The 23 remaining players in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship event are now in the money and guaranteed at least $21,905, but all eyes are now focused on the bracelet and the top prize of $609,130.
Leading the list of survivors is Michael Binger, who overcame a heated argument with tablemate Daniel Negreanu earlier in the day to finish up with 742,000. His nearest competitor, Fabrice Soulier, sits with just 560,000.
Here’s a look at the overnight chip counts.
Michael Binger
742,000
Fabrice Soulier
560,000
Daniel Ospina
532,000
Jacobo Fernandez
526,000
Ram Vaswani
505,000
Shawn Buchanan
479,000
Tommy Hang
440,000
Fu Wong
398,000
Kyle Loman
388,000
John Monnette
325,000
Frankie O’Dell
295,000
Erik Sagstrom
273,000
Chau Giang
262,000
Max Pescatori
243,000
Andrey Zaichenko
243,000
Matthew Ashton
242,000
Joe Cassidy
184,000
Brett Richey
142,000
Tom McCormick
136,000
Yuval Bronshtein
135,000
Tom Dwan
135,000
Chris Klodnicki
41,000
Robert Williamson III
22,000
The action will resume at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, where the plan is to play down to a champion. Be sure to join us for level-by-level coverage of the final table.
6th. Matthew Ashton – $101,813
7th. Michael Binger – $78,328
8th. Jacobo Fernandez – $61,160
Jacobo Fernandez Eliminated in 8th Place ($61,160) Stud 8
Jacobo Fernandez entered the official eight-handed final table as the short stack and quickly got it all in against Tom Dawn in the Stud 8 round.
Fernandez: K 8 7 6 6 5
Dwan: A10 7 7 6 4 3
Dwan went on to make a pair of sevens to beat Fernandez’s pair of sixes, giving him the pot and eliminating Jacobo Fernandez in 9th place ($61,160).
Michael Binger Eliminated in 7th Place ($73,328) Omaha 8
Michael Binger opened the pot for 80,000 before the flop, Andrey Zaichenko reraised to 120,000 and Binger called all in.
Binger: Q 8 3 2
Zaichenko: A Q 4 2
The board came 7 5 3 10 6, giving Zaichenko a six-high straight and the nut low to scoop the pot. Michael Binger was eliminated in 7th place ($73,328).
Matthew Ashton Eliminated in 6th Place ($101,813) Omaha 8
Matthew Ashton bet 40,000 on a flop of J 4 3 and both Andrey Zaichenko and Shawn Buchanan called.
The turn was the 2, Ashton bet, Zaichenko called, Buchanan raised, Ashton called all in and Zaichenko called the raise.
The river was the K, Zaichenko checked the side pot, Buchanan bet and Zaichenko folded.
Ashton: A A 6 2
Buchanan: A 9 8 5
Buchanan turned the wheel to scoop the pot and eliminate Matthew Ashton in 6th place ($101,813).
Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.
Level 23: Pescatori Eliminated 9th, Final Table Now Underway
Jun 23, '11
NOTE: Play ended last night with 23 players in accordance with the ten-level rule and resumed at 3:00pm. With the elimination of Max Pescatori in 9th place ($48,436), the official eight-handed final table is now underway.
NOTE: Sixty minute levels with games changing every eight hands.
The 23 remaining players in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship event are now in the money and guaranteed at least $21,905, but all eyes are now focused on the bracelet and the top prize of $609,130.
Leading the list of survivors is Michael Binger, who overcame a heated argument with tablemate Daniel Negreanu earlier in the day to finish up with 742,000. His nearest competitor, Fabrice Soulier, sits with just 560,000.
Here’s a look at the overnight chip counts.
Michael Binger
742,000
Fabrice Soulier
560,000
Daniel Ospina
532,000
Jacobo Fernandez
526,000
Ram Vaswani
505,000
Shawn Buchanan
479,000
Tommy Hang
440,000
Fu Wong
398,000
Kyle Loman
388,000
John Monnette
325,000
Frankie O’Dell
295,000
Erik Sagstrom
273,000
Chau Giang
262,000
Max Pescatori
243,000
Andrey Zaichenko
243,000
Matthew Ashton
242,000
Joe Cassidy
184,000
Brett Richey
142,000
Tom McCormick
136,000
Yuval Bronshtein
135,000
Tom Dwan
135,000
Chris Klodnicki
41,000
Robert Williamson III
22,000
The action will resume at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, where the plan is to play down to a champion. Be sure to join us for level-by-level coverage of the final table.
6th. Matthew Ashton – $101,813
7th. Michael Binger – $78,328
8th. Jacobo Fernandez – $61,160
Jacobo Fernandez Eliminated in 8th Place ($61,160) Stud 8
Jacobo Fernandez entered the official eight-handed final table as the short stack and quickly got it all in against Tom Dawn in the Stud 8 round.
Fernandez: K 8 7 6 6 5
Dwan: A10 7 7 6 4 3
Dwan went on to make a pair of sevens to beat Fernandez’s pair of sixes, giving him the pot and eliminating Jacobo Fernandez in 9th place ($61,160).
Michael Binger Eliminated in 7th Place ($73,328) Omaha 8
Michael Binger opened the pot for 80,000 before the flop, Andrey Zaichenko reraised to 120,000 and Binger called all in.
Binger: Q 8 3 2
Zaichenko: A Q 4 2
The board came 7 5 3 10 6, giving Zaichenko a six-high straight and the nut low to scoop the pot. Michael Binger was eliminated in 7th place ($73,328).
Matthew Ashton Eliminated in 6th Place ($101,813) Omaha 8
Matthew Ashton bet 40,000 on a flop of J 4 3 and both Andrey Zaichenko and Shawn Buchanan called.
The turn was the 2, Ashton bet, Zaichenko called, Buchanan raised, Ashton called all in and Zaichenko called the raise.
The river was the K, Zaichenko checked the side pot, Buchanan bet and Zaichenko folded.
Ashton: A A 6 2
Buchanan: A 9 8 5
Buchanan turned the wheel to scoop the pot and eliminate Matthew Ashton in 6th place ($101,813).
Be sure to check back hourly for level-by-level updates of this final table.
Level 23: Pescatori Eliminated 9th, Final Table Now Underway
Jun 23, '11
NOTE: Play ended last night with 23 players in accordance with the ten-level rule and resumed at 3:00pm. With the elimination of Max Pescatori in 9th place ($48,436), the official eight-handed final table is now underway.
NOTE: Sixty minute levels with games changing every eight hands.
Victor Ramdin and Michael Binger got it all in on a 8-5-3 board with two hearts. Binger showed 96 for a gutshot straight and flush draw, but he was actually in bad shape against Ramdin’s A2.
The board bricked for both players and Ramdin doubled up to 47,000. Binger was left with 14,000.
We didn’t get specific details, but WSOP Circuit Midwest Regional Champion Jim Anderson is now busted after running into Michael Binger.
Anderson called off the last of his chips with top pair and was up against a flush draw. Binger hit his flush on the turn and Anderson hit the rail. Binger now has over 220,000 in chips.
Michael Binger was all-in preflop for just under 500,000 with AA against the ace-king of Travis Pearson. The board ran out J94K8 and Binger doubled up to roughly a million in chips.
Carlos Watanabe Eliminated in 15th Place ($21,000)
Nov 16, '10
Michael Binger raised to 60,000 preflop from late position and Carlos Watanabe reraised all in for 311,000 from the small blind. Binger made the call after some thought and they flipped over their cards:
Watanabe: 6 6
Binger: A J
Board: Q J 5 10 A
Binger won the hand to grow his stack to 2 million and Watanabe was eliminated in 15th place. He will take home $21,000 in prize money.
Dr. Michael Binger is a former physicist turned professional poker player. Born in Delray Beach, Florida, Binger now resides in Las Vegas, NV. Binger earned a PhD in theoretical physics from Stanford University in 2006. The 33-year-old has more than $6.5 million in career tournament earnings to his name – more than any other player at the final table – the bulk of which he earned for his third place finish at the 2006 WSOP Main Event ($4,123,310). Dr. Binger credited “Aliens†with teaching him how to play poker. He enters the final table with 1,670,000 in chips.
We didn’t get specific details, but WSOP Circuit Midwest Regional Champion Jim Anderson is now busted after running into Michael Binger.
Anderson called off the last of his chips with top pair and was up against a flush draw. Binger hit his flush on the turn and Anderson hit the rail. Binger now has over 220,000 in chips.
Michael Binger was all-in preflop for just under 500,000 with AA against the ace-king of Travis Pearson. The board ran out J94K8 and Binger doubled up to roughly a million in chips.
Carlos Watanabe Eliminated in 15th Place ($21,000)
Nov 16, '10
Michael Binger raised to 60,000 preflop from late position and Carlos Watanabe reraised all in for 311,000 from the small blind. Binger made the call after some thought and they flipped over their cards:
Watanabe: 6 6
Binger: A J
Board: Q J 5 10 A
Binger won the hand to grow his stack to 2 million and Watanabe was eliminated in 15th place. He will take home $21,000 in prize money.
Dr. Michael Binger is a former physicist turned professional poker player. Born in Delray Beach, Florida, Binger now resides in Las Vegas, NV. Binger earned a PhD in theoretical physics from Stanford University in 2006. The 33-year-old has more than $6.5 million in career tournament earnings to his name – more than any other player at the final table – the bulk of which he earned for his third place finish at the 2006 WSOP Main Event ($4,123,310). Dr. Binger credited “Aliens†with teaching him how to play poker. He enters the final table with 1,670,000 in chips.
We didn’t get specific details, but WSOP Circuit Midwest Regional Champion Jim Anderson is now busted after running into Michael Binger.
Anderson called off the last of his chips with top pair and was up against a flush draw. Binger hit his flush on the turn and Anderson hit the rail. Binger now has over 220,000 in chips.
Michael Binger was all-in preflop for just under 500,000 with AA against the ace-king of Travis Pearson. The board ran out J94K8 and Binger doubled up to roughly a million in chips.
Carlos Watanabe Eliminated in 15th Place ($21,000)
Nov 16, '10
Michael Binger raised to 60,000 preflop from late position and Carlos Watanabe reraised all in for 311,000 from the small blind. Binger made the call after some thought and they flipped over their cards:
Watanabe: 6 6
Binger: A J
Board: Q J 5 10 A
Binger won the hand to grow his stack to 2 million and Watanabe was eliminated in 15th place. He will take home $21,000 in prize money.
Dr. Michael Binger is a former physicist turned professional poker player. Born in Delray Beach, Florida, Binger now resides in Las Vegas, NV. Binger earned a PhD in theoretical physics from Stanford University in 2006. The 33-year-old has more than $6.5 million in career tournament earnings to his name – more than any other player at the final table – the bulk of which he earned for his third place finish at the 2006 WSOP Main Event ($4,123,310). Dr. Binger credited “Aliens†with teaching him how to play poker. He enters the final table with 1,670,000 in chips.
We didn’t get specific details, but WSOP Circuit Midwest Regional Champion Jim Anderson is now busted after running into Michael Binger.
Anderson called off the last of his chips with top pair and was up against a flush draw. Binger hit his flush on the turn and Anderson hit the rail. Binger now has over 220,000 in chips.
Michael Binger was all-in preflop for just under 500,000 with AA against the ace-king of Travis Pearson. The board ran out J94K8 and Binger doubled up to roughly a million in chips.
Carlos Watanabe Eliminated in 15th Place ($21,000)
Nov 16, '10
Michael Binger raised to 60,000 preflop from late position and Carlos Watanabe reraised all in for 311,000 from the small blind. Binger made the call after some thought and they flipped over their cards:
Watanabe: 6 6
Binger: A J
Board: Q J 5 10 A
Binger won the hand to grow his stack to 2 million and Watanabe was eliminated in 15th place. He will take home $21,000 in prize money.
Dr. Michael Binger is a former physicist turned professional poker player. Born in Delray Beach, Florida, Binger now resides in Las Vegas, NV. Binger earned a PhD in theoretical physics from Stanford University in 2006. The 33-year-old has more than $6.5 million in career tournament earnings to his name – more than any other player at the final table – the bulk of which he earned for his third place finish at the 2006 WSOP Main Event ($4,123,310). Dr. Binger credited “Aliens†with teaching him how to play poker. He enters the final table with 1,670,000 in chips.
1. David Peters — 125,000
2. Michael Benvenuti — 110,000
3. Frank Calo — 95,000
4. Carter Phillips — 87,000
5. Nick Grippo — 87,000
6. Daniel Negreanu — 85,000
7. Frank Calo — 85,000
8. Amit Makhija — 85,000
9. Jeff Shulman — 82,000
10. David Sands — 80,000
Card Player Chip Counts
Barry Shulman — 48,000
Tony Dunst — 39,000
Jennifer Harman — 36,000
Average Chip Count: 49,743
Notable Eliminations:
Nick Mitchell
Paul Magriel
Shannon Shorr
Andrew Flaherty
Big Hands:
Michael Binger Applies Some Preflop Pressure
Michael Binger raised to 750 from the cutoff and was called by Christian Harder on the button. Scott Clements then reraised to 2,375 from the big blind and Binger took some time before reraising to 6,250.
Both Harder and Clements quickly folded and Binger chipped up to 72,000. Clements is still going strong with about 60,000.
Frank Calo Gets Double Knockout
On a flop of 1092, Andrew Flaherty checked and Frank Calo bet 3,200. Shannon Shorr then moved all in for 17,675 and Flaherty moved all in behind him for a little more.
Calo instantly called both all ins, showing pocket deuces for bottom set. Flaherty showed pocket kings and Shorr showed QJ for the open-ended straight draw.
The turn and river fell 43 and both Shorr and Flaherty hit the rail. Calo now has 95,000 in chips.
Tony Dunst Loses Chips
Tony Dunst raised to 800 from under the gun and was called by Justin Young in the cutoff and Men Nguyen in the small blind. The flop came down AJJ and Dunst continued with a bet of 1,700.
Young called and Nguyen folded, producing the 6 on the turn. Both players checked and the river was the 5. Young bet 3,800 and Dunst folded. Dunst is now down to 28,000 while Young is up to 27,000.
Faraz Jaka Calls All In To Double Up
On a board reading 842Q7, a player bets 15,000, enough to put Faraz Jaka all in for his last 12,825. After five minutes of thought, Jaka makes the call with pocket tens and his opponent showed pocket threes.
1. Tom Dwan – 560,000
2. Jonathan Cantor – 420,000
3. John Racener – 415,000
4. Ludovic Lacay – 380,000
5. Dmitry Stelmak – 375,000
6. Daniel Alaei – 330,000
7. Miguel Proulx – 310,000
8. Eli Elezra – 300,000
9. Ville Mattila – 294,000
10. Phil Hellmuth – 285,000
Notable Eliminations:
Big Hands:
Dwan Knocks Out Another
Picking up the action after the flop came down Q104, Nathan Lindsay moved all in and Tom Dwan made the call.
Dwan: AQ108
Lindsay: AQJ5
Dwan held top two pair and the nut flush draw. The turn was the 8 and the river was the 6 and Dwan’s two pair was enough to knock out Lindsay. Dwan was at 560,000.
James Akenhead Doubles Up
Picking up the action after the flop of KJ5, James Akenhead moved all in and he was called by Gary Pollak.
Akenhead: AJ42
Pollak: AAJ2
Akenhead’s flush draw was dead but the board finished off 44 and Akenhead doubled up with trip fours. He was up to 170,000.
Binger Drops A Big One
Ali Aljenabi and Seamus Cahill were all in preflop and Michael Binger put them both at risk. Here were their cards:
Aljenabi: QQ86
Cahill: AA95
Binger: KQJ10
The board ran out 83345 and Cahill’s aces held up. Aljenabi won the side pot with his queens and Binger dropped to 260,000.
Level 20 Update: Michael Binger Eliminated, Durrr Wins Monster Pot
Jul 03, '10
Blinds: 5,000-10,000
Players Remaining: 24 out of 346
Average Chip Count: 432,500
Tournament Leaderboard:
1. Tom Dwan – 1,187,000
2. Ludovic Lacay – 884,000
3. Ville Mattila – 775,000
4. Miguel Proulx – 660,000
5. Seamus Cahill – 653,000
6. Danny Wong – 640,000
7. Ben Blackmore – 560,000
8. Daniel Harmetz – 541,000
9. Jason Mercier – 524,000
10. Alessio Isaia – 406,000
Notable Eliminations:
Michael Binger – $24,815
Jordan Smith – $24,815
Big Hands:
Wheat Doubles Through Binger
On a flop of 1063, Michael Binger led out for 65,000 and Matthew Wheat moved all-in for 125,000. David Ulliott got out of the way, but Binger made the call.
Wheat showed AAQ6 and was up against the K10Q8.
The turn was the K to give Binger two pair and the lead, but the 3 on the river improved Wheat to aces and threes to double up to 370,000, while Binger slipped to 260,000.
Lester Gets Aces Cracked
Jason Lester raised to 24,000 and Leandro Pimentel made it 87,000. Lester then moved in and Pimentel called.
Lester showed AA94 and was up against Pimentel’s KKQ6.
The board came JK92J to give Pimentel a full house to boule up to 280,000 and Lester falls to 66,000.
Devilfish Doubles Through Durrr
David Ulliot raised from early position and Tom Dwan three-bet to 75,000 from the cutoff. Ulliott called and the two saw a flop of AQ10.
Ulliott checked, Dwan bet enough to put Ulliott all-in and after a few seconds, Ulliott called.
Ulliott showed A996, giving him top pair and the nut flush draw and was way ahead of Dwan’s KK86, giving him kings and a weaker flush draw.
The turn was the J and the river was the Q, and since you must use two cards from your hand to make a straight in this game, Ulliott doubled up to 410,000 while Dwan is down to 420,000.
Michael Binger Eliminated
We caught up with the action a flop of AQ5 and Michael Binger bet 40,000 and was called by Ludovic Lacay.
The turn was the K and Lacay bet 150,000 after a check from Binger. Binger moved in for slightly more and Lacay called.
Binger showed KKAQ and Lacay held the J10A6. Lacay was ahead with the nut straight and the 9 on the river kept Lacay in the lead and Binger was headed for the exits.
Dwan Surges to Over 1.1 Million, Eliminates Jordan Smith in the Process
David Ulliott raised to 30,000 and was called by Blair Rodman in middle position, Tom Dwan in the cutoff, Ben Blackmore in the small blind, and Jordan Smith made it 150,000 more in the big blind.
Ulliott tanked for two minutes before giving it up and Rodman put in another raise to the size of the pot and Dwan moved all-in for 390,000. Blackmore folded and Smith called all-in for a little more and all three hands were turned up.
Smith: AJ106
Rodman: AAQ5
Dwan: J1098
The flop came 887, giving Dwan trips and put him way out in the lead. Ulliott slammed the table and claimed he folded two kings when the K fell on the turn. The river was the 9 and Dwan filled up to win a monster pot and is up to about 1,180,000, while Rodman is down to 160,000 and Smith is eliminated.
The 23 remaining players in the $10,000 H.O.R.S.E. Championship event are now in the money and guaranteed at least $21,905, but all eyes are now focused on the bracelet and the top prize of $609,130.
Jacobo Fernandez Eliminated in 8th Place ($61,160)
8
7
6
6
Victor Ramdin and Michael Binger got it all in on a 8-5-3 board with two hearts. Binger showed 9
We didn’t get specific details, but 
Michael Binger was all-in preflop for just under 500,000 with A
Joe Tehan raised to 125,000 and Michael Binger reraised behind him to 330,000.
Blinds: 150-300 with a 25 ante
Michael Binger Applies Some Preflop Pressure
Dwan Knocks Out Another
10
4
10
Q
Binger Drops A Big One
Wheat Doubles Through Binger
Devilfish Doubles Through Durrr