Brandon Wong Poker Tournament Updates

Limit Hold'em Shootout - Final Table - Bellande And Graham Heads Up

Jul 02, '08

Blinds: 15,000-30,000

Jean-Robert Bellande and Matt Graham are heads up for the title.

Eliminations:
3rd Place - Joe De Niro ($107,845)
4th Place - Brandon Wong ($69,088)

Hands:
De Niro Rivered, Out in Third Place ($107,845)

Joe De Niro got all in on a flop of J108 and was called by Jean-Robert Bellande. Bellande showed A9 for the but flush draw, but he was trailing De Niro's J9 for top pair and open-ended straight draw. The turn was the 10 and didn't help either player, but when the A fell on the river Bellande made top pair to eliminate De Niro in third.

Bottom Pair Won't Do, Brandon Wong Gone in Fourth Place ($69,088)

Brandon Wong got all in preflop against Matt Graham and Joe De Niro. The flop came 1082 and Graham bet, making De Niro fold. Wong showed A2 for bottom pair and was against Graham's 89 for middle pair. The turn was the 5 and the K didn't improve Wong on the river, and he was eliminated in fourth place.

Player Tags: Jean-Robert Bellande,   Brandon Wong,   Matt Graham

Limit Hold'em Shootout - Final Table - Bellande Takes Huge Chip Lead

Jul 02, '08

Blinds: 15,000-30,000

Players Left: 4 of 823

Chip Counts:
Jean-Robert Bellande: 1,700,000
Joe De Niro: 650,000
Matt Graham: 355,000
Brandon Wong: 90,000

Eliminations:
5th Place - Danny Wong ($33,701)

Hands:

Wong Falls to Full House, Out in Fifth Place ($33,701)

Danny Wong bet a flop of A65 and was called by Jean-Robert Bellande. The turn brought another 6. The river was the 6 and Bellande bet out, which was enough to put Wong all in. Wong called, but mucked when he saw Bellande's A8 for a full house.

Bellande Hits Straight, Takes Large Pot

After three-betting preflop, Jean Robert-Bellande bet every street on a Q5410K board and was called down by Joe De Niro. Bellande showed that he had nothing until the river, where he completed a straight with his J9. He scooped a large pot that put him around 1,700,000 in chips. De Niro's stack dropped to 650,000.

 

Player Tags: Jean-Robert Bellande,   Brandon Wong,   Matt Graham,   Danny Wong

Limit Hold'em Shootout - Final Table - Final Table Eliminations Commence

Jul 02, '08

Blinds: 10,000-20,000

Players Left: 5 of 823

Chip Counts:
Joe De Niro: 875,000
Danny Wong: 525,000
Jean-Robert Bellande: 520,000
Brandon Wong: 350,000
Matt Graham: 320,000

Eliminations:
6th Place - Spencer Lawrence ($20,221)
7th Place - John Kranyak ($13,480)
8th Place - Andrew Prock ($10,335)
9th Place - Michael Kachan ($7,526)

Hands:

Lawrence Doesn't Connect, Eliminated in Sixth Place ($20,221)

Spencer Lawrence got all of his chips in the middle preflop against Jean-Robert Bellande and showed K10. Bellande was the favorite, holding A9. The flop came 963, giving Bellande a pair. Lawrence still had two overs he could connect with, but the 2 came on the turn and the Q river card eliminated Lawrence in sixth place.

Kranyak Has Lower Kicker, Gone in Seventh Place ($13,480)

Preflopp action was raised until capped by John Kranyak and Joe De Niro. When 943 fell on the flop Kranyak bet and was called by De Niro. The A came on the turn, inducing action. Betting was capped again, getting Kranyak all in. He had connected with the ace on the turn and showed AJ. However, De Niro showed AQ for a pair of aces with a queen kicker. The Q dropped on the river to give De Niro two pair and the juicy pot, sending Kranyak to the rail in seventh place.

Prock Gets Outdrawn, Busts in Eighth Place ($10,335)

Andrew Prock got all in preflop and held AQ, a favored hand over Joe De Niro's AJ. The flop changed things fast, coming AJ3 to give De Niro two pair - aces and jacks. The K fell on the turn, giving Prock more outs. But the river 8wasn't one of them and Prock was eliminated in eight place.

Kachan First To Go, Out in Ninth Place ($7,526)

Michael Kachan put in a raise preflop and was called by Brandon Wong, Danny Wong, Jean-Robert Bellande and Spencer Lawrence. The flop brought A76 and Danny Wong led out. Lawrence got out of the way, and Kachan raised all in. Brandon Wong folded and Bellande put in yet another raise. Danny Wong called, and when the 4 fell on the turn both he and Bellande checked. The Q fell on the river and Wong bet. Bellande folded and Wong showed AK. Kachan couldn't beat Wong's pair of aces and was the first player eliminated from the final table.

Player Tags: Jean-Robert Bellande,   Brandon Wong,   Spencer Lawrence,   Andrew Prock,   Danny Wong,   European Report

Limit Hold'em Shootout - Final Table - Bellande On Fire

Jul 02, '08

Blinds: 4,000-8,000

Players Left: 9 of 823

Chip Counts:
Jean-Robert Bellande: 475,000
Joe De Niro: 420,000
John Kranyak: 400,000
Andrew Prock: 390,000
Brandon Wong: 280,000
Spencer Lawrence: 260,000
Matt Graham: 217,000
Danny Wong: 105,000
Mike Kachan: 80,000

Hands:

Bellande Picks Up Aces...

The round was good for Jean-Robert Bellande, and he has taken the chip lead with 475,000 in chips.
After three-betting the flop, Bellande bet every street on a 1095J6 board and was called each time by Brandon Wong. Bellande showed AA and Wong mucked, giving Bellande the nice pot.

... And The Nut Low?...

Several hands later Bellande three-bet Wong again and bet every street on a board of 864AQ. Wong called and Bellande showed A2 for the winner. Wong asked Bellande about betting the flop there and Bellande told him, "I had the nut low."

And The Flush

On a board of K748J Bellande was called by Andrew Prock and showed A10 for a flush, taking the pot.
 

Player Tags: Jean-Robert Bellande,   Brandon Wong,   Andrew Prock

Final Table

Jun 05, '07

Event number six, $1,500 Limit Hold 'Em has reached the final table. Brandon Wong was eliminated in 10th place, earning him $11,552. Wong bet out and Gary Styczynski raised. Wong made the call and the flop was A86. Wong checked and Styczynski bet. Wong raised and Styczynski made the call. The turn was the 4 and Wong put his last $12,000 into the middle. Styczynski made the call and showed KK and Wong had AQ for top pair. The river was the J, completing Styczynski's flush and eliminating Wong.

The final table will begin tomorrow at 3 p.m. and the following nine players will return to battle for World Series of Poker gold: Gary Styczynski, James Gorham, Hansu Chu, Soheil Shamseddin, James Holland, Varouzhan Gumroyan, Michael Banks, Dariush Imani and Peter O'Donnell. Visit CardPlayer.com to stay up to date on all the final table drama and action.

Player Tags: Michael Banks,   Gary Styczynski,   Brandon Wong,   Dariush Imani,   Hansu Chu,   James Gorham,   Soheil Shamseddin,   Varouzhan Gumroyan,   Peter O'Donnell,   James Holland

One More Table To Go

Jun 05, '07

The field has gone from 910 all the way down to 16. There was a brief break in the action as tournament officials condensed the players down to two tables when there were 18 remaining. Following the re-draw Jesse Martin, David Sklansky and Hansu Chu (second in chips) are all seated at the same table. Our current chip leader is Brandon Wong with $370,000 and following in a close second is Hansu Chu with $330,000. The average chip stack at this point is $170,437.

Play has tightened since the last level as the idea of making a World Series of Poker final table is starting to become more realistic. David Sklansky was in the small blind and gave Hansu Chu a walk, to which Chu said to the table, "this is the hand I'm supposed to double up with!". Chu folded aces face up and Sklansky nodded his head in understanding.

Chu may actually be the only player who isn't tightening up, he has been involved in a majority of the pots at his table. Casey Peters was all in after the flop and the money was right for Chu who made the call with AJ. Peters had 66 and was amazed when they held up. As he collected his chips after doubling up Peters asked Chu, "Can we do that again? That really wasn't that much." Peters battled from $18,000 all the way up to $110,000 this level before taking a few hits and dropping back down to $30,000. A few hands later Peters and Chu continued to battle but this time the big stack reigned supreme. Peters raised and Chu re-raised, putting Peters all in. Peters made the call and turned over A2. Chu was holding JJ. The flop came K62, giving Peters a little hope. Turn card was the J taking all the mystery out of the river card (3) and Peters was eliminated in 15th place, good for $10,310.

Level 17 is set to begin following an hour dinner break. The players will return at 10 p.m.  and the limits are going up to $10,000-$20,000 so there should quite a few eliminations in this level. Play will continue tonight until the final table, consisting of only nine players.

Player Tags: David Sklansky,   Casey Peters,   Brandon Wong,   Jesse Martin,   Hansu Chu