Gabriel Thaler Poker Tournament Updates

Level 4 Hour 2 Update: Chad Batista Eliminated

Jul 05, '09

Blinds: 150-300 with a 25 ante

Chip Counts:

1. Jeff Lisandro — 135,200
2. Andy Seth — 110,000
3. Tsai Chen — 95,700
4. Hevad Khan — 84,000
5. Joe Hachem — 82,000
6. Amnon Filippi — 80,000
7. Marc Naalden — 80,000
8. Yan Chen — 80,000
9. Lee Watkinson — 78,000
10. Igor Borukhov — 76,000

Card Player Chip Counts:

Matt Matros — 26,000

Notable Eliminations:

Al Barbieri
Chad Batista
Antonio Tarver

Big Hands

Gabe Thaler Doubles Up

Jeff Tims raises to 800 before the flop, Gabe Thaler calls from early position as does the player in the big blind. The flop comes Q104, Tims best 1,850, Thaler raises to 5,000, the big blind folds, Tims moves all in and Thaler calls all in.

Thaler: QQ
Tims: KJ

Thaler gets it in good with top set, Tims has an open-ended straight draw. The turn is the 6 and the river is the 5, no help to Tims as Thaler doubles through him to over 50,000 this hand.

Kevin Saul Doubels Through David Singer

Kevin Saul raises to 800 from the cutoff and David Singer rearaises to 2,900 from the big blind. Saul four-bets to 7,800 and Singer moves all in. Saul calls all in for 30,000+ ; Singer has him covered.

Saul: QQ
Singer: A5

Board: J9366

Singer flops the nut flush draw but fails to improve as Kevin Saul doubles up to over 60,000 in chips this hand, leaving Singer with just 50,000.

Chad Batista Eliminated

Chad Batista gets it all in pre-flop from the short stack for about 10,000.

Batista: A2
Opponent: AK

Board: K855J

Batista gets it in behind, and when his opponent pairs kings on the flop Batista needs to go runner-runner here to stay alive. The board fails to improve his hand and he is eliminated from the tournament.

Tehan Flops a Set, Doubles Up

After a series of pre-flop raises and reraises, Joe Tehan gets the rest of his chips(19,750) in the middle and is called by a single opponent.

Tehan: AA
Opponent: AK

Tehan flops top set with the case ace as his opponent makes top pair. The turn and river fail to help either player as Tehan doubles up to over 70,000 in chips this hand.

Howard Lederer Doubles Up

Howard Lederer gets it all in pre-flop against the player on the button.

Lederer: JJ
Button: AK

Board: 105329

Lederer’s pocket jacks hold up as he doubles to nearly 40,000 this hand.

Left in the Deck

Players are on a twenty-minute break and should return at approximately 10:40 pm PDT to begin the 5th and final level of the day.

Player Tags: Howard Lederer,   Gabriel Thaler,   David Singer,   Joe Tehan,   Kevin Saul,   Chad Batista

Bluffs: Good for the Game?

Jul 14, '08

With the board showing 109826, Gabe Thaler was faced with a 30,000 bet from his opponent. Thaler stared down the player two seats to his left and tried to talk himself through the hand. Eventually Thaler decided to lay down his hand. His opponent quietly mucked his hand face down... until Scotty Nguyen spoke up, "Show the bluff. It's good for the game!" With that, the player calmly turned his hand over, showing KQ.

"That don't bother me kid," replied Thaler, who is now at about 160,000








 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler

David Pham Eliminated in Ninth Place ($90,495)

Jul 16, '08

Gabriel Thaler raised to 180,000 and David Benyamine reraises to 455,000. David Pham then reraises once again to 955,000. Thaler folds and Benyamine moves all in. Pham eventually calls all in, but not before Thaler mentions outloud that he folded pocket queens.

Pham showed pocket jacks and was behind to Benyamine's pocket kings. The board ran out queen high, and Pham was eliminated in ninth place.

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: David Pham,   Gabriel Thaler,   David Benyamine

Gabriel Thaler Doubles Up Through John Phan

Jul 16, '08

John Phan raised to 100,000 from middle position and Gabriel Thaler made the call from the button. The flop was dealt Q52 and Phan bet 100,000. Thaler made the call and the turn fell 9. Phan bet 375,000 and Thaler made the call once again. The river fell 8 and Phan led out at the pot yet again, this time moving all in. Thaler called, risking his final 578,000. They turned up their hands and Phan held AQ and Thaler turned over J10. Thaler had hit a runner-runner straight to survive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: John Phan,   Gabriel Thaler

Chris McCormack Eliminated

Jul 16, '08

Chris McCormack was all in with AK against Gabriel Thaler's 44. The flop came 532 giving McCormack less outs to work with, and the turn and river came 9J to give Thaler the pot and send McCormack home in 12th place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler

Gabriel Thaler Doubles Through Adam Geyer

Jul 16, '08

Gabe Thaler raises to 65,000 and Adam Geyer reraises to 170,000. Thaler thinks it over for a bit before moving all in for another 175,000. Geyer calls and shows JJ and Thaler needs help with AQ.

The board rolls out Q7773 and Thaler doubles up.

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   Adam Geyer

Thaler Hits The Rail

Jul 17, '08

Blinds: 40,000 – 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 4,014,000

Big Hands:

Gabriel Thaler Eliminated in Sixth Place ($129,275)

Mike Watson raised to 220,000 from under the gun and got a call from Gabriel Thaler in the big blind. The flop came 754 and Thaler checked. Watson bet 320,000 and Thaler quickly check raised all in for 1.9 million.

Watson made the call and saw Thaler’s pocket tens. Watson showed his AJ and was actually a small favorite in the hand.

The turn was the 3 and Watson picked up more outs to the chop. The river was the 8 and Watson made his flush, sending Thaler packing in sixth place. Thaler earned $129,275 for his final table finish this week.

 

 

 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   Michael Watson

Open Shoves are Fun

Jul 17, '08

Blinds: 40,000 – 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 3,345,000

Big Hands:

Luke Staudenmaier Strikes First

David Benyamine raised to 230,000 and Luke Staudenmaier called from the big blind. The flop came down K42 and Staudenmaier checked. Benyamine bet 280,000 and Staudenmaier called. The turn was the 10 and both players checked. The river was the 3 and Staudenmaier bet 675,000.

Benyamine called and mucked his hand when the young online pro showed K-J.

After the hand, Staudenmaier was up to 4.8 million and Benyamine took a hit down to 3.7 million.

Gabriel Thaler Sheds His Tight Image

In a span of just 15 hands, Gabriel Thaler has open shoved twice, both times receiving no action. With the blinds as high as they are, Thaler was picking up more than 10 percent of his stack each time his shove was successful.

Who's Here?

There are a lot of online pros in attendance to support either Mike Watson or Luke Staudenmaier. Sweating from the rail are notables Ray "ExitOnly" Coburn, Jimmy "Gobboboy" Fricke, Jonathan "fatal error" Aguiar, Leo "Superfluous Man" Wolpert, Tony "muckthenuts" Dunst, Thayer "THAY3R" Rasmussen, Scott "gunning4you" Seiver, Steve "MrTimCaum" O'Dwyer and "Action" Jeff Garza. SHHHHH! on Garza, we don't think he's supposed to be here....

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   David Benyamine,   Luke Staudenmaier

Bluffs: Good for the Game?

Jul 14, '08

With the board showing 109826, Gabe Thaler was faced with a 30,000 bet from his opponent. Thaler stared down the player two seats to his left and tried to talk himself through the hand. Eventually Thaler decided to lay down his hand. His opponent quietly mucked his hand face down... until Scotty Nguyen spoke up, "Show the bluff. It's good for the game!" With that, the player calmly turned his hand over, showing KQ.

"That don't bother me kid," replied Thaler, who is now at about 160,000








 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler

David Pham Eliminated in Ninth Place ($90,495)

Jul 16, '08

Gabriel Thaler raised to 180,000 and David Benyamine reraises to 455,000. David Pham then reraises once again to 955,000. Thaler folds and Benyamine moves all in. Pham eventually calls all in, but not before Thaler mentions outloud that he folded pocket queens.

Pham showed pocket jacks and was behind to Benyamine's pocket kings. The board ran out queen high, and Pham was eliminated in ninth place.

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: David Pham,   Gabriel Thaler,   David Benyamine

Gabriel Thaler Doubles Up Through John Phan

Jul 16, '08

John Phan raised to 100,000 from middle position and Gabriel Thaler made the call from the button. The flop was dealt Q52 and Phan bet 100,000. Thaler made the call and the turn fell 9. Phan bet 375,000 and Thaler made the call once again. The river fell 8 and Phan led out at the pot yet again, this time moving all in. Thaler called, risking his final 578,000. They turned up their hands and Phan held AQ and Thaler turned over J10. Thaler had hit a runner-runner straight to survive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: John Phan,   Gabriel Thaler

Chris McCormack Eliminated

Jul 16, '08

Chris McCormack was all in with AK against Gabriel Thaler's 44. The flop came 532 giving McCormack less outs to work with, and the turn and river came 9J to give Thaler the pot and send McCormack home in 12th place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler

Gabriel Thaler Doubles Through Adam Geyer

Jul 16, '08

Gabe Thaler raises to 65,000 and Adam Geyer reraises to 170,000. Thaler thinks it over for a bit before moving all in for another 175,000. Geyer calls and shows JJ and Thaler needs help with AQ.

The board rolls out Q7773 and Thaler doubles up.

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   Adam Geyer

Thaler Hits The Rail

Jul 17, '08

Blinds: 40,000 – 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 4,014,000

Big Hands:

Gabriel Thaler Eliminated in Sixth Place ($129,275)

Mike Watson raised to 220,000 from under the gun and got a call from Gabriel Thaler in the big blind. The flop came 754 and Thaler checked. Watson bet 320,000 and Thaler quickly check raised all in for 1.9 million.

Watson made the call and saw Thaler’s pocket tens. Watson showed his AJ and was actually a small favorite in the hand.

The turn was the 3 and Watson picked up more outs to the chop. The river was the 8 and Watson made his flush, sending Thaler packing in sixth place. Thaler earned $129,275 for his final table finish this week.

 

 

 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   Michael Watson

Open Shoves are Fun

Jul 17, '08

Blinds: 40,000 – 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 3,345,000

Big Hands:

Luke Staudenmaier Strikes First

David Benyamine raised to 230,000 and Luke Staudenmaier called from the big blind. The flop came down K42 and Staudenmaier checked. Benyamine bet 280,000 and Staudenmaier called. The turn was the 10 and both players checked. The river was the 3 and Staudenmaier bet 675,000.

Benyamine called and mucked his hand when the young online pro showed K-J.

After the hand, Staudenmaier was up to 4.8 million and Benyamine took a hit down to 3.7 million.

Gabriel Thaler Sheds His Tight Image

In a span of just 15 hands, Gabriel Thaler has open shoved twice, both times receiving no action. With the blinds as high as they are, Thaler was picking up more than 10 percent of his stack each time his shove was successful.

Who's Here?

There are a lot of online pros in attendance to support either Mike Watson or Luke Staudenmaier. Sweating from the rail are notables Ray "ExitOnly" Coburn, Jimmy "Gobboboy" Fricke, Jonathan "fatal error" Aguiar, Leo "Superfluous Man" Wolpert, Tony "muckthenuts" Dunst, Thayer "THAY3R" Rasmussen, Scott "gunning4you" Seiver, Steve "MrTimCaum" O'Dwyer and "Action" Jeff Garza. SHHHHH! on Garza, we don't think he's supposed to be here....

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   David Benyamine,   Luke Staudenmaier

Bluffs: Good for the Game?

Jul 14, '08

With the board showing 109826, Gabe Thaler was faced with a 30,000 bet from his opponent. Thaler stared down the player two seats to his left and tried to talk himself through the hand. Eventually Thaler decided to lay down his hand. His opponent quietly mucked his hand face down... until Scotty Nguyen spoke up, "Show the bluff. It's good for the game!" With that, the player calmly turned his hand over, showing KQ.

"That don't bother me kid," replied Thaler, who is now at about 160,000








 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler

David Pham Eliminated in Ninth Place ($90,495)

Jul 16, '08

Gabriel Thaler raised to 180,000 and David Benyamine reraises to 455,000. David Pham then reraises once again to 955,000. Thaler folds and Benyamine moves all in. Pham eventually calls all in, but not before Thaler mentions outloud that he folded pocket queens.

Pham showed pocket jacks and was behind to Benyamine's pocket kings. The board ran out queen high, and Pham was eliminated in ninth place.

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: David Pham,   Gabriel Thaler,   David Benyamine

Gabriel Thaler Doubles Up Through John Phan

Jul 16, '08

John Phan raised to 100,000 from middle position and Gabriel Thaler made the call from the button. The flop was dealt Q52 and Phan bet 100,000. Thaler made the call and the turn fell 9. Phan bet 375,000 and Thaler made the call once again. The river fell 8 and Phan led out at the pot yet again, this time moving all in. Thaler called, risking his final 578,000. They turned up their hands and Phan held AQ and Thaler turned over J10. Thaler had hit a runner-runner straight to survive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: John Phan,   Gabriel Thaler

Chris McCormack Eliminated

Jul 16, '08

Chris McCormack was all in with AK against Gabriel Thaler's 44. The flop came 532 giving McCormack less outs to work with, and the turn and river came 9J to give Thaler the pot and send McCormack home in 12th place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler

Gabriel Thaler Doubles Through Adam Geyer

Jul 16, '08

Gabe Thaler raises to 65,000 and Adam Geyer reraises to 170,000. Thaler thinks it over for a bit before moving all in for another 175,000. Geyer calls and shows JJ and Thaler needs help with AQ.

The board rolls out Q7773 and Thaler doubles up.

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   Adam Geyer

Thaler Hits The Rail

Jul 17, '08

Blinds: 40,000 – 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 4,014,000

Big Hands:

Gabriel Thaler Eliminated in Sixth Place ($129,275)

Mike Watson raised to 220,000 from under the gun and got a call from Gabriel Thaler in the big blind. The flop came 754 and Thaler checked. Watson bet 320,000 and Thaler quickly check raised all in for 1.9 million.

Watson made the call and saw Thaler’s pocket tens. Watson showed his AJ and was actually a small favorite in the hand.

The turn was the 3 and Watson picked up more outs to the chop. The river was the 8 and Watson made his flush, sending Thaler packing in sixth place. Thaler earned $129,275 for his final table finish this week.

 

 

 

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   Michael Watson

Open Shoves are Fun

Jul 17, '08

Blinds: 40,000 – 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Chip Counts:

Average Stack: 3,345,000

Big Hands:

Luke Staudenmaier Strikes First

David Benyamine raised to 230,000 and Luke Staudenmaier called from the big blind. The flop came down K42 and Staudenmaier checked. Benyamine bet 280,000 and Staudenmaier called. The turn was the 10 and both players checked. The river was the 3 and Staudenmaier bet 675,000.

Benyamine called and mucked his hand when the young online pro showed K-J.

After the hand, Staudenmaier was up to 4.8 million and Benyamine took a hit down to 3.7 million.

Gabriel Thaler Sheds His Tight Image

In a span of just 15 hands, Gabriel Thaler has open shoved twice, both times receiving no action. With the blinds as high as they are, Thaler was picking up more than 10 percent of his stack each time his shove was successful.

Who's Here?

There are a lot of online pros in attendance to support either Mike Watson or Luke Staudenmaier. Sweating from the rail are notables Ray "ExitOnly" Coburn, Jimmy "Gobboboy" Fricke, Jonathan "fatal error" Aguiar, Leo "Superfluous Man" Wolpert, Tony "muckthenuts" Dunst, Thayer "THAY3R" Rasmussen, Scott "gunning4you" Seiver, Steve "MrTimCaum" O'Dwyer and "Action" Jeff Garza. SHHHHH! on Garza, we don't think he's supposed to be here....

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   David Benyamine,   Luke Staudenmaier

Day One Recap

Jun 19, '07

Day one of the $5,000 World Championship Heads Up No Limit Hold 'Em tournament has come to an end. Sixty four players will return tomorrow at 2 p.m. and play three rounds to get down to 16 final players.

Gabe Thaler was heads up in the final table of the night and the match was dead even for a long time. Thaler was on the last table of last round too, but his slow playing strategy didn't work this time. Thaler was eliminated when he was all in with A J up against Ronald Faltinsky's A 8. The board came 9 3 3 8 A and after a long battle of trading chips, Thaler was eliminated.

Thomas Wahlroos defeated Patrick Antonius
After enjoying a  large chip lead most of the match, Antonius fell victim to Wahlroos and was eliminated. Wahlroos was down to less than $15,000 on several occasions and managed to battle back to even and eventually take the lead. On what would be the final hand, Antonius limped from the button. Wahlroos raised to $10,000 and Antonius came back over the top all in. Wahlroos called and showed A K. Antonius was holding J 10. Big slick was enough for Wahlroos but an ace hit on the river anyway and Antonius was eliminated.

There are several notable players returning in tomorrow's field including but not limited to; Toto Leonidas, Roland De Wolfe, Thomas Wahlroos, Chad Brown, Phil Gordon, Sean McCabe, Gavin Griffin, Paul Wasicka, Scotty Nguyen, Daniel Alaei, Layne Flack, Tony G, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Sebok, and Kirk Morrison.

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler,   Patrik Antonius,   Thomas Wahlroos

Break Time

Jun 19, '07

There were only eight players returning from a recent 20 minute break and the four winners have been decided. Play will resume at 10 p.m. with the remaining 32 match ups (64 players).

Gabe Thaler Advanced
An energetic Gabe Thaler advanced to the next round after a back and forth battle with his opponent that looked like it might last until the other players arrived at 10 p.m. Thaler had his opponent dominated in chips and raised all in with A 8 and his opponent called with 9 8. The board came 10 9 2 5 3 and Thaler's opponent  doubled up to almost $8,000. A few hands later, on the brink of elimination again, Thaler's opponent pushed all in for his last $4,800. Thaler called instantly with J 6 and his opponent had pushed with 10 2. The flop proved unlucky again for Thaler when a two hit and his opponent doubled up to over $10,000. Thaler was visibly antsy and wanted the match over and done with. Almost even stacked, Thaler's opponent pushed all in with A 3 and Thaler called with 3 3. The board came Q J 10 6 8 and Thaler was finally able to put his opponent away and advance to the next round.

Check back with CardPlayer.com to seen what happens in the next and final level of this unique World Championship Heads Up event.

Player Tags: Gabriel Thaler