Seidel, Romano inject fun into Day 2A of WSOP Main Event

10 July 2013

By Vin Narayanan

LAS VEGAS -- The chips were flying at Day 2A of the Main Event Tuesday as short stacks either doubled up or went home and the first hints of chip skyscrapers began to emerge.

Annette Obrestad made a big move up the leaderboard, cracking the top 50 in chips with 196,600. She started the day with 108,750. Cliff Josephy showed he's ready for a big Main Event run by chipping up to 200,900. He started the day with 96,975. And Doyle Brunson continued to remind people why he's a poker legend. Brunson started the day with 55,000 and ended up with 224,000 by the end of the night. Nick Schwarmann is the chip leader with 413,600.

Chris Moneymaker, Johnny Lodden, Terrence Chan, Eugene Katchalov, Eric Froelich, Josh Brikis, Marc-Andre Ladouceur, Amanda Musumeci, Fatima Moreira de Melo and Jason Lester all busted out of the tournament early in the day as the field rapidly consolidated.

The most entertaining table of the day sat in the Brasilia Room where the poker player with the funniest Twitter feed around, Erik Seidel, sat opposite funnyman Ray Romano.

Seidel, who began the day with 75,575 in chips, went to Twitter to share his love for the table.

Ray Romano at my table, being very funny. Might have to share a few of his best lines

— Erik Seidel (@Erik_Seidel) July 9, 2013

160k now. This has been a very entertaining table, haven't even listened to any music yet

— Erik Seidel (@Erik_Seidel) July 9, 2013

Conversation hopped from topic to topic at the table, with plenty of give and take.

"There are a lot of fake 'me's" on Twitter," Romano said.

"There's a fake Chris Rock too," Seidel said. "The fake Chris Rock is actually funnier on Twitter than the real Chris Rock."

That drew laughs from the table. Moments later, the topic shifted to casting TV shows and one player asked how Brad Garrett ended up on the show.

You need a lot of luck casting a show," Romano said. "The character was based off on my brother, who is normal looking. But when Brad, who's a big, big guy with a deep voice and great delivery, walked in, we knew he was right for it."

Throughout the day, Seidel tweeted some of Romano's funniest lines.

"Comedians don't make good poker players because they all want to be loved" live tweeting Ray

— Erik Seidel (@Erik_Seidel) July 9, 2013

To waiter "I'm giving you a big tip, because the cameras are on. If they edit this out I want it returned" -Ray

— Erik Seidel (@Erik_Seidel) July 9, 2013

There's something about sitting at a table with a comedian that makes players willing to share funny stories.

"About 30 minutes before the dinner break, Romano began receiving a massage. The massage therapist asked the player to Romano's right whether he wanted one too.

"No," the player said, waving his hand. "I don't think I could concentrate. The last time I received a massage at the table, she went a bit low. I wasn't expecting it."

The table laughed and someone suggested he should have tipped her.

"I did tip her well," he said with a smile. "I think she was looking at or for someone and wasn't paying attention."

Seidel finished the day with 179,000. Romano finished with 89,700.

Ten hours of play is a long time. Factor in a 90-minute dinner break and 20 breaks between levels, players have about 13-hour days. And late in the day, players almost have to pump themselves up to finish the night.

With about an hour left play, Ronnie Bardah was facing one of those moments. He grabbed some chips, held them high in the air, and placed them down on the felt for his bet.

"These chips are blessed," he told the table. A moment later, another player at the table pushed all in.

"Maybe it's a sign," mused Bardah as he thought over his decision. Finally, Bardah folded. "What are you, an atheist?" asked Bardah with a grin.

Bardah also told Casino City that he'd like to enter the $50,000 Players Championship.

"I'm going to be practicing my mixed games," Bardah said. "I know how to play them, but I need to practice. I want to enter the $50k event next year."

Bardah, who hails from Massachusetts, is a big Boston Celtics fan. He was wearing a Celtics hat at the table, and he shared a childhood story about wanting to meet Dee Brown.

"Brown was supposed to appear at a Dunkin' Donuts in Randolph," Bardah said. "I was a huge fan. I had all of his gear and I went there to meet him. But he never showed up. It broke my heart."

This is also how Dr. Sheldon Cooper became mortal enemies with Wil Wheaton on The Big Bang Theory, but we didn't go there with Bardah -- who has been a good friend to Casino City over the years.

Bardah ended the night with 162,000 in chips.

Notable chip stacks
Nick Schwarmann 413,600
Jason DeWitt 382,900
Kenny Tran 299,000
Doyle Brunson 224,000
Annette Obrestad 196,600
Ronnie Bardah 161,700
Minh Ly 151,300
Phil Galfond 135,000
Ray Romano 89,700
Erik Seidel 80,000

Notable eliminations
Mike Matusow
Mike Sexton
Barry Greenstein
John Juanda
Jake Balsiger
Erica Lindgren
Gaelle Baumann
David Williams
Eric Mizrachi
Chris Moneymaker
Johnny Lodden
Terrence Chan
Eugene Katchalov
Eric Froelich
Josh Brikis
Marc-Andre Ladouceur
Amanda Musumeci
Fatima Moreira de Melo
Jason Lester