Patrick Poels Poker Tournament Updates

Main Event - Day 4 - Level 17

Jul 11, '08

Blinds/Antes: 3,000-6,000-1,000

Players Remaining: 324 of 6,844

Average Chip Stack: 423,000

Eliminations:
Johnny Chan
Hasan Habib
Pat Poels
Thayer Rasmussen

Big Hands and Storylines:

Mitchell Smith Eliminated by James McManus

Mitchell Smith raised from the small blind and was called by James McManus in the big blind. The flop came down A102 and Smith continuation bet 20,000 into his opponent; McManus called. The turn was the J and Smith checked. McManus bet out 40,000 and Smith quickly called. The river was the 8 and Smith checked again. McManus put Smith all-in for about 180,000 more, slightly more than the size of the pot. Smith thought for a good while before making the call, but mucked his hand when he saw McManus’s KQ for a turned straight.

Since Smith was all-in on the hand, his cards were exposed by the dealer, who turned over J6 for a pair of jacks. The hand puts McManus right near a million in chips.

Garret Beckman Takes Out Two

Mike Spinasanta and Mirza Nagji were both all-in before the flop against the bigger stack of Garret Beckman:

Beckman: AK
Spinasanta: QQ
Nagji: 22

The flop was J73 and Beckman had flopped the nuts. The Q on the turn put his celebration on hold as it gave Spinasanta a draw to a full house. “Pair it!” shouted Spinasanta before the river card was dealt, but the river would be the 10. Spinasanta and Nagji were both eliminated at the hands of Beckman, who now has 240,000.

Maya Antonius Eliminated by Allen Carter

Maya Antonius was all-in against Allen Carter on a K98 flop. Antonius had JJ and was in very bad shape against the KJ of Carter. The turn and river were the 2 and 8 and Antonius was eliminated. Perhaps she can take some solace in the fact that she outlasted her husband.

One main event champ is gone, another doubles up

Phil Hellmuth, who is at the featured table today, recently doubled up with pocket kings against A-K. Almost simultaneously Johnny Chan with A-7 against the pocket eights of Damien Creurer. The board did not help save him and the champ of '87 and '88 is out.

Kostritsyn Doubles Up Another

Alexander Kostritsyn lost another all in pot to double up one of the shorter stacks, one of several that have been slowly chipping away at his stack. Damien Creurer got it all in pre-flop for 84,000 with A10 against Kostritsyn’s 55. The flop was a bingo for both, bringing A75. Although Kostritsyn spiked a set, his hand was vulnerable to any diamond or running cards for a better full house. The 8 on the turn gave Creurer a flush, and Kostritsyn was down to any board pair on the river. The J was a miss, and Creurer’s lone 10 was good enough for the pot. Kostritsyn finished the hand with around 800,000 in chips.

Barrile knocks out Poels

Pat Poels moved all in with A-Q and Chris Barrile called with pocket sixes. The board came 10-4-3-10-J and Barille took down the 300,000-chip pot.He now has roughly 800,000 chips.

Mike Matusow Can’t Beat Tens

After the action folded to him in middle position, Mike Matusow raised to a total of 16,000.  All others folded to the player in the big blind, who made the call.  The flop came down A72 and the big blind checked.  Matusow continued his aggression by making a bet of 24,000, which his opponent called.  The dealer put down the 5 on the turn, which brought a round of checks from the two players.  The 9 fell on the river and again both players checked.  “Two tens,” the player in the big blind announced as he turned over 1010.  Matusow quietly nodded for a few moments before tossing his cards into the muck.

Who Needs a Spade?

With already about 250,000 in the pot, and with the flop coming out 952, Suresh Prabhu announced all-in and sent another 236,000 into the middle of the table. Prabhu was operating from the small blind, and his only opponent was Derek Buonano in the big blind. Buonano had enough to call, but would only be left with 120,000 if he called and lost. He tanked for several minutes before deciding to call, and showed K9 for top pair. He was leading as Prabhu held Q3 for the flush draw. But rather than make a flush, Prabhu would hit the Q on the turn to overtake Buonano’s pair, and the A on the river clinched the massive pot for Prabhu.

Two Monsters Flopped; Only One is Best

Mike Matusow limped from middle position, Cornel Pazai limped while one from the cut-off, the button called, and both blinds also called, creating five-way action to the flop. The players were treated to the KJ10, and after the small blind checked, Joseph Ward in the big blind bet 12,000. Matusow folded, Pazai called, and the rest of the field folded. After the 6 on the turn, Ward checked and Pazai bet 24,000. Ward then check-raised to 75,000, at which point Pazai reraised all-in and drew a quick call from Ward. Both players held monsters, with Pazai having Q9 for bottom-end straight and a flush draw. Ward had flopped broadway with the AQ. Ward managed to dodge the river when the 7 bricked, and Pazai was forced to match Ward’s remaining 175,000 chips.

Player Tags: Patrick Poels,   Mike Matusow,   Phil Hellmuth,   Johnny Chan,   Joseph Ward,   Garrett Beckman,   Chris Barrile,   Derek Buonano,   Alexander Kostritsyn,   James McManus,   Maya Gellar-Antonius,   Cornel Pazara

Omaha High-Low - Level 16 Recap

Jun 09, '08

Blinds: 2,000-4,000 limits 4,000-8,000

Players Left: 27-533

Eliminations:

38th: Thomas Hufnagle: $4,529
37th: Kham-ar Aythavone: $4,529
36th: Brad Libson: $5,535
35th: Lamar Johnston: $5,535
34th: Wing Wong: $5,535
33th: Soo Lee: $5,535
32nd: Thang Nguyen: $5,535
31st: John Cernuto: $5,535
30th: Ken Nay: $5,535
29th: John Juanda: $5,535
28th: Kristy Gazes: $5,535

Chip Count:

Soheil Shamseddin: 197,000
Scott Clements: 178,000
Pat Poels: 170,000
Andrew Brown: 145,000
Michael Sohayegh: 133,000
Ralph Rudd: 125,000
Ralph Perry: 124,000
Joe Aronesty: 119,000
James Richberg: 110,000
Mallory Smith: 107,000

Big Hands:

Miami John's Glimmer Extinguished By Poels, Brown

First, Cernuto was all in against Michael Reed holding AQ65 and flopped three pair--queen six five--that managed to hold up against Reed's low draw when the turn came running kings. That put Miami John up to more than 20,000. Then Cernuto was involved in a huge four way pot with Jimmy Fricke, Andrew Brown, and Pat Poels. Brown raised under the gun and all three players called. The flop came down 852 and Brown checked to Poels, who bet 4,000 and was quickly raised by Cernuto. Fricke called behind, then Brown three bet, and everyone called. Brown led out on fourth street, which brought the J, and was raised by Poels. Cernuto called all in for his last 5,000, Fricke folded, and Brown called. The river was the 10 and Brown check-called a final bet by Poels, who turned over A3J8 for the nut low and jacks up. Brown's A356 was good for a quarter of the pot, and Cernuto, who held A2108, was officially eliminated in 31st place.

Nay Eliminated By Hooshmand

After Nay three bet preflop, he led out the whole way against Kia Hooshmand,, betting the flop, 754, the turn, 10, J. When it was all over, all he could turn over was an ace six for the low, as his straight draw failed to materialize. Hooshmand triumphantly turned over A K 10 3 for the second nut low and a pair of tens, good enough to scoop the entire pot and send Nay to the rail in 30th place.

Sayonara for Juanda

John Juanda, all in on a board of J63 10 holding A8K10, thought he needed help to survive; it turned out it was his opponent, Ralph Rudd, who was drawing with A264. "Pair the board," called Juanda, but the 8 on the river sent him home in 29th place.

Player Tags: John Cernuto,   John Juanda,   Patrick Poels,   Kia Hooshmand

Pat Poels Eliminated in 8th Place ($11,957)

Jul 03, '07

Dao Bac raised to $16,000 preflop, Pat Poels made it three bets, and Bac called.  The players then made a series of raises on the K-Q-3 flop, with Poels putting in the last of his chips.  Poels held A-A, but Bac had outflopped him with 3-3.  The turn and the river bricked out and Poels was eliminated in 8th place earning $11,957

Player Tags: Patrick Poels,   Dao Bac

Stud Hi/Hold'em Update

Jul 02, '07

The remaining 16 players have just finished up with Levels 29 and 30 (Stud Hi & Hold’em), and are about to enter Level 31 (Omaha eight-or-better). The average chip stack right now $91,250 and with the blinds increasing to $6,000-$12,000, we’re bound to see a plethora of eliminations in the next few rounds to come.

It’s a rolled-up rollercoaster in Level 29 (Stud Hi) for Susie Genard. Genard starts one hand off with rolled up nines against Eric Tomberlin’s 7 on 3^rd street. Tomblerin goes on to catch two running sevens on both fourth and fifth street  to make trip sevens, but failing to further improve gives Genard the win with trip nines. The very next hand and Genard looks down at rolled up jacks against John Myung’s 8 in the door. Myung starts the hand off with a split pair of eights and catches another 8 on fourth street and the case eight on fifth street to make quads and trump Genard’s trip jacks turned full house.

Pat Poels nearly doubled up in hold’em when a mis-raise worked out in his advantage. The player in seat no. 3 comes in for a raise and Pat Poels calls from the big blind. The flop comes K 9 7 and Poels checks to seat no. 3 who bets out. Poels raises and seat no. 3 calls. The turn brings the 10 and Poels leads out this time getting a call from his opponent in seat no. 3. The river brings the 5 and once again Poels bets and seat no. 3 makes the call. Poels turns over Q J for the nut straight and the player in seat no. 3 mucks his hand in awe. Seat no. 3 makes it apparent that he was not impressed with Poels’ gutshot raise on the flop and Poels defends himself by explaining that he mis-raised by mistake which was evident by his bet on the turn which was for twice the actual limit. All Poels can do at this point is to offer his opponent his condolences by saying, “Sorry…but not really.”      

John Myung was just recently eliminated by Michael Craig when Myung got the rest of his chips in the pot with Q-J against Craig’s A-Q. The board failed to improve Myung’s dominated queen and he hit the rail in 18^th place earning himself $5,514.

We’ve had plenty of eliminations in the last hour or so and here’s our most recent list…

17^th Place Daniel Lown ($5,514)

18^th John Myung ($5,514)

19^th Michael Klarman ($5,514)

20^th Gregory Koseback ($5,514)

21^st  Justin Thomas ($5,514)

22^nd Bonnie Leinhos ($5,514)

23^rd Daniel Fishell ($5,514)

Be sure to check back with CardPlayer.com for more updates and your favorite Pro Blogs.                                                      Notable Chip Counts

Eric Tomberlin	71,000
Chip Jett	130,000

Player Tags: Patrick Poels,   John Myung,   Susan Genard,   Michael Craig,   Eric Tomberlin

Hour Five

Jul 02, '07

One Away From Hand for Hand
We are just one player away from hand for hand.

Hand for Hand
There is visible excitement on players faces at they are just one player from the money. 

Banished
The media has been cast to the sidelines to help smooth out the hand for hand process.

Money!!
The S.H.O.E. players have made the money.  They let out the standard applause and there were many high fives as well. 

Large Rail
There is a lot of people railing this event.  Annie Duke stopped by to congratulate Erick Seidel, and Tony G. was seen browsing among the tables.

Chip Jett Scoops
Reese gets Alex Kravchenko to call a bet on the river of a 10854J board.  Reese shows down AJQ4 and takes the whole pot.  No word as of yet if Kravchenko (who is easily the most frightening player in the RIO) will arrange an "accident" for Reese. 

Ok, There Are Some More Names In The Field
Pat Poels has notified Card Player that he is still alive in the field. Poels has won two WSOP bracelet.  We would like to apologize to him, and thank his wife for checking (and freelance editing) the updates on Cardplayer.com.

Erik Seidel Eliminated
Seidel was eliminated shortly after reaching the money.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   Annie Duke,   Patrick Poels,   Chip Jett,   Alexander Kravchenko

Stud Eight Or Better Ends The Night

Jul 01, '07

Play was halted at the conclusion of Level 13.

Jeff Madsen was eliminated on the last hand played in the holdem level.  Madsen was all in with 8 8 with two callers.  The board ran out 6 3 2 5 K, and one of Madsen's opponent's showed J J to take the pot.

Pat Poels overestimated his opponent's cards after he lead the betting the whole way on a 8-2-3-9-K board.  Poels announced that he had a set of threes and the A-5 for low, and then predicted that it was only good for half the pot.  His opponent simply shook his head and flipped A-8-6-2, and Poels scooped the pot.

Erik Seidel quartered his opponent in a pot, cracking his pocket Aces and matching his low.  The board read 8 7 6 J 7, and Seidel showed A 9 5 4 to beat his opponent's A A 6 4.  Seidel has built his chips up to about $15,000.

The final 145 players will return at 3pm tomorrow to resume play.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   Patrick Poels,   Jeff Madsen

Pat Poels Eliminated in 8th Place ($11,957)

Jul 03, '07

Dao Bac raised to $16,000 preflop, Pat Poels made it three bets, and Bac called.  The players then made a series of raises on the K-Q-3 flop, with Poels putting in the last of his chips.  Poels held A-A, but Bac had outflopped him with 3-3.  The turn and the river bricked out and Poels was eliminated in 8th place earning $11,957

Player Tags: Patrick Poels,   Dao Bac

Stud Hi/Hold'em Update

Jul 02, '07

The remaining 16 players have just finished up with Levels 29 and 30 (Stud Hi & Hold’em), and are about to enter Level 31 (Omaha eight-or-better). The average chip stack right now $91,250 and with the blinds increasing to $6,000-$12,000, we’re bound to see a plethora of eliminations in the next few rounds to come.

It’s a rolled-up rollercoaster in Level 29 (Stud Hi) for Susie Genard. Genard starts one hand off with rolled up nines against Eric Tomberlin’s 7 on 3^rd street. Tomblerin goes on to catch two running sevens on both fourth and fifth street  to make trip sevens, but failing to further improve gives Genard the win with trip nines. The very next hand and Genard looks down at rolled up jacks against John Myung’s 8 in the door. Myung starts the hand off with a split pair of eights and catches another 8 on fourth street and the case eight on fifth street to make quads and trump Genard’s trip jacks turned full house.

Pat Poels nearly doubled up in hold’em when a mis-raise worked out in his advantage. The player in seat no. 3 comes in for a raise and Pat Poels calls from the big blind. The flop comes K 9 7 and Poels checks to seat no. 3 who bets out. Poels raises and seat no. 3 calls. The turn brings the 10 and Poels leads out this time getting a call from his opponent in seat no. 3. The river brings the 5 and once again Poels bets and seat no. 3 makes the call. Poels turns over Q J for the nut straight and the player in seat no. 3 mucks his hand in awe. Seat no. 3 makes it apparent that he was not impressed with Poels’ gutshot raise on the flop and Poels defends himself by explaining that he mis-raised by mistake which was evident by his bet on the turn which was for twice the actual limit. All Poels can do at this point is to offer his opponent his condolences by saying, “Sorry…but not really.”      

John Myung was just recently eliminated by Michael Craig when Myung got the rest of his chips in the pot with Q-J against Craig’s A-Q. The board failed to improve Myung’s dominated queen and he hit the rail in 18^th place earning himself $5,514.

We’ve had plenty of eliminations in the last hour or so and here’s our most recent list…

17^th Place Daniel Lown ($5,514)

18^th John Myung ($5,514)

19^th Michael Klarman ($5,514)

20^th Gregory Koseback ($5,514)

21^st  Justin Thomas ($5,514)

22^nd Bonnie Leinhos ($5,514)

23^rd Daniel Fishell ($5,514)

Be sure to check back with CardPlayer.com for more updates and your favorite Pro Blogs.                                                      Notable Chip Counts

Eric Tomberlin	71,000
Chip Jett	130,000

Player Tags: Patrick Poels,   John Myung,   Susan Genard,   Michael Craig,   Eric Tomberlin

Hour Five

Jul 02, '07

One Away From Hand for Hand
We are just one player away from hand for hand.

Hand for Hand
There is visible excitement on players faces at they are just one player from the money. 

Banished
The media has been cast to the sidelines to help smooth out the hand for hand process.

Money!!
The S.H.O.E. players have made the money.  They let out the standard applause and there were many high fives as well. 

Large Rail
There is a lot of people railing this event.  Annie Duke stopped by to congratulate Erick Seidel, and Tony G. was seen browsing among the tables.

Chip Jett Scoops
Reese gets Alex Kravchenko to call a bet on the river of a 10854J board.  Reese shows down AJQ4 and takes the whole pot.  No word as of yet if Kravchenko (who is easily the most frightening player in the RIO) will arrange an "accident" for Reese. 

Ok, There Are Some More Names In The Field
Pat Poels has notified Card Player that he is still alive in the field. Poels has won two WSOP bracelet.  We would like to apologize to him, and thank his wife for checking (and freelance editing) the updates on Cardplayer.com.

Erik Seidel Eliminated
Seidel was eliminated shortly after reaching the money.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   Annie Duke,   Patrick Poels,   Chip Jett,   Alexander Kravchenko

Stud Eight Or Better Ends The Night

Jul 01, '07

Play was halted at the conclusion of Level 13.

Jeff Madsen was eliminated on the last hand played in the holdem level.  Madsen was all in with 8 8 with two callers.  The board ran out 6 3 2 5 K, and one of Madsen's opponent's showed J J to take the pot.

Pat Poels overestimated his opponent's cards after he lead the betting the whole way on a 8-2-3-9-K board.  Poels announced that he had a set of threes and the A-5 for low, and then predicted that it was only good for half the pot.  His opponent simply shook his head and flipped A-8-6-2, and Poels scooped the pot.

Erik Seidel quartered his opponent in a pot, cracking his pocket Aces and matching his low.  The board read 8 7 6 J 7, and Seidel showed A 9 5 4 to beat his opponent's A A 6 4.  Seidel has built his chips up to about $15,000.

The final 145 players will return at 3pm tomorrow to resume play.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   Patrick Poels,   Jeff Madsen

Pat Poels Eliminated in 8th Place ($11,957)

Jul 03, '07

Dao Bac raised to $16,000 preflop, Pat Poels made it three bets, and Bac called.  The players then made a series of raises on the K-Q-3 flop, with Poels putting in the last of his chips.  Poels held A-A, but Bac had outflopped him with 3-3.  The turn and the river bricked out and Poels was eliminated in 8th place earning $11,957

Player Tags: Patrick Poels,   Dao Bac

Stud Hi/Hold'em Update

Jul 02, '07

The remaining 16 players have just finished up with Levels 29 and 30 (Stud Hi & Hold’em), and are about to enter Level 31 (Omaha eight-or-better). The average chip stack right now $91,250 and with the blinds increasing to $6,000-$12,000, we’re bound to see a plethora of eliminations in the next few rounds to come.

It’s a rolled-up rollercoaster in Level 29 (Stud Hi) for Susie Genard. Genard starts one hand off with rolled up nines against Eric Tomberlin’s 7 on 3^rd street. Tomblerin goes on to catch two running sevens on both fourth and fifth street  to make trip sevens, but failing to further improve gives Genard the win with trip nines. The very next hand and Genard looks down at rolled up jacks against John Myung’s 8 in the door. Myung starts the hand off with a split pair of eights and catches another 8 on fourth street and the case eight on fifth street to make quads and trump Genard’s trip jacks turned full house.

Pat Poels nearly doubled up in hold’em when a mis-raise worked out in his advantage. The player in seat no. 3 comes in for a raise and Pat Poels calls from the big blind. The flop comes K 9 7 and Poels checks to seat no. 3 who bets out. Poels raises and seat no. 3 calls. The turn brings the 10 and Poels leads out this time getting a call from his opponent in seat no. 3. The river brings the 5 and once again Poels bets and seat no. 3 makes the call. Poels turns over Q J for the nut straight and the player in seat no. 3 mucks his hand in awe. Seat no. 3 makes it apparent that he was not impressed with Poels’ gutshot raise on the flop and Poels defends himself by explaining that he mis-raised by mistake which was evident by his bet on the turn which was for twice the actual limit. All Poels can do at this point is to offer his opponent his condolences by saying, “Sorry…but not really.”      

John Myung was just recently eliminated by Michael Craig when Myung got the rest of his chips in the pot with Q-J against Craig’s A-Q. The board failed to improve Myung’s dominated queen and he hit the rail in 18^th place earning himself $5,514.

We’ve had plenty of eliminations in the last hour or so and here’s our most recent list…

17^th Place Daniel Lown ($5,514)

18^th John Myung ($5,514)

19^th Michael Klarman ($5,514)

20^th Gregory Koseback ($5,514)

21^st  Justin Thomas ($5,514)

22^nd Bonnie Leinhos ($5,514)

23^rd Daniel Fishell ($5,514)

Be sure to check back with CardPlayer.com for more updates and your favorite Pro Blogs.                                                      Notable Chip Counts

Eric Tomberlin	71,000
Chip Jett	130,000

Player Tags: Patrick Poels,   John Myung,   Susan Genard,   Michael Craig,   Eric Tomberlin

Hour Five

Jul 02, '07

One Away From Hand for Hand
We are just one player away from hand for hand.

Hand for Hand
There is visible excitement on players faces at they are just one player from the money. 

Banished
The media has been cast to the sidelines to help smooth out the hand for hand process.

Money!!
The S.H.O.E. players have made the money.  They let out the standard applause and there were many high fives as well. 

Large Rail
There is a lot of people railing this event.  Annie Duke stopped by to congratulate Erick Seidel, and Tony G. was seen browsing among the tables.

Chip Jett Scoops
Reese gets Alex Kravchenko to call a bet on the river of a 10854J board.  Reese shows down AJQ4 and takes the whole pot.  No word as of yet if Kravchenko (who is easily the most frightening player in the RIO) will arrange an "accident" for Reese. 

Ok, There Are Some More Names In The Field
Pat Poels has notified Card Player that he is still alive in the field. Poels has won two WSOP bracelet.  We would like to apologize to him, and thank his wife for checking (and freelance editing) the updates on Cardplayer.com.

Erik Seidel Eliminated
Seidel was eliminated shortly after reaching the money.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   Annie Duke,   Patrick Poels,   Chip Jett,   Alexander Kravchenko

Stud Eight Or Better Ends The Night

Jul 01, '07

Play was halted at the conclusion of Level 13.

Jeff Madsen was eliminated on the last hand played in the holdem level.  Madsen was all in with 8 8 with two callers.  The board ran out 6 3 2 5 K, and one of Madsen's opponent's showed J J to take the pot.

Pat Poels overestimated his opponent's cards after he lead the betting the whole way on a 8-2-3-9-K board.  Poels announced that he had a set of threes and the A-5 for low, and then predicted that it was only good for half the pot.  His opponent simply shook his head and flipped A-8-6-2, and Poels scooped the pot.

Erik Seidel quartered his opponent in a pot, cracking his pocket Aces and matching his low.  The board read 8 7 6 J 7, and Seidel showed A 9 5 4 to beat his opponent's A A 6 4.  Seidel has built his chips up to about $15,000.

The final 145 players will return at 3pm tomorrow to resume play.

Player Tags: Erik Seidel,   Patrick Poels,   Jeff Madsen

Stud Eight or Better To Begin

Jun 28, '07

The $1,000 seven card stud eight or better event is set to get underway at 5 p.m.  Last year this event drew 788 players, creating a large prize pool for such a small buy in and building a first place prize of $172,091 for winner Pat Poels.   Make sure to check in on the action every hour here at Cardplayer.com.

Player Tags: Patrick Poels

Back From Dinner; Madsen Filled

Jun 25, '07

Thomas Wahlroos was eliminated shortly after the dinner break ended.  he found himself all-in with A-K-J-8 versus K-K-4-3 and A-J-5-2.  The board came out 8-6-6-3-10, and his two opponents split up his remaining chips.

Jeff Madsen lost a signicant chunk his chip stack in the following pot.  K J 3 A 3 was on the board and Madsen was facing a $5,000 dollar bet having already committed that much to the pot.  Madsen ultimately made the call, his opponent showed A-A, and Madsen mucked showing K J 9. Scott Clements and Pat Poels, both two-time bracelet winners (both with a victory in an Omaha Eight-or-better event as well) have both been eliminated from tonight's tournament.

 However another former Omaha Eight-Or-Better bracelet winner has seen his stock rise with a large scooped pot.  Brett Jungblut rivered trip fours to compliment his nut low for the scoop, to elevate his stack among the chip leaders.

Play will continue until 3am PST
Notable Chip Counts

Joe Hachem	19,000
Tony G	13,700
Marcel Luske	12,000
Mike Sexton	11,500
David "Devilfish" Ulliott	8,500

Player Tags: Brett Jungblut,   Patrick Poels,   Scott Clements,   Thomas Wahlroos,   Jeff Madsen

Play Begins

Jun 11, '07

Play got underway at 5 p.m. in Event 20, the $2,000 Seven Card Stud Eight or Better event.  The only seven card stud eight or better event last year was won by Patrick Poels.  Seeing as eight or better is a game commonly included in high stakes mixed games, its a safe bet that big names in mixed games, like Chip Reese, will be in the field, as well as stud regulars like Alan Kessler. Make sure to check in on all the action every hour here at Cardplayer.com.

Player Tags: David Reese,   Patrick Poels,   Allen Kessler

On to Day Two

Jun 09, '07

Day one of the first H.O.R.S.E event of the 2007 World Series of Poker is over. 210 players will return tomorrow at 3 p.m. to battle down to a final table. There are still plenty of big names left in the field including Doyle Brunson, Mike Matusow, Daniel Negreanu, David Williams, Andy Bloch and Cyndy Violette.

The final level of the day was hold 'em with limits of $300-$600. Chips finally began to change hands at a consistent rate and more players began to get eliminated. Pat Poels, Shawn Sheikan and Alan Boston are no longer in the field, but I'm sure we haven't seen the last of them in this World Series.

Tables continued to break at a much quicker pace this last level and John D'Agostino found himself at the table of David Williams. When sitting down, Williams said to D'Agostino "Oh man, I wish there was more than 10 minutes left in the day." D'Agostino replied, "Uh uh, I'm not playin a single hand." Those two will have to wait until tomorrow to see who can last the longest.

Tournament officials made the announcement that play would end at about five minutes past 3 a.m. Following the announcement, Cyndy Violette jumped out of her chair and exclaimed, "Yay! Now I don't have to play in the ladies event!"

Come back tomorrow to CardPlayer.com to see what happens when the limits pick up and the field shrinks down.

Player Tags: Andy Bloch,   Patrick Poels,   Daniel Negreanu,   John D'Agostino,   Shawn Sheikhan,   Mike Matusow,   Doyle Brunson,   Cyndy Violette,   Alan Boston,   David Williams

Heading Into Dinner Break

Jun 03, '07

At first it seems like taking a 15 minute break, playing for approximately 20 minutes into the next level and then taking an hour dinner break is a bit on the weird side.  However, it is just how it worked out this time.  The tournament directors are trying to keep the dinner breaks this year at their exact scheduled time for each tournament, regardless of how far the tournament has progressed.  Given that most tournaments don't start at their scheduled time due to any number of unforeseen problems, this means that this situation where a regularly scheduled level break may happen close to the dinner break.  However the tournament officials are sticking to the scheduled dinner break times to allow players to make dinner plans with anyone not playing in the tournament (players do have families) and not have to break them due to slow-starting tournament.

Given that the World Series is such a large undertaking it seems many players are taking some things in stride.  For example on a recent hand at Table 137 when dealing Stud Eight-or-Better, the dealer dealt two consecutive 3 door cards.  As the floor was called and the deck was replaced, the players just had a laugh.  Even the fact that this deck had been in play for at least an hour, no one seemed to incensed.  Also many players have had to hand walk some of the dealers through splitting the pots in both games.

As for news of the action.  David Benyamine has been rolling despite a particularly tough table.  Featuring Greg Raymer, Pat Poels, Hasan Habib, and Bill Edler, Benyamin at one point was playing (and winning) so many hands in a row, he didn't have time to stack his now messy pile of chips.  Benyamine busted Edler soon after he crippled him, chopping a huge pot with Habib.  Benyamine also took a large pot off of Raymer missing a low draw, but rivering a six to go with the pair of sixes he already had.  Raymer was able to squeak into the dinner break with a little help from the poker gods.  Raymer found himself all-in and covered by another player who was all-in, while Benyamine was also in the pot covering them both.  Raymer held a pair of Kings with two cards to come, while both other players held low straight draws.  Raymer ended up with Kings and tens which miraculously held up while Benyamine made a smaller two pair to take the side pot.

It seems the players seem to be doing the most damage during the Stud portion of this event.  John Phan, Tom Schneider, and Shawn Shekihan are some of the chip leaders going to dinner, with Barry Greenstein, Kristy Gazes, and Chad Brown all headed for dinner early.

Play will resume at 11pm PST

Player Tags: John Phan,   Barry Greenstein,   Kristy Gazes,   Patrick Poels,   Hasan Habib,   Shawn Sheikhan,   David Benyamine,   Tom Schneider,   Greg Raymer,   Bill Edler

Level Three Begins

Jun 03, '07

The game has switched back from Omaha to Stud and the limits are increasing to $150-$300. There were officially 327 players in today's field and payouts will start in 32nd place. The winner of this Stud/Omaha Hi-Low Split event will take home $214,000 and each player to enter the money will take home at least $6,017.

With the high level of professional players in today's field some tables are beginning to hold more than their fair share of talent. Cyndy Violette and Harry Demetriou are both sitting at Doyle Brunson's table and Greg Raymer had the pleasure of being moved to a table already containing last year's Seven Card Stud Hi-Low (Eight or Better) bracelet winner Pat Poels, Johnny Chan and Hassan Habib. Upon sitting down, the table folded to Raymer in the big blind, giving him a walk. Raymer was sarcastically appreciative, exclaiming "Oh sweet! I love you guys. You guys are too good to me."

During the Omaha portion of level two Barry Greenstein took the opportunity to build his stack in a hand against Berry Johnston and two other players. Johnston bet $200 and recieved calls from the players in seats two and three, and Barry Greenstein. The flop came K96 and Greenstein bet $100. Johnston and the player in seat three make the call and the turn is the 9. Greenstein bets $200, Johnston folds and the player in seat three makes the call. The river is the 5 and Greenstein again bets $200. The player in seat three makes the call and Greenstein shows 9-6 for two pair and with no qualifying low, takes down the pot.

Player Tags: Barry Greenstein,   Patrick Poels,   Doyle Brunson,   Harry Demetriou,   Cyndy Violette,   Greg Raymer