Tommy Hang Poker Tournament Updates

Level 24 Update: Selbst Leads Saltzburg Heads-Up at Dinner Break

Jul 01, '12

Level: 24

PLO – Triple Draw 2-7 – Stud 8
Blinds: 5,000-10,000 with 3,000

Hold’em – Razz – Badugi
Blinds: 10,000-20,000
Limits: 20,000-40,000

Stud – 2-7 Draw No-Limit – Omaha 8
Ante: 4,000
Bring-In: 5,000
Completion: 20,000
Limits: 20,000-40,000

Players Remaining: 2 out of 421

Average Chip Count: 1,578,750

Chip Counts:

Seat no. 1 — Vanessa Selbst — 2,641,000
Seat no. 2 — Michael Saltzburg — 516,000

Players Eliminated:

Tommy Hang — 3rd Place ($97,884)
Chris Bjorin — 4th Place ($64,649)
Thomas Chambers — 5th Place ($43,099)

Live Updates:

Thomas Chambers Eliminated in 5th Place ($43,099)

Razz

Thomas Chambers entered Level 24 on the short stack and was the next player eliminated.

Selbst: 8JA59 — 235
Chambers: 4Q99 — 8710

Chambers was eliminated by chipleader Vanessa Selbst in the Razz portion of the level after Selbst made a nine-low against Chambers’ ten-low. Thomas Chambers was eliminated in 5th place ($43,099) as Vanessa Selbst secured the chip lead with about 2.1 million after the hand.

Chris Bjorin Eliminated in 4th Place ($64,649)

Hold’em

Vanessa Selbst opened the pot for 40,000, Chris Bjorin reraised to 60,000, Selbst four-bet to 80,000 and Bjorin called.

The flop came 1063, Bjorin bet all in and Selbst called.

Selbst was ahead on the flop with A7 against Bjorin’s KQ.

The turn and river were the J and 10, offering no help to Chris Bjorin who was eliminated in 4th place ($64,649). Selbst moved up to over 2.5 million that hand.

Tommy Hang Eliminated in 3rd Place ($97,884)

Stud

Saltzburg: 4J33 — KJJ
Hang: 87106 — A76

Saltzburg made a full house on sixth street when the money went in and Tommy Hang was drawing dead on the river with two pair. Tommy Hang was eliminated in 3rd place ($97,884).

Vanessa Selbst took the chip lead going into heads-up play with 2,641,000 to Michael Saltzburg’s 516,000.

The remaining two players took a thirty-minute dinner break at the conclusion of Level 24 and will return at approximately 10:45pm local time to resume play.

Be sure to check back with Card Player at the conclusion of each level for regular updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.

Player Tags: Chris Bjorin,   Tommy Hang,   Michael Saltzburg,   Vanessa Selbst

Action Begins, Final Table Now Underway

Jul 01, '12

The final table of Event no. 52 ($2,500 10-Game Mix Six-Handed) is now underway, and Card Player will be posting level-by-level updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.

Day 3 began with 19 players spread out over 4 tables, and with the elimination of Julien Renard in 7th Place ($21,645), the official six-handed final table is now set. Play will begin in Level 33, and will continue until a winner is determined.

With cards now back in the air, here is a look at the final table and how these players match up:

Seat no. 1 — Vanessa Selbst — 1,008,000
Seat no. 2 — Michael Saltzburg — 597,000
Seat no. 3 — Chris Bjorin — 545,000
Seat no. 4 — Tommy Hang — 377,000
Seat no. 5 — Thomas Chambers — 262,000
Seat no. 6 — Mike Gorodinsky — 222,000

While only 6 remain, this event gathered 421 players, creating a total prize pool of $957,775. Here is a look at the final payouts:

1st Place — $244,259
2nd Place — $150,849
3rd Place — $97,884
4th Place — $64,649
5th Place — $43,099
6th Place — $30,169

Be sure to check back with Card Player at the conclusion of each level for regular updates with all of the action, current chip counts, and prize distributions.

Player Tags: Chris Bjorin,   Tommy Hang,   Michael Saltzburg,   Vanessa Selbst,   Mike Gorodinsky

Heads-Up For Naalden and Cowley

Jun 21, '09

Blinds: 10,000-20,000

Players Remaining: 2 out of 446

Chip Counts:

1. Marc Naalden — 2,300,000
2. Steven Cowley — 325,000

Average Chip Count: 1,338,000

Notable Eliminations:

4. Tommy Hang — $54,182
3. Ian Johns — $77,576

Elimination Hands:

Tommy Hang Eliminated in Fourth Place ($54,182)

Marc Naalden raised in the cutoff and Tommy Hang reraised from the button. Naalden called, but all the money went in on a board reading K335.

Hang showed A5, but it was behind to Naalden’s pocket tens. The river was the 8 and Hang was busted.

Ian Johns Eliminated in Third Place ($77,576)

Ian Johns was all in against Marc Naalden and Steven Cowley, who both checked down a board of A7295 until Naalden bet the river.

Cowley folded and Naalden showed 63 for the flush, busting Johns from the tournament.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Ian Johns

Down to Five -- Naalden Crushing

Jun 21, '09

Blinds: 8,000-15,000

Players Remaining: 5 out of 446

Chip Counts:

1. Marc Naalden — 1,600,000
2. Steven Cowley — 350,000
3. Tommy Hang — 295,000
4. Ian Johns — 290,000
5. Alex Keating — 265,000

Average Chip Count: 535,200

Notable Eliminations:

7. Jared O’Dell — $25,439
6. Danny Qutami — $31,088

Elimination Hands:

Jared O’Dell Eliminated in Seventh Place ($25,439)

Jared O’Dell was all in for his last 45,000 preflop holding A10 against Tommy Hang’s dominating AQ.

The flop brought an ace and a queen and Hang’s two pair sent O’Dell to the rail.

Danny Qutami Eliminated in Sixth Place ($31,088)

Danny Qutami raised under the gun and Marc Naalden reraised in the cutoff. Qutami called and the flop came down J54.

Naalden continued with a bet and Qutami called and the turn was the Q. Naalden bet, Qutami check-raised all in and Naalden called with KJ. Qutami needed an ace or a king with his A10, but the river was the 8, sending him from the tournament.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Danny Ayman Qutami

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. - End of Day 2

Jun 30, '08

The big story of day 2 was, once again, Phil Hellmuth. Coming into the day as chip leader, he floundered for a bit, relinquishing the lead for most of the day, but ultimately picked himself up by the bootstraps and strode back to the top. By the conclusion of the day, Hellmuth would not only be chip leader once again, but his chip stack would tower over most his competitors’.

With 21 players left, Hellmuth has a real chance of picking up his 12^th bracelet, and his first in a non-hold’em event. The final 21 players will return tomorrow at 3 p.m. PST to play for the $256,412 and World Series of Poker bracelet.

Here is an unofficial list of chip leaders heading into tomorrow’s final day:
Phil Hellmuth Jr. - 287,500
James Schaaf - 236,500
Art Young - 175,000
Victor Ramdin - 158,500
Matt Grapenthien - 151,000
Esther Rossi - 133,500
Steven Diano - 120,000
Arash Ghaneian - 114,000
Jason Dollinger - 110,500
Edward Brogdon - 104,500
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 92,000

Here is a bit of action from the final level of the day:

Razz

Razz Not Kind to Arash

Arash Ghaneian: 79210
Esther Rossi: 5Q98

Arash Ghaneian completed and Esther Rossi was the only caller. Ghaneian continued betting on every street until the river. When he was dealt his final card he slowly squeezed it and checked when he had seen what it was. Rossi, having checked her card, fired out a bet for the first time in the hand. Ghaneian called and she showed (A)(4)(3) for an 8-low. Rossi took down the pot and moved up to 130,000. Despite the hit, Ghaneian is still going strong with 110,000.

Stud

Joe Hachem Eliminated

Steven Diano: J1033
Joe Hachem: 2273

Diano completed at the outset with the J and James Schaaf raised with the Q. Joe Hachem, having brought in with the 2, called, and so did Diano. The turn paired Hachem’s upcard and he bet out. Diano called, and Schaaf, looking incredulously toward Hachem and Diano, folded. Hachem bet both fifth and sixth streets, putting himself all-in on the latter round. The two turned over their cards: Hachem showed (A)(K) for a pair of twos while Diano tabled (K)(9). Diano’s measly pair of threes was ahead going to seventh street. Hachem turned over his final card – the 8 – and made his exit from the Brasilia Room, but not before tearing into Diano's hand selection a bit: “Where were you going with that?”

Diano is up to 120,000.

Player Tags: Art Young,   Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   Arash Ghaneian,   Esther Rossi,   Steven Diano,   Joe Hachem,   Edward Brogdon,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. - Day 2 - Level 17 Recap

Jun 30, '08

Note: Play will end for the night at the conclusion of level 18

Stakes:
Hold’em/Omaha:  2,000-4,000 blinds
Stud/Razz/Stud8:  1,000 ante, 1,000 bring in, 4,000-8,000 stakes

Players Left:  26 of 803

Chip Leaders:
Phil Hellmuth - 190,000
Arash Ghaneian - 175,000
Matt Grapenthien - 125,000
Ed Tonnellier – 120,000
Art Young - 112,000
Jens Voertmann - 110,000
James Schaaf - 110,000
Randall Holland - 105,000
Phillip Penn Sr. - 99,000
Michael Scipione - 98,000
Edward Brogdon - 92,000

Average Stack: 92,650

Eliminations:
Alex Jacob
Allen Cunningham
Giovanni Rizzo

Big Hands and Storylines:

Stud

Hellmuth and Tonnellier Tangle Again

Ed Tonnellier: 7109K
Phil Hellmuth: 106AQ

“Omaha” Ed Tonnellier completed with the 7 and Hellmuth raised with the 10. Tonnellier put in a third bet and Hellmuth called. Tonnellier bet out on fourth street and was called by Hellmuth. Hellmuth was dealt an ace on fifth street and opted to check to Tonnellier, who bet. Hellmuth called. “OmahaEd” drew a king on sixth street and bet after Hellmuth checked. As Hellmuth sorted through his chips he asked, “You hit three kings?” Tonnellier replied, “If I hit three kings then why are you calling?” Hellmuth, never content to let anyone else get the last word in, said, “You might have aces. I hope you have aces,” before making the call. Hellmuth checked on seventh street, Tonnellier bet again, and Hellmuth folded. After the hand, Tonnellier showed his set of kings.

Hellmuth has 190,000 and Tonnellier has 120,000.

Ramdin Gets Hang’d

Tommy Hang: A6K3
Victor Ramdin: QK109

The action picks up on fourth street where Hang bets into Ramdin and garners a call. The action plays out the same on fifth street. Hang slows down on sixth street when Ramdin’s board shows four to a straight, and both players check. Both players check on seventh street as well, and Hang turns over an ace for a pair of aces. Ramdin can only muster a pair of queens, and the pot is Hang’s.

After the pot, Hang was up to 60,000 and Ramdin was on life support with only 12,000.

Omaha/8b

Keith Sexton Doubles Up

Keith Sexton got all in on the turn against Giovanni Rizzo. The board read AJ92 and the two turned over their cards:

Rizzo: AKK4
Sexton: AQ32

The river was the 3 and Sexton avoided Rizzo’s slew of outs. Sexton doubled up to 60,000. Rizzo was knocked down to 20,000 and would be eliminated a short time later.

Player Tags: Randy Holland,   Art Young,   Phillip "JB" Penn Sr.,   Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Allen Cunningham,   Ed Tonnellier,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   Arash Ghaneian,   Keith Sexton,   Alex Jacob,   Edward Brogdon,   Jens Voertmann,   Michael Scipione,   James Schaaf

James Schaaf Wins Event No. 51

Jul 01, '08

James Schaaf Wins Event No. 51 ($256,412)
Tommy Hang Eliminated in 2nd Place ($158,933)

Although James Schaaf began the heads up match with Tommy Hang at a 2 to 1 chip disadvantage, a few lucky draws and a lot of aggressive play gave him the lead and eventually the title.

The final hand happened during the stud eight-or-better round when Schaaf raised showing the 6 and Hang called showing J.  Schaaf caught the 8 on fourth street and called a bet from Hang's 2.  Fifth street brought the 9 for Schaaf and a bet, which was called by Hang with the 7.  Schaaf again led after catching the 8 on sixth street and Hang raised all in after being dealt the 7.  Schaaf made the call and Hang turned over A7 for three sevens.  Schaaf turned over 108 for three eights, leaving Hang with a desperate  need to fill up on the river and avoid Schaaf doing the same.  All eyes were on Hang as he peeked at his river card and turned it over: 5. 

Tommy Hang earned $158,933 for his 2nd place finish.
 

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Bracelet 12 for Hellmuth?

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Omaha: 13,000/25,000, Hold’em: 13,000/25,000

Players Remaining: 4 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang – 1,800,000
James Schaaf – 570,000
Phil Hellmuth – 135,000
Esther Rossi – 85,000

Eliminations: None

Big Hands:

Phil Hellmuth Doubles Twice

Phil Hellmuth received a burst of cheers and applause from the teeming masses that have gathered at the rail to sweat him as he battles his way to another World Series of Poker bracelet.  Hellmuth doubled and re-doubled his stack in two key hands, prompting the thunderous outburst.

In the hold’em round, James Schaaf raised from the small blind and Phil Hellmuth reraised from the big blind.  Schaaf reraised to put Hellmuth all in, and Hellmuth called.  Schaaf turned over 94, an underdog to Hellmuth’s 88.  The board ran out KQQQ6, and Phil Hellmuth continued to stay alive.

Several hands later, Hellmuth found his tournament life at stake again.  This time Hellmuth got it all in during the razz round, but his opponent again was James Schaaf.  Despite receiving two double up hands within twenty minutes, Hellmuth remained the tournament short stack.

Esther Rossi Crippled by Tommy Hang

Despite being second in chips before tangling with Tommy Hang, Esther Rossi continued to battle after losing a large pot to Hang who now has a commanding chip lead over his opponents.  Hang made an ace-high flush in the stud eight-or-better round that left Rossi's stack destroyed.  She finished the hand with less than 100,000 in chips, and for the first time in four-handed play Phil Hellmuth was not the shortest stack at the table.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 26

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000 , Razz - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000, Stud 8 - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000, Omaha: 15,000/30,000, Hold’em: 15,000/30,000

Players Remaining: 2 of 803

Chip Counts:
James Schaaf - 1,519,000
Tommy Hang - 1,450,000

Eliminations:
Esther Rossi Eliminated in 4th Place ($68,505)
Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in Third Place ($93,168)

Big Hands:

Esther Rossi Eliminated in 4th Place ($68,505)

After being crippled by Tommy Hang just before the start of the hour, Esther Rossi played her last hand against the fellow struggling stack of Phil Hellmuth.  In the hold’em round, Hellmuth raised from the button and Rossi reraised all in from the big blind.  Hellmuth made the call and turned over K8, the favorite over Rossi’s J9.  The board ran out A10442.  Rossi failed to improve, and was eliminated in 4th place earning $68,505 for her efforts.

Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in 3rd Place ($93,168)

Phil Hellmuth’s hard-fought run for his historic 12th bracelet finally came to an end during the Omaha eight-or-better level.  Hellmuth completed from the small blind and was raised by Tommy Hang in the big blind.  Hellmuth called all in and the two hands were exposed: AK105 for Hellmuth, QQ84 for Hang.  The dealer put down a board of J-8-7-7-5, offering no help to Hellmuth and sending him home in third place with a cash prize of $93,168.

And Then There Were Two...

Phil Hellmuth (3rd) was eliminated just moments into Level 27 and Tommy Hang led James Schaaf into heads-up play.

Tommy Hang: 1,529,000
James Schaaf: 880,000

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 25

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Omaha: 10,000/20,000, Hold’em: 10,000/20,000

Players Remaining: 4 of 803

Chip Counts:
James Schaaf – 930,000
Tommy Hang – 845,000
Esther Rossi – 440,000
Phil Hellmuth – 115,000

Eliminations:
Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)

Big Hands:

Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)

In the stud round, Jason Dollinger completed showing the K and was raised by Tommy Hang, the chip leader, showing the 9.  Dollinger reraised and Hang made the call.  The two eventually got it all in on fifth street and at the showdown Dollinger showed one pair, fours, against Hang’s three-of-a-kind, sevens.  Dollinger earned $54,804 for his 5th place finish.

New Chip Leader at Break

After a few hands of stud eight-or-better, the remaining four players took a 20 minute break.  Just before the break, James Schaaf overtook Tommy Hang as the tournament chip leader thanks in part to two pots with the undisputed crowd favorite, Phil Hellmuth.  Hellmuth lost both to Schaaf and went into the break as the short stack with less than 150,000 in chips.

Play resumed just before the stroke of midnight.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 24

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Omaha: 10,000/20,000, Hold’em: 10,000/20,000

Players Remaining: 5 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang - 1,000,000
James Schaaf - 450,000
Esther Rossi - 400,000
Phil Hellmuth - 300,000
Jason Dollinger - 240,000

Eliminations:
Sam Silverman Eliminated in 6th Place ($42,966)

Big Hands:

Sam Silverman Eliminated in 6^th Place ($42,966)

Sam Silverman became the sixth place finisher after getting all his chips in the middle pre-flop during the hold’em round with 33 against Jason Dollinger’s 77.  The final board came down KJ10108.  Silverman earned $42,996 for his sixth place finish and enjoyed a round of applause as he exited the tournament area.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Sam Silverman,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 23

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000 , Razz - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000, Stud 8 - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000, Omaha: 8,000/15,000, Hold’em: 8,000/15,000

Players Remaining: 6 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang – 680,000
Phil Hellmuth – 400,000
James Schaaf – 392,000
Jason Dollinger – 346,000
Sam Silverman – 310,000
Esther Rossi  - 166,000

Eliminations:
Matt Grapenthien Eliminated in 8th Place ($27,511)
Victor Ramdin Eliminated in 7th Place ($32,992)

Big Hands:

Matt Grapenthien Eliminated in 8th Place($27,511)

The final table saw its first elimination during the Omaha eight-or-better round.  Matt Grapenthien limped in pre-flop and Tommy Hang completed from the small blind.  Victor Ramdin checked his big blind option and the three players saw a flop of AKQ.  The action checked around, and the dealer put down the A on the turn.  Again Hang and Ramdin checked, but this time Grapentien put out a bet.  Hang check-raised, prompting Ramdin to fold.  Grapenthien made the call and turned over AJ63 for trip aces.  Hang flipped over KK82 for a full house, kings full of aces.  Grapenthien failed to fill up on the river, and he was eliminated in 8th place for a cash prize of $27,511.

Large Crowd Gathers for Phil Hellmuth

A large crowd of spectators has gathered around the final table in the Amazon Room to watch Phil Hellmuth attempt to win his 12th World Series of Poker title.  A special section has been designated for several members of Hellmuth’s extended family who have joined the crowd to cheer for Hellmuth.

Victor Ramdin Eliminated in 7^th Place ($32,992)

Victor Ramdin became the 7th place finisher during the stud round.  James Schaaf finished him off when his two pair, tens and deuces, overtook Ramdin's nines.  Ramdin earned $32,992 for his finish.

Player Tags: Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Final Table Set!

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000 , Razz - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Stud 8 - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Omaha: 6000/12000, Hold’em: 6000/12000

Players Remaining: 8 of 803

Chip Leaders:
Tommy Hang - 680,000
Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
James Schaaf - 392,000
Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Sam Silverman - 310,000
Victor Ramdin - 166,000
Esther Rossi - 78,000
Matt Grapenthien - 46,000

Eliminations:
Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)
Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)

Big Hands:

Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)

During the Omaha eight-or-better round, Lonnie Heimowitz got it all in pre-flop with AQ76 against Victor Ramdin’s JJ43.  The flop came AKQ, giving two pair to Heimowitz and a flush draw to Ramdin.  The 10 on the turn was a blank for Ramdin, but the 5 on the river completed his flush.  Heimowitz was eliminated in 10th place, earning $22,031 for his efforts.

Final Table Bubble Played Nine-Handed

As the players sweat the bubble for the final table, the remaining nine players will be combining into one nine-handed table.  When another player has been eliminated, the remaining eight final tablists will take a one hour dinner break.

Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)

Not long after combining into one nine-handed table, Edward Brogdon became the final table bubble boy after being eliminated by current chip leader Tommy Hang.  Brogdon and Hang got it all in pre-flop, with 106 for Hang and 77 for Brogdon.  The final board read KQ432, and Brogdon earned $22,031 for his “unlucky” 9th place finish.

Storylines:

Final Table Set

With the elimination of Edward Brogdon (9th) right before the dinner break, the final eight players prepared for the final table. Here was what the final table (eight-handed) looked like as the players left for dinner:

Seat 1 - James Schaaf - 392,000
Seat 2 - Matt Grapenthien - 46,000
Seat 3 - Sam Silverman - 310,000
Seat 4 - Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
Seat 5 - Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Seat 6 - Tommy Hang - 680,000
Seat 7 - Victor Ramdin - 78,000
Seat 8 - Esther Rossi - 166,000

Player Tags: Lonnie Heimowitz,   Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   Sam Silverman,   Esther Rossi,   Edward Brogdon,   European Report,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. - End of Day 2

Jun 30, '08

The big story of day 2 was, once again, Phil Hellmuth. Coming into the day as chip leader, he floundered for a bit, relinquishing the lead for most of the day, but ultimately picked himself up by the bootstraps and strode back to the top. By the conclusion of the day, Hellmuth would not only be chip leader once again, but his chip stack would tower over most his competitors’.

With 21 players left, Hellmuth has a real chance of picking up his 12^th bracelet, and his first in a non-hold’em event. The final 21 players will return tomorrow at 3 p.m. PST to play for the $256,412 and World Series of Poker bracelet.

Here is an unofficial list of chip leaders heading into tomorrow’s final day:
Phil Hellmuth Jr. - 287,500
James Schaaf - 236,500
Art Young - 175,000
Victor Ramdin - 158,500
Matt Grapenthien - 151,000
Esther Rossi - 133,500
Steven Diano - 120,000
Arash Ghaneian - 114,000
Jason Dollinger - 110,500
Edward Brogdon - 104,500
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 92,000

Here is a bit of action from the final level of the day:

Razz

Razz Not Kind to Arash

Arash Ghaneian: 79210
Esther Rossi: 5Q98

Arash Ghaneian completed and Esther Rossi was the only caller. Ghaneian continued betting on every street until the river. When he was dealt his final card he slowly squeezed it and checked when he had seen what it was. Rossi, having checked her card, fired out a bet for the first time in the hand. Ghaneian called and she showed (A)(4)(3) for an 8-low. Rossi took down the pot and moved up to 130,000. Despite the hit, Ghaneian is still going strong with 110,000.

Stud

Joe Hachem Eliminated

Steven Diano: J1033
Joe Hachem: 2273

Diano completed at the outset with the J and James Schaaf raised with the Q. Joe Hachem, having brought in with the 2, called, and so did Diano. The turn paired Hachem’s upcard and he bet out. Diano called, and Schaaf, looking incredulously toward Hachem and Diano, folded. Hachem bet both fifth and sixth streets, putting himself all-in on the latter round. The two turned over their cards: Hachem showed (A)(K) for a pair of twos while Diano tabled (K)(9). Diano’s measly pair of threes was ahead going to seventh street. Hachem turned over his final card – the 8 – and made his exit from the Brasilia Room, but not before tearing into Diano's hand selection a bit: “Where were you going with that?”

Diano is up to 120,000.

Player Tags: Art Young,   Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   Arash Ghaneian,   Esther Rossi,   Steven Diano,   Joe Hachem,   Edward Brogdon,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. - Day 2 - Level 17 Recap

Jun 30, '08

Note: Play will end for the night at the conclusion of level 18

Stakes:
Hold’em/Omaha:  2,000-4,000 blinds
Stud/Razz/Stud8:  1,000 ante, 1,000 bring in, 4,000-8,000 stakes

Players Left:  26 of 803

Chip Leaders:
Phil Hellmuth - 190,000
Arash Ghaneian - 175,000
Matt Grapenthien - 125,000
Ed Tonnellier – 120,000
Art Young - 112,000
Jens Voertmann - 110,000
James Schaaf - 110,000
Randall Holland - 105,000
Phillip Penn Sr. - 99,000
Michael Scipione - 98,000
Edward Brogdon - 92,000

Average Stack: 92,650

Eliminations:
Alex Jacob
Allen Cunningham
Giovanni Rizzo

Big Hands and Storylines:

Stud

Hellmuth and Tonnellier Tangle Again

Ed Tonnellier: 7109K
Phil Hellmuth: 106AQ

“Omaha” Ed Tonnellier completed with the 7 and Hellmuth raised with the 10. Tonnellier put in a third bet and Hellmuth called. Tonnellier bet out on fourth street and was called by Hellmuth. Hellmuth was dealt an ace on fifth street and opted to check to Tonnellier, who bet. Hellmuth called. “OmahaEd” drew a king on sixth street and bet after Hellmuth checked. As Hellmuth sorted through his chips he asked, “You hit three kings?” Tonnellier replied, “If I hit three kings then why are you calling?” Hellmuth, never content to let anyone else get the last word in, said, “You might have aces. I hope you have aces,” before making the call. Hellmuth checked on seventh street, Tonnellier bet again, and Hellmuth folded. After the hand, Tonnellier showed his set of kings.

Hellmuth has 190,000 and Tonnellier has 120,000.

Ramdin Gets Hang’d

Tommy Hang: A6K3
Victor Ramdin: QK109

The action picks up on fourth street where Hang bets into Ramdin and garners a call. The action plays out the same on fifth street. Hang slows down on sixth street when Ramdin’s board shows four to a straight, and both players check. Both players check on seventh street as well, and Hang turns over an ace for a pair of aces. Ramdin can only muster a pair of queens, and the pot is Hang’s.

After the pot, Hang was up to 60,000 and Ramdin was on life support with only 12,000.

Omaha/8b

Keith Sexton Doubles Up

Keith Sexton got all in on the turn against Giovanni Rizzo. The board read AJ92 and the two turned over their cards:

Rizzo: AKK4
Sexton: AQ32

The river was the 3 and Sexton avoided Rizzo’s slew of outs. Sexton doubled up to 60,000. Rizzo was knocked down to 20,000 and would be eliminated a short time later.

Player Tags: Randy Holland,   Art Young,   Phillip "JB" Penn Sr.,   Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Allen Cunningham,   Ed Tonnellier,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   Arash Ghaneian,   Keith Sexton,   Alex Jacob,   Edward Brogdon,   Jens Voertmann,   Michael Scipione,   James Schaaf

James Schaaf Wins Event No. 51

Jul 01, '08

James Schaaf Wins Event No. 51 ($256,412)
Tommy Hang Eliminated in 2nd Place ($158,933)

Although James Schaaf began the heads up match with Tommy Hang at a 2 to 1 chip disadvantage, a few lucky draws and a lot of aggressive play gave him the lead and eventually the title.

The final hand happened during the stud eight-or-better round when Schaaf raised showing the 6 and Hang called showing J.  Schaaf caught the 8 on fourth street and called a bet from Hang's 2.  Fifth street brought the 9 for Schaaf and a bet, which was called by Hang with the 7.  Schaaf again led after catching the 8 on sixth street and Hang raised all in after being dealt the 7.  Schaaf made the call and Hang turned over A7 for three sevens.  Schaaf turned over 108 for three eights, leaving Hang with a desperate  need to fill up on the river and avoid Schaaf doing the same.  All eyes were on Hang as he peeked at his river card and turned it over: 5. 

Tommy Hang earned $158,933 for his 2nd place finish.
 

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Bracelet 12 for Hellmuth?

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Omaha: 13,000/25,000, Hold’em: 13,000/25,000

Players Remaining: 4 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang – 1,800,000
James Schaaf – 570,000
Phil Hellmuth – 135,000
Esther Rossi – 85,000

Eliminations: None

Big Hands:

Phil Hellmuth Doubles Twice

Phil Hellmuth received a burst of cheers and applause from the teeming masses that have gathered at the rail to sweat him as he battles his way to another World Series of Poker bracelet.  Hellmuth doubled and re-doubled his stack in two key hands, prompting the thunderous outburst.

In the hold’em round, James Schaaf raised from the small blind and Phil Hellmuth reraised from the big blind.  Schaaf reraised to put Hellmuth all in, and Hellmuth called.  Schaaf turned over 94, an underdog to Hellmuth’s 88.  The board ran out KQQQ6, and Phil Hellmuth continued to stay alive.

Several hands later, Hellmuth found his tournament life at stake again.  This time Hellmuth got it all in during the razz round, but his opponent again was James Schaaf.  Despite receiving two double up hands within twenty minutes, Hellmuth remained the tournament short stack.

Esther Rossi Crippled by Tommy Hang

Despite being second in chips before tangling with Tommy Hang, Esther Rossi continued to battle after losing a large pot to Hang who now has a commanding chip lead over his opponents.  Hang made an ace-high flush in the stud eight-or-better round that left Rossi's stack destroyed.  She finished the hand with less than 100,000 in chips, and for the first time in four-handed play Phil Hellmuth was not the shortest stack at the table.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 26

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000 , Razz - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000, Stud 8 - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000, Omaha: 15,000/30,000, Hold’em: 15,000/30,000

Players Remaining: 2 of 803

Chip Counts:
James Schaaf - 1,519,000
Tommy Hang - 1,450,000

Eliminations:
Esther Rossi Eliminated in 4th Place ($68,505)
Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in Third Place ($93,168)

Big Hands:

Esther Rossi Eliminated in 4th Place ($68,505)

After being crippled by Tommy Hang just before the start of the hour, Esther Rossi played her last hand against the fellow struggling stack of Phil Hellmuth.  In the hold’em round, Hellmuth raised from the button and Rossi reraised all in from the big blind.  Hellmuth made the call and turned over K8, the favorite over Rossi’s J9.  The board ran out A10442.  Rossi failed to improve, and was eliminated in 4th place earning $68,505 for her efforts.

Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in 3rd Place ($93,168)

Phil Hellmuth’s hard-fought run for his historic 12th bracelet finally came to an end during the Omaha eight-or-better level.  Hellmuth completed from the small blind and was raised by Tommy Hang in the big blind.  Hellmuth called all in and the two hands were exposed: AK105 for Hellmuth, QQ84 for Hang.  The dealer put down a board of J-8-7-7-5, offering no help to Hellmuth and sending him home in third place with a cash prize of $93,168.

And Then There Were Two...

Phil Hellmuth (3rd) was eliminated just moments into Level 27 and Tommy Hang led James Schaaf into heads-up play.

Tommy Hang: 1,529,000
James Schaaf: 880,000

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 25

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Omaha: 10,000/20,000, Hold’em: 10,000/20,000

Players Remaining: 4 of 803

Chip Counts:
James Schaaf – 930,000
Tommy Hang – 845,000
Esther Rossi – 440,000
Phil Hellmuth – 115,000

Eliminations:
Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)

Big Hands:

Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)

In the stud round, Jason Dollinger completed showing the K and was raised by Tommy Hang, the chip leader, showing the 9.  Dollinger reraised and Hang made the call.  The two eventually got it all in on fifth street and at the showdown Dollinger showed one pair, fours, against Hang’s three-of-a-kind, sevens.  Dollinger earned $54,804 for his 5th place finish.

New Chip Leader at Break

After a few hands of stud eight-or-better, the remaining four players took a 20 minute break.  Just before the break, James Schaaf overtook Tommy Hang as the tournament chip leader thanks in part to two pots with the undisputed crowd favorite, Phil Hellmuth.  Hellmuth lost both to Schaaf and went into the break as the short stack with less than 150,000 in chips.

Play resumed just before the stroke of midnight.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 24

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Omaha: 10,000/20,000, Hold’em: 10,000/20,000

Players Remaining: 5 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang - 1,000,000
James Schaaf - 450,000
Esther Rossi - 400,000
Phil Hellmuth - 300,000
Jason Dollinger - 240,000

Eliminations:
Sam Silverman Eliminated in 6th Place ($42,966)

Big Hands:

Sam Silverman Eliminated in 6^th Place ($42,966)

Sam Silverman became the sixth place finisher after getting all his chips in the middle pre-flop during the hold’em round with 33 against Jason Dollinger’s 77.  The final board came down KJ10108.  Silverman earned $42,996 for his sixth place finish and enjoyed a round of applause as he exited the tournament area.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Sam Silverman,   Esther Rossi,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 23

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000 , Razz - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000, Stud 8 - A: 3,000 B: 5,000 C: 15,000, Omaha: 8,000/15,000, Hold’em: 8,000/15,000

Players Remaining: 6 of 803

Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang – 680,000
Phil Hellmuth – 400,000
James Schaaf – 392,000
Jason Dollinger – 346,000
Sam Silverman – 310,000
Esther Rossi  - 166,000

Eliminations:
Matt Grapenthien Eliminated in 8th Place ($27,511)
Victor Ramdin Eliminated in 7th Place ($32,992)

Big Hands:

Matt Grapenthien Eliminated in 8th Place($27,511)

The final table saw its first elimination during the Omaha eight-or-better round.  Matt Grapenthien limped in pre-flop and Tommy Hang completed from the small blind.  Victor Ramdin checked his big blind option and the three players saw a flop of AKQ.  The action checked around, and the dealer put down the A on the turn.  Again Hang and Ramdin checked, but this time Grapentien put out a bet.  Hang check-raised, prompting Ramdin to fold.  Grapenthien made the call and turned over AJ63 for trip aces.  Hang flipped over KK82 for a full house, kings full of aces.  Grapenthien failed to fill up on the river, and he was eliminated in 8th place for a cash prize of $27,511.

Large Crowd Gathers for Phil Hellmuth

A large crowd of spectators has gathered around the final table in the Amazon Room to watch Phil Hellmuth attempt to win his 12th World Series of Poker title.  A special section has been designated for several members of Hellmuth’s extended family who have joined the crowd to cheer for Hellmuth.

Victor Ramdin Eliminated in 7^th Place ($32,992)

Victor Ramdin became the 7th place finisher during the stud round.  James Schaaf finished him off when his two pair, tens and deuces, overtook Ramdin's nines.  Ramdin earned $32,992 for his finish.

Player Tags: Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   James Schaaf

$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Final Table Set!

Jul 01, '08

Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000 , Razz - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Stud 8 - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Omaha: 6000/12000, Hold’em: 6000/12000

Players Remaining: 8 of 803

Chip Leaders:
Tommy Hang - 680,000
Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
James Schaaf - 392,000
Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Sam Silverman - 310,000
Victor Ramdin - 166,000
Esther Rossi - 78,000
Matt Grapenthien - 46,000

Eliminations:
Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)
Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)

Big Hands:

Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)

During the Omaha eight-or-better round, Lonnie Heimowitz got it all in pre-flop with AQ76 against Victor Ramdin’s JJ43.  The flop came AKQ, giving two pair to Heimowitz and a flush draw to Ramdin.  The 10 on the turn was a blank for Ramdin, but the 5 on the river completed his flush.  Heimowitz was eliminated in 10th place, earning $22,031 for his efforts.

Final Table Bubble Played Nine-Handed

As the players sweat the bubble for the final table, the remaining nine players will be combining into one nine-handed table.  When another player has been eliminated, the remaining eight final tablists will take a one hour dinner break.

Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)

Not long after combining into one nine-handed table, Edward Brogdon became the final table bubble boy after being eliminated by current chip leader Tommy Hang.  Brogdon and Hang got it all in pre-flop, with 106 for Hang and 77 for Brogdon.  The final board read KQ432, and Brogdon earned $22,031 for his “unlucky” 9th place finish.

Storylines:

Final Table Set

With the elimination of Edward Brogdon (9th) right before the dinner break, the final eight players prepared for the final table. Here was what the final table (eight-handed) looked like as the players left for dinner:

Seat 1 - James Schaaf - 392,000
Seat 2 - Matt Grapenthien - 46,000
Seat 3 - Sam Silverman - 310,000
Seat 4 - Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
Seat 5 - Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Seat 6 - Tommy Hang - 680,000
Seat 7 - Victor Ramdin - 78,000
Seat 8 - Esther Rossi - 166,000

Player Tags: Lonnie Heimowitz,   Matt Grapenthien,   Tommy Hang,   Phil Hellmuth,   Victor Ramdin,   Sam Silverman,   Esther Rossi,   Edward Brogdon,   European Report,   James Schaaf,   Jason Dollinger

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 17 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Blinds: 5,000-10,000

Players Left:  14 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Rob Hollink - 620,000
Andy Bloch - 570,000
J.C. Tran - 515,000
Aaron Katz - 420,000
Jerrod Ankenman - 340,000
Eric Buchman - 270,000
Rich Chase - 260,000
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 240,000
Eric Froehlich - 230,000
Chris Vitch - 205,000

Average Stack: 311,450

Eliminations:
15^th – Michael Mizrachi
16^th – Matt Woodward
17^th – Tex Barch
18^th – Kieu Duong

Big Hands and Storylines:

Bloch Wins Monster Pot; Duong Eliminated

Rob Hollink made it 20,000 to go from middle position. Brock “t soprano” Parker, on Hollink’s left, upped it to 30,000. Then, to Parker’s left, Kieu Duong moved in for 34,000. As if this wasn’t enough action, Andy Bloch popped it up to 40,000. Both Hollink and Parker called. The flop was 1074; Hollink checked, Parker checked, Bloch bet, and the other two called. The action followed the same pattern on the J turn. Bloch bet the 5 on the river and this time both Hollink and Parker folded. Bloch’s pocket kings were enough to take down the massive pot and Duong was eliminated.

Tex is Toast

Tex Barch was eliminated in 17^th place when his AQ failed to hold against Jerrod Ankenman’s AT. The board rolled out 102284 and Barch unhappily called down to the river, giving away the last of his chips. Though Barch's night is through, Ankenman is very much in contention with his 330,000.

Matt Woodward Eliminated in 16^thPlace

Matt Woodward was all-in pre-flop against J.C. Tran. Tran, on the button, showed an understandably weak 87 and was chasing against Woodward’s AQ. Woodward remained stoic on the J53 flop, but his demeanor changed to reflect the 8 on the turn; he rolled his eyes and nodded his head in a resigned fashion. The K on the river sealed Woodward’s exit and he was eliminated in 16^th place, taking home $25,615.

Player Tags: J.C. Tran,   Kieu Duong,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Eric Buchman,   Michael Mizrachi,   Aaron Katz,   John Barch,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Matt Woodward,   Eric Froehlich,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 16 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Note: The players are now on a 20-minute break

Blinds: 4,000-8,000

Players Left:  18 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Aaron Katz - 530,000
Andy Bloch - 395,000
Brock Parker - 380,000
Michael Mizrachi - 325,000
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 270,000
Rich Chase - 260,000
Chris Vitch - 260,000
Eric Froehlich - 250,000
Rob Hollink - 250,000
Matt Woodward -240,000

Average Stack: 242,200

Eliminations:

19^th place – Todd “Dan Druff” Witteles
20^th place – Thomas Johnston
21^st place – Hoyt Corkins
22^nd place – Spencer Lawrence

Big Hands and Storylines:

Corkins Eliminated in 21^st Place

Apparently Aaron Katz doesn’t have premium hands all the time. Hoyt Corkins found this out the hard way when his QQ was cracked by Katz’s 65 on a JT63K board. Katz, who won a $1,500 limit hold’em event in 2004, is on an excellent track to claim his second bracelet. He is currently the chip leader with 530,000.

Thomas Johnston Eliminated in 20^th Place

Thomas Johnston declared his “pot-committedness” before the hand as almost his entire stack would be consumed by the big blind. He was still in good spirits as he saw Jerrod Ankenman and Tex Barch cap the betting pre-flop. The flop was AJ5 and both Barch and Ankenman checked. Barch bet the J turn and Ankenman folded. The river was the 5c. When Barch showed AA Johnston, having not looked at his cards claimed, “I could have pocket jacks.” He flipped his cards one at a time. The first was the 5, eliciting a roar from the table. Unfortunately for Johnston, his second card was the 10 and he had to go, eliminated in 20^th place.

Hollink Continues to Straighten Out

Eric Froehlich raised from middle position and the only caller was Rob Hollink in the big blind. The flop was 1087 and Hollink check-called a bet from Froehlich. The turn was a 6 and Hollink checked. “EFro” bet and the man from Groningen put out a raise. Froehlich called and the pair saw the 4 river. Hollink bet and Froehlich called.  The two showed:

Hollink: A9
Froehlich: AA

Hollink’s second straight in as many levels has him up to 250,000, coincidentally, the same amount as Froehlich.

Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Michael Mizrachi,   Rich Chase,   Aaron Katz,   John Barch,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Matt Woodward,   Spencer Lawrence,   Todd Witteles,   Eric Froehlich,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report,   Thomas Johnston

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 15 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Blinds: 3,000-6,000

Players Left:  22 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Andy Bloch - 350,000
Michael Mizrachi - 340,000
Brock "t soprano" Parker - 325,000
Aaron Katz - 322,000
Matt Woodward - 295,000
Shunjiro Uchida - 288,000
Jerrod Ankenman - 250,000
Eric Froehlich - 245,000
Tommy Hang – 180,000
J.C. Tran - 175,000
Hoyt Corkins - 170,000
Rob Hollink – 165,000

Average Stack: 198,200

Eliminations:
23^rd – Dewey Tomko
24^th – Greg Debora
25^th – Terrence Chan
26^th – Patrick Bueno

Big Hands and Storylines:

Katz True To His Word

Aaron Katz has been talking constantly about how he has yet to show down a bad hand, and, in a pot against Jerrod Ankenman, he backed up his banter. Ankenman raised from middle position and Katz re-raised on his left to 1,800. Action folded back around to Ankenman who made the call. Ankenman check-raised the AJ3 flop and Katz called. Ankenman bet the J turn and Katz cagily raised, drawing a call from Ankenman. The dealer put out the 3 on the river and Ankenman check-called. Katz tabled AK and took down the pot. Maybe next time someone at the table will respect Katz’s raise. Until then, Katz will be sitting behind a stack of 320,000 chips. Ankenman still has 250,000.

Hanging Around

Andy Bloch raised from the small blind and Tommy Hang in the big blind called. Hang raised Bloch’s bet on the Q52 flop and Bloch called. Action on the turn and river – K and 3 – went check-bet-call, and Hang won the pot with two pair, showing KQ. Hang has now climbed to 180,000 while Bloch, still the chip leader, is down to 350,000

River Dagger Cripples Lawrence

Rob Hollink raised from late position and the only caller was Spencer Lawrence in the big blind. The flop came Q95 and Lawrence bet out. Hollink raised, Lawrence 3-bet, and Hollink just called. The A on the turn was followed by a bet by Lawrence and another call by Hollink. Lawrence bet the river  and the Dutchman raised him. After a minute of thought, Lawrence made the call. Hollink tabled the nuts: JT. After the hand Lawrence was left with only 20,000 while Hollink grew his stack to 165,000.

Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins,   J.C. Tran,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Dewey Tomko,   Michael Mizrachi,   Aaron Katz,   Shunjiro Uchida,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Terrence Chan,   Greg DeBora,   Matt Woodward,   Spencer Lawrence,   Eric Froehlich,   Patrick Bueno,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 14 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Note: The players are now on a 20-minute break

Blinds: 2,500-5,000

Players Left:  26 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Andy Bloch - 340,000
Michael Mizrachi - 340,000
Jerrod Ankenman - 330,000
Brock "t soprano" Parker - 325,000
Steve Sung - 303,500
Matt Woodward - 295,000
Eric Froehlich - 245,000
J.C. Tran - 225,000
Aaron Katz - 180,000
Hoyt Corkins - 155,000

Average Stack: 167,700

Eliminations:
Alex Kravchenko - 27th
Tim Kasparoff - 28th
Zachary Hyman - 29th

Big Hands and Storylines:

They’re In The Money

The bubble burst after only 5 hands of hand-for-hand play and the unfortunate bubble boy was Tim Kasparoff. Kasparoff got his money all-in against Tommy Hang in a race-situation: Kasparoff’s 88 against Hang’s A10. The flop was 432, opening up 4 more outs for Hang, but he wouldn’t need them, as he spiked the 10 on the turn. The river blanked and Kasparoff busted one out of the money.

This was welcome news to both Patrick Bueno and Alex Kravchenko who, seated at the same table, had been blinded down to critical levels. In one hand, Bueno committed 15,000 preflop against Michael Mizrachi and folded to a single bet from “the Grinder” on the flop, leaving himself a paltry 9,000.

Kravchenko too was spendthrift during hand-for-hand play. Folding both his small blind and big blind to raises, the Russian was left clutching a stack of only 6,000 when the bubble burst. Not surprisingly, he was eliminated in 27^th place, but I’m sure the $20,492 will be consolation enough after coming so close to busting empty-handed.

Not everybody was trying to crawl into the money. Aaron Katz and Matt Woodward tangled in a big pot a few minutes before hand-for-hand play began. Woodward raised to 10,000 from middle position and Katz called in the big blind. Katz check-raised the J33 flop and Woodward paid to see the turn. It was the K and Katz bet out, though Woodward raised, Katz was not deterred, putting in a third bet. Woodward called, then called another bet on the river 7. He was dismayed when Katz showed A3 and dragged the massive pot.

Woodward would make a bit of that money back later when the flop nailed his Q8. Zachary Hyman, holding JJ, could not lay down his holding on a board of QQ9 and was eliminated in 29^th place.

Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins,   J.C. Tran,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Michael Mizrachi,   Aaron Katz,   Brock Parker,   Alexander Kravchenko,   Matt Woodward,   Eric Froehlich,   Steve Sung,   Patrick Bueno,   Tim Kasparoff,   Zachary Hyman,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

WC Limit HE - Final Table - Tommy Hang Eliminated in 3rd Place

Jun 17, '08

Blinds: 25,000-50,000
Stakes: 50,000-100,000

Players Left: 2 of 218

Chip Counts:

Rob Hollink: 3,500,000
Jerrod Ankenman: 1,000,000

Eliminations:

Tommy Hang: 3rd Place ($194,674)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Tommy Hang Doubles Up Again

Tommy Hang and Rob Hollink capped the preflop betting round before the first three cards were dealt J105. Hang raised Hollink's initial bet on the flop to move all in and Hollink made the call. Hollink held pocket twos, while Hang held AK. The turn was the Q which gave Hang a straight to survive.

Tommy Hang Eliminated in Third Place ($194,674)

Rob Hollink raised preflop and Tommy Hang made the all-in call. Their cards:

Hang: 98
Hollink: KQ

Board: 873QJ

Hang was eliminated in third place, and he took home $194,674 in prize money.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Rob Hollink,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

WC Limit HE - Final Table - Aaron Katz Eliminated in 4th Place

Jun 17, '08

Blinds: 20,000-40,000
Stakes: 40,000-80,000

Players Left: 3 of 218

Chip Counts:

Jerrod Ankenman: 2,100,000
Rob Hollink: 1,480,000
Tommy Hang: 550,000

Eliminations:

Aaron Katz: 4th Place ($158,813)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Aaron Katz Eliminated in Fourth Place ($158,813)

Jerrod Ankenman raised preflop and Aaron Katz made an all-in call. Hollink also made the call and the two live players checked down a board of A1045J. Ankenman flipped over a queen on the end, which was enough to take down the pot against his opponents' meager holdings. Katz was eliminated in fourth place, and he took home $158,813 in prize money.

Tommy Hang Doubles Up

Ankenman raised preflop and Tommy Hang reraised. Ankenman made the call and the flop was dealt A93. Hang bet and Ankenman called. The turn brought the 6 and Hang check raised Ankenman's bet. Ankenman reraised and Hang made the all-in call. Hang held A-9 to dominate Ankenman's A-3 and the river brought the 4. Hang doubled up to survive the hand.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Aaron Katz,   Rob Hollink,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

$10K WC Limit Hold'em - Cy Jassinowsky Eliminated in 8th place ($66,599)

Jun 17, '08

Blinds: 8,000-15,000
Stakes: 15,000-30,000

Players Left: 7
Chip Counts:
Aaron Katz: 1,100,000
Rob Hollink: 890,000
Tommy Hang: 720,000
Andy Bloch: 480,000
J.C. Tran: 440,000
Brock Parker: 254,000
Jerrod Ankenman: 100,000

Eliminations:
Cy Jassinowsky Eliminated in 8th place ($66,599)

Big Hands:

Cy Jassinowsky Doubles Up

Tommy Hang raised and both Cy Jassinowsky and Jerrod Ankenman made the call. The flop came JJ7, and Hang bet. Jassinowsky and Ankenman both called. The turn was 5, and Hang bet out. Jassinowsky raised and Ankenman reraised (three bets). Hang folded and Jassinowsky reraied (four bets), Ankenman called. Down to his last couple of thousand chips, Jassinowsky moved all in dark. The river was the 8 and Ankenman called the all in dark bet. Jassinowsky turned over A-J while Ankenman showed K-J. Jassinowsky doubeld up this hand.

Cy Jassinowsky Wins 200K + Pot With Aces

Brock Parker raised and Aaron Katz reraised. Cy Jassinowsky three-bet, Parker folded and Katz called. The flop came J88. Jassinowsky bet and Katz called. The turn was the 5, and once again Jassinowsky bet and Katz called. The river was the 5, and still Jassinowsky bet and Katz called. Jassinowsky turned over pocket aces and Katz threw his hand into the muck. Jassinowsky wins a big pot for over 200,000 shortly after doubling up a few hands prior.

Broc Parker Doubles Through Cy Jassinowsky

Brock Parker raised and Cy Jassinowsky reraised. Parker made it three-bets to go and Jassinowsky just called. The flop came J102, and Jassinowsky checked to Parker who bet. Jassinowsky raised (check-raise) and Parker moved all in. Jassinowsky called and the players turned over their hands.

Parker: A10
Jassinowsky: AK

Jassinowsky started with the best hand while Parker outflopped him with a pair of tens. The turn and river were the 3 and the 5. Parker doubled through Jassinowsky.

Jerrod Ankenman Triples Up

Rob Hollink raised and Cy Jassinowsky reraised. Jerrod Ankenman reraised all in, and Hollink tanked for a few minutes before completing Ankenman's all in and then capping the bet. Jassinowsky went into the tank himself,  he eventually called. The flop came AK3, and Hollink bet, Jassinowsky folded.

Ankenman: QQ
Hollink: 1010

Ankenman was in a good spot with queens against tens and the turn and river brought the 9 and the 8, giving Ankenman the check mark and allowing him to triple up.

Cy Jassinowsky Eliminated in 8th place ($66,599)

Andy Bloch raised from the button and Rob Hollink reraied from the small blind. Tommy Hang made it four bets and Cy Jassinowsky called all in. Bloch folded while Hollink made the call. The flop came K96, and Hang bet and Hollink folded. Hang and Jassinowsky turned over their cards.

Jassinowsky: A-2
Hollink: Q-Q

The turn and river brought the 5 and the 7, no help to Cy Jassinowsky who was eliminated in 8th place ($66,599).

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Aaron Katz,   Cy Jassinowsky,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Jerrod Ankenman

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 17 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Blinds: 5,000-10,000

Players Left:  14 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Rob Hollink - 620,000
Andy Bloch - 570,000
J.C. Tran - 515,000
Aaron Katz - 420,000
Jerrod Ankenman - 340,000
Eric Buchman - 270,000
Rich Chase - 260,000
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 240,000
Eric Froehlich - 230,000
Chris Vitch - 205,000

Average Stack: 311,450

Eliminations:
15^th – Michael Mizrachi
16^th – Matt Woodward
17^th – Tex Barch
18^th – Kieu Duong

Big Hands and Storylines:

Bloch Wins Monster Pot; Duong Eliminated

Rob Hollink made it 20,000 to go from middle position. Brock “t soprano” Parker, on Hollink’s left, upped it to 30,000. Then, to Parker’s left, Kieu Duong moved in for 34,000. As if this wasn’t enough action, Andy Bloch popped it up to 40,000. Both Hollink and Parker called. The flop was 1074; Hollink checked, Parker checked, Bloch bet, and the other two called. The action followed the same pattern on the J turn. Bloch bet the 5 on the river and this time both Hollink and Parker folded. Bloch’s pocket kings were enough to take down the massive pot and Duong was eliminated.

Tex is Toast

Tex Barch was eliminated in 17^th place when his AQ failed to hold against Jerrod Ankenman’s AT. The board rolled out 102284 and Barch unhappily called down to the river, giving away the last of his chips. Though Barch's night is through, Ankenman is very much in contention with his 330,000.

Matt Woodward Eliminated in 16^thPlace

Matt Woodward was all-in pre-flop against J.C. Tran. Tran, on the button, showed an understandably weak 87 and was chasing against Woodward’s AQ. Woodward remained stoic on the J53 flop, but his demeanor changed to reflect the 8 on the turn; he rolled his eyes and nodded his head in a resigned fashion. The K on the river sealed Woodward’s exit and he was eliminated in 16^th place, taking home $25,615.

Player Tags: J.C. Tran,   Kieu Duong,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Eric Buchman,   Michael Mizrachi,   Aaron Katz,   John Barch,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Matt Woodward,   Eric Froehlich,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 16 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Note: The players are now on a 20-minute break

Blinds: 4,000-8,000

Players Left:  18 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Aaron Katz - 530,000
Andy Bloch - 395,000
Brock Parker - 380,000
Michael Mizrachi - 325,000
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 270,000
Rich Chase - 260,000
Chris Vitch - 260,000
Eric Froehlich - 250,000
Rob Hollink - 250,000
Matt Woodward -240,000

Average Stack: 242,200

Eliminations:

19^th place – Todd “Dan Druff” Witteles
20^th place – Thomas Johnston
21^st place – Hoyt Corkins
22^nd place – Spencer Lawrence

Big Hands and Storylines:

Corkins Eliminated in 21^st Place

Apparently Aaron Katz doesn’t have premium hands all the time. Hoyt Corkins found this out the hard way when his QQ was cracked by Katz’s 65 on a JT63K board. Katz, who won a $1,500 limit hold’em event in 2004, is on an excellent track to claim his second bracelet. He is currently the chip leader with 530,000.

Thomas Johnston Eliminated in 20^th Place

Thomas Johnston declared his “pot-committedness” before the hand as almost his entire stack would be consumed by the big blind. He was still in good spirits as he saw Jerrod Ankenman and Tex Barch cap the betting pre-flop. The flop was AJ5 and both Barch and Ankenman checked. Barch bet the J turn and Ankenman folded. The river was the 5c. When Barch showed AA Johnston, having not looked at his cards claimed, “I could have pocket jacks.” He flipped his cards one at a time. The first was the 5, eliciting a roar from the table. Unfortunately for Johnston, his second card was the 10 and he had to go, eliminated in 20^th place.

Hollink Continues to Straighten Out

Eric Froehlich raised from middle position and the only caller was Rob Hollink in the big blind. The flop was 1087 and Hollink check-called a bet from Froehlich. The turn was a 6 and Hollink checked. “EFro” bet and the man from Groningen put out a raise. Froehlich called and the pair saw the 4 river. Hollink bet and Froehlich called.  The two showed:

Hollink: A9
Froehlich: AA

Hollink’s second straight in as many levels has him up to 250,000, coincidentally, the same amount as Froehlich.

Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Michael Mizrachi,   Rich Chase,   Aaron Katz,   John Barch,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Matt Woodward,   Spencer Lawrence,   Todd Witteles,   Eric Froehlich,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report,   Thomas Johnston

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 15 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Blinds: 3,000-6,000

Players Left:  22 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Andy Bloch - 350,000
Michael Mizrachi - 340,000
Brock "t soprano" Parker - 325,000
Aaron Katz - 322,000
Matt Woodward - 295,000
Shunjiro Uchida - 288,000
Jerrod Ankenman - 250,000
Eric Froehlich - 245,000
Tommy Hang – 180,000
J.C. Tran - 175,000
Hoyt Corkins - 170,000
Rob Hollink – 165,000

Average Stack: 198,200

Eliminations:
23^rd – Dewey Tomko
24^th – Greg Debora
25^th – Terrence Chan
26^th – Patrick Bueno

Big Hands and Storylines:

Katz True To His Word

Aaron Katz has been talking constantly about how he has yet to show down a bad hand, and, in a pot against Jerrod Ankenman, he backed up his banter. Ankenman raised from middle position and Katz re-raised on his left to 1,800. Action folded back around to Ankenman who made the call. Ankenman check-raised the AJ3 flop and Katz called. Ankenman bet the J turn and Katz cagily raised, drawing a call from Ankenman. The dealer put out the 3 on the river and Ankenman check-called. Katz tabled AK and took down the pot. Maybe next time someone at the table will respect Katz’s raise. Until then, Katz will be sitting behind a stack of 320,000 chips. Ankenman still has 250,000.

Hanging Around

Andy Bloch raised from the small blind and Tommy Hang in the big blind called. Hang raised Bloch’s bet on the Q52 flop and Bloch called. Action on the turn and river – K and 3 – went check-bet-call, and Hang won the pot with two pair, showing KQ. Hang has now climbed to 180,000 while Bloch, still the chip leader, is down to 350,000

River Dagger Cripples Lawrence

Rob Hollink raised from late position and the only caller was Spencer Lawrence in the big blind. The flop came Q95 and Lawrence bet out. Hollink raised, Lawrence 3-bet, and Hollink just called. The A on the turn was followed by a bet by Lawrence and another call by Hollink. Lawrence bet the river  and the Dutchman raised him. After a minute of thought, Lawrence made the call. Hollink tabled the nuts: JT. After the hand Lawrence was left with only 20,000 while Hollink grew his stack to 165,000.

Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins,   J.C. Tran,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Dewey Tomko,   Michael Mizrachi,   Aaron Katz,   Shunjiro Uchida,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Terrence Chan,   Greg DeBora,   Matt Woodward,   Spencer Lawrence,   Eric Froehlich,   Patrick Bueno,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

$10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 14 Recap

Jun 16, '08

Note: The players are now on a 20-minute break

Blinds: 2,500-5,000

Players Left:  26 of 218

Chip Leaders:
Andy Bloch - 340,000
Michael Mizrachi - 340,000
Jerrod Ankenman - 330,000
Brock "t soprano" Parker - 325,000
Steve Sung - 303,500
Matt Woodward - 295,000
Eric Froehlich - 245,000
J.C. Tran - 225,000
Aaron Katz - 180,000
Hoyt Corkins - 155,000

Average Stack: 167,700

Eliminations:
Alex Kravchenko - 27th
Tim Kasparoff - 28th
Zachary Hyman - 29th

Big Hands and Storylines:

They’re In The Money

The bubble burst after only 5 hands of hand-for-hand play and the unfortunate bubble boy was Tim Kasparoff. Kasparoff got his money all-in against Tommy Hang in a race-situation: Kasparoff’s 88 against Hang’s A10. The flop was 432, opening up 4 more outs for Hang, but he wouldn’t need them, as he spiked the 10 on the turn. The river blanked and Kasparoff busted one out of the money.

This was welcome news to both Patrick Bueno and Alex Kravchenko who, seated at the same table, had been blinded down to critical levels. In one hand, Bueno committed 15,000 preflop against Michael Mizrachi and folded to a single bet from “the Grinder” on the flop, leaving himself a paltry 9,000.

Kravchenko too was spendthrift during hand-for-hand play. Folding both his small blind and big blind to raises, the Russian was left clutching a stack of only 6,000 when the bubble burst. Not surprisingly, he was eliminated in 27^th place, but I’m sure the $20,492 will be consolation enough after coming so close to busting empty-handed.

Not everybody was trying to crawl into the money. Aaron Katz and Matt Woodward tangled in a big pot a few minutes before hand-for-hand play began. Woodward raised to 10,000 from middle position and Katz called in the big blind. Katz check-raised the J33 flop and Woodward paid to see the turn. It was the K and Katz bet out, though Woodward raised, Katz was not deterred, putting in a third bet. Woodward called, then called another bet on the river 7. He was dismayed when Katz showed A3 and dragged the massive pot.

Woodward would make a bit of that money back later when the flop nailed his Q8. Zachary Hyman, holding JJ, could not lay down his holding on a board of QQ9 and was eliminated in 29^th place.

Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins,   J.C. Tran,   Andy Bloch,   Tommy Hang,   Michael Mizrachi,   Aaron Katz,   Brock Parker,   Alexander Kravchenko,   Matt Woodward,   Eric Froehlich,   Steve Sung,   Patrick Bueno,   Tim Kasparoff,   Zachary Hyman,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

WC Limit HE - Final Table - Tommy Hang Eliminated in 3rd Place

Jun 17, '08

Blinds: 25,000-50,000
Stakes: 50,000-100,000

Players Left: 2 of 218

Chip Counts:

Rob Hollink: 3,500,000
Jerrod Ankenman: 1,000,000

Eliminations:

Tommy Hang: 3rd Place ($194,674)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Tommy Hang Doubles Up Again

Tommy Hang and Rob Hollink capped the preflop betting round before the first three cards were dealt J105. Hang raised Hollink's initial bet on the flop to move all in and Hollink made the call. Hollink held pocket twos, while Hang held AK. The turn was the Q which gave Hang a straight to survive.

Tommy Hang Eliminated in Third Place ($194,674)

Rob Hollink raised preflop and Tommy Hang made the all-in call. Their cards:

Hang: 98
Hollink: KQ

Board: 873QJ

Hang was eliminated in third place, and he took home $194,674 in prize money.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Rob Hollink,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

WC Limit HE - Final Table - Aaron Katz Eliminated in 4th Place

Jun 17, '08

Blinds: 20,000-40,000
Stakes: 40,000-80,000

Players Left: 3 of 218

Chip Counts:

Jerrod Ankenman: 2,100,000
Rob Hollink: 1,480,000
Tommy Hang: 550,000

Eliminations:

Aaron Katz: 4th Place ($158,813)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Aaron Katz Eliminated in Fourth Place ($158,813)

Jerrod Ankenman raised preflop and Aaron Katz made an all-in call. Hollink also made the call and the two live players checked down a board of A1045J. Ankenman flipped over a queen on the end, which was enough to take down the pot against his opponents' meager holdings. Katz was eliminated in fourth place, and he took home $158,813 in prize money.

Tommy Hang Doubles Up

Ankenman raised preflop and Tommy Hang reraised. Ankenman made the call and the flop was dealt A93. Hang bet and Ankenman called. The turn brought the 6 and Hang check raised Ankenman's bet. Ankenman reraised and Hang made the all-in call. Hang held A-9 to dominate Ankenman's A-3 and the river brought the 4. Hang doubled up to survive the hand.

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Aaron Katz,   Rob Hollink,   Jerrod Ankenman,   European Report

$10K WC Limit Hold'em - Cy Jassinowsky Eliminated in 8th place ($66,599)

Jun 17, '08

Blinds: 8,000-15,000
Stakes: 15,000-30,000

Players Left: 7
Chip Counts:
Aaron Katz: 1,100,000
Rob Hollink: 890,000
Tommy Hang: 720,000
Andy Bloch: 480,000
J.C. Tran: 440,000
Brock Parker: 254,000
Jerrod Ankenman: 100,000

Eliminations:
Cy Jassinowsky Eliminated in 8th place ($66,599)

Big Hands:

Cy Jassinowsky Doubles Up

Tommy Hang raised and both Cy Jassinowsky and Jerrod Ankenman made the call. The flop came JJ7, and Hang bet. Jassinowsky and Ankenman both called. The turn was 5, and Hang bet out. Jassinowsky raised and Ankenman reraised (three bets). Hang folded and Jassinowsky reraied (four bets), Ankenman called. Down to his last couple of thousand chips, Jassinowsky moved all in dark. The river was the 8 and Ankenman called the all in dark bet. Jassinowsky turned over A-J while Ankenman showed K-J. Jassinowsky doubeld up this hand.

Cy Jassinowsky Wins 200K + Pot With Aces

Brock Parker raised and Aaron Katz reraised. Cy Jassinowsky three-bet, Parker folded and Katz called. The flop came J88. Jassinowsky bet and Katz called. The turn was the 5, and once again Jassinowsky bet and Katz called. The river was the 5, and still Jassinowsky bet and Katz called. Jassinowsky turned over pocket aces and Katz threw his hand into the muck. Jassinowsky wins a big pot for over 200,000 shortly after doubling up a few hands prior.

Broc Parker Doubles Through Cy Jassinowsky

Brock Parker raised and Cy Jassinowsky reraised. Parker made it three-bets to go and Jassinowsky just called. The flop came J102, and Jassinowsky checked to Parker who bet. Jassinowsky raised (check-raise) and Parker moved all in. Jassinowsky called and the players turned over their hands.

Parker: A10
Jassinowsky: AK

Jassinowsky started with the best hand while Parker outflopped him with a pair of tens. The turn and river were the 3 and the 5. Parker doubled through Jassinowsky.

Jerrod Ankenman Triples Up

Rob Hollink raised and Cy Jassinowsky reraised. Jerrod Ankenman reraised all in, and Hollink tanked for a few minutes before completing Ankenman's all in and then capping the bet. Jassinowsky went into the tank himself,  he eventually called. The flop came AK3, and Hollink bet, Jassinowsky folded.

Ankenman: QQ
Hollink: 1010

Ankenman was in a good spot with queens against tens and the turn and river brought the 9 and the 8, giving Ankenman the check mark and allowing him to triple up.

Cy Jassinowsky Eliminated in 8th place ($66,599)

Andy Bloch raised from the button and Rob Hollink reraied from the small blind. Tommy Hang made it four bets and Cy Jassinowsky called all in. Bloch folded while Hollink made the call. The flop came K96, and Hang bet and Hollink folded. Hang and Jassinowsky turned over their cards.

Jassinowsky: A-2
Hollink: Q-Q

The turn and river brought the 5 and the 7, no help to Cy Jassinowsky who was eliminated in 8th place ($66,599).

Player Tags: Tommy Hang,   Aaron Katz,   Cy Jassinowsky,   Brock Parker,   Rob Hollink,   Jerrod Ankenman

$2,000 Limit Hold'em - Day 2 - Level 12 Recap

Jun 11, '08

Note: The players are now on a 20-minute break

Blinds: 600/1,200

Players Left: 61 of 480

Chip Leaders:
Hien Tran - 69,000
Greg Alston - 68,000
Richard Li - 68,000
Daniel Makowsky - 63,000
Paul Damany - 58,000
Michael Schneider - 57,000
Marwan Abdelal - 55,000
Ayaz Mahmood - 55,000
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 53,000
Supote Chanattanaudorn - 50,000
David Baker - 48,000

Average Stack: 31,500

Eliminations:

Big Hands and Storylines:

Good News...

Matt Hawrilenko raised from the button and the big blind called. The big blind check-raised the KT5 flop and, after Hawrilenko called, the two saw the 4 turn. The big blind bet and Hawrilenko raised all-in for 700 more. The big-blind begrudgingly called with A7 and was drawing dead against Hawrilenko’s AT. Hawrilenko’s double up had him up to 16,000 until...

Bad News...

Hawrilenko opened for a raise in the big blind and Greg Alston 3-bet him from the big blind. Hawrilenko called and the flop came out T62. Hawrilenko check-called and then check-called again on the A turn.  The river was the Q and Hawrilenko checked again. Again Alston bet out but this time Hawrilenko raised him. Alston just called and the two turned over their hands:

Hawrilenko: AQ
Alston: QQ

Hawrilenko dropped all the way back down to 9,000 while Greg Alston is now sitting pretty at 68,000.

They Can Dodge Bullets(...Baby)

Phill Hellmuth, nursing a short-stack of less than 10,000, raised from early position. The table quickly folded around and Hellmuth bellowed, “Gosh dang!” while tossing his pocket aces in plain sight of all.

A Lerning Experience

Derek Lerner raised from the cutoff and Daniel Negreanu called from the big blind. Both players checked the 833 flop. Negreanu then bet out on the 6 turn, eliciting a quick call from Lerner. After Negreanu bet the Q river, he admitted to Lerner that the queen didn’t hit him. Lerner considered all his options before making the call. Negreanu showed 84 to take down the pot. Negreanu’s stack of 29,000 is only slightly bigger than Lerner’s 27,000.

Player Tags: Ayaz Mahmood,   Tommy Hang,   Daniel Negreanu,   Phil Hellmuth,   Marwan Abdelal,   Gregory Alston,   Matt Hawrilenko,   Hien Tran,   Daniel Makowsky,   Derek Lerner,   Richard Li,   Supote Chanattanaudorn,   Paul Damany