There is no question that the numbers for the World Series of Poker side events has gone from strength to strength, but the proof was in the pudding today after the 2011 WSOP $1,000 No Limit Hold’em Ladies Championship brought in a solid 1,055 players, including names like Vanessa Selbst, Liv Boeree, Melanie Weisner, Leo Margetts, Jennifer Tilly, Lauren Kling and Maria Ho.
The French launched a massive assault on this title, with defending champion Vanessa Hellebuyck leading the charge along with Almira “ChessBaby” Skripchenko and Celine Bastian.
The poker media were also out in force today, featuring PokerNews’ own Lynn Gilmartin, Kristy Arnett and Elissa Harwood, as well as Gloria Balding, Rebecca McAdam, Kara Scott, Jess Welman, Melissa Castello and Kirsty Chick.
Many of the “old school” were also in attendance, including Linda Johnson, Barbara Enright, Cyndy Violette and Susie Issacs. And although none of these leading ladies will be back tomorrow for Day 2, it doesn’t matter – the spirit in which the game was played was outstanding and all should be commended for their sportsmanship and goodwill.
Still, we have ourselves 137 players coming back tomorrow and all eyes will be on Ruby Du, who tops our chip counts with 67,800 in chips. Following closely behind is Carol Tomlinson with 63,800, while Crystal Sloan (58,000), Pamela Roberts (57,200) and Xiu Deng (54,900).
Other names to be returning for Day 2 include Shola Akindele (52,200), Yu Kurita (51,000), Gretchen "The Dragon Lady" Bremmer (43,400), Melanie Banfield (42,000), Karina Jett (30,600), Esther Bonding (20,400), Michelle "Sassy" Richey (20,300) and Alexandra Petitjean (17,500).
Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our broadcast day. We’ll resume our coverage of this event tomorrow at 2.30pm PST (GMT -7) so until then, this is PokerNews signing off – ciao for now!
We happened by Table 3 and discovered Lisa Parsons all in for 7,600 and up against Maria Mayrinck.
Parsons:
Mayrinck:
It was a classic race situation that saw Mayrinck take the lead on the flop. Parsons was on the verge of elimination, but the spiked on the turn to assure her the double. The inconsequential was put out on the river as Parsons doubled to 15,000. Mayrinck was left with just 5,200.
Erica Schoenberg has been running her table all day, as she has consistently been upping her chip stack throughout the day. We just caught a brief glimpse of what it looks like life has been like for the ladies over at her table. Action folded all the way around to the small blind, who put out a raise of 2,000. Her mistake was, it was Schoenberg's big blind. She was having none of it, as she counted out a raise to 8,000, and slid it into the center. The small blind tanked for a couple minutes before letting her hand go. Schoenberg is up to 40,000 after that hand, and is setting herself up for a great end to the night.
We feel bad we didn't find her sooner, but we just ran into Lisa Parsons over on Table 3. Parsons has four cashes at the WSOP totaling $108,432, including two deep runs in the Ladies Championship.
- 33rd in the 2007 WSOP Ladies Championship ($6,202)
- 76th in the 2008 $10,000 Main Event ($77,200)
- 7th in the 2009 WSOP Ladies Championship ($22,880)
- 331st in the 2010 Event #3 $1,000 NLHE ($2,150)
Parsons is looking to make her second Ladies Championship final table, although she faces an uphill battle as she is sitting on a short stack of 8,000.
With the action slowing down as we tick ever closer to the end of the nigh (and the bubble), the action has slowed to a crawl, but we did manage to pick up a small pot with Halli Pinson.
The action folded around to an opponent in the hijack position who raised to 1,800 before the flop; Pinson flat-called from the small blind, then checked her option after the dealer spread the flop of . The hijack c-bet 1,400, but Pinson quickly check-raised to 4,000 straight.
The hijack laid down her hand and Pinson is now up to 17,000.
Action folded to Amanda Musumeci in the hijack and she put in a raise to 1,900. The button was the only player to make the call and it was heads up to the flop. Musumeci wasted little time in continuation betting 2,500. The button folded and Musumeci took down the pot. She is up to 28,000.