| Buy-In: | $5,000 |
|---|---|
| Prize Pool: | $1,750,850 |
| Entrants: | 361 |
Was there ever any doubt in his mind? Well, at one point during this four-day tournament, he was all-in with pocket jacks against someone else's pocket queens, and he was the short stack. When the flop came with three rags, he thought to himself, "This can't happen. I'm supposed to win this tournament, so I'll have to catch a jack." Sure enough, a jack appeared on the turn to double him up rather than sending him home.
According to one poker expert (none other than Mike Sexton), Arnold Spee played very solid poker at the final table, avoiding risks and crazy plays, but making the right moves at the right times. The only time at the Final Table that he really needed to catch a card was on the last hand, and even then he had enough chips to absorb the damage if his card didn't come.
Blair Rodman deserves congratulations for second place, as he is a highly respected tournament player who just hasn't been featured on TV to date, and he played great poker throughout the tournament. He certainly would like to have won, but his second-place finish here should give him the respect of the public, to match the respect he already receives from his poker-playing peers.
Remember to check back with CardPlayer.com for an event report and plenty of great photos of all the Final Table action.
Blair Rodman is eliminated in second place, and he earns $327,815.
Arnold Spee wins the 2005 World Poker Challenge at the Reno Hilton, winning $638,380, and a $25,000 seat in the WPT World Championship later this month at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
1. Arnold Spee - $2,600,000
2. Blair Rodman - $1,000,000
6:56 pm - The blinds increase to $40,000-$80,000, with a $10,000 ante. That should speed things up a bit, putting $140,000 into each pot before anybody calls, and when both players limp, it's $180,000 in the pot.
The black curtains behind the stage spread open like barn doors, and a horse-drawn stagecoach marches out into the arena, marching right up to a cowgirl who reigns in the horses. Shana Hiatt approaches the carriage, and out steps a cowboy with a shotgun, guarding the prize money. He is quickly followed by two gorgeous cowgirls dressed in outfits that weren't around back in the 1800s. When Mike Sexton comments about how hard it must be to get horses in the studio, Vince Van Patten says, "Who's looking at the horses?"
The two cowgirls carry saddlebags filled with money to the final table, and pour $638,380 out onto the table. There are a few hoots and hollers from the men in the crowd as the girls strut back to the horse-drawn stagecoach, and the entire stagecoach exits the arena. You'll definitely want to return to CardPlayer.com tomorrow for pictures of this money presentation.
But now it's back to poker, as this tournament is heads up between Blair Rodman and Arnold Spee.
As we go to heads-up action with Blair Rodman against Arnold Spee, here are the chip counts:
1. Arnold Spee - $2,220,000
2. Blair Rodman - $1,390,000
6:09 pm - A Tough Laydown for Phil Ivey
Arnold Spee makes the minimum raise, doubling the big blind to $50,000, and Phil Ivey calls. The flop comes 10-6-4, and both players check. The turn card is an 8, and Spee bets $150,000, and Ivey calls. The river card is a queen, and Spee pushes all in. Ivey thinks for a very long time, before folding. As Spee waits for the pot to be pushed to him, the crowd starts chanting "Show it! Show it!" Spee complies, revealing pocket aces. Ivey says he was beat.
6:17 pm - Approximate Chip Counts
1. Phil Ivey - $1,540,000 (seat 6)
2. Arnold Spee - $1,300,000 (seat 3)
3. Blair Rodman - $770,000 (seat 2)
6:20 pm - Blair Rodman v. Phil Ivey
Blair Rodman raises the big blind to $150,000, and Phil Ivey pushes all in. Rodman calls so quickly that Ivey knows he is in trouble when he shows his pocket sixes. Rodman flips over pocket queens, and Ivey needs help from the board. The flop comes J-9-4 rainbow, so Ivey is down to two outs. The turn and river fall 2-Q, making Rodman an unnecessary set, and he doubles up through Phil Ivey.
6:21 pm - Approximate Chip Counts
1. Blair Rodman - $1,500,000 (seat 2)
2. Arnold Spee - $1,200,000 (seat 3)
3. Phil Ivey - $800,000 (seat 6)
5:50 pm - Chip Counts After the Break
1. Phil Ivey - $1,401,000 (seat 6)
2. Arnold Spee - $1,282,000
3. Blair Rodman - $1,060,000
There's more post-flop play with only four players left, and the audience is starting to really get into it. Phil Ivey is still the clear fan favorite, with cheers for his every move, and big cheers for every pot he takes down.
4:42 pm - Michael Yoshino and Phil Ivey see a flop of Jc-10s-4s, and Yoshino bets $40,000, and Ivey calls. The turn pairs the board with the 4d, and both players check. The river card double pairs the board with the 10h, and Yoshino bets out for $100,000. Ivey folds.
4:46 pm - Three players see a flop of Ad-5c-2h, but a $100,000 bet by Michael Yoshino narrows it down to two as only Blair Rodman calls. The turn card is the Jh, putting two hearts on the board, and Rodman bets out this time, and Yoshino calls. The river card is the 5h, putting a possible runner-runner flush out there, and Yoshino bets $300,000 after Rodman checks. Rodman folds and Yoshino takes down a very large pot.
4:50 pm - Approximate Chip Counts
1. Michael Yoshino - $1,500,000 (seat 4)
2. Arnold Spee - $850,000 (seat 3)
3. Blair Rodman - $600,000 (seat 2)
4. Phil Ivey - $570,000 (seat 6)
4:57 pm - Phil Ivey v. Michael Yoshino
After a flop of 8d-4d-2h, Phil Ivey bets $80,000, and Michael Yoshino raises that $100,000 more. Ivey thinks for a while before pushing all in for $254,000 more, and Yoshino reluctantly calls. Ivey shows 8s-6d for top pair, and Yoshino shows Ah-2d for bottom pair. The turn and river come 4c-10s, and Phil Ivey doubles up through Michael Yoshino. Ivey is perfectly calm as the river card falls, but the crowd erupts into the loudest cheer of the night.
5:06 pm - After a flop of 9-6-3, Blair Rodman checks, Michael Yoshino bets $100,000, and Rodman raises it $140,000 more. Yoshino folds.
5:10 pm - A 4-Way Family Pot
All four players limp in to see a flop of Q-6-5. Blair Rodman checks, Arnold Spee checks, and Michael Yoshino checks. Phil Ivey thinks a while before betting $150,000, and after Rodman folds, Spee raises it $300,000 more. Yoshino folds, and Ivey mucks his cards. Arnold Spee takes down the pot.
5:11 pm - Blinds Increase to $15,000-$30,000, with a $3,000 ante
5:17 pm - Blair Rodman v. Michael Yoshino
Blair Rodman pushes all in preflop, and he's quickly called by Michael Yoshino. Yoshino shows pocket kings, and Rodman flips over A-Q of hearts. The flop offers no help, falling 10c-6c-4s, but the turn card is a queen. Rodman needs to catch a queen or an ace to avoid elimination, and the crowd reacts loudly as a queen falls on the river, taking a few moments to build up to thunderous applause. Blair Rodman doubles up through Michael Yoshino to about $1,500,000.
Chapic shows A-J, but isn't happy when Rodman shows A-K, dominating him. Carlson is feeling pretty good with his pocket sevens, especially after a flop of Q-9-6. But the turn card is a king, putting Rodman way out in front. The river is a queen, and two players are eliminated on the same hand by Blair Rodman.
Because Mark Chapic had fewer chips at the start of the hand, he finishes in 6th place, earning $60,387. Russ Carlson finishes in 5th place, earning $77,641.
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