Erik Seidel is struggling with his opponent Dani Stern here in the early going. Both men are still hanging onto their add-on chips, so they're playing with 25,000-chip stacks for now. Seidel had been whittled down to just 3,800 when he open-shoved with . Stern asked for the count before calling with , and he out-flopped his opponent as the dealer spread out . The on the turn was a blank, but Seidel caught back up as the river gave him the straight to double up. He's still short though, sitting with 7,600 to Stern's 42,400.
Preflop David Oppenheim slid out all his large denomination chips for a raise, essentially putting Vanessa Rousso all in. Rousso wondered aloud if she could show her cards. She tanked for a few moments but then made the call holding against Oppenheim's pocket queens. The flop hit Oppenheim when it fell but the turn gave Rousso Broadway when it fell . The river blanked with for Oppenheim and he sent 17,600 to Rousso. Both players still hold both rebuy chips.
In his heads-up duel with Phil Laak, last year's WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel is cruising along and appears poised to follow his storybook run with another strong series. Duhamel currently holds a sizable lead over Laak and seems to be winning the big pots while letting Laak take down the small ones. Currently, Laak has utilized his two 25k chip add-ons, while Duhamel still has an add-on in reserve.
Jason Mercier min-raised from the button to 1,600 and Hansen three-bet to 4,600. Mercier made the call. Both players checked the flop. Mercier check-called a 4,400 bet from Hansen on the turn. The river came the and a perplexed-looking Hansen fired 13,200. Mercier made the call and mucked when Hansen revealed for two pair.
Daniel Negreanu has been eliminated by Alexander Kostritsyn here in the fifth level. Kid Poker actually took the first 25,000-chip bite out of the match, but Kostritsyn battled from behind to take control. Once Negreanu had to dip into his own add-on chips, the match didn't last very long at all. On the last hand, Negreanu's fell to Kostritsyn's pocket kings, and it's Russia over Canada in this match.
After whittling his opponent down to only 10 big blinds, Erick Lindgren triumphed over Benjamin Sulsky when his held up over Sulsky's . Defending WSOP Player of the Year Frank Kassela has also defeated Anton Allemann to advance to the second round of the inaugural $25k Heads-Up World Championship. In other action, Gregory Brooks has overcome Sam Stein to move on as well. Lindgren, Kassela and Brooks will each be returning to the Amazon Room at 10pm local time for their second round contests.
Mercier made it 2,400 to go on the button and Hansen made the call. The flop fell and both players checked. When the fell on the turn, Hansen bet out 3,300. Mercier made the call. The fell on the river and Hansen bet 9,200. Mercier made the call only to see Hansen flip over for a club flush and the winning hand.
Erik Cajelais slid out a tall stack of 5,000 chips putting Steven Kelly all in. Kelly made the call holding pocket queens and was up against . The board ran and Cajelais has his ticket punched for the next round.
. Stern asked for the count before calling with 
, and he out-flopped his opponent as the dealer spread out 
. The 
on the turn was a blank, but Seidel caught back up as the 
river gave him the straight to double up. He's still short though, sitting with 7,600 to Stern's 42,400.
against Oppenheim's pocket queens. The flop hit Oppenheim when it fell 
but the turn gave Rousso Broadway when it fell 
. The river blanked with 
for Oppenheim and he sent 17,600 to Rousso. Both players still hold both rebuy chips.
flop. Mercier check-called a 4,400 bet from Hansen on the 
and a perplexed-looking Hansen fired 13,200. Mercier made the call and mucked when Hansen revealed 
for two pair.
held up over Sulsky's 
. Defending WSOP Player of the Year Frank Kassela has also defeated Anton Allemann to advance to the second round of the inaugural $25k Heads-Up World Championship. In other action, Gregory Brooks has overcome Sam Stein to move on as well. Lindgren, Kassela and Brooks will each be returning to the Amazon Room at 10pm local time for their second round contests.
and both players checked. When the 
for a club flush and the winning hand.
. The board ran 
and Cajelais has his ticket punched for the next round.