$2,500 No-Limit Hold'em - Level 8 recap
Jun 07, '08
Blinds/Antes: 400-800-100
Players Left: 250 of 1,397
Average Stack: 28,000
Chip Leaders:
Eli Elezra - 90,000
Pete Rios - 82,000
Theo Tran - 75,000
Greg Sellgren - 75,000
Jimmy Tran - 60,000
Paul Kobel - 57,000
Chris Ferguson - 55,000
David Woo - 50,000
Lee Watkinson - 50,000
Scott Freeman - 49,000
Eliminations:
Jamie Gold
Big Hands:
Vahedi wins pot, gets angry
With the board showing 8
6
9KJ
, Amir Vahedi bet 15,000. His opponent thought for a few minutes before calling. Vahedi said he had "jacks up," and asked if he had that beat. Vahedi's opponent said nothing and waited for Vahedi to flip his cards over. This seemed to upset Vahedi, who said he wanted to see his opponent's cards as he flipped over J9
. The dealer looked at Vahedi as if to say "Really?" and then showd that his opponent held K3.
Gold runs out of luck
After doubling up in the last level, Jamie Gold was once against short-stacked and called off his remaining chips with A-Q. However his opponent held A-K and had Gold dominated. Gold didn't catch a queen and was eliminated from the tournament.
Courtney folds on turn
From the small blind, Courtney Harrington raised the player under the gun and he called. The flop was 329 and Harrington bet 3,600. His opponent caled and the turn was the 5. This time Harrington checked and folded to his opponent's bet of 3,600.
Theo Tran doing well again
Theo Tran already has two fouth-place finishes in this year's World Series, and is doing well in today's tournament. He is playing aggressively and catching cards. He induced a bluff on the river when he had Q-J to make a queen-high straight one hand, and won a pot for over 12,000 chips on the turn against two opponents. Currently Tran has over 70,000 chips, putting him among the chip leaders.
Player Tags: Amir Vahedi, Jamie Gold, Theo Tran, Courtney Harrington
2,500 NLHE - Day 1 - Cloutier Ousts Another, Fricke Hammered on River
Jun 07, '08
Blinds/Antes: 100-200 moving to 100-200 with a 25 Ante
Players Left: 960 of 1,397
Chip Leaders:
Anthony Chatelain: 19,000
Jason Somerville: 17,000
Humberto Brenes: 12,000
Nenad Medic: 11,700
Jamie Gold: 11,000
Craig Gray: 10,700
Michael Craig: 9,300
Chris Ferguson: 8,200
Johnathan Little: 7,000
Average Stack: 7,276
Eliminations: Gavin Smith, Dmitri Nobles, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier
Big Hands:
Harrington Avoids the Back Door
Before the break, Courtney Harrington got involved in a pot with three other players, who each paid 325 before the flop. The flop came J84. Harrington, who was in the small blind, checked and one opponent bet 800. Another player called and Harrington moved in his entire stack of 4,000, having both opponents covered. The initial bettor folded and the second player called for his last 2,500.
Harrington showed J9 for top pair and one card to a flush, while his opponent showed 65 for a gutshot straight draw and a backdoor spade draw. The turn was a spade, but the river came with a blank and Harrington's stack improved to 8,000.
T.J. Hooks Another
After an opponent raised, T.J. Cloutier pushed all in, having his opponent covered. His opponent called and showed down 99 and Cloutier showed the fish hooks, JJ. The board ran out 642K and a blank on the river. Cloutier eliminated his opponent and his stack was up to 20,000.
Elezra Loves the Ladies...
On a board of J-9-3-2-5, Eli Elezra made a bet of 800. He was called by one opponent. Elezra showed QQ. His opponent threw his cards into the muck and Elezra was up to 7,500.
...But They are so Cruel to "gobboboy"
Jimmy "gobboboy" Fricke raised to 600 before the flop and was called by two players. The flop came 1032. Fricke bet 1,200 and both players folded, leaving Fricke to rake the pot and improve his stack to around 11,000. But the tide turned for Fricke on the very next hand.
Fricke raised to 700 before the flop. He was reraised by one opponent, and Fricke came over the top all in, having his opponent covered. His opponent made the call and Fricke showed KK and was in great shape over his opponent's QQ. The board started rather innocently, running out J94J. But the river was the Q and Fricke's stack was cut in half. He now sits around the starting stack of 5,000.
Photo at right Courtesy of Jeff "yellowsub86" Williams
Jesus Rising
Facing a raise, Chris "Jesus" Ferguson repopped it to 1,750 before the flop. His opponent mucked and Ferguson was up to around 12,000 in chips.
Vahedi Muscles Out Rousso, Eliminates Opponent
With the player in seat 7 already all in, Vanessa Rousso and Amir Vahedi each made the call. The flop came 543. Rousso bet 1,475 and Vahedi went into the tank. After thinking for a couple of minutes, Vahedi reached back and shoved his stack all in. Rousso removed the green "25" chip that was capping her cards and threw her hand into the muck. Vahedi still had to deal with the all in player who tabled pocket 10's. Vahedi turned over 33 for a set on the flop. The turn was the 8 and the river was the J and Vahedi improved to over 15,000 in chips.
The Aces Are Doing the Paddling
Michael Binger and his opponent checked a board of AQ777. Binger showed down A9 for a full boat, sevens full of aces and his opponent mucked. Binger took the pot and moved up to 7,000.
Player Tags: T.J. Cloutier, Chris Ferguson, Eli Elezra, Michael Binger, Jimmy Fricke, Courtney Harrington
Hellmuth Survives All In 
J.C. Tran's Set Gets Flushed, Then Flops a Boat to Keep From Drowning