Devin Porter made an all-in call when Francois Safieddine raised to $775,000. Porter flipped over A J and Safieddine turned over pocket sevens. The board was dealt 9 7 4 5 Q. Porter was eliminated in fourth place and took home a cool $139,794.
The money bubble has just been broken and the remaining 99 players in the $2,500 No Limit Hold 'Em event are guaranteed a prize ranging from $3,844 and $577,725.
The remaining field is littered with some big name players. We still have Mike Matusow along with Antonio Esfandiari, Chad Brown, John Phan, and Greg "FBT" Mueller.
Currently the chip leader is Devin Porter with about $130,000.
Play will continue tomorrow at 2 p.m. local time.Players will start a new level with $1,000/$2,000 blinds with a $200 ante.
Bonding Breaks $100,000
Posted: Mon, Jun 11, 07, 5:25 PM
Lars Bonding has broken the $100,000 chip mark in the $2,500 No Limit Hold 'Em tournament. Mike Matusow and Greg "FBT" Mueller also reside in the top ten. Right now blinds are at 600/1200 w/ 100 ante and 130 players remain. Currently the action is slowing as we approach the money bubble.
Mike Matusow was seen asking about the method of breaking tables as he expressed concern about his tough table draw. Sitting directly to Mike's left is Chad Brown and two to his left is Ming Ly.
There are still a handful of pros in the tournament such as, Daniel Alaei, John Phan, and Jonathan Little.
Introducing Karen Thomas
Posted: Mon, Jun 11, 07, 4:05 PM
Yesterday, we reported early on in the Ladies No Limit Hold'em Event on Jennifer "Jennicide" Leigh's elimination hand, and the antics involved. At the time we did not know who the player was, but we do now, and so does much of the Amazon room playing in the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em Event.
Her name is Karen Thomas, originally from Oklahoma, and she is creating excitement during one of the slower nights here at the Rio.
For more information on Karen Thomas and her elimination of Jennifer "Jennicide" Leigh, click here. www.cardplayer.com/tournaments/live_updates/7238/11295 Scroll down to the bottom of the page and view the update title "Let's All Hug."
Right before the break and color up, Thomas and her opponent were all-in. Thomas held Aces and her opponent held Kings. When she realized her hand had held up, another Thomas moment broke out. She stood up on her chair, hollering and screaming with excitement, and then turned around, flipping up her dress and flashing her rear to the approximately 25 people standing around the table.
Keep it tuned to CardPlayer.com for more updates and pretty much anything else that flips or comes up.
Matusow Still Climbing
Posted: Mon, Jun 11, 07, 3:13 PM
In the last couple of levels have seen and heard from Mike Matusow in a big way. He is second in chips as the tournament closes down on 210 players remaining. He was involved in a big hand when he got all-in with A8 in the blinds against in opponent's pocket kings. An ace hit the flop propelling mike's chip stack into the $55,000 range. Mike went on to say that he was "not going to get pushed around" and that he "likes to see the tables turned", when it comes to drawing out.
Some other notable pros still remaining in the tournament include: Humberto Brenes, Jim McManus, and Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier.
Dinner Break
Posted: Mon, Jun 11, 07, 12:32 PM
Today's $2,500 No Limit Hold 'Em tournament is now on dinner break. The players will return promptly at 9 p.m. and play will resume.
The final table of event 15, $1,500 No Limit Hold 'Em is being played today and Phil Hellmuth has a commanding chip lead and looks to pick up his record setting 11th World Series of Poker bracelet. This information is unbeknownst to most of the players and fans in the Amazon Room because the final table of this event has been sequestered behind a curtain and the action available only by paying a fee to view a webcast. There is a growing feeling of resentment amongst those who wish to see Hellmuth try to win his 11th bracelet and make poker history. Mike Matusow is both furious and saddened by this, saying "They ain't sequestering me! No way baby! Actually, I'm surprised that Phil's ego didn't bust through the curtains! Seriously though, this is one of the saddest things in the history of poker. No one is going to be able to see if Phil does it or not."
In what was most likely the biggest hand of this tournament, Scott Fischman and Mark Seif got it all in heads up. Fischman had pocket nines and Seif held pocket jacks. With a nine on the flop, Seif pushed all in for about $45,000. Fischman called and showed Seif his set. The turn bricked out and the river brought a jack for Seif and Fischman looked instantly ill. Seif is now the likely chip leader with around $100,000 heading into the dinner break. Fischman left the tournament area in disbelief.
The players are on a 15 minute following the completion of the last level. There are less than 330 players left and the money starts at 98. Official numbers and payouts have been posted in the payouts section.
Mike Matusow doubled up early in the round to around $20,000 and looked up from his stack saying, "this is torture man. Torture." Matusow continued to climb up the ranks of this tournament and now has $48,000, the result of a good call for a big pot. With the board showing J10410, Matusow's opponent pushed all in for $10,000. Matusow went into the tank for a long time and eventually called. Matusow turned over A-J for top two and his opponent showed the bluff and turned over A-9. The river was the 6 and Matusow took down the large pot, esentially doubling him up. After the hand Matusow said, "something just wasn't right. I figured hey, I've made wrong calls before, I'll make this one." Matusow's instincts were right and he now sits amongst the chip leaders.
Joe Sebok wasn't as fortunate as Matusow, having busted out in the last level. Sebok was card dead for much of the afternoon and found himself all in with pocket eights. His opponent held pocket jacks and when the board came 9-5-3-K-Q, Sebok never improved. Also eliminated this round were J.C. Tran, Young Phan, Michael Binger and Paul Wolfe.
Before his elimination, Paul Wolfe sat at a table that had been gathering a lot of attention. The never quiet Davood Mehrmand had gotten in the habit of berating the players at his table, especially the woman in the five seat. The floorman seemed to be posted at this table just to make sure nothing got out of hand. Tony Cousineau got into the act from the neighboring table, yelling at Paul Wolfe. "You got everything under control over there Paul?" asked Cousineau. Wolfe replied, "I'm just watchin him berate everyone at the table. It's ridiculous." During all this, John Esposito sat down at the table and immediately became concerned with the situation he was walking in to. "Honey, don't worry about that guy. (Mehrmand) He does this everywhere he goes. I'm not gonna stand for it. (To Mehrmand) You just be quiet!" Esposito commanded respect as he sat down. "I can't believe nobody stood up for her. You guys ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Don't worry honey, Uncle Johnny is here." The nonsense present at the table earlier seems to be calmed now that Esposito has arrived.
Play will resume following the break and continue for approximately one half of a level and the players will go on dinner break.
Level four of play has been completed and the players are now on a 15 minute break. The break came at a great time for Mike Matusow who lost almost $24,000 of his $35,000 stack in just a few hands. After paying off an opponent on the river, Matusow got involved in the following hand with an opponent in seat three. With a board of 1074 Matusow quickly bet out $2,500. His opponent in seat three popped him to $5,000 and Matusow reraised all in. The player in seat three took no time at all in calling and showed AK for the nut flush draw. Matusow showed K-K. The turn brought the J and the river was the 9. Matusow lost about $12,000 on the hand and fell very quiet. In a very calm, matter of fact tone Matusow finally said, "Why wouldn't you go all in on a draw for $12,000 in the $100-$200 level." Matusow was left with around $12,000 after the hand. See what Matusow has to say about his day thus far in our Pro Blogs section.
David Benyamine was nowhere to be found in the last level. Benyamine was seen exiting the tournament area and leaving his chip stack behind. In his absence his table broke and tournament officials left a note in his empty seat telling him where his table broke. His table broke again and another note was left. Hopefully Benyamine can return from whatever pulled him away before his stack is blinded off.
Kirk Morrison was eliminated when he pushed all in on a flop of 987 with 8-6. His opponent called and showed J:-10 for the flopped straight. The turn was the 3 and the river was the 4. Morrison joins the long list of notable players to have been busted out of today's field.
Dustin "Neverwin" Woolf was able to stay alive and double up to around $5,000. Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier bet out $600 and was called by Dustin "Neverwin" Woolf. The flop came QQJ and Grospellier checked. Woolf pushed all in for his last $1,350. Grospellier called and showed A7 and Woolf had 109. The 6 hit on the turn and the river was the 6, doubling Woolf up.
Tex Barch and Allen Cunningham, fresh off his fifth World Series bracelet win last night, have been eliminated.
A veritable plethora of big name pros bit the dust during the past hour. At the very end of level two Johnny Chan was all in with an open-ended straight draw, a flush draw and two over cards against Melissa Hayden's pocket sixes. Hayden's hand held up, and Chan was eliminated.
Jeff Madsen took a big hit this level and was left with only $1,600 following this hand. From the cutoff, the player in seat three makes it $600 and Madsen calls from the small blind. The flop came KJ8. Madsen checked and the player in seat three bet out $1,500. Madsen raised to $9,500 and the player in seat three responded by calling, and pushing all in. Madsen turned over A9 and was on the flush draw. His opponent in seat three showed K7 for top pair. The turn was the 2 and the river (4) couldn't bring a club for Madsen either.
Kevin "BeLOWaBOVe" Saul took a crippling hit as well this level. With the board showing K107 Saul bet out $2,300. The player in seat six pushed all in for $3,075 more. Saul made the call and had K10 for top two. His opponent in the six seat showed 1010 for middle set. The turn was the 2 and the river was the A. Saul was left with less than $600 after the hand.
Michael Mizrachi was crippled after he pushed in preflop with the 8 8 and got called by a player with the A 10, which made broadway on the turn and left Mizrachi drawing dead. Mizrachi busted soon after.
Other notables eliminated include Phil Laak, Sorel Mizzi, Freddy Deeb, Nick Cassavetes, Amnon Filippi, David Ulliot, and Erick Lindgren.
Make sure to check back every hour for more updates and Pro Blogs here at Cardplayer.com.
After only the first two levels, a number of pros have been eliminated from the $2,500 No-Limit event. Jaime Gold was down to $200 late in the first level and doubled up to survive. Despite his efforts, he did eventually bust this level. Eric Lynch was all in with A Q against the Q Q of an opponent. Although he picked up a straight draw on the turn, Lynch did not improve and was eliminated.
Isabelle Mercier got involved in an interesting hand. She raised $550 preflop from late position and got one caller. The flop brought the J 4 4. After her opponent checked, Mercier bet out $1,200. He called, and the A fell on the turn. Both players checked and the 8 came on the river. After her opponent checked again, Mercier pushed her last $2,775 into the middle. After a moments thought, her opponent called with the A 2. Mercier revealed the K 8, for a bluff with king high, and she was sent to the rail.
Dan Harmetz, Mark Seif and Mike Matusow have not busted, but rather are off to very strong starts. Matusow rolled his chip stack up to around $12,000, while Harmetz already has more than $16,000. Seif had an opponent all in preflop with 10 10 against K-J. When the board bricked off, Seif increased his stack to around $14,000. Though there is still a lot of action to come, these early leaders have to feel good about their pace coming out of the gate.
Make sure to check back for more hourly updates and Pro Blogs here at Cardplayer.com.
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