Tue Sep 20 21:35:00 -0700 2005
Official Chip Counts
Official chip counts have been posted. Click on the "Chip Counts" tab for the final, official numbers. There are 62 players remaining, with an average chip stack of $166,129.
Play will resume tomorrow (Wednesday) at 11:00 am EST, and continue until they reach the final six players. The top 45 will be paid. (Click on the "Payout Structure" tab for details.)
Return to CardPlayer.com for complete coverage of all the action as these players battle for the right to sit at the WPT's Final Table.
Tue Sep 20 21:12:00 -0700 2005
Day Two Comes to an End
Day Two comes to an end with approximately 62 players remaining. Because tomorrow's action will start with antes of $500, the black ($100) chips will be colored up right now. Once they are off the tables, the players will count their chips, wait for verification, and then bag and tag them. (CardPlayer.com will be getting those verified chip counts to post within the hour.)
Play will resume tomorrow at 11:00 am, but not in the ballroom that it has called home for the past two days. Tomorrow's action will be in the Borgata poker room. Stay tuned to CardPlayer.com for official numbers tonight, and complete coverage of all of tomorrow's Day Three action.
Tue Sep 20 21:00:00 -0700 2005
Updated Chip Counts
Updated chip counts have been posted; click on the "Chip Counts" tab for the latest numbers. There are approximately 65 players remaining, which makes the average chip stack about $158,461.
This is the last level of play, and it is scheduled to end about 12:12 am local time. CardPlayer.com will post official chip counts within an hour of the end of play, gathering the data ourselves rather than waiting for the casino to release the data sometime in the middle of the night (or morning).
Tue Sep 20 20:54:00 -0700 2005
Steve Zoine Doubles Up Through Steve Dannenmann
Steve Zoine is all in after a flop Kh-10d-8h, and he's called by Steve Dannenmann. Zoine has Kc-Jc (pair of kings), while Dannenmann has Ah-7h (heart flush draw). Zoine is nervous, because he knew Dannenmann was on a draw, but didn't have enough chips left to bet him off of it.
Dannenmann can catch an ace, a heart, or something runner-runner to eliminate Zoine. The turn card is the Jd, and Dannenmann can also catch a nine for a straight. But the river card is the 3s, and Steve Zoine doubles up in chips.
Tue Sep 20 20:15:00 -0700 2005
Josh Arieh Comes Back Strong
Josh Arieh was down to less than $10,000 today, but has made a comeback to over $100,000. Just now, he doubled up through Karlo Lopez with pocket kings against pocket tens, and he's in a comfortable position with $295,000 in chips sitting in front of him.
As a reminder, Arieh finished in third place in this event a year ago.
Tue Sep 20 19:25:00 -0700 2005
15-Minute Break; Blinds Increasing to $1,200-$2,400 ($400 Ante)
The players take a 15-minute break before the blinds increase to $1,200-$2,400 ($400 ante). There are 79 players left at nine tables. This next level of play will be the last of the day.
Tue Sep 20 19:23:00 -0700 2005
Ted Lawson Eliminated
Ted Lawson is all in with pocket queens against David Singer's pocket nines. The flop comes 10-9-8, giving Singer a set and Lawson a gut-shot straight draw. The turn and river are blanks, and Ted Lawson is eliminated.
Tue Sep 20 19:15:00 -0700 2005
Mike Matusow "Wakes Up"
After the floor is called over to Table #2 to resolve an issue, players mill about, debating the decision. (It was a minor infraction involving a player getting up out of his seat but not leaving the table area.)
While the issue itself wasn't big, it certainly woke up Mike Matusow, who was playing at the next table. As most of you know, nothing awakens Matusow like controversy. And once he starts talking, it's hard to get him to stop. He even sung a few bars of one of his impromptu poker songs. He even commented that he had been half-asleep a short while ago, but now he was awake and feeling good.
So if you're sitting at Matusow's table -- Beware.
Tue Sep 20 18:44:00 -0700 2005
David Levi Survives a Scare with Rockets Against Rockets
David Levi is all in with pocket aces (Ac-As), but the joy is short-lived when his opponent shows pocket aces as well (Ad-Ah). Then, the panic sets in. The flop comes with three diamonds, and Levi's opponent is suddenly on a flush draw. Levi must sweat two more cards -- which thankfully come black. Levi survives to chop the pot.
Around the same time, there is an aces-against-aces situation two tables over. But much less drama, with a rainbow flop.
Tue Sep 20 18:40:00 -0700 2005
Schedule Extended Another Level Today
The tournament director recently announced that there will be one more level played after the current level. This is a change from what was announced earlier, but should allow the field to shrink closer to the final five tables (the money finishers). The planned schedule has changed back-and-forth today, but there have been no complaints from the players. (Although a few said early on that there was no way to reach 45 players by the end of this level.)
