Billy Baxter, here chatting with WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla
A player in middle position raised and got two callers from the blinds, including seven-time WSOP bracelet winner Billy Baxter in the big blind.
The flop came and it checked to the preflop raiser. He bet 1,200, and only Baxter stuck around. The turn brought the , pairing the board. Baxter checked once more, and this time his opponent bet 2,100. Baxter quickly called.
The river brought the and a quick check from Baxter. When his opponent checked behind, Baxter shook his head as if slightly frustrated, then turned over his hand -- . He'd rivered a full house, and had hoped his opponent would bite. His opponent leaned over to see Baxter's cards, and he, too, appeared disappointed. He paused before showing his hand, then decided to do so -- .
Baxter is at about 23,000, roughly the same place he's been chip-wise for the last couple of hours.
We caught up with the action on a flop with around 3,000 in the pot already. The hijack had a yellow and purple chip out in front of him for 1,500 but Dutch Boyd had 2,950 in front of him so we can assume that the hijack had bet less than the full 1,500 and Boyd had raised. In any case, the hijack re-raised to 9,500 total. Boyd took a bit of time, counted out his stack and rechecked his cards before he threw them in. The hand dropped him below the starting stack.
A player in middle position opened to 700 and Sammy Farha called in the hijack. The cutoff called as well and it was then on Lex Veldhuis on the button. Usually the aggressor, Veldhuis popped it to 3,500 total on cue. The initial raiser folded and Farha said, “My chance to double up”. Veldhuis responded, “Ya, I’m good at that.” Farha laid his hand down though as did the cutoff as Veldhuis won the pot.
A player in middle position raised the action to 650 and Josh Brikis made the call from the cutoff. The small blind also decided to tag along and three saw the flop come . The small blind player checked and the preflop raiser continued out with a bet of 1,400. Brikis quickly made the call and the small blind decided to join once again.
The turn put two pair on the board, bringing the . All three players checked the action and the rivered. Two checks went to Brikis who fired out 3,500. The small blind folded and the original raiser made the call. Josh Brikis flipped over causing the original bettor to shake his head and throw away his hand.
We just saw a huge pot get taken down by big stack Ronnie Jackson that gave him the likely chip lead of the day thus far.
A middle position player raised it up to 900 preflop and Jackson from the cutoff re-raised to 2,600. The button player called as did the middle position player.
The flop came down and the middle position player checked to Jackson who bet 7,000. Both players called and saw the turn Again the middle position player checked to Jackson who this time bet 15,000. The button folded and the middle position player tanked for a few minutes before finally making the all in call for his remaining 8,000.
Jackson showed for a full house and the middle position player shook his head and showed for two pair. He was drawing dead to an ace which did not come on the river and he hit the rail. Jackson scooped what was clearly not his first big pot of the day and is now up to 145,000 and atop the counts as far as we know.
The Main Event provides an annual challenge to players to negotiate their way through thousands of opponents through a uniquely deep structure in order to make their fortune -- and, perhaps, a bit of fame as well. For some players, the Main Event also provides a challenge to prove themselves fashion-wise, too.
Among the 700 or so players still with chips, we're looking at room full of the usual baseball caps, sunglasses, hoodies, and cowboy hats. But there are few players standing out from the field as we pass through the tables. The one wearing a red velvet robe and red top hat has caught our eye more than once. As has the fellow donning an orange plastic crown and matching lei.
But the gentleman dressed as Snow White over in the Purple section is the current leader in terms of grabbing the most attention, if not chips.
Johnny raised to 625 in early position and was called by the cutoff as the two saw a flop roll out. Lodden led for 875 and his opponent called. When the hit the turn, Lodden bet again, this time for 2,650. The opponent folded and Lodden’s big stack continued to grow.
en Safari
and it checked to the preflop raiser. He bet 1,200, and only Baxter stuck around. The turn brought the 
, pairing the board. Baxter checked once more, and this time his opponent bet 2,100. Baxter quickly called.
and a quick check from Baxter. When his opponent checked behind, Baxter shook his head as if slightly frustrated, then turned over his hand -- 
. He'd rivered a full house, and had hoped his opponent would bite. His opponent leaned over to see Baxter's cards, and he, too, appeared disappointed. He paused before showing his hand, then decided to do so -- 
.
flop with around 3,000 in the pot already. The hijack had a yellow and purple chip out in front of him for 1,500 but Dutch Boyd had 2,950 in front of him so we can assume that the hijack had bet less than the full 1,500 and Boyd had raised. In any case, the hijack re-raised to 9,500 total. Boyd took a bit of time, counted out his stack and rechecked his cards before he threw them in. The hand dropped him below the starting stack.
and Ho c-bet for 600. His opponent raised to 1,600 and Ho called.
and Ho checked, prompting a 3,300 bet from her opponent. Ho fell into the tank.
. The small blind player checked and the preflop raiser continued out with a bet of 1,400. Brikis quickly made the call and the small blind decided to join once again.
. All three players checked the action and the 
rivered. Two checks went to Brikis who fired out 3,500. The small blind folded and the original raiser made the call. Josh Brikis flipped over 
causing the original bettor to shake his head and throw away his hand.
and the middle position player checked to Jackson who bet 7,000. Both players called and saw the turn 
Again the middle position player checked to Jackson who this time bet 15,000. The button folded and the middle position player tanked for a few minutes before finally making the all in call for his remaining 8,000.
for a full house and the middle position player shook his head and showed 
for two pair. He was drawing dead to an ace which did not come on the river and he hit the rail. Jackson scooped what was clearly not his first big pot of the day and is now up to 145,000 and atop the counts as far as we know.
flop roll out. Lodden led for 875 and his opponent called. When the 
