Ian Johns Poker Tournament Updates

Heads-Up For Naalden and Cowley

Jun 21, '09

Blinds: 10,000-20,000

Players Remaining: 2 out of 446

Chip Counts:

1. Marc Naalden — 2,300,000
2. Steven Cowley — 325,000

Average Chip Count: 1,338,000

Notable Eliminations:

4. Tommy Hang — $54,182
3. Ian Johns — $77,576

Elimination Hands:

Tommy Hang Eliminated in Fourth Place ($54,182)

Marc Naalden raised in the cutoff and Tommy Hang reraised from the button. Naalden called, but all the money went in on a board reading K335.

Hang showed A5, but it was behind to Naalden’s pocket tens. The river was the 8 and Hang was busted.

Ian Johns Eliminated in Third Place ($77,576)

Ian Johns was all in against Marc Naalden and Steven Cowley, who both checked down a board of A7295 until Naalden bet the river.

Cowley folded and Naalden showed 63 for the flush, busting Johns from the tournament.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Ian Johns

Still Going

Jun 11, '07

It seems less like night and more like morning, but these players are still at it.  The field has been whittled down to 11, and among the recently fallen were two big names.

 

First Ian Johns saw a flopped set get rundown by a gutshot straight draw, which cost him a huge pot.  With such a depleted chip stack, Johns was most certainly just looking for any two decent cards to send in with a prayer.  He picked the A9.  Unfortunately for him someone woke up with A-K.  The King on the flop closed the door, and Johns failed to improve and was eliminated in 17^th place.

 

Max Pescatori showed us the true meaning of alligator blood in these last few levels.  He simply would not go away.  In one spectacular catch, he was all in preflop with QJ against his opponent’s K7.  The flop came K92, shrinking Pescatori’s odds.  But the turn and the river bailed him out coming J and J.  His luck would eventually run out when he chose to commit himself with an A-Q, only to go up against A-K.  There was no draw out in this instance and Pescatori bowed out in 15^th place. 

 

Thor Hansen and chip leader William Thorsson are still going strong.

 

Only two more eliminations to end the night.

Player Tags: Thor Hansen,   Max Pescatori,   William Thorson,   Ian Johns

Down to 18

Jun 11, '07

The final two tables of the Limit Holdem World Championship are set, with two big eliminations preceding the redraw.  Eric Froelich got all of his last chips in the pot with pocket Jacks only to run head-on into his opponents pocket Aces.  Froelich busted out in 20th place.  Soon to follow him was the last remaining woman in the field Liz Lieu, who was dispatched by Thor Hansen.

Still hanging on are Max Pescatori, who has managed to chip up to almost $60,000, Ian Johns, Ayaz Mahmood, and William Thorsson, who finished in 13th place at last year's Main Event.

Only 9 elminations left until the end of the action for the day.

Player Tags: Ayaz Mahmood,   Thor Hansen,   Max Pescatori,   William Thorson,   Liz Lieu,   Eric Froehlich,   Ian Johns

Sitar Bubble Boy

Jun 11, '07

Dustin Sitar was the unfortunate final player to bust out of the money in this event. 

Play will continue tonight until this final 27 players are whittled down to the final 9.  Max Pescatori refuses to go quietly and is still nursing a short stack.  Standing in his way at his table is two-time bracelet winner Eric Froelich, who was very aggressive during hand for hand play.  Liz Lieu and Thor Hansen now find themselves seated at the same table, along with Ian Johns.

We will continue to follow Johns's progress in our Pro Blogs, as the final 18 players are eliminated for the day.

Player Tags: Thor Hansen,   Max Pescatori,   Liz Lieu,   Eric Froehlich,   Ian Johns

Dinner Break

Jun 11, '07

The remaining 33 players are now on dinner break...a mere 6 spots away from the money. 

Doyle Brunson was the one of the unfortunate few to fall before the break in action.  Brunson also took time out to help award Phil Hellmuth his eleventh World Series Bracelet, while he came up short in his quest for his own in this event.

Max Pescatori, Thomas Wahlroos, Thor Hansen, and Benjamin Lin, find themselves all on short stacks.  Pro Blogger Ian Johns has pushed his chips to almost $150,000, while Howard Lederer and Liz Lieu are also in the middle of the pack.

Play will resume at 10pm PST.

Player Tags: Thor Hansen,   Max Pescatori,   Howard Lederer,   Phil Hellmuth,   Doyle Brunson,   Benjamin Lin,   Liz Lieu,   Ian Johns,   Thomas Wahlroos

Down to Forty

Jun 11, '07

Only 40 players remain in the $5,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em event.  The money bubble will burst after a few more than a tables' worth of eliminations, and a new group has risen to the head of the pack.  Ian Johns, who won a bracelet last year in a limit event, is sitting with around a hundred thousand. William Thorsson also chipped up dramatically in the last levels, and now sits around the $100,000 chip mark.  

Vanessa Rousso was eliminated this past level, making Liz Lieu the only female remaining in the event.  Eli Elezra and Bryan Devonshire were also eliminated in the past level.

The players are now on a short break, and play will resume at 7:45, so make sure to check back for more updates the the Pro Blog of Ian Johns here at Cardplayer.com.

Player Tags: Eli Elezra,   William Thorson,   Vanessa Rousso,   Liz Lieu,   Bryan Devonshire,   Ian Johns

Play Resumes

Jun 11, '07

Play is once again underway on day two of the $5,000 World Championship of Limit Hold'em event.  115 players are returning from day one, but only 27 will make the money, and only one will take home the first place prize of $333,379 and the gold bracelet. Thomas Wahlroos and the legendary Doyle Brunson are sitting toward the top of the leader board but there are many talented and hungry players right on their tails, so make sure to check in every hour for updates and Ian Johns' Pro Blog here at Cardplayer.com. 

Player Tags: Doyle Brunson,   Ian Johns,   Thomas Wahlroos