You might think scheduling a $10,000 tag team poker event as the first big buy-in of the summer is something of a lark, or as Ben Yu says, "inelegant." But Yu also said he loves that the event kicked off the series because the atmosphere is "full of energy and a lot of fun."
Like most big buy-in events, Event #2 drew all the big names on a serious hunt for a bracelet, but the team dynamic generated more of a festive feel on Day 1 of the WSOP. Maybe former Olympian Michael Phelps roaming the halls had something to do with the excitement that was in the air. Or maybe the players appreciate a new format to open a long summer grind.
Last year this event was only offered as a $1,000 buy-in and it was on the back end of the WSOP schedule. The players seem to love the addition of the $10K, which was successful in bringing the best of the best to the desert earlier in the Series than usual.
They may be playing tag and having fun doing it, but make no mistake about it, this is serious business, and there is plenty of bracelet hunting going on.
David Eldridge was in early position and raised to 6,500. Ryan Fee was in the cutoff and called.
The flop was and Eldridge continued for 6,000. Fee called.
The turn was the and Eldridge bet 14,500 this time. Fee thought for a moment before he called.
The river was the and after tanking for two minutes, Eldridge checked. Fee sized up Eldridge's remaining stack and pushed out a bet of roughly 100,000, covering Eldridge. Eldridge laid down his hand quickly and Fee raked in a decent pot leaving Eldridge with just over 12 big blinds.
Jogador
Fichas
Progresso
Jason Mo - Doug Polk - Ryan Fee - Michael Finstein
Ankush Mandavia raised to 7,000 from middle position, David Eldridge three-bet shoved from the next seat over for 24,500, and Mandavia called after a few moments.
Mandavia:
Eldridge:
The board came down , giving Mandavia nines and sevens to score the elimination.
Jack Salter raised to 6,500 from early position, Daniel Negreanu called from the small blind, and Martin Jacobson called from the big blind.
The flop came down and action checked over to Salter who continued for 11,000. Negreanu check-raised to 27,000, Jacobson folded, Salter reraised all in for about 42,000, and Negreanu called.
The turn was the , giving Salter the lead with a king-high flush. However, the river delivered the to give Negreanu threes full of fives to eliminate Salter.
Ismael Bojang was in early position and raised to 6,000. Dyaln Wilkerson called in the cutoff and Daniel Charbonneau defended his big blind.
The flop was and everyone checked to the turn which was the .
Action checked to Wilkerson and he bet 11,000. Charbonneau immediately moved all in and Bojang folded. After debating his decision for a couple minutes and the two players exchanging some smiles, Wilkerson called.
Charbonneau tabled and Wilkerson showed .
The river was the and Charbonneau breathed a sigh of relief as he raked in his newly acquired chips.
![[user139916]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, trailing Petzing's 
.
, giving Ramirez eights and fours to eliminate Petzing and his teammate.
and Eldridge continued for 6,000. Fee called.
, giving Mandavia nines and sevens to score the elimination.
and action checked to Fernandez. He fired out a bet of 8,000 and Kurganov called, Yu folded.
and Kurganov check-called a bet of 21,000 from Fernandez.
and Kurganov checked. After taking a minute or so to decide, Fernandez elected to check as well.
before the dealer mucked his hand.
, giving Salter the lead with a king-high flush. However, the river delivered the 
to give Negreanu threes full of fives to eliminate Salter.
and everyone checked to the turn which was the 
.