| Jun 30, '10 |
2010 41st Annual World Series of Poker |
Event 49 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em |
3 |
+ |
Final Table Update: Ben Smith (4th) and Mihai Manole (3rd) Eliminated
Jul 01, '10
Blinds: 40,000-80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 2 out of 2,543
Average Chip Count: 5,721,750
Tournament Leaderboard:
1. Michael Linn – 8,550,000
2. Taylor Larkin – 2,850,000
Notable Eliminations:
3. Mihai Manole – $268,189
4. Benjamin Smith – $193,418
Big Hands:
Ben Smith Eliminated in Fourth Place ($193,418)
Ben Smith moved all in preflop and Michael Linn made the call. Their cards:
Smith: A 4
Linn: 88
Board: Q 105J8
Smith was eliminated in fourth place on the hand and he took home $193,418 in prize money.
 Mihai Manole Eliminated in Third Place ($268,189)
Mihai Manole moved all in preflop for 1.5 million and Michael Linn made the call. Their cards:
Manole: 22
Linn: A9
Board: AJ45K
Manole was eliminated on the hand in third place and he took home $268,189 in prize money.
Player Tags: Mihai Manole, Ben Smith
Final Table Update: Justin Zaki Eliminated In 7th Place, Kuzmin 6th
Jun 30, '10
Blinds: 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante
Players Remaining: 5 out of 2,543
Average Chip Count: 2,288,700
Tournament Leaderboard:
1. Taylor Larkin – 4,410,000
2. Michael Linn – 1,945,000
3. Chadwick Grimes – 1,825,000
4. Benjamin Smith – 1,810,000
5. Mihai Manole – 1,525,000
Notable Eliminations:
7. Justin Zaki — $78,067
6. Alexander Kuzmin — $104,364
Big Hands:
Justin Zaki Eliminated In Seventh Place ($78,067)
Mihai Manole raised to 100,000 from the button and Justin Zaki moved all in for 775,000 from the big blind. Manole snap-called and the players turned over their hands:
Manole: AA
Zaki: 65
Zaki’s move failed miserably as he was up against the best starting hand in poker. The board ran out A989K and Zaki was eliminated.
 Alexander Kuzmin Eliminated In Sixth Place ($104,364)
Alexander Kuzmin moved all in for 875,000 from under the gun and he was called by Taylor Larkin. Here were their cards:
Kuzmin: AQ
Larkin: JJ
Kuzmin was racing for his tournament life and the board ran out 832610 and Kuzmin found no help as he was sent to the rail.
Player Tags: Alexander Kuzmin, Mihai Manole
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| Sep 09, '09 |
2009 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona - Season VI |
PokerStars EPT Barcelona Main Event |
6 |
+ |
Mihai Manole Eliminated in Fourth Place (€250,000)
Sep 09, '09
Marc Goodwin raised to 290,000 and Mihai Manole reraised all in. Goodwin called and they flipped up their cards:
Manole: A10
Goodwin: A9
Board: K52K4
Goodwin hit the flush on the river and Manole took home €250,000 in prize money for his fourth-place finish.
Player Tags: Marc Goodwin, Mihai Manole
Two Double Ups
Sep 09, '09
The double ups have set in once again. Here are the last two doubles ups:
Asa Smith moved all in preflop for 320,000 and Carter Phillips made the call. Their cards:
Phillips: 55
Smith: K10
Board: A653Q
Smith doubles up on the hand to survive.
On the next hand Marc Goodwin opened the action with a raised and Mihai Manole reraised all in for 535,000. Goodwin called and they flipped up their cards:
Manole: A3
Phillips: AK
Board: A37J6
Manole doubled up and action continued five handed.
Player Tags: Marc Goodwin, Mihai Manole, Asa Smith, Carter Phillips
Player Bio -- Mihai Manole
Sep 09, '09
Provided by PokerStars:
Seat 2: Mihai Manole, 27, from Bucharest, Romania – 410,000 chips
Mihai is a professional poker player and has been playing poker for the last six years. He lives in Bucharest and graduated in computer science last year. He plays both online and live – cash and tournaments – and has had a string of great results including second place at the Caribbean Poker Classic in 2007 for $145,500. He also made the final table of the WSOP $2k event in 2008 for $155,000.
Player Tags: Mihai Manole
Double Trouble
Sep 09, '09
Four hands in and there’s another all in. It’s big stacked Carter Phillips versus short stack Mihai Manole. They both hold A-K, Manole with A K.
Manole doubles up as his fifth diamond hits on the river.
It’s now level 26 and the blinds are 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante.
Player Tags: Mihai Manole
Doubles Alley
Sep 08, '09
 Two different players have doubled up recently in hands that involved pocket jacks. Cornel Andrew Cimpan held two jacks against the K-8 of his opponent to survive, and then Mihai Manole defeated the pocket jacks of his opponent with A-K in the hole on an A-7-3-Q-8 board to keep his final-table hopes alive.
Update: Cimpan just doubled up again when his J-9 held up against the Q-6 of Michael Mcdonald on a 10-5-4-J-K board.
Player Tags: Cornel Andrew Cimpan, Mike McDonald, Mihai Manole
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| Sep 08, '09 |
2009 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona - Season VI |
PokerStars EPT Barcelona Main Event |
5 |
+ |
Mihai Manole Eliminated in Fourth Place (€250,000)
Sep 09, '09
Marc Goodwin raised to 290,000 and Mihai Manole reraised all in. Goodwin called and they flipped up their cards:
Manole: A10
Goodwin: A9
Board: K52K4
Goodwin hit the flush on the river and Manole took home €250,000 in prize money for his fourth-place finish.
Player Tags: Marc Goodwin, Mihai Manole
Two Double Ups
Sep 09, '09
The double ups have set in once again. Here are the last two doubles ups:
Asa Smith moved all in preflop for 320,000 and Carter Phillips made the call. Their cards:
Phillips: 55
Smith: K10
Board: A653Q
Smith doubles up on the hand to survive.
On the next hand Marc Goodwin opened the action with a raised and Mihai Manole reraised all in for 535,000. Goodwin called and they flipped up their cards:
Manole: A3
Phillips: AK
Board: A37J6
Manole doubled up and action continued five handed.
Player Tags: Marc Goodwin, Mihai Manole, Asa Smith, Carter Phillips
Player Bio -- Mihai Manole
Sep 09, '09
Provided by PokerStars:
Seat 2: Mihai Manole, 27, from Bucharest, Romania – 410,000 chips
Mihai is a professional poker player and has been playing poker for the last six years. He lives in Bucharest and graduated in computer science last year. He plays both online and live – cash and tournaments – and has had a string of great results including second place at the Caribbean Poker Classic in 2007 for $145,500. He also made the final table of the WSOP $2k event in 2008 for $155,000.
Player Tags: Mihai Manole
Double Trouble
Sep 09, '09
Four hands in and there’s another all in. It’s big stacked Carter Phillips versus short stack Mihai Manole. They both hold A-K, Manole with A K.
Manole doubles up as his fifth diamond hits on the river.
It’s now level 26 and the blinds are 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante.
Player Tags: Mihai Manole
Doubles Alley
Sep 08, '09
Two different players have doubled up recently in hands that involved pocket jacks. Cornel Andrew Cimpan held two jacks against the K-8 of his opponent to survive, and then Mihai Manole defeated the pocket jacks of his opponent with A-K in the hole on an A-7-3-Q-8 board to keep his final-table hopes alive.
Update: Cimpan just doubled up again when his J-9 held up against the Q-6 of Michael Mcdonald on a 10-5-4-J-K board.
Player Tags: Cornel Andrew Cimpan, Mike McDonald, Mihai Manole
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| Jun 06, '08 |
2008 39th Annual World Series of Poker |
Event 7 - No-Limit Hold'em |
3 |
+ |
Hour 3 - Chris Bjorin 6th ($123,141), Mahai Manole 5th ($155,013)
Jun 06, '08
Note: Players have just returned from break to Level 21 with increased blinds of 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante.
Blinds/Antes: 10,000-20,000 with a 3,000 ante (Level 20)
Players Left: 4
Chip Counts:
Theo Tran: 2,807,000
Carter Gill: 1,395,000
Matt Keikoan: 1,085,000
Shannon Shorr: 446,000
Eliminations:
Chris Bjorin Eliminated in 6th Place ($123,141)
Mihai Manole Eliminated in 5th place ($155,013)
Big Hands:
 Chris Bjorin Eliminated in 6th place ($123,141)
A desperately short stacked Chris Bjorin moved all in from under the gun for his last 61,000. Both Mihai Manole and Carter Gill made the call. The flop came Q105, and Manole and Gill check. The turn was the 9 and both players check once again. The river brought the 8 and still there is no action. With no side pot, all three players turned up their hands.
Bjorin: K9
Manole: 64
Gill: 76
Bjorin unknowingly held the lead going into the river where Carter Gill peeled off an eight for the inside straight. Gill raked the pot while Bjorin was sent home in 6th place, earning $123,141 for his efforts.
 Mihai Manole Eliminated in 5th place ($155,013)
Theo Tran raised to 60,000 from under the gun and the action folded around to Mihai Manole who reraised to 160,000 from the small blind. Tran made the call and the flop came 853. Manole bet 150,000 and Tran raised to 350,000. Manole reraised all in and Tran made a quick call. Manole turned over A8 for top pair, top kicker while Tran showed 55 for middle set. The turn brought the 10 and Manole was drawing dead to an inconsequential river card (Q). Mihai Manole was eliminated in 5th place ($155,013) while chip leader Theo Tran raked what was surely the biggest pot of the night thus far.
Player Tags: Chris Bjorin, Theo Tran, Mihai Manole, Carter Gill
2,000 NLHE - Day 2 - End of Day
Jun 05, '08
Play has ended for the day after Manny Minaya was busted out in 10th place with eight minutes remaining in level 18. The tournament had a field of 1592 players, and the final nine return Friday for their chance at a gold bracelet.
Blinds: 6000/12000 with 1000 ante.
Players Left: 9
Chip Count:
Theo Tran - 1,884,000
Mihai Manole - 1,020,000
Matt Keikoan - 1,011,000
Carter Gill - 652,000
Shannon Shorr - 627,000
Mike Lisanti - 358,000
Alex Bolotin - 345,000
J.C. Tran - 273,000
Chris Bjorin - 205,000
Eliminations: Manny Minaya, Thong Tran, Tim Taft, Issam Abbas.
Big Hands:
 Tran Busts Minaya in 10th
Theo Tran was already sitting as chip leader, but padded his count at the expense of Manny Minaya when play was 10-handed. Tran raised to 40,000 and Minaya moved all-in from the big blind for 185,000 more. Tran was in trouble, his AK up against Minaya's KK, but the flop proved product falling A98. The 4 came on the turn and 10 on the river wrapped up play for the day.
Bolotin Survives All-in
The previous hand to Minaya's exit, it was Alex Bolotin's turn to sweat. Bolotin raised from early position, going all-in for 159,000. He drew a call from Matt Keikoan, who showed 1010. Bolotin was ahead with QQ, and dodged the flop when the AK3 hit. Bolotin hit a set with the Q on the turn, but that also gave Keikoan a straight draw. But the 4 came on the river and Bolotin doubled up to 345,000.
Final Table Familiar Territory for Tran
Two final tables in the 2007 World Series of Poker, and already a final table appearance in the 2008 WSOP. And Theo Tran is worried.
"I hope it's not a trend," said Tran, who will be the runaway chip leader when his second final table of the 2008 WSOP begins Friday. "I was second in the ($1000 w/rebuys) last year, fourth in the ($3000 limit), and this year I was fourth in the $1,500 two days ago. I hope this is the one. I want it pretty bad."
If he catches cards like he did in Day 2 of the $2000 tourney, his chances are pretty solid.
"I ran like God today," said Tran. "I had kings six times, aces once, ace-king about five times. I've never run like this in my life. But to my credit, I felt I played them really well. All my kings, I played them different. Once I knew the other guy was steaming, so I just smooth called and acted weak. I knew it was going to be a good chance to squeeze."
Tran entered the second day of play as the chip leader but spilled a significant number of chips in the early going when his pocket sixes fell to pocket eights. From there he turned on the aggression.
"I stumbled bad there at the start, but I was able to double up. I knew I was going to try to get those chips back. I wasn't going to sit around with a short stack."
One player at the final table who is short stacked is J.C. Tran, but the veteran nursed it through the final four tables and remains an imposing presence at the final table.
"It's great," says Theo. "He's been like a big brother to me. I'm very happy he's going to the final table with me. And he's a player who can adjust to any situation. He's great, I've learned so much from him."
Player Tags: J.C. Tran, Matt Keikoan, Theo Tran, Alex Bolotin, Mihai Manole
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| Jun 05, '08 |
2008 39th Annual World Series of Poker |
Event 7 - No-Limit Hold'em |
2 |
+ |
Hour 3 - Chris Bjorin 6th ($123,141), Mahai Manole 5th ($155,013)
Jun 06, '08
Note: Players have just returned from break to Level 21 with increased blinds of 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante.
Blinds/Antes: 10,000-20,000 with a 3,000 ante (Level 20)
Players Left: 4
Chip Counts:
Theo Tran: 2,807,000
Carter Gill: 1,395,000
Matt Keikoan: 1,085,000
Shannon Shorr: 446,000
Eliminations:
Chris Bjorin Eliminated in 6th Place ($123,141)
Mihai Manole Eliminated in 5th place ($155,013)
Big Hands:
Chris Bjorin Eliminated in 6th place ($123,141)
A desperately short stacked Chris Bjorin moved all in from under the gun for his last 61,000. Both Mihai Manole and Carter Gill made the call. The flop came Q105, and Manole and Gill check. The turn was the 9 and both players check once again. The river brought the 8 and still there is no action. With no side pot, all three players turned up their hands.
Bjorin: K9
Manole: 64
Gill: 76
Bjorin unknowingly held the lead going into the river where Carter Gill peeled off an eight for the inside straight. Gill raked the pot while Bjorin was sent home in 6th place, earning $123,141 for his efforts.
Mihai Manole Eliminated in 5th place ($155,013)
Theo Tran raised to 60,000 from under the gun and the action folded around to Mihai Manole who reraised to 160,000 from the small blind. Tran made the call and the flop came 853. Manole bet 150,000 and Tran raised to 350,000. Manole reraised all in and Tran made a quick call. Manole turned over A8 for top pair, top kicker while Tran showed 55 for middle set. The turn brought the 10 and Manole was drawing dead to an inconsequential river card (Q). Mihai Manole was eliminated in 5th place ($155,013) while chip leader Theo Tran raked what was surely the biggest pot of the night thus far.
Player Tags: Chris Bjorin, Theo Tran, Mihai Manole, Carter Gill
2,000 NLHE - Day 2 - End of Day
Jun 05, '08
Play has ended for the day after Manny Minaya was busted out in 10th place with eight minutes remaining in level 18. The tournament had a field of 1592 players, and the final nine return Friday for their chance at a gold bracelet.
Blinds: 6000/12000 with 1000 ante.
Players Left: 9
Chip Count:
Theo Tran - 1,884,000
Mihai Manole - 1,020,000
Matt Keikoan - 1,011,000
Carter Gill - 652,000
Shannon Shorr - 627,000
Mike Lisanti - 358,000
Alex Bolotin - 345,000
J.C. Tran - 273,000
Chris Bjorin - 205,000
Eliminations: Manny Minaya, Thong Tran, Tim Taft, Issam Abbas.
Big Hands:
Tran Busts Minaya in 10th
Theo Tran was already sitting as chip leader, but padded his count at the expense of Manny Minaya when play was 10-handed. Tran raised to 40,000 and Minaya moved all-in from the big blind for 185,000 more. Tran was in trouble, his AK up against Minaya's KK, but the flop proved product falling A98. The 4 came on the turn and 10 on the river wrapped up play for the day.
Bolotin Survives All-in
The previous hand to Minaya's exit, it was Alex Bolotin's turn to sweat. Bolotin raised from early position, going all-in for 159,000. He drew a call from Matt Keikoan, who showed 1010. Bolotin was ahead with QQ, and dodged the flop when the AK3 hit. Bolotin hit a set with the Q on the turn, but that also gave Keikoan a straight draw. But the 4 came on the river and Bolotin doubled up to 345,000.
Final Table Familiar Territory for Tran
Two final tables in the 2007 World Series of Poker, and already a final table appearance in the 2008 WSOP. And Theo Tran is worried.
"I hope it's not a trend," said Tran, who will be the runaway chip leader when his second final table of the 2008 WSOP begins Friday. "I was second in the ($1000 w/rebuys) last year, fourth in the ($3000 limit), and this year I was fourth in the $1,500 two days ago. I hope this is the one. I want it pretty bad."
If he catches cards like he did in Day 2 of the $2000 tourney, his chances are pretty solid.
"I ran like God today," said Tran. "I had kings six times, aces once, ace-king about five times. I've never run like this in my life. But to my credit, I felt I played them really well. All my kings, I played them different. Once I knew the other guy was steaming, so I just smooth called and acted weak. I knew it was going to be a good chance to squeeze."
Tran entered the second day of play as the chip leader but spilled a significant number of chips in the early going when his pocket sixes fell to pocket eights. From there he turned on the aggression.
"I stumbled bad there at the start, but I was able to double up. I knew I was going to try to get those chips back. I wasn't going to sit around with a short stack."
One player at the final table who is short stacked is J.C. Tran, but the veteran nursed it through the final four tables and remains an imposing presence at the final table.
"It's great," says Theo. "He's been like a big brother to me. I'm very happy he's going to the final table with me. And he's a player who can adjust to any situation. He's great, I've learned so much from him."
Player Tags: J.C. Tran, Matt Keikoan, Theo Tran, Alex Bolotin, Mihai Manole
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