Chris Moneymaker got things started on the ESPN2 near-live broadcast of the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event final table, which began sharply at 8:00pm Eastern Time. The man who won it all a decade ago told viewers, “This bracelet is for the champion… Someone else’s dream will be dealt tonight!” That “someone else” could include David Benefield, the low man on the totem pole, who despite having a paucity of chips asserted, ” I think I have as good of a chance as anybody.” Benefield has been a fan favorite throughout the day on Twitter.

Signs spotted in the Penn and Teller Theater included, “Fear Amir” in celebration of Amir Lehavot, who sits in third in chips, and a variety of shirts with the big, bold letters of “Riess the Beast.”

ESPN guest commentator Antonio Esfandiaritold viewers at home that chip leader J.C. Tran“can’t let the fact that it’s the World Series of Poker Main Event” affect him. Tran told ESPN’s Kara Scott, “It’s amazing. This is all poker player’s dream and I’m living it right now.” His wife is due with the couple’s second child any day now and has a private jet on standby should the couple need to head back to Sacramento.

Greg Merson issued the ceremonial “shuffle up and deal” command and said, “It’s truly an honor to be here on behalf of the World Series of Poker on the most special night of the year.”

The average chip stack to start off the action amounted to 52 big blinds. On ESPN2’s broadcast, all of the player’s chip counts were displayed across the top of the screen. Also shown were the hand number and blinds, which to begin were 200,000-400,000 with an ante of 50,000. Hole cards are shown when the action in the hand ends for anyone still in. Any players who go to showdown will have their hole cards shown.

About 15 minutes and five hands into the broadcast, the first double up occurred. In the hand, Mark Newhousedoubled through Marc-Etienne McLaughlin, who scooped a pot on the second hand against Tran with pocket aces. Newhouse ran queens into kings in the hand and seemed to be on the brink of elimination, but spiked a queen on the flop to pull ahead for good. There was an all-in and an insta-call in the hand. McLaughlin had been dealt kings and aces in the first five hands.

There are still nine players remaining. We’ll keep you posted throughout the evening on PocketFives.

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