Brian Lieberman Poker Tournament Updates

World Championship Seven Card Stud - Level 16

Jun 08, '08

Blinds: 5,000-10,000 ante 1,000 bring in 2,000

Chip Counts:
Vasilis Lazarou: 415,000
Alexander Kostritsyn: 304,000
Jacobo Fernandez: 255,000
David Oppenheim: 240,000
James Paluszek: 228,000
Minh Ly: 180,000
Robert Mizrachi: 170,000
Tom Weideman: 160,000
Barry Mullinax: 148,000
Phil Ivey: 135,000

Players Left: 20-158

Eliminations: Brian Lieberman, Barbara Lewis

Big Hands:

New Tables

After a twenty minute break, players redrew for seats, resulting in one table that saw chip leader Vasilis Lazarou in seat 1, Ivey in seat 2, Negreanu in seat 3, Minh Ly in seat 4, Robert Mizrachi in seat 5, David Levi in seat 6, Brian Lieberman in seat 7, and Barbara Lewis, the lone female of the field, in seat 8.

Lieberman, the youngest player at the table, didn't shy away from the big boys, taking on Negreanu and Ivey in consecutive pots. Lieberman managed to wrest a small pot from Ivey after he folded on fifth street, but any momentum garnered there fizzled after he tangled with Negreanu. On fifth street, Lieberman showed AQ10, Negreanu AQ5. The turn spelled trouble though, when Negreanu's five paired and he immediately fired 10,000. Negreanu bet again on the river, Lieberman called, and Negreanu showed the unfortunate news: AJ7 in the hole, for aces up. Lieberman mucked his cards. A short while later, he was the first casualty of three-table play courtesy of Robert Mizrachi.

Barbara Lewis was eliminated soon after, when her paired nine went up against David Levi's hole queens and failed to improve.

No Chop for Ly

Mizrachi and Minh Ly were showing the exact same hand on fourth street--jack five--when things got nasty: after Ly checked, Mizrachi bet 10,000, and Ly raised to 20,000. Ly, who paired sevens up on sixth street, bet the rest of the way. When Mizrachi called the last bet, Ly seemed to know he was in trouble, showing down two pairs, jacks and sevens. Mizrachi confirmed the bad news: a king on sixth street had made him a better two pair: jacks and kings.

Brown Still Alive

Over at table 10, Chad Brown was all in with Q77 against David Oppenheim's 644. Brown made a flush on sixth street to double through to about 50,000.

Player Tags: David Levi,   Vasili Lazarou,   Brian Lieberman

$10,000 Seven-Card Stud World Championship - Day 2 - Level 12 Recap

Jun 08, '08

Note: Players are now on an hour-long dinner break

Limit: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante, 700 bring in

Players Left: 35 of 158

Chip Leaders:
Vasilis Lazarou - 245,000
Jacobo Fernandez - 164,000
David Oppenheim - 145,000
Tom Weideman - 131,000
David Benyamine - 124,000
Barry Mullinax - 122,000
Mike Fiorito - 117,000
Chad Brown - 113,000
Alexander Kostritsyn - 112,000
Matt Hawrilenko -  110,000
Brian Lieberman - 98,000

Average Stack: 90,300

Eliminations:
Men Nguyen
Shannon Elizabeth
Tony Guoga

Big Hands and Storylines:

Caught Bluffing

Matthew Hawrilenko: 2Q9J
Mickey Appleman: 94410
Randall Skaggs: 865

Hawrilenko brought-in with the 2, Appleman called, Skaggs completed, and Hawrilenko and Appleman both called. On 4^th street, Hawrilenko bet out with his 2Q showing and both players called. Appleman checked 5^th street after pairing his four, Skaggs checked behind, and Hawrilenko bet. Appleman called and Skaggs folded. Upon drawing a 10 on 6^th street, Appleman led out for 5,000 and Hawrilenko quickly folded.

“Oh! They were spades!” joked Hawrilenko as he slid his downcards toward the muck. Appleman asked what the youngster had and he responded, “Backdoor flush door. Overcards.” Quipped Appleman, “Nothin’” as he grinned and tossed in his ante for the next hand. Hawrilenko still has over 100,000 in chips and Appleman is close behind with 85,000.

Doesn’t Get Much Better

Katja Thater and David Levi played a heads-up pot:

Thater: 8TQJ
Levi: AJ57

Thater completed on 3^rd street and Levi raised. The action went bet-call on 4^th and 5^th street but Levi checked 6^th street and folded to a bet by Thater. Thater flipped up (8)(9) for the straight flush and raked in the pot. Thater now has 80,000 and Levi has 75,000.

Player Tags: Antanas Guoga,   David Levi,   Mickey Appleman,   Men Nguyen,   Randall Skaggs,   David Oppenheim,   David Benyamine,   Mike Fiorito,   Matt Hawrilenko,   Tom Weideman,   Katja Thater,   Shannon Elizabeth,   Barry Mullinax,   Jacobo Fernandez,   Vasili Lazarou,   Alexander Kostritsyn,   European Report,   Brian Lieberman

$10,000 Seven-Card Stud World Championship - Day 2 - Level 11 Recap

Jun 08, '08

Limit: 2,000/4,000, 500 ante, 500 bring in

Players Left: 50 of 158

Chip Leaders:
Vasilis Lazarou - 155,000
Alexander Kostritsyn - 152,000
Chad Brown - 116,000
Daniel Negreanu - 105,000
Tom Weideman - 105,000
Brian Lieberman - 97,000
Robert Mizrachi - 86,000
Helmut Koch - 85,000
Matt Hawrilenko - 82,000
Andy Bloch - 80,000

Average Stack: 61,200

Eliminations:
Rolf Slotboom
Scott Fischman
Todd Barlow

Big Hands and Storylines:

Ivey Outduels “The Master”

Phil Ivey: A7A6
Men Nguyen: 9Q3J

Ivey was the aggressor throughout this whole hand, betting all the way from 3^rd street until the end. Nguyen continued calling despite Ivey showing a pair of aces. On 7^th street though, Men finally conceded defeat and folded to Ivey’s bet of 4,000. The hand chips Ivey up to 60,000 and slides Nguyen back to a mere 10,000, only half of yesterday’s starting stack.

Rolled-Up Rolf

Todd Barlow brought in with the 7 showing and Mickey Appleman completed with the 6. Rolf Slotboom called showing the K and Barlow came along for 4^th street as well:

Slotboom: KJA5
Barlow: 783T

Slotboom lead out on 4^th street and was quickly raised by Barlow. Appleman didn’t think much of his chances and bailed out. When the action came back around to Slotboom he 3-bet, which was matched by a 4-bet of Barlow; Slotboom capped the street. The final three betting rounds were much more straightforward: Slotboom betting out every time and every time being called by Barlow. At showdown, Slotboom unfurled (K)(K)(6) for rolled up kings. Barlow, incredulous at this twist of fate, mucked his cards. He would be eliminated shortly after.

Zeidman Meets The Dutchman

Shortly after the previous hand, Slotboom got into another big pot, this time with Cory Zeidman:

Zeidman: K59J
Slotboom: QAT2

Slotboom completed on third street and called a raise from Zeidman. Slotboom amped up the aggression thereafter though, betting and 3-betting Zeidman on 4^th street, then betting again on 5^th street. Zeidman was confident his hand was good and continued calling. Slotboom checked on 6^th and, sensing weakness, Zeidman bet. Slotboom called and the pair saw 7^th street. Slotboom against checked and Zeidman made a bet. As Slotboom deliberated, Zeidman kept goading him, telling him that there was no way that he was calling. It turns out that Zeidman is just as prescient as he is gabby, and Slotboom laid down his hand. After the hand Slotboom was left with 29,000 and Zeidman 40,000. The day would only get worse though for Slotboom, as he would be eliminated a few hands later.

Player Tags: Robert Mizrachi,   Andy Bloch,   Men Nguyen,   Daniel Negreanu,   Cory Zeidman,   Phil Ivey,   Helmut Koch,   Matt Hawrilenko,   Tom Weideman,   Todd Barlow,   Vasili Lazarou,   Alexander Kostritsyn,   European Report,   Brian Lieberman