Tony Gregg raised to 7,000 on the button, and Joe Kuether went all in for 64,500 in the small blind. The big blind folded, and Gregg called, putting Kuether at risk.
Gregg:
Kuether:
The flop was , and Gregg was still ahead. The turn gave Kuether a pair of jacks to take the lead, and the river was insignificant. Kuether doubled through, and Gregg took a hit to his stack.
On a flop, Sam Grafton checked in the big blind, and Tommy Chen bet 10,000 in the cutoff. Grafton called, and the turn was the . Grafton check-called Chen's bet of 18,500. The river was the , and they both checked.
Grafton showed for a pair of twos, and Chen's was best with a pair of jacks.
While every table in the field can arguably be described as stacked, Table 722 in the Brasilia Room must be one of the toughest.
Between the six players at that table, there is more than $35 million in live tournament earnings, and that doesn't count all the millions they've won online. Surprisingly, there are only two bracelets between the six of them: Sam Stein's win in 2011 in Event #31: $3,000 Pot-Limit Omaha and Tony Gregg's victory in 2013 in Event #47: One Drop High Roller - $111,111 No-Limit Hold'em.
We decided to keep track of a table for an orbit and watch some of the action.
Hand #1: Joe Elpayaa started with the button. Joe Kuether opened from the cutoff for 7,500, and Sam Stein called in the big blind.
The flop was , and Stein checked to Kuether, who bet 6,500. Stein folded.
Hand #2: Charlie Carrel raised to 7,000 from the button and was called by Dario Sammartino from the big blind.
The flop came , and both players checked to see the on the turn, where they both checked again. On the river, Sammartino checked again. Carrel put out a big bet of 30,000, and Sammartino folded quickly.
Hand #3: Action folded around to the blinds where Sammartino limped from the small blind, and Tony Gregg checked his option from the big blind.
Both players checked on the flop to see the on the turn. Sammartino checked for a second time, and Gregg bet 4,000. Sammartino called. On the river, Sammartino checked again. This time, Gregg bet 9,500, and after some thought, Sammartino folded.
Hand #4: Gregg limped in from the small blind, and Kuether checked his option from the big.
On the flop, Gregg led out with a bet of 3,5000, and Kuether called. The turn was the , and both players checked to see the on the river. Gregg bet 6,000, and Kuether promptly folded.
Hand #5: From the cutoff, Sammartino opened with a raise 7,500. Next to act, Gregg made it 20,000. Action folded around, and Sammartino called.
On the flop, Sammartino checked to Gregg. Gregg bet 18,500, and Sammartino did not take long to fold.
Hand #6: Carrel received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #7: Kuether raised from the cutoff to 6,500, and everyone folded.
On a flop of , Chi Zhang checked in the big blind, Matt Berkey checked under the gun, and Kristen Bicknell bet 10,000. Zhang called, and Berkey check-raised to 37,000. Bicknell folded, and Zhang called.
The turn was the , and Zhang checked. Berkey moved all in, and Zhang called for his remaining 63,500 chips.
Zhang was ahead with for two pair, but Berkey had a lot of outs with . The river didn't help Berkey, and Zhang doubled up.