Selbst Makes Gutsy Play, Decides Final 9 - Action resumes at 2 p.m. Thursday
After several hands featuring many checks and folds, the biggest pot of the tournament exploded out of nowhere and the final 9 were decided.
Tom Schultz raised to 20,000 and Vanessa Selbst raised it 50,000 more to 75,000 total. Anthony Phillips then reraised it to 239,000 from late position and action folded to Selbst. Selbst stood up and thought long and hard. She asked Phillips how much he had left behind and he told her 188,000. After much deliberation, Selbst decided to just call.
As soon as the decision left her lips, Phillips announced he was all in dark.
The flop came 854 and Selbst gritted her teeth, not happy with the flop. Still, she called and Phillips said he had aces and showed AAQ9. Selbst was behind, with just KJ98. The turn was the 10 and Selbst was still trailing Phillips' aces. The river was huge, the 9, and a shocked Selbst exclaimed, "Two pair!"
She had hit two pair, 8s and 9s and Phillips stormed away from the table, eliminated in 10th place.
Selbst explained to those around her that Phillips was agressive and would have had position on her at the final table tomorrow with a lot of chips.
"Gamble, gamble, baby," she said with a smile. Selbst has a commanding chip lead with 940,000 in chips.
The final table will begin at 2 p.m. tomorrow. Check back with Card Player for updates on the action.
Eliminations: Colin York, Jordan Morgan, Jeff Brown.
Big Hands:
The Field Gets Smaller - Courtesy of Selbst
After a flop of 962, the player in seat 5 pushed his remaining 25,000 into the pot and was called by Vanessa Selbst. Seat 5 showed JJK10 for a pair of jacks and a club flush draw. Selbst showed AA107 for a pair of aces. The turn was the 8, giving Selbst the straight, and the river was the J. Selbst was pleasantly surprised to take the pot, because she said she didn't even see the straight out there and only saw the rivered set of jacks for the player in seat 5. Selbst ended the level with in chips.
Just before the end of the level, Selbst was heads up with the player in seat 8 when she bet 19,000 on a flop of 1093. Seat 9 called and turn brought the J. Seat 9 pushed his remaining stack all in and Selbest instantly called showing KKQ7 for the nut straight. The river bricked and Selbst sent another one packing.
Natte Knocks off a Pair
Craig Natte had a pair of all-in short-stacks covered preflop and saw the board come out KQ975. The 7 was the river card and gave Natte, who held the A1095, the nut flush. He eliminated both Jordan Morgan and Colin York on the hand.
Morgan Crippled With Kings
Colin York raised to 19,000 preflop, Jordan Morgan reraised to 64,000 from the button, and Eugene Todd took the opportunity to push all-in for 105,000 total. York folded and Morgan called, showing KK33. Todd showed AA92. Greg Cox, who was all-in for just 2000 chips, held AQ94. The flop came J84, followed by the 2 on the turn and 4 on the river. Todd won the majority of the pot with two pair, aces and fours, while Morgan was crippled down to 14,000 remaining. Cox actually won the main pot with trip fours to stand at 8,000.
Cox then tripled up on the next hand, and doubled up on the next, to remain in play.
Vanessa Selbst - 285,000
Jamie Pickering - 200,000
Craig Natte - 162,000
Anthony Phillips - 130,000
Stanley Statkiewicz - 130,000
Thom Schultz - 126,000
Colin York - 103,000
Mel Randolph - 91,000
Kyle Hegeman - 90,000
Trai Dang - 85,000
Eliminations: Doug Smith, Brian Sharrock, Phil Reed, Nam Le, Jesper Hougaard, Max Pescatori, Ryan Lenaghan, James Lampropoulos, Carter Gill, Randy Holland, Lawrence Cowsar.
Big Hands:
What a Way to Go
Max Pescatori knew he had to dodge some bullets, but he couldn't have seen the end coming the way that it did. Greg Cox raised from the small blind to 14,000, and both Pescatori and Craig Natte called to see the flop which ran out Q95. From that point on, all three players went all-in, with Cox having the others covered. Pescatori, the short-stack of the three, had about 35,000 in chips and held top set with the QQ108. Cox matched the 44,000 of Natte with the AA96. Natte was reduced to bottom set with the 5522. The 4 came on the turn, which became relevant when the 3 hit the river. It was suddenly Natte, holding the 52 of clubs, who scooped the massive pot worth 168,000 in chips. Pescatori was eliminated and Cox had just 26,000 remaining in chips.
Pickering Eliminates Hougaard
Jamie Pickering raised to 14,000 preflop and Carter Gill called. Jesper Hougaard then raised for 2,000 more all-in from the small blind and both players called. The flop came A64 and Pickering bet pot, which prompted Gill to fold. Pickering showed AA108 for top set, which eliminated Hourgaard who held K-Q-J-4. The board finished 92.
Gill Runs Out of Steam
Carter Gill was active in the majority of pots at his table, but finally ran out of momentum against Vanessa Selbst. Selbst raised to 10,000 preflop and Gill went to 36,000 from the cut off. The flop came KQ7 and Selbst checked. Gill pushed his remaining 37,000 in chips and Selbst called, showing AQJ8 for middle pair. Gill held 10-10-9-7 and was eliminated in 23rd place.
Gill had earlier come up short in an attempt to eliminate Jeff Brown. Brown had 25,000 in chips and was all-in with QJ98. Gill had the AKJ8. The board ran out AQQ95 and Brown had flopped trips to stay alive.
Todd Eliminates Another
Lawrence Cowsar bet 10,000 after a flop of J74. Eugene Todd raised to put Cowsar all-in for his remaining stack. Cowsar held 7733 for middle set, while Todd had the AJ75 for top two pair with a flush draw. The 6 on the river sent Cowsar to the sideline.
Vanessa Selbst - 290,000
Jesper Hougaard - 165,000
Greg Cox - 140,000
Anthony Pilling - 110,000
Jamie Pickering - 100,000
Craig Natte - 91,000
Eugene Todd - 90,000
Jordan Morgan - 90,000
Ryan Lenaghan - 88,000
Mel Randolph - 88,000
Eliminations: Martin Smyth, Tony Cousineau, Mark Deserrano, Eric Rosenman, Ward Crane, Jason McIntosh, George Watson.
Big Hands:
Quads are Good
Six players saw the flop to create a 30,000 pot. The flop came A43. Calen McNeil led out with a 15,000 bet and Thom Schultz raised it to 41,000. It left him with just 7000 in chips. McNeil debated his decision for awhile, long enough to proclaim "call" rather than raise the final 7000. Both players then put the remaining chips in blind. Schultz held 7544 for middle set while McNeil had the KJJ3 for a flush draw. The 4 on the turn ended the drama and preserved Schultz's tournament life, giving him quads. The K finished the board.
Stanley Smiles
Stanley Statkiewicz managed a major double up when he spiked the river against Ryan Lenaghan. Lenaghan hit the flop of JJ2, holding trips with the QJ96. Statkiewicz held the KK5-4, and trailed after the A hit the turn. But the K on the river gave Statkiewicz a set to take the pot down and chip up to 72,000.
Todd Dodges Trouble
Carter Gill raised to 6500 preflop and got the call from Eugene Todd. The flop came J33. Both players checked and the 10 hit the turn. Todd checked, Gill bet 8000 and Todd folded, Gill showed him the J3 for the flopped full house.
Cowsar Runs for Two Pair
Lawrence Cowsar was all-in for 10,000 which Vanessa Selbst called. Craig Natte in the small blind then reraised, and Selbst folded, Cowsar held the A1085, while Natte had KKQJ. The flop came Q92 to give Cowsar the flush draw, but it was the running two pair of the 5 on the turn and 8 on the river that created the winning hand.
Gill Takes Another Hit
Carter Gill called 43,000 after a flop of J98. He showed the J107-5, but his opponent had flopped a straight while holding AKQ10. Gill tumbled to 33,000 in chips.
On the last hand of the level before a 20-minute break, the flop came K88. Giang checked and Jamie Robbins bet pot for 26,000. Giang then check-raised all-in, meaning another 22,000 went into the pot. Robbins tanked, and then finally announced call. He held 9-8-7-6 for trips, while Giang had made his move holding A-K-Q-10 for top pair top kicker. The turn bricked and the river ace gave Giang two pair, but still only good for second place. Giang was eliminated in 34th place.
Stanley Steaming
Two big hands have knocked Stanley Statkiewicz Jr. down to just 28,000 in chips. The first was a showdown with Chau Giang. The flop came AJ10 with Statkiewicz holding Q-9-8-7 for the straight wrap. Giang had flopped a set of aces. The Q came on the turn and Giang committed his final 14,500 in chips. The board paired with the Q on the river and Giang filled.
Statkiewicz then went up against Eric Rosenman. Rosenman raised pre-flop and Statkiewicz called to see the flop come Q95. Rosenman used the chance to move all-in for 11,000 and Statkiewicz called, showing two pair. Rosenman had pushed with AKJJ. The 4 on the turn gave Rosenman a flush draw, but it was the J for the rivered set that shipped him the chips.
Shulman Places 41st
Jesper Hougaard raised from the cutoff to 5100 and Shulman pushed all-in from the small blind for about 12,000. Hougaard called and showed QJ109. Shulman held AKJ6. Neither player had spades as the flop came AKQ, but the straight was enough for Hougaard when it held through the river.
Gill Takes a Hit
Tournament chip leader Vanessa Selbst called from the big blind when Carter Gill raised to 4500 preflop. The flop came KQ9 and both players checked, concerned of the straight possibility. The turn was the 2 and again both players checked. The river brought the A and Selbst checked to Gill who bet 8000. A non-believer, Selbst then raised to 31,500. Gill made the call and Selbst showed AKKQ, having flopped top set. Gill showed JJ and mucked his hand. The call was for just shy of half of his chip stack which has fallen to 34,000.
Eliminations: Jae Kim, Daniel Martin, Michael Cook.
Big Hands:
DeSerrano Doubles Through Phillips
Anthony Phillips raised to 4500 and Mark DeSerrano put in a reraise for 5200 more. Phillips raised again to put DeSerrano all-in, who called. Phillips showed KKQ10 while DeSerrano held AAJ3. The flop came 853 to give Phillips the flush draw, but he missed with the 3 on the turn and the 5 on the river. DeSerrano doubled up to 48,000 in chips.
The two came close to another battle when Phillips raised to 4100 preflop and DeSerrano, from the button, raised pot. Phillips folded and has now lost a third of his stack since the start of the day, down to 82,000.
Pescatori Remains Alive
Max Pescatori was the small stack when he raised to 5600 in late position. He had just 3000 behind, and Rob Hollink in the big blind put him all in. Pescatori showed AJ108 and was up against AK65. The flop came Q109 and Pescatori flopped a straight. The board finished 102 and Pescatori doubled up.
Schultz Takes it Down
Thom Schultz was the button and was one of four players to see the flop for 4200. The flop came A66. All four players checked and the Q came on the turn. Jae Kim in the big blind bet 10,000 and Schultz raised all-in, taking the pot down while showing AQQ6 for multiple full houses.
The next hand Schultz picked off the blinds when he raised and showed AA1010.
Magriel Forces a Fold
Paul Magriel was the button for the first hand of the level and saw Carter Gill raise to 3800 in front of him. Magriel called from the button and the flop came AJ8. Gill checked, Magriel bet 11,200 and Gill folded.
Allyn Jaffrey Shulman continues to hover around the 20,000 chip mark through the first level of the day.
Players are taking their seats for the second day of play in the $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha tournament, Event 19 at the 2008 World Series of Poker.
Vanessa Selbst almost lapped the field on day 1, finishing with 203,600 in chips. She is the only player to top the 200,000 mark, while only three others have more than 100,000 in chips. Anthony Phillips has 133,100 for second place, Carter Gill is third with 114,000, and Eugene Todd holds 103,600 in chips -- an even 100,000 behind Selbst.
Rounding out the top 10 are Greg Cox, 82,900; Phil Reed, 82,000; Craig Natte, 80,900; Jesper Hougaard, 74,800; Rob Hollink, 70,600; and Jordan Morgan, 70,100.
There are 46 players remaining from the original field of 759, and play will continue today until nine players remain to form the final table, scheduled to be played Thursday.
The blinds will begin today at 800/1600.
The prize payouts have been released and can be found at the link provided below:
Selbst Makes Gutsy Play, Decides Final 9 - Action resumes at 2 p.m. Thursday
5
4
9
, and a shocked Selbst exclaimed, "Two pair!"
Max Pescatori knew he had to dodge some bullets, but he couldn't have seen the end coming the way that it did. Greg Cox raised from the small blind to 14,000, and both Pescatori and Craig Natte called to see the flop which ran out Q
Two big hands have knocked Stanley Statkiewicz Jr. down to just 28,000 in chips. The first was a showdown with Chau Giang. The flop came A
Omaha Players Ready to Begin
