Day 2 of the World Series of Poker main event

Day 2 of the World Series of Poker main event

DAY: 2 (Officially known as Day 1B).

BIG NEWS: The tournament director at the World Series of Poker said its no-limit Texas Hold ‘em main event will likely last a few hours longer than in previous years as players begin the tournament with more chips.

Jack Effel said Saturday that the series added chips to players’ starting stacks this year to give them more time to size up the tables and maneuver during the tournament.

Shorter stacks relative to the minimum bets required force players into more hasty decisions for all their chips.

Players began this year with 30,000 in chips compared with 20,000 last year.

More than 850 players entered the main event on Saturday, the second of four days players were allowed to begin the tournament.

STUD OF THE DAY: Jeremiah Smith, who doubled his chip stack just after the tournament began when he squared off with a pair of aces against a pair of kings before any community cards were dealt.

“We have a long way to go, don’t get too excited yet,” Smith said as he stacked his newfound chips.

BUSTED OUT: David Steicke, who cashed in three events at last year’s world series.

UP NEXT: Another field of players heads to the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas to begin main event play in the third of four starting days on Sunday.

POKER TALK: Straddle: When a player, usually to the left of the big blind, raises double the blind before the cards are dealt to force other players to match that amount to play. At a table of amateurs on Saturday, one player straddled for 200 chips and the player to his left double straddled for 400 chips. When the player who double straddled looked down at his cards, he found pocket aces and another player willing to gamble all his chips.

HE SAID WHAT?: “I’m going to go take a nap for a while … That’s the thing about poker — every time you feel good, somebody else has to feel bad.” — Jeremiah Smith, after doubling his chips early in the tournament by beating pocket kings with his pocket aces. Smith finished 146th in the main event last year to win $41,816.