There was a noticeable lack of big names playing in todays tournament. That's because the majority of them are playing in the World Poker Tour qualifier tournament that started at 3 pm. Sitting in the back of the Signature Room are a bevy of big name pros looking to get into the Championship Event at a discount. Among those we were able to spot:
"He's moved all in seven hands in a row," the players at Table One said as we walked by. Standing in front of the nine seat was an elderly gentleman with a growing stack of chips. Phil Neiman said "no one's called him" when asked why he hadn't gone broke yet.
On the eighth hand, he did it again. Every player at the table folded. Except for one. Chris "Paidchex" Moorhead.
"I knew you call me," said the grumpy old man. "I don't care."
Moorhead turned over .
The Walter Matthau wanna be turned over an Ace. And slow rolled his next card. Most of the table was holding their breath in anticipation, half expecting it to be another Ace... but it was just a measly .
Still, you could tell the other players at the table half expected some miracle to hit him in the face and for him to double up and continue torturing the table with his relentless barrage of all in shoves.
It being Easter and all, the Poker Gods answered their prayers and Moorhead's nines held up. Grumpy old man walked out of the room. Obviously still not caring.
Faced with an open to 7,100, Mike Franklin moved all in for 26,300 near the button. The action folded back to the original raiser, who tank-called.
"You're probably good," Franklin said, showing .
Franklin was the one who was actually good - his opponent tabled - but the flop gave the player a leading pair of queens. Franklin added four more outs to make a wheel when the turn brought the , and he completed said wheel draw as the completed the board.
There were a total of 242 entries creating a prize pool of $61,033. First place will win $17,092 and the top 27 will make the money. Full payouts are below:
Armando Then was all in and at risk with on a flop of . Unfortunately for him, James Boyle had him in rough shape with , and the turn and river bricked , respectively.
Then hit the rail, while Boyle is up to 110,000 chips.
During our most recent tour of the room we saw pocket Kings lose on three separate occasions to a weak Ace that hit. As one player (who was one of the unfortunate ones holding Kings) best put it "freakin' Kings. Every time an Ace hits. 'dem Ace magnets."