Early Fireworks
I felt obliged to check the date to see if it was bonfire night, as right off the bat we witnessed fireworks on the aforementioned "tough table".
I joined the action on a flop, Eli Elezra facing a raise from the small blind. A quick scour of the felt revealed that Elezra had led for 1,000, Juha Helppi called from under the gun, and Robert Cooper two-bet the button to 3,000.
After a brief pause, Elezra made the call and returned to munching on his breakfast. Not one for such nonchalance, Helppi, as stoic as ever, reached for his glasses and rested his hands on his chin.
"Uh-oh, the glasses are going on," commented Mike Matusow as he fiddled with his phone.
Eventually, Helppi made the call.
"We've got a pot, Mikey," observed Jeff Madsen astutely.
"A big pot," responded Matusow.
Despite the action on the flop, the turn was checked around, bringing us to a river: . Without hesitation, Elezra fired 7,000 into the pot. Helppi called, and Cooper folded face-up.
Helppi showed the , but it wasn't enough as Elezra had turned two pair with . As a result, the Israeli pro and former bracelet winner is up to 41,000 before most players have even taken their seat.