World Series Of Poker Euro Update: Day 43Fast Play On Day 4 Pushes Europeans Out The Doorby Rebecca McAdam | Published: Jul 11, 2008 | |
 
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Day 4 of the main event was fast and furious. It played so fast that action had to end early, at the end of level 19, with 189 players remaining. Notable Europeans among the herd heading towards the exit sign were Russian Kirill Gerasimov, Frenchman Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier, and Norwegians Chris Bjorin and Dag Martin Mikkelsen.
The leader board was transformed during the day with players dropping off and others taking their place. Russian Nikolay Losev was one of the new faces to appear on it today, while Cristian Dragomir from Romania held strong and maintained his previous status.
Russian Alexander Kostritsyn had a bit of a bumpy ride. At first he went all-in with A
Q against a short-stacked Moon Kim who put his last 25,000 into the pot preflop with A
J. As is protocol during the final money group of the main event, the floor staff were called to monitor the action and the board was dealt. Kostritsyn maintained his lead during the 10
8
3 flop and 8 turn, but the J on the river hit Kim and won the pot for him. Despite the loss, Kostritsyn finished the hand with close to one million in chips.
Kostritsyn couldn’t catch a break when he lost another all-in pot and doubled up one of the shorter stacks. Damien Creurer got it all in pre-flop for 84,000 with A10 against Kostritsyn’s 55. The flop was a bingo for both, bringing A75. Although Kostritsyn spiked a set, his hand was vulnerable to any diamond or running cards for a better full house. The 8 on the turn gave Creurer a flush, and Kostritsyn was down to any board pair on the river. The J was a miss, and Creurer’s lone 10 was good enough for the pot. Kostritsyn finished the hand with around 800,000 in chips.
The most significant blow came when Cristian Dragomir snagged a two-outter on the river for a pot in excess of 1,000,000. Kostritsyn raised preflop to 22,000, Dragomir to his immediate right called, along with one other player and the big blind. The flop came J96, and once the big blind checked, Kostritsyn bet 58,000. Dragomir made the call, and the two were heads-up to see the 2 fall on the turn. Kostritsyn then bet out 105,000, and again the Romanian made the call. The 9 hit the river to pair the board, and Kostritsyn bet another 105,000. Dragomir then raised to 300,000 and Kostritsyn called. It was bad news for Kostritsyn who showed king-jack for top pair. Dragomir held K9 for trips made on the river and scooped the massive pot.
One of two players who went from strength to strength throughout the day was Denmark’s Gus Hansen.
Early session, a player in late position got over 300,000 chips in preflop against Hansen on the button. Hansen, who had him barely covered, was right there with him with red aces. Irishman Bernard Brady held AQ, and though he flopped a queen, the board in the end was Q9778. He was eliminated, and Hansen’s stack grew to over 650,000 chips, more than twice the average at that stage.
Later, after raising to 24,000 from the cutoff position, Hansen called a reraise to 84,000 by Joseph Ward out of the small blind. The flop came AT5 and Ward bet 100,000. Hansen took a long time to act, but ultimately called. The turn was the 9 and Ward checked. Hansen took his time and then bet 200,000. The action was on Ward and he stood up. He separated 200,000 from his stack and saw he would less than 200,000 remaining. After a couple minutes he moved all in. Hansen called and showed AT. Ward held AQ and needed a queen on the river. The river was the 7 and Hansen took the pot of 1.2 million chips. After the hand he had roughly 1.4 million.
The other European who played a blinder was Irishman James McManus. He steadily built his stack and came out of the blue on to the leader board to become a feared contender.
During level 16, McManus pulled a bold, aggressive move to take down a pot preflop. As reported by Alan Jaffray, David Saab raised to 15,000 from the cutoff and Matt Matros reraised to 50,000. Action folded to McManus in the big blind who slid a stack of 30 orange chips into the middle of the table, making it 150,000 total. Both Saab and Matros folded, and McManus showed 8-4 offsuit for an audacious bluff. With the average chip stack at 377,860, McManus was at 820,000 after this bluff.
Later on, Mitchell Smith raised from the small blind and was called by McManus in the big blind. The flop came down A102 and Smith continuation bet 20,000 into his opponent; McManus called. The turn was the J and Smith checked. McManus bet out 40,000 and Smith quickly called. The river was the 8 and Smith checked again. McManus put Smith all-in for about 180,000 more, slightly more than the size of the pot. Smith thought for a good while before making the call, but mucked his hand when he saw McManus’s KQ for a turned straight.
Since Smith was all-in on the hand, his cards were exposed by the dealer, who turned over J6 for a pair of jacks. The hand put McManus almost at the million mark.
Kirill Gerasimov’s main event dreams were put to an end early in the day. Hansen raised from under-the-gun and action folded around to Danny Mitnick in middle position. Mitnick tossed in a raise to 46,000. Without too much hesitation, Gerasimov moved all-in from the small blind for 130,000 total. Hansen folded his hand, leaving the table to dictate his thoughts into his voice recorder, and Mitnick made the call. The two turned up their hands:
Gerasimov: KK
Mitnick: AK
Gerasimov asked Hansen if he had folded an ace, but Hansen claimed to have had a pocket pair. That was reinforced when the dealer laid out the flop: AA10. Gerasimov needed runner-runner kings to survive, but the turn and river were the 2 and 5 and the Russian was eliminated.
Another European sent to the rail during the day was Finn Maya Antonius. She went all-in against Allen Carter on a K98 flop. Antonius had JJ and was in very bad shape against the KJ of Carter. The turn and river were the 2 and 8 and Antonius was eliminated. Perhaps she can take some solace in the fact that she outlasted her husband, Patrik.
Romanian Cristian Dragomir fought hard to keep his dominant position over most of the field, and was successful. When a flop of JJ6 hit the felt and Jeremy Joseph checked to him, Dragomir sprung into action and fired 110,000 into the pot. Joseph made the call and the turn brought the 2. Joseph checked again and Dragomir unloaded 200,000 more into the pot. Joseph called again and the river was the K. Joseph checked one more time and Dragomir blasted 345,000 into the massive pot. Joseph called again and Dragomir showed AJ for a set. Joseph mucked his hand and lost a huge pot.
Play was stopped with 38:37 minutes still left in level 19. There are 189 players remaining and they will return at 8pm for Day 5. It is the home stretch now as the field will play down to 27 on Sunday and to a final table of 9 on Monday. Check back at CardPlayer.com for regular updates from the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.