So said Aaron Massey, responding to Vincent Baldassano once their table talk drifted to the topic of home game heroes. "You win in casinos, then?" said Baldassano. "Oh, no, no... I lose all the time," said Massey with a grin. "I'm talking about picking up waitresses. I do well with them. As far as poker goes I'm a real loser..."
The table laughed, perhaps knowing Massey was having fun with them. Massey may be underselling himself just a tad. After all, he did final table Event No. 45 this summer ($1,000 NLHE), finishing eighth.
The conversation continued, with Massey eventually dubbing Baldassano "The Sultan" and the latter liking the idea of having obtained a new poker nickname. Meanwhile John Racener and an opponent became involved in a hand, at which point the table talk ceased.
Racener and his opponent had reached the turn with the board showing and about 9,000 in the middle. Racener's opponent bet 6,000, and Racener called. The river brought the and both players checked. Racener tabled , better than his opponent's , and he quietly claimed the pot.
"He's the real Sultan," said Baldassano afterwards, jerking a thumb toward Racener. Racener now has 122,000.
We caught up to the action to find Salvatore Bonavena on the button playing a raised pot against an unknown player in the cut-off on a flop. The cut-off had put out a bet of 6,000 and the decision was on Bonavena who after a few moments moved all in for around 15,500. His opponent begrudgingly called and cards were tabled.
Bonavena:
Cut-Off:
Bonavena's trumped his opponent's pair of jacks for the moment, but there were still two cards to come. With the turn and the river Bonavena was granted safe passage to his double up and now sits with over 40,000.
A player in Seat 1 at Table 349 opened for a raise, Michael Lavin three-bet near the button, and the original raiser put in a fourth bet to 15,000. Lavin five-bet shoved for effectively 45,000, and the original raiser put his head in his hands. After a beat, he called, and turned over two red kings.
Lavin turned over , and did not improve as the board ran .
Lars Bonding began the day with 93,950 but has been stuck in reverse here on Day 2b. In a recent hand, there was about 10,000 in the pot and a flop of when Bonding bet 5,025 from the big blind. His opponent called from the button and the duo watched the dealer burn and turn the .
Bonding checked, the button bet 9,000, and Bonding released his hand, dropping to 40,000 in the process.
We missed the action, but were able to see chips pushed in the direction of Daniel Alaei. Alaei was holding and was all in for 16,250. The board fell and his opponent was unable to best the pocket queens.
Scott Clements was faced with an 8,000-chip bet with the board reading . He tossed in two orange T5,000 chips to call, and his opponent rolled over for a king-high flush.
Clements mucked, and his stack slipped to 36,000 chips.
According to Joe Sebok's twitter, he ran into in the blinds and lost a majority of his stack. We recently caught up to see him get it all in for his last 4,000 and was behind.
Sebok:
Opponent:
The board fell and Sebok was able to chop the pot with a wheel. He's still on thin ice, however, with around 4,000 in chips.
With the board showing and about 5,000 in the center, Freddy Deeb tossed out chips from the blinds for a bet of 3,000, and his middle-positioned opponent thought a while before making the call.
Deeb showed for jacks and sevens and his opponent mucked. Deeb has added a few to his stack here during the first level-and-a-half today, and presently sits with 114,000.
After a player from early position made it 1,800 action folded around to Barry Grenstein in late position who opted to move all in for 8,100. When it was back on the player in early position he quickly made the call and cards were flipped.
Greenstein:
Opponent:
Greenstein was in a great spot and basically needed to avoid a king in order to double up. The dealer then flattened out five cards in the middle and they came out and with an ace on the river Greenstein was able to double up.
![[user38338]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
and about 9,000 in the middle. Racener's opponent bet 6,000, and Racener called. The river brought the 
and both players checked. Racener tabled 
, better than his opponent's 
, and he quietly claimed the pot.
flop. The cut-off had put out a bet of 6,000 and the decision was on Bonavena who after a few moments moved all in for around 15,500. His opponent begrudgingly called and cards were tabled.
turn and the 
, and did not improve as the board ran 
.
.
and was all in for 16,250. The board fell 
for a king-high flush.
and both blinds checked to Cunningham, who fired a c-bet for 2,000 and change. Both blinds quickly folded.
into 
in the blinds and lost a majority of his stack. We recently caught up to see him get it all in for his last 4,000 and was behind.
