In today’s starting event, the $5,000 short-handed no–limit, you’d expect to see some tough tables. With a $900,000 prize expected for first place, you could expect all the pros to be out for this one. And the high buy-in would keep away most of the kitchen table crowd.

Erick Lindgren had Nick Schulman as the button to his big blind. And the Devilfish, who quickly accumulated a big stack, had Howard Lederer, with a stack of almost equal size, immediately to his left.

As I surveyed the room, I came to think that no one in the room regretted her draw more than Jennifer Harman. Harman was in the 1 seat of table 37. Seat 2, Phil Laak. Seat 3, Hoyt Corkins.

Laak seemed to be playing well and he was gathering chips. But what really bothered Harman was the table banter.

In a hand during the 100-200 blind level, it was folded to Harman, who completed from the small blind. Laak checked his option. The flop came Js-Qs-9h, and Harman bet 200. Laak called. The turn was the 4c. Harman bet 700; Laak called. The river brought the Tc and both players checked.

Harman turned over Qd-3d, for top pair. Laak waited a few moments before declaring, “Slow-roll a chop!” He showed Q-2. The pot was split.

Harman turned to Laak and said, “I bet you’re really fun at a bar, but not at a poker table.”

Just a little while later, Reese raised from early position and was called by the same unknown who was on the button. The flop came down Ah-Jc-3h. Chip bet, and was raised. He called and then check-called the turn and river. Reese’s pocket Queens took the pot against his opponents King-high flush draw.

For the rest of the day, it was hard to get a line on Chip. He didn’t show down many hands. My notes show only one hand where he called a river bet (in Seven Stud) and was shown a better hand.

What I found most notable about Chip’s play was the ease with which he went about his play. There were no drawn-out decisions. He acted quickly and without any display of emotion. As you might expect, he behaved like a seasoned professional.

Contrast this display with demeanor of Tuan Le, who sat at an adjacent table with Eli Elezra, Chad Brown, Cyndy Violette, and others. Tuan, one of the more successful no-limit hold ‘em specialists, is fit, with defined biceps. He wears a scowl most of the time, and in no-limit, he pushes his chips with abandon. There’s no doubt that the intimidating air works for him in most tournaments. People are scared to deal with him without a serious hand.

But today, the scowl-enhanced re-raise in limit hold ‘em seems a little silly, especially when he he’s forced to reveal Ac-5c at showdown. Sure, he managed to get lucky in one hand, hitting a flush on the river. But one can only imagine that Brown, Elezra, and Violette where happy enough to see Tuan giving this kind of action with Ace-rag in Limit Hold ‘em.

Later, Tuan lost his I’ll-fuck-you-up scowl when the game moved to Omaha-Hi/Lo. The poor guy was pretty clearly confused on several decisions and seemed to be passively throwing in chips in the pot without any clear idea of what good could come from his donations. In one massive four-way pot, Tuan was caught in a whipsaw: Brown betting in front of him, Elezra raising behind, and Tuan threw in his chips, looking beleaguered and bewildered. Imagine your high-school bully competing in the Spelling B, and you’ll have a good idea of the expression I’m talking about.

In a hand shortly thereafter, Le played a pot that was capped three-way on the flop then went for two bets on the turn. On the river, when it was between he and Eleza once again, Tuan hemmed and hawed, considering the call. Finally, he folded. It’s hard to believe any reasonable hand could be properly folded at that point, given the size of the pot.

The no-limit specialists won’t last long here. More to come as tables consolidate.

The best hand never seems to win
I was sweating Erick "E-Dog" Lingren in the $2,500 Six-Handed event in the hopes of getting some late-stage six-handed strategy tips from him.  Steve Wong was on a bit of a rush at his table, opening several pots in a row and E-Dog had already come over the top of him all-in.  The second time they butted heads, Steve opened for 16k,  E-Dog pushed in for 120k and Steve called with 66.  Erick had him dominated with 1010 but a 6 fell on the turn.  It was a huge overcall for Steve, and Erick had set up the situation perfectly.  If Erick wins the hand, he probably would've made his second six-handed final table in two years.

No matter how many small pots you win, it's the big ones that count
PokerWire Radio host/King of Hairy Italian comedy Joe Stapleton and I were watching a few players during their heads up matches.  I had watched Howard "Bore A Hole Through Your Skull With My Icy Stare" Lederer win small pot after small pot against Dan "Will Someone Please Buy Me a Hat That Fits" Harrington, but Harrington seemed to win the really big ones.  The same was true of Kristy Gazes against Rene Angelil.  Angelil limped in and both players checked down an A8XX8 board until the river, when they got it all in.  Kristy held 86 but Angelil slowplayed AA to double up.

However, for every moment in tournament poker that makes me vomit in my mouth, there's at least one more reason why I love it:

If it weren't for luck, Phil Hellmuth really would win every tournament
The guy is a machine.  He's already at another final table.  ESPN actually shut down play last night at 10 players because Phil was on the short-stack and they wanted him to be on TV.  It turned out to be a smart move by them, as he has already outlasted a few players.  Phil's ability to put on a clinic year in and year out at the WSOP demonstrates that it truly is a game of skill.  Yes, players go through streaks of "running good" and "running bad," but in the end it all evens out and the best players come out on top.

Mr. Bell is a hell of a guy
This good ol' boy from North Carolina always brings a smile to my face.  He waved me over to the rail to meet Mrs. Bell today, and ask about an update on his boy.  I first met Chris Bell's dad at the LAPC where his son just missed the final table.  Watching him and Mike Gracz (affectionately called "Keeeid" by Mr. Bell) pound the beers is entertainment worth paying for.  Mr. Bell is the only guy I know who could give JDN a run for his money on storage capacity for hops and barley. 

I have the best co-workers a guy could ask for
Seriously--I'm getting paid to travel around the world and watch people play poker--and I get to do it with some of my favorite people.  I tend to not be a late-night guy, but I decided to come back to the Rio last night to hang out with Alex (aka AlFX), Really Good Producer Jeremy, and LA Mike last night at Tilted Kilt.  Everyone at PokerWire has a niche and it's great to see an all-star team like this together (with Heather, Amanda, and Stapes rounding out the field).  The WSOP has been fun, but when we have the access to events we're used to (live updates, chip counts, and video), look out, because we'll have the best coverage on the net.

The Urban Dictionary accepts new poker terminology
Thanks to Gavin for pointing this out on the radio show.