Level 30 Hour 2 Update: Balmigere Out In 25th Place, Esfandiari Out In 24th Place
Jul 15, '09
Blinds: 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 23 out of 6,494
Chip Counts:
1. Billy Kopp – 21,200,000
2. Darvin Moon – 17,500,000
3. Steven Begleiter – 15,200,000
4. Kevin Schaffel – 12,300,000
5. Eric Buchman – 12,000,000
6. Jeff Shulman – 10,800,000
7. Ian Tavelli – 10,100,000
8. James Akenhead – 10,000,000
9. Nick Maimone – 9,350,000
10. Jamie Robbins – 9,250,000
Average Chip Count: 8,470,434
Card Player Chip Count:
Jeff Shulman – 10,800,000
Eliminations:
25. Francois Balmigere — $352,832
24. Antonio Esfandiari — $352,832
Twitter Updates:
Jeff Shulman at 10,800,000 (twitter feed)
Billy Kopp at 21,200,000 (twitter feed)
Phil Ivey at 6,000,000 (twitter feed)
Nick Maimone at 9,350,000 (twitter feed)
Ludovic Lacay at 3,100,000 (twitter feed)
Big Hands
Francois Balmigere Eliminated In 25th Place($352,832)
Francois Balmigere raised to 330,000 preflop from middle position and Steven Begleiter called behind him. Billy Kopp came along from the big blind and the flop was 10
7
6
. Kopp led out with 700,000 and Balmigere moved in for 2.7 million. Begleiter mucked but Kopp made the call after a few minutes in the tank.
Balmigere tabled JJ while Kopp showed down 87 for just middle pair and a gutshot draw, along with a backdoor flush-draw. The turn was the A and Balmigere was one card away from getting a double up. But the river was the 9, making Kopp his straight and sending Balmigere out in 25th place.
Buchman Fills Up On The Turn
Jonathan Tamayo raised to 355,000 from the button and Eric Buchman called from the big blind. Darvin Moon had limped in earlier and made the call as well. The flop came down 992 and Tamayo fired 760,000. Buchman was the only caller and the turn was the 6. Both players checked and the river was the Q.
Buchman led out with 1.1 million and Tamayo made the call. Buchman then tabled 66
for a full boat and Tamayo mucked his hand.
Shulman Wins Battle Of The Blinds Against Ivey
Action folded around to Phil Ivey who called from the small blind and Jeff Shulman checked from the big blind. The two players saw a flop of AJ2 and Ivey led out with 120,000. Shulman made the call and the turn was the 2.
Ivey checked to Shulman and he fired 200,000. Ivey had enough of his hand and threw it into the muck. Shulman took the pot and was around 11 million.
Lucky Sevens For Maimone, Doubles Through Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith raised to 320,000 from middle position and action folded to Nick Maimone on the button. He reraised to 825,000 and Smith made the call. The flop then came down Q84 and Smith moved all in. Maimone made the quick call and tabled 77. Smith then showed down 1010 for a dominating lead.
But the turn changed everything as it brought the 7, giving Maimone a set and a stranglehold on the hand. The river was the 9 and Maimone doubled up to 4 million.
I Am Chip Leader, Hear Me Roar
Billy Kopp raised to 275,000 from under the gun and Steven Begleiter made the call from the button. The flop fell 532 and Kopp led out for 600,000. Begleiter made the call and the turn was the J.
Both players checked and they did the same for the J on the river. Kopp tabled 66 and Begleiter mucked. Kopp took the hand and was just over 19 million, good enough for to take over the chip lead.
Akenhead Gets Kings Again, Wins Small Pot
James Akenhead raised to 280,000 preflop and Warren Zackey made the call from the small blind. The flop came AJ8 and both players checked. They did the same on the 3 turn and the river brought the 5.
Zackey checked and Akenhead bet 300,000. Zackey made the call and Akenhead tabled KK and Zackey mucked. Akenhead took the pot and was at 3.3 million.
The Phil Ivey National Bank
Phil Ivey has been hard pressed to win a pot in the early going of day 8. He doubled up Nick Maimone during the last hour and just doubled up Marco Mattes.
Maimone opened with a raise to 290,000 and Mattes moved all in for almost 2.5 million. Action folded around to Ivey who made the call. Maimone got out of the way and Ivey tabled JJ. Mattes then showed down QQ and Ivey was dominated.
The flop came down 1055, giving both players two pair. The turn was the 7 and the river was the 4 and Mattes doubled to over 5 million. Ivey took another hit and his stack was just under 6 million.
The Magician Disappears, Antonio Esfandiari Eliminated In 24th Place($352,832)
Antonio Esfandiari raised to 310,000 preflop from under the gun and Steven Begleiter called from middle position. The flop came down 1024 and Esfandiari bet 535,000. Begleiter raised it up to 1.6 million and Esfandiari moved all in for 2.5 million more. Begleiter made the call and tabled K10 for top pair on the flop.
Esfandiari showed down 55 and needed help. The turn was the 6, giving Esfandiari a gutshot straight draw. But the A fell on the river and Esfandiari was eliminated.
Player Tags: Jeff Shulman, Antonio Esfandiari, Eric Buchman, Phil Ivey, James Akenhead, Billy Kopp, Francois Balmigere, Marco Mattes, Warren Zackey
Level 30 Hour 1 Update: Margets and Haabak First Two to Go
Jul 15, '09
Note: They played 7 minutes at prior level where they left off last night while they were trying to eliminate a player to get down to the final 27.
Blinds: 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 25 out of 6,494
Chip Counts:
1. Darvin Moon – 20,160,000
2. Billy Kopp – 15,100,000
3. Kevin Schaffel – 12,300,000
4. Steven Begleiter – 12,250,000
5. Antoine Saout – 11,050,000
6. Warren Zackey – 10,020,000
7. Jeff Shulman – 10,170,000
8. Ian Tavelli – 10,000,000
9. Phil Ivey – 9,550,000
10. Jamie Robbins – 9,250,000
Card Player Chip Count:
Jeff Shulman – 10,170,000
Average Chip Count: 7,792,800
Eliminations:
27. Leo Margets – $352,941
26. Jesse Haabak – $352,941
Twitter Updates:
Jeff Shulman at 10,170,000 (twitter feed)
Billy Kopp at 15,970,000 (twitter feed)
Phil Ivey at 11,350,000 (twitter feed)
Nick Maimone at 1,545,000 (twitter feed)
Ludovic Lacay at 5,610,000 (twitter feed)
Francois Balmigere at 1,440,000 (twitter feed)
Jesse Haabak at 2,750,000 (twitter feed)
Big Hands:
Akenhead Coolered Early
James Akenhead raised to 260,000 and was three-bet to 750,000 by Ian Tavelli. Akenhead made the call and fireworks happened on the Q57 flop. Akenhead checked and Tavelli bet 1,500,000. Akenhead check-raised all in and Tavelli made the call.
Akenhead had to feel good with his KK, but he was up against the AA of Tavelli. The turn was the 6 and the river was the 7 and Akenhead is down to 2,280,000, while Tavelli is up to 10,000,000.
Maimone Chops To Stay Alive
Nick Maimone moved all in for his last 1,295,000 and was called by Darvin Moon. Maimone was in bad shape when he turned over his Q10 and was up against Moon’s QJ. The flop was 832 and Maimone still needed a ten to stay alive.
But the 8 on the turn and the 2 on the river gave both Maimone and Moon two pair with a queen kicker and they chopped the pot.
Leo Margets Eliminated in 27th Place ($352,941)
Leo Margets has the honor of being named the last woman standing at this year’s main event.
After Warren Zackey raised to 350,000 preflop, Margets moved all in and was called by Zackey. Zackey showed A10 and was way ahead of Margets’ A7. The flop was 1084 and Margets would need runners to stay alive. The 4 meant she was drawing dead and she was the first player eliminated on day 8.
Maimone Cracks Ivey’s Jacks to Stay Alive
Nick Maimone moved all in preflop for his last 1,030,000 and was called by Phil Ivey. Maimone showed Q5 and was behind Ivey’s JJ.
The flop was 1082 and Maimone needed a queen, which he hit on the turn when the Q fell. The river was the 8 and Maimone doubled up at the expense of Ivey.
Jesse Haabak Eliminated in 26th Place ($352,941)
Jesse Haabak shoved his dwindling stack and Warren Zackey made the call from the button. Both blinds got out of the way and Haabak showed Q9 and Zackey was ahead with AK.
The flop was AK10, giving Zackey two pair. Zackey would need a jack to stay alive, but the 5 on the turn and the 3 on the river gave the pot to Zackey and Haabak was the second player sent home in the first hour.
Happy Takes His First Pot of the Day
Jeff Shulman raised to 300,000 and Joseph Cada called from the small blind. The flop was K94 and after Cada checked, Shulman bet 550,000. Cada laid it down and let Shulman, albeit a small one, take his first pot of the day.
Lichtenberger Cracks Moon’s Aces
Darvin Moon limped in under-the-gun and Andrew Lichtenberger limped in on the button. Both blinds were in as well and the flop came 995. After the blinds checked, Moon bet 300,000 and was called by all three opponents.
The turn was the 3 and both blinds checked again and this time Moon bet 700,000, which was called by only Lichtenberger. The river was the 10 and Moon bet 1,000,000 and was called by Lichtenberger. Moon turned over AA but Lichtenberger turned over J9, showing trip nines and taking the pot.
Player Tags: Warren Zackey
