Another action-packed day in the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino for the 2011 World Series of Poker has come to a close with Event #43: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em and the remaining players bagging and tagging for the night.
Not only was today one of the final $1,500 events for the series, but with the starting day also falling on a Saturday, many were expecting a huge starting field. Both the Amazon and Pavilion rooms, along with the hallways that filtered people throughout the building, were jam-packed with people as eventually 2,857 players took to the felt spread across multiple sections in opposing rooms.
From previous bracelet holders, online phenoms and complete amateurs, nearly every man and their dog took their seat to battle through ten levels of poker. Those players would form a prizepool of $3,856,950 with the top 297 players all receiving some extra padding in their wallets or purses, but everyone would have their sights set on the $675,117 first prize, coveted gold bracelet and title of champion.
Many players fell to the rail as everyone jostled for a place high on the chip leaderboard, but as the Pavilion room slowly clears out, it is Norway's Age Spets leading the charge with an amassed 119,900 in chips. With an Aussie Millions title and three WSOP cashes to his name, Spets will be one to chase down tomorrow, and those in contention include Nicholas Grippo (110,900) and Greg Darby (105,100).
Females Maria Ho (39,600), Kathy Liebert (30,300) and Erica Schoenberg (20,800), along with bracelet winners Joe Cada, Gavin Griffin, David Baker, Thomas Keller and James Mackey all are still within a shot as roughly 400 players return tomorrow to battle it out on day two.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will again be on the felt tomorrow providing continuous live coverage as we aim - but will unlikely achieve - to play down till a final table of nine. Make sure to stay logged onto PokerNews.com from 2:30 p.m. PDT as provide all the live updates from the 2011 World Series of Poker and Day Two of Event #43: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em.
With a hi-jack raise to 2,300, William Gottman made the call in the cutoff to see a flop fall.
The hi-jack continued for 1,000 and Gottman smooth-called before both players checked the on the turn. The river of the saw the hi-jack fire again; this time for 2,500 as Gottman made the call.
The hi-jack tabled his , but it would be Gottman's that would see him scoop the pot and become the first player into the six-figure club as he now sits with 102,000 in chips.
Action folded around to the short stacked player on the button who moved all in for his last 800. The small blind mucked and Jonathan Aguiar made the call, tabling . He was significantly behind the button player's , however.
The flop spelled disaster for the short stack, coming and pairing Aguiar's ace.
"Of course" the player said sarcastically as he stood up.
"King! King!" shouted Aguiar, rooting for the short stack. Sadly the deck refused to comply with their wishes, falling and Aguiar was able to send one to the rail.
![[user122394]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, ending with Pilgrim making a straight on the river and sending two players to the rail.
to see one player make quads while simultaneously sending Lichtenberger to the rail.
flop fall.
on the turn. The river of the 
saw the hi-jack fire again; this time for 2,500 as Gottman made the call.
, but it would be Gottman's 
to see Tran hit the rail as Terry moves to 45,000 in chips.
and Aguiar was able to send one to the rail.