A Carpenter Carves His Way Through Day 2a

Day 2a of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) started with 2,031 runners and 45 of them qualified through PartyPoker. Everyone had an eye on making it through to day three and some even had an eye on the first prize of $8,711,956. The thought must have crossed the mind of Fred Berger, Berger starting the day as our chip leader with 209,500. Cedric Annen was leading the way for the PartyPoker qualifiers with an impressive haul of 155,400 chips.

What would it be like to win over $8 million? One person who knows is Jonathan Duhamel and it was fitting that Duhamel should wish everyone good luck and help with the shuffle up and deal ceremony that proceeds level one.

Raymond Rahme was dragging his heels like a raging bull over at table 316 and after the shuffle up and deal was announced he came charging out of the gate. In the first round of hands he three-bet twice. The second time he three-bet a young lad gave him some verbal and it brought a wry smile to the face of Rahme. Rahme was in good company with Dan Fleyshman and Ross Boatman seated to his left. In fact it was Boatman who tangled with Rahme in his third three-bet of the round. Boatman opened up from under the gun making it 1,250 to play and when the action folded around to Rahme in the big blind he three-bet to 4,300.

“Wow, you don’t mess around do you,” said Boatman before making the call.

It was all over on the flop; after Rahme c-bet the board and Boatman tapped the felt in acknowledgement of his opponent. As Rahme was counting his chips the sultry figure of Maria Ho was marching out of the room after being eliminated.

Lady luck smiled on him

Clement Tripodi started the day with 81,025 chips and he didn’t take long to reach six figures. Tripodi made a standard raise holding [ax][ax]and there was a three-bet and cold-call before Tripodi made the four-bet and only the cold caller wanted to see the flop. The flop was [qx][jx][5x] and both players checked. The turn was the [3x] and Tripodi’s opponent bet 12,500 and Tripodi called. The river was the [5x] and after Tripodi’s opponent checked Tripodi moved all-in and his luckless opponent called before showing [qx][jx]. Tripodi zooming up to 130,000.

Tom Carpenter was busy cultivating his stack in the first two levels. The Brummie started the day with 46,500 and quickly built it up to around 80,000 just by being active and playing a lot of pots. Lady luck then smiled on him as he won a pre flop all-in with pocket kings against pocket aces; a king in the window pushed Carpenter up to 115,000.

Another guy having a great first couple of levels was David Lenz. Lenz had a pretty torrid day 1c and was happy just to survive after he finished with 28,750 chips. Lenz, sat in the pavilion, doubled up twice to give him a first break chip count of 110,000.

Also in the pavilion was Robin Ylitalo and we saw him weaving his magic in the following hand. Ylitalo raised pre flop and David Hunkus made the call. The flop was and Ylitalo bet 1,550, Hunkus raised and Ylitalo made the call. The turn was the and Ylitalo checked to Hunkus who bet 6,150 and after a brief pause Ylitalo called. The river was the and Ylitalo quickly tapped the felt again and Hunkus bet equally as quick. The amount was 11,500. Ylitalo counted it out and separated it from his stack before making the call.

“Good call,” said Hunkus.

Yes it was, because when Ylitalo turned his cards over he had king high which just pipped the jack high of Hunkus to the post.

PartyPoker Team Pro Bodo Sbrzesny was also having an interesting morning. Sbrzesny did go down as low as 19,000 before opening in the small blind with [tx][7x] and when the flop came down [kx][7x] [7x] Sbrzesny managed to get three streets of value from what he assumes was a king – Sbrzesny up to 38,000.

Either fearless or getting some monster hands

As we approached the 2^nd break of the day all eyes were once again on Raymond Rahme. Rahme was being either fearless or was getting some monster hands, once again the punishment being dished out to the Hendon Mobster. Ross Boatman raised to 1,250 in early position and Jonas Klausen called in the small blind.

Action on the South African and he three-bet to 4,500. Boatman had that “right I have had enough of this” look about him when he four-bet to 16,250. Klausen run for the hills and Rahme pondered his options for a while before moving all-in. Boatman went deep into the tank and eventually surrendered his hand and is now down to 20,000 whilst Rahme is up to 200,000

Former EPT Snowfest runner-up and PartyPoker qualifier Russell Carson was moved to the feature table to do battle with the likes of Daniel Negreanu and Sorrel Mizzi. A spattering of chip counts for other PartyPoker qualifiers towards the end of level two were Jay Kinkade 73,800, Philippe Bouchard 90,000, Clement Tripodi 120,000, and Cedric Annan 135,000.

Neil McFayden had a fruitful afternoon and was sitting on 145,000 just before dinner and despite nursing a hangover Philippe Bouchard moved up to 110,000 after this following hand. Bouchard called a 2,400-pre-flop raise and two players saw a flop. Bouchard bet 11,000 and his opponent called. The turn was the and once again Bouchard bet, this time 10,000 and his opponent called. The river was the and both players checked. Bouchard showing pocket kings and his opponent had pocket nines.

Tom Carpenter was absolutely flying he had a grin on his face like a Cheshire cat. He had 230,000 after dominating his table including a six-bet shove after his opponent had put 50,000 of his 85,000 stack into the middle. His opponent folded pocket Queens which was unfortunate because Carpenter had Aces.

With minutes to go before the dinner break Russell Carson was eliminated from this years Main Event. Sorrel Mizzi started it all with a raise of 2,000 from under the gun, Greg Vogelsong called as did Daniel Negreanu and when the action fell to Carson, who was lurking in the small blind, he three-bet to 6,700 and only Vogelsong called. The flop was and both players checked. The on the turn interested Carson who bet 9,200 and Vogelsong moved all-in followed by a quick call. Carson flipped over and Vogelsong was behind with , that was until the hit the river to give Vogelsong a straight and eliminate the PartyPoker qualifier. Not that long after and Jay “ Seabeast” Kinkade was also eliminated.

Level nine was the penultimate level of the day. This is where the turkey is at its fattest and most of the WSOP micro naps kick in to full effect. Over in the blue section you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. Sebastian Panny was caught trying to get a river bluff through Laurence Houghton and was down to his last 10,000 and Kevin Howe had slid down to 42,000.

Bodo Sbrzesny had found a new table and he was sat directly opposite Jason Alexander with a chip stack of 95,000. David Lenz was also moved to the blue section and was enjoying himself with 120,000. Another centurion in blue was Philippe Bouchard with 115,000 and just below the 100,000 mark were Ludvik Ludvikkson and Jody Howe, the latter after just getting embroiled in a five-bet raising war and it didn’t end up well for Howe.

Other centurions were Clement Triplodi (118,000), Neil McFayden (118,000), Fatih Dayik (150,000), Robin Ylitalo (120,000) and Raymond Rahme (175,000). Soon to join them was Robin Colbin who came out on top of this three-way pile up: Player one limped into the pot, player two raised to 2,700 and Colbin three-bet to 7,000 and both disbelieving players called. The flop was and both the disbelievers checked to young Colbin who bet 9,500. Player one moved all-in and player two folded before Colbin quickly called. On your backs gentlemen and Colbin had the goods – , Colbin’s opponent had and neither the turn nor the river could help player one and Colbin eliminated him whilst moving up to 200,000.

As we entered the final level Tom Carpenter was officially named as the WSOP ME chip leader with a staggering 332,000 chips. Carpenter was playing well and here are two example hands: Carpenter called a 2,400 raise holding [ax] and he shared a flop of [ax][jx][8x], Carpenters opponent c-bet for 5,300 and Carpenter called. The turn was the and Carpenter called a double barrel worth 12,00. The river was the [jx]and Carpenters opponent fired off a third barrel of 30,000 and Carpenter called. His opponent sheepishly showed [7x] [8x] for the bluff. Then he called a 2,400 raise from the big blind holding and check-called a 3,000 bet on a flop. The turn was the and Carpenter bet 7,500 and his opponent called. The river was the and Carpenter bet 14,000 and again his opponent called.