Level 14 Update: Chaos For Steve O'Dwyer
Dec 16, '09
Blinds: 3,000-6,000 with a 500 ante
Players Remaining: 46 out of 329
Chip Counts:
1. Joe Elpayaa — 740,000
2. Steven Landfish — 710,000
3. Curt Kohlberg — 657,000
4. Joe Cassidy — 590,000
5. Bryan Devonshire — 570,000
6. Chad Batista — 550,000
7. Mike McClain — 540,000
8. Antonio Esfandiari — 540,000
9. Matt Stout — 530,000
10. Amit Makhija — 520,000
Average Chip Count: 429,000
Notable Eliminations:
Andrew Robl
Chris Ferguson
Bryan Devonshire
Amnon Filippi
Mike Matusow
Alex Keating
Tim Davis
Scott Epstein
Big Hands:
Complete Chaos on Steve O’Dwyer’s Table
Okay, see if you can keep up with this one.
Steve O’Dwyer raised to 15,000 from under the gun and Tim Davis called. The flop came out 8
6
2
and O’Dwyer checked. Davis bet 15,000 and O’Dwyer check-raised to 47,000.
Here’s where it gets crazy. Davis made the call and turned over A
6, assuming O’Dwyer was all in. O’Dwyer had decided to bet his last 95,000 dark, which Davis didn’t see, nor call.
The dealer, completely unaware that there was still pending action, then produced a jack and a four on the turn and river.
The floor was called over and the dealer tried to tell her side of the story. Davis was quiet, presumably because he had no idea whether he had won or not, with O’Dwyer’s hand still concealed.
O’Dwyer then reported the action and it was ruled that the turn and river would go back into the deck and two new cards would be turned and rivered. After she began shuffling, the table informed the floor that O’Dwyer had bet dark on the turn and that Davis still had to make a decision on whether or not to call the 95,000.
The dealer then turned a deuce and Davis decided to call. O’Dwyer showed 1010 and was ahead, but now needed to fade a clean river to double up.
The dealer pulled a nine out of the deck for the river, but in the process had forgotten to burn a card. O’Dwyer, clearly emotionally drained by seeing way too many cards try and take down his overpair, just slumped down in his chair, awaiting the true river.
The “real” river was the 5 and O’Dwyer doubled up to about 330,000.
Andrew Robl Bites the Dust
After losing most of his stack in an earlier hand, Andrew Robl was short and looking for a double up. Antonio Esfandiari raised to 17,000 and Robl moved all in for 23,000 in the small blind. Esfandiari called and said, “It was nice playing with you, Robl” as he turned over the 108.
Robl showed AQ, but failed to stay alive after the board ran 98569.
Esfandiari Gets a Frustrating Chop
Antonio Esfandiari raised to 18,000 and Soheil Shamseddin called in the cutoff. Both blinds called as well and the flop came down AQ2.
The blinds checked and Esfandiari bet 41,500. Shamseddin called and the blinds folded. The turn was the Q and both players checked. The river was the A and Esfandiari checked.
Shamseddin bet 50,000 and Esfandiari raised to 140,000. Shamseddin called and showed A7. Esfandiari showed AJ and both players chopped the pot with aces full. Esfandiari, clearly frustrated by the situation, had the better kicker and would have taken the pot with most river cards.
Daniel Alaei Takes Chip Lead, Becomes First Millionaire
We didn’t catch the action on the flop, but Daniel Alaei was all in on the turn of a board reading AA64 against Bryan Devonshire’s AQ. Alaei showed AK and the river was the 10 giving him the pot.
Devonshire was left with 18,000 and Alaei now has 1,050,000 and the chip lead.
Carter King Doubles Through Joe Cassidy
Carter King moved all in for his last 85,500 and was called by Joe Cassidy in the blinds. Cassidy showed AJ, but was way behind to King’s aces and drawing dead by the turn. King is now up to about 190,000 in chips.
Player Tags: Antonio Esfandiari, Joe Cassidy, Daniel Alaei, Bryan Devonshire, Soheil Shamseddin, Tim Davis, Andrew Robl, Steve O'Dwyer, Carter King
Level 12 Update: Chad Batista Wins Monster Pot
Dec 16, '09
Blinds: 1,500-3,000 with a 400 ante
Players Remaining: 88 out of 329
Chip Counts:
1. Chad Batista — 730,000
2. Steven Landfish — 660,000
3. Joseph Elpayaa — 640,000
4. Toto Leonidas — 510,000
5. Matt Stout — 485,000
6. Brent Hanks — 470,000
7. Sorel Mizzi — 470,000
8. Faraz Jaka — 410,000
9. Scotty Nguyen — 400,000
10. Soheil Shamseddin — 400,000
Average Chip Count: 225,000
Notable Eliminations:
Dani Stern
Chris Moore
Mark Gregorich
Keven Stammen
Cornel Cimpan
Matt Stout
Howard Lederer
Big Hands:
Chad Batista Gifted A Ton of Chips
A man known by the table as “the French guy” opened for a raise and Mark Gregorich reraised all in for his last 34,700. Chad Batista called behind him and Mr. French called as well.
The flop came down J83 and Batista bet 30,000. Unknown guy then reraised a handful of big chips to about 150,000 and Batista snap shoved all in. The Frenchman insta-called for his last 120,000 or so, showing AK. Batista showed bottom set of threes and the table started grumbling about running spades.
The turn was the 5 and Batista let out a groan while the rest of the table ducked for cover, anticipating a possible blow up. Instead, the river was the 7 and Batista safely avoided any bad beats. He left the room regain his composure while the dealer spent a few minutes moving chips across the table.
Gregorich never showed his hand, but apparently held A-Q. Meanwhile, Batista is looking at a stack of about 750,000. We’re guessing, however, since he has yet to organize the pile in front of him.
Mike Matusow Doubles Through Abe Mosseri
Mike Matusow was all in holding AQ against the JJ of Abe Mosseri. The flop came queen high and Matusow doubled up to 105,000 in chips.
Mosseri was left with 140,000, but got it all back shortly afterwards.
Abe Mosseri Doubles Through Barry Greenstein
Barry Greenstein raised to 8,000 and Abe Mosseri called on the button. Greenstein continued with a bet of 11,000 on a flop of 964 and Mosseri raised to 30,000.
Greenstein put him all in and Mosseri called with J10 for a flush draw. Greenstein could only show 87 for an open-ended straight draw and failed to hit when the turn and river came 6Q.
Mosseri is now back up to 275,000, while Greenstein fights the short stack with 45,000.
Cornel Cimpan Eliminated by Shawn Buchanan
Cornel Cimpan found himself all in holding pocket queens against the pocket jacks of Shawn Buchanan.
A jack on the board was unfortunate for Cimpan and he failed to catch up, busting from the tournament. This means only Yevgeniy Timoshenko can catch Eric Baldwin for Player of the Year honors.
Howard Lederer Eliminated by Curt Kohlberg
Howard Lederer was all in and in great shape holding A-K against Curt Kohlberg’s K-Q, but a queen in the door put him in danger of busting.
The turn gave him more outs with a wheel draw, but Lederer failed to catch up and was eliminated from the tournament. Kohlberg is now a big stack with 440,000.
Erik Seidel Watches Aces Go Down in Flames
Erik Seidel was all in holding pocket aces against the pocket nines of Carter King. The board ran out four spades, however, and Seidel’s aces were flushed away. King now sits with 175,000 in chips.
POY Watch
Erik Baldwin busted yesterday to Tom Dwan, but he’s not one for leaving his Player of the Year status to fate. Instead, Baldwin did the math and realized that if he wins today’s $500 side event, he would forced both Timoshenko and Cimpan to finish one spot higher in this tournament.
Now that Cimpan is gone, only Timoshenko can challenge him. Timoshenko would need to finish in the top two to pass him, but if Baldwin can somehow score another win, Timoshenko would need to win this tournament outright in order to claim the award.
Player Tags: Cornel Cimpan, Erik Seidel, Barry Greenstein, Mike Matusow, Mark Gregorich, Abe Mosseri, Chad Batista, Carter King
Carter King Eliminated in 14th Place ($47,615)
Dec 18, '09
John Juanda raised to 80,000 from the button and Carter King reraised all-in for 574,000 from the small blind. Juanda called and they flipped over their cards:
King: A9
Juanda: 66
Board: J8443
Carter King was eliminated in 14th place on the hand and Juanda grew his stack to 2.1 million.
Player Tags: John Juanda, Carter King
Wow! What an odd way to burst the money bubble.
6
and Raskin continued with a bet of 15,000.
10
for ace high.
Jennifer Tilly Doubles Up Through Kevin Saul