Main Event - Day 4 - Level 17
Jul 11, '08
Blinds/Antes: 3,000-6,000-1,000
Players Remaining: 324 of 6,844
Average Chip Stack: 423,000
Eliminations:
Johnny Chan
Hasan Habib
Pat Poels
Thayer Rasmussen
Big Hands and Storylines:
Mitchell Smith Eliminated by James McManus
Mitchell Smith raised from the small blind and was called by James McManus in the big blind. The flop came down A
10
2 and Smith continuation bet 20,000 into his opponent; McManus called. The turn was the J and Smith checked. McManus bet out 40,000 and Smith quickly called. The river was the 8 and Smith checked again. McManus put Smith all-in for about 180,000 more, slightly more than the size of the pot. Smith thought for a good while before making the call, but mucked his hand when he saw McManus’s K
Q for a turned straight.
Since Smith was all-in on the hand, his cards were exposed by the dealer, who turned over J6
for a pair of jacks. The hand puts McManus right near a million in chips.
Garret Beckman Takes Out Two
Mike Spinasanta and Mirza Nagji were both all-in before the flop against the bigger stack of Garret Beckman:
Beckman: AK
Spinasanta: QQ
Nagji: 22
The flop was J73 and Beckman had flopped the nuts. The Q on the turn put his celebration on hold as it gave Spinasanta a draw to a full house. “Pair it!” shouted Spinasanta before the river card was dealt, but the river would be the 10. Spinasanta and Nagji were both eliminated at the hands of Beckman, who now has 240,000.
Maya Antonius Eliminated by Allen Carter
Maya Antonius was all-in against Allen Carter on a K98 flop. Antonius had JJ and was in very bad shape against the KJ of Carter. The turn and river were the 2 and 8 and Antonius was eliminated. Perhaps she can take some solace in the fact that she outlasted her husband.
One main event champ is gone, another doubles up
Phil Hellmuth, who is at the featured table today, recently doubled up with pocket kings against A-K. Almost simultaneously Johnny Chan with A-7 against the pocket eights of Damien Creurer. The board did not help save him and the champ of '87 and '88 is out.
Kostritsyn Doubles Up Another
Alexander Kostritsyn lost another all in pot to double up one of the shorter stacks, one of several that have been slowly chipping away at his stack. Damien Creurer got it all in pre-flop for 84,000 with A10 against Kostritsyn’s 55. The flop was a bingo for both, bringing A75. Although Kostritsyn spiked a set, his hand was vulnerable to any diamond or running cards for a better full house. The 8 on the turn gave Creurer a flush, and Kostritsyn was down to any board pair on the river. The J was a miss, and Creurer’s lone 10 was good enough for the pot. Kostritsyn finished the hand with around 800,000 in chips.
Barrile knocks out Poels
Pat Poels moved all in with A-Q and Chris Barrile called with pocket sixes. The board came 10-4-3-10-J and Barille took down the 300,000-chip pot.He now has roughly 800,000 chips.
Mike Matusow Can’t Beat Tens
After the action folded to him in middle position, Mike Matusow raised to a total of 16,000. All others folded to the player in the big blind, who made the call. The flop came down A72 and the big blind checked. Matusow continued his aggression by making a bet of 24,000, which his opponent called. The dealer put down the 5 on the turn, which brought a round of checks from the two players. The 9 fell on the river and again both players checked. “Two tens,” the player in the big blind announced as he turned over 1010. Matusow quietly nodded for a few moments before tossing his cards into the muck.
Who Needs a Spade?
With already about 250,000 in the pot, and with the flop coming out 952, Suresh Prabhu announced all-in and sent another 236,000 into the middle of the table. Prabhu was operating from the small blind, and his only opponent was Derek Buonano in the big blind. Buonano had enough to call, but would only be left with 120,000 if he called and lost. He tanked for several minutes before deciding to call, and showed K9 for top pair. He was leading as Prabhu held Q3 for the flush draw. But rather than make a flush, Prabhu would hit the Q on the turn to overtake Buonano’s pair, and the A on the river clinched the massive pot for Prabhu.
Two Monsters Flopped; Only One is Best
Mike Matusow limped from middle position, Cornel Pazai limped while one from the cut-off, the button called, and both blinds also called, creating five-way action to the flop. The players were treated to the KJ10, and after the small blind checked, Joseph Ward in the big blind bet 12,000. Matusow folded, Pazai called, and the rest of the field folded. After the 6 on the turn, Ward checked and Pazai bet 24,000. Ward then check-raised to 75,000, at which point Pazai reraised all-in and drew a quick call from Ward. Both players held monsters, with Pazai having Q9 for bottom-end straight and a flush draw. Ward had flopped broadway with the AQ. Ward managed to dodge the river when the 7 bricked, and Pazai was forced to match Ward’s remaining 175,000 chips.
Player Tags: Patrick Poels, Mike Matusow, Phil Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, Joseph Ward, Garrett Beckman, Chris Barrile, Derek Buonano, Alexander Kostritsyn, James McManus, Maya Gellar-Antonius, Cornel Pazara
