Level 29 Hour 2 Update: Final 27 Reached
Jul 14, '09
Blinds: 50,000-100,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Remaining: 27 out of 6,494
Chip Counts:
1. Darvin Moon – 20,160,000
2. Billy Kopp – 15,970,000
3. Steve Begleiter – 11,885,000
4. Phil Ivey – 11,350,000
5. Kevin Schaffel – 11,240,000
6. Antoine Saout – 11,135,000
7. Jeff Shulman – 10,170,000
8. Eric Buchman – 10,005,000
9. Jamie Robbins – 9,795,000
10. Ben Lamb – 9,410,000
Average Chip Count: 7,215,555
Card Player Chip Count:
Jeff Shulman – 10,170,000
Eliminations:
28. Joe Ward Eliminated – $253,941
Twitter Updates:
Jeff Shulman at 10,170,000 (twitter feed)
Billy Kopp at 15,970,000 (twitter feed)
Phil Ivey at 11,350,000 (twitter feed)
Nick Maimone at 1,545,000 (twitter feed)
Ludovic Lacay at 5,610,000 (twitter feed)
Francois Balmigere at 1,440,000 (twitter feed)
Jesse Haabak at 2,750,000 (twitter feed)
Big Hands
Antonio Esfandiari Doubles Up
Francois Balmigere raised to 250,000 preflop and Antonio Esfandiari reraised to 700,000 from the big blind. Balmigere went into the tank before finally moving all in. Esfandiari snap called with the A
A
and was in great shape against the J
J of his opponent. The board ran out 75376
and Esfandiari doubled to 4,400,000 after the hand. Balmigere was at just 730,000 after the hand.
Steven Begleiter Doubles
Tommy Vedes bet 290,000 from the cutoff. Steven Begleiter was on the button and reraised to 650,000. Vedes put in another bet to 1,490,000. Begleiter moved in for 5,265,000. Vedes called with the KK while Begleiter exposed the AQ. The flop came J73 but the A on the turn gave Begleiter the massive lead. The Q fell on the river and Gegleiter doubled to 10,750,000. Vedes was down to 5,520,000 after the hand.
Jordan Smith Doubles
Jordan Smith went all in on the button for 1,250,000. Ben Lamb called. Lamb exposed the A7 but was in horrible shape against the AA of his opponent. The flop was ugly for Smith as it came J94, giving Lamb a flush draw. The 7 fell on the turn and the 9 hit on the river, allowing the aces to hold. Smith was at 2,800,000 after the hand.
Joe Ward Eliminated in 28th Place ($253,941)
All the chips went into the middle preflop with Jamie Robbins holding the AQ and Joe Ward tabling the AK. Robbins had his opponent covered by 200,000 and the flop came A108. The turn brought the 2 and Ward needed to dodge just a queen in order to double up. However, the Q on the river ended his main event in heartbreaking fashion. Robbins was at 8,700,000 after the hand.
Player Tags: Antonio Esfandiari, Jordan Smith, Francois Balmigere
Level 30 Hour 2 Update: Balmigere Out In 25th Place, Esfandiari Out In 24th Place
Jul 15, '09
Blinds: 60,000-120,000 with a 15,000 ante
Players Remaining: 23 out of 6,494
Chip Counts:
1. Billy Kopp – 21,200,000
2. Darvin Moon – 17,500,000
3. Steven Begleiter – 15,200,000
4. Kevin Schaffel – 12,300,000
5. Eric Buchman – 12,000,000
6. Jeff Shulman – 10,800,000
7. Ian Tavelli – 10,100,000
8. James Akenhead – 10,000,000
9. Nick Maimone – 9,350,000
10. Jamie Robbins – 9,250,000
Average Chip Count: 8,470,434
Card Player Chip Count:
Jeff Shulman – 10,800,000
Eliminations:
25. Francois Balmigere — $352,832
24. Antonio Esfandiari — $352,832
Twitter Updates:
Jeff Shulman at 10,800,000 (twitter feed)
Billy Kopp at 21,200,000 (twitter feed)
Phil Ivey at 6,000,000 (twitter feed)
Nick Maimone at 9,350,000 (twitter feed)
Ludovic Lacay at 3,100,000 (twitter feed)
Big Hands
Francois Balmigere Eliminated In 25th Place($352,832)
Francois Balmigere raised to 330,000 preflop from middle position and Steven Begleiter called behind him. Billy Kopp came along from the big blind and the flop was 1076. Kopp led out with 700,000 and Balmigere moved in for 2.7 million. Begleiter mucked but Kopp made the call after a few minutes in the tank.
Balmigere tabled JJ while Kopp showed down 87 for just middle pair and a gutshot draw, along with a backdoor flush-draw. The turn was the A and Balmigere was one card away from getting a double up. But the river was the 9, making Kopp his straight and sending Balmigere out in 25th place.
Buchman Fills Up On The Turn
Jonathan Tamayo raised to 355,000 from the button and Eric Buchman called from the big blind. Darvin Moon had limped in earlier and made the call as well. The flop came down 992 and Tamayo fired 760,000. Buchman was the only caller and the turn was the 6. Both players checked and the river was the Q.
Buchman led out with 1.1 million and Tamayo made the call. Buchman then tabled 66 for a full boat and Tamayo mucked his hand.
Shulman Wins Battle Of The Blinds Against Ivey
Action folded around to Phil Ivey who called from the small blind and Jeff Shulman checked from the big blind. The two players saw a flop of AJ2 and Ivey led out with 120,000. Shulman made the call and the turn was the 2.
Ivey checked to Shulman and he fired 200,000. Ivey had enough of his hand and threw it into the muck. Shulman took the pot and was around 11 million.
Lucky Sevens For Maimone, Doubles Through Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith raised to 320,000 from middle position and action folded to Nick Maimone on the button. He reraised to 825,000 and Smith made the call. The flop then came down Q84 and Smith moved all in. Maimone made the quick call and tabled 77. Smith then showed down 1010 for a dominating lead.
But the turn changed everything as it brought the 7, giving Maimone a set and a stranglehold on the hand. The river was the 9 and Maimone doubled up to 4 million.
I Am Chip Leader, Hear Me Roar
Billy Kopp raised to 275,000 from under the gun and Steven Begleiter made the call from the button. The flop fell 532 and Kopp led out for 600,000. Begleiter made the call and the turn was the J.
Both players checked and they did the same for the J on the river. Kopp tabled 66 and Begleiter mucked. Kopp took the hand and was just over 19 million, good enough for to take over the chip lead.
Akenhead Gets Kings Again, Wins Small Pot
James Akenhead raised to 280,000 preflop and Warren Zackey made the call from the small blind. The flop came AJ8 and both players checked. They did the same on the 3 turn and the river brought the 5.
Zackey checked and Akenhead bet 300,000. Zackey made the call and Akenhead tabled KK and Zackey mucked. Akenhead took the pot and was at 3.3 million.
The Phil Ivey National Bank
Phil Ivey has been hard pressed to win a pot in the early going of day 8. He doubled up Nick Maimone during the last hour and just doubled up Marco Mattes.
Maimone opened with a raise to 290,000 and Mattes moved all in for almost 2.5 million. Action folded around to Ivey who made the call. Maimone got out of the way and Ivey tabled JJ. Mattes then showed down QQ and Ivey was dominated.
The flop came down 1055, giving both players two pair. The turn was the 7 and the river was the 4 and Mattes doubled to over 5 million. Ivey took another hit and his stack was just under 6 million.
The Magician Disappears, Antonio Esfandiari Eliminated In 24th Place($352,832)
Antonio Esfandiari raised to 310,000 preflop from under the gun and Steven Begleiter called from middle position. The flop came down 1024 and Esfandiari bet 535,000. Begleiter raised it up to 1.6 million and Esfandiari moved all in for 2.5 million more. Begleiter made the call and tabled K10 for top pair on the flop.
Esfandiari showed down 55 and needed help. The turn was the 6, giving Esfandiari a gutshot straight draw. But the A fell on the river and Esfandiari was eliminated.
Player Tags: Jeff Shulman, Antonio Esfandiari, Eric Buchman, Phil Ivey, James Akenhead, Billy Kopp, Francois Balmigere, Marco Mattes, Warren Zackey
