No Limit Hold 'Em Level 18 Recap
Jun 13, '08
Blinds: 6,000-12,000 ante 1,000
Players Left: 15-1,344
Chip Average: 358,400
Chip Leaders:
Andrew Jeffreys: 100,000
Blair Hinkle: 785,000
Chris Bjorin: 560,000
Dominick Kulicki: 450,000
Rick LeNoble: 430,000
Daniel O'Brien: 385,000
Nick Niergarth: 275,000
Yue Huang: 250,000
Stephane Tayer: 240,000
David Steicke: 220,000
Big Hands:
Lagarde Takes Hit From Kulicki
Matthew "mlagoo" Lagarde raised UTG to 33,000 and Chris Bjorin, who had recently doubled through Nick Niergarth on two separate occasions, made the call. Dominick Kulicki, on the button, then made a raise to 120,000, and Lagarde barely hesitated before moving in over the top. Bjorin wisely got out of the way, and Kulicki, who had 120,000 of his 197,000 chips committed, shrugged his shoulders as if to say, If I'm beat, I'm beat, and made the call. Lagarde showed A
K, and Kulicki JJ
. The flop was a monster for Kulicki, as it came J
9
2. The 5gave Lagarde a prayer (and a hope) on the turn, but the 10 on the end ensured Kulicki would be sticking around awhile. Lagarde, one of the chip leaders all evening, lost about half his stack on the hand, and is down to about 200,000.
Hinkle Tangles With Frenchman
Blair "blur5f6" Hinkle made it 29,000 from under the gun; the action folded around to Tayar Stephane on the big blind, who called. Stephane then made a theatrical check on a flop of KJ5, and Hinkle checked behind. The turn paired the jack, with the J coming off, and Stephane led out with a bet of the minimum: 12,000 into a pot that exceeded 70,000. Hinkle called. When the seemingly benign 8 hit on the river, Stephane took off his sunglasses for the first time in the hand and laid them on the table before staring down his opponent. Finally, he shoved in 60,000, about half of his remaining chips, and Hinkle visibly recoiled. While Hinkle deliberated, Stephane closed his eyes and clasped his hands in front of him on the felt, as if he were praying. Finally, Hinkle called and Stephane showed the bad news: 88 for a rivered full boat. Hinkle looked disgusted as he mucked his hand. Later, he would say he had pocket tens. That hand took Hinkle down to about 300,000.
Big Stack Jeffreys
Niergarth, down from 550,000 at his zenith just an hour ago to about 280,000, raised the big blind of Andrew Jeffreys; both the small blind and Jeffreys made the call. The flop came 1065 and all three players checked. After the small blind checked the Q turn, Jeffreys led out with a massive stack of orange 5,000 chips--about 100,000--and both players quickly folded. Jeffreys, who has been playing the big stack to perfection, is up to about 1,000,000 now.
Player Tags: Blair Hinkle, Andrew Jeffreys
$2,000 NL Hold'em - Level 11
Jun 13, '08
Note: Play began 20 minutes late for the day as players were day 2 play was moved to the Brasilia Room and the majority of the black 100 chips were removed from play.
Blinds: 800/1600 with 200 ante
Players Left: 118 of 1344
Eliminations: Phil Hellmuth, Dan Hill, Brandon Marz, Mark Brockington, Steven Krupnick, Ron Linden, Mike Sica.
Big Hands:
Hellmuth Among First to Go
Phil Hellmuth was among the shortstacks when play began and wasn't able to survive for long. Russell Carson raised from the cutoff to 3500 and Hellmuth was next to act on the button. Hellmuth pushed his remaining 5100 in chips to the middle, and Ron Linden -- another shortstack in the big blind -- went all-in as well. Carson called showing ace-queen offsuit, Hellmuth had pocket fours, and Linden had 109. The flop came 1063 to hit Linden, then the Q hit the turn to put Carson in command. The river was the 8 and Carson eliminated both players.
Gazes Adds over $20,000 to Stack
Bill Gazes raised from late position to 4000 and drew a call from Brad Sellnow in the big blind. The flop came AKJ and both players checked. The turn brought the 10, and Sellnow bet 5000, which Gazes called. The river was the 4 and Sellnow bet out 10,000. Gazes made the call and showed QQ for the straight, while Sellnow held KJ for two flopped pair.
Lewis Three Times Lucky
John Lewis was the shortstack to begin the day at just 2200 in chips, but has doubled up three times in the first 30 minutes of play. Lewis held pocket nines on a flop of 6-6-A and hit a nine on the turn for a full house. A few hands later he hit another nine on the river, holding K9, then he doubled up again with ace-10 when he flopped an ace.
Bennett Gets the Call
Ernest Bennett had already raised all-in preflop earlier in the level, and made the move again when under the gun for 20,000. Play folded to Mike Sica in the big blind, who asked for a count then made the call for his remaining 19,000. Sica had 1010 but had walked into the KK of Bennett. The board finished Q8654.
Pellegrini Doubles Through Jeffreys
Ed Pellegrini doubled his short stack to 18,000 courtesy one of the chip leaders in Andrew Jeffreys. Pellegrini had ace-king while Jeffreys had ace-queen, and both players flopped their kicker.
Michael Ellis eliminated Binh Ta when his ace-10 bettered Ta's ace-five, a 10 coming on the flop.
Player Tags: Bill Gazes, Phil Hellmuth, Ernest Bennett, Mike Sica, Russell Carson, John Lewis, Andrew Jeffreys, Brad Sellnow
$2,000 NLHE - Final Table - France and Australia Out
Jun 14, '08
Blinds/Antes: 12,000-24,000 with a 3,000 ante
Players Remaining: 7 of 1,344
Chip Counts:
David Steicke: 1,510,000
Blair Hinkle: 1,300,000
Dustin Dirksen: 798,000
Mark Brockington: 607,000
Daniel O'Brien: 397,000
Chris Bjorin: 174,000
Dominik Kulicki: 131,000
Average Stack: 768,000
Eliminations:
9th Place: Stephane Tayar ($45,252)
8th Place: Andrew Jeffreys ($63,598)
Big Hands/Storylines:
Stephane Tayar Eliminated in Ninth Place ($45,252)
Early in play, Stephane Tayar got it all in preflop and David Steicke made the call. Their cards:
Steicke: QQ
Tayar: A10
Board: 5229K
The frenchman Tayar was eliminated in ninth place, and took home $45,252 in prize money.
Chris Bjorin Doubles Up
Chris Bjorin raised to 108,000 preflop and Dustin Dirksen made the call. Blair Hinkle then reraised all in over the top of everyone and Dirksen laid down his hand. Bjorin and Hinkle then reveaed their cards:
Hinkle: KJ
Bjorin: 1010
Board: 1054Q6
Bjorin doubled up on the hand to survive by spiking a 10 on the flop.
Andrew Jeffreys Eliminated in Eighth Place ($63,598)
The lone Aussie at the table, Andrew Jeffreys, moved all in preflop and Steicke quickly called him down. Steicke flipped over rockets and Jeffreys held cowboys for the classic ace vs. kings showdown. The board hit the table A10257 and Jeffreys was eliminated in eighth place. he took home $63,598 in prize money.
Player Tags: Chris Bjorin, Dustin Dirksen, Blair Hinkle, David Steicke, European Report, Andrew Jeffreys
