Level 10 (500/1,000/100)
Entrants: 142
Remaining: 41
Michael Wang is chip leader, as previously reported, with 286,000.
Gary Wong has moved into second place with 200,000.
And Mike Arrington has moved into third with 165,000.
Ching Poon is down from second place to fourth with 150,000.
Level 10 (500/1,000/100)
Entrants: 142
Remaining: 53
With less than an hour to go in this first day of a five-day event, we’re down to 53 players at six tables.
Michael Wang, Ching Poon and Gary Wong are still the chip leaders.
Barring something close to a miracle, they’ll still be on top when we break for the night.
Day 1B starts at 11am tomorrow. Level 18 continues through Thusday, Nov. 20.
Level 10 (500/1,000/100)
Ching Poon’s Chips
Every player has his way of whiling away the time during hands he’s not in.
Ching Poon does it by lining up the stripes on his chips.
Level 9 (400/800/100)
1. Michael Wang: 282,000
2. Ching Poon: 190,000
3. Gary Wong: 150,000
Ching To Poon (Staten Island, NY)
Level 8 (Blinds: 300/600/75)
Michael Wang continues to pile up the chips. He has 279,000 after 10 hours of play.
Ching To Poon of Staten Island, N.Y. is the only player anywhere near him. Ching has 190,000.
Level 8 (Blinds: 300/600/75)
Entrants: 130
Remaining: 78
Kevin Stammen is head-ups against Mike Dentale with a board of {Jc}{8h}{3c}{9h}{Qc}.
Kevin bets 14,400.
Mike raises to 35,000.
Does he have a straight? Does he have a flush?
Kevin doesn’t think he has either, so he calls.
His intuition serves him well; Mike turns over {10d}{Kd}, giving him nothing.
Kevin has {Qs}, giving him top pair and the pot.
“I was representing those back-door clubs,” Mike says.
Complimented on his gutsy call, Kevin says, “I’m as surprised as you are.”
Level 7 (Blinds: 250/500/75)
Entrants: 130
Remaining: 78
As players leave for an hour-and-a-quarter dinner break, Michael Wang has 272,000 and a commanding chip lead.
Probably the least bombastic player here, Michael keeps on quietly winning.
Michael Wang
Eugene Juergens, Brighton, Mich.
Level 7 (Blinds: 250/500/75)
After getting nailed by Matt Matros, Eugene Juergens nails one — make that two — himself.
All-in against two other players, Eugene turns over {Ax}{Kx}, just like he did a few minutes earlier against Matt.
The board runs out {2x}{3x}{Ax}{Jx}.
When the river comes up {Ax}, Eugene leaps to his feet again, pounds his fists against the wall and yells, “Yes! Yes!”
“I needed that. I took a beating on that last hand,” he said. “What a roller-coaster!”
Matt Matros, Brooklyn
Level 7 (Blinds: 250/500/75)
Matt Matros, facing elimination with only 1,100 in chips, is still alive after a wild hand.
Eugene Juergens goes all-in with {Ax}{Kx}. Matt calls with pocket nines.
When the board shows another king and another ace after the turn, Eugene jumps to his feet, raises his arms and yells, “I win! Look at that pot!”
Guess what the river is.
You guessed it — a 9. Matt doubles up.
I’ve been around a long time,” he says. “I’ve never see a hand like that.”
Level 7 (Blinds: 250/500/75)
Michael Wang has 211,000 and no one else is even close.
Ching Poon and Mike Arrington are second with about 130,000 each.