Main Event - Day 4 - Level 18
Jul 11, '08
Blinds/Antes: 4,000-8,000-1,000
Players Remaining: 239 of 6,844
Average Chip Stack: 567,9670
Eliminations:
Alan Jaffray
Eric Tom
Marco Marcon
Big Hands and Storylines:
Nicholas Sliwinski Eliminates Phongthep Thiptinnakon
Action folded around to Phongthep Thiptinnakon who moved in for 115,000. Action folded to Nicholas Sliwinski in the big blind. He insta-called and showed A
K
. Thiptinnakon’s K
Q
was dominated and when the board came A647A he was eliminated. That infusion of chips lifts Sliwinski to almost 800,000.
Ylon Schwartz Joins The Million Chip Club
On a board of JJ7, Edward Roger had to decide whether or not to call Ylon Schwartz’s bet of 309,000. After quiet and careful deliberation, Roger made the call. The two showed their hands:
Schwartz: QQ
Roger: 88
The turn was the J, sealing the hand for Schwarz. With that pot, Schwartz jumps to just over one million in chips. Roger is still more than healthy with about 750,000.
David Saab Hits Alan Jaffray Hard
An important hand occurred in the last level that we just got wind of via David Saab:
Action folded around to Helge Pederen in the cutoff who raised to 18,000. Alan Jaffray called on the button. David Saab, in the small blind, made it 60k to go after a bit of hesitation. Pedersen laid down his hand and action was back on Jaffray. Jaffray, perhaps suspicious of Saab (who had squeezed earlier), raised to 300k. Saab then moved all-in for another 500,000 and Jaffray made the call. Saab showed A-K and his hand held up against Jaffray’s A-9 offsuit. That hand decimated Jaffray’s stack, and he would be eliminated a short time later.
Saab now sits as one of the chip leaders with 1.7 million.
'Raptor' Swoops in for a Monster
David “Raptor” Benefield swept in with such precision, Eric Tom never knew what hit him. There was a raise to 24,000 from a player in early position, and Tom smooth-called from middle position. The player in front of the cut-off made the call as well, and Benefield in the small blind called to create a four-way pot, as James McManus in the big blind folded. The flop came 875, and after two checks, Tom stepped out for 100,000. Play was folded to Benefield, who called. The J hit the turn, and after Benefield checked, Tom announced all-in for 320,000. Benefield snap-called and showed the bad news – 96 in his hand for the nut straight plus a flush draw. Tom, with his QQ, was drawing dead as the 3 hit the river, and Benefield scooped in the monster 980,000 pot.
Queens Work for Qiu
Unlike Tom, the red ladies worked for Andrew Qiu. He was all-in for 149,000 with QQ against the AK of Terry Lade. The board ran out 95329 and Qiu doubled up.
Billirakis Bounces Marcon
Marco Marcon announced all-in from middle position for 113,000, and play was folded to Steve Billarakis in the small blind who made the call. Marcon held 77 while Billirakis held A10. Marcon watched as an ace flopped, coming A99, and never caught up with the 8 on the turn and 2 on the river.
Matusow Doubles Through Keller with Aces
On a flop of 983, Mike Matusow shipped in his remaining 271,000 into a pot already containing over 100,000 in chips. His opponent, Thomas Keller, went into the tank and deliberated for several minutes while considering his options. After counting out the necessary amount for a call, Keller announced as much and turned over 1010. Matusow stood up and pumped his fists into the air as he flipped over AA. After Matusow settled down, the dealer put down the K on the turn. “A jack would have been more interesting,” commented Gus Hansen, who wandered over from his nearby table to watch the action and brought a burst of laughter from the spectators. “I mean, for me. I’m just passing by,” he added. The 2 fell on the river, and Matusow won a large pot bringing his stack to almost 700,000. Keller was crippled and left with under 200,000 in chips.
Cantu bluffs to take down huge pot of over 700k
With the board 1010Q2, the small blind checked and then Brandon Cantu bet 125,000 from the button. The small blind thought it over for a long time before raising to 275,000. Cantu immediately asked how many chips he had left. When he heard about 350,000 he moved all in. The small blind folded and Cantu jumped out of his seat and flipped over AJ. Mike Matusow, who recently doubled up, turned around and took a look at the table. "Did you check-raise bluff Brandon?" Matusow asked. "You should have moved all in then. You have no idea how sick he is?"
Player Tags: Mike Matusow, Thomas Keller, Ylon Schwartz, Steve Billirakis, Eric Tom, Brandon Cantu, David Benefield, David Saab, Alan Jaffray
