Hands #1-6: Pollak Off to a Good Start
Hand 1: Benjamin Pollak raised to 36,000 with 
on the button and Isaac Haxton defended his big blind with 
. Haxton hit the bottom pair on the 
flop which was checked by both players. Pollak got in front on the 
turn but he checked back again to let the 
land on the river.
Haxton checked for the third and final time and Pollak fired 65,000. Haxton spent some time processing the situation and eventually ended up check-raising to 340,000. "I call," said Pollak, adding a nice chunk to his stack right on the first hand.
Hand 2: Action folded to small blind Haxton who limped in with 
. Brian Green checked 
in position and they saw the 
hit the flop. Haxton led out 30,000 with an open-ended straight draw and Green stuck around, calling.
Haxton made the nuts on the turn and barreled for 140,000, more than the size of the pot. Green had no desire to continue calling down and released his hand.
Hand 3: Haxton found 
on the button and made it 30,000 to go. Green three-bet to 113,000 with 
in the small blind but Elijah Berg also peeled the ace-high, which happened to be the strongest one; the . He cold four-bet shoved for 550,000 and Haxton and Green both folded.
Hand 4: Cutoff Stephen Chidwick raised it up to 38,000 with 
and Jason Koon had the same hand in the big blind, defending his 
. They flopped a Broadway draw on the 
and Koon check-called 80,000.
The turn was a brick and Koon checked to Chidwick again. Chidwick fired the second barrel worth 250,000, just under the size of the pot. Koon laid down to let the pot go to the two-time US Poker Open champion.
Hand 5: Koon completed with 
and Pollak opted to check with 
. He hit the goods on the 
flop where he checked back, allowing Koon hit the on the turn. Koon led out 32,000 and Pollak smooth-called.
The river filled the backdoor spade draw and Koon placed in a 20,000 blocking bet. Pollak paused before raising it up to 200,000, putting Koon to a tough spot. Koon burned a time extension and eventually made a good laydown.
Hand 6: Koon opened to 36,000 with the and Stephen Chidwick defended his big blind holding the 
. The flop fanned out 
and both players checked to see the hit the turn.
Chidwick check-folded when Koon fired a bet of 60,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
1,665,000
468,000
|
468,000 |
|
1,482,000
134,000
|
134,000 |
|
||
|
848,000
-207,000
|
-207,000 |
|
||
|
770,000
-362,000
|
-362,000 |
|
|
||
|
703,000
137,000
|
137,000 |
|
701,000
-175,000
|
-175,000 |
|
|
||