While Table #364, which includes the likes of Matt Glantz, Daniel Negreanu, George Danzer, and David "ODB" Baker, engaged in an in-depth discussion about limit hold'em strategy, three-time bracelet winner Vanessa Selbst took her seat between Negreanu and Scott Seiver. The game had just switched from limit hold'em to stud 8.
Selbst: /
Seiver: /
Selbst played the first hand she was dealt, and we caught up to find her lead out with a bet on fourth street with ace-queen showing. Seiver called to see fifth, where both players checked to sixth.
Seiver fired out a bet on sixth and Selbst thought for a moment. She ultimately opted to release her cards and Seiver picked up the pot. This small hit early brings Selbst's stack to about 148,000 while Seiver is up to 159,000.
Phil Ivey has been acting a little out of the norm here in Event #46: $50,000 Poker Players' Championship. He was just seen playing a hand, heading over to the rail for a fan photo, and then getting back into action without missing a beat.
He also recently wandered across the tournament floor a couple of tables over and put his hands on his friend Daniel Negreanu's shoulders while chatting with him a bit. Remember, Ivey and Negreanu laid anyone 1-1 odds if they wanted to bet against either of them winning a gold bracelet this summer. The minimum bet was $5,000, and it is rumoured that they have over $300,000 in action booked.
"Have you slept?" asked Matt Glantz to Ivey, who was seated to the right of Negreanu.
"I don't need sleep," responded Ivey.
Negreanu and Glantz laughed at the statement, but by the look on Ivey's face, he was being serious that he can be just as prepared as anyone without sleeping.
"I'm a tournament f***ing machine," Ivey added, as he began to turn away from the table to head back to his seat. "I've been up all night."
David Bach checked the turn with the board reading , and Brian Tate bet. Randy Ohel raised, and Bach got out of the way. Tate called, and he check-called another bet on the river.
We arrived at the table in time to see Phil Ivey and Elior Sion take a flop of . Ivey took the lead with a bet of 1,300 and Sion wasted little time calling. The hit the felt on the turn and Ivey reached for chips. He fired 4,200 on fourth street, but once again saw a call from Sion.
The completed the board and Ivey slowed with a check. Sion dipped into his larger denomination chips, moving 11,000 into the middle. Ivey thought for about 45 seconds before releasing his hand.
After folding, Ivey immediately stood up from the table and made his way to the rail. A fan on the rail stood next to him while another person took a picture. After the photo, Ivey briskly walked back to the table and did not miss a hand.
The United States and Portugal just drew in the FIFA World Cup — which brought about some groans in the room — and that's inspired us to take a look at the cash breakdown by country for the $50,000 Poker Players' Championship. Here's the breakdown courtesy of the WSOP:
Country
# of Cashes
# of FTs
USA
91
52
Russia
5
2
Great Britain
5
3
France
3
3
Sweden
3
2
Canada
3
1
Finland
2
1
Italy
2
0
Denmark
1
0
Lithuania
1
0
Germany
1
1
Australia
1
0
*In 2006 and 2011 the final table of this event was comprised solely of Americans.
Matthew Ashton burst onto the scene last year with four World Series of Poker final tables and the sweetest possible victory in the $50,000 Players Championship. All the way up until the last tournament of the year Ashton was in the lead for Player of the Year but it was Daniel Negreanu who stole the title from his hands by winning the €25,000 High Roller in Enghien-Les-Bains during the World Series of Poker Europe.
This year Ashton's no longer a newcomer to any player he will face, and among those on Day 1 we spotted a series of young, but experienced, players. To Ashton's immediate right we spotted Bryn Kenney, Phil Galfond and James Obst while on his other side we recognized Abe Mosseri and Paul Volpe.
Ashton's road to back-to-back titles will obviously be extremely tough and we will make sure to follow his progress from start to finish
Among the slightly late arrivals are Paul Volpe and Bryn Kenney. Volpe has already claimed a bracelet this summer, while Kenney is still seeking his first.
Steve Billirakis opened for a raise on the button, and Phil Ivey three-bet from the small blind. Billirakis called after the big blind mucked, and the flop fell . Ivey bet, and Billirakis called. Action went the same on the turn and river, and Ivey tossed into the middle. Billirakis didn't indicate he could beat it, so Ivey followed up with and .
Meanwhile, Philip Sternheimer recently took a seat to Ivey's left.
en Safari
/
/
, and Brian Tate bet. Randy Ohel raised, and Bach got out of the way. Tate called, and he check-called another bet on the 
river.
for top two to take the pot.
. Ivey took the lead with a bet of 1,300 and Sion wasted little time calling. The 
and 
