Day Two - Hour Eight
Jun 09, '07
Semi-Final Tables
The tournament was down to two tables after the break and 14 players remained. Things were slowly, but surely playing down to the Elite Eight, when play would end for the night. Barry Greenstein was seated with Ted Forrest and Red Thomson. Also seated at their table was the new kid on the big stack block, Michael Keiner. He held $185,000 and the unquestioned chip lead. At the other table Greg Raymer and Steve Sung were seated with one another, and they both held $130,000.
Greenstein Takes a Hit
A large pot developed between Greenstein and Toni Vardjavand with over $50,000 in the pot. Greenstein showed down K
Q(J9J
2)10
, but it was not enough to defeat the Q4(65J
K)A of Vardjavand. He increased his stack to $92,000 on the hand and Greenstein was knocked down to $85,000.
Straight Shot
Another large pot developed on the other table between Greg Raymer and John Robertson. This was also a hand where over $50,000 would go to the victor. No show down was needed though, because after Raymer was called on the river he said “Straights good.” Robertson showed 97(1078J)A and confirmed Raymer’s suspicions. Raymer mucked his hand and he now held $115,000. The pot shot Robertson just north of $80,000.
Forrest Falls
Ted Forrest was eliminated in 14th place near the end of the hour. As the final minutes of the hour evaporated into nothing 11 players remained, three more would need to be eliminated before play would end for the night. Thankfully, the antes, low card bet, and limits were kicked up to $2,000, $1,500, and $6,000-$12,000 for good measure.
Player Tags: John Robertson, Barry Greenstein, Ted Forrest, Greg Raymer, Varahram Vardjavand
Day Two - Hour Six
Jun 09, '07
Final Four
Fifteen minutes into hour six of play the fifth table broke and the players took their new seats at the final four tables. Paul Darden joined Barry Greenstein, while Mimi Tran joined Ted Forrest. William Chen was eliminated before these new tables were formed.
Floor!
A dispute had broken out at one of the tables and the dealer called for the floor. Seat three had bet out of turn for $2,000. Toni Vardjavand had then quickly raised to $4,000. The dispute concerned whether the $2,000 initial bet of seat three was committed to the pot. Tournament Director Chris Spears made the ruling that because new action had been initiated on the hand by Vardjavand, seat three was able to retain her $2,000.
Barnes Storm
Chris Barnes completed a free fall that saw his chip stack lowered to $21,500 when his opponent made threes full of sevens. His opponent doubled on the hand and Barnes was now below the average chip stack. Greg Raymer had also fallen a bit to $50,000. Barry Greenstein had made ample use of the preceding hour and now had $96,000. Greenstein was now the chip leader.
The Rise of Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly bet $2,000 on third street and his opponent in seat eight made the call. Kelly continued to lead out on every street and his opponent continued to call, except on fifth street where he raised to $4,000 and Kelly made the call. Kelly turned up AK(J47K)2 and his opponent mucked with Q252 exposed. Kelly now had $91,000, good for second place.
Curb Your Enthusiasm
A player who would undoubtedly win the Larry David look-a-like award for the tournament then went on a strange odyssey. This journey would ultimately leave him on tilt, and on the rail. He started the trip by doubling up through Steve Sung. Sung still held $65,000 after the hand. He was then involved in a hand where Vardjavand had bet $4,000 on seventh street with 2A106 exposed. Our anti-hero had 3645 exposed and said, “Whoa!” Sherkhan Farnood then said to him, “The worst thing is you could lose the pot, nothing more.” The call was made and Vardjavand turned over a pair of sixes and an ace in the hole for a full house. After mucking his cards he got up from the table and had a few choice words to mutter under his breath.
Bang!
A few hands later our Larry David look-a-like was involved in a hand with Farnood and Steven Richmond. Richmond was all in for a $2,100 bet on fifth street. The 9 had been dealt to him and he had yelled, “Nine of spades, BANG!” when it hit the table. Farnood tossed his cards into the muck and the tortured soul of the past half hour made the call. He exposed 1010(102Q) and Richmond showed 76(859). Sixth and seventh street did not improve either player and Richmond had survived the hand. This left the Larry David clone with just $1,800, which he did not hold on to for long.
At the conclusion of the hour there were 30 players left at the four tables and they were all sent to a fifteen minute break.
Player Tags: Sherkhan Farnood, Steve Sung, Varahram Vardjavand
