The end of the last break brought to a close the registration period for this tournament. Right now the tournament clock reads 337 players, though we are still waiting for the official numbers. We'll be sure to bring you those, as well as the prizepool, when tournament officials make them available.
In the meantime, a few notables registered at the last second and we'd like to let you know who they are:
Joe Cassidy
Matt Affleck
John Racener
Blair Rodman
Alessio Isaia
Erick Lindgren
Jason Mercier
Joe Serock
Interestingly, many of these big names are seated at the same table. The bad news . . . that table is slated to be the first broken.
At what seems to be one of the more jovial tables Eli Elezra along with the Big Blind called a raise from Seat Five. The players were rewarded a flop of . Elezra in the small blind checked along with the player in the big blind. Seat Five however did not check, instead he bet out again. Elezra called along with his buddy in the big blind.
All three players checked when the fell on the turn. The river brought with it yet another jack, the . Elezra took control for the first time in the hand at this point and bet out. The Big Blind folded, and Seat Five made the call.
Elezra laughed and threw down , Seat Five mucked and Elezra continues to build his stack.
You might not know it, but Todd Witteles and Daniel Negreanu have a few things in common. First, they were both champions of this event in years past. Second, they have both been eliminated from this tournament.
We're not sure of their elimination hands, but they're nowhere to be found and their former seats are now occupied with new players.
Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi raised from early position and was called by the big blind, who check-called a bet on the flop. The big blind then led out on the turn, Mizrachi raised, and the big blind called, leading to the on the river. Both players checked and the big blind revealed for a pair of jacks.
It was good as Mizrachi, who was off to a rough start, mucked his hand.
We managed to catch up to Victor Ramdin and Hoyt Corkins as they got heads up with one another in a raised pot. The flop looked tame enough as it came off . Ramdin tapped the table for a check, Corkins then sent out a bet. Ramdin made the call.
The dealer burned and turned the . Ramdin continued his non aggressive play and checked again. Corkins again bet hoping for a fold, but to his surprise he found himself being raised. Corkins made the call.
The was flipped on the river. Ramdin bet out and was called by Corkins.
Jimmy Fricke raised from middle position and was met with a reraise from Liz Lieu in late position. The cutoff, button, and big blind all made the, as did Fricke. Five players saw the flop and action checked to Lieu, who put out a bet. Both the cutoff and Fricke made the call and watched as the dealer burned and turned the .
Fricke checked, Lieu bet, the cutoff raised, and Fricke decided to get out of the way. Lieu made the call and then check-called a bet on the river. The cutoff showed for a flopped set and Lieu quickly mucked.
The button raised and a short stacked Matt Hawrilenko three-bet from the small blind. The button called as the players saw a flop where Hawrilenko led out and received a call. On the turn, Hawrilenko led out again but this time was answered with a raise. He called and the river went check-check. Hawrilenko turned over which was no good against his opponent’s .
A player in late position raised and Maria Ho called from the big blind. On the flop, Ho check-raised her opponent who called. On the turn, Ho check again but this time only called her opponent’s bet. Both players checked on the river and Ho flipped up which was good for the pot.
. Elezra in the small blind checked along with the player in the big blind. Seat Five however did not check, instead he bet out again. Elezra called along with his buddy in the big blind.
fell on the turn. The river brought with it yet another jack, the 
. Elezra took control for the first time in the hand at this point and bet out. The Big Blind folded, and Seat Five made the call.
, Seat Five mucked and Elezra continues to build his stack.
flop. The big blind then led out on the 
turn, Mizrachi raised, and the big blind called, leading to the 
on the river. Both players checked and the big blind revealed 
for a pair of jacks.
. Ramdin tapped the table for a check, Corkins then sent out a bet. Ramdin made the call.
flop and action checked to Lieu, who put out a bet. Both the cutoff and Fricke made the call and watched as the dealer burned and turned the 
.
for a flopped set and Lieu quickly mucked.
![[user196616]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop where Hawrilenko led out and received a call. On the 
turn, Hawrilenko led out again but this time was answered with a raise. He called and the 
river went check-check. Hawrilenko turned over 
which was no good against his opponent’s 
.
flop, Ho check-raised her opponent who called. On the 
on the river and Ho flipped up 