Isaac Haxton raised from the small blind and Ivo Donev called in the big blind. On the flop, Haxton bet and Donev raised, Haxton called. The on the turn was checked through and the river paired the board. Haxton bet and Donev cut out chips for a raise before electing to fold.
While the next hand was shuffled, Haxton asked "what did you have Ivo, that was a weird hand."
One hand later, Donev limped in from the small blind and Johannes Becker checked his option. On a flop of , Donev checked and Becker bet. Donev check-raised and Becker called. The on the turn saw Donev bet and Becker call before the turn was checked.
Donev briefly flashed his card, and one of them was the . Becker claimed the pot with and Donev lost the second hand in a row.
Isaac Haxton has built a chip lead in the first session of the $50,000 Poker Players' Championship
Ike Haxton would leap four places on the all-time money list if he can close out this $50,000 Poker Players' Championship, but Haxton is not here for the trophy or even the bragging rights of taking down a tournament that so many players have declared as tournament all the top players want to win.
"“I’m not a big glory chaser. I’m just here to make money," Haxton told us as the players broke for 15 minutes with just three opponents standing in Haxton's way of the $1,395,767 top prize.
He's also not concerned about losing Daniel Negreanu early on in fifth place: “I’m just playing. I’m not particularly concerned with who is eliminated in what order. I just want to win.”
Despite strength in other areas, Haxton's hopes have been boosted by running well in a variant in which he's not so well-versed.
“Obviously, my best games are no-limit hold'em and pot-limit Omaha, but as it's turned out, I’ve run really hot in the stud games for some reason. There’s no justice in poker."
Haxton's specialties aside, he agrees that his edge against players in their weaker games may mean he has success in games that wouldn't be the ones he'd choose to press home his advantage.
"Of course, I’m thinking about how other people are playing [the different variants]. I have just under 9.2 million chips, so I still have the chip lead.
Can Haxton hold the lead all the way to winning his first WSOP bracelet? He may care more about the money, but he's in pole position to grab the gold, too.
Elior Sion raised from the small blind, Isaac Haxton three-bet from the big blind, and Sion called.
Sion drew two, Haxton drew one, and Sion check-called a bet. The draws and action remained the same on the second draw before both players stood pat on the final draw. Sion check-called a final bet from Haxton but mucked when Haxton tabled .
Elior Sion raised on the button and called a three-bet from Isaac Haxton, who was in the small blind. Both players drew one, and Haxton slowed down with a check. Sion bet, and Haxton called. Haxton drew again, but Sion was pat. Haxton check-folded to a bet.
The next hand, Sion opened again for a raise and called a three-bet from Haxton. Both players drew one on each pull, with Sion check-calling every betting street until the last one. At that point, both players checked.
Sion announced a queen and rolled over , and Haxton couldn't beat it.
Ivo Donev raised on the button, and Johannes Becker made it three bets out of the small blind. Donev called.
Becker drew one, and Donev drew two cards. Becker then bet, and Donev called. Becker stood pad while Donev drew one card and called a bet. Becker stood pat again, and Donev drew one card. Becker bet. Donev peeked at his cards and sighed, then folded.
Johannes Becker raised from the button, Isaac Haxton three-bet from the big blind, and Becker called.
Both players drew one, Haxton bet, and Becker called. Both drew one again, both checked, and both drew one on the third draw. Haxton bet, Becker raised, and Haxton folded.
Elior Sion raised to 215,000 on the button, and Isaac Haxton called in the small blind. Ivo Donev made it 1,650,000 in the big blind, pushing in all of his T25,000 chips and leaving himself just a couple of towers of T5,000 chips behind. Sion folded quickly, but Haxton took longer.
Haxton drooped his head toward his chips, deep in thought for about a minute, and then slid forward a tower of T100,000 chips with an all-in announcement.
Donev shot out of his chair and snap-called, tabling .
"That's not good for me," Haxton said, turning over .
Neither was the flop or the turn. However, the fell on the river, much to the delight of at least one railbird rooting hard for Haxton. Donev calmly shook hands with his opponents.
flop, and both checked the 
turn. Haxton bet the 
river, and Donev called.
for a jack-high flush and left Donev shaking his head.
flop, Haxton bet and Donev raised, Haxton called. The 
river paired the board. Haxton bet and Donev cut out chips for a raise before electing to fold.
, Donev checked and Becker bet. Donev check-raised and Becker called. The 
on the turn saw Donev bet and Becker call before the 
turn was checked.
. Becker claimed the pot with 
![[user139916]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
.
.
flop or the 
turn. However, the 
fell on the river, much to the delight of at least one railbird rooting hard for Haxton. Donev calmly shook hands with his opponents.