One of the few past champions left in the field, Huck Seed, has 98k at the dinner break. He got a little boost when, after he limped in from early position, the player on his immediate left moved all in for 16.7k more. Seed called and showed pocket 8s. His opponent had pocket 9s. Seed was in bad shape until the flop came J
3
8
. After busting his opponent by making a set on the flop, Seed looked at him sympathetically and said, “Sorry ‘bout that.” It appeared he really meant it too.
Things were a little testier ten feet away at Table 42. As the dealer was dealing a hand, one of the players at the table picked up his cell phone. Believe it or not, it was another French guy! The dealer declared the French guy’s hand dead and all the players at the table agreed that that was fair. French guy protested in not-so-great English and the floor was called over.
Troy Stromer, the floor man, listened to the dealer’s explanation and that of the offending player and decided that the ruling should stand, that the hand was dead. “If you are using your phone in any way,” Stromer said, “your hand will be dead.” Then he explained that the players had been warned that morning and suggested that the French guy, who was still holding his phone, put it away for the night so it wouldn’t happen again.
Back at Seed’s table he called a 6k preflop raise and folded when someone bet the A97 flop. He then left for the dinner break two and half minutes early. He actually missed one hand, but getting away from the table was obviously more important to him than playing one last hand. He knows what works best for him. After all, he did win the world championship in 1996.
The players have now returned from their dinner break. They were expected to play five levels today, but that schedule has now been amended. If the field is pared down to 350 before the fifth level is over, play will be stopped for the night. The players on Day 2B will have the same schedule. At that point the field will be combined and the frenzy surrounding the money bubble will begin.
