World Series Of Poker Euro Update: Day 45Six Europeans Remain After Day 6 Of The Main Eventby Rebecca McAdam | Published: Jul 13, 2008 | |
 
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Ten days ago, the World Series of Poker main event began. Going into day 6 were 79 weary soldiers. The plan was to play down to 27 and that is what they did. The blinds started out at 15,000-30,000 with a 4,000 ante, meaning a player with the average stack of just over 1.73 million had nearly 60 big blinds. Only one European kicked the day off on the leader board, and that was Nikolay Losev from Russia with 4,058,000 chips, but as the day played out, hopes for an overseas champion gradually diminished.
The official "shuffle up and deal" announcement was made to start off the day as players took their seats. Phil Hellmuth sat down at the ESPN featured table and received cards on the first and all subsequent hands of the orbit. This occured to the amusement of some, as he was supposed to have been penalised for the first orbit of the day. The reason being that during the final minutes of day 5, Hellmuth (in true Poker Brat fashion) berated Romanian Cristian Dragomir for beating his A-K with 10-4. The hand occurred at the end of the night, therefore the penalty was to be administered during the opening round of day 6.
An inquiry by CardPlayer's reporting team was answered with an explanation that the penalty had been "overruled". Phil Hellmuth had met with WSOP Tournament Director, Jack Effel, Harrah's Regional Vice President for Specialty Gaming, Howard Greenbaum, and Commissioner of the WSOP, Jeffrey Pollack earlier in the day to discuss the penalty. Based on the meeting and an official review of the situation, it was decided that the penalty imposed was excessive. "Warnings and penalties are intended to correct inappropriate behavior and our rulings should be as fair as possible, given the circumstances," said Pollack. "In this instance, the punishment did not fit the crime."
Phil won three of the first nine "penalty" hands at his table, bringing well-needed improvement to his struggling chip stack. His luck did not last however, and he was sent out late session, in 45th place. His elimination means the event no longer has a former main event champion among its contenders.
Things were not so good for the event's final Irishman, James McManus either. On and off the leader board throughout the tournament, the Dubliner finished in 71st place, earning $96,500 for a valiant effort. It has been three years since Ireland
has had a finalist in the main event, with Andy Black finishing fifth in 2005. The highest European finisher last year was Alex Kravchenko from Russia, who finished in fourth place.
Felix Osterland from Germany made some upward movements early in the day. After raising to 100,000, David Rheem quickly called from the next seat in the cut-off position. The rest of the field folded, and the flop came down Q
7
5. Osterland bet 100,000 and Rheem again followed him into the pot. Osterland checked when the 10 showed on the turn, and Rheem took the opportunity to bet 200,000. Osterland then fired back with an all-in check-raise for another 875,000. Rheem did not take the bate and decided to lay his hand down.
Osterland soon became the last German standing when Geert Jans was sent packing during level 24. He was in prime position to double up when he went all-in with pocket aces against Russian Nikolay Losev’s Q-J. Maintaining his lead on a board of Q-7-6, he was drastically unlucky when a queen fell on the turn. The river was a 9, and Jans made his way out of the play area. He finished in 62nd place with $115,800.
Romania did a good deal better with Christian Dragomir taking down $193,000 for 27th place. His demise started with a flop of A
83, when Dragomir checked to Tiffany Michelle, the final female survivor, who made a bet of 150,000. Dragomir made the call and checked when the 6 fell on the turn. Michelle pushed in a bet of 500,000, and after some deliberation, Dragomir again made the call. The river was the 9, and for the final time Dragomir checked. Michelle threw in a bet of 600,000, and Dragomir matched the bet. Michelle turned over 3
3 for bottom set, and Dragomir mucked his cards.
The hit to Dragomir’s stack left him with less than 1.5 million chips which he shoved all in preflop against Joe Bishop. Both players then turned over their cards.
Dragomir: 1010
Bishop: AA
The flop came down Q26 and Dragomir received no help. He needed to hit one of the remaining tens to stay alive, but the end was nigh as the turn came the 5, and the river, the J. The good news for Dragomir is that he is currently the highest Romanian world championship finisher ever, but the bad news is he will not enjoy this privilege for long as Romania still has another player alive in the event, Judet Cristian. Cristian ranks 10th in chips going into day 7.
In hour 2 of level 24 a Dane took top position on the leader board, with a massive 9,000,000 chips. Gert Andersen was the player in the lead, and he held this position, only to drop slightly off to fifth in chips by end of play.
Russia’s Nikolay Losev was not too far behind at one stage after his involvement in a pot with Dean Hamrick and David Saab. With a flop of K88, and after checks from Hamrick and Losev, the fireworks started. Saab, the short stack of the remaining players bet 200,000 at the pot. Losev then check-raised to 400,000, and suddenly Hamrick called. Saab now faced a decision for the rest of his chips, 465,000. Finally with a shrug he announced all-in. Losev and Hamrick both made the call, and the 10 came on the turn. Losev then stepped out for a 600,000 bet, and this time Hamrick released his hand. Saab flipped over pocket aces for two pair, but Losev had flopped trips with 86, and they held through the 3 on the river. Saab was eliminated and Losev raked in the pot of over 2.3 million.
In another hand, Nicholas Sliwinski raised to 240,000 from the small blind and Losev popped it to around 3 million. Sliwinski took some time before making the call and then turned over A10. Losev showed Q3, clearly caught trying to steal. The board ran out 975K7 and Sliwinski doubled to about 3.5 million. Losev was down to just 1.5 million, and the hand marked his downfall.
A few hands later, both players were again in the blinds and Sliwinski completed the bet. Losev popped it to 775,000. Sliwinski then moved all in, and Losev decided to call. Losev had 83, Sliwinski A5, and the board ran out 1010494. Losev was the final elimination of the night, leaving the tournament $193,000 richer for 28th place.
After notables such as Victor Ramdin, Phil Hellmuth, Thang "Kido" Pham and Mike Matusow busted, the event finally set its three tables for day 7. Nations still alive include America (19), Canada (2), Denmark (2), England (1), Romania (1), Russia (1), and Sweden (1). This means 30 percent of the players still in contention are international.
The six Europeans who survived to day seven are Gert Andersen from Denmark, Judet Cristian from Romania, Ivan Demidov from Russia, Peter Eastgate from Denmark, Niklas Flisburg from Sweden, and 21-year-old business student Aaron Gordon from England.
The average stack going into day 7 is 5,070,000, and level 28 will continue with blinds of 40,000-80,000 and antes at 10,000. Interestingly, the tournament has now reached the point where a single ante represents half of a player buy-in for the main event. Players will return this evening at 8pm to play down to the final table, so check back with CardPlayer.com for the next World Series instalment to find out what happens next.