Full Tilt and FSN Bring the HeatSeven of the Best Battled on Thursday |
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Thursday was another banner day for the well-oiled machinery of the masterminds and players of Full Tilt Poker. Televising their fourth live $1 million tournament with FSN, Full Tilt once again proved why they are the leaders in premier televised poker action.
In the cozy outskirts of Las Vegas at the Red Rock Casino, Full Tilt brought out seven of its top players and let them go heads-up in front of a live audience and thousands of poker fans who watched the event on television.
Gracing the tables were Team Full Tilt's Phil Ivey, John Juanda, Clonie Gowen, Chris Ferguson, Erik Seidel, Erick Lindgren, and Mike "The Mouth" Matasow. Although all played well, it was Erick Lindgren who took home the first-place cash of $600,000.
The action was fast and furious right from the start, with the pros seeming to effortlessly calculate the risks and values of each hand played. First to hit the rails was Phil Ivey, who ran into Mike Matusow and his pocket sixes. Matusow moved all in and Ivey called with K-J suited. Matusow hit a set of sixes on the turn and eliminated the player who, according to many top wagering sites, is the odds on favorite to take home the World series of Poker's main event title.
Next to bite the proverbial "big one" was "Jesus." The man known for his trademark long hair and hat, not to mention his WSOP bracelets, got crushed when his pocket sixes ran into Juanda's pocket kings. With no help on the turn or the river, Ferguson was eliminated in sixth place.
It was at this point the "E-Dog" began to tighten his grip on the table. Lindgren set his sights on Juanda and terminated the meditating poker master with pocket tens. Juanda's A-J suited simply couldn't hold up.
Next to fall was Erik Seidel. This was a crucial elimination, as the remaining three players would make the money. Seidel's Q-10 was dominated by Mike Matusow's A-10, moving Gowen, Matusow, and Lindgren into a nice payday.
The action continued, and Gowen, who seemed to be making another push to become chip leader, took a major chance and challenged Lindgren with only a K-7. Lindgren immediately called with an A-6 and hit an ace on the flop, ending the stunning poker player's run at the first-place cash. Gowen earned $120,000 for her third-place finish.
Down to Matusow and Lindgren, it took only a matter of minutes for the title to be decided. Matusow and Lindgren went to war and in a matter of moments it was over. Both moved all in and Matusow's A-J was dominated by Lindgren's A-K. Both players hit an ace on the turn, but unfortunately for Matusow, he had the lower kicker. But don't feel to bad for "The Mouth," as he collected $280,000 for his efforts.
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