Mike Sowers Poker Tournament Updates

Level 27: Mike Sowers Eliminated in 6th Place ($138,301)

Jun 30, '11

Blinds: 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Remaining: 5 out of 474

Average Chip Count: 2,844,000

Chip Counts:

1. Bertrand Grospellier – 3,975,000
2. Joe Ebanks – 3,800,000
3. Chris Moorman – 2,800,000
4. Tristan Wade – 1,900,000
5. Taylor Paur – 1,700,000

Eliminations:

6th. Mike Sowers – $138,301

Mike Sowers Eliminated in 6th Place ($138,301)

Mike Sowers began the official six-handed final table second from the bottom and was the first one eliminated in 6th place.

Sowers button-raised to 105,000 before the flop, Joe Ebanks reraised to 275,000 from the big blind and Sowers called.

The board came 9 6 5, Ebanks bet 275,000 and Sowers called.

The turn was the 3, Ebanks shoved and Sowers called all in.

Sowers was ahead with top pair on the flop, but Ebanks had a flush draw and a straight draw. The river was the 9, giving Sowers trips but Ebanks a flush to win the pot. Mike Sowers was the first to go, eliminated in 6th place ($138,301).

Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.

Player Tags: Joe Ebanks,   Mike Sowers

Level 26: Tollerene Eliminated 7th, Final Now Table Underway

Jun 29, '11

NOTE: Play ended last night with 22 players and resumed today at 2:30pm. With the elimination of Ben Tollerene in 7th place ($99,493), the official six-handed final table is now underway.

Blinds: 20,000-40,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Remaining: 8 out of 474

Average Chip Count: 2,370,000

Chip Counts:

1. Chris Moorman – 3,955,000
2. Joe Ebanks – 3,100,000
3. Tristan Wade – 2,465,000
4. Bertrand Grospellier – 2,435,000
5. Mike Sowers – 1,445,000
6. Taylor Paur – 830,000

Payouts:

1st. $1,158,481
2nd. $716,282
3rd. $447,074
4th. $292,866
5th. $198,140
6th. $138,301

Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.

Player Tags: Tristan Wade,   Joe Ebanks,   Mike Sowers,   Taylor Paur,   Chris Moorman

End of Day 2

Jun 29, '11

Day 2 of the $10,000 six-handed no-limit hold’em Championship has come to an end with 22 remaining players.

Leading the way is Mike Sowers, who holds a slim lead over Chris Moorman and Bertrand Grospellier. 2010 Card Player Online Player of the Year Taylor Paur sits in fourth.

Other notables still alive include pretty much everyone in the field. Take a look at the overnight chip counts.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Level 27: Mike Sowers Eliminated in 6th Place ($138,301)

Jun 30, '11

Blinds: 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Remaining: 5 out of 474

Average Chip Count: 2,844,000

Chip Counts:

1. Bertrand Grospellier – 3,975,000
2. Joe Ebanks – 3,800,000
3. Chris Moorman – 2,800,000
4. Tristan Wade – 1,900,000
5. Taylor Paur – 1,700,000

Eliminations:

6th. Mike Sowers – $138,301

Mike Sowers Eliminated in 6th Place ($138,301)

Mike Sowers began the official six-handed final table second from the bottom and was the first one eliminated in 6th place.

Sowers button-raised to 105,000 before the flop, Joe Ebanks reraised to 275,000 from the big blind and Sowers called.

The board came 9 6 5, Ebanks bet 275,000 and Sowers called.

The turn was the 3, Ebanks shoved and Sowers called all in.

Sowers was ahead with top pair on the flop, but Ebanks had a flush draw and a straight draw. The river was the 9, giving Sowers trips but Ebanks a flush to win the pot. Mike Sowers was the first to go, eliminated in 6th place ($138,301).

Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.

Player Tags: Joe Ebanks,   Mike Sowers

Level 26: Tollerene Eliminated 7th, Final Now Table Underway

Jun 29, '11

NOTE: Play ended last night with 22 players and resumed today at 2:30pm. With the elimination of Ben Tollerene in 7th place ($99,493), the official six-handed final table is now underway.

Blinds: 20,000-40,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Remaining: 8 out of 474

Average Chip Count: 2,370,000

Chip Counts:

1. Chris Moorman – 3,955,000
2. Joe Ebanks – 3,100,000
3. Tristan Wade – 2,465,000
4. Bertrand Grospellier – 2,435,000
5. Mike Sowers – 1,445,000
6. Taylor Paur – 830,000

Payouts:

1st. $1,158,481
2nd. $716,282
3rd. $447,074
4th. $292,866
5th. $198,140
6th. $138,301

Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.

Player Tags: Tristan Wade,   Joe Ebanks,   Mike Sowers,   Taylor Paur,   Chris Moorman

End of Day 2

Jun 29, '11

Day 2 of the $10,000 six-handed no-limit hold’em Championship has come to an end with 22 remaining players.

Leading the way is Mike Sowers, who holds a slim lead over Chris Moorman and Bertrand Grospellier. 2010 Card Player Online Player of the Year Taylor Paur sits in fourth.

Other notables still alive include pretty much everyone in the field. Take a look at the overnight chip counts.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Sowers Back on the Rise

Jan 26, '11

When we arrived on the scene Mike Sowers had two black tens sitting in front of him, next to a K-Q-10-5-8 rainbow board, and his opponent was shoving his entire stack towards the middle of the table. He then got up and walked away to the rail. Sowers added the chips to his stack and his stack now sits at 235,000.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Sowers Rising

Jan 25, '11

Mike Sowers has jumped into the chip lead in the main event. He just doubled up in a huge hand against one of the former chip leaders Oliver Keefe. The board read A 7 3 5 10 when Sowers moved all in for 112,300 and Keefe made the call. Keefe held 5 4 for a flush, but Sowers revealed Q 9 for a higher flush. He won the hand and grew his chip stack to 345,000, which is good for the chip lead.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Day 1A Summary Spotlight

Jan 23, '11

The pace of eliminations has picked up considerably after players returned from the dinner break in the main event. There are now just 106 players remaining from the 238 who started the day.

Two players have busted the six-figure chip bubble during the later stages of the day and they are Steve Leonard with 112,000 and Andrew Starkey with 109,000. Mike Sowers is running strong on Day 1A with 85,000 in chips after his recent final-table appearance at the PCA. Former PCA champion Harrison Gimbel is also running well with 80,000, and Dan Smith rounds out the top five with 77,000. Sowers shot up the leader board when he flopped the nut flush with A 2 in the hole on a Q J 9 flop.

Recent eliminations include Carter Phillips, Faraz Jaka, Tony Dunst, Maria Ho, and former Aussie Millions champion Stewart Scott.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Sowers Back on the Rise

Jan 26, '11

When we arrived on the scene Mike Sowers had two black tens sitting in front of him, next to a K-Q-10-5-8 rainbow board, and his opponent was shoving his entire stack towards the middle of the table. He then got up and walked away to the rail. Sowers added the chips to his stack and his stack now sits at 235,000.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Sowers Rising

Jan 25, '11

Mike Sowers has jumped into the chip lead in the main event. He just doubled up in a huge hand against one of the former chip leaders Oliver Keefe. The board read A 7 3 5 10 when Sowers moved all in for 112,300 and Keefe made the call. Keefe held 5 4 for a flush, but Sowers revealed Q 9 for a higher flush. He won the hand and grew his chip stack to 345,000, which is good for the chip lead.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Day 1A Summary Spotlight

Jan 23, '11

The pace of eliminations has picked up considerably after players returned from the dinner break in the main event. There are now just 106 players remaining from the 238 who started the day.

Two players have busted the six-figure chip bubble during the later stages of the day and they are Steve Leonard with 112,000 and Andrew Starkey with 109,000. Mike Sowers is running strong on Day 1A with 85,000 in chips after his recent final-table appearance at the PCA. Former PCA champion Harrison Gimbel is also running well with 80,000, and Dan Smith rounds out the top five with 77,000. Sowers shot up the leader board when he flopped the nut flush with A 2 in the hole on a Q J 9 flop.

Recent eliminations include Carter Phillips, Faraz Jaka, Tony Dunst, Maria Ho, and former Aussie Millions champion Stewart Scott.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Mike Sowers Eliminated

Nov 15, '10

Mike Sowers has busted out of the tournament in the top 30.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Level Four, Hour One: Mike Sowers Eliminated

Jul 07, '10

Blinds: 150-300 with a 25 ante

Players Remaining: 1,980 out of 2,314

Average Chip Counts 30,000

Notable Chip Counts:

1. David Williams – 145,000
2. Barny Boatman – 143,000
3. Johnny Chan – 130,000
4. Robert Mizrachi – 106,000
5. Alex Outhred – 105,000
6. Kai Paulsen – 100,400
7. Hoyt Corkins – 95,000
8. Jeff Gross – 88,000
9. Carter Gill – 83,000
10. Peter Aristidou – 82,000

Card Player Chip Counts:

Steve Murphy — 37,800
Christina Lindley — 35,500
Dani Stern — 30,000
Tony Dunst — 29,700

Notable Eliminations:

Shaun Deeb
Mike Sowers

Twitter Accounts:

Daniel Negreanu
Eric Froehlich
Alex Outhred
Scotty Nguyen
Phil Hellmuth
Jennifer Leigh
Shanna Moakler
Antonio Esfandiari
Nick Maimone
Dennis Phillips
Bryan Devonshire
Annie Duke

Big Hands:

Mike Sowers Busted

A player raised to 1,000 and Mike Sowers raised to 5,240, putting himself all in. The other player made the call and they turned over their hands:

Sowers: AQ
Opponent: K10

Sowers started ahead but the flop fell KJ3 to give his opponent the lead. The board finished off 7 and 3 and Sowers was eliminated.

Corkins With The Wheel

Hoyt Corkins raised to 1,625 from the small blind and received one caller. The flop came down 842 and Corkins led out with 2,125. His opponent made the call and the turn was the 5.

Both players checked and the river was the 10. Corkins bet 4,625 and his opponent called. Corkins then tabled A3 for the wheel to crack his opponent’s JJ.

Corkins took the pot and he was at 95,000.

Negreanu Drops One

Picking up the action on the turn, the board read KQ73 and Daniel Negreanu bet 1,650.

His opponent raised to 3,850 and Negreanu made the call. The river was the 2 and the opponent bet 3,400.

Negreanu made the call and was shown K9 for top pair and Negreanu mucked. He dropped to 34,800 after the hand.

Somerville Trips Up Opponent

Picking up the action after the board had run out Q98A9, Jason Somerville fired 10,000 into a 14,000 chip pot.

His opponent decided to make the call and Somerville showed him the bad news. He tabled J9 for trip-nines and his opponent mucked.

Somerville took in the pot and he was at 66,000.

Time To Shove

Tom Dwan raised to 825 preflop and two players called, including Lee Markholt. The flop came down 1042 and Dwan fired 1,625.

Markholt mucked but the other caller tagged along to see the 4 fall on the turn. Dwan moved all in for 6,700 and his opponent mucked.

A few hands later, Dwan shoved his stack preflop and received no callers. His stack was at 14,000 after that series of events.

Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins,   Daniel Negreanu,   Jason Somerville,   Tom Dwan,   Mike Sowers

Level Two Hour One Update: Mike Sowers Doubles Up

Jul 07, '10

Blinds: 100-200

Average Chip Counts 30,000

Notable Chip Counts:

David Williams – 126,000
Johnny Chan – 65,000
Matt Woodward – 62,000
Adam Junglen – 53,000
Leo Margets – 48,900
Daniel Alaei – 46,000
Mike Sica – 46,000
Thayer Rasmussen – 46,000
Ayaz Mahmood – 45,000
Andy Seth – 44,600

Card Player Chip Counts:

Steve Murphy — 37,800
Christina Lindley — 35,500
Dani Stern — 30,000
Tony Dunst — 29,700

Notable Eliminations:

Twitter Accounts:

Daniel Negreanu
Eric Froehlich
Vicky Coren
Alex Outhred
Scotty Nguyen
Phil Hellmuth
Jennifer Leigh
Shanna Moakler
Antonio Esfandiari
Nick Maimone
Dennis Phillips
Bryan Devonshire
Annie Duke

Big Hands:

Mike Sowers Doubles Up

A player raised to 600 and Mike Sowers made the call. The action was then on the small blind and he repopped it to 2,150. The first player called and Sowers moved in for 5,275.

The small blind was the only caller and they turned over their hands:

Sowers: KK
Opponent: AK

Sowers was dominating and the board ran out J547Q and Sowers scored the double up to 13,500.

Ladies Night

Picking up the action after the board had run out K72109, there was 9,000 in the pot. A player had bet 8,000 and the action was on Shaun Deeb.

He tanked for a few moments and eventually threw in the call. His opponent showed QQ, which was fine by Deeb as he tabled QQ.

The two players chopped the pot and Deeb was at 26,000.

Antonio Esfandiari Three-Bets

A player in early position raised to 800 and got two callers. Antonio Esfandiari three-bet to 3,000 from the big blind and the initial bettor folded. The next player to act called and the last player folded. Esfandiari asked for a chip count on his opponent. Esfandiari got a count of about 14,000 and the flop came Q97. Esfandiari bet 4,600 and his opponent quickly mucked. Esfandiari was at about 30,000 after the hand.

Jeff Madsen Loses Steam

Jeff Madsen raised to 500 preflop and was called by seat 2 and the player in the big blind.

The flop ran 10QJ and all players checked. On the 6 turn action checked to Madsen who bet 850. Seat 2 called but the big blind folded.

The 3 fell on the river and Madsen slowed back down, checking to seat 2 who fired 3,000. Madsen wasted little time folding. His stack was still around 31,000 after the hand.

Leonidas Bests Froehlich

Picking up the action on the flop of J65, Toto Leonidas bet 1,250 and Eric Froehlich raised to 2,700. Leonidas made the call and the turn was the 2.

Both players checked and the 6 came on the river. Leonidas bet 3,500 and Froehlich made the call. Leonidas then turned over the bad news with K10 for the second nut-flush.

Froehlich mucked and was down to 23,800. Leonidas scooped the pot and was at 33,300 after the hand.

Nice Fold

At Tom McEvoy’s table a raising war preflop led to one player folding pocket kings face up. The table was a bit shocked until the opposing player showed pocket aces. Good read, sir.

How Much to Shave Chau Giang’s Head?

Antonio Esfandiari and his tablemates have been playing a little game where they ask Chau Giang how much he’d have to be paid to do certain things. The latest? How much for him to shave his head bald?

After some thought, Giang announced that $3,000 was the magic number. Esfandiari and another player at the table quickly decided to split the cost to pay Giang, and the ESPN cameras swarmed.

With all eyes on him, Giang changed his tune. First, he said he wouldn’t do it on camera, then he said he’d only do it for $15,000.

“I like my hair,” he reasoned.

Marcel Luske Makes a Fold

Over in the pavilion room, Marcel Luske saw a flop of AA4. He checked and his opponent bet 900. Luske deliberated before eventually folding. He was at 29,000 after the hand.

Player Tags: Toto Leonidas,   Antonio Esfandiari,   Chau Giang,   Marcel Luske,   Eric Froehlich,   Jeff Madsen,   Shaun Deeb,   Mike Sowers

Level One Hour One Update: Johnny Chan Doubles Up Quick

Jul 07, '10

Blinds: 50-100

Average Chip Counts 30,000

Notable Chip Counts:

Johnny Chan – 61,500
Pieter de Korver – 43,000
Brian Rast – 40,000
Jennifer Leigh – 39,000
Lex Veldhuis – 39,000
Eli Elezra – 35,000
Matt Savage – 35,000
Faraz Jaka – 34,000

Card Player Chip Counts:

Steve Murphy – 30,000

Notable Eliminations:

Huck Seed

Big Hands:

Johnny-Friggin-Chan Doubles Up

Things just got dangerous for players in day 1c.

Johnny Chan was in a large pot with the flop showing 108J when he bet and his opponent moved all in. Chan called and his opponent saw he had only one out. Their hands:

Chan: 1010
Opponent: 88

Chan had the better flopped set, and the Q turn and K river gave the Orient Express an early double up to 60,000.

Savage Off to Good Start

On a board of 106654 Matt Savage bet 2,000 and his opponent made the call. Savage showed 44 for a full house to take down an early pot and expand his stack to 35,000.

The Early Chip Leader?

Phil Armstrong got all in on a fop of 682 holding a flopped set of eights. His opponent, naturally, had pocket aces and was eliminated when the K turn and 9 river didn’t connect with his hand.

It seems we have an early chip leader, as Armstrong doubled to 60,000.

Sowers Loses Massive One

On a board of 8Q49J Mike Sowers bet 3,000 and his opponent raised to 18,000. Sowers made the call and his opponent showed K10 for the rivered straight.

Sowers saw his stack drop to 10,000.

Leonor Margets Wins a Pot

Two players limped in for 100 and Margets made it 450 with the A10. The blinds folded and so did one of the limpers. The other one called and the flop came Q103 and action went check-check. The turn brought the 3 and Margets’ opponent checked. Margets bet 575 and her opponent called. The turn brought the 9 and action went check-check. Margets’ opponent tabled pocket fives and she exposed her pair of tens. Margets took the pot.

Left in the Deck:

Arrival of the Poker Brat, Fighter

Phil Hellmuth plans on making his typical fashionably late arrival, and he has said that this year he will arrive dressed as an MMA fighter and be accompanied by one — Wanderlei Silva.

Some of The Day 1c Players Include

Phil Hellmuth
Daniel Negreanu
Jerry Yang
Annie Duke
Jonathan Agular
Bryan Devonshire
Chip Jett
Johny Chan
David Oppenheim
Lex Veldhuis
Scott Fischman
Shaun Deeb
Robert Mizrachi
Hoyt Corkins
Kristy Gazes
Eric Froehlich
Vicky Coren
Alex Outhred
Scotty Nguyen
Jennifer Leigh
Shanna Moakler
Antonio Esfandiari
Nick Maimone
Chau Giang
Nick Binger
Dean Hamrick
Dario Minieri
Brock Parker
Dave Ulliott
Ville Whalbeck
Alex Jacob
Michael Caroll
Andrew Brokos
Sam Farha
Chad Brown
David Bach
Dennis Phillips

Twitter Accounts:

Daniel Negreanu
Eric Froehlich
Vicky Coren
Alex Outhred
Scotty Nguyen
Phil Hellmuth
Jennifer Leigh
Shanna Moakler
Antonio Esfandiari
Nick Maimone
Dennis Phillips
Bryan Devonshire
Annie Duke

Player Tags: Huck Seed,   Phil Hellmuth,   Johnny Chan,   Matt Savage,   Mike Sowers,   Leonor Margets

Final Day Begins at 2:30 p.m. PST

Jun 25, '10

25 players remain out of the 2,521 that registered.

The current chip average is 453,780.

A winner will be crowned today. First place will walk away with $604,222. The next one to fall in 24th place will receive $17,298.

Poker pro Humberto Brenes is near the top of the chip counts at the moment. Other notables still remaining include Mike Sowers, Bernard Lee and Dean Hamrick.

Player Twitter Accounts:

Mike Sowers

Players will be back to their seats today at 2:30 p.m. PST.

Stay tuned to Card Player for coverage of the action from the Rio!

Here are the chip counts going into the final day:

Player Tags: Humberto Brenes,   Dean Hamrick,   Bernard Lee,   Mike Sowers

Dinner Break

Jun 24, '10

108 players remain out of the 2,521 that registered.

The current chip average is 90,035.

First place will walk away with $604,222. The players are already in the money. The next one to fall will receive $3,811.

Poker pro Mike Sowers is atop the chip counts at the moment. Other notables still remaining include Humberto Brenes, Kevin Schaffel and Bernard Lee.

Notable eliminations on day two include Nam Le, Jason Gray, Jeff Madsen, Steve Gross and Eric Lynch.

Player Twitter Accounts:

Mike Sowers

Players will be back to their seats at around 7:50 p.m. PST.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Final Day Begins at 2:30 p.m. PST

Jun 25, '10

25 players remain out of the 2,521 that registered.

The current chip average is 453,780.

A winner will be crowned today. First place will walk away with $604,222. The next one to fall in 24th place will receive $17,298.

Poker pro Humberto Brenes is near the top of the chip counts at the moment. Other notables still remaining include Mike Sowers, Bernard Lee and Dean Hamrick.

Player Twitter Accounts:

Mike Sowers

Players will be back to their seats today at 2:30 p.m. PST.

Stay tuned to Card Player for coverage of the action from the Rio!

Here are the chip counts going into the final day:

Player Tags: Humberto Brenes,   Dean Hamrick,   Bernard Lee,   Mike Sowers

Dinner Break

Jun 24, '10

108 players remain out of the 2,521 that registered.

The current chip average is 90,035.

First place will walk away with $604,222. The players are already in the money. The next one to fall will receive $3,811.

Poker pro Mike Sowers is atop the chip counts at the moment. Other notables still remaining include Humberto Brenes, Kevin Schaffel and Bernard Lee.

Notable eliminations on day two include Nam Le, Jason Gray, Jeff Madsen, Steve Gross and Eric Lynch.

Player Twitter Accounts:

Mike Sowers

Players will be back to their seats at around 7:50 p.m. PST.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers

Mike Sowers Eliminated in 13th Place ($47,615)

Dec 18, '09

Faraz Jaka raised to 100,000 and was called by Curt Kohlberg. Mike Sowers then moved all in for an additional 640,000.

Jaka folded and Kohlberg went into the tank. After two minutes of deliberation, he made the call, showing J10. Sowers showed pocket threes, but they failed to hold up as the board ran A87A10. Kohlberg is now stacked with over 4.5 million.

Player Tags: Curt Kohlberg,   Mike Sowers

Final Table Update: Liya Gerasimova (5th) and Mike Sowers (4th) Eliminated

Jun 08, '09

Blinds: 40,000-80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Players Remaining: 3 out of 655

Chip Counts:

1. Fabian Quoss — 6,400,000
2. Thomas Keller — 2,025,000
3. Brian Lemke — 1,500,000

Average Chip Count: 3,275,000

Notable Eliminations:

5. Liya Gerasimova — $142,688
4. Mike Sowers — $194,931

Elimination Hands:

Liya Gerasimova Eliminated in Fifth Place ($142,688)

Liya Gerasimova moved all in from the small blind and for 180,000 and Fabian Quoss made the call from the big blind. Their cards:

Gerasimova: Q4
Quoss: 1010

Board: 96583

Gerasimova was eliminated on the hand in fifth place and Quoss grew his stack to 4,570,000.

Mike Sowers Eliminated in Fourth Place ($194,931)

Mike Sowers moved all in for 1,550,000 from the button and Fabian Quoss made the call. Their cards:

Sowers: Q10
Quoss: 88

Board: 862K2

Sowers was eliminated in fourth place and Quoss increased his large chip lead to 6.4 million.

Player Tags: Mike Sowers,   Liya Gerasimova,   Fabian Quoss