Phi Nguyen - Live Updates

Main Event - Day 7 - Level 28

Jul 14, '08

Blinds/Antes: 40,000-80,000-10,000

Players Remaining: 25 out of 6,844

Chip Leaders:
Peter Eastgate - 12,830,000
Dennis Phillips 12,250,000
Craig Marquis 10,300,000
Paul Snead - 10,200,000
Kelly Kim - 8,650,000
David 'Chino' Rheem - 7,600,000
Tiffany Michelle - 7,400,000
Gert Andersen - 5,920,000
Toni Judet - 5,900,000
Joe Bishop - 5,050,000

Average Chip Stack: 5.26 million

Eliminations:

26th place - Phi Nguyen - $257,334
27th place - Michael Carroll - $257,334

Big Hands and Storylines

Michael Carroll Eliminated in 27th place ($257,334)

Three players saw a flop of A54. Gert Andersen checked, and Michael Carroll moved all in for his last 735,000. Joe Bishop made the call, and was quite unhappy to see Gert Andersen move all in over the top behind him. Bishop folded his hand in frustration, but saw that he had made a good laydown as Gert Andersen flipped over 44 for flopped bottom set. Carroll was far behind with only A9, and failed to improve as the turn and river came J10, bringing his Main Event run to an end in 27th place.

Phi Nguyen Eliminated in 26th Place ($257,334)

After Paul Snead entered the pot and was called by Tiffany Michelle, Phi Nguyen moved all in for under one million. Snead was the only caller.

Nguyen: AT
Snead: JJ

Board: 93258

Michelle Drops Three Million Early in Level

On the first hand of the day, Owen Crowe raised from middle position and Tiffany Michelle called from late position. The two saw a 875 flop and Crowe bet 375,000. Michelle called and the turn was the 3. Crowe checked and Michelle bet 500,000. Crowe then reraised 1.075 million more. Michelle folded and Crowe flipped over J9.

Paul Snead raised from early position and was called by three players. The flop came 643 and Snead bet 600,000. Michelle, sitting to her immediate left, then raised to 1.6 million. It folded around to Snead, and he quickly moved all in, a raise of about four million. Michelle took a few minutes to think, and while she did Snead paced around and talked to his wife and Joe Awada a few feet from the table. Finally Michelle folded and Snead took down the pot. Michelle began the day with nearly 10 million and now has under seven million.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Paul Snead,   Owen Crowe,   Tiffany Michelle

$10,000 Main Event - Cantu Takes Hit

Jul 13, '08

Note: Players are now on a 20 minute break.

Blinds: 30,000-60,000 Ante: 10,000

Players Remaining: 30 of 6,844

Chip Leaders:

Craig Marquis: 12,000,000
Dennis Phillips: 11,000,000
Peter Eastgate: 9,000,000
Gert Andersen: 8,300,000
Kelly Kim: 8,200,000
Tiffany Michelle: 7,500,000
Albert Kim: 7,200,000
David Rheem: 7,000,000
Chris Klodnicki: 6,000,000
Antoanell Judet: 5,600,000

Average Chip Stack: 4,562,667

Eliminations:
34th: Greg Byard - $193,000
33rd: Jamal Kunbuz - $193,000
32nd: Clint Schafer - $193,000
31st: Garret Beckman - $193,000

Big Hands:

Marquis Becomes New Chip Leader, Cantu Loses More Than Half His Stack

Brandon Cantu had a lot of chips. So did Craig Marquis. Together, they created the biggest pot of the tournament. After raised and reraised action preflop Cantu was heads up against Marquis. Both checked the flop of J65. The A fell on the turn and Cantu checked to Marquis, who bet 200,000. Cantu check-raised to one million and Marquis just called. The 10 completed the board and Cantu moved all in, having Marquis covered. Marquis called and Cantu threw his cards into the muck. Marquis showed AQ and raked a pot that moved him over the 12 million mark. Cantu fell to under 4 million.

Byard Busts in 34th Place ($193,000)

Greg Byard was short on chips and moved all in from the button for his last 490,000. Sitting in the big blind, Ivan Demidov made the call and they flipped over their cards. Demidov's KJ was a huge favorite over Byard's J6. The flop brought K74, giving Demidov top pair and leaving Byard dead to running cards. The turn was the 9 and when the 8 hit on the river he was eliminated from the tournament.

Phillips Outdrawn, Doubles Beckman

Garrett Beckman pushed all in for 870,000 and was called by Dennis Phillips from the button. Phillips showed QQ and was ahead of Beckman's KJ. The flop ran J44, pairing Beckman but still leaving him behind. But when the J hit on the turn it was Phillips who was left drawing slim to one of the two remaining queens in the deck. Instead, the K fell on the river and Beckman made a full house to double up to around 2 million. Phillips was left with 8.9 million after the hand, still good enough for second place on the leaderboard.

Ladies Double Nguyen

Phi Nguyen moved all in from the small blind and was called by Cristian Dragomir. Nguyen showed QQ and was in good shape against Dragomir's KQ. The board ran AJ6J5 and Nguyen saw his stack double to 1.4 million.

Jamal Kunbuz Eliminated in 33rd Place - $193,000

From middle position, Jamal Kundbuz open shoved all-in for 1,020,000. Ylon Schwartz reraised all in over the top, shutting down the possibility of further action. The players turned over their cards, and Schwartz turned over the bad news, holding AA against Kundbuz's A10. Kundbuz was unable to find a miracle in the deck as the board ran out 10847J, sending the Venezuelan home in 33rd place. Schwartz's stack increased to around 2.6 million after the hand.

Clint Schafer Out in 32nd Place ($193,000)

Schafer pushed all in from the button preflop and Tim Loecke made the call. Schafer showed K8 while Loecke turned over AQ. The flop came A75, giving Loecke a tight grip on the hand. The turn was the 4, giving Schafer a gutshot straight draw. But the river brought the 3 and Schafer made his way toward the exit.

Garrett Beckman Gone in 31st Place ($193,000)

Beckman raised to 175,000 preflop from under the gun. Dennis Phillips made the call from the cutfoff and the flop came 1067. Both players checked and the 9 came on the turn. Beckman bet 280,000 and Phillips popped it to 600,000 total. Beckman came over the top for his entire stack and Phillips made the call, turning over Q8 for a straight on the turn. Beckman showed AQ for the nut flush draw. The 4 came on the river and Beckman was eliminated from the main event.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Garrett Beckman,   Gregory Byard,   Brandon Cantu,   Craig Marquis,   Dennis Phillips,   Ivan Demidov

$10,000 Main Event - Five Down, Two to Go

Jul 12, '08

Play is done for the night. The final 79 players are set to return for day 6 at noon Sunday. Notables still alive include: Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, Victor Ramdin, Matt Matros, Brandon Cantu, David Benefield, Adam Levy and Kido Pham.

Blinds/Antes: 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante

Players Left: 79 of 6,844

Chip Leaders:
Mark Ketteringham: 5,700,000
Andrew Brokos: 4,100,000
Tiffany Michelle: 3,800,000
Jamal Kunbuz: 3,500,000
Albert Kim: 3,400,000
Nikolay Losev: 3,400,000
Alfred Fernandez: 3,100,000
Steve Lade: 3,000,000
Judet Cristian: 2,900,000
Aaron Gordon: 2,900,000

Average Stack: 1,732,658

Eliminations:
80th Place - Mark Vos ($77,200)
81st Place - Davor Lanini ($77,200)
82nd Place - Stephen Kenna ($64,333)
83rd Place - Lonnie Heinowitz ($64,333)
84th Place - Alexander Kostritsyn ($64,333)
85th Place - Cedric Kolstad ($64,333)
86th Place - Reagan Silber ($64,333)

Big Hands:

Vos Busts On Final Hand of Day 5 - 80th Place ($77,200)

After Dennis Phillips raised to 65,000, Mark Vos reraised to 180,000. Phillips repopped it to 400,000 and Vos moved all in for 1,500,000. Phillips made the easy call and showed AA. Vos held AK and was in horrible shape. The board ran Q93102 and just like that Vos, who had an above-average chip stack before the hand, was eliminated on the final hand of the night.

Matros Fills Up, Busts Silber in 86th Place ($64,333)

Reagan Silber fired out a bet of 100,000 on a flop of Q76 and Matt Matros raised, making it 300,000 to go. Silber moved all in and Matros wasted little time calling. Matros held 76 for two pair on the flop, but Silber was drawing at the nut flush with A9. The turn was the 6, giving Matros a full house and ending the drama they would have otherwise had to endure. The 5 hit on the river and Matros eliminated Silber and reached the 2 million mark.

The Reigning Aussie Millions Champ Is Gone in 84th Place ($64,333)

Alexaner Kostritsyn raised to 65,000 and was called by Garrett Beckman from the button. Kostritsyn checked the flop of 1064 and Beckman fired 90,000. Kostritsyn check-raised all in for 395,000 and Beckman took several minutes to think over his decision. He eventually called and showed 77, which he quickly saw was ahead of Kostritsyn's AK. The 2 and J completed the board and Kostritsyn was eliminated.

Hellmuth Gets Keayed

Aaron Keay raised to 80,000 before the flop. From the small blind, Hellmuth raised to 220,000, and Keay made the call. The flop came AJ5, and Hellmuth fired out for another 140,000. It didn't take long for Keay to move all in, and it took even less time for Hellmuth to fold his hand. Phil's stack went down to around 900,000 after the hand. He recovered slightly the next hand, raising to 65,000 preflop to take down the blinds and antes.

A Brick Saves Joseph Money

On a board of 1043, Jeremy Joseph fired 100,000 into a pot of about 200,000. The player on the button mucked, but Suresh Prabhu made the call from the big blind. The turn was the 8 and both players checked. The Q fell on the river and Prabhu led out for 200,000. Joseph looked off in the distance, clearly frustrated. "That is a brick," Joseph said about the final card. He then threw his hand in the muck. Prabhu showed 44 for a flopped set of sailboats and a rivered full house. Joseph smiled as he was around 1.6 million after the hand.

Staying Alive

Alex Outhred got all in preflop against Michael Carroll and the players showed their hands. Carroll showed 99, but Outhred had two overs with QJ. The flop hit Outhred hard, running AQ10 to give him middle pair and the better flush draw of the two. The 4 turn and 8 kept clear of Carroll's hand and Outhred doubled to around 675,000.

Chinotown

Sean Davis raised to 75,000 before the flop, and was called by two players, Cristian Dragomir and David "Chino" Rheem. The flop ran out 1052. All three players checked to the turn, which brought the 3. Dragomir fired out a bet, pushing Davis out of the hand. Rheem made the call, and Dragomir checked the river, the 5. Rheem bet out 240,000, and Dragomir made the call, but threw his cards into the muck after Rheem turned over the KQ for the rivered flush.

Nobody Wants to Play with Mikey

For a guy who just shoved with suited 10-5, Mike Matusow has been having a hard time getting any action at the ESPN feature table. Here's a look at a day of poker with the Mouth:

Owen Crowe raised to 66,000 from the cutoff. From the button, Mike Matusow then reraised to 201,000 total. Everyone folded, and Matusow flipped over pocket kings.

Later in the round, Matusow raised to 82,000 preflop. Everyone folded again, and Matusow flipped over pocket jacks.

Later in the round, Matusow raised from the button to 77,000. The players in the blinds, including Phil Hellmuth, folded once again. This time Matusow flipped over A-K. He was unable to find any more action this evening, ending the day with around 1.2 million.

Phe Phi Pho Phum

Cristian Dragomir raised preflop to 82,000, and only Phi Nguyen made the call. The flop came QJ3, and both players checked to the turn, which brought the 7. Nguyen led out for 110,000. Dragomir then raised to 300,000, only to have Nguyen move all in. Dragomir tanked for some time before making the laydown.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Mike Matusow,   Phil Hellmuth,   Michael Carroll,   Alex Outhred,   Chino Rheem,   Garrett Beckman,   Mark Vos,   Jeremy Joseph,   Alexander Kostritsyn,   European Report,   Cristian Dragomir,   Suresh Prabhu

Main Event - Day 7 - Level 28

Jul 14, '08

Blinds/Antes: 40,000-80,000-10,000

Players Remaining: 25 out of 6,844

Chip Leaders:
Peter Eastgate - 12,830,000
Dennis Phillips 12,250,000
Craig Marquis 10,300,000
Paul Snead - 10,200,000
Kelly Kim - 8,650,000
David 'Chino' Rheem - 7,600,000
Tiffany Michelle - 7,400,000
Gert Andersen - 5,920,000
Toni Judet - 5,900,000
Joe Bishop - 5,050,000

Average Chip Stack: 5.26 million

Eliminations:

26th place - Phi Nguyen - $257,334
27th place - Michael Carroll - $257,334

Big Hands and Storylines

Michael Carroll Eliminated in 27th place ($257,334)

Three players saw a flop of A54. Gert Andersen checked, and Michael Carroll moved all in for his last 735,000. Joe Bishop made the call, and was quite unhappy to see Gert Andersen move all in over the top behind him. Bishop folded his hand in frustration, but saw that he had made a good laydown as Gert Andersen flipped over 44 for flopped bottom set. Carroll was far behind with only A9, and failed to improve as the turn and river came J10, bringing his Main Event run to an end in 27th place.

Phi Nguyen Eliminated in 26th Place ($257,334)

After Paul Snead entered the pot and was called by Tiffany Michelle, Phi Nguyen moved all in for under one million. Snead was the only caller.

Nguyen: AT
Snead: JJ

Board: 93258

Michelle Drops Three Million Early in Level

On the first hand of the day, Owen Crowe raised from middle position and Tiffany Michelle called from late position. The two saw a 875 flop and Crowe bet 375,000. Michelle called and the turn was the 3. Crowe checked and Michelle bet 500,000. Crowe then reraised 1.075 million more. Michelle folded and Crowe flipped over J9.

Paul Snead raised from early position and was called by three players. The flop came 643 and Snead bet 600,000. Michelle, sitting to her immediate left, then raised to 1.6 million. It folded around to Snead, and he quickly moved all in, a raise of about four million. Michelle took a few minutes to think, and while she did Snead paced around and talked to his wife and Joe Awada a few feet from the table. Finally Michelle folded and Snead took down the pot. Michelle began the day with nearly 10 million and now has under seven million.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Paul Snead,   Owen Crowe,   Tiffany Michelle

$10,000 Main Event - Cantu Takes Hit

Jul 13, '08

Note: Players are now on a 20 minute break.

Blinds: 30,000-60,000 Ante: 10,000

Players Remaining: 30 of 6,844

Chip Leaders:

Craig Marquis: 12,000,000
Dennis Phillips: 11,000,000
Peter Eastgate: 9,000,000
Gert Andersen: 8,300,000
Kelly Kim: 8,200,000
Tiffany Michelle: 7,500,000
Albert Kim: 7,200,000
David Rheem: 7,000,000
Chris Klodnicki: 6,000,000
Antoanell Judet: 5,600,000

Average Chip Stack: 4,562,667

Eliminations:
34th: Greg Byard - $193,000
33rd: Jamal Kunbuz - $193,000
32nd: Clint Schafer - $193,000
31st: Garret Beckman - $193,000

Big Hands:

Marquis Becomes New Chip Leader, Cantu Loses More Than Half His Stack

Brandon Cantu had a lot of chips. So did Craig Marquis. Together, they created the biggest pot of the tournament. After raised and reraised action preflop Cantu was heads up against Marquis. Both checked the flop of J65. The A fell on the turn and Cantu checked to Marquis, who bet 200,000. Cantu check-raised to one million and Marquis just called. The 10 completed the board and Cantu moved all in, having Marquis covered. Marquis called and Cantu threw his cards into the muck. Marquis showed AQ and raked a pot that moved him over the 12 million mark. Cantu fell to under 4 million.

Byard Busts in 34th Place ($193,000)

Greg Byard was short on chips and moved all in from the button for his last 490,000. Sitting in the big blind, Ivan Demidov made the call and they flipped over their cards. Demidov's KJ was a huge favorite over Byard's J6. The flop brought K74, giving Demidov top pair and leaving Byard dead to running cards. The turn was the 9 and when the 8 hit on the river he was eliminated from the tournament.

Phillips Outdrawn, Doubles Beckman

Garrett Beckman pushed all in for 870,000 and was called by Dennis Phillips from the button. Phillips showed QQ and was ahead of Beckman's KJ. The flop ran J44, pairing Beckman but still leaving him behind. But when the J hit on the turn it was Phillips who was left drawing slim to one of the two remaining queens in the deck. Instead, the K fell on the river and Beckman made a full house to double up to around 2 million. Phillips was left with 8.9 million after the hand, still good enough for second place on the leaderboard.

Ladies Double Nguyen

Phi Nguyen moved all in from the small blind and was called by Cristian Dragomir. Nguyen showed QQ and was in good shape against Dragomir's KQ. The board ran AJ6J5 and Nguyen saw his stack double to 1.4 million.

Jamal Kunbuz Eliminated in 33rd Place - $193,000

From middle position, Jamal Kundbuz open shoved all-in for 1,020,000. Ylon Schwartz reraised all in over the top, shutting down the possibility of further action. The players turned over their cards, and Schwartz turned over the bad news, holding AA against Kundbuz's A10. Kundbuz was unable to find a miracle in the deck as the board ran out 10847J, sending the Venezuelan home in 33rd place. Schwartz's stack increased to around 2.6 million after the hand.

Clint Schafer Out in 32nd Place ($193,000)

Schafer pushed all in from the button preflop and Tim Loecke made the call. Schafer showed K8 while Loecke turned over AQ. The flop came A75, giving Loecke a tight grip on the hand. The turn was the 4, giving Schafer a gutshot straight draw. But the river brought the 3 and Schafer made his way toward the exit.

Garrett Beckman Gone in 31st Place ($193,000)

Beckman raised to 175,000 preflop from under the gun. Dennis Phillips made the call from the cutfoff and the flop came 1067. Both players checked and the 9 came on the turn. Beckman bet 280,000 and Phillips popped it to 600,000 total. Beckman came over the top for his entire stack and Phillips made the call, turning over Q8 for a straight on the turn. Beckman showed AQ for the nut flush draw. The 4 came on the river and Beckman was eliminated from the main event.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Garrett Beckman,   Gregory Byard,   Brandon Cantu,   Craig Marquis,   Dennis Phillips,   Ivan Demidov

$10,000 Main Event - Five Down, Two to Go

Jul 12, '08

Play is done for the night. The final 79 players are set to return for day 6 at noon Sunday. Notables still alive include: Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, Victor Ramdin, Matt Matros, Brandon Cantu, David Benefield, Adam Levy and Kido Pham.

Blinds/Antes: 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante

Players Left: 79 of 6,844

Chip Leaders:
Mark Ketteringham: 5,700,000
Andrew Brokos: 4,100,000
Tiffany Michelle: 3,800,000
Jamal Kunbuz: 3,500,000
Albert Kim: 3,400,000
Nikolay Losev: 3,400,000
Alfred Fernandez: 3,100,000
Steve Lade: 3,000,000
Judet Cristian: 2,900,000
Aaron Gordon: 2,900,000

Average Stack: 1,732,658

Eliminations:
80th Place - Mark Vos ($77,200)
81st Place - Davor Lanini ($77,200)
82nd Place - Stephen Kenna ($64,333)
83rd Place - Lonnie Heinowitz ($64,333)
84th Place - Alexander Kostritsyn ($64,333)
85th Place - Cedric Kolstad ($64,333)
86th Place - Reagan Silber ($64,333)

Big Hands:

Vos Busts On Final Hand of Day 5 - 80th Place ($77,200)

After Dennis Phillips raised to 65,000, Mark Vos reraised to 180,000. Phillips repopped it to 400,000 and Vos moved all in for 1,500,000. Phillips made the easy call and showed AA. Vos held AK and was in horrible shape. The board ran Q93102 and just like that Vos, who had an above-average chip stack before the hand, was eliminated on the final hand of the night.

Matros Fills Up, Busts Silber in 86th Place ($64,333)

Reagan Silber fired out a bet of 100,000 on a flop of Q76 and Matt Matros raised, making it 300,000 to go. Silber moved all in and Matros wasted little time calling. Matros held 76 for two pair on the flop, but Silber was drawing at the nut flush with A9. The turn was the 6, giving Matros a full house and ending the drama they would have otherwise had to endure. The 5 hit on the river and Matros eliminated Silber and reached the 2 million mark.

The Reigning Aussie Millions Champ Is Gone in 84th Place ($64,333)

Alexaner Kostritsyn raised to 65,000 and was called by Garrett Beckman from the button. Kostritsyn checked the flop of 1064 and Beckman fired 90,000. Kostritsyn check-raised all in for 395,000 and Beckman took several minutes to think over his decision. He eventually called and showed 77, which he quickly saw was ahead of Kostritsyn's AK. The 2 and J completed the board and Kostritsyn was eliminated.

Hellmuth Gets Keayed

Aaron Keay raised to 80,000 before the flop. From the small blind, Hellmuth raised to 220,000, and Keay made the call. The flop came AJ5, and Hellmuth fired out for another 140,000. It didn't take long for Keay to move all in, and it took even less time for Hellmuth to fold his hand. Phil's stack went down to around 900,000 after the hand. He recovered slightly the next hand, raising to 65,000 preflop to take down the blinds and antes.

A Brick Saves Joseph Money

On a board of 1043, Jeremy Joseph fired 100,000 into a pot of about 200,000. The player on the button mucked, but Suresh Prabhu made the call from the big blind. The turn was the 8 and both players checked. The Q fell on the river and Prabhu led out for 200,000. Joseph looked off in the distance, clearly frustrated. "That is a brick," Joseph said about the final card. He then threw his hand in the muck. Prabhu showed 44 for a flopped set of sailboats and a rivered full house. Joseph smiled as he was around 1.6 million after the hand.

Staying Alive

Alex Outhred got all in preflop against Michael Carroll and the players showed their hands. Carroll showed 99, but Outhred had two overs with QJ. The flop hit Outhred hard, running AQ10 to give him middle pair and the better flush draw of the two. The 4 turn and 8 kept clear of Carroll's hand and Outhred doubled to around 675,000.

Chinotown

Sean Davis raised to 75,000 before the flop, and was called by two players, Cristian Dragomir and David "Chino" Rheem. The flop ran out 1052. All three players checked to the turn, which brought the 3. Dragomir fired out a bet, pushing Davis out of the hand. Rheem made the call, and Dragomir checked the river, the 5. Rheem bet out 240,000, and Dragomir made the call, but threw his cards into the muck after Rheem turned over the KQ for the rivered flush.

Nobody Wants to Play with Mikey

For a guy who just shoved with suited 10-5, Mike Matusow has been having a hard time getting any action at the ESPN feature table. Here's a look at a day of poker with the Mouth:

Owen Crowe raised to 66,000 from the cutoff. From the button, Mike Matusow then reraised to 201,000 total. Everyone folded, and Matusow flipped over pocket kings.

Later in the round, Matusow raised to 82,000 preflop. Everyone folded again, and Matusow flipped over pocket jacks.

Later in the round, Matusow raised from the button to 77,000. The players in the blinds, including Phil Hellmuth, folded once again. This time Matusow flipped over A-K. He was unable to find any more action this evening, ending the day with around 1.2 million.

Phe Phi Pho Phum

Cristian Dragomir raised preflop to 82,000, and only Phi Nguyen made the call. The flop came QJ3, and both players checked to the turn, which brought the 7. Nguyen led out for 110,000. Dragomir then raised to 300,000, only to have Nguyen move all in. Dragomir tanked for some time before making the laydown.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Mike Matusow,   Phil Hellmuth,   Michael Carroll,   Alex Outhred,   Chino Rheem,   Garrett Beckman,   Mark Vos,   Jeremy Joseph,   Alexander Kostritsyn,   European Report,   Cristian Dragomir,   Suresh Prabhu

Main Event - Day 7 - Level 28

Jul 14, '08

Blinds/Antes: 40,000-80,000-10,000

Players Remaining: 25 out of 6,844

Chip Leaders:
Peter Eastgate - 12,830,000
Dennis Phillips 12,250,000
Craig Marquis 10,300,000
Paul Snead - 10,200,000
Kelly Kim - 8,650,000
David 'Chino' Rheem - 7,600,000
Tiffany Michelle - 7,400,000
Gert Andersen - 5,920,000
Toni Judet - 5,900,000
Joe Bishop - 5,050,000

Average Chip Stack: 5.26 million

Eliminations:

26th place - Phi Nguyen - $257,334
27th place - Michael Carroll - $257,334

Big Hands and Storylines

Michael Carroll Eliminated in 27th place ($257,334)

Three players saw a flop of A54. Gert Andersen checked, and Michael Carroll moved all in for his last 735,000. Joe Bishop made the call, and was quite unhappy to see Gert Andersen move all in over the top behind him. Bishop folded his hand in frustration, but saw that he had made a good laydown as Gert Andersen flipped over 44 for flopped bottom set. Carroll was far behind with only A9, and failed to improve as the turn and river came J10, bringing his Main Event run to an end in 27th place.

Phi Nguyen Eliminated in 26th Place ($257,334)

After Paul Snead entered the pot and was called by Tiffany Michelle, Phi Nguyen moved all in for under one million. Snead was the only caller.

Nguyen: AT
Snead: JJ

Board: 93258

Michelle Drops Three Million Early in Level

On the first hand of the day, Owen Crowe raised from middle position and Tiffany Michelle called from late position. The two saw a 875 flop and Crowe bet 375,000. Michelle called and the turn was the 3. Crowe checked and Michelle bet 500,000. Crowe then reraised 1.075 million more. Michelle folded and Crowe flipped over J9.

Paul Snead raised from early position and was called by three players. The flop came 643 and Snead bet 600,000. Michelle, sitting to her immediate left, then raised to 1.6 million. It folded around to Snead, and he quickly moved all in, a raise of about four million. Michelle took a few minutes to think, and while she did Snead paced around and talked to his wife and Joe Awada a few feet from the table. Finally Michelle folded and Snead took down the pot. Michelle began the day with nearly 10 million and now has under seven million.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Paul Snead,   Owen Crowe,   Tiffany Michelle

$10,000 Main Event - Cantu Takes Hit

Jul 13, '08

Note: Players are now on a 20 minute break.

Blinds: 30,000-60,000 Ante: 10,000

Players Remaining: 30 of 6,844

Chip Leaders:

Craig Marquis: 12,000,000
Dennis Phillips: 11,000,000
Peter Eastgate: 9,000,000
Gert Andersen: 8,300,000
Kelly Kim: 8,200,000
Tiffany Michelle: 7,500,000
Albert Kim: 7,200,000
David Rheem: 7,000,000
Chris Klodnicki: 6,000,000
Antoanell Judet: 5,600,000

Average Chip Stack: 4,562,667

Eliminations:
34th: Greg Byard - $193,000
33rd: Jamal Kunbuz - $193,000
32nd: Clint Schafer - $193,000
31st: Garret Beckman - $193,000

Big Hands:

Marquis Becomes New Chip Leader, Cantu Loses More Than Half His Stack

Brandon Cantu had a lot of chips. So did Craig Marquis. Together, they created the biggest pot of the tournament. After raised and reraised action preflop Cantu was heads up against Marquis. Both checked the flop of J65. The A fell on the turn and Cantu checked to Marquis, who bet 200,000. Cantu check-raised to one million and Marquis just called. The 10 completed the board and Cantu moved all in, having Marquis covered. Marquis called and Cantu threw his cards into the muck. Marquis showed AQ and raked a pot that moved him over the 12 million mark. Cantu fell to under 4 million.

Byard Busts in 34th Place ($193,000)

Greg Byard was short on chips and moved all in from the button for his last 490,000. Sitting in the big blind, Ivan Demidov made the call and they flipped over their cards. Demidov's KJ was a huge favorite over Byard's J6. The flop brought K74, giving Demidov top pair and leaving Byard dead to running cards. The turn was the 9 and when the 8 hit on the river he was eliminated from the tournament.

Phillips Outdrawn, Doubles Beckman

Garrett Beckman pushed all in for 870,000 and was called by Dennis Phillips from the button. Phillips showed QQ and was ahead of Beckman's KJ. The flop ran J44, pairing Beckman but still leaving him behind. But when the J hit on the turn it was Phillips who was left drawing slim to one of the two remaining queens in the deck. Instead, the K fell on the river and Beckman made a full house to double up to around 2 million. Phillips was left with 8.9 million after the hand, still good enough for second place on the leaderboard.

Ladies Double Nguyen

Phi Nguyen moved all in from the small blind and was called by Cristian Dragomir. Nguyen showed QQ and was in good shape against Dragomir's KQ. The board ran AJ6J5 and Nguyen saw his stack double to 1.4 million.

Jamal Kunbuz Eliminated in 33rd Place - $193,000

From middle position, Jamal Kundbuz open shoved all-in for 1,020,000. Ylon Schwartz reraised all in over the top, shutting down the possibility of further action. The players turned over their cards, and Schwartz turned over the bad news, holding AA against Kundbuz's A10. Kundbuz was unable to find a miracle in the deck as the board ran out 10847J, sending the Venezuelan home in 33rd place. Schwartz's stack increased to around 2.6 million after the hand.

Clint Schafer Out in 32nd Place ($193,000)

Schafer pushed all in from the button preflop and Tim Loecke made the call. Schafer showed K8 while Loecke turned over AQ. The flop came A75, giving Loecke a tight grip on the hand. The turn was the 4, giving Schafer a gutshot straight draw. But the river brought the 3 and Schafer made his way toward the exit.

Garrett Beckman Gone in 31st Place ($193,000)

Beckman raised to 175,000 preflop from under the gun. Dennis Phillips made the call from the cutfoff and the flop came 1067. Both players checked and the 9 came on the turn. Beckman bet 280,000 and Phillips popped it to 600,000 total. Beckman came over the top for his entire stack and Phillips made the call, turning over Q8 for a straight on the turn. Beckman showed AQ for the nut flush draw. The 4 came on the river and Beckman was eliminated from the main event.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Garrett Beckman,   Gregory Byard,   Brandon Cantu,   Craig Marquis,   Dennis Phillips,   Ivan Demidov

$10,000 Main Event - Five Down, Two to Go

Jul 12, '08

Play is done for the night. The final 79 players are set to return for day 6 at noon Sunday. Notables still alive include: Phil Hellmuth, Mike Matusow, Victor Ramdin, Matt Matros, Brandon Cantu, David Benefield, Adam Levy and Kido Pham.

Blinds/Antes: 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante

Players Left: 79 of 6,844

Chip Leaders:
Mark Ketteringham: 5,700,000
Andrew Brokos: 4,100,000
Tiffany Michelle: 3,800,000
Jamal Kunbuz: 3,500,000
Albert Kim: 3,400,000
Nikolay Losev: 3,400,000
Alfred Fernandez: 3,100,000
Steve Lade: 3,000,000
Judet Cristian: 2,900,000
Aaron Gordon: 2,900,000

Average Stack: 1,732,658

Eliminations:
80th Place - Mark Vos ($77,200)
81st Place - Davor Lanini ($77,200)
82nd Place - Stephen Kenna ($64,333)
83rd Place - Lonnie Heinowitz ($64,333)
84th Place - Alexander Kostritsyn ($64,333)
85th Place - Cedric Kolstad ($64,333)
86th Place - Reagan Silber ($64,333)

Big Hands:

Vos Busts On Final Hand of Day 5 - 80th Place ($77,200)

After Dennis Phillips raised to 65,000, Mark Vos reraised to 180,000. Phillips repopped it to 400,000 and Vos moved all in for 1,500,000. Phillips made the easy call and showed AA. Vos held AK and was in horrible shape. The board ran Q93102 and just like that Vos, who had an above-average chip stack before the hand, was eliminated on the final hand of the night.

Matros Fills Up, Busts Silber in 86th Place ($64,333)

Reagan Silber fired out a bet of 100,000 on a flop of Q76 and Matt Matros raised, making it 300,000 to go. Silber moved all in and Matros wasted little time calling. Matros held 76 for two pair on the flop, but Silber was drawing at the nut flush with A9. The turn was the 6, giving Matros a full house and ending the drama they would have otherwise had to endure. The 5 hit on the river and Matros eliminated Silber and reached the 2 million mark.

The Reigning Aussie Millions Champ Is Gone in 84th Place ($64,333)

Alexaner Kostritsyn raised to 65,000 and was called by Garrett Beckman from the button. Kostritsyn checked the flop of 1064 and Beckman fired 90,000. Kostritsyn check-raised all in for 395,000 and Beckman took several minutes to think over his decision. He eventually called and showed 77, which he quickly saw was ahead of Kostritsyn's AK. The 2 and J completed the board and Kostritsyn was eliminated.

Hellmuth Gets Keayed

Aaron Keay raised to 80,000 before the flop. From the small blind, Hellmuth raised to 220,000, and Keay made the call. The flop came AJ5, and Hellmuth fired out for another 140,000. It didn't take long for Keay to move all in, and it took even less time for Hellmuth to fold his hand. Phil's stack went down to around 900,000 after the hand. He recovered slightly the next hand, raising to 65,000 preflop to take down the blinds and antes.

A Brick Saves Joseph Money

On a board of 1043, Jeremy Joseph fired 100,000 into a pot of about 200,000. The player on the button mucked, but Suresh Prabhu made the call from the big blind. The turn was the 8 and both players checked. The Q fell on the river and Prabhu led out for 200,000. Joseph looked off in the distance, clearly frustrated. "That is a brick," Joseph said about the final card. He then threw his hand in the muck. Prabhu showed 44 for a flopped set of sailboats and a rivered full house. Joseph smiled as he was around 1.6 million after the hand.

Staying Alive

Alex Outhred got all in preflop against Michael Carroll and the players showed their hands. Carroll showed 99, but Outhred had two overs with QJ. The flop hit Outhred hard, running AQ10 to give him middle pair and the better flush draw of the two. The 4 turn and 8 kept clear of Carroll's hand and Outhred doubled to around 675,000.

Chinotown

Sean Davis raised to 75,000 before the flop, and was called by two players, Cristian Dragomir and David "Chino" Rheem. The flop ran out 1052. All three players checked to the turn, which brought the 3. Dragomir fired out a bet, pushing Davis out of the hand. Rheem made the call, and Dragomir checked the river, the 5. Rheem bet out 240,000, and Dragomir made the call, but threw his cards into the muck after Rheem turned over the KQ for the rivered flush.

Nobody Wants to Play with Mikey

For a guy who just shoved with suited 10-5, Mike Matusow has been having a hard time getting any action at the ESPN feature table. Here's a look at a day of poker with the Mouth:

Owen Crowe raised to 66,000 from the cutoff. From the button, Mike Matusow then reraised to 201,000 total. Everyone folded, and Matusow flipped over pocket kings.

Later in the round, Matusow raised to 82,000 preflop. Everyone folded again, and Matusow flipped over pocket jacks.

Later in the round, Matusow raised from the button to 77,000. The players in the blinds, including Phil Hellmuth, folded once again. This time Matusow flipped over A-K. He was unable to find any more action this evening, ending the day with around 1.2 million.

Phe Phi Pho Phum

Cristian Dragomir raised preflop to 82,000, and only Phi Nguyen made the call. The flop came QJ3, and both players checked to the turn, which brought the 7. Nguyen led out for 110,000. Dragomir then raised to 300,000, only to have Nguyen move all in. Dragomir tanked for some time before making the laydown.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Mike Matusow,   Phil Hellmuth,   Michael Carroll,   Alex Outhred,   Chino Rheem,   Garrett Beckman,   Mark Vos,   Jeremy Joseph,   Alexander Kostritsyn,   European Report,   Cristian Dragomir,   Suresh Prabhu

$1,000 No-Limit Hold'em with Rebuys - Day 2 - Level 18 Recap

Jun 04, '08

Note The players just finished a 20-minute break.

Blinds/Antes: 5,000/10,000 – 1,000 ante

Players Left:  11 of 776

Chip Leaders:
Alan Jaffray - 1,120,000
Michael Banducci - 740,000
Lyric Duveyoung - 700,000
Jamie “TheCronic420” Rosen - 630,000
Jeff “YellowSub86” Williams - 610,000
Phi Nguyen - 580,000
Peter Gould - 570,000
Jonathan “FatalError” Aguiar - 330,000
Steve Gross - 260,000
Randy “Randers” Haddox - 210,000
Michael Binger – 200,000

Eliminations:
Adam “Roothlus” Levy
Alan “The Usher” Sass

Big Hands and Storylines:

Banducci Rivers “Roothlus”

After a series of pre-flop raising, Adam “Roothlus” Levy and Michael Banducci got all of their chips in. Levy was in great shape with his AK against the KQ of Banducci. The flop was a welcome one for Levy: T85. The turn was the 4 however, giving Banducci a flush draw to go along with his queen outs. The 7 came on the river, making Banducci the flush and banishing Levy to the rail. After the hand Banducci raked in a pot of 750,000.

The River Bites Back

An orbit later, Michael Banducci gets his 6-6 all-in pre-flop against the A-K of Randall “Randers” Haddox. The flop – T54 – was benign, as was the Q on the turn. The A spiked on the river though, giving Haddox a pair of aces and winning him a 500k pot. After the hand, Banducci was again back to 500,000 in chips.

Jaffray Finally Loses One

From the small blind, Michael Binger moves all-in for his last 100,000 chips and gets a call from Alan Jaffray. Binger’s T6 was up against Jaffray’s A3.  The KQ9 flop gave Binger another four outs to count on, but it was one of his original outs – the T on the turn – that saved him. Binger doubled up to about 200,000, but is still one of the smallest stacks remaining.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   Lyric Duveyoung,   Michael Binger,   Jonathan Aguiar,   Randy Haddox,   Michael Banducci,   Jeff Williams,   Alan Jaffray,   Adam Levy,   Jamie Rosen

$1,000 No-Limit Hold'em with Rebuys - Day 2 - Level 16 Recap

Jun 04, '08

Blinds/Antes: 3,000/6,000 – 500 ante

Players Left:  21 of 776

Chip Leaders:
Lyric Duveyoung - 740,000
Alan Jaffray - 575,000
Phi Nguyen – 400,000
Jeff “YellowSub86” Williams - 360,000
Jonathan “FatalError” Aguiar - 355,000
Peter Gould - 350,000
Michael Banducci - 300,000
Chris Moore - 240,000
Steve Gross - 235,000
Craig “MrCasino” Gray - 235,000
Clonie Gowen – 140,000

Eliminations:
Amit “amak316” Makhija
John Juanda
Nenad Medic
Kenneth Shelton
Daniel Negreanu

Big Hands and Storylines:

Not a Safe Seat in the House

Upon getting down to 27 players, the 4 tables were condensed and the players were re-seated at three new tables. Despite this change of scenery the competition remained as fierce as ever. The players at each of the tables included:

Table 5: Amit “amak316” Makhija, Jon “FatalError” Aguiar, Lyric Duveyoung, Michael Banducci, Alan “The Usher” Sass

Table 10: Michael Binger, Nenad Medic, John Juanda, Clonie Gowen, Name Le, Jon “apestyles” Van Fleet

Table 15: Jeff “YellowSub86” Williams, Ray “ExitOnly” Coburn, Jamie “TheCronic420” Rosen, Craig “MrCasino” Gray, Randy “Randers” Haddox, Daniel Negreanu

Gould Ousts Juanda

John Juanda raised to 14,000 from the cutoff, Peter Gould raised to 54,000 from the button, and, with only 130,000 chips remaining, Juanda opted only to call. The two saw a flop of Q76 and Juanda immediately pushed his remaining 90,000 chips all-in. Gould went into the tank, believing Juanda to have a strong hand. Ultimately Gould made the call and was relieved to his TT far ahead of Juanda’s AK. The turn and river were the 9 and Q, and Gould took a walk from the table to celebrate his win and calm his nerves. Gould now has 350,000 chips.

Banducci’s Bluff Goes Bad
On a flop of J63, Michael Banducci led a 55,000 bet into Alan Jaffray. Jaffray called and the dealer laid out the Q. Banducci pushed out a mountain of orange T5,000 chips, putting Jaffray to a decision for his remaining 130,000 chips. Jaffray leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head, his smile belying his inner-turmoil. He finally mustered up the will to make the call and flipped up KJ. Banducci unabashedly showed his bluff: A7. The 5 appeared on the river and Jaffray’s stack soared to 575,000. Banducci’s mistimed bluff chopped his stack to 300,000.

Blind Battle Claims Negreanu

A button limper, Phil Nguyen in the small blind, and Daniel Negreanu saw a flop of J87. Nguyen bet out 15,000 and Negreanu called. The button folded and the two blinds watched the dealer flip up the J. Again Nguyen led out – this time for 30,000 – but Negreanu came over the top for 100,000 total. Nguyen quickly raised all-in for 50,000 more and Negreanu had no choice to call with T9, an open-ended straight-flush draw. Unfortunately for him, Nguyen had turned a full house with J8 and Negreanu was drawing to 2-outs. The river came Q and Nguyen more than doubled up to 400,000. Negreanu, left with 30,000 after the hand, busted a short time later when his A-2 ran into the A-K of Ray “ExitOnly” Coburn.

Player Tags: Phi Nguyen,   John Juanda,   Daniel Negreanu,   Clonie Gowen,   Lyric Duveyoung,   Nenad Medic,   Craig Gray,   Jonathan Aguiar,   Peter Gould,   Raymond Coburn,   Michael Banducci,   Amit Makhija,   Jeff Williams,   Alan Jaffray,   Kenneth Shelton