2011 World Series of Poker

We had a monster pot with three players committing their stacks all in preflop featuring the three biggest pocket pairs.

Nelson Dantas:
Paul Baron:
William Douglas Smith:

The board ran and Baron's set of kings sent Smith to the rail and chopped down Dantas' stack to 205,000. Baron chipped up to 370,000 with a triple up.

The action folded around to five-time WSOP bracelet winner Ted Forrest (being stalked by the ESPN camera crew) who raised to 11,000 from the hijack position; the opponent in the big blind called, so it was heads-up to the flop of , which both players checked.

The big blind checked again after the dealer peeled off the turn of the , which saw Forrest lead out for 13,000. The big blind called, then fired out 25,000 after the river of the . This was when the ESPN crew stood up and took notice - and the recording lights began to flash as Forrest shipped the rest of his stack into the middle, which was worth another 38,500 to the big blind.

With only about 160,000 behind, the big blind tanked for almost two minutes before laying his hand down, but didn't appear too impressed with having to mock hole-cam his cards. Forrest was only too happy to peek his cards up to the lens and then rake in the pot.

Action folded around to the player on the button who counted out a raise of 9,000. The player in the small blind quickly called and it was on Vanessa Rousso in the big blind. Rousso calmly counted out a stack of chips and pushed them out into the middle.

Rousso's three-bet made the action 28,000 total and action was back around to the original raiser on the button. The button player had a look of severe frustration on his face. "I guess it's up to you," he said to the small blind as he mucked his hand. The player in the small blind folded as well and Rousso took the pot down, so far having a good showing here on Day 4.

Lee Childs opened with a raise to 8,500 from the cutoff seat, and it folded to Fabian Reyes in the big blind who reraised to 19,000. Childs had about 75,000 behind, and thought about a half-minute before calling the reraise.

The flop came . Reyes waited about ten seconds, then bet 27,000. Childs leaned over to see what Reyes had bet, then announced he was all in. A count showed his raise was to 64,000 total, and Reyes made the call.

Reyes had for jacks, but the flop had hit Childs twice as he had . The turn was the and river the , and the 2007 WSOP Main Event seventh-place finisher doubled to nearly 170,000. Meanwhile, Reyes still has 570,000.

It was folded around to David Barter who min-raised to 8,000 on the button but got three-bet to 24,500 from the player in the big blind. On the flop, the big blind led for 25,500 and Barter called. The big blind slowed down and checked when the hit the turn and it was Barter’s turn to bet for 41,000. This got the big blind to fold and Barter picked up the pot.

An early position raiser opened for 9,000, the small blind raised to 23,500 and Kristy Gazes three bet all in from the big blind for 68,000. The original raiser folded but the small blind called.

Gazes:
Small Blind:

The board ran and Gazes chipped up to 145,000 with her aces.

On the secondary feature table, Sam Barnhart opened to 11,000 from UTG+1 and was called by John Wilson a couple of seats down. Start of the day chip leader Patrick Poirier then three-bet to 25,500 in middle position, Barnart quickly called but Wilson tanked for a little long and it almost looked as though he was going to make a move before he too elected to flat-call.

The was checked to Poirier who wasted little time in firing out 50,500, Barnhart made the call and Wilson folded. The turn saw Barnhart check-call again, this time to the tune of 85,000 before the pair saw the river and Poirier gave up, checking behind.

Barnhart flipped and it was good enough to take the pot.

Denilson Menezes and Marc-Andre Ladouceur were heads-up with the board reading . Ladouceur led for 31,000, and Menezes called. The turn was the , Ladouceur led again - this time for 71,500 - and Menezes again called.

The river was the , and Ladouceur fired 125,000. Menezes snapped it off.

Ladouceur:
Menezes:

Both players had full houses, but Ladouceur's was best, and he raked in the massive pot.