$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. - End of Day 2
Jun 30, '08
The big story of day 2 was, once again, Phil Hellmuth. Coming into the day as chip leader, he floundered for a bit, relinquishing the lead for most of the day, but ultimately picked himself up by the bootstraps and strode back to the top. By the conclusion of the day, Hellmuth would not only be chip leader once again, but his chip stack would tower over most his competitors’.
With 21 players left, Hellmuth has a real chance of picking up his 12th bracelet, and his first in a non-hold’em event. The final 21 players will return tomorrow at 3 p.m. PST to play for the $256,412 and World Series of Poker bracelet.
Here is an unofficial list of chip leaders heading into tomorrow’s final day:
Phil Hellmuth Jr. - 287,500
James Schaaf - 236,500
Art Young - 175,000
Victor Ramdin - 158,500
Matt Grapenthien - 151,000
Esther Rossi - 133,500
Steven Diano - 120,000
Arash Ghaneian - 114,000
Jason Dollinger - 110,500
Edward Brogdon - 104,500
Tam "Tommy" Hang - 92,000
Here is a bit of action from the final level of the day:
Razz
Razz Not Kind to Arash
Arash Ghaneian: 7
9
2
10
Esther Rossi: 5
Q98
Arash Ghaneian completed and Esther Rossi was the only caller. Ghaneian continued betting on every street until the river. When he was dealt his final card he slowly squeezed it and checked when he had seen what it was. Rossi, having checked her card, fired out a bet for the first time in the hand. Ghaneian called and she showed (A)(4)(3) for an 8-low. Rossi took down the pot and moved up to 130,000. Despite the hit, Ghaneian is still going strong with 110,000.
Stud
Joe Hachem Eliminated
Steven Diano: J1033
Joe Hachem: 2273
Diano completed at the outset with the J and James Schaaf raised with the Q. Joe Hachem, having brought in with the 2, called, and so did Diano. The turn paired Hachem’s upcard and he bet out. Diano called, and Schaaf, looking incredulously toward Hachem and Diano, folded. Hachem bet both fifth and sixth streets, putting himself all-in on the latter round. The two turned over their cards: Hachem showed (A)(K) for a pair of twos while Diano tabled (K)(9). Diano’s measly pair of threes was ahead going to seventh street. Hachem turned over his final card – the 8 – and made his exit from the Brasilia Room, but not before tearing into Diano's hand selection a bit: “Where were you going with that?”
Diano is up to 120,000.
Player Tags: Art Young, Matt Grapenthien, Tommy Hang, Phil Hellmuth, Victor Ramdin, Arash Ghaneian, Esther Rossi, Steven Diano, Joe Hachem, Edward Brogdon, James Schaaf, Jason Dollinger
$1,500 H.O.R.S.E. - Day 2 - Level 15 Recap
Jun 30, '08
Stakes:
Hold’em/Omaha: 1,300-2,500 blinds
Stud/Razz/Stud8: 500 ante, 700 bring in, 2,500-5,000 stakes
Players Left: 45 of 803
Chip Leaders:
Phillip Penn Sr. - 125,000
Steven Diano - 103,000
Arash Ghaneian - 100,000
Joe Bolnick - 87,400
Jason Dollinger - 83,000
Jens Voertmann - 82,000
Randall Holland - 81,500
Allen Cunningham - 78,000
Cliff Pappas – 75,000
Average Stack: 53,525
Eliminations:
David Gee
Greg Jamison
Michael Binger
Big Hands and Storylines:
Hold’em
Michael Binger vs. Phillip Penn Sr. - Part I
Phillip Penn Sr. raised to 5,000 from middle position and was re-raised by Michael Binger on his left. Penn made the call and they saw a flop of 633. Penn checked and Binger bet. Penn called. The turn was the J, and again Penn checked. Binger bet 5,000 and Penn check-raised him. Binger called, and then called another bet on the K river. Penn Sr. turned over 66 for a flopped full house. Binger showed his AA and, infuriated with the recent development, stormed away from the table, hitting a chair in the process. Binger was down to only 10,000 after that hand.
Omaha/8b
Michael Binger vs. Phillip Penn Sr. – Part II: The Reckoning
A few hands later, with the game having switched to Omaha/8b, William Penn Sr. opened with a raised from middle position which was again re-raised by Binger, who had less than a big bet behind. The flop came 1092 and Penn check-called. Penn check-called a bet of Binger’s final 200 chips on the turn (K) and the two showed their cards:
Binger: AA87
Penn: A876
Binger, in good shape, stood up and awaited the river card. The dealer laid out an 8 and Binger stared at the board for a moment to make sure what he saw was accurate: Penn hit one of his few outs to make a straight. As could be predicted, Binger was not happy, and he stormed from the table once again, this time for good.
Those two hands have propelled Penn to the chip lead with 125,000.
“Let’s Go”
Action folded around to Esther Rossi in the small blind who completed the bet and Jan Suchanek told the dealer, “Let’s go.” The dealer scooped in the two players’ blinds... and then Suchanek threw in a raise. Apparently, Suchanek’s declaration of “Let’s go” was intended as the precursor to a raise and not an indication of a check. After some squabbling between Rossi and Suchanek with the dealer serving as a slightly biased arbiter (after all, nobody likes admitting to a mistake) the floor was called over. After what seemed like hours of explanation to the dealer of what had transpired, it was ruled that uttering the phrase “Let’s go” alone does not indicate a check and that the raise would stand.
After all of that was settled, there was some poker to be played. The dealer put out a flop of A106 and Rossi check-called a bet from Suchanek. Action went check-call again on the K turn, and then both players checked the 10 on the river. Suchanek showed A443 for a pair of aces and that was good enough to take down the pot. Rossi, with 48,000, still has a bit more chips than Suchanek, who has 30,000.
Player Tags: Randy Holland, Phillip "JB" Penn Sr., Allen Cunningham, Greg Jamison, Arash Ghaneian, David Gee, Esther Rossi, Cliff Pappas, Steven Diano, Michael Binger, Jan Suchanek, Jens Voertmann, Joseph Bolnick, Jason Dollinger
$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Bracelet 12 for Hellmuth?
Jul 01, '08
Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 7,000 C: 25,000, Omaha: 13,000/25,000, Hold’em: 13,000/25,000
Players Remaining: 4 of 803
Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang – 1,800,000
James Schaaf – 570,000
Phil Hellmuth – 135,000
Esther Rossi – 85,000
Eliminations: None
Big Hands:
Phil Hellmuth Doubles Twice
Phil Hellmuth received a burst of cheers and applause from the teeming masses that have gathered at the rail to sweat him as he battles his way to another World Series of Poker bracelet. Hellmuth doubled and re-doubled his stack in two key hands, prompting the thunderous outburst.
In the hold’em round, James Schaaf raised from the small blind and Phil Hellmuth reraised from the big blind. Schaaf reraised to put Hellmuth all in, and Hellmuth called. Schaaf turned over 94, an underdog to Hellmuth’s 88. The board ran out KQQQ6, and Phil Hellmuth continued to stay alive.
Several hands later, Hellmuth found his tournament life at stake again. This time Hellmuth got it all in during the razz round, but his opponent again was James Schaaf. Despite receiving two double up hands within twenty minutes, Hellmuth remained the tournament short stack.
Esther Rossi Crippled by Tommy Hang
Despite being second in chips before tangling with Tommy Hang, Esther Rossi continued to battle after losing a large pot to Hang who now has a commanding chip lead over his opponents. Hang made an ace-high flush in the stud eight-or-better round that left Rossi's stack destroyed. She finished the hand with less than 100,000 in chips, and for the first time in four-handed play Phil Hellmuth was not the shortest stack at the table.
Player Tags: Tommy Hang, Phil Hellmuth, Esther Rossi, James Schaaf
$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 26
Jul 01, '08
Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000 , Razz - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000, Stud 8 - A: 7,000 B: 10,000 C: 30,000, Omaha: 15,000/30,000, Hold’em: 15,000/30,000
Players Remaining: 2 of 803
Chip Counts:
James Schaaf - 1,519,000
Tommy Hang - 1,450,000
Eliminations:
Esther Rossi Eliminated in 4th Place ($68,505)
Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in Third Place ($93,168)
Big Hands:
Esther Rossi Eliminated in 4th Place ($68,505)
After being crippled by Tommy Hang just before the start of the hour, Esther Rossi played her last hand against the fellow struggling stack of Phil Hellmuth. In the hold’em round, Hellmuth raised from the button and Rossi reraised all in from the big blind. Hellmuth made the call and turned over K8, the favorite over Rossi’s J9. The board ran out A10442. Rossi failed to improve, and was eliminated in 4th place earning $68,505 for her efforts.
Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in 3rd Place ($93,168)
Phil Hellmuth’s hard-fought run for his historic 12th bracelet finally came to an end during the Omaha eight-or-better level. Hellmuth completed from the small blind and was raised by Tommy Hang in the big blind. Hellmuth called all in and the two hands were exposed: AK105 for Hellmuth, QQ84 for Hang. The dealer put down a board of J-8-7-7-5, offering no help to Hellmuth and sending him home in third place with a cash prize of $93,168.
And Then There Were Two...
Phil Hellmuth (3rd) was eliminated just moments into Level 27 and Tommy Hang led James Schaaf into heads-up play.
Tommy Hang: 1,529,000
James Schaaf: 880,000
Player Tags: Tommy Hang, Phil Hellmuth, Esther Rossi, James Schaaf
$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 25
Jul 01, '08
Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Omaha: 10,000/20,000, Hold’em: 10,000/20,000
Players Remaining: 4 of 803
Chip Counts:
James Schaaf – 930,000
Tommy Hang – 845,000
Esther Rossi – 440,000
Phil Hellmuth – 115,000
Eliminations:
Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)
Big Hands:
Jason Dollinger Eliminated in 5th Place ($54,804)
In the stud round, Jason Dollinger completed showing the K and was raised by Tommy Hang, the chip leader, showing the 9. Dollinger reraised and Hang made the call. The two eventually got it all in on fifth street and at the showdown Dollinger showed one pair, fours, against Hang’s three-of-a-kind, sevens. Dollinger earned $54,804 for his 5th place finish.
New Chip Leader at Break
After a few hands of stud eight-or-better, the remaining four players took a 20 minute break. Just before the break, James Schaaf overtook Tommy Hang as the tournament chip leader thanks in part to two pots with the undisputed crowd favorite, Phil Hellmuth. Hellmuth lost both to Schaaf and went into the break as the short stack with less than 150,000 in chips.
Play resumed just before the stroke of midnight.
Player Tags: Tommy Hang, Phil Hellmuth, Esther Rossi, James Schaaf, Jason Dollinger
$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Level 24
Jul 01, '08
Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000 , Razz - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Stud 8 - A: 5,000 B: 5,000 C: 20,000, Omaha: 10,000/20,000, Hold’em: 10,000/20,000
Players Remaining: 5 of 803
Chip Counts:
Tommy Hang - 1,000,000
James Schaaf - 450,000
Esther Rossi - 400,000
Phil Hellmuth - 300,000
Jason Dollinger - 240,000
Eliminations:
Sam Silverman Eliminated in 6th Place ($42,966)
Big Hands:
Sam Silverman Eliminated in 6th Place ($42,966)
Sam Silverman became the sixth place finisher after getting all his chips in the middle pre-flop during the hold’em round with 33 against Jason Dollinger’s 77. The final board came down KJ10108. Silverman earned $42,996 for his sixth place finish and enjoyed a round of applause as he exited the tournament area.
Player Tags: Tommy Hang, Phil Hellmuth, Sam Silverman, Esther Rossi, James Schaaf, Jason Dollinger
$1,500 HORSE - Final Day - Final Table Set!
Jul 01, '08
Blinds/Antes: Stud - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000 , Razz - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Stud 8 - A: 3000 B: 3000 C: 12000, Omaha: 6000/12000, Hold’em: 6000/12000
Players Remaining: 8 of 803
Chip Leaders:
Tommy Hang - 680,000
Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
James Schaaf - 392,000
Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Sam Silverman - 310,000
Victor Ramdin - 166,000
Esther Rossi - 78,000
Matt Grapenthien - 46,000
Eliminations:
Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)
Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)
Big Hands:
Lonnie Heimowitz Eliminated in 10th Place ($22,031)
During the Omaha eight-or-better round, Lonnie Heimowitz got it all in pre-flop with AQ76 against Victor Ramdin’s JJ43. The flop came AKQ, giving two pair to Heimowitz and a flush draw to Ramdin. The 10 on the turn was a blank for Ramdin, but the 5 on the river completed his flush. Heimowitz was eliminated in 10th place, earning $22,031 for his efforts.
Final Table Bubble Played Nine-Handed
As the players sweat the bubble for the final table, the remaining nine players will be combining into one nine-handed table. When another player has been eliminated, the remaining eight final tablists will take a one hour dinner break.
Edward Brogdon Eliminated in 9th Place ($22,031)
Not long after combining into one nine-handed table, Edward Brogdon became the final table bubble boy after being eliminated by current chip leader Tommy Hang. Brogdon and Hang got it all in pre-flop, with 106 for Hang and 77 for Brogdon. The final board read KQ432, and Brogdon earned $22,031 for his “unlucky” 9th place finish.
Storylines:
Final Table Set
With the elimination of Edward Brogdon (9th) right before the dinner break, the final eight players prepared for the final table. Here was what the final table (eight-handed) looked like as the players left for dinner:
Seat 1 - James Schaaf - 392,000
Seat 2 - Matt Grapenthien - 46,000
Seat 3 - Sam Silverman - 310,000
Seat 4 - Phil Hellmuth - 400,000
Seat 5 - Jason Dollinger - 346,000
Seat 6 - Tommy Hang - 680,000
Seat 7 - Victor Ramdin - 78,000
Seat 8 - Esther Rossi - 166,000
Player Tags: Lonnie Heimowitz, Matt Grapenthien, Tommy Hang, Phil Hellmuth, Victor Ramdin, Sam Silverman, Esther Rossi, Edward Brogdon, European Report, James Schaaf, Jason Dollinger
