Don Baruch Wins Event #21 ($264,107)
Jun 13, '07
Incredibly passive play continued to be the
modus operandi of both Jared Davis and Don Baruch throughout the first hour of heads up play. When offered an option to either check or bet, both by far preferred the later. Indeed, the most common course of action in hand was for the small blind to limp, the big blind to check, for both players to check the flop, and for whoever had a pair to bet the turn, which invariably invoked a fold from the other player. Baruch held a dominating chip lead, approximately 3.5-to-1, but did not use his stack to apply any pressure to Davis. Both players seemed to be waiting for a huge hand to truly ge involved, and it seemed that a cooler situation might once again be what needed in order for any major swing to take place.
Davis finally started to stab at some pots on the flop, and though this helped him build his stack slightly, it seems that this shift in gears was the catalyst that brought about the final hand. On the button Davis picked up the A
5
and put in a raise. Baruch quickly went all in with the K
Q
and with a short stack and alot of his money invested, Davis called. The flop brought the Q
9
9
. Davis was drawing real thin with two cards coming, and Baruch all but had the bracelet on his wrist. The Q
on the turn ensured Baruch's victory, filling Baruch's full house and leaving Davis drawing dead. Jared Davis finished as the runner up, and took home $149,263, while Baruch took home his first bracelet and $264,107.
This final table was an interesting conclusion to a unique event. The WSOP bracelet hopes of two top pros were dashed, and a new name was put down in the poker history books. Thank you for getting you're updates on this
World Series of Poker $1,500 No-Limit Shootout event here at
Cardplayer.com.
Player Tags: Jared Davis, Don Baruch
Three Handed No More
Jun 13, '07
Three handed play resumed after the dinner break, but from the first half hour you wouldn't guess that anyone besides Daniel Negreanu was present. Don Baruch and Jared Davis played incredibly passive during the start of the level. They were playing right into Negreanu's well known small-ball gameplan by checking when they are weak and letting him take down uncontested pots with small bets.
Zigging When He Should Be Zagging
An example of Davis' passive play went as follows. Right after losing a small pot he picked up aces. Hoping to get Negreanu to bet his hand for him, he just called a small preflop raise from Negreanu. The flop came Q
2
2
, Davis bet and Negreanu checked behind. The turn brought the K
, Davis leads out and Negreanu made the easy fold. By never making raises until Negreanu knows his hand has no chance of winning, Davis and Baruch are only going to get paid off in a cooler situation.
The Cooler
A must-payoff situation did arise when both Negreanu and Baruch flopped top pair on a board of 9
6
4
. Baruch held the 9
8
, and bet out. Negreanu called with the 9
7
, and though behind, the turn of 7
caught him up in a hurry, giving him two pair. Baruch passively checked, Negreanu bet, and Baruch called. Baruch's gin card, the 5
, came on the end, completing his straight. Baruch made a relatively small bet, compared to the size of the pot, and despite the river being a scare card, Negreanu reluctantly called. When the cards were turned up, Negreanu got the bad news and was left dangerously short.
Daniel Negreanu Takes 3rd ($101,351)
Negreanu limped and Davis pushed all-in. Negreanu went into the tank for a while, pondering a call for his tournament life with A
8
. Eventually, he did call, and Davis' revealed the 5
5
. The flop brought the 6
4
2
. Negreanu needed running clubs, running straight cards, an eight or an ace. The 7
gave Negreanu an inside straight draw, but he was still in pretty bad shape. The river brought the 7
and Negreanu's run at the bracelet was over, just hours after holding a large chip lead. Negreanu came in 3rd, and received $101,351, but at this point his mind is surely stuck on the fact that he didn't win, despite playing well.
Heads up play began after the $264,107 first place prize was laid out on the table during the money presentation. Baruch held a sizable lead over Davis, but play was still very passive despite making it past Negreanu and into heads up play. Make sure to check back next hour for a recap of the first hour of heads up play here at
Cardplayer.com.
Player Tags: Daniel Negreanu, Jared Davis, Don Baruch
Dinner For Three
Jun 13, '07
The final three players have just gone on dinner break which will last for 45 minutes. Play will resume in Level 23 at 9:15 p.m. with blinds of $8,000-$16,000 and a $2,000 ante.
Current Chip Counts
Don Baruch -- $1,120,000
Jared Davis -- $870,000
Daniel Negreanu -- $760,000
Daniel Negreanu’s dominance of this final table has started to relinquish after doubling up Don Baruch and losing the chip lead.
Player Tags: Daniel Negreanu, Don Baruch
At noon today players will enter the Amazon Room to play in the $5,000 no-limit hold'em shootout. Round one will take place today, the winners at each table will play round two tomorrow, and the final table will be held on Sunday. Last year the no-limit shootout buyin was $1,500, and that event's winner was Donald Baruch.He won $264,107 along with the bracelet. Daniel Negreanu finished third in the event, and his friend Erick Lindgren finished eighth.