Play has ended just shy of 3am, as the tournament officials decided to stop play at the completion of the most recent level.
Table 93 was chock-full of drama in the last level. Perhaps still a little heated after the slowroll, Marcel Luske engaged in a lengthy argument with some tournament officials when a player from a broken table sat down, and instead of posting a big blind, he was instructed to wait two hands. A few minutes later a crowd had gathered at the table once again as two players were arguing about disputed action. The same player who accidentally slow-rolled Luske earlier, had asked how much was in the pot and then alledgedly made a checking motion, however he denies that he checked at all. Play was halted for almost seven minutes until the floor ruled that the "check" stood. The player "who" checked had flopped top set, and did end up winning the hand, but not without making some 'friends' in the process. Marcel Luske, David "Devilfish" Ulliott, and Tony G enjoyed laughing about all of the drama as the level ran down.
Aside from the drama, a little poker was played as well in the last hour. The two players who won two bracelets last year were able to double their short stacks at adjacent tables at virtually the same time. Jeff Madsen was all-in for his last $10,000 with A-A-4-3 against his opponent's A-9-6-5 preflop. The board ran out A-5-3-10-3, Madsen won the high with Aces full of threes, and neither player had a low, so Madsen took the whole pot. Right around the same time, Bill Chen moved all in on a A 9 10 flop holding A Q 4 2. He picked up a flush draw on the 7 turn, and rivered the nut low and the flush with the 3. Both players are sitting with average stacks around $20,000.
There are currently 135 players left on the final 15 tables.
Joe Hachem is no longer one of those 135 however. Hachem in this most recent level had begun butting heads with Chad Brown. In the first of a few heads up battles between the two Hachem called Brown's $2,500 preflop raise from the blinds. The flop came Q 10 4, and both players checked. Hachem made a pot sized bet after the 7 fell on the turn, leaving a litlle over $2,000 behind, and Brown called. The river was the 3, Hachem moved all in and Brown called. Hachem announced, "pair of Jacks, and nut low." Brown flipped over A-A-4-3 to take the high half of the pot, Hachem having rivered a low to stay alive. A few orbits later, Brown finally got the better of Hachem getting him all in with Kings on a Queen-high board after Brown had turned a six-high straight.
Mike Sexton cracked an all in players set of Aces, flopping the nut low draw with an A-3 and rivering the five to complete his wheel. Chau Giang, applauded from one table over while he received his ever-continuing massage.
Marcel Luske had been enjoying his table until the arrival of a fan of his. In one hand, with the board reading Q 7 3 2, Luske made a bet of $11,100 matching the pot. His opponent reluctantly folded, and Luske showed him his A-4. Soon after an new player came to the table, saying he didn't recognize Luske because his glasses were on right side up, and Luske humored him by flipping them upside down. The two proceeded to tangle heads up in the next pot. They checked the action on the flop and turn, with the board reading J 7 6 10 9. Luske's opponent bet $3,500 and Luske quickly called. He announced two pair, and Luske showed his K-Q. However when his opponent turned his cards over he discoved he held the 5 3, unintentionally slowrolling Luske. Needless to say Luske was not smiling afterwards.
There's about one hour of play left tonight.
Notable Chip Counts
James Van Alstyne pushed all in over the top of his opponent's flop bet with the board reading A J 8 and received a quick call. Van Alstyne showed a bare top two pair, but his opponent had plenty of outs with A Q 6 2, with top pair, a flush draw, and a low draw. The turn was the 2, and the river was the Q, giving Van Alsyne's opponent a better Aces up.
Joe Hachem has accumulated some chips as of late, and has well over the average stack at the moment.
There is a lot of talk among the players about the differences between Omaha-Eight-Or-Better and the widely-more popular Holdem. Apparantly many players, who regularly play holdem have been overvaluing hands like two pair, and such a strategy is a recipe for disaster at an Omaha table.
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
The official numbers have been announced for this brand-new event. A total of 687 players entered creating a prize pool of $937,755. The top 63 players will finish in the money with 63rd place receiving $3,235 and the champion receiving $227,454. A full list of the payouts is now available in our Payouts section.
Unlike all of our previous Omaha Eight-or-better events this year, the first few levels have been action-packed. Despite the blinds still being relatively small, and some pots being split, lots of players are busting quickly. Mike Sexton, Brandon Cantu, Kirk Morrison, and Johnny Chan are just some of the professionals that now have the rest of the night off.
Jeff Madsen's growing chipstack has most definitely struck fear into his opponents. Madsen called one opponent's preflop pot-sized raise, and was able to check all the way down to the river with the board reading 8-8-4-4-10. Madsen flipped over a pair of twos in his hand to take the pot.
Rolf Slotboom has built himself a nice tower of chips, but doesn't seem to be getting any love from the player in seat 10. On a flop of J J 5, Slotboom bet $500, receiving one call. Both players checked the Q on the river, and Slotboom's opponent bet $1,100 on the 6 on the river. Slotboom then went into the tank and after about 4 minutes, the player in Seat 10 asked for a clock. Slotboom protested saying he was rarely in hand. Before his time had run out Slotboom exposed the J A to his opponent as he folded reminding the player in Seat 10 that it is only a game.
German bracelet Michael Keiner was all-in twice in the space of a few minutes. He doubled up the first time with Q487 vs A2A6 but was less fortunate the second time. His opponenet flipped over his hand, Keiner stared in disbelief, looked back at his own cards, stared at the board and threw his cards away in disgust. He was up from his seat and gone before they hit the muck.
The Dutch contingent are blazing a trail. Marcel Luske has around $23,600 in chips and Peter Dalhuijsen has $19,600. Read Peter's Pro Blog at CardPlayer.com.
Ross Boatman is playing confidently and has $8,700 in chips. Julian Gardiner has $6,050, Surinder Sunar has $7,900, Thomas Wahlroos has $4,500, Andreas Krause has $4,125 and Alan Smurfit $6,475 in chips.
The second level of play has ended for the day and the players are now on a 15 minute break. There are some new faces in the field as Men "The Master" Nguyen, Stuey Paterson, A.J. Kelsall and Young Phan alternated into the tournament.
As the field begins to thin and tables are breaking, a few interesting tables have been formed. At table 93 the players on the left side of the table have to deal with Lee Watkinson in seat seven, Johnny Chan in seat eight and Marcel Luske in seat nine. Not far away, table 100 is home to Layne Flack, David Levi and Ross Boatman.
Jeff Madsen has built his stack up to over $13,000 in the first two levels. Madsen got the majority of his chips in the following hand. The player in seat five raised to $450 from middle position and the small blind called. Madsen thought for a minute and called from the big blind. The flop came 9 6 5 and the small blind checked. Madsen checked and the player in seat five called out, "pot." The bet was just under $2,000 and the player in the small blind repotted all in for $2,150. Madsen called and the player in seat five called as well. The turn was the J and Madsen and his opponent in the five seat both checked. The river was the 10 disqualifying any low, and again both players checked. The player in seat five turned up A A 3 2, the small blind showed A 7 4 3 for the missed straight and Madsen turned up 4 4 3 2 for the club flush and took down the pot.
Young Dutchman Peter Dalhuijsen is the chip leader on $26,500. He said of the players at his table, 'They keep making the same mistake so it's very easy. ' Read his Pro Blog exclusively at CardPlayer.com to find out what that mistake is!
Level one of today's Pot Limit Omaha eight-or-better has come to an end. Alternates were allowed entry into the tournament during the entire first level and the Poker Pavilion was packed with anxious players patiently hoping to be let into today's event. The field is stacked and play remains relatively slow. Joe Hachem is the current chip leader with over $11,000 in chips after showing the nut low and rivering a straight against two other opponents. In the field with Hachem are Bryan Devonshire, Eric "Rizen" Lynch, Humberto Brenes, Layne Flack, Eric Froelich, and Chad Brown.
There is a veritable 'who's who' of top European players in the event including Rolf Slotboom, Donnacha O'Dea, Peter Dalhuijsen, Marcus Golser, Marcel Luske, Pascal Perrault, (at a table with David Benyamine) Andreas Krause, Surindar Sunar (at a table with Joe Hachem), Julian Gardiner, Michael Gracz, Dave 'Devilfish' Ulliott (sitting beside Dave Colclough), Barny and Ross Boatman, Alan Smurfit, Michael Keiner and Chris Bjorin who has just finished 6th in the $1,500 no limit hold'em tournament earning himself over $80,000. He is seated with Mike Sexton.
London EPT winner Vicky Coren was playing but voluntarily busted in the most unusual circumstances.
She was sitting at a table in the overflow tent directly underneath a hole in the air-conditioning. She was so cold she basically shipped her $9,000 plus chips to an oppponent so she could get away from the icy chill!
She asked a floor supervisor if she could me moved but he said that wasn't possible and Vicky wondered where they drew the line - if it was water pouring down on here would they have accomodated a move?
Her bright pink hands were still trembling when she recounted the story to CardPlayer.com in the 105 degree heat outside the tent.
Stay here with CardPlayer.com for level updates and notable eliminations.
Mon Jun 25 16:53:00 -0700 2007
Day One Set to Begin
Today's second event, $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha eight-or-better is set to begin at 5 p.m. This is a new event for the 2007 World Series of Poker and is scheduled for only two days of play. Play is scheduled to continue today until 3 a.m. Tournament officials predict that this tournament will draw a relatively small field size with the attraction of the H.O.R.S.E event and $2,000 Limit Hold 'Em starting tomorrow.
Lots of Euro interest in this event including former main event runner-up Julian Gardiner from England and recent $1,500 pot-limit omaha bracelet winner Alan Smurfit.
Come back to CardPlayer.com for updates on the action.
9
10
flop holding A
Q
