Level 9 Update: Williamson Busts
Jun 17, '09
Blinds: 600-1,200
Players Remaining: 90 out of 362
Chip Counts:
1. Ralph Perry – 155,800
2. Jeff Lisandro – 150,000
3. Cliff Josephy – 140,000
4. Steve Sarrafzadeh – 132,000
5. Jesper Hougaard – 130,000
6. Mortiz Schmejkal – 126,000
7. Sorel Mizzi – 125,000
8. Tex Barch – 123,000
9. David Ulliott – 110,000
10. Bruno Fitoussi – 92,000
Average Chip Count: 55,000
Notable Eliminations:
Robert Williamson III
Kathy Liebert
Big Hands:
Williamson’s Heart Broken On The River
Preflop, Robert Williamson was all in and received two callers, including Sorel Mizzi. “I don’t even want to look,” Williamson announced as he turned his head away from the board. “It won’t make a bit of difference.”
The flop came down K
9
8 and the player in seat 4 put out a bet. Mizzi mucked his hand and then the players turned over their hands.
Williamson: K
9Q
10
Seat 4: AAJ5
Williamson got a great flop and was in the lead. The turn was even better when the K gave him a full house. But Williamson should have kept his head turned away as the A was the death card for Williamson and he was eliminated.
Fitoussi Straightens Out His Opponent
On a board showing QJ96, Bruno Fitoussi bet 5,400 and his opponent in seat 4 made the call. The river brought the K and Fitoussi fired another shot, this one worth 12,000. His opponent tanked for a bit and then decided to make the call. Fitoussi turned over A10QJ for Broadway on the river. His opponent mucked and Fitoussi was at 85,000.
Clements Falters
Scott Clements raised to 7,200 preflop and his opponent in the big blind made the call, putting himself all in.
Clements: AA83
Big Blind: K987
Board: 1010657
Clements was ahead with the bullets for most of the way but his opponent hit the money card on the river as the 7 gave him a straight to crack Clements’ aces. Clements surrendered the pot and he was down to 34,000.
Benyamine Tangles With Hougaard
After David Ulliott called 1,200 from the hijack, Jesper Hougaard raised to 4,000 preflop from the cutoff and the button folded. David Benyamine was next to act in the small blind and he reraised to 9,500. Ulliott mucked and Hougaard made the call.
The flop came down 952 and the action was passive enough as both players checked. The 2 on the turn ignited a fuse as Benyamine fired 10,500. Hougaard then tanked for a few minutes and came back with two towers worth 50,000. Benyamine quickly released his hand and he was down to 40,000 while Hougaard improved to 128,000.
Player Tags: David Benyamine, Bruno Fitoussi, Scott Clements, Robert Williamson III, Sorel Mizzi, Jesper Hougaard
Level 8 Update: Black Drops Some Chips Then Goes Bust
Jun 17, '09
Blinds: 500-1,000
Players Remaining: 99 out of 362
Chip Counts:
1. Cliff Josephy – 166,000
2. Jeff Lisandro – 142,000
3. Isaac Baron – 120,000
4. David Ulliott – 109,000
5. Sorel Mizzi – 100,000
6. Ralph Perry – 91,000
7. Tex Barch – 90,000
8. Jesper Hougaard – 85,000
9. Andrew Chen – 81,500
10. Nam Le – 76,000
Average Chip Count: 50,417
Notable Eliminations:
Ted Lawson
Michael Binger
Isaac Haxton
Greg Raymer
Andy Black
Big Hands:
Black Muscled Off Hand, Loses Half Of His Chips
In a three way pot totaling 6,000 Andrew Black and his two opponents saw a flop of KK3. The player in seat 1 led out with 6,000 and Black raised to 18,000 total. Seat 4 mucked and the action was back on seat 1. He then reached for two stacks and raised 30,000 more. Black went in the tank for a bit and eventually decided to cut his losses and muck his hand. He was down to just 14,000. He would later lose the rest of those chips and make his exit from the tournament.
Big Names, Small Pot
Robert Williamson III, Hoyt Corkins and Nikolay Evdakov each called 1,000 preflop. The flop then came down J97 and everyone checked. The turn brought the 2 and Williamson decided to lead out, firing 2,500 into the 4,000 pot. Evdakov mucked and Corkins followed suit. Williamson took the pot but was still quite short with 13,000. Evdakov was at 22,000 and Corkins was at 65,000.
Perry Wins As Clock Is Called On Opponent
After a flop of AQ9 hit the felt, the player in seat 6 fired 10,500 into the pot. All other players in the hand folded except for Ralph Perry. After a few minutes of thought, he raised to 35,000 total. The action was back on his opponent and he took a massive tank session. After more the six minutes, the clock was finally called and he had one minute to decide what to do with his holding. Not long after the clock was called, he released his hand and Perry took the pot, improving to 90,000.
Ride With The Devil
On a flop of Q72, David Ulliott moved all in and was called by Jesper Hougaard.
Hougaard: AQ87
Ulliott: KK107
Ulliott was trailing Hougaard’s two pair but the 5 on the turn gave him a flush and the 3 on the river offered no help to Hougaard. Ulliott was at 110,000 after the double while Hougaard was at 88,000.
Player Tags: Hoyt Corkins, Andy Black, Robert Williamson III, Ralph Perry, Jesper Hougaard, Nikolay Evdakov
Level 17 Update: Action Starting to Pick Up
Jun 18, '09
Blinds: 4,000-8,000
Players Remaining: 17 out of 363
Chip Counts:
1. Sorel Mizzi — 700,000
2. Cliff Josephy — 690,000
3. Isaac Baron — 510,000
4. Rifat Palevic — 475,000
5. Ralph Perry — 470,000
6. Felipe Ramos — 395,000
7. Matt Gianetti — 310,000
8. Peter Jetten — 240,000
9. Samuel Ngai — 235,000
10. Van Marcus — 222,000
Average Chip Count: 320,294
Notable Eliminations:
Jesper Hougaard, Fabrice Soulier, Mike Watson
Big Hands:
Mizzi Doubles Through Jesper Hougaard to Vault into the Chip Lead
After taking a flop of Q810, Sorel Mizzi led out for 30,000. After a fold, Jesper Hougaard raised to 100,000. After a few moments, Mizzi raised all in and Hougaard made the call. The cards were turned up and Hougaard showed the 9 10 J Q, good for top two pair and the nut straight, while Mizzi showed the Q89A, good for top and bottom two pair and the nut flush draw.
The turn card was the A and Mizzi picked up a few extra outs, but the J on the river made Mizzi’s flush and gave him the pot. This pot put Mizzi well over the 500,000 mark.
Watson Folds to Palevic’s River Bet
After a short stacked player in early position raised to 25,000, Rifat Palevic called, and then Mike Watson min-raised to 42,000. Both players called and they took the flop three-handed.
The flop was A39 and both players checked to Watson, who bet 52,000. The short stacked player folded and Palevic called.
The 7 was the turn card and both players checked. The 3 was the river card and Palevic then wanted to know how much Watson had left. After getting an answer, he thought for a few moments before just tossing in a pile of chips that was approximately 60,000 and Watson folded as soon as the chips hit the felt.
Ralph Perry Runs a Big Bluff
After a player in late position came in for a raise, Ralph Perry three-bet for the size of the pot. They took the flop heads up and it came KK4. Perry then fired out 75,000 and his opponent went into the tank before showing two aces and folding.
“Do you want to see,” said Perry before showing the J1079 which completely missed the flop.
Player Tags: Cliff Josephy, Ralph Perry, Jesper Hougaard
Level 16 Update: Three Tables Left
Jun 18, '09
Level 16 Update
Blinds: 3,000-6,000
Players Remaining: 27 out of 363
Chip Counts:
1. Jesper Hougaard — 500,000
2. Rifat Pelevic — 390,000
3. Sorel Mizzi — 350,000
4. Isaac Baron — 320,000
5. Evan Sofer — 280,000
6. Richard Austin — 240,000
7. Matt Gianetti — 235,000
8. Van Marcus — 200,000
9. Cliff “JohnnyBax” Josephy — 195,000
10. Ralph Perry — 177,000
Average Chip Count: 201,666
Notable Eliminations:
Jeff Lisandro
Big Hands:
Baron’s Big Draw Bricks, Doubles up Van Marcus
After taking a three-handed flop of 257, Van Marcus leads out or 27,000. Sorel Mizzi gets out of the way and Isaac Baron asks him how much he has left. After a moment of contemplation, Baron raised to 80,000 and Marcus moves all in and was instantly called by Baron.
Van Marcus turns over 22Q5, good for bottom set and had to fade the big draw that Baron showed when he exposed the 64K7. The board bricked off for Baron is it came 10K and Van Marcus doubled up.
Ralph Perry Punishes Limpers to Take Down Pot
After five players limped in, it was up to Ralph Perry in the big blind. Perry took his option and decided to make it 30,000. Sorel Mizzi, after limping in under the gun, tanked for a few moments before making the call. Isaac Baron mucked, as did Fabrice Soulier, and the small blind decided to make the call.
The flop came down K37 and the small blind checked. Perry cut out some chips and bet out 75,000. Sorel Mizzi pondered his options for a minute or so before finally releasing his hand, and the small blind quickly mucked, allowing Perry to rake the pot.
Cliff Josephy Tangles With Jesper Hougaard
Cliff Josephy and Jesper Hougaard seem to be mixing it up a fair amount. On a flop of A103, Hougaard bet out and is called by Josephy. The turn is the 5 and Hougaard bet 35,000, which is once again called by Josephy.
The river is the J and Hougaard fired one last bullet, this time 85,000. Josephy thought for a few moments before calling. Hougaard announced “aces up” and Josephy said “No good, I have a straight,” as he tabled the QJK2, which ironically was good for a flush.
A few hands later, on a flop of K109, after Hougaard checked, Josephy bet 35,000. Hougaard called and the third party got out of the way. The 9 fell on the turn and both players checked. The 2 was the river card and Hougaard checked again. Josephy bet 40,000 and was called by Hougaard. Josephy just mucked his cards when he was called and Hougaard tabled the QJK2, which was good for a straight.
Left In The Deck:
During the color-up period, David “Devilfish” Ulliott took the microphone that the tournament directors use and began singing “All Shook Up.”
Player Tags: Cliff Josephy, Isaac Baron, Sorel Mizzi, Jesper Hougaard
Habib Hits The Ground Running
Baker Gives Up The Double
Chan Takes One, Then Takes One On The Chin
Keikoan Flushed Away
Bellande Shows The Respect
Jesper Hougaard (pictured left) was all in holding K
After losing most of his stack with pocket eights to pocket nines, Jesper Hougaard was left with just under 10,000 in chips.
Hac Dang Gets the Best of Persson
Chris Ferguson Eliminated
Sevens Are Big Enough for J.C. Tran
The small blind raises 400 and the big blind reraises it to 1,250. Jesper Hougaard calls.
Jesper Hougaard