John Juanda - Live Updates

Level 8 Update: Registration Closed, Officals Numbers To Follow

Oct 22, '09

Blinds: 600-1,200 with a 100 ante

Players Left: 149 of 273 (Approximately)

Average Chip Count 109,000

Chip Leaders

Chau Giang — 380,000
Corwin Cole — 340,000
Mark Seif — 300,000
Markus Gonsalves — 245,000
Mike Matusow — 245,000
Jason Somerville — 240,000
Dutch Boyd — 240,000
Chad Batista — 240,000
Abe Mosseri — 215,000
Mike Leah — 215,000

Card Player Chip Counts

Mike Matusow — 245,000
Barry Shulman — 110,000
Jennifer Harman — 90,000

Notable Eliminations:

Erik Cajelais
Erik Seidel
John Juanda

Level Summary:

Chau Giang started the day by passing Mike Matusow for the chip lead, but faltered a bit this level when he was passed by Corwin Cole.

Cole jumped out to a stack of 340,000 and became the first player to cross the 300,000 mark, but Giang made a leap of his own and now owns the tournament room’s highest count with 380,000.

Jason Somerville admitted to having a bad level 7 but picked it right back up when he eliminated John Juanda to close level 8.

Somerville and Juanda found themselves playing for it all on a board reading KQ59. Juanda showed 76 for the made flush, but was drawing to one out when Somerville showed Q10 for the better flush.

The river bricked with the 7 and Juanda was eliminated from the tournament, boosting Somerville’s stack to 240,000. Speaking of eliminations, we lost about 30 players during the level and are now left with 149 of the 273 who have registered.

Registration is now closed, but it will be some time before official numbers and the prize pool are announced.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Chau Giang,   Jason Somerville

Juanda Double Up or Two?

Oct 05, '09

John Juanda is all in on the button with K 7 and Tobias Reinkemeier calls with A 8. The flop brings something for everyone: A K Q. Juanda gets ready to leave as the turn brings the Q but he sits back down when the river drops the K and he doubles up to 300,000.

With a bet of 27,000 on the table, Chris Ferguson shoves all in and gets one caller. The original bettor folds. Ferguson shows pocket threes and James Obst shows A-Q. The board doesn’t bring anything for anyone and Ferguson’s little threes hold. He doubles to 412,000.

Player Tags: John Juanda

Can I Get A Little Action?

Sep 30, '09

Just arriving to the tournament, last year’s runner-up John Juanda is already looking for an increase in the action. Other than Ivey’s departure, the event has started out slow and both Juanda and Tom Dwan are in the process of negotiating a cross-book.

The two are having trouble coming up with a fair price, however, as both believe their table is tougher. Dwan is appropriately seated with a group of young, tough online players, while Juanda is grouped with the live pros such as Chris Ferguson, Vanessa Rousso, Erik Seidel and Chris Moneymaker.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Tom Dwan

WSOP Europe Day 1A Begins

Sep 26, '09

Day 1A at the World Series of Poker Europe began at noon local time today in London. A field of 156 players have taken their seats for six levels of poker during the first day-one flight of the event. The players begin with 30,000 in tournament chips and the levels will be 90-minutes long. Blinds begin at 50-100. Here is a look at the full schedule:

Saturday, Sept. 26: Day 1A
Sunday, Sept. 27: Day 1B
Monday, Sept. 28: Day 2
Tuesday, Sept. 29: Day 3
Wednesday, Sept. 30: Day 4
Thursday, Oct. 1: Final Table

The 2009 WSOP Europe will come to a conclusion when the main event crowns a champion on Oct. 1. Last year in the main event, John Juanda beat Stanislav Alekhin to win £868,800 in prize money at the end of a grueling final table that featured 484 hands of play over the course of more than 19 hours.

Check back at the end of the night for a summary of the day’s action and official chip counts.

Player Tags: John Juanda

Level 10 Hour 1 Update: Juanda Doubles

Jul 10, '09

Blinds: 600-1,200 with a 200 ante

Players Remaining: 1,683 out of 6,494

Chip Counts:

1. Amir Lehavot – 610,500
2. Peter DeBaene – 465,000
3. Troy Weber – 453,200
4. Dan Bilzerian – 439,500
5. Franklin Grigsby – 424,400
6. Gabe Walls 417,900
7. Mikael Thuritz – 395,400
8. Eric Cloutier – 383,500
9. Jason Brice – 376,100
10. Ed Perry – 370,000

CardPlayer Chip Counts:

Jeff Shulman – 206,700
Adam Schoenfeld – 132,000
Phil Hellmuth – 142,900
Lee Watkinson – 67,000
Thomas Keller – 120,000

Average Stack: 115,758

Notable Eliminations:

Bryan Micon
Roland de Wolffe
Jason Young

Big Hands:

Gerasimov Gets Hammered Down Early

Kirill Gerasimov raised to 2,500 preflop and the cutoff made the call. The flop came down QJ9 and Gerasimov checked. The cutoff fired 8,000 and Gerasimov raised, putting the cutoff all in. The call was made and Gerasimov showed J9 for two pair. The cutoff tabled KK.

The turn was the 10 and the cutoff hit his gutshot straight draw. The river was the Q and Gerasimov was down to 48,000.

Elky In The Mood For Knockouts Early

Bertrand Grospellier raised from middle position and Mario Soares moved in for his final 16,000. Grospellier made the call and tabled 1010. Soares showed 66 and Grospellier was in good shape to take the hand.

The flop came down 754 and Soares flopped an open ended straight draw. The turn was the Q, giving Soares no help and the 5 on the river scored a knockout for Grospellier. He was at 225,000.

John Juanda Doubles Up

John Juanda raised to 3,500 from under the gun and action folded around to the big blind. He moved all in, having Juanda covered. Juanda made the call and showed down AA against the big blind’s AK.

The board ran out 76573 and Juanda’s aces held, doubling him up to 90,000.

De Wolfe Busts

Roland de Wolfe was all in with K9 against his opponent’s pocket sixes. The flop was J35, offering no help to de Wolfe. The turn was the 6 and de Wolfe needed any king or nine to stay alive. But the river was the 2 and his main event was over.

Ivey Drops Some Chips

Valerie Ross moved all in preflop and Phil Ivey made the call. Ross tabled A10 while Ivey was ahead with 99.

The flop came down 643 and Ivey was still ahead. The 5 came on the turn and Ivey was one card away from scoring an early knockout. But the river was the 10, giving Ross her double up and Ivey was down to 355,000.

Jennifer Harman Loses A Pot

A player raised to 3,700 and Jennifer Harman made the call. The flop was A92 and Harman called another bet from her opponent, this one 4,600. The turn was the 4 and the player fired 11,000. Harman released her hand and her stack dropped to 68,800.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Jennifer Harman,   Kirill Gerasimov,   Phil Ivey,   Roland de Wolfe,   Bertrand Grospellier

Level 3 Hour 1 Update: Lederer Off To Rocky Start

Jul 05, '09

Blinds: 150-300

Chip Counts:

1. Tsai Chen – 93,000
2. Yan Chen – 85,000
3. Frank Kassela – 75,000
4. Justin Bonomo – 75,000
5. Andy Seth – 71,300
6. Jeff Lisandro – 70,500
7. David Singer – 68,000
8. Paul Magriel – 65,100
9. Suzie Lederer – 65,000
10. James Vanderhaar – 63,200

Card Player Chip Counts:

Matt Matros – 17,500

Notable Eliminations:

Matt Graham
Jacobo Fernandez

Big Hands:

Hawrilenko Takes Another Hit to His Stack

A player under-the-gun raised to 700 and got four callers, including Matt Hawrilenko from middle position. The flop was K47 and the original raiser bet 1,800 and Hawrilenko called.

The turn was the 10 and the river was the 6. Both players checked the turn and the river and Hawrilenko mucked when he was shown K9 and is down to 9,100 in chips.

Dennis Phillips Forces a Fold

With about 17,000 in the pot already, Dennis Phillips was heads-up with his opponent with a board that read A4510.

Phillips bet 10,500 and his opponent thought for nearly five minutes before mucking AK face up on the table. Phillips mucked his hand, but whether or not he had the best hand, he now has 59,000 in chips

Lederer Off To A Rocky Start In Level 3

After a flop of K92, Howard Lederer led out with 2,000 into a pot of 2,500 and his opponent in seat 1 mucked his hand. Lederer was at 23,200 after that hand.

Later, Lederer raised to 1,300 from the button and the small blind immediately reraised to 3,500. It was just in time for the ESPN cameras to arrive at Lederer’s table. After a few moments to think, Lederer mucked his hand and he was at 20,000 early in the level.

Suharto’s Pair Good Enough

Picking up the action on the river, the board showed J42108. Darus Suharto of “November Nine” fame and his opponent checked the action and Suharto showed down 66. It was good as his opponent tabled A6 and Suharto took a pot, moving his stack to 20,000.

McEvoy Gets Best Of Miami John

John Cernuto and Tom McEvoy saw a flop of AQJ. Both players didn’t like the board and checked. The turn was the Q and Cernuto took a stab at the pot, leading out for 1,200. McEvoy stuck around and the players saw the 9 fall on the river.

Cernuto checked and McEvoy did the same behind him. McEvoy showed A6 for two pair and Cernuto mucked. McEvoy was at 17,000 while Cernuto was at 35,000.

Luske Check-Raises To Victory

After a flop of K87, Marcel Luske was first to act and elected to check. His opponent then fired 600 into a 1,500 pot. Luske then pounced, check-raising to 2,000. His opponent glanced at his cards one last time and threw them into the muck. Luske took the pot and was at 42,000.

Danny Wong Flops Two Pair, Gets Little Action

Four players limped for 300 preflop and they all saw a flop of 982. The player in seat 9 fired 500 into the pot and Danny Wong raised to 1,600 from the cutoff. The player under the gun was also in the hand and made the call. Everyone else mucked and the 5 fell on the turn.

The under the gun player checked and Wong bet again, this time 3,600. His opponent mucked and Wong took the pot after showing 98. He was at 36,000 after the hand.

Griffin Takes Another Pot

Gavin Griffin raised to 800 from the hijack position and the small blind made the call. The player in seat 3, who had already limped, made the call as well. The flop then fell 1086 and the action was checked to Griffin. He fired 1,700 into the pot and his opponents quickly mucked their hands. Griffin took the pot and was at 38,000.

Juanda Tries To Give Opponent Discount

Picking up the action after the river, the board read K9878. The action was checked to John Juanda and he bet 3,500. The player in seat 2 mucked his hand and the player in seat 6 was next to act. He reached for his cards to throw them in the muck.

“No!” Juanda exclaimed. “1,000,” he said as he took 2,500 away from his original bet. Seat 6 didn’t bite and his hand finally landed in the muck. Juanda scored the pot and was around 50,000.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Howard Lederer,   Gavin Griffin,   Matt Hawrilenko,   Danny Wong,   Darus Suharto,   Dennis Phillips

Level 1 Hour 1 Update: Juanda Gets Aces Early

Jul 05, '09

Blinds: 50-100

Chip Counts:

1. James Vanderhaar – 71,000
2. Kevin Tokimesa – 60,000
3. Terrence Chan – 46,000
4. John Juanda – 42,000
5. Yan Chen – 41,000
6. Lee Watkinson – 35,000
7. John Cernuto – 30,000
8. Abe Mosseri – 30,000
9. Alex Jacob – 30,000
10. Bill Chen – 30,000

CardPlayer Chip Counts:

Matt Matros – 30,000

Notable Eliminations:

Big Hands:

Griffin Fires Three Barrels

After some action preflop, Gavin Griffin and his opponent saw a flop of 210K. After his opponent checked, Griffin bet 1,300, which was called. The turn was the 7 and Griffin bet 2,100 after his opponent checked, which was called again.

The river was the 4 and his opponent checked one last time. Griffin looked perplexed and then bet 2,100 again. His opponent quickly released his cards and Griffin took the pot.

Juanda Picks Up Aces Early, Wins Pot

On a flop of 962, John Juanda bet 2,500 after his opponent checked, but was met with a check-raise to 7,500. Juanda thought for a minute or so and made the call.

The J fell on the turn and both players checked. The 4 fell on the river and Juanda’s opponent checked a third time. Juanda bet 5,400 and his opponent tossed in a call. Juanda tabled AA and his opponent showed QQ, as he gets on the right side of that cold deck to take the pot.

Bill Chen Goes Up, Bill Chen Goes Down

Bill Chen raised to 225 under the gun and action folded around to the big blind, who made the call. The flop came down J36 and Chen fired 200. The big blind called again and the turn was the 4. Both players checked and the river was the 4. The big blind then led out for 325 and Chen mucked.

A few hands later, a flop of Q48 Chen and his opponent checked with 600 in the pot. The turn then brought the K and Chen fired 325. His opponent mucked and after all of that, Chen was still around 30,000.

Watkinson With Top Two

With four players in the pot, the flop came down J87 and action was checked to seat 6. He bet 300 and Lee Watkinson made the call. Seat 2 mucked and Antonio Tarver mucked his hand. The turn was the 6 and seat 6 fired 1,100. Watkinson made the call and the river brought the A.

Action was checked to Watkinson who bet 1,600. Seat 6 called and Watkinson tabled J8 for two pair and he took down the pot. He was around 35,000.

Allen Kessler Flops A Set

After a flop of A82, a player bet 750 and Allen Kessler made the call. The turn was the 3 and the action was then checked to Kessler. He bet 1,500 and his opponent called. The river was the 9 and the opponent led out with 2,000.

Kessler just called and his opponent tabled A9 for two pair. Kessler then showed 88 for a set and took down the pot.

Player Tags: Lee Watkinson,   John Juanda,   Allen Kessler,   Gavin Griffin

Level 10 Hour 1 Update: Juanda Doubles

Jul 10, '09

Blinds: 600-1,200 with a 200 ante

Players Remaining: 1,683 out of 6,494

Chip Counts:

1. Amir Lehavot – 610,500
2. Peter DeBaene – 465,000
3. Troy Weber – 453,200
4. Dan Bilzerian – 439,500
5. Franklin Grigsby – 424,400
6. Gabe Walls 417,900
7. Mikael Thuritz – 395,400
8. Eric Cloutier – 383,500
9. Jason Brice – 376,100
10. Ed Perry – 370,000

CardPlayer Chip Counts:

Jeff Shulman – 206,700
Adam Schoenfeld – 132,000
Phil Hellmuth – 142,900
Lee Watkinson – 67,000
Thomas Keller – 120,000

Average Stack: 115,758

Notable Eliminations:

Bryan Micon
Roland de Wolffe
Jason Young

Big Hands:

Gerasimov Gets Hammered Down Early

Kirill Gerasimov raised to 2,500 preflop and the cutoff made the call. The flop came down QJ9 and Gerasimov checked. The cutoff fired 8,000 and Gerasimov raised, putting the cutoff all in. The call was made and Gerasimov showed J9 for two pair. The cutoff tabled KK.

The turn was the 10 and the cutoff hit his gutshot straight draw. The river was the Q and Gerasimov was down to 48,000.

Elky In The Mood For Knockouts Early

Bertrand Grospellier raised from middle position and Mario Soares moved in for his final 16,000. Grospellier made the call and tabled 1010. Soares showed 66 and Grospellier was in good shape to take the hand.

The flop came down 754 and Soares flopped an open ended straight draw. The turn was the Q, giving Soares no help and the 5 on the river scored a knockout for Grospellier. He was at 225,000.

John Juanda Doubles Up

John Juanda raised to 3,500 from under the gun and action folded around to the big blind. He moved all in, having Juanda covered. Juanda made the call and showed down AA against the big blind’s AK.

The board ran out 76573 and Juanda’s aces held, doubling him up to 90,000.

De Wolfe Busts

Roland de Wolfe was all in with K9 against his opponent’s pocket sixes. The flop was J35, offering no help to de Wolfe. The turn was the 6 and de Wolfe needed any king or nine to stay alive. But the river was the 2 and his main event was over.

Ivey Drops Some Chips

Valerie Ross moved all in preflop and Phil Ivey made the call. Ross tabled A10 while Ivey was ahead with 99.

The flop came down 643 and Ivey was still ahead. The 5 came on the turn and Ivey was one card away from scoring an early knockout. But the river was the 10, giving Ross her double up and Ivey was down to 355,000.

Jennifer Harman Loses A Pot

A player raised to 3,700 and Jennifer Harman made the call. The flop was A92 and Harman called another bet from her opponent, this one 4,600. The turn was the 4 and the player fired 11,000. Harman released her hand and her stack dropped to 68,800.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Jennifer Harman,   Kirill Gerasimov,   Phil Ivey,   Roland de Wolfe,   Bertrand Grospellier

Level 3 Hour 1 Update: Lederer Off To Rocky Start

Jul 05, '09

Blinds: 150-300

Chip Counts:

1. Tsai Chen – 93,000
2. Yan Chen – 85,000
3. Frank Kassela – 75,000
4. Justin Bonomo – 75,000
5. Andy Seth – 71,300
6. Jeff Lisandro – 70,500
7. David Singer – 68,000
8. Paul Magriel – 65,100
9. Suzie Lederer – 65,000
10. James Vanderhaar – 63,200

Card Player Chip Counts:

Matt Matros – 17,500

Notable Eliminations:

Matt Graham
Jacobo Fernandez

Big Hands:

Hawrilenko Takes Another Hit to His Stack

A player under-the-gun raised to 700 and got four callers, including Matt Hawrilenko from middle position. The flop was K47 and the original raiser bet 1,800 and Hawrilenko called.

The turn was the 10 and the river was the 6. Both players checked the turn and the river and Hawrilenko mucked when he was shown K9 and is down to 9,100 in chips.

Dennis Phillips Forces a Fold

With about 17,000 in the pot already, Dennis Phillips was heads-up with his opponent with a board that read A4510.

Phillips bet 10,500 and his opponent thought for nearly five minutes before mucking AK face up on the table. Phillips mucked his hand, but whether or not he had the best hand, he now has 59,000 in chips

Lederer Off To A Rocky Start In Level 3

After a flop of K92, Howard Lederer led out with 2,000 into a pot of 2,500 and his opponent in seat 1 mucked his hand. Lederer was at 23,200 after that hand.

Later, Lederer raised to 1,300 from the button and the small blind immediately reraised to 3,500. It was just in time for the ESPN cameras to arrive at Lederer’s table. After a few moments to think, Lederer mucked his hand and he was at 20,000 early in the level.

Suharto’s Pair Good Enough

Picking up the action on the river, the board showed J42108. Darus Suharto of “November Nine” fame and his opponent checked the action and Suharto showed down 66. It was good as his opponent tabled A6 and Suharto took a pot, moving his stack to 20,000.

McEvoy Gets Best Of Miami John

John Cernuto and Tom McEvoy saw a flop of AQJ. Both players didn’t like the board and checked. The turn was the Q and Cernuto took a stab at the pot, leading out for 1,200. McEvoy stuck around and the players saw the 9 fall on the river.

Cernuto checked and McEvoy did the same behind him. McEvoy showed A6 for two pair and Cernuto mucked. McEvoy was at 17,000 while Cernuto was at 35,000.

Luske Check-Raises To Victory

After a flop of K87, Marcel Luske was first to act and elected to check. His opponent then fired 600 into a 1,500 pot. Luske then pounced, check-raising to 2,000. His opponent glanced at his cards one last time and threw them into the muck. Luske took the pot and was at 42,000.

Danny Wong Flops Two Pair, Gets Little Action

Four players limped for 300 preflop and they all saw a flop of 982. The player in seat 9 fired 500 into the pot and Danny Wong raised to 1,600 from the cutoff. The player under the gun was also in the hand and made the call. Everyone else mucked and the 5 fell on the turn.

The under the gun player checked and Wong bet again, this time 3,600. His opponent mucked and Wong took the pot after showing 98. He was at 36,000 after the hand.

Griffin Takes Another Pot

Gavin Griffin raised to 800 from the hijack position and the small blind made the call. The player in seat 3, who had already limped, made the call as well. The flop then fell 1086 and the action was checked to Griffin. He fired 1,700 into the pot and his opponents quickly mucked their hands. Griffin took the pot and was at 38,000.

Juanda Tries To Give Opponent Discount

Picking up the action after the river, the board read K9878. The action was checked to John Juanda and he bet 3,500. The player in seat 2 mucked his hand and the player in seat 6 was next to act. He reached for his cards to throw them in the muck.

“No!” Juanda exclaimed. “1,000,” he said as he took 2,500 away from his original bet. Seat 6 didn’t bite and his hand finally landed in the muck. Juanda scored the pot and was around 50,000.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Howard Lederer,   Gavin Griffin,   Matt Hawrilenko,   Danny Wong,   Darus Suharto,   Dennis Phillips

Level 1 Hour 1 Update: Juanda Gets Aces Early

Jul 05, '09

Blinds: 50-100

Chip Counts:

1. James Vanderhaar – 71,000
2. Kevin Tokimesa – 60,000
3. Terrence Chan – 46,000
4. John Juanda – 42,000
5. Yan Chen – 41,000
6. Lee Watkinson – 35,000
7. John Cernuto – 30,000
8. Abe Mosseri – 30,000
9. Alex Jacob – 30,000
10. Bill Chen – 30,000

CardPlayer Chip Counts:

Matt Matros – 30,000

Notable Eliminations:

Big Hands:

Griffin Fires Three Barrels

After some action preflop, Gavin Griffin and his opponent saw a flop of 210K. After his opponent checked, Griffin bet 1,300, which was called. The turn was the 7 and Griffin bet 2,100 after his opponent checked, which was called again.

The river was the 4 and his opponent checked one last time. Griffin looked perplexed and then bet 2,100 again. His opponent quickly released his cards and Griffin took the pot.

Juanda Picks Up Aces Early, Wins Pot

On a flop of 962, John Juanda bet 2,500 after his opponent checked, but was met with a check-raise to 7,500. Juanda thought for a minute or so and made the call.

The J fell on the turn and both players checked. The 4 fell on the river and Juanda’s opponent checked a third time. Juanda bet 5,400 and his opponent tossed in a call. Juanda tabled AA and his opponent showed QQ, as he gets on the right side of that cold deck to take the pot.

Bill Chen Goes Up, Bill Chen Goes Down

Bill Chen raised to 225 under the gun and action folded around to the big blind, who made the call. The flop came down J36 and Chen fired 200. The big blind called again and the turn was the 4. Both players checked and the river was the 4. The big blind then led out for 325 and Chen mucked.

A few hands later, a flop of Q48 Chen and his opponent checked with 600 in the pot. The turn then brought the K and Chen fired 325. His opponent mucked and after all of that, Chen was still around 30,000.

Watkinson With Top Two

With four players in the pot, the flop came down J87 and action was checked to seat 6. He bet 300 and Lee Watkinson made the call. Seat 2 mucked and Antonio Tarver mucked his hand. The turn was the 6 and seat 6 fired 1,100. Watkinson made the call and the river brought the A.

Action was checked to Watkinson who bet 1,600. Seat 6 called and Watkinson tabled J8 for two pair and he took down the pot. He was around 35,000.

Allen Kessler Flops A Set

After a flop of A82, a player bet 750 and Allen Kessler made the call. The turn was the 3 and the action was then checked to Kessler. He bet 1,500 and his opponent called. The river was the 9 and the opponent led out with 2,000.

Kessler just called and his opponent tabled A9 for two pair. Kessler then showed 88 for a set and took down the pot.

Player Tags: Lee Watkinson,   John Juanda,   Allen Kessler,   Gavin Griffin

Final Table Update: John Juanda Eliminated in 4th Place ($44,941)

Jul 01, '09

Blinds: 10,000-20,000

Players Remaining: 3 out of 257

Chip Counts:

1. Masayoshi Tanaka — 860,000
2. Abe Mosseri — 798,000
3. Julie Schneider — 260,000

Average Chip Count: 642,500

Notable Eliminations:

4. John Juanda — $44,941

Big Hands

John Juanda Eliminated in 4th Place ($44,941)

After being cripple in the hand before when accidentally standing pat with a straight, John Juanda was already all in on the big blind, and Abe Mosseri calls him by default from the small blind.

Juanda draws three cards while Mosseri draws two.

Juanda draws two cards while Mosseri stands pat.

Juanda once again draws two cards while Mosseri continues to stand pat.

Mosseri wins with a 9-8-7-4-2 and John Juanda is eliminated in 4th place ($44,941).

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Abe Mosseri

Final Table Update: Dinner Break, Rodman 5th

Jul 01, '09

Blinds: 8,000-15,000

Players Remaining: 4 out of 257

Chip Counts:

1. Abe Mosseri — 998,000
2. Masayoshi Tanaka — 399,000
3. John Juanda — 351,000
4. Julie Schneider — 186,000

Average Chip Count: 481,875

Notable Eliminations:

5. Blair Rodman — $31,818

Big Hands

Blair Rodman Eliminated in 5th Place ($31,818)

Blair Rodman draws one card on the first draw and bets. Juanda raises and Rodman calls.

Rodman draws two cards and Juanda stands pat. Juanda bets and Rodman calls all in for 20,000.

Rodman draws his last card while Juanda stands pat again.

Rodman turns over a straight (6-5-4-3-2) while Juanda shows 8-7-5-4-2. Blair Rodman is eliminated in 5th place ($31,818).

Left in the Deck

The remaining four players are now on dinner break and will return at approximately 7:30 pm PDT.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Blair Rodman

Level 7 Update: Harman Eliminated, Juanda Crippled

Jun 27, '09

Flop Games: Blinds – 1,300-2,500, Limits – 2,500-5,000
Stud Games: Ante — 500, Bring-In — 700, Completion — 2,500, Limits — 2,500-5,000

Players Remaining: 84 out of 95

Chip Counts:

1. Hasan Habib – 440,000
2. Martin Vallo – 347,200
3. David Benyamine – 315,000
4. Matt Glantz – 300,000
5. Pat Bueno – 289,500
6. Alex Kravchenko – 270,000
7. Andy Black – 264,700
8. Jani Sointula – 261,000
9. Chris Ferguson – 259,600
10. Michael Saltzburg – 252,400

Average Chip Count: 161,747

Notable Eliminations:

Ali Eslami
Bryan Colin
Greg Mascio
Jennifer Harman
Gabe Kaplan
Alexander Jung
James Van Alstyne

Big Hands:

Hold’em

Jennifer Harman Crippled, Then Busts

Harman raised to 5,000 from under the gun and action folded to Max Pescatori in the cutoff. He three-bet to 7,500 and she was the only caller. The flop came down Q54. She checked and Pescatori bet 2,500. Harman raised to 5,000 and Pescatori made the call. The turn was the J and she led out with 5,000. Pescatori raised to 10,000 and she elected to muck her hand, leaving her with just 2,000 in chips.

Those chips went in on her big blind during the next hand and Steve Sung put her at risk.

Sung: KQ
Harman: Q4

Board: A85KK

Harman never received any help and she was eliminated from the tournament.

Ivey Runs Into Doyle’s Slick

Doyle Brunson raised to 5,000 from the button and Phil Ivey made the call from the small blind. The big blind mucked and both players saw a flop of K32. Ivey checked and Brunson bet 2,500. Ivey made the call and the 2 paired the board on the turn. Ivey checked and Brunson bet again, this time 5,000. Ivey called and the river brought the 5. Ivey checked a third time and Brunson bet 5,000 again. Ivey made the call.

Brunson then turned over AK for top pair and Ivey mucked. Brunson took the pot and he was at 195,000. Ivey was down to 140,000.

Omaha/8

Glantz Wins Big Pot In Battle Of The Blinds With Turner

Matt Glantz raised to 5,000 from the small blind and Jon Turner made the call from the big blind. The flop came down K5J and Glantz fired 2,500. Turner made the call and the 7 fell on the turn. Glantz led out again, this time 5,000. Turner then raised to 10,000 and action was back on Glantz. After a couple of moments, he took all of his chips back and threw a “25,000” chip into the middle, officially raising to 15,000. Turner made the call.

Action calmed down on the river as both players checked the A. Glantz then turned over AK8J for top two pair. Turner mucked and Glantz took in the pot. He was at 305,000 while Turner was aty 185,000.

Razz

Bonomo Betters Deeb

Picking up the action on fifth street, Justin Bonomo and Freddy Deeb were tangled in a hand.

Deeb: X-X-276
Bonomo: X-X-272

Deeb bet 5,000 and Bonomo made the call despite showing a pair on his board.

Deeb: X-X-2763
Bonomo: X-X-272A

Deeb bet another 5,000 and Bonomo made the call. The river was then dealt and Deeb checked to his opponent. Bonomo fired 5,000 and Deeb called after a few moments. Bonomo turned over (348) for a 7-low and Deeb mucked. Bonomo took the pot and improved to 117,000 while Deeb was at 111,000.

Stud High

The Art Of Catching On The River

Picking up the action on fifth street, Chau Giang, Daniel Negreanu and Scott Clements were involved in a hand.

Giang: X-X-K7Q
Negreanu: X-X-6109
Clements: X-X-Q34

Chau Giang bet 5,000 and both opponents called.

Giang: X-X-K7Q8
Negreanu: X-X-61094
Clements: X-X-Q345

Clements was the one who bet on sixth street, putting out 5,000. Negreanu and Giang both called. The river was dealt and everyone checked. Giang then said “Kings” to signify one pair. Clements showed (Q5-X) for two pair. But Giang had forgotten to look at his river card. He looked and turned over (KQ-X) for a better two-pair. Giang took the pot and proceeded to apologize to Clements. “It’s okay,” Clements replied. “I know you weren’t doing it on purpose.”

Giang was at 175,000, Clements was at 97,000 and Negreanu was at 207,000.

Stud/8

Seed Scoops Bloch

Andy Bloch completed to 2,500 and Huck Seed made the call. Here were there cards going into fourth street.

Seed: X-X-A8
Bloch: X-X-66

Bloch checked after he paired and Seed checked right behind him.

Seed: X-X-A89
Bloch: X-X-66J

Seed fired 5,000 after the action was checked to him and Bloch made the call.

Seed: X-X-A892
Bloch: X-X-66J10

Seed bet 5,000 and Bloch called. After the river was dealt, the same events took place as Bloch check-called a 5,000 bet from Seed. Seed then turned over (A74) for a pair of aces and no low. It was good enough as Bloch mucked his hand and Seed scooped the pot. He was at 245,000 while Bloch was at 140,000.

Juanda Crippled As Chiu Scoops

Picking up the action on fourth street, David Chiu, John Juanda and Johnny Chan were tangled in a hand.

Chiu: X-X-AQ
Juanda: X-X-87
Chan: X-X-8K

John Juanda bet 2,500 and both opponents called.

Chiu: X-X-AQJ
Juanda: X-X-877
Chan: X-X-8K8

Juanda paired and bet 5,000 after Chan checked to him. Both opponents called.

Chiu: X-X-AQJ6
Juanda: X-X-8773
Chan: X-X-8K85

Juanda bet another 5,000 and both opponents called. The river was dealt and everyone decided to check. Juanda tabled (A810) for two pair but Chiu showed (A6-X) for aces up. Chan mucked and Juanda threw his hand away as Chiu scooped the pot. His stack was over 200,000 while Chan was at 190,000. Juanda was worse for the wear as he was down to just 31,000.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Andy Bloch,   Huck Seed,   Daniel Negreanu,   David Chiu,   Johnny Chan,   Chau Giang,   Matthew Glantz,   Justin Bonomo,   Scott Clements,   Jon Turner,   Freddy Deeb

Level 4 Update: Brunson Loses Some Chips

Jun 26, '09

Flop Games: 800-1,500
Stud Games: Ante — 400, Bring-In — 500, Completion — 1,800, Limits — 1,800-3,600

Players Remaining: 95 out of 95

Chip Counts:

1. Martin Vallo – 290,000
2. Justin Smith – 251,000
3. David Bach – 235,000
4. Steve Billirakis – 223,000
5. Bill Chen – 210,000
6. James Van Alstyne – 206,000
7. David Benyamine – 199,000
8. Andy Black – 198,000
9. Chad Brown – 196,000
10. Jeff Lisandro – 188,000

Big Hands:

Hold’em

Seidel’s River Bet Forces a Fold From Pezzin

Erik Seidel raised from early position and was called by Pat Pezzin in the big blind. They took the flop heads up and it came J52. Pezzin checked and called 1500 from Seidel and they see a turn.

The turn was the 8 and Pezzin checks and calls again to Seidel’s bet. The river was a 10 and Pezzin checked one more time. Seidel fired one last bullet of 3000 and Pezzin quickly mucked his hand and the dealer pushed the pot Seidel’s way.

Omaha/8

Justin Smith Scoops Big Multi-way Pot

Five players invested four bets a piece preflop and the flop was KK4. Both blinds check and Justin “BoostedJ” Smith bets 1500, which is called by Gabe Kaplan and Hasaan Habib. The turn was the Q and the same action took place, this time with a bet of 3000.

The river was the 4 Smith fires one last 3000 shell. Kaplan thought for a bit and folded before Habib made the call. Smith tabled KJ109, giving him three kings, and Habib mucked his hand.

Razz

Juanda Drops A Pot To Smith

Picking up the action on third street, John Juanda and Justin Smith tangled up in a hand.

Juanda: X-X-5
Smith: X-X-3

John Juanda completed to 1,500 and action folded around to Smith. He raised to 3,000 and Juanda made the call.

Juanda: X-X-58
Smith: X-X-38

Smith bet another 1,500 and Juanda made the call.

Juanda: X-X-58Q
Smith: X-X-387

Smith fired 3,000 into the pot and Juanda got out of the way. Smith raked in the pot and was around 240,000 while Juanda was at 128,000.

Stud/8

Brunson Has His Chips Chopped Up

Picking up the action on third street, Doyle Brunson, Vitaly Lunkin and seat 3 were involved in a hand.

Brunson: X-X-5
Lunkin: X-X-6
Seat 3: X-X-2

Brunson completed to 1,500 and Lunkin called. Seat 3 raised to 3,000 and both Brunson and Lunkin called.

Brunson: X-X-5K
Lunkin: X-X-64
Seat 3: X-X-2K

Seat 3 bet 1,500 and both opponents called.

Brunson: X-X-5K3
Lunkin: X-X-645
Seat 3: X-X-2K4

Lunkin was the aggressor on fifth street, leading out with 3,000. Both opponents called.

Brunson: X-X-5K3A
Lunkin: X-X-6456
Seat 3: X-X-2K47

Lunkin bet another 3,000 and both of his opponents called. The river was dealt and Lunkin bet 3,000. Seat 3 called and Brunson looked down at his hole cards. He was disgusted and threw his hand into the muck. He then slammed the table with his hand. Lunkin showed (Q75) for a spade flush. Seat 3 showed (A32) for a 7-low and they chopped up the pot that had many chips from Brunson. Lunkin was at 107,000 while Brunson was at 135,000.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   John Juanda,   Hasan Habib,   Doyle Brunson,   Gabe Kaplan,   Pat Pezzin,   Vitaly Lunkin,   Justin Smith

Level 7 Update: Harman Eliminated, Juanda Crippled

Jun 27, '09

Flop Games: Blinds – 1,300-2,500, Limits – 2,500-5,000
Stud Games: Ante — 500, Bring-In — 700, Completion — 2,500, Limits — 2,500-5,000

Players Remaining: 84 out of 95

Chip Counts:

1. Hasan Habib – 440,000
2. Martin Vallo – 347,200
3. David Benyamine – 315,000
4. Matt Glantz – 300,000
5. Pat Bueno – 289,500
6. Alex Kravchenko – 270,000
7. Andy Black – 264,700
8. Jani Sointula – 261,000
9. Chris Ferguson – 259,600
10. Michael Saltzburg – 252,400

Average Chip Count: 161,747

Notable Eliminations:

Ali Eslami
Bryan Colin
Greg Mascio
Jennifer Harman
Gabe Kaplan
Alexander Jung
James Van Alstyne

Big Hands:

Hold’em

Jennifer Harman Crippled, Then Busts

Harman raised to 5,000 from under the gun and action folded to Max Pescatori in the cutoff. He three-bet to 7,500 and she was the only caller. The flop came down Q54. She checked and Pescatori bet 2,500. Harman raised to 5,000 and Pescatori made the call. The turn was the J and she led out with 5,000. Pescatori raised to 10,000 and she elected to muck her hand, leaving her with just 2,000 in chips.

Those chips went in on her big blind during the next hand and Steve Sung put her at risk.

Sung: KQ
Harman: Q4

Board: A85KK

Harman never received any help and she was eliminated from the tournament.

Ivey Runs Into Doyle’s Slick

Doyle Brunson raised to 5,000 from the button and Phil Ivey made the call from the small blind. The big blind mucked and both players saw a flop of K32. Ivey checked and Brunson bet 2,500. Ivey made the call and the 2 paired the board on the turn. Ivey checked and Brunson bet again, this time 5,000. Ivey called and the river brought the 5. Ivey checked a third time and Brunson bet 5,000 again. Ivey made the call.

Brunson then turned over AK for top pair and Ivey mucked. Brunson took the pot and he was at 195,000. Ivey was down to 140,000.

Omaha/8

Glantz Wins Big Pot In Battle Of The Blinds With Turner

Matt Glantz raised to 5,000 from the small blind and Jon Turner made the call from the big blind. The flop came down K5J and Glantz fired 2,500. Turner made the call and the 7 fell on the turn. Glantz led out again, this time 5,000. Turner then raised to 10,000 and action was back on Glantz. After a couple of moments, he took all of his chips back and threw a “25,000” chip into the middle, officially raising to 15,000. Turner made the call.

Action calmed down on the river as both players checked the A. Glantz then turned over AK8J for top two pair. Turner mucked and Glantz took in the pot. He was at 305,000 while Turner was aty 185,000.

Razz

Bonomo Betters Deeb

Picking up the action on fifth street, Justin Bonomo and Freddy Deeb were tangled in a hand.

Deeb: X-X-276
Bonomo: X-X-272

Deeb bet 5,000 and Bonomo made the call despite showing a pair on his board.

Deeb: X-X-2763
Bonomo: X-X-272A

Deeb bet another 5,000 and Bonomo made the call. The river was then dealt and Deeb checked to his opponent. Bonomo fired 5,000 and Deeb called after a few moments. Bonomo turned over (348) for a 7-low and Deeb mucked. Bonomo took the pot and improved to 117,000 while Deeb was at 111,000.

Stud High

The Art Of Catching On The River

Picking up the action on fifth street, Chau Giang, Daniel Negreanu and Scott Clements were involved in a hand.

Giang: X-X-K7Q
Negreanu: X-X-6109
Clements: X-X-Q34

Chau Giang bet 5,000 and both opponents called.

Giang: X-X-K7Q8
Negreanu: X-X-61094
Clements: X-X-Q345

Clements was the one who bet on sixth street, putting out 5,000. Negreanu and Giang both called. The river was dealt and everyone checked. Giang then said “Kings” to signify one pair. Clements showed (Q5-X) for two pair. But Giang had forgotten to look at his river card. He looked and turned over (KQ-X) for a better two-pair. Giang took the pot and proceeded to apologize to Clements. “It’s okay,” Clements replied. “I know you weren’t doing it on purpose.”

Giang was at 175,000, Clements was at 97,000 and Negreanu was at 207,000.

Stud/8

Seed Scoops Bloch

Andy Bloch completed to 2,500 and Huck Seed made the call. Here were there cards going into fourth street.

Seed: X-X-A8
Bloch: X-X-66

Bloch checked after he paired and Seed checked right behind him.

Seed: X-X-A89
Bloch: X-X-66J

Seed fired 5,000 after the action was checked to him and Bloch made the call.

Seed: X-X-A892
Bloch: X-X-66J10

Seed bet 5,000 and Bloch called. After the river was dealt, the same events took place as Bloch check-called a 5,000 bet from Seed. Seed then turned over (A74) for a pair of aces and no low. It was good enough as Bloch mucked his hand and Seed scooped the pot. He was at 245,000 while Bloch was at 140,000.

Juanda Crippled As Chiu Scoops

Picking up the action on fourth street, David Chiu, John Juanda and Johnny Chan were tangled in a hand.

Chiu: X-X-AQ
Juanda: X-X-87
Chan: X-X-8K

John Juanda bet 2,500 and both opponents called.

Chiu: X-X-AQJ
Juanda: X-X-877
Chan: X-X-8K8

Juanda paired and bet 5,000 after Chan checked to him. Both opponents called.

Chiu: X-X-AQJ6
Juanda: X-X-8773
Chan: X-X-8K85

Juanda bet another 5,000 and both opponents called. The river was dealt and everyone decided to check. Juanda tabled (A810) for two pair but Chiu showed (A6-X) for aces up. Chan mucked and Juanda threw his hand away as Chiu scooped the pot. His stack was over 200,000 while Chan was at 190,000. Juanda was worse for the wear as he was down to just 31,000.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Andy Bloch,   Huck Seed,   Daniel Negreanu,   David Chiu,   Johnny Chan,   Chau Giang,   Matthew Glantz,   Justin Bonomo,   Scott Clements,   Jon Turner,   Freddy Deeb

Level 4 Update: Brunson Loses Some Chips

Jun 26, '09

Flop Games: 800-1,500
Stud Games: Ante — 400, Bring-In — 500, Completion — 1,800, Limits — 1,800-3,600

Players Remaining: 95 out of 95

Chip Counts:

1. Martin Vallo – 290,000
2. Justin Smith – 251,000
3. David Bach – 235,000
4. Steve Billirakis – 223,000
5. Bill Chen – 210,000
6. James Van Alstyne – 206,000
7. David Benyamine – 199,000
8. Andy Black – 198,000
9. Chad Brown – 196,000
10. Jeff Lisandro – 188,000

Big Hands:

Hold’em

Seidel’s River Bet Forces a Fold From Pezzin

Erik Seidel raised from early position and was called by Pat Pezzin in the big blind. They took the flop heads up and it came J52. Pezzin checked and called 1500 from Seidel and they see a turn.

The turn was the 8 and Pezzin checks and calls again to Seidel’s bet. The river was a 10 and Pezzin checked one more time. Seidel fired one last bullet of 3000 and Pezzin quickly mucked his hand and the dealer pushed the pot Seidel’s way.

Omaha/8

Justin Smith Scoops Big Multi-way Pot

Five players invested four bets a piece preflop and the flop was KK4. Both blinds check and Justin “BoostedJ” Smith bets 1500, which is called by Gabe Kaplan and Hasaan Habib. The turn was the Q and the same action took place, this time with a bet of 3000.

The river was the 4 Smith fires one last 3000 shell. Kaplan thought for a bit and folded before Habib made the call. Smith tabled KJ109, giving him three kings, and Habib mucked his hand.

Razz

Juanda Drops A Pot To Smith

Picking up the action on third street, John Juanda and Justin Smith tangled up in a hand.

Juanda: X-X-5
Smith: X-X-3

John Juanda completed to 1,500 and action folded around to Smith. He raised to 3,000 and Juanda made the call.

Juanda: X-X-58
Smith: X-X-38

Smith bet another 1,500 and Juanda made the call.

Juanda: X-X-58Q
Smith: X-X-387

Smith fired 3,000 into the pot and Juanda got out of the way. Smith raked in the pot and was around 240,000 while Juanda was at 128,000.

Stud/8

Brunson Has His Chips Chopped Up

Picking up the action on third street, Doyle Brunson, Vitaly Lunkin and seat 3 were involved in a hand.

Brunson: X-X-5
Lunkin: X-X-6
Seat 3: X-X-2

Brunson completed to 1,500 and Lunkin called. Seat 3 raised to 3,000 and both Brunson and Lunkin called.

Brunson: X-X-5K
Lunkin: X-X-64
Seat 3: X-X-2K

Seat 3 bet 1,500 and both opponents called.

Brunson: X-X-5K3
Lunkin: X-X-645
Seat 3: X-X-2K4

Lunkin was the aggressor on fifth street, leading out with 3,000. Both opponents called.

Brunson: X-X-5K3A
Lunkin: X-X-6456
Seat 3: X-X-2K47

Lunkin bet another 3,000 and both of his opponents called. The river was dealt and Lunkin bet 3,000. Seat 3 called and Brunson looked down at his hole cards. He was disgusted and threw his hand into the muck. He then slammed the table with his hand. Lunkin showed (Q75) for a spade flush. Seat 3 showed (A32) for a 7-low and they chopped up the pot that had many chips from Brunson. Lunkin was at 107,000 while Brunson was at 135,000.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   John Juanda,   Hasan Habib,   Doyle Brunson,   Gabe Kaplan,   Pat Pezzin,   Vitaly Lunkin,   Justin Smith

Level 12 Update: David Singer, Chris Ferguson Eliminated

Jun 19, '09

Ante: 700
Low Card: 1000
Completion: 3,000
Limits: 3,000-6,000

Players Remaining: 54 out of 164

Chip Counts:

1. Tuan Le – 290,000
2. Scotty Nguyen – 204,000
3. Jeff Lisandro – 191,000
4. Tony Rivera – 168,000
5. Tom Schneider – 168,000
6. John Hennigan – 147,000
7. Dario Minieri – 135,000
8. Nick Schulman – 135,000
9. Dutch Boyd – 127,000
10. Lyle Berman – 112,000

Average Chip Count: 91,111

Notable Eliminations:

David Singer
Sabyl Cohen-Landrum
James Van Alstyne
Toto Leonidas
Huck Seed
Daniel Alaei
Chris Ferguson
David Sklansky

Big Hands:

Chris Ferguson Triples Up, Eliminated Shortly After

Chris Ferguson was all-in against Lyle Berman and Tom Schneider.

Ferguson: (Q2)QKK10(2)

Berman: X-X-K7A6-X

Schneider: X-X-45JJ-X

Ferguson was able to scoop the pot with his two pair, kings and queens. Schneider took the side pot against Berman with jacks and fours. Ferguson was up to 35,100 before being eliminated not long after.

John Juanda Short Stacked, Then Triples Up

John Juanda, the hand after being the odd man out in a large three-way pot against Tuan Le and Joe Tehan, was all-in against David Benyamine and Tuan Le. John was short after losing the large pot the hand earlier, but found redemption on the next hand.

Their cards:

Juanda: X-X-34AA-X

Benyamine: X-X-23Q5-X

Tuan Le: X-X-72103-X

After betting between Le and Benyamine for a sidepot, John Juanda exposed two spades in the hole to take the high with a flush. There was no low out there and Juanda scooped the entire pot. The four-time bracelet winner is up to 76,000 now.

David Singer Eliminated

On third street David Singer was all-in against Alex Jung.

Their cards:

Singer: (510)109A8(8)

Jung: (67)95K4(A)

Jung ended up with an ace-high flush and a low to scoop the entire pot.

Left In The Deck:

The players are now on a dinner break.

Player Tags: Chris Ferguson,   John Juanda,   Tuan Le,   David Benyamine,   David Singer,   Tom Schneider,   Lyle Berman,   Joe Tehan,   Alexander Jung

Level 5 Update: The Comic Relief Arrives

Jun 18, '09

Ante: 100
Low Card: 200
Completion: 600
Limits: 600-1,200

Players Remaining: 155 out of 164

Chip Counts:

1. Jeff Lisandro – 87,000
2. Dario Minieri – 58,000
3. David Benyamine – 58,000
4. Frank Kassela – 56,000
5. Tuan Le – 54,000
6. Daniel Alaei – 48,000
7. John Hennigan – 48,000
8. Tom Koral – 48,000
9. Marco Traniello – 47,000
10. Soheil Shamseddin – 45,000

Average Chip Count: 31,337

Notable Eliminations:

David Levi
Justin Bonomo
Carlos Mortensen

Big Hands:

Juanda Takes One Off Alaei

Daniel Alaei: X-X-103J4
John Juanda: X-X-8545

With 6,000 in the pot, John Juanda bet another 1,200 and Daniel Alaei took some time to make a decision. Eventually, Alaei made the call and Juanda showed (978) for two pair and Alaei mucked. Juanda was at 36,000 while Alaei was still well-off at 65,000.

The Legend Of Drunken Master

Daniel Negreanu just showed up to the tournament and took his seat at the same table as his friend Mike Matusow. He also brought two other friends to the table, “Miller” and “Lite.” Negreanu had two beers, one in his hand and one on the table in waiting. If there was any doubt to Negreanu’s condition, he confirmed it to the room when he said, “I’m wasted, hardcore!” Negreanu didn’t waste any time getting involved in a hand either.

Negreanu: X-X-A5
Seat 4: X-X-KQ
Mike Matusow: X-X-A4

Negreanu led out with 600 and both Mike Matusow called as did seat 4, or as Negreanu affectionately called him, “Russian.”

Negreanu: X-X-A5A
Seat 4: X-X-KQJ
Mike Matusow: X-X-A46

“I bet it,” Negreanu announced as he tossed in 1,200. Seat 4 called and Matusow thought for a bit before mucking.

Negreanu: X-X-A5A7
Seat 4: X-X-KQJ2

Negreanu kept his betting up with 1,200 and seat 4 called. “Do you have a flush?” Negreanu kindly asked, beer still in his hand. He then bet another 1,200 and said, “I have nothing.” Seat 4 called and Negreanu announced, “Aces.” He turned over (92X) and everyone sweating the table on the rail laughed and seat 4 showed (1010Q) for two pair and the pot. Negreanu then shook the “russian’s” hand and a good time was had by all. Negreanu was down to 12,000.

Clements Scoops

Scott Clements: X-X-3
Seat 2: X-X-8

Seat 2 completed to 600 and Clements raised to 1,200. His opponent made the call.

Scott Clements: X-X-34
Seat 2: X-X-8J

Clements bet 600 and seat 2 made the call.

Scott Clements: X-X-347
Seat 2: X-X-8J5

Clements bet 1,200 and his opponent called again.

Scott Clements: X-X-347K
Seat 2: X-X-8J55

Seat 2 checked to Clements who fired another 1,200. Seat 2 made the call and the river was dealt. Clements bet again and was called. He then showed (AA4) and his opponent mucked. Clements was up to 42,000.

Player Tags: John Juanda,   Daniel Negreanu,   Mike Matusow,   Daniel Alaei,   Scott Clements

Level 4 Update: Nguyen Chops With Juanda, Alaei Climbs To Top

Jun 18, '09

Ante: 100
Low Card: 200
Completion: 500
Limits: 500-1,000

Players Remaining: 163 out of 164

Note: Players have gone on a 60 minute dinner break and will return at 10:40 p.m.

Chip Counts:

1. Daniel Alaei – 53,000
2. Jeff Lisandro – 51,000
3. Johnny Chan – 47,000
4. Scotty Nguyen – 45,000
5. Soheil Shamseddin – 45,000
6. Anthony Rivera – 44,000
7. Frank Kassela – 44,000
8. John Hennigan – 43,000
9. Bill Chen – 42,000
10. Farzad Rouhani – 42,000

Average Chip Count: 30,000

Notable Eliminations:

Shawn Sheikhan

Big Hands:

Levi Relieves Eli Of His Chips

David Levi: X-X-2KJ
Eli Elezra: X-X-2Q4

With around 2,500 in the pot, David Levi fired 1,000 and Elezra made the call.

David Levi: X-X-2KJ5
Eli Elezra: X-X-2Q4Q

Although Elezra paired his ladies, he decided to check to Levi. Levi did the same and both players were dealt their river cards. Both players checked again and Levi turned over K88 for two pair and Elezra could not beat it. “I can’t call you if you bet it,” Elezra commented after throwing his hand away. He was at 42,000 while Levi was at 15,000.

Fricke Gobbles Up His Opponent

Fricke: X-X-3
Seat 2: X-X-J

The player in seat 2 completed to 500 and Jimmy Fricke raised to 1,000. His opponent made the call.

Fricke: X-X-37
Seat 2: X-X-J4

Seat 2 checked and Fricke bet 500. His opponent then raised 1,000 and Fricke did not skip a beat as he raised to 1,500. Seat 2 called.

Fricke: X-X-374
Seat 2: X-X-J43

Fricke bet 1,000 and his opponent called again.

Fricke: X-X-3748
Seat 2: X-X-J43Q

Fricke bet another 1,000 and seat 2 raised to 2,000. Fricke came back over the top to 3,000 and was called. On the river, Fricke bet again and his opponent just shook his head and mucked, unable to defend the chips he already had in the pot. Instead, they were added to Fricke’s stack and he was at 37,000.

Nguyen And Juanda Engage In A Friendly Contest

Scotty Nguyen: X-X-948
John Juanda: X-X-8JJ

John Juanda bet 1,000 into a pot holding 4,000 and Scotty Nguyen raised to 2,000. Juanda made the call.

Scotty Nguyen: X-X-9483
John Juanda: X-X-8JJA

Juanda bet 1,000 and Nguyen just called. On the river, Nguyen led out with 1,000 and Juanda threw in the call. Nguyen turned over (852X) for an eight-low and Juanda showed (10A4) for aces up and the players chopped the pot. Nguyen was still over 50,000 while Juanda was at 29,600.

Left In The Deck:

Famed poker commentator Norman Chad is in the field today. At last glance his stack was around 20,000. It will be interesting to see if he can show these players a thing or two on how to play some real poker.

Player Tags: Scotty Nguyen,   David Levi,   John Juanda,   Eli Elezra,   Jimmy Fricke,   Norman Chad