Done and Done
Jun 06, '07
Just like that play has ended in the $1,000 No Limt Hold 'Em with rebuys event. Nine players will return tomorrow at 3 p.m. to battle for a first place prize of $585,774 and the right to be called a World Series of Poker bracelet winner.
Todd Witteles was the final player eliminated today. Witteles finished in 10th place and will take home $23,811. With all the money in before the flop, Witteles was heads up against Barry Cales. Witteles had Q-Q and Cales had A-K. The board held strong for Witteles up until the river when the king hit and gave Cales the higher pair.
Amir Vahedi heads into the final the table as the clear chip leader with over $1,300,000. Accompanying him tomorrow are Mike Gracz, Dolph Arnold, Michael Chu, Barry Cales, Tommy Vu, Shane Schleger, Robert Aron and Jan Von Halle.
CardPlayer.com will be back tomorrow with level updates and Pro Blogs.
Player Tags: Amir Vahedi, Michael Gracz, Dolph Arnold, Shane Schleger, Todd Witteles, Robert Aron, Michael Chu, Jan Von Halle, Tommy Vu, Barry Cales
Heads Up Play
Jun 07, '07
Heads Up Play Begins
Heads up play has begun with the players almost equal in chips.
Vu Fires First Salvo
Michael Chu raises to $200,000 and Vu reraises to $700,000. Chu makes the call and the flop comes Q
7
4
. Both players check and the turn is the 10
. Again both players check and the river is the 7
. Vu bets $800,000 and Chu mucks. Vu then tables 8-2, showing his bluff.
Huge Pot
Tommy Vu limps and Michael Chu raises to $200,000. Vu makes the call and the flop is 9
8
3
. Chu bets $375,000 and Vu moves all in. Chu quickly makes the call and tables J
10
while Vu shows down 8
6
. The turn is the 5
and Vu is still in the lead, but the river comes 7
making Chu's straight. He was all in for a total of $1,830,000 and scores a huge double up. Chu now has $4,420,000 and Vu 1,080,000.
Michael Chu Wins Event #8 $1,000 NHLE with Rebuys ($585,774)
Tommy Vu open pushes with K
8
and Chu calls with A
3
. The board comes 6
5
3
6
4
, Chu fades the flush draw and takes down the pot and the title. He is surrounded by his spectators and gets on his cell phone to pass along the news. He wins $585,774 and a gold
Wsop bracelet. Second place finisher Tommy Vu takes home $364,761 for his efforts.
Player Tags: Michael Chu, Tommy Vu
Hour Eight Update
Jun 07, '07
Break
Players are on a 15 minute break
Play Resumes
Blinds are now $40,000-$80,000 with a $10,000 ante.
Barry Cales Eliminated 3rd ($235,575)
Barry Cales limps and Michael Chu raises to $330,000. Cales moves all in and Chu insta-calls with Q
Q
. Cales tables J
7
and flop comes A
3
2
. The turn is the 5
and Cales could split the pot with a 4. The river comes K
, Cales doesn't improve and is sent home in 3rd place for $235,575.
Heads Up Play Begins
Heads up play begins between Tommy Vu and Michael Chu. The heads up chip counts are:
Tommy Vu -- $2,915,000
Michael Chu -- $2,405,00
Player Tags: Michael Chu, Tommy Vu, Barry Cales
Hour Seven Update
Jun 07, '07
Can We Get Some More People In Here?
The final table of this event is easily the least attended event so far. There are many empty seats, prompting the ESPN and Harrah's staff to corral people to fill their set.
Tommy Vu
Tommy Vu has raised every pot of four handed play so far. Look for his unbridled aggression to continue as he accumulates more chips.
Folding Fun
Here is a quick recap of the last two levels. Player A raises to three times the big blind....everyone folds. Flops have been few and far between and with the passive play seen so far this final table may go deep into the night.
Tommy Vu Doubles Up
Micheal Chu raises to $185,000 and Tommy Vu moves all in for $840,000. Chu makes the call with A10 but is dominated by Vu's AQ. The flop comes 943 and Vu retains the lead. The turn is the 10 and Chu hits a pair, but Vu picks up a backdoor flush draw. The river comes 8, Vu hits the nut flush and doubles up. After the hand a member of Vu's support section stepped down and tipped the dealer. The media couldn't see the amount of the bill, but given the high stakes consensus is it was most likely $100.
Barry Cales Doubles Up
With an already large pot the flop comes J105. Barry Cales moves all in for his last $630,000 with AJ and is called by Dolph Arnold with KQ. The next two cards come 104 and Cales doubles up.
Dolph Arnold Eliminated 4th ($157,050)
Dolph Arnold is all in for his last $75,000 with 85 against Tommy Vu's Q9. The board comes Q6377, Arnold can't improve and is sent home in 4th place for $157,050.
Who's Running This Thing?
Apparently Tommy Vu, he has taken an unscheduled bathroom break . Instead of starting play without him, tournament staff had decided to wait. This is clearly frustrating the ESPN crew as well as the spectators.
Player Tags: Dolph Arnold, Michael Chu, Tommy Vu, Barry Cales
Hour Four Update
Jun 07, '07
Don't You Want To Play?
Play has been repeatedly delayed due to players arriving late from break. Play started around 6:30.
Blinds Raised
The blinds have been raised to $20,000-$40,000 with a $5,000 ante.
Best Hand Taking a Beating
There has been another case of the best hand not holding up on showdown. Barry Cales moves all in for his last $350,000 and Shane Schleger pushes over the top. No one else calls, Cales tables A
8
and Schleger A
10
. The board comes J
9
4
8
8
and Cales doubles up. Schleger only has $165,000 left.
Shane Schleger Eliminated 5th ($111,455)
Shorly after losing an all in pot to Barry Cales, Schleger moves all in for his last $165,000. Michael Chu calls with K
10
and Schleger tables A
Q
. The board comes 10
5
3
9
7
, Schleger's hand doesn't hold up and he is eliminated 5th for a $111,455 payday.
Player Tags: Shane Schleger, Michael Chu, Barry Cales
Hour Three Update
Jun 07, '07
Hour Three Starts with A Bang
Amir Vahedi raises to $90,000 and Dolph Arnold makes the call from the big blind. The flop comes J
9
2
, and Vahedi bets $140,000. Arnold moves all in for $437,000 total and Vahedi insta-calls. Vahedi only has $448,000 and if he loses this pot he will be crippled. Arnold shows down 10
7
, and Vahedi Q
Q
. The turn is the Q
giving Vahedi a set of queens. The river is the 8
and Arnold hits his straight draw. Vahedi looks disgusted as he counts down the chips to ship to Arnold. Vahedi is left with just $11,000.
Amir Vahedi Eliminated 7th ($63,327)
Amir Vahedi moves all in for his last $4,000 and Michael Chu raises to $125,000. Shane Schleger moved all in over the top for $94,000 more. Chu quickly made the call and the cards were turned up. Schleger tabled A
K
, Chu A
J
, and Vahedi 6
5
. A rowdy cheer when out when Vahedi's hand was announced, followed by some laughter. The board came A
8
3
4
4
, Schleger double up and Vahedi was eliminated 7th for $63,327.
Shane Schleger Cracks Aces
Barry Cales raises to $85,000 and Shane Schleger calls. The flop comes J
9
7
, Schleger checks and Cales bets $150,000. Schleger raises all in for $276,000 and Cales immediately calls with A
A
. Schleger tables Q
J
and needs some help. The turn is the 4
, and Schleger has one foot out the door. However the river comes Q
, Schleger spikes two pair and doubles up.
Michael Gracz Eliminated 6th ($84,858)
Michael Gracz moves all in for his last $200,000 with Q
6
and is called by Tommy Vu with K
K
. The board comes A
10
3
A
6
, Gracz cannot beat Vu, and is eliminated in 6th place for $84,858.
Break
Players are on break.
Player Tags: Amir Vahedi, Michael Gracz, Dolph Arnold, Shane Schleger, Michael Chu
Hour One Update
Jun 07, '07
Blinds Raised
The blinds are now $10,000-$20,000 with a $3,000 ante.
Jan Von Halle Eliminated 9th ($34,196)
Dolph Arnold calls and Jan Von Halle moves all in. Michael Chu makes the call and shows down A
K
. Von Halle tables 9
2
. The board comes A
5
5
3
10
, Von Halle fails to improve and is eliminated in 9th place for $34,196.
Michael Chu Takes Down Big Pot
Amir Vahedi raises and Michael Chu reraises to $140,000. Vahedi makes the call and the flop comes 10
8
3
. Chu bets $150,000 and Vahedi quickly calls. The turn is the 9
, Chu bets $250,000 and Vahedi calls. The river is the K
, both players check and Chu shows Q
Q
. Vahedi mucks and Chu drags a pot worth over $1,000,000 chips.
Chu Taking No Prisoners
Michael Chu has come out of the gates firing. He has been consistently raising and reraising, and players have taken notice. That could be why he was able to get paid of by Vahedi a few hands ago when Chu held queens. We will have to wait for the hole cards to find out.
Barry Cales Doubles Up
Dolph Arnold raises to $60,000 and Michael Gracz reraises to $180,000. Barry Cales moves all in for his last $225,000 with A
J
and is called by Gracz with K
10
. The crowd begins to chant, "Barry, Barry, Barry" but its Gracz that takes the lead on the 10
8
5
flop. His lead is shortlived because Cales turns the A
to make the best hand. The river is the 9
, and Cales wins a pot worth over $500,000 chips.
Robert Aron Eliminated 8th ($46,862)
Tommy Vu raises to $70,000 and Robert Aron moves all in for his final $154,000. Vu makes the call and tables Q
10
, but is dominated by Aron's A
Q
. The first four cards come J
5
4
9
, and Vu can win by spiking a king, ten or eight. The river is the K
, Vu makes the straight and sends Aron home with $46,862.
Break
Hour one ends with the players on a 20 min break.
Player Tags: Amir Vahedi, Dolph Arnold, Robert Aron, Michael Chu
Binger Busts David Sorger in Ninth Place ($19,956)
And Binger KOs Mats Gavatin in Seventh Place ($34,923)
The words "Re-Buy!" will echo throughtout the Amazon room today as the first re-buy tournament of the summer is set to start at noon. Event No. 5, the $1,000 no-limit event with re-buys will shuffle up and deal at noon and the plan is to play 10, 60-minute levels. The players will begin with 2,000 in chips and throughout the first two levels of play anyone is allowed to re-buy when their stack dips below 2,000. At the end of level 2 players can purchase either a single $1,000 (2,000 chips) or double $2,000 (4,000 chips) add-on before the start of level 3.