Event #1: $500 Casino Employees No-Limit Hold'em Jour 1 | 2021 World Series of Poker

2021-10-01 02:12 UTC-7

Leo Abbe domine le Day1 du Casino Employees Event, PokerNews encore en course

dsalituro

Niveau 17 : 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

For the first time in 26 months, the poker world came together at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino for the start of the 2021 World Series of Poker.

The $500 Casino Employees Event took its traditional role as the opening event of the WSOP, with 419 entries generating a prize pool of $175,980. After 17 40-minute levels on Day 1, around 50 players survived to Day 2 with their dream of capturing the coveted gold bracelet still alive.

Leading the way is Leo Abbe, a Sportsbook Promotions Associate with DraftKings. Abbe took two big pots off former chip leader Juan Carlos Latuff towards the end of the night to finish with 537,000.

Other big stacks include Shawn Weintraub (474,000), Roberto Reyna (461,000), Andrew Bart (422,000), and Akash Desai (415,000). PokerNews' Jesse Fullen survived the day with 223,000. A full listing of the chip counts will be made available later tonight.

Not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through to Day 2. Chad Holloway, the 2013 champion of this event, busted on Day 1, as did 2019 Main Event fourth-place finisher Garry Gates and WSOP Executive Director Ty Stewart. PokerNews team members Connor Richards, Matt Hansen, and Dannah Kamp also hit the rail.

The remaining players will return at 12 p.m. PST tomorrow in the Amazon Room. The schedule calls for them to play down to a champion. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for what will surely be a packed day of action.

Tags: Akash Desai Andrew Bart Chad Holloway Garry Gates Jesse Fullen Leo Abbe Shawn Weintraub

2021-10-01 00:36 UTC-7

Moon Bubbles with Nines

BrandonBloom

Niveau 17 : 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Jason Smith raised to 13,000 in early position and it folded to Chris Moon in the big blind with not much more. After having a "tough time deciding" according to players at his table, he ultimately decided to put in his stack of 21,000 chips, which was called by Smith.

Chris Moon:
Jason Smith:

The players were flipping and the flop vaulted Smith into the lead. The turn was a , and with Moon needing a river nine to avoid being the bubble boy, it was not to be as the completed the board and the remaining 63 players are now in the money.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Jason Smith	224,000 224,000	224,000
Chris Moon	Eliminé

2021-09-30 22:40 UTC-7

Weintraub Rivers Quads to Eliminate Richards and Another

BrandonBloom

Niveau 14 : 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante

A player in early position limped and Connor Richards raised to 10,000 on the button. Shawn Weintraub called in the small blind and so did the early position limper.

The flop was and Weintraub led for 11,000, the early position player called and Richards jammed for 27,000. Both of the other players called.

The turn was the and the rest of the chips from the early position player went into the pot with Weintraub in as well. With no more action, hands were revealed.

Connor Richards:
Early Position Player:
Shawn Weintraub:

Richards had cowboys but needed another king to stay alive. Weintraub made trips on the turn but was still behind the turned boat of the early position player.

Weintraub was yelling for the board to pair and walked away from the table, only to hear about the result from the commotion that arose when the spiked the river, giving him quads and eliminating two players. Weintraub was still in shock from his good fortune minutes later when he kept repeating, "I can not believe it."

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Shawn Weintraub	218,000 218,000	218,000
Connor Richards	Eliminé

Tags: Connor Richards Shawn Weintraub

2021-09-30 20:28 UTC-7

Foran Finds Case Jack to Stay Alive

BrandonBloom

Niveau 11 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

A player in early position jammed for 5,500 and the button player called. Tyler Foran then jammed for 31,000 in the small blind and the button player called that as well.

Early Position Player:
Tyler Foran:
Button Player:

The button player was in good shape and Foran was looking for a jack. He did get one on the flop, but the button player also got a queen and was still ahead.

A ten would chop but there was only one more jack in the deck that could win it for Foran, and the turn was indeed the case , which caused the table to roar. The button player could still win as they had a royal flush draw, but the river was the , keeping both at-risk players alive with a chop and giving the majority of the pot to Foran.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Tyler Foran	60,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Tyler Foran

2021-09-30 20:10 UTC-7

Gates Eliminated as River Bet is Called

BrandonBloom

Niveau 11 : 1,000/2,000, 2,000 ante

According to Teri Chan-Palomaki, who was at the table when the action occurred, Bobby Schmidt III raised preflop and Garry Gates called in the small blind.

The flop was and Gates check-called a 5,000 bet.

Both players checked the turn and on the river, Gates shoved in his stack of about 25,000. Schmidt III decided to put in the call with which proved to be the best hand over the of Gates.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Bobby Schmidt III	90,000 90,000	90,000
Garry Gates	Eliminé

2021-09-30 17:15 UTC-7

Don't Forget About MyStack!

Niveau 9 : 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

PokerNews has activated the MyStack App for this event, allowing you to directly adjust your chip counts in our live reporting blog using your iPhone or Android phone. But it's more than just chip counts! You can include notes about big hands, your photo, and even your Table and Seat assignments so your friends can find you.

Download the app for iPhone or Android now to get started. Then, create a new PokerNews account or update your current one to start updating your status immediately.

Click here to download the My Stack app for iPhone, or click here to download the My Stack app for Android.

2021-09-30 16:52 UTC-7

Walker Goes Down in Cruel Fashion

dsalituro

Niveau 8 : 500/1,000, 1,000 ante

Jason Walker has been riding a big stack all day, but his tournament just came to a sudden end on the river.

On a board, Walker bet 5,000 from the small blind and was called by the under-the-gun player. Sheldon Akiyama in middle position raised to 25,000, and Walker moved all-in for 36,000 total.

After the original caller quickly folded, Akiyama went into the tank for several minutes before putting in the chips to call. Walker turned over for two pair while Akiyama had for a pair of queens.

Akiyama needed help and got it when the fell on the river to give him a bigger two pair. The stacks were counted down, and when Akiyama was found to have Walker covered the one-time big stack made a quick walk to the exit.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Sheldon Akiyama	156,000 156,000	156,000
Jason Walker	Eliminé

Tags: Jason Walker Sheldon Akiyama

2021-09-30 16:07 UTC-7

Richards Folds to a Shove

dsalituro

Niveau 7 : 400/800, 800 ante

Connor Richards, a member of the PokerNews team, three-bet to 7,500 from the button after the under-the-gun player opened to 2,600. His opponent made the call, and they saw a flop with already 15,000 chips in the pot.

The flop came and Richards's opponent shoved for 13,000.

"I want to call," Richards said before mucking as his opponent showed to take the pot.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Connor Richards	12,500 -13,300	-13,300

Tags: Connor Richards

2021-09-30 15:36 UTC-7

Balfour Eliminates Two with Flopped Boat

BrandonBloom

Niveau 6 : 300/600, 600 ante

According to players at the table, three players including Sean Balfour had gotten all their chips in the pot on a flop of . The hands were revealed.

Opponent 1:
Opponent 2:
Sean Balfour:

A very attractive flop had shown up for Balfour, and although one opponent was drawing very slim, needing running aces or straight flush cards, he still had to fade a jack from his other opponent. The board ran out and Balfour scooped up the pot as two players were gone, leading Balfour to express his wishes of it being a knockout tournament.