$10,000 Main Event - The Final 27
Jul 13, '08
Day 6 is over. At the start of the day, 79 players duked it out to make it to the final 27. After notables such as Victor Ramdin, Phil Hellmuth, Kido Pham and Mike Matusow busted, we finally have our final three tables set for Day 7 on Monday. Players will return to play down to a final table Monday at noon.
Blinds/Antes: 40,000-80,000 with a 10,000 ante
Players Left: 27 of 6,844
Chip Leaders:
Craig Marquis: 11,300,000
Dennis Phillips: 11,150,000
Tiffany Michelle: 9,900,000
Peter Eastgate: 8,720,000
Gert Andersen: 8,350,000
Kelly Kim: 7,850,000
Chris Klodnicki: 7,800,000
David Rheem: 6,800,000
Ivan Demidov: 5,800,000
Paul Snead: 5,600,000
Average Stack: 5,069,630
Eliminations:
30th: Mike "The Mouth" Matusow: $193,000
29th: Cristian Dragomir: $193,000
28th: Nikolay Losev: $193,000
Big Hands:
Matusow Takes a Wrong Turn, Eliminated in 30th Place ($193,000)
Right before the players went on break, Paul Snead raised to 200,000 and Mike Matusow repopped it to 660,000 from the big blind. Snead made the call and the flop came A
A
5
. Both players checked and the turn brought the 9, the death card as far as Matusow was concerned. He bet 500,000 and Snead shoved all in. Matusow made the call and showed down AJ for a set. Unfortunately for "The Mouth," Snead turned over A
9 for a full boat on the turn. Matusow needed a jack to survive, but the K fell on the river and the biggest name left in the main event took a sick beat and made his exit in 30th place.
Cristian Dragomir Out in 29th Place ($193,000)
Dragomir shoved all in preflop and Joe Bishop made the call. Both players then turned over their hands.
Dragomir: 1010
Bishop: AA
The flop came down Q26 and Dragomir received no help. He needed to hit one of the remaining tens to stay alive. The turn was the 5 and Dragomir was down to his last card. The river was the J and Dragomir made his exit in 29th place.
Nikolay Losev Gets Crippled, Then Busted in 28th Place By Nicholas Sliwinski
Sliwinski raised to 240,000 from the small blind and Losev popped it to around 3 million. Sliwinski took some time before making the call and turning over A10. Losev showed Q3, clearly caught trying to steal. The board ran out 975K7 and Sliwinski doubled to about 3.5 million. Losev was down to just 1.5 million. Soon, he would have much less than that.
A few hands later, both players were again in the blinds and Sliwinski completed the bet. Losev popped it to 775,000. Sliwinski then moved all in, putting Losev to a decision. The decision was to make the call, and Losev showed 83. Sliwinski showed A5 and the board ran out 1010494 and Losev was the final elimination of the night.
Player Tags: Mike Matusow, Paul Snead, Nikolay Losev, Cristian Dragomir, Nicholas Sliwinski, Joe Bishop
$10,000 Main Event - Day 6 - Level 25 (Hour 1)
Jul 13, '08
Blinds/Antes: 20,000-40,000-5,000
Players Remaining: 50 of 6,844
Eliminations:
51st place - Alfredo Fernandez - $135,100
52nd place - Mark Ketteringham - $135,100
53rd place - Alan Gould - $135,100
54th place - Alex Caiaffa - $135,100
55th place - Rafael Caiaffa - $115,800
56th place - Eric Bamer - $115,800
Big Hands and Storylines:
Alfredo Fernandez Eliminated by Mike Matusow
Mike Matusow made the standard table raise to 110,000 from second position. Alfredo Fernandez, on Matusow’s left, wasted no time before moving all-in for 600,000. Action folded back around to Matusow who made a pretty swift call with AQ. His call was dead-on; Fernandez turned up J10. The board rolled out K664A and Fernandez was eliminated. The nice addition to his stack brings Matusow up to 3.3 million.
A Moment With Matusow
After the aforementioned hand, Matusow let the table know how good he was playing, and how luck was on his side. Some snippets from his peroration:
“...I just know it...”
“...I can feel it...”
“...the neutrons and the electrons...”
“...the power of positive thinking, you can’t beat it!”
Up-and-down hour for Michelle
Early in the level Tiffany Michelle raised and then called a reraise by Ivan Demidov on the button. After a flop of A43 both players checked. The turn was the 4 and Michelle bet 500,000. Demidov called and the river was the 7. Michelle bet 800,000 and after a couple minutes Demidov raised to 2.2 million. It was now her turn to tank, and after two minutes she folded. Demidov now has 6.5 million chips, while Michelle has 3.15.
Later in the level Michelle limped in from under the gun and was one of three players to see the flop come 977 and Michelle called a bet of 75,000 by Chrstian Dragomir. The turn was the 4 and Dragomir bet 100,000. Tiffany raised to 200,000 and then Dragomir reraised to 400,000. Tiffany then moved all in, forcing Dragomir to fold. Michelle is now up to about four million, while Dragomir has over two million.
Pham-boozled
More from Tiffany Michelle...
Tiffany Michelle raised to 120,000 from under the gun. Kido Pham, to her left, made it 300,000, and Michelle made the call. The flop was 1032 and Michelle led out for a hefty 750,000. Pham considered his options for a moment, but decided to fold. The pot brings Michelle up to 4 million and drops Pham down to under 2 million.
Gould Leaves with the Ladies
Joe Bishop raised to 125,000 preflop, and was only to happy to step out of the way. Alan Gould in the next seat reraised him to 400,000, and then halfway down the table Albert Kim announced another raise, this to 1.1 million. Bishop folded, and Gould then announced all-in for his remaining 1.6 million in chips. Kim instantly called and showed AA, while Gould was drawing slim with QQ. The flop came 863 to give Gould a chance at a running flush, though that disappeared with the 6 on the river. Needing to catch a queen on the end, Kim took down the pot and eliminated his opponent when the 10 completed the board. Kim improved to 7.8 million in chips with the hand.
Yet Kim donated much of that recent gain back just a few hands later. He raised to 105,000 preflop, then was reraised to 425,000 by Bishop. Kim called, and the flop came 1064. Bishop stepped out for 550,000, and Kim made the call. The K was the turn card, and Bishop then announced all-in. Kim was visibly frustrated, noting he had just got the chips and didn’t want to spill them back. He eventually mucked, stating he had queens, then pleaded for Bishop to “show the bluff”. Bishop hesitated, briefly flashing his cards before mucking. The table then insisted the dealer show the cards, and they were proven to be the A10.
Outhred Outted
Alex Outhred had been able to survive with his shortstack thanks to timely all-in shoves that discouraged any callers. But he finally ran out of steam when in the small blind, he woke with AK. Chris Klodnicki had raised from the button to 110,000 and Outhred then went all-in for 495,000. Klodnicki called and showed 99. The doorcard to the flop was the K to give Outhred short-lived life, as behind it lay the 9 to give Klodnicki the set. The 3 and 8 completed the board and Outhred was ousted in 54th place.
Player Tags: Alex Outhred, Chris Klodnicki, Tiffany Michelle, Albert Kim, Alan Gould, Ivan Demidov, Cristian Dragomir, Joe Bishop
$10,000 Main Event - Rheem Takes a Hit, Bishop Out
Jul 14, '08
Note: Play had paused after the elimination of Joe Bishop to allow for a redraw for the final table of 10 players. We are one elimination away from the television final table that will take place in November.
Blinds/Antes: 100,000-200,000 with a 30,000 ante
Players Left: 10 of 6,844
Chip Leaders:
Dennis Phillips: 21,500,000
Scott Montgomery: 20,635,000
Ivan Demidov: 18,700,000
Darus Suharto: 16, 425,000
Dean Hamrick: 12,460,000
Craig Marquis: 12,000,000
Ylon Schwartz: 10,500,000
Peter Eastgate: 10,440,000
David 'Chino' Rheem: 10,100,000
Kelly Kim: 4,430,000
Average Stack: 13,688,000
Eliminations:
11th: Joe Bishop: $591,869
Big Hands:
Set No Good, Rheem Takes a Hit
Action folded around to Ivan Demdidov in the cutoff. He raised it up to 650,000 and action folded to David "Chino" Rheem in the small blind. He repopped to 2 million total and Demdidov went into the tank. When he came out of the tank, he announced he was all in for almost 8 million. Rheem took some time of his own to think about what to do before making the call. He turned over 1010. He was in good shape against Demdidov's 99. The crowd went nuts as the hands were set up for the cameras. The flop then came 1086, giving Rheem top set but also giving Demdidov a variety of outs. The turn brought the 4 and Demdidov spiked a flush. Rheem needed to pair the board to win the hand, but the 5 sealed the deal for Demdidov, who moved up to about 18 million. Rheem dropped down to 8 million.
Darus Suharto Doubles Through Joe Bishop
Bishop raised to 700,000 from the button and Darus Suharto repopped from the big blind. He made it 2 million to go and Bishop made the call. The flop came Q65 and Suharto led out with 2.5 million. Bishop came over the top, moving all in for almost 10 million. Suharto made the call and turned over KK for an over pair. Bishop showed top pair on the board with AQ. The turn was the 6 and the river was the 2 and Suharto doubled up.
Bishop Doubles Another
Bishop raised to 600,000 from the cutoff and action was next on Kelly Kim in the small blind. He moved all in for about 2 million and Bishop called, showing 87. Kim was in great shape as he showed 88. The board ran out A101072 and Kim doubled up and Bishop was down to 2.4 million.
Bishop Trampled By the Wheel on the River, Busts in 11th Place
The fall of Joe Bishop would be complete a few hands later. He moved all in from under the gun and action folded around to David Rheem. He made the call and showed 22. Bishop turned over A3 and was racing against ducks. He flew ahead on the flop as it dropped A53. Bishop had two pair and Rheem needed another duck or a four to bust Bishop. The turn was a blank as the Q hit the felt. But the river brought chaos as the miracle 4 showed up, knocking Bishop out of the main event and sending Rheem's supporters into a frenzy.
Phillips Wins 3 Million Preflop
Dean Hamrick raised to 550,000 preflop and Ylon Schwartz reraised to 2.2 million. Sitting behind Schwartz, chipleader Dennis Phillips asked for Schwartz's chip count and crossed his arms to think. He announced a reraise and popped it to 6 million straight. Hamrick mucked immediatley and Schwartz only took a few seconds to do the same, giving Phillips an additional 3 million for his already large chip stack without even seeing a flop.
Montgomery Crushes Chip Leader
Dennis Phillips raised to 500,000 and Scott Montgomery reraised to 2.2 million. Phillips made the call and the flop brought J106. Phillips checked, Montgomery bet 1.5 million and Phillips called. The turn was interesting, bringing the K. Phillips checked again and Montgomery bet 2 million. Phillips called and the river brought the 9. Phillips checked for the final time and Montgomery shoved out 4 million. Phillips took time to seriously consider his decision. He eventually called and Montgomery showed A10 for the ace-high flush. Phillips mucked and lost a huge pot that had more than 15 million in it. With the pot Montgomery pased 20 million.
Player Tags: Dean Hamrick, Chino Rheem, Darus Suharto, Dennis Phillips, Scott Montgomery, Joe Bishop
$10,000 Main Event - Day 7 - Level 31 (Hr. 1)
Jul 14, '08
Blinds/Antes: 80,000 / 160,000 / 20,000
Players Remaining: 13 of 6,844
Average Stack: 10,000,000
Chip Counts:
Recent Eliminations:
Gert Andersen Eliminated in 14th place ($463,201)
Big Hands and Storylines:
Gert Andersen Eliminated in 14th place ($463,201)
On the third hand after the dinner break on the featured table, Ylon Schwartz open raised for a total of 500,000. The action folded to Gert Andersen in the small blind, who reraised all in for his remaining 3,810,000 in chips. Schwartz quickly called and turned over AK, a strong favorite over Andersen’s AJ. The tension was high as the flop came Q102, giving Andersen a gut-shot straight draw but removing the remaining jacks from his list of outs. The turn fell 8, improving Andersen’s straight draw and giving him four additional outs. The 5 on the river was a miss, and Andersen exited the tournament area in 14th place to collect his $463,201 in prize money. Schwartz improved his chip stack to over 17 million, putting him in second place on the leader board.
Tough Rail!
The remaining two tables have attracted quite a crowd of spectators, including many notable poker pros who have showed up to sweat the action. The current list of railbirds at the secondary featured table includes Andy Bloch, Michael Mizrachi, Mel Judah, J.C. Tran, and Marcel Luske.
Chino Rheem Takes One Away from Darus Suharto
On a flop of AJ4, Chino Rheem checked to Darus Suharto. After some deliberation, Suharto counted out a bet of 475,000 and pushed it towards the middle. Rheem check-raised an additional 600,000, prompting Suharto to go into the tank. Suharto eventually made the call and the 8 fell on the turn. Rheem led out with a bet of 1,500,000, to which Suharto folded his hand. Rheem dragged the pot and stacked his chips, which now total over 11 million.
Kelly Kim Loses One to Joe Bishop
Kelly Kim open raised to 500,000 from his position under the gun, and the action folded to Joe Bishop in the big blind. After taking some time to fiddle with his chips, Bishop sloppily tossed out what appeared to be an arbitrary amount of chips. The dealer counted it down to discover that it was a reraise of an additional 1,060,000. Kim contemplated for a few moments before mucking his hand. As he took the pot, Bishop flashed the A to his tablemates.
Player Tags: Kelly Kim, Ylon Schwartz, Darus Suharto, Joe Bishop, Gert Andersen
$10,000 Main Event - Day 7 - Level 30 (Hr. 2)
Jul 14, '08
Players are on a 90-minute break. Play will resume at 8:25 p.m.
Blinds/Antes: 60,000-120,000-15,000
Players Remaining: 14 out of 6,844
Average Chip Stack: 9.78 million
Chip Counts:
Peter Eastgate - 18,600,000
Darus Suharto - 14,800,000
Scott Montgomery - 12,450,000
Joe Bishop - 11,800,000
David Rheem - 11,200,000
Ylon Schwartz - 10,500,000
Dean Hamrick - 10,190,000
Dennis Phillips - 10,180,000
Craig Marquis - 9,600,000
Kelly Kim - 6,800,000
Chris Klodnicki - 6,700,000
Nicholas Sliwinski - 5,900,000
Ivan Demidov - 5,400,000
Gert Andersen - 3,400,000
Eliminations:
15th place - Owen Crowe - $463,202
16th place - Tony Scherer - $334,535
Big Hands and Storylines:
Rheem Staves off Elimination
Joe Bishop raised to 450,000 under the gun and play was folded around to Chino Rheem in the big blind who made the call. After a flop of 852, Rheem checked, and Bishop bet 800,000. Rheem then made his move, announcing all-in for 4.4 million. Bishop agonized. The two had been in a previous battle when Bishop turned quad sixes against his rival. Bishop finally announced call, and Rheem shook his head. “You have sixes again?” Sure enough, Bishop held 66 for second pair. Rheem had made his push with just two overcards, the K9. The turn brought the 3 and Rheem was down to his final card. But the miracle K on the river kept him alive and moved him into the middle of the pack of the chip count. Bishop fell back to about 11 million.
Rheem had raked in a couple of smaller pots previously to build his shortstack. The first was after he raised to 325 preflop and was called by Kelly Kim. The flop came 1083, and Rheem bet 450,000. Kim again called. Both checked when the 5 made it a four-flush board, then the 9 hit the river. Rheem checked and Kelly bet 550,000. Rheem angrily threw in his chips to call, worried that his Q6 had been run over by the fourth diamond on the turn. But Kim mucked his hand.
A few hands later, Rheem called a raised to 325 from Craig Marquis, and Kim in the small blind also called. The flop came K73, Kim and Marquis checked, and Rheem bet 325,000. Kim called and after the 8 was turned, both players checked. The 7 on the river brought two more checks, and Rheem won the pot with K10.
Bishop gets aggressive
Just before dinner break, Joe Bishop made an interestingly large raise preflop to 670,000. He was called by Chris Klodnicki to his left and the two players saw a 553. Bishop bet 1.2 million, and then Klodnicki raised to 2.4 million. Bishop, who likes to talk at the table, did not like the min-raise and called it an "insult." He paced around the table and then finally decided to move all in. After a minute Klodnicki folded and Bishop turned over pocket nines. Bishop was up to 15 million after the hand, while Klodnicki was down to about four million.
As the Crowe Flies - Owen Crowe Eliminated in 15th Place ($463,202)
Ivan Demidov opened for 330,000 from under the gun. He was called by both Chino Rheem and Joe Bishop before Owen Crowe moved all in for 1.84 million. Only Demidov made the call. Crowe was all in for his tournament life holding 99 against Ivan Demidov's AQ. The flop was a suspenseful one, running out JJ10 to give Demidov a gutshot to go with his overcards. It was the overcards that made his hand when the Q fell on the turn. Crowe was unable to find an 8 or a king to improve on the river, which was the 2. Crowe went home in 15th place, earning $463,202 for his efforts. Demidov raked in the pot, moving up to 5,400,000.
Player Tags: Owen Crowe, Chris Klodnicki, Joe Bishop
$10,000 Main Event - Day 7 - Level 29 (Hr. 2)
Jul 14, '08
Note: Players will be going on a 20 minute break. Play will resume at around 4:50
Blinds/Antes: 50,000-100,000-10,000
Players Remaining: 18 out of 6,844
Average Chip Stack: 7.6 million
Eliminations:
18th place - Jason Riesenberg - $334,535 19th place - Albert Kim - $257,334
20th place - Brandon Cantu - $257,334
21st place - Paul Snead - $257,334
Big Hands and Storylines:
Montgomery Gets Miracle and 11 Million Pot, Snead Eliminated in 21st ($257,334)
Paul Snead raised to 300,000 from the button and then called a reraise to 800,000 from Scott Montgomery in the big blind. The flop was JT3 and Montgomery bet 1.5 million. Then Snead raised to three million, and then Montgomery reraised all in for 1.76 million more. Snead took over five minutes to deliberate, and said multiple times he might have to call because of the odds he was getting and that he has outs. Then Tiffany Michelle called the clock, and as the tournament director counted down to one he called.
Snead: J7
Montgomery: A4
Incredibly, Montgomery tried to bluff Snead out of the hand when he would have to call if he hit the board in any way. With over 11 million chips on the line, the turn was the 8, meaning the A was no longer an out for Montgomery. But he caught the A on the river to the amazement of everyone at the table and in the crowd.
With about 400,000 chips left, Snead pushed all in with A-T and was up against Craig Marquis's A-K. The board didn't bring any help, and Snead will head out with a lot of money, but a lot of "what ifs" as well.
Cantu Can't Cut It - Eliminated in 20th Place ($257,334)
Peter Eastgate opened with a raise to 300,000, and Brandon Cantu shoved from the button for 2.3 million. Eastgate made the call, tabling AQ against Cantu's 99. The flop gave Cantu good reason to sweat, running out 863. The turn improved Cantu's chances of doubling up with the 8, but the 4 sealed his fate and sent him to the rail in 20th place. Eastgate climbed to over 9 million after the hand.
Tough Start for Rheem
Play was delayed for several minutes as players redrew their seat assignments once the field was narrowed down to the final two tables. Chino Rheem may wish they had delayed even longer, as he now sits behind the smallest stack in the tournament with only 2.3 million.
In a heads-up battle with Craig Marquis, Rheem greeted a preflop raise with a reraise to 450,000 which Marquis called. The flop came 953, and Marquis stepped out for 700,000. Rheem came over the top, raising to 1.7 million. Unafraid of the power move, Marquis then announced all-in, and Rheem was forced to lay his hand down.
The significant damage came a few hands later, however. Ivan Demidov raised to 300,000 from under the gun, and both Rheem and Joe Bishop made the call. The flop came J106, and after Demidov checked, Rheem bet 400,000. Bishop called and Demidov folded. The turn paired the board with the 6, and Rheem stabbed again with a 900,000 bet. Bishop then reraised to 2 million, and Rheem made the call. The Q on the river completed a potential flush draw, and Rheem checked. Bishop stepped out for 1.5 million and Rheem called. Bishop then showed him the bad news, 66 for quads hit on the turn.
Tiffany Michelle Gets No Respect
Jason Riesenberg raised to 275,000 from late position, and Tiffany Michelle reraised to 775,000 from the button. Scott Montgomery then moved all in from the big blind, forcing both players out of the pot.
On the very next hand, Tiffany Michelle opened with a raise to 300,000. She was called by both Dennis and Scott Montgomery in the small blind. Montgomery checked the flop of AKJ, and Tiffany continued firing, this time for 500,000. Dennis then reraised to a total of 1.3 million. Tiffany went into the tank for some time, but eventually surrendered the hand, dropping down to a total count of around 4.6 million.
Jason Riesenberg eliminated in 18th place ($334,534)
Jason Riesenberg raised to 275,000 and was called by Dennis Phillips and Dean Hamrick. The flop was QQ3 and Riesenberg bet 350,000. Only Hamrick called, and the 9 came on the turn. Riesenberg bet 675,000 and Hamrick again called. The river was the K and this time Riesenberg checked. Hamrick then moved all in and Riesenberg called all in. Hamrick showed pocket nines for a full house, and Riesenberg immediately sunk in his seat. He flipped over Q8 for trips, shook some hands and left the table.
Player Tags: Dean Hamrick, Paul Snead, Brandon Cantu, Tiffany Michelle, Peter Eastgate, Jason Riesenberg, Scott Montgomery, Joe Bishop
