntire, and a player in the big blind were battling over a pot of 3,000 on a board of 4♥3♠2♣. The big blind and Von Kriegenbergh already had 6,000 chips in front of them when Avdic McIntire raised it up to 16,000.
The player in the big blind then promptly jammed all in for 39,800.
"I may make a bad fold," Von Kriegenbergh stated before passing his cards to the dealer.
Avdic McIntire then made the call, covering her opponent.
Big Blind: 3♣2♠
Gianna Avdic McIntire: Q♣Q♠
"Oh, I definitely made a bad fold," said Von Kriegenbergh after seeing the cards.
The big blind looked slated for a double-up when the turn came the 8♥, but the Q♥ river gave Avdic McIntire a miraculous top set, locking up the huge pot.
Von Kriegenbergh jumped out of his chair in an elated fashion, tabling his 4♦4♣ that were still face down on the table. "Finally, I get lucky," Avdic McIntre uttered while stacking her many new chips.
Meanwhile, it was the big blind who left the table defeated as he was one of the first eliminations of the 2023 WSOP Main Event.
Toni Bosch raised 500 in the cutoff and both the small blind, and Damian Salas in the big blind made the call.
The dealer spread a flop of A♥A♠Q♠ and the action checked to Bosch as he continued for 500. Only Salas called.
The 10♠ turn received a check from both players and the 6♦ hit the river. Salas checked for a final time before Bosch fired a bet of 1,900 in the middle. Salas only paused for a brief moment before pitching his cards into the muck.
Action folded around to the blinds, where the player in the small blind limped and Billy Baxter raised to 600 from the big blind. His opponent called.
The flop came 6♥10♣4♠ and it was checked to Baxter, who continued for 800. His opponent quickly folded and Baxter showed the A♠ as he collected the pot.
The seven-time bracelet winner, who finished runner-up just a week ago in the Seniors Championship, has chipped up nicely during the first level and currently sits with 79,000.
After an open by Bryan Harper in the cutoff, Klas Krueger on the button and Shaun Deeb in the small blind were the only players to call.
On 3♣6♦K♠, Harper added 1,200 to the pot, and so did his two opponents. Then the J♦ came on the turn, where Harper fired a second barrel of 5,200. But this time, only Krueger called.
The river card was the 4♠, and this time, Harper checked. Krueger took this opportunity to bet 6,000 and was called immediately.
Krueger showed 3♠3♦ for a set hit on the flop, while Harper mucked his cards.
Stefan Schillhabel opened to 600 from under the gun and picked up two callers along the way. The flop came K♠6♠4♠ and Schillhabel continued with a bet of 600. The big blind was the only player to call and the 8♥ rolled off on the turn.
The big blind checked again and Schillhabel sized up a bet of 2,400 on the turn. His opponent still called and the 4♦ paired the board on the river. The big blind checked and Schillhabel thought for a minute before checking it back. The big blind tabled 10♥10♦ but Schillhabel showed A♠A♣ to claim the pot.
Idan The One opened to 600 in early position and David Moses called from the hijack as the cutoff also called. Action folded to Jacob Ferro in the small blind, who three-bet to 2,700.
The One wasted no time four-betting to 7,000 as Moses and the hijack quickly folded. Ferro also folded to earn The One the pot.
After an open to 500 by Francisco Caballo in middle position, Daemon Richardson three-bet from the hijack to 1,300. All other players folded, but Caballo four-bet to 4,200.
Richardson called to see the flop 3♣6♦K♠. On this street, he called again a continuation bet of 2,600.
On the turn 5♦, Caballo checked, but not Richardson who bet 7,000. It was too much for his opponent, who folded.
There was a limp from under the gun and a raise to 1,000 in middle position. Doug Polk three-bet to 4,200 out of the big blind and only the raiser called. They went heads-up to a flop of Q♦5♥2♥ where Polk led out with a bet of 3,000 and his opponent called.
The 4♦ peeled off on the turn and Polk splashed in another bet of 10,500. His opponent still called and the A♣ hit the river. Polk checked this time and his opponent checked it back. Polk flipped over A♠Q♠ for two pair and was awarded the pot.
"Here we are, Level 1 of the Main Event," Polk said as he continued to get an early massage. "It's a new era."
Matthew Livingston raised 600 in middle position and Merijn van Rooij defended the big blind.
When the 8♦7♣3♥ flop hit the felt, Van Rooij check-raised a continuation bet of 600 to 2,600. Livingston paused for a moment and splashed two more red chips on top of his 600 already in the middle for a three-bet to 10,200.
Van Rooij tanked for about 30 seconds before surrendering the pot.