During the WSOP the staff has made it a point to announce notable players who are participating in this year's Main Event. A little while ago it was announced that someone very special was here watching the play today, the late Stu Ungar's ex-wife, Madeline.
Ungar was one of only two players to have ever won the WSOP Main Event three times (Johnny Moss being the other). He won the Main Event in 1980 when he defeated Doyle Brunson heads up, and in 1981 when he defeated Perry Green.
Although Madeline and Stu divorced in 1986, Stu stayed in contact with her and their daughter, Stefanie, over the years.
He won his third Main Event in 1997 and dedicated the win to his daughter, showing the television cameras her picture after his victory.
Sadly, Ungar dealt with addiction for much of his life and was found dead in a Las Vegas motel on November 20, 1998. While "The Kid" is gone, he is still regarded as one of the best players the game has ever seen and is sorely missed in the poker community.
After her presence was announced, the players in the Amazon room welcomed Madeline with a warm round of applause.
Ronnie Bardah was on the button and called a raise from a middle position player of 2,300. The player in the small blind popped it to 6,500, the middle position raiser folded and Bardah moved all in. The small blind called and they were heads up to the showdown.
Small Blind:
Bardah:
The flop went and Bardah chipped up to 103,000 after the hand.
Annette Obrestad opened for 2,000 and was called by player to her immediate left. The player to his immediate left then cut out a three-bet to 7,100 and pushed it into the middle. Action folded back around to Obrestad, who called. The player in the middle folded.
The flop came and Obrestad checked. Her opponent bet and Obrestad immediately slid her cards into the muck.
On a flop, we watched a heads-up pot that would end up being the last of Lex Veldhuis' day. The big blind checked to the Dutchman, and he fired 2,500 into a pot of about 5,400. The big blind called, and they'd both check-check through the turn. On the river, the drew one last check from the big blind, and Veldhuis took his cue to bet 6,000. He didn't like seeing a check-raise all in behind him, but he called off his last 22,000 total to put himself at risk.
We'd never get to see his cards. The big blind tabled for top two, and Veldhuis mucked and ducked out of the room.
A massive ESPN entourage stormed through the Blue section of the Amazon Room, led by none other than 1989 WSOP Main Event champion Phil Hellmuth, who has just grinded his stack up to 15,000 in a recent hand on table 293.
Hellmuth raised to 2,700 before the flop and the action folded around to the player in the big blind, who called before both players checked down the flop of .
The big blind and Hellmuth also checked the turn of the , but when the dealer produced a on the river, the big blind check-folded to Hellmuth's bet of 4,100. Hellmuth flashed before raking in his chips.
A short time later, another player in middle position raised to 2,300 and Hellmuth called from the big blind before leading out for 2,900 on the flop of . The middle position folded and Hellmuth showed before picking up the pot. Hellmuth is now up to 19,000 but still has plenty of work to do.
With 14,000 in the pot going to the flop, Eli Elezra and his opponent saw a flop of .
"I'm going to check and look at your face instead", Elezra said before he saw the flop. With Elezra's eyes glaring down on him, his opponent bet out 6,800.
"That's pretty cheap," Elezra said, casually tossing in a call.
Elezra checked dark and the turn brought the . His opponent checked right behind. The river fell and Elezra quickly bet out 16,000. His opponent folded his hand and Elezra scooped the pot with a wry smile on his face.
The action folded to Greg Vogelsong in the cutoff who limped, and George McDonald raised to 4,000 in the small blind. Vogelsong tossed out enough chips to put McDonald all in (20,800 was the count), and McDonald beat him into the pot.
[user68268]
Paul Pierce looking to mount a comeback
Paul Pierce is getting a bit short here in the fourth level of Day 2a. He's down to 25,000 in chips, which is 25 big blinds at the current moment. That's far from the 90,000 or so he had prior to dinner break so we'll be keeping a close eye on him. For all you Boston Celtics fans out there, hopefully The Truth can run things back up.
We caught the action on the flop when Jason Mercier called his opponents 3,300-chip bet in position. The turn was the and this time the player checked. Mercier took the hint and bet 5,700 before being check-raised all in. It was 39,000 more for Mercier to call and he went deep into the tank. Conversation began among the two competitors and Mercier had a few looks of confusion on his face before finally deciding to let go of his hand. The chips were raked to his opponent and before mucking his hand he flashed the . That made Mercier wince a little but he has 59,000 in chips nonetheless.
and Bardah chipped up to 103,000 after the hand.
and Obrestad checked. Her opponent bet and Obrestad immediately slid her cards into the muck.
flop, we watched a heads-up pot that would end up being the last of Lex Veldhuis' day. The big blind checked to the Dutchman, and he fired 2,500 into a pot of about 5,400. The big blind called, and they'd both check-check through the 
turn. On the river, the 
for top two, and Veldhuis mucked and ducked out of the room.
, but when the dealer produced a 
on the river, the big blind check-folded to Hellmuth's bet of 4,100. Hellmuth flashed 
. The middle position folded and Hellmuth showed 
.
and Elezra quickly bet out 16,000. His opponent folded his hand and Elezra scooped the pot with a wry smile on his face.
flop when Jason Mercier called his opponents 3,300-chip bet in position. The turn was the 
and this time the player checked. Mercier took the hint and bet 5,700 before being check-raised all in. It was 39,000 more for Mercier to call and he went deep into the tank. Conversation began among the two competitors and Mercier had a few looks of confusion on his face before finally deciding to let go of his hand. The chips were raked to his opponent and before mucking his hand he flashed the 
