Aaron Coulthard Poker Tournament Updates

$5,000 No-Limit Hold'em - On the Bubble

Jun 12, '08

Blinds/Antes: 1200/2400/300

Players Remaining: 73 of 731

Average Stack: 100,100

Chip Counts:
Adam Geyer - 620,000
Michael Mizrachi - 260,000
Sam El Sayed - 230,000
Jared Okun - 225,000
Aaron Coulthard - 204,000
Charles Sklar - 200,000
Keith Tilston - 195,000
Hasan Habib - 190,000
Alex Melnikow - 180,000
Scott Freeman - 154,000

Recent Eliminations:

Big Hands:

Michael Mizrachi and Hasan Habib Chop it Up

Michael Mizrachi and Hasan Habib both checked the river on a board of AKJ44. Mizrachi flipped over his K8 and Habib showed down K10. Both players had two pair, kings and fours, with a ace kicker.

Dag Palovic Allegedly Folds a Winner, Brummelhuis Takes a Hit

Dag Palovic raised to 7,500 from early position only to be reraised to 20,000 total by Michiel Brummelhuis. The big blind, who claimed he hadn’t played a hand in four hours, moved all in for his remaining 40,000. Palovic labored, but eventually folded. Brummelhuis made the call and turned over QJ. His opponent held AA, and the final board read 55442. Palovic claimed that he folded AK and would have eliminated either player with his nut flush.

Ryan Rapaski Wants to “Have Some Fun"

Facing a raise of 6,700, Ryan Rapaski moved all in from the button for his remaining 24,800. While the small blind was considering a call, Rapaski tried to goad him by saying, “Come on! Put your chips in and let’s have some fun.” The small blind folded, but the original raiser called and turned over 1010, the favorite to Rapaski’s AK. Rapaski spiked an ace on the flop and doubled up.

Kathy Woo Folds Aces Pre-flop?

Eli Elezra raised to 5,400 from under-the-gun and Kathy Woo called from the button. In the big blind, Scott Freeman put in a reraise of an additional 14,600. Elezra folded, and Woo contemplated for several minutes before eventually releasing her hand. Elezra announced that he had folded jack-ten. While smiling, Woo said that she folded pocket aces to avoid having a bad beat and being eliminated on the bubble. Elezra said, “Please tell me that’s true so I at least have a story.” Tablemate David Singer offered Elezra five to one odds that she was kidding. “I guess we’d have to take her on her word,” Elezra responded.

Singer Narrowly Avoids Being the Bubble Boy

David Singer, who had been nursing a small stack since the hand-for-hand bubble play began, moved his remaining 16,600 into the pot from early position. Aaron Colthard called from the big blind and turned over A10, a substantial favorite over Singer's A8. The J22 flop was unkind to Singer, as was the 5 turn. However, the 8 river locked it up for Singer while a large crowd gathered around the table. "David, everybody in this room was rooting for you!" Eli Elezra commented.

Player Tags: Hasan Habib,   David Singer,   Michael Mizrachi,   Jared Okun,   Aaron Coulthard,   Adam Geyer,   Michiel Brummelhuis,   Ryan Rapaski,   European Report

NLHE - Final Table - Aaron Coulthard Eliminated in 6th Place

Jun 03, '08

Blinds/Antes: 40,000 - 80,000 with a 10,000 ante

Players Left: 5 of 3,929

Chip Counts:

Eliminations:

Big Hands and Storylines:

Grant Hinkle: The Silent Assassin

Grant Hinkle has continued to build a huge stack by taking down small pots. No pot he took down was overwhelming, but he keeps chipping away, and keeps inching away from the competition. Hinkle has quietly become the first player to hold over 3 million in the tournament.

Aaron Coulthard Eliminated in 6th Place ($211,842)

James Akenhead raised to 225,000 preflop and Aaron Coulthard reraised all in for 855,000. Akenhead called and they turned up their hands. Akenhead showed down AK and Coulthard turned up KJ. The board ran out 872Q9. Coulthard was eliminated in 6th place, and he took home $211,842 in prize money.

Player Tags: Aaron Coulthard,   James Akenhead,   European Report,   Grant Hinkle

NLHE - Final Table - Melvin Jones Eliminated in 7th Place

Jun 03, '08

Blinds/Antes: 30,000 - 60,000 with a 5,000 ante

Players Left: 6 of 3,929

Chip Counts:

Melvin Jones - 7th Place ($158,211)

Big Hands and Storylines:

Tran Says No to Ngo on the River

Mike Ngo raised to 180,000 preflop and Theo Tran made the call from the button. The flop rolled out 1063 and Ngo checked. Tran raised 180,000 and Ngo made the call. The turn brought the J and the same check, bet, call sequence repeated itself, but this time Tran made it 235,000 to go. The Q fell on the river and Ngo moved all in. Tran got up from the table and looked perturbed for a moment before he mucked his hand. Ngo picked up over 600,000 on the hand.

Aaron Coulthard Doubles Up

Aaron Coulthad moved all in preflop from middle position for 510,000 and Theo Tran made the call from the small blind. They then turned up their hands:

Tran: AA

Coulthard: 77

Board: 76322

Coulthard caught a miracle seven on the flop and drove the dagger home by improving to a full house.

Theo Tran Doubles Up

Two hands later it was Tran's turn to get all of his chips into the middle, and he pinned his hopes on two red queens. Melvin Jones called him down with AJ and the board ran out 108265. Tran doubled up to 1.5 million, while Jones was crippled with 400,000 left in front of him.

Melvin Jones Does not Double Up - Eliminated in 7th Place ($158,211)

On the very next hand Jones got the last of his chips into the middle preflop, and soon discovered that he had made a huge mistake when Tran called him down. Jones held Q10 and Tran revealed two red aces for the the second time in four hands. This time the board fell KQ685 and the aces held to deliver Tran some vindication for what had happened four hands earlier. Jones was eliminated in 7th place, and took home $158,211 in prize money.

Player Tags: Theo Tran,   Mike Ngo,   Aaron Coulthard,   Melvin Jones