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Loren Klein has the lead, but several strong players lurk.
Golden, Colorado native Loren Klein brings a hefty chip lead into Day 2 of Event #3: $1,000 Pot-Limit Omaha here at the 2014 World Series of Poker, but several scary players are just one big pot away from stealing all of the headlines.
Klein's 133,900 is easily best, but we all know how volatile PLO can be. Keeping that in mind, John O'Shea (89,000; $1 million in live cashes), Steve Billirakis (73,800; $2.5 million in live cashes and two bracelets), and Phil Laak (65,700; $3 million in live cashes, one bracelet) are all players to keep a close eye on today. Of course, in Laak's case, he can steal headlines for reasons other than chip accumulation, as his colorful table demeanor is often a highlight.
Cards will be in the air at 1 p.m., and blinds will begin at 600/1,200. We're scheduled for 10 levels of play today, along with a 60-minute dinner break after Level 6. First place will receive just over $200,000 for this event. Stay tuned here on PokerNews as we find out who takes pole position for Day 3 tomorrow.
Apparently, Loren Klein busted Doug Polk while we were writing up the previous entry. According to PokerNews' own Pam Maldonado, Polk fired out a bet on a flop and was raised by the player to his left. Klein repotted, and Polk got it all in, while the third player folded. Klein had top two, and he held against an unknown hand.
2014 SCOOP Player of the Series Calvin Anderson joins the PokerNews Podcast to talk about going deep in the $25,000 buy-in Mixed-Max event, playing non-hold'em games, and more. Rich and Donnie then discuss some of the robberies taking place at the Rio, and a feature on Mike "The Mouth" Matusow.
We arrived to Table 440 to see the aftermath of an all-in pot between Greg Merson and Allan Le. Jason Somerville gave us the details.
According to Somerville, multiple players saw the flop, and Greg Merson bet from button after action checked to him. Allan Le made the call before betting out 31,000 on the turn, which put two hearts on board. Merson shipped it for about 60,000 total with , and his top two held on for the win against an unknown hand.
Phil Laak got it all in against Brandon Shack-Harris on a flop.
Shack-Harris:
Laak:
Laak had top two and a gutter to the nuts, but he had a massive straight draw to fade. The filled Shack-Harris' straight while also giving him a flush draw, and the river ended things for the "Unabomber."
The popular pro wished everyone good luck as he gathered his belongings.
Nick Kallenbach opened for 12,000 from the hijack and was met by a pot-sized three-bet from Jason Somerville in the small blind. The big folded, Kallenbach dropped in his entire stack of 51,500, and the cards were turned up.
Kallenbach:
Somerville:
Somerville was ahead with kings, but a high flop could have spelt trouble. Fortunately for him, and much to the dismay of Kallenbach, the flop came down a lowly . The turn officially left Kallenbach drawing dead, and after the was put out on the river for good measure, he took his leave from the tournament in 22nd place.
In the very last hand before the dinner break, James Brown got it in with the and was called by initial raiser Peter Charalambous. The Brit turned over but "hated the flop" when the dealer fanned . The turn gave Brown the flush draw on top but it wasn't meant to be as the river bricked.
John O'Shea opened for 15,000 in middle position, and Mark Johnson potted from the small blind for 51,000. O'Shea put Johnson all in for about 40,000 more, and Johnson called.
Johnson:
O'Shea:
A flop was curtains for Johnson, and the turn gave O'Shea a full house to seal the deal. The finished out the board.
Action folded to Robert Paddock in the small blind, and he raised to 13,000. Jason Somerville potted to 39,000, and Paddock made the call. After the flop, Paddock pushed all in for about 40,000, and Somerville called.
"I have aces," Somerville said.
"I have live cards," Paddock replied.
Paddock:
Somerville:
The turn gave Paddock a straight, and Somerville was drawing dead.
flop and was raised by the player to his left. Klein repotted, and Polk got it all in, while the third player folded. Klein had top two, and he held against an unknown hand.
flop, and Greg Merson bet from button after action checked to him. Allan Le made the call before betting out 31,000 on the 
turn, which put two hearts on board. Merson shipped it for about 60,000 total with 
, and his top two held on for the win against an unknown hand.
filled Shack-Harris' straight while also giving him a flush draw, and the 
river ended things for the "Unabomber."
. The 
was put out on the river for good measure, he took his leave from the tournament in 22nd place.
and was called by initial raiser Peter Charalambous. The Brit turned over 
. The 
turn gave Brown the flush draw on top but it wasn't meant to be as the 
river bricked.
finished out the board.
