LETS VC YOU AT THE SERIES
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LET US PRAY
Doing the Lord’s work again, here on Day 1a of the Main Event.
Riches to the righteous…
Destruction to the wicked…
The meek will not inherit the earth.
Have a nice day now!
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“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”—“Walden” by Henry David Thoreau
Whilst we cannot know for sure, would any of us believe that our final thoughts as we depart this mortal coil will be “I wish I had another 10,000 bucks in the bank.” It won’t be mine, I can’t imagine it’ll be yours either. Things we’ve done don’t seem so clear and present as those things we haven’t done.
This was the scene somewhere half way up the satellite registration queue late last night. Pan to the right and it snakes all the way into the Amazon Room…walk the other way and you may get caught in traffic on Flamingo! This morning another super sat got underway at 10.00am These will continue throughout the next few days as the numbers for the Main Event begin to climb beyond what many expected. Day 1D has been added to the schedule (Monday), so don’t be surprised if this thing starts breaking records.
Jeffrey Pollack was very coy yesterday when asked for an official ‘number so far’ figure.
”I haven’t seen any figures in the last 24 hours so I’m afraid I couldn’t comment…”
Before we could ask ”What were the figures 25 hours ago?” the press conference had been whisked onto the next question. Put it this way though, he didn’t look like a man overly concerned about the number of entries.
THE MATH
Pick a number, double it, times it by ten, make sure it’s below 1,600 and you’re somewhere close to guessing how many players have started today.
The truth is the true number might not be known for some time as more and more players register. But when, in the last few years at least, was it any different?
As comedian George Wallace announced ‘Shuffle up and deal’, 160 tables are in the Amazon Room, each with ten seats and nine players at them.
According to tournament people who know this kind of thing, play will start with nine players, with the extra seats filled according to additional people registering.
And in a slight change over previous years - players begin with 20,000 chips rather than the traditional 10,000; with the blinds opening at 50/100.
Plenty of time to get comfortable. It’ll be a long day.
OFF THE HOOK
Devilfish looks down at the three blue chips that random dude has flipped into the pot. He raises it up by another thousand but the opponent wastes no time in firing back with three yellows.
“One of us is gonna go broke today…” sighs Devilfish.
For some reason Dave has taken to wearing shades on the back of his neck…
”It’s all the rage in Hull” he’d have said in an ideal world.
Meanwhile back in the real world, the Devilfish plays with the spare chips adorning his two cards, eyeing up the other guy…eventually he comes out of the tank and picks up the cards, pushing them forward, an inch off the felt.
”You’re gonna show me now aren’t you?”
The opponent flips over 
“Nice hand” he says then motions to the dealer, “Show him the Ace/Queen I just folded” but it’s too late, they’re already in the muck.
Aces not cracked by ‘Ace/Queen’ allegedly.
Slippery when wet…The Fish escapes…
WHO’S IN THE ROOM
Playing today
Julian Gardener
Roy Brindley, Joe Beevers, Jani Sointula, Willie Tann, Captain Tom, Iwan Jones, Greg Hughes, Mark Vos, Ann Tran. Gabe Thaler,
Thomas Wahlroos
Will Martin, Doug Lee, Andy Greekfish, Mike Sexton, Johnny Chan, Alex Jacob, Richard Ashby, Steve Davis, Eli Elezra, Dave Colclough, Victor Ramdin, Harry Demetriou, Johnny Lodden,
Nik Persaud
Tom Schneider, Marcus Golser, J Dags, Brian Townsend, Amarillo Slim, Minh Ly, Christian Kjondal, Jac Arama, Greg Muller, Mel Judah, Barry Greenstein,
Micky ‘the leg end’ Wernick
Dewey Tomko, Liz Lieu, Tony Cascarino, Jim Down Under, Michael Grecco, Marco Traniello, Andy Black, Jan Boubli, Billy Baxter, Ram Vaswani, ElKy Grospeiler, Marcel Luske
EARLY CHIP-LEADERS EMERGE
The Main Event
With $50 and $100 blinds, Joe Beevers open-limps in mid-position. The button also limps. Now the small blind makes it $450. Joe and the button call.
is the flop
The small blind makes a continuation bet of $1000. Joe bumps the bet to $3000. The button folds and the small blind calls.
The turn brings the 
.
The small blind checks, Joe bets another $3000, and gets called.
is the river.
Again here comes the check, Joe wagers $8000, and is called.
Small blind: 
Joe: 
Joe Beevers: sitting on a massive pile of chips just a few hours into Day 1A. But he’s not the only one:
Johnny Lodden and Harry Demetriou are locked in a hand where the inevitable winner will also have a boatload of chips. Harry raises to $325 in the cut-off and is called by Johnny in the small blind.
is the flop
Johnny rockets $900 onto the table and Harry calls.
The turn is the 
and now Johnny checks.
Harry thinks, pauses, and then decides to bet $3000. He’s called.
is the river
Before Johnny can check, he decides to instead bet $11,000. Harry tanks it, not knowing what to do. Minutes pass. If Harry calls he’ll be crippled with just a few thousand chips left. He makes the crying call, tabling his pocket Aces before seeing the bad news: Johnny has pocket Kings for a flopped boat.
Joe Beevers.
Johnny Lodden.
Both are on their way to becoming the 2007 Main Event Champion but there are so many players to go before they sleep.
NEW ZEALAND LAMB
The Main Event - Day 1a
Jim Down Under is one of the many fresh new faces making his debut at this year’s World Series of Poker.
Sporting a mini-framed picture of himself from four years ago along with a long shard of calcite, Jim isn’t a newbie to high-profile events as this New Zealander was at EPT Poland.
Unlike many who got in on the thrift via a satellite, Jim forked over the ten large out of his own mighty pocket, thinking it would be a fun time plus a chance to maybe, just maybe, bring New Zealand the same fame the likes of Joe Hachem have brought to Australia.
We’ll see if it makes it past this precarious Day 1a.
PAY ATTENTION
So, this guy he flips over his cards triumphantly on the river…
The board shows three spades in the most important tournament of his life…he says ”Flush!”
His opponent tables 
The real deal.
Players look off into the distance, trying not to make it too painful for the victim. The victim, who’s gifted a ton of chips, keeps looking at the board, then to his cards, then to the board… waiting for something to change… but nothing does. He still has chips, but just not many of them anymore…
EVERYONE LOVES BRAD GARRETT
The World Series of Poker attracts quite a few famous folks looking to compete on the grandest stage of them all for the biggest honour in the game. Among them is the former co-star of the hit comedy ”Everybody Loves Raymond,” Brad Garrett. He, along with the show’s namesake (Ray Romano) are playing here on Day 1a.
I head by Brad’s table to see if any shenanigans are ensuing when Brad makes an announcement: ”I want a massage but I’d feel bad if I got the only one, so we’re all getting one.”
A few of the players, perhaps unwilling to shell out $2 a minute to be groped by a woman with strong hands, look at each other wondering what they should say to the multi-millionaire to explain that they’re looking to save some dough after coughing up $10,000 to play in an event where few of them have a chance of cashing.
Brad, sensing their hesitance, comes up with a solution: ”And all the massages are on me.” He grabs one of the girls and tells her to call in to whomever and make sure they get ten of Rio’s finest at their table as soon as possible.
It only takes five minutes for the girls to wander over, ready to rub some fellas’ sore backs.
”We’ll sort you out biggest to smallest: biggest girl with the biggest guy so I’ll get you” — he points at a stockier lady who is the beefiest of the bunch — ”and the second biggest is” — he then sees me and pauses. ”Wait, you should get her,” he says. ”You’ve got me covered. So we might need an eleventh girl.”
I laugh and tell him I’m all set.
”Okay, so we’re good with ten.” He settles in, as do the other players, and the tandem rubdowns begin.
All of this has delayed the dealing of the hands and the ESPN cameras don’t help matters. Brad tells the player to his right, ”You smell great, Harry Potter,” referencing the player’s slight similarity to the character.
Brad limps from the ten seat in the cut-off as does the button in seat one. The small blind folds and the big blind checks his option.
is the flop.
It’s checked to Brad who bets $1200. The button raises to $3000, the blinds fold, and Brad asks, ”So, Ted Turner over there, you trying to steal my pot?”
The button/Ted Turn doesn’t reply.
”Fine, I call.”
The turn is the .
Brad checks and the button bets another $3000.
”What do you have over there?” Brad asks. ”Do you want me to call? I’ve got outs.”
”You should fold,” the button answers. ”I have the best hand.”
”I’m sure you do now, but what about on the river. What kind of odds do I have to make a flush?”
”Four different suits in the deck,” the button replies, ‘’so for a flush to come through now you figure it’s about 25%.”
”Yeah, that’s what I figured. So I don’t know if it’s worth it for me to call $3000 to see if it comes.”
Brad then shows his hand:
”I don’t know what I should do.”
”You shouldn’t show your hand,” Ray Romano says, appearing at the table.
The two start joking around as the massages continue and the hand slows to a halt.
”It’s coming,” Brad decides, calling.
is the river.
Brad jumps to his feet, ecstatic, as the button folds his hand face-up (he had Ten-Eight for two pair) and the pot is pushed to Brad even without him officially checking or betting or doing anything. This non-traditional hand is witnessed by a slew of floorpeople who all say nothing, so it’s fine, I guess.
Brad kisses the dealer’s face and she smiles as the cameras catch every smooch.
”Where’s Men the Master?” Brad yells. ”I want The Master!”
”Do you know you cost yourself money in that hand showing it on the turn when you’re calling?” Ray asks.
”I don’t care about that. I want The Master. Go back to your mansions and your jets and your servants while me and Harry Potter live in our van and enjoy my flush.”
DINNER BREAK
Brock Parker leads the way into the dinner break on just under six figures. A few random counts through the field looks like this… (Counts by worldseriesofpoker.com)
One or two players like Jan Boubli, Devilfish and Bobby Balwin have lost almost half their starting stacks… And of course with all these increased chip stacks, there have been a fair few who have paid the price…
Amongst those on the way home, three past Main Event winners, Amarillo Slim Preston, Doyle Brunson and Johnny Chan.
Who else, we hear you ask… Well… Jani Sointula, Gabe Thaler, Mel Judah, Marcel Luske, Dewey Tomko, John D’Agostino, Josh Arieh, Eli Elezra, Shane ”Shaniac” Schleger, Marco Traniello and Ram Vaswani to name but a few.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION
Barry Greenstein has been spending most of his time in between hands playing on his cell phone.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
”New York City. Can’t you tell by my accent?” replied David Colclough after someone asked him where he was from.
The Asian man who had asked him looked back with a puzzled look on his face. Colclough, who had managed to keep a straight face up until this point, burst out laughing.
”I’m just kidding, I’m from London,” said David, letting the cat out of the bag.
”Oh, I knew that, I could tell by the way you were betting,” said the stranger.
(counted by worldseriesofpoker.com)
Randall Amiel is the tentative leader with Irishman Andy Black also setting course for the 150,000 mark.
IF IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR HELLMUTH…
Scott O’Reilly from the UK went quite deep in this thing last year. Scott has a fairly impressive WSOP record, cashing four times out of the eight events he’s played in to date.
Scott’s friends will be as surprised to see him playing here today as he is himself.
”I won the seat ages ago and you know how Americans list the date with the month first, then the day and year. I got it all mixed up and had it in my head for ages that I was playing on Saturday the seventh.” said Scott, ”By the time that I realised the mistake I’d missed the first two hours…and lost around 1500 in chips”
At the dinner break Scott was on 19,500 but at the last count he’d moved up to over 45,000.
BIGGEST POT OF TOURNAMENT SO FAR?
Perhaps the biggest pot of the tournament just went down.
Three players got all-in pre-flop for large stacks of chips. When the cards were turned up it was Aces vs Kings vs Queens. The guys with the Kings and Queens looked like two prisoners waiting for the firing squad. The dealer pulled the trigger and delivered the flop…
The guy with the Queens leaned back in his chair, feeling invigorated. He had just been seconds away from elimination, but now had a pretty firm grip on the hand.
The guy with the kings remained calm, nothing had changed for him, he would still need to catch a King. Mr. Aces looked like he had just witnessed a horrible car crash. The turn was a dangerous card…
Pocket Aces guy now had four treys he could catch. The dealer burned and revealed the river…
A couple of people watching yelled out, some in agony, some in celebration. The guy with the Aces turned around to his friends on the rail, all smiling, and there was a little handshaking and backslappin’.
The two losers left quietly while John Dutchie stacked up his mountain of chips. If not chip leader he’s really, really close. Nearly $200,000 in that little pot.
TALKING NUMBERS
Teddy Sheringham has been eliminated. The 43 year old, former England International footballer can’t put it off any longer – it’s back to Colchester United to start the new day job.
He’s hardly alone though. While tournament officials declared earlier that 1,287 had started the day the figure of those remaining is now under 800, an indication that players are in no hurry to slow down, so to speak.
“This is a nine day event” quipped one official with a microphone.
That said the official starting figure may be one less, if latest rumours concerning Vinny Vinh are to be believed.
Being scheduled to play has never stopped Vinny Vinh from disappearing before. His seat remained empty for the first few levels until friends mentioned to tournament staff that he was in hospital.
After Tournament Director Jack Effel was called he made the decision to remove Vinny’s chips and fill out the forms for a refund. Vinny is now free to play another Day 1. If he can make it.
(counts by worldseriesofpoker.com)
FORMER GAMER BACK IN CONTROL
Last year former professional gamer Bertrand Grospellier was unknown to all but a few as he began his World Series in the Amazon Room. With his ever present red lobster card protector ‘ElkY’ didn’t shine quite as well as some in the know had expected.
But this year three cashes and a final have made the Frenchman look more like the intelligent player many now know him to be.
His opening day has been an up and down one. Suddenly down to less than 10,000 after drifting high up in the clouds for a while, his prospects just took a slight turn for the better.
All-in with a caller, ElkY had the subtle pleasure of being able to turn over pocket Aces against his opponents Ace-Queen. No help on the board and ElkY doubled up with a smile on his face.
It leaves him about where he started on the day, but worse things can happen.
NOT GOOD FOR EVERYONE
As ElkY’s day takes a turn for the better, Andy Blacks day just took a turn for the worse as the day drew to a close.
Chip leader at one point today, the Irishman, ever in pursuit of a performance to equal his fifth place in 2005, just went out.
Raising from his spot on the button Andy got into an oft familiar hand. Betting all the way on a board that offered him no help, he was chased to the river by an opponent with a pair of Sevens. His hand didn’t improve but neither did Andy’s, and something is better than nothing.
Perhaps an attempt to make Day 2 worth returning for, but it crippled Andy. He moved in a few hands later with a small pair and a gutshot straight draw. He didn’t catch and his opponent had him bettered and battered with Aces.
SURVIVING DAY 1A
Andy Black’s elimination marks the last moments of the day as 4am sounds.
We started with 1,287 players; just 450 of them will reconvene for Day 2 early next week. Last year people were surprised at the pace the tournament was played in. It seems there’s little change in that this year.
As for the days leaders, can you spot the next World Champion in these?
(counts by worldseriesofpoker.com)
Other notables heading for sleep with a glint in their eye…
Randall Amiel
Joe Beevers
Barry Greenstein
Claude Cohen
Raymond Davis
Mike Giordano
Brad Garrett
Jeff Madsen
Kenny Tran
Matt Hilger
Johnny Lodden
Farzad Bonyadi
Minh Ly
Huck Seed
Chris Bjorin
Lars Bonding
Jimmy Tran
Dennis Waterman
Crispin Leyser
Ben Johnson
Tom Schneider
Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospelier
Derek Tomko
Joe Tehan
Tobey Maguire
Taxis are the business to be in this week, with various familiar faces out, perhaps for the last time…
Andy Black
Joe Awada
Mark Vos
David ”Devilfish” Ulliott
Mike Sexton
Teddy Sheringham
Liz Lieu
Victor Ramdin
Vince Van Patten
Janet Jones
Blair Rodman
Tony Ma
Richard Brodie
Mickey Appleman
David Grey
John Esposito
Alex Sinclair
Perry Friedman
Steve Paul-Ambrose
Michael Mizrachi
Ray Romano
Terrence Chan
Richard Brodie
Alex Jacob
Eric Molina
Alan Smurfit
Thomas Wahlroos
David Colclough
Jani Sointula
Johnny Chan
Gabe Thaler
Doyle Brunson
Mel Judah
Amarillo Slim Preston
Marcel Luske
John D’Agostino
Dewey Tomko
Greg ”FBT” Mueller
Josh Arieh
Eli Elezra
Shane Schleger
Will Durkee
Marco Traniello
Doug Lee
Steve Billirakis
Ram Vaswani
Chris Reslock
ALL ELIMINATED…
PLAY CONCLUDES…
There’s still the matter of the three more Day 1’s to be played. Day 1b starts tomorrow at Noon, with another bundle of over a thousand players taking their turn.
450 made it through today. See who’ll join them when coverage continues at 8pm GMT.
