When play finished on Day One of the $1m Big One For One Drop it looked like 2012 runner-up Sam Trickett was going to coast all the way to a second final table after finishing as the overwhelming chip leader. Shockingly, after a terrible run of cards, Trickett instead departed in 15th place. The final nail in Trickett’s coffin came in a big hand vs Daniel Negreanu. Kid Poker raised to 360,000 from early position and Trickett 3-bet from the big blind. Negreanu called and they both checked the 9-6-5 rainbow flop. Trickett then bet 1.2m on the Ten turn and Negreanu called. The river was another 9, making the board read 9-6-5-T-9. Trickett then moved all-in and, after a minute or so of tanking, Negreanu called the shove with J-9 for rivered trips. A startled Trickett saw his pocket Aces were no good and, to the surprise of everybody, he was now on the rail. On Twitter, Trickett described it as, ‘Literally the most painful day of poker in my life!!’
It won’t be much consolation to Trickett but Negreanu has put those chips to good use, making the final table in 4th place with 20.7m chips. The chip leader is Rick Salomon, a TV producer has made the final and has a colourful background. He is most famous for being the co-star in the most infamous celebrity sex tape of all time, One Night In Paris [Hilton] and has also been married to Pamela Anderson, twice!. The rest of the final table is an eclectic mix, sadly missing some of poker’s top stars such as Phil Ivey (14th), Phil Galfond (13th) and 2012 champion Antonio Esfandiari (10th). Perennial super high roller contender Scott Seiver sits in the middle of the pack while German juggernaut Tobias Reinkemaier will be a real threat when the final table kicks off tomorrow.
While we are down to 9 players the Big One For One Drop is still technically on the money bubble. 8 players will receive a minimum $1.3m payout while the 9th placed finisher will go home with zero! Whoever the unfortunate bubble boy is, the neutrals will all be hoping for Daniel Negreanu to ship the tournament and the $15m first prize, for what may be the crowning jewel in his historic career. Can he do it? Stick to www.PokerPlayer365.com for all the details from tomorrow’s final table.
Until then, here is how that final table stacks up:
[table id=1 /]
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