blonde poker forum

Play will commence at 12pm (8pm Uk Time)

27 players left including Mr Roland de Wolfe.

Be there or be square.

Can Hua -- 760,000
Thomas Wahlroos -- 1,847,000
Guy Laliberte -- 1,232,000
Adeeb Harb -- 735,000
Kirk Morrison -- 2,980,000
Jimmy Tran -- 458,000
Grant Lang -- 1,201,000

Raymond Davis -- 274,000
David Baker -- 483,000
Jake Minter -- 1,568,000
Loi Phan -- 1,007,000
Ben Johnson -- 1,280,000
Carlos Mortensen -- 2,429,000
Mike Wattel -- 1,060,000

Tommy Vu -- 830,000
Paul Lee -- 3,740,000
Scott Fischman -- 1,268,000
Robert Wazelle -- 284,000
James Worth -- 556,000
Paul Wasicka -- 581,000
Thien Phan -- 1,273,000

Richard Anthony -- 755,000
Tom Pniak -- 270,000
Sorel Mizzi -- 2,256,000
Phil Hellmuth -- 738,000
Roland de Wolfe -- 460,000
David Levi -- 1,258,000

1st   $3,970,415*
2nd  $2,011,135
3rd   $1,082,920
4th    $696,220
5th    $464,110
6th    $309,405
7th    $278,465
8th    $247,525
9th    $216,585
10th   $185,645
11th-15th   $154,705
16th-20th   $123,760
21st-30th    $92,820

Well, I've lost Praz, but my other two picks are still there, so they'll stay the same...

Sorel Mizzi
Phil Hellmuth
Thomas Wahlroos

Mortensen
Hellmuth
Fischman

Mizzi
Helmuth
Fischman

My ideal final table would be:

Phil Hellmuth
Roland de Wolfe
Thomas Wahlroos
Sorel Mizzi
Carlos Mortensen
Robert Wazelle

That'd be fun to watch.  ;sark;

mortensen
wasicka
mizzi

Just caught up with yesterday's updates...........what great updates as ever............by the way Snoopy did you manage to rescue Camel's $300 lol.
Just glanced through the remaining players and have noticed that Paul Wasicka appears to reached the final 27 under the radar, with 500k he certainly could be dangerous as for others obviously Roland & Carlos must be respected with their previous experience and these 3 are my 3 picks/boks to final table.
I'm also looking forward to seeing poker brat suffer a bad beat elimination and expect the TV coverage will contain many bleeps when that occurs.

My three picks from yesterday are all still in...so atleast I didn't jinx them immediatly

Fishman

De Wolfe

Carlos Mortensen

David Levi

Grant Lang

Mizzi

David Baker    :D

Snoopy some nice T.V time on cardplayer on the video with Kirk Morrison u put in a cameo role just walkin!! Bet u didt even notice camera lol

Kirk is a sound bloke and took a good few years out the game, good to see him back and going deep, just hope he can stay off the craps after he picks up his prizemoney.

 Roland and wasicka have to be the players of the last 12 months though as they always seem to be there at the business end (wasicka has had a few results but only seems to perform in the biggest events). Would be great to have roland on another final table

My picks ...

Wasicka
De Wolfe
and
Mizzi

Not sure if De Wolfe's pushes will get him back in contention - really interested in seeing what the best pushes are and from what position to double up when deep in a tournament.

e.g. Push QQ vs AK

Push AQ vs 99

Trap AA v J10 suited

Anyone know of any analysis of late position small stack, large stack pushes in tournaments like this?

At a guess i'd say Bill Chen and Jarrad Ankerman's Mathmatics of Poker may well contain what you're after, I know they've got a jam and fold table in there for heads up (a bit like Lee Jones' Sage System article by all accounts)
I do own the book but am yet to get past the first chapter as it's heavy going.

Anyone own it and know for sure? I know The Camel was singing its praises a while back on THM

We're back in the Fontana room, which is completely empty apart from the Final Table....




...of the Media Tournament which we slept through this morning.  Oops.


Two of my Day One picks are still in: Thien 'Tim' Phan and Roland de Wolfe.
I will pick Scott Fischman as well.  Good luck them lot and the rest of the final 27.

I will go for the tricast of roland, wasicka and kirk.

Hi peeps, we're not too far from kick-off here, I'd go for 10 minutes.

A tired Beagle sits before you today, fresh off doing his bollox in the Orleans' cash game last night.

If I had one tip for Vegas, it would be to work out whether or not you're playing for fun or to earn some money...

Here is the seat draw for Day Five (Thanks Benjo):

Table 61

Thomas Wahlroos 1,847,000
Carlos Mortensen 2,429,000
Paul Lee 3,601,000
Richard Anthony 775,000
Robert Wazelle 284,000
Sorel Mizzi 2,256,000
Adeeb Harb 735,000
David Baker 983,000
James Worth 556,000

Table 62

Phil Hellmuth 738,000
Benjamin Johnson 1,280,000
Grant Lang 1,201,000
Mike Wattel 1,060,000
Can Hua 760,000
David Levi 1,258,000
Paul Wasicka 581,000
Tommy Vu 830,000
Kirk Morrison 2,980,000

Table 59

Roland DeWolfe 460,000
Guy Laliberte 1,232,000
Thien Phan 1,273,000
Tom Pniak 270,000
Scott Fischman 1,268,000
Loi Phan 1,007,000
Jimmy Tran 458,000
Jake Minter 1,568,000
Raymond Davis 274,000

Bang. And they're off!!!

Blinds 12k/24k ante 3k

Robert Wazelle had to make a move pretty quickly, and I think it was the first hand he found Ad 9c, but unfortunately also a caller in chip leader Paul Lee, who held Aspades Jc... The board came Nine-free and we have our 27th place finisher (money:  $92,820) in the mountain-dwelling tie-dye afficionado, who would have been the most unconventional finalist in history had he made the end of day... 

Pic - Roland de Wolfe:  Short but not short like Wazelle... he's found a hat with a 'TW' logo on it, and got Thomas Wahlroos to sign it.  "To my favourite Wolfe..." 
Snoopy, "How many does he know?"
Roland, "Just one, obviously."

And the action continues, Phil Hellmuth locking horns with Grant Lang, a pre-flop raise and a flat call from Hellmuth leading to both players seeing a Flop of Aspades Ts Qc

Hellmuth checked, Lang bet 100k, Hellmuth made it 200k and Lang called.

Turn = Ahrt

Check, check.

River = 5d

Hellmuth bets 250k and Lang calls.

Hellmuth = Th Tc

Lang = Ac Ks

Nicely done from Phil (although imagine what could have happened if he'd bet that Turn), who chuckles as he receives a few "wooooooos" from railbird John Bonetti: "That's my kid. Sorry folks, don't mean to be rude, but I gotta support my boy."

Honestly, it's like an episode of the Sopranos with this guy on the sidelines.

Roland de Wolfe is OUT.

Jimmy Tran made a standard pre-flop raise (blinds 12k/24k) and Roland moved all-in from the big blind for 340k.

Jimmy took a surprisingly long time before calling with Ahrt Kc, well ahead of Roland's Ad Jc.

Board = 2s Kd 4h 9h 8d

Roland went out smiling.

 ;flushy;

From what I've witnessed of Paul Lee this week, he sure is getting his fair share of good fortune, the latest example of this being in his elimination of the highly rated Adeeb Harb.

All-in with Ac Ad on a 2c Qc Tc Flop, Adeeb looked to be in tip top shape against Paul Lee's Ks Qh, but when the Turn brought the Qd there were a few pain expressions from the rail, which then turned to looks of sympathy as the unfortunate Hadb missed his flush draw on the 8s River.

Oooooooooooh, that's gotta hurt.

;om;

Incredibly, booder is STILL in.  :o

Big hand for T.W.  -

Fourway flop of Th 4h 9d.  Sorel Mizzi, first to act, bets out 200k.  Action to Thomas Wahlroos, with Mortensen and Anthony still behind him.  He thinks for a long while, then says, "Raise - 600k," pushing in three stacks of blue 10k chips.  Carlos thinks for a good few minutes, everything freezes (including him) and he eventually lets it go.  Anthony's decision is easier, and so, apparently, is Sorel's - "All in." 
Thomas is covered, but decides to go for the gamble - he knows his 9h 6h isn't currently the best hand...and indeed Sorel has played another sneaky set, this time holding 9c 9s.

Turn: Ks
River:  Jh

"Sick," predictably comments Wahlroos, as he scoops the biggest pot of the tournament, propelling him into second place chipwise.

Raymond Davis (one of the objectors to playing on last night, incidentally, and breaking at 6pm when they reached 27) just doubled his short stack through with Jd Jh against Jimmy Tran's Ac Qh.
Flop:  5d 2d 3d and he must have started to relax..the K-9 turn and river did absolutely nothing and he's back in it.

Oh I do love Phil Hellmuth and I'll be genuinely disappointed when he exits this comp, his latest oral delight being with regards to the big hand he won against Grant Lang: "It's lucky I didn't stop to sign those autographs outside or it would have cost 550k."  ;D

Hellmuth is now on 2,150,000

Paul Wasicka eliminated in 24th place ($92,820):

He was all in with A-T preflop, called by Kirk Morrison (pictured).  The board: K-4-2-4-7.  We are astounded by how quickly it's all going now...but as it has been pointed out before, the WPT structures, while extraordinary earlier on, get progressively worse until the final table, which is generally not so far different from 'regular' tournament endings, goes at a pretty brisk trot.

Uh-oh, I've bokked him!

Dave Baker is OUT.

All-in with 9d 8d versus. Carlos Mortensen's Ad 7h on a Flop of 6h 7c 8h

Turn = Jd

River = Aspades

Baker storms off, Mortensen slams down his hand, stopping just before the felt.

"That's why you shouldn't play against the big stacks," preaches Mortensen after the hand.

Tommy Vu raises it up pre-flop, Kirk Morrison calls.

Flop = 5d 4d 2h

Vu checks, Morrison bets 4 red ones (4x25=100k) and Vu dips into the think tank.

Below is the moment Vu dwelt up, intriguingly all smiles, as was Kirk, joking and laughing with his opponent he'd just bet 100k against.

Vu eventually folded and Kirk took the pot, but honestly, you wouldn't think they were playing for 4 million sometimes.

And here is Thomas Wahlroos after that recent double up...

(http://www.fancydress.com/shop/product-file/53/devi98953/product.jpg)

Weirdly, we have a Thomas, a Tommy, a Tom and a Tim.

That could be fun for Mike and Vince come final table time.

Rough Chip Counts from Table That's Why I'm Hellmuth:

Phil Hellmuth    1,800,000
Benjamin Johnson  1,150,000
Grant Lang         650,000
Mike Wattel      1,030,000
Can Hua           1,300,000
Tommy Vu        640,000
Kirk Morrison     1,600,000

Yes, Can Hua's stack is larger, doubled in fact - it happened just now, like this:

Phil Hellmuth raised preflop, Can Hua pushed in over the top, and Kirk Morrison was the one who announced "Call," fast as you like.
Kirk:  Ahrt Kh
Can:  4c 4h

Flop:  7d Jd 9d
Turn:  Js
River:  2s

Table Eggman:

Thomas Wahlroos -- 3,110,000
Carlos Mortensen -- 3,200,000
Paul Lee -- 4,640,000
David Levi -- 1,145,000
Sorel Mizzi -- 895,000
James Worth -- 475,000

Tom Pniak doubles up off Tim Phan, Nines v Sevens, harmless 3-Q-6-6-8 board, although I'm sure Tom didn't appreciate the River being 'in the ballpark'.

Phan down to around 1 mil.

Paul Lee is your current chip leader with "close to 6 million".

Yep, that's circa 3 million bucks.

Wowzer!  ;sark;

Third Table's Counts:

Guy Laliberte    920,000
Thien Phan      860,000
Tom Pniak       580,000
Scott Fischman  1,200,000
Loi Phan          690,000
Jimmy Tran      1,640,000
Jake Minter      1,470,000
Raymond Davis   330,000

You may have noticed Jimmy Tran's stacks getting progressively higher - he's won a few medium sized pots, like one where he called in position against Tim Phan until the board read:  Qh 5h 8h Ks Ts.  On the river, Tim bet 150k, and faced an immediate raise of 300k.  "I would against anybody else," Phan says as he folds - he's rewarded for his discipline with a glimpse of Tran's Ahrt 3h. 

Plus, Jimmy Tran (pictured) has a railbird bunch who clap and cheer (at a polite level) whenever he wins a pot.  There aren't many of them, but they make their presence known - Raymond Davis commenting, "The Jimmy Tran fan club is up to three..." after he won the last pot.

Great entertainment from Table Hellmuth, and guess what, it was a result of Hellmuth.

With the Flop reading 7s Kc 8h and the banter flowing like Guinness in Dublin, Phil bets 70k only to watch Tommy Vu check-raise to 140k.

"I think I'm gonna end up all-in on this hand, but I'll make it another 70k for now."

"They're playing Limit poker over here," announces the er... announcer.

"Why you doing this to me, Phil?" begs Vu.

"Come on, if you've got trip eights, just stick it in and let's go, baby," adds Hellmuth.

"I think you're testing me," says a semi-confident Vu as he makes it yet another 70k.

Phil Hellmuth, clearly frustrated, decides that he's not going all-in this hand after all and folds what he claims were Queens.

"There's no way you had Queens there," observes Vu. "You'd put me all-in with my little chips if you had Queens."

"I'm gonna get you in the next 30 minutes," threatens an angered Poker Brat. "Just you wait, you're mine baby, you're mine."

What planet does this guy live on?!  :dontask:

Short stacked since the beginning of the day, Raymond Davis is now non-stacked, finishing 22nd, winning $92,820.

He held Ac Kc and was called by Guy Laliberte (all in preflop) who held Js Jh.
Flop:  Aspades 9h 5c 
Turn:  What's the most interesting card that could come here?  Yep - the Jc
River:  2d  killing the nicely-developed tension and sending Raymond to the rail as it came face-up.

Can Hua vs. Ben Johnson: 
Can under the gun betting out 120k on the turn: 7s Qc Td Qd the board.  Call from Button Ben.
River:  Ks  Can bets out 150k, call again.  Can has the 9h Jh... "Straight is good," wearily comments Ben, mucking his hand.  They're both very calm; it's like all the emotion on the table has been attracted to the Hellmuth vortex.  He was still talking about that hand Snoopy reported while this one was going on...

To the elation of his onlooking fans, Jimmy Tran has just eliminated veteran Tom Pniak, who finished in a highly commendable 21st place.

Shortstacked, but still able to afford a pre-flop raise without pushing, Pniak raised it up from late position with Jh Tc, only for Tran to call from the big blind.

Flop = Ac Aspades Ahrt

Jimmy checks, Pniak bets 70k and Jimmy smooth calls.

Turn  = 6d

Both players check.

River = Js

Tran announces all-in leaving the decision on Pniak for the 290k chips in front of him and his tournament life in this year's WPT Final.

"This'll be a tough one to fold," reports Pniak, and it clearly was as he eventually decides to call, showing Jh Tc in the process.

In celebratory fashion, Jimmy rises from his seat, shouts out his own name and reveals Ahrt 3d for quads.

Evening folks, respect for updates Snoop and Jen. Who are we rooting for?

Hellmuth really is a sausage jockey, i feel embarassed that my 1st poker book was his.

Now down to 673k exactly, Ben Johnson moves it all in preflop over the top of Kirk Morrison.  Morrison dwells for exactly 4mins 35 seconds (I know because the hand started just before they announced the current 15 minute break). 
"If I had a different stack, this would be an easy laydown," Kirk mutters, in what looks like physical discomfort.
"I can't hear you" says Ben, removing an ipod earphone.
"Call," says Kirk, in reply...
Ben Johnson shows Ks Kh
Kirk Morrison shows Aspades Kd, banging the table in annoyance when he sees how likely he his to be about to lose a big chunk of his stack.

Flop:  Qs 8h Jc
Turn:  7c
River:  Ad  People in the audience actually flinched.

Benjamin Johnson is eliminated in 20th place, winning $123,760

Gooooooooo Hellmuth!!!  ;cheerleader; ;cheerleader; ;cheerleader;

Past picked Tim Phan and today, Scott Fischman.  But Wahlroos is golden so he's going on the list (plus it tops it back to three).  Saw him in the break, he said, "The eggman will never complain again."

The players are now back after the first 15 minute break of the day.

Rock and roll!

Straight off the bat, the short-stacking are bumping and grinding, first Tommy Vu moving all-in from the big blind after Hellmuth and Hua limped (the latter in the small) and then James Worth, pushing from the small blind and forcing Thomas Wahlroos to release his bag of spanners.

Phil Hellmuth makes it 70k pre-flop, Can Hua re-raises to 170k, Phil folds.

"So is that how it's going to be, Can," asks Phil.

Can shows Pocket Cowboys.

"Oh."

Cardplayer ask Ben Johnson if will undertake an interview with them, to which he responds, "As long as you stop saying I'm from Alabama."

Classic  *g

Kirk Morisson bets into a 5h 2c Ks Flop and Phil Hellmuth quickly calls.

Turn = 6d

Kirk checks, Phil bets 120k and Kirk folds, although he did ask for a countdown, which I believe was around the 500k mark.

Phil shows Kh Jh and says, "Well you might have been bluffing, but I can guarantee that I wouldn't have insta-called."

Hellmuth on Vu:

"I'm not gonna get him, he's gonna get himself against me. I don't get people, they get themselves, that's how it works."

Poor old Sorel Mizzi - he just can't get a hand to hold up.  Another favourable situation for the online-trained aggressor - this time holding pocket Jacks against David Levi, a shortstack who pushed on a 8-6-5 flop with 8-9.
Turn:  Q
River:  8 

Their chips level out, about a million for Mizzi, about 900k for Levi, and Sorel looks like, what's that Snoopy always says, a wasp chewing a nettle?  (see pictures)

All day, the TD's have been ushering onlookers out of the media area and back onto the rail, until, of course, people like Johnny Chan and Joe Hachem waltz in. They can seemingly watch from anywhere they like, which seems a tad unfair to me.

However, my question is this, what is the fame cut-off as to who is the least famous player to be able to have these privileges?  ;carlocitrone;

Picture of Johnny Chan railing Phil Hellmuth? :)

Loi Phan is eliminated in 19th place...

The majority of his chips are all in on the turn with the board:  Aspades 2c 7h 7s... that's when we heard the shout, "All in and a call!" which attracts the press like ants to Nutella.  So I don't know whether Loi had flopped two pair with his Ahrt 2h, but Guy Laliberte's Kc 7c was now comfortably in front, and he was the caller, and, when the 4c came on the river, the eliminator of one of the early days' chip frontrunners.

Redraw for two tables...

The clock is now paused with 18 players left, but moments before they froze the screen, Grant Lang doubled up off Can Hua with A-J vs. Tens, Jack on the Turn.

Grant punches the air, but he doesn't whoop and holler, which has been a welcome theme to this year's event, with the exception of Mr Hellmuth who tends not hold back.

15k/30k blinds, 4k ante. 

Hellmuth really makes blogging easy sometimes, most recently winning a pot with Queens on a J-9-J-8 board, subsequently announcing, "Oh come on guys, this is Phil Hellmuth, I don't put 100 dimes in the pot with nothing."

I saw Bruno Fitoussi among the commoners, so I guess he doesn't make the cut.

Phil Hellmuth is OUT.

Check-raising Thomas Wahlroos' 300k bet on ten high flop, but swiftly called by The Finnish star.

Flop = 6s 2h 8c

Hellmuth = Jc Jd

Wahlroos = Ahrt Ad

Turn = 5c

River = 9s

"I got taken out by a guy who plays 9-6," moans Hellmuth as he leaves the table.

Neither, I'm just wondering what credentials you have to have to be allowed to wander aimlessly around the table as if you own the casino.

Oh yeah, Isabelle Mercier doesn't make the cut either.

This is the best railers picture I have...

Yes, farewell Hellmuth (pictured top) and hello monster stack for Wahlroos (pictured bottom) - the pinkish chips are new today and 25k each.  The press are wary of approaching Phil at the moment, but we did see one plucky lady interviewing him right by the table after his elimination.  He was still fixating on the eggman's escape with that top-pair-flush-draw 9-6 earlier.  "He was supposed to be gone three hours ago...but he had the best hand against me.  The guy tried to bust himself..."  But he ended up busting you, Phil.  Life's not fair, sometimes.

Thanks man :) I wonder how long it takes before Phil says he put him on aces but couldnt fold jacks

David Levi -- 785,000
Jake Minter -- 840,000
Thomas Wahlroos -- 5,150,000
Paul Lee -- 6,790,000
James Worth -- 300,000
Can Hua -- 1,250,000

Counts from Table Jimmy Tran Fan Club:

Guy Laliberte    2,600,000+
Tommy Vu      1,050,000
Sorel Mizzi        1,085,000
Mike Wattel     1,350,000
Carlos Mortensen  1,760,000
Richard Anthony  400,000
Scott Fischman   885,000
Jimmy Tran        2,220,000
Kirk Morrison      3,000,000

I don't think Phil would like to tell people "I couldn't fold Jacks."  Incidentally, he has his own brand of energy drink, which tastes like a fruitier redbull without the wincingly sharp aftertaste we've all taught ourselves to love.  It's called Pro Player - pictured below - with a small PH symbol on the side, tagged, "A Phil Hellmuth product."  9/10 players prefer caffeine...see Marcel Luske below, modeling said Product.

Action has slowed down somewhat, I guess the idea that we're into the nitty gritty and the really big prizes has tightened people up.

Either way, still 17 players remaining.

oops

we have an all-in...

Yes, 200kish counts as a very short stack, and it belonged to Richard Anthony, all-in with Tc Td against Scott Fischman's Ac Jh.
Flop:  Qs 2d 7h
Turn:  6d
River:  Jh  So we lose Richard Anthony in 17th place - he wins $123,760 (pictured standing, while Scott stacks his stack in his stack)

We're now on another 15 minute break, but just beforehand, Carlos Mortensen won a nice pot off online supremo, Sorel Mizzi check caling a 150k bet on a board of 3c 5c 3s 6d before checking the 8d River down and winning with Aspades Th vs. Ahrt 9s.

A relief really, as no one wanted to see the Mortensen stack come to an end.

Righteo, they're back from the break.

16 left, 10 more to go.

how many watching from the rail guys....

Table Eggman:

Grant Lang -- 885,000
Tim Phan -- 880,000
David Levi -- 1,060,000
Jake Minter -- 625,000
Thomas Wahlroos -- 5,500,000
Paul Lee -- 6,400,000
James Worth 190,000
Can Hua -- 990,000

James Worth is OUT.

Leaving himself with just over a pot raise, Krazy Kanuck (as he is referred to by the announcer and the back of his hockey shirt), moves all-in from early position for 160k.

Tim Phan makes the minimum raise and reveals Tens when everyone else moves out of the road.

"This is where I need it," exclaims a begging Worth as he slams down his Eights.

However, nothing of use came as the board dealt out a rainbow K-Q-9-4-6.

The rail's about two or three rows deep, but we can nip round the other side.

David Levi has dropped down to 400k. I didn't catch the full betting pattern, but I did arrive in time to see him call a 400k River bet from Wahlroos on a Js Ts Jd 9d Jh, the Eggman showing a clinical Ad Jc to take down the pot.

This kid just doesn't catch a break...  ;whistle;

did anyone ask phil hellmuth why he didnt dodge the bullets cause he keeps telling everyone that he can

Now that he has tidied his stack up to a more countable structure, I can report that Carlos Mortensen has between 1,6 and 1.7 million in chips.

Carlos Mortensen's stack has been threatened twice more in direct succession - the first hand saw him raise under the gun to 120k and get called by both Kirk Morrison and button Tommy Vu.  His bet out on the Ahrt Qd Kd flop of 300k (leaving him around 500k behind - an estimate asked for by Tommy, who insisted, "Just a guess!  Don't count..." won him that one and then...

Then next hand Sorel Mizzi raised when it passed to him on the button.  Now, necessarily, Carlos is in the big blind, and re-raises.  All-in...Call!  It takes an understandably long time to work out who covers whom - the TD must despair when he sees Carlos going deep - but it's Sorel Mizzi with his tournament life on the line.  Sorel has Jh Jd but he's walked into Carlos Mortensen's Kc Ks. 
A flop of Kd 9c 4s looks bleak for Sorel...and it is - the Ahrt on the turn brings what must have been a frustrating day for the Canadian to an end.  But the end is 15th place in the WPT Championship and $154,705.  After his success at the Irish Open just weeks beforehand, he's probably planning his next high-buy-in tournament stop already.

You may have noticed that at 15th the prize money jumped again, so here's another recap:

1st   $3,970,415
2nd  $2,011,135
3rd   $1,082,920
4th    $696,220
5th    $464,110
6th    $309,405
7th    $278,465
8th    $247,525
9th    $216,585
10th   $185,645
11th-15th   $154,705

They'll be playing all the way down to Six today, so once again we're prepared for a less walk-in-the-park short day.  I've prepared personally by getting in a good few cans of ProPlayer for later.  It's the Gingko, Green Tea Extract, Caffeine and lots and lots of sugar which get me through.   :)up

Jake Minter makes his last short stand with 7-8, all in preflop against the pocket Tens of Thomas 'I'll never complain again' Wahlroos which were happy to take him on...  No change, or real drama from the board cards, and an expressionless Minter heads out in 14th place, collecting $154,705.

Although there was departing action on the other table, the following confrontation between Guy Lalliberte, who has slipped under the radar somewhat today, and early pace setter Kirk Morrison probably comprised of more chips being shoved into the centre.

With the board reading 8d 5d 7c Jh, Guy bet 400,000, Kirk made it 900,000 and Guy moved all-in for 2,100,000.

Big pot, huh?

Anyhow, Kirk folded, but I was desperately praying for Guy to show a bluff, but it never appeared, the French-Canadian swiftly mucking his cards.

Incidentally, and according to Benjo, Guy is the richest man in the whole of Quebec

(http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/698418/2/istockphoto_698418_attractive_business_man_in_suit_throwing_money_into_air.jpg)

That prize structure is ridiculous.

David Levi is OUT in 13th place

He lost most of them (and there weren't all that many to start with) in a strange hand directly before, of which I caught the absolute tail end - a board of 3s 5d 2d 8s 3h - he'd flipped over his Jh 6h thinking the other two players in the hand had checked to him, but that may not have been the case...in any event that pot didn't go to Levi and he was left with 60k to autoallin on the following hand:

Tim Phan raised preflop (+100K) successfully getting rid of big blind Wahlroos despite his chip mountain, and his Ad Qc took on all-in Levi's Kd Th. 
Flop:  Js 9c 3c
Turn:  5h  (at this point it seems to be traditional for the TD to tell the all in guy what his outs are, like he's not totally fixated on this already)
River:  3h

We're down to two tables of six...

Yes, Guy Laliberte is the creator and mostly-owner of Cirque du Soleil.  There are five different Cirque shows in Las Vegas alone - you do the math.  While suspended in the air by your hair twirling a giant silver cube with your feet on fire.

Guy Lalliberte - pictured second from the left on the bottom.

Guy Laliberte is on a roll now, winning yet another pot off Kirk Morrison with a 300k bet on a Flop of 8h 4d 9d.

More importantly though, have a gander at Carlos Mortensen's wonderfully structured stack, two of the chips accidentally tumbling off the top of the tower and into the pot in a rather embarrassing moment that interrupted a high tension moment.

Paul Lee raises to 300k from early position, Jimmy Tran announces all-in.

Lee folds Tens face up saying that "I'm probably folding the best hand", but taps the table when Tran reveals Pocket Queens.

"I don't want to play against a big stack," he claims.

Carlos is a legend with his stacks, the amazing thing i found when sat next to him was how he knows his exact stack at all times as well!

Jimmy Tran plays a pot out of position against Thomas Wahlroos, with bad consequences for his stack...
Big Blind Jimmy check-called Thomas' 200k bet on a 5s Qd Td flop.  The turn brought the 8d, Jimmy checked again, and Thomas bet 400k (it doesn't look like so much when 100k is a stack of four chips rather than ten.  Obviously.)  Call once more.
River:  Ks  Check a third time - Thomas bets a third time - 600k.  A long pause before Jimmy Tran calls - paying off Wahlroos' Jd 5d with his two pair, Queens and Eights.

Can Hua is OUT in vomit inducing circumstances.

All-in pre-on a Flop of Jd 8s Tc.

Tim Phan = Kc Qs

Can Hua = Qc 9c

Turn = 9d

River = 6c

Pretty painful exit, but if someone had asked him pre-flop if he'd take a kick in the testicles for $154,705, then he probably would have braced himself and taken it like a man.

Eleven players remaining, and the WPT TDs are guilty of my favourite tournament whinge-worthy decision - the uneven hand-for-hand.  If I were a short stack on the Five-handed table right now I would be screaming bloody murder.  A lady with a camera informed me that actually it slowed down the action, but in what context?  It still gives a disadvantage to a short stack on the small table where the now 30k/60k blinds come round faster, and an advantage to big stacks in general to play short handed - which they will only get until ten players remain.  The  other reason given for the hand-for-hand (not official, the TD looked busy) was that "When there's a big money jump, they go hand for hand.  There's a $30,000 jump in prize 11th to 10th."  Perhaps an anti-stalling device?  Would that happen in this tournament?  Hard to say.
I was then perhaps guilty of asking the dumbest question of the week, "So do they keep doing it after the eleventh player is eliminated? (The money jumps just get larger)"
"No.. because then they're on one table."
Of course they are.  I need another energy drink.

Grant Lang is OUT.

Grant Lang = 6d 5h

Tim Phan - Ad Jc

Board = Kd 7s 2s 7d 9h

Down to ten, and therefore our final table.

Go Tommy Vu !!!!!!!!!!.

No messing around here, the final table is a go go.

Final table seats and counts:

1) Kirk Morrison -- 1,700,000
2) Jimmy Tran -- 1,287,000
3) Thomas Wahlroos -- 7,186,000
4) Guy Laliberte -- 3,400,000
5) Carlos Mortensen -- 3,394,000
6) Mike Wattel -- 1,434,000
7) Scott Fischman -- 1,265,000
8) Paul Lee -- 8,994,000
9) Tommy Vu -- 1,083,000
10) Thien Phan -- 2,350,000

Paul Lee raises it up pre-flop to 250k and receives calls from Tim Pham and Thomas Wahlroos.

Flop = 9c Kd 3s

Lee bets out to take down a nice tidy pot.

 i hope fischmann has a shower and a shave if he makes it to the last 6.

 he looks like a ' hobo '

Well, whatever you may think of Fischman's facial hair (which is tidy, actually - compare Snoopy for goodness' sake) he is certainly playing his million shorter stack (now that sounds odd) well - the pace of the action has slowed somewhat, he's taken one set of 30k/60k blinds down preflop as has Paul Lee, then he played this one against Jimmy Tran:

Jimmy raised under the gun to 170k, raised preflop by an in-position Fischman to 500k.  A consideration period later, call.
Flop:  7h 2s 7c Jimmy checked and Scott moved in, for what must have been around 800k.  Pass from Jimmy who showed A-Q.

Fischman nearer two million than one now.

We have action!!!

;as;

Carlos Mortensen raises to 200k under-the-gun, Thomas Wahlroos and Guy Laliberte call in the blinds.

Flop = Ahrt 7d 6d

Wahlroos checks, Laliberte checks and Carlos bets 500k.

Wahlroos moves all-in, Laliberte folds and Carlos calls.

Carlos Mortensen = Aspades Ac

Thomas Wahlroos = Ad 4d

Turn = 7s

River = 2h

Carlos picks up the biggest pot of the night for a stack of 6 million plus whilst Wahlroos drops down to 3.7.

Well, judge for yourself, photographed after folding Eights (he limped) to Tommy Vu's all-in.

Wow bet 500k into a 600k pot in position with a set of aces, class move by carlos

Do you know anything about him, Mr Cake?  ;hattip;

Quick correction on the Mortensen vs. Wahlroos hand - Thomas had top pair AND a flush draw, so you can understand why he pushed in that spot.

Before Mortensen double through, to which I can reveal he was visibly ecstatic about, he lost a hand to Paul Lee who adds yet another stack of chips to his already monstrous pile.

With his 250k pre-flop bet called by Lee, Mortensen check called 375k on the Jd Th 2s Flop, and checked down the 6c Turn and Ac River only to muck when Lee revealed Eights.

Makes you wonder what Carlos was calling with though...

I just realised that u didn't mean me, the other Mr Cake, but in my endeavour to help I found his wikipedia entry which is a good read. He used to do ads surrounded by bikini clad birds, fast cars and yachts and offer to tell people the secret of his success...for a price like

More action - first off a double limp from Jimmy Tran and Thomas Wahlroos is seen off by an all-in shove for just under a million from Mike Wattel - both blinds and both limpers successfully pushed off.

Then, next hand, after neighbour Mike's already passed, Scott Fischman limps.  One seat along Paul Lee instantly picks up one 500k stack of pink chips and plonks them neatly over the betting line.  Then Jimmy Tran moves in over the top of that, probably just about doubling the bet... Instacall.
Jimmy shows: Qd Qs
Paul shows:  5c 5s. 

There's a bit of a sharp intake of breath from the audience - so much action in so little time - and the popular Tran is the one looking in a good spot to double up...
But the flop:  3s 5h 7c
Turn and river:  8d 4d......
                                ....So Jimmy Tran is the 10th place finisher, winning $185,645

Hi Adam,

Yeah, i played with Tommy for 2 whole days in the wsop 05 (went out 20ish) really nice guy ,plays any 2 cards.
Also has a english wife funny enough !.

Carlos makes a small raise of 125k from the button, Scott calls the extra 65k from the big blind.

Flop = Tc Ts 8c

Scott bets 130k, Carlos raises to 500k, Scott moves all-in, Carlos folds.

How long have you two been married?

Dana and I will have to invite the Cups around for dinner at some point.

So he's probably not short of a bean or two then?...

The cakes...not the cups, div! Only if you promise to wear the full snoops outfit

Lol, oh yeah, The Cups.  ;djinn;

Carlos Mortensen just won a tidy pot off Paul Lee - Lee raised to 200k preflop, called by Carlos (whose chip towers are more serious now that they're on the final table (and he had to deconstruct the Gaudiesque turret for the redraw).
Flop:  Qc 7s Qs  Check from Carlos, Check from Paul, who incidentally acts very quickly every time I see him in a hand.  No five-minute dwells for the chip leader - he's acting as soon as the person before him has tapped the table or moved in a bet.
Turn:  Qd  Carlos checks, Paul puts in 400k.  A slow and deliberate call from Carlos (who always acts fairly slowly and deliberately).
River:  Qd  Carlos checks, Paul says, "A million" a millisecond later, and Carlos says, "Raise.  All in."  It's another 2-and-a-bit million, and Paul Lee gives it up after, for a change, a fair-sized dwell.

Kirk Morrison -- 2,200,000
Thomas Wahlroos -- 3,380,000
Guy Laliberte -- 3,440,000
Carlos Mortensen -- 6,715,000
Mike Wattel -- 1,220,000
Scott Fischman -- 2,410,000
Paul Lee -- 9,100,000
Tommy Vu -- 705,000
Tim Phan -- 1,575,000

Triple through for Mike Wattel...

Mike raised preflop to 240k, Thomas Wahlroos called, and so did Carlos (he's in quite a few hands, I've noticed).
Flop:  3h 6s 2c  Carlos checked, and perhaps predictably, Mike moved in for 809k.  Less predictably, he was called first by Thomas, and then after a think Carlos too.
Turn:  8c  The side-potters checked
River:  8d check-check again.  Mike Wattel showed Ks Kh, good enough against the Tens of Thomas, and, I've been reliably informed, the flashed 7c 7s of Carlos...

You can tell a lot about a player from their ipod. For instance, top of Jen's playlist is 'Touch My Bum' by The Cheeky Girls. Say no more...

I'm not sure someone who admits to having Russ Abbott on theirs should be allowed to comment.  That's not true by the way.

Tommy Vu is OUT in 9th

After moving all-in for around 600k, Tommy shook his head (probably a mistake) to the Mortensen question "Do you have Ace King", which I think provoked a call from The Spaniard in the big blind.

Mortensen = Aspades Jc

Vu = Kc 3s

Board = 8c 6h 9h Ad Qs

Weird hand News Now:

Paul Lee made it 250k to go; Big blind Thomas Wahlroos raised to 600k.  That's 600k total, not 600k more... anyway, call.
Flop:  Td 5h 5c  Thomas bets out 800k, fast.  Paul Lee raises to 1,200,000, fast-ish.  Thomas passes, but not fast at all.  He thinks for about five minutes before eventually passing.  What the hell was going on there?

ACTION AGAIN - although doesn't quite deserve the Snoopy Explosion Special...

Kirk Morrison raises to 275k preflop, called by Guy Laliberte.  Flop:  7h 5h 8c.  Kirk just moves all in straight away, and Guy calls...
Kirs shows:  8d 8s
Guy shows:  Ahrt Qh

Turn:  9d
River:  6d  And a huge "Aahhh" goes up from the crowd - they are WAY more disappointed in the split pot than they would have been at either of the players getting felted...

;kc;

Final table action pics...

Still 2 to go before we finish for the day.

Any1 still up?

 ;booder;

still here son :)

Still keeping tabs snoops, great stuff from you and Jen as usual.

Just preparing my garb for my 3 day trip to Luton for the other big tourney happening this weekend.

Don't think i'll be using any of that pro player stuff though, lager, lager and morgans spice for me this weekend.

Geo.

i never sleep, either playing poker or reading your threads ;)

just waiting for this player to dump me his last dollar then im off to bed.... i hate leaving a tard with dollar on the tables :)

woooohooo...im now a jnr member...boy do i feel special :)

easily pleased chris, easily pleased....

this is very true.


wicked i just stacked the table tard, now i can sleep easy..:)

take care guys...lovin the work btw.

Hi, my lappie's gone bananas, so I'll type it here...

Thomas Wahlroos has doubled through in dramatic circumstances, raising to 250k, before pushing all-in following Scott Fischman's 775k re-raise.

Fischman called instantly, as you would with Aces, and rubbed his hands in glee (not literally) as Thomas meekly revealed his now paltry Pocket Queens.

With a 3s 8s 2h Flop, things were looking bleak for the Fin and he looked emphatically pissed off, but on the 8s Turn, he perked up a little as he now had a spade flush draw with one of his Queens, and perhaps had fond memories of his crucial Kings vs. Kings win earlier on in the tournament.

Of course, the River duly obliged with the 7s, and Wahlroos slowly punched the air in an odd combination of elation and relief.

Fischman meanwhile, now down to around 1.5 million, took it in his stride, although deep down he must have been in a fit of rage.

Some hands to report:

Scott Fischman gets in a three-way limped pot, checking it down with Paul Lee and Thien Phan until the river (6s Ts 8h Jd 4h) when he bet and took it down...

...then limps again preflop along with button Kirk Morrison both blinds - they all see Ad Kh Jh.  Someone must like that...
Scott bets 150k when the blinds check to him and button Kirk alone calls.
Turn:  2h  Scott checks, Kirk checks
River:  5h  Check-check and all along the line it appears Fischman's flopped set of Jacks were good.___________________________________________________

Then Paul Lee made it 200k to go pre-flop, called by Kirk and big blind Carlos.
Flop:  5h 6h Th  Carlos checked, Paul bet and they both called.
Turn:  2d  Carlos checked, Paul bet a million.  Kirk called all-in pretty quickly (he had 728k of it), and Carlos instacalled the mil too!  Side pot...
River:  Ad  check from the two remaining players with chips in front of them...

First- the side pot went to Carlos' 5c 5s, but the big main pot went to Kirk Morrison's Kh Qh flopped flush...

Chip Counts after the break (the players have voted against having a dinner break, amazingly)...

Kirk Morrison -- 3,634,000
Thomas Wahlroos -- 3,296,000
Guy Laliberte -- 3,260,000
Carlos Mortensen -- 7,226,000
Mike Wattel -- 2,832,000
Scott Fischman -- 1,992,000
Paul Lee -- 7,761,000
Tim Pham -- 1,361,000

Mike Wattel raises to 350k preflop (the blinds are now a hefty 60k/120k ante 15k)....Tim Phan calls.
Tim moves in on the Jd 2s Th flop.  Now, possibly thinking that this was the Phan plan whatever flop came out, Mike calls the 981k all-in bet.
Tim shows: Kc Jh
Mike shows:  Jc 9h
The turn and river fail to outdraw the Jacks with the bigger kicker, so Tim Phan doubles through. 

After Carlos and Paul Lee took it in turns to steal the blinds, Kirk Morrison decided to have a go, this time from the button with Wahlroos in the small blind and Laliberte in the big.

Kirk made it 325k, but Thomas re-raised to 900k, which Kirk subsequently called.

Flop = 5s 7c Tc

Thomas pushed all-in and Kirk folded.

Carlos Mortensen looks like he really means business... The whimsical stacking of yesterlevel has been replaced with this prison-like barricade of chips, which is also good for storing cups of tea (see photos 1 and 2).  He's paying close attention, looks focused as anything... could be a contender for the top spot easily.

Thomas limps from the button, Guy makes up the small blind and Carlos checks the big.

Flop = 7h 4c 7s

All three players check.

Turn = 5c

Guy bets 200k, Carlos folds, Thomas calls.

River = Kh

Guy checks, Thomas bets 400k, Guy folds.

There's been a good number of 'Thomas raises to 350k's going on.  Once, Scott Fischman shoved over the top for 1,597,000 but no call. 

And with just 781,000, Mike Wattel moves in from the small blind, a move which puts Scott Fischman in a tricky decision. However, he shrugs his shoulders and says, "Okay then, let's go", before turning over a vulnerable Pocket Deuces.

"I've only looked at one card," confesses Mike as he reveal Q-5o (I assume he meant the Queen).

So...

Fischman = 2c 2d

Wattel -- Qc 5s

Board = 5c Kc Ks Th 6c

Double up for Wattel.

Kirk Morrison -- 2,000,000
Thomas Wahlroos -- 4,000,000
Guy Lalibette -- 3,800,000
Carlos Mortensen -- 7,300,000
Mike Wattel -- 1,600,000
Scott Fischman -- 1,100,000
Paul Lee -- 8,000,000
Tim Phan -- 3,000,000

Play has truly ground to a halt with eight players remaining and everyone eager to grab those highly desired TV spotlights, but, hold on, as I write this message, I hear of an all-in involving Kirk Morrison...

Seeing as he tried to cover his last one up and defend his selection, Thomas Wahlroos proudly showed me this one rather than having me lurk over his shoulder like a peeping tom (hey, tom, that's a coincidence).

You wouldn't think players would be checking the clock nervously with 90 minute blinds, but the average length of a hand at the moment is about 15 minutes...

Kirk wins the dwell prize for this one (admittedly, genuine decision):  it folds round to him on the small blind - he makes it 600k at Thomas Wahlroos, who calls.  The flop comes Ad 5c 3s.  Both players check.  Turn card:  Kh  Kirk checks, and Thomas moves in.  A dwell so lengthy that two players get up and make phone calls commences, and results in a pass which leaves Kirk short stacked.

The next hand, Paul Lee called Carlos' raise to 350k preflop, only to find Kirk pushing all in for 859k.  Carlos folds, but Paul calls with his Aspades 8s.  Kirk has Td Th (the exact same hand he had in that one with Wahlroos, apparently).
The board comes totally spadeless and Aceless, and although the 2-3-9-4 on the turn brought a few more outs for Lee, the Jack river cemented his double through.

Scott Fischman is OUT in 8th place.

Kirk Morrison raised it up to 425k, Scott Fischman pushed for around 1.5 million.

The break commenced, all the players left leaving two lone soldiers fighting it out on the battlefield of poker.

With his teeth grit, Kirk Morrison made a brave call with 5c 5d, a move that was justified when Fischman turned over his surprisingly dominated 7c 5s.

A Flop of 4d Jd 2s looked no good, but Scott's eye's lit up on the 6d Turn (although a clearly tired Tournament Director announced a King - how does a Six look like a King!), but was also watching out for the fourth diamond which would supply Morrison with a flush.

Scott walks away from the table and listens out for the celebrations (although rather muted out of respect) of Morrison.

River = Ahrt

Down to 7.

We're now on a 15 minute break, but that's good, it gives me time to find that special guy to introduce this, the period right before the Televised Final, otherwise known as....























..........BUBBLE TIME      ;mc;

I kid you not, but as the 8th man exited and it suddenly dawned on Thomas that he was closing in on that Final 6, he celebrated with his now signature catchphrase, "Goo goo g'joob!"

Gotta love the Eggman.  ;cheerleader;

Ready for the restart...

blinds 80k and 160k with a running ante of 15k.

Great job fellas! Nice to wakeup to ongoing updates :)

We have an all-in!...

I don't know how to break this to you...so I'll just tell the story, my soon-to-be-sad Europeans still up at this hour.

Mike Wattel raised preflop to 420k, flat called by Paul Lee.*  It got round to Thomas Wahlroos in the big blind, who just shoved.  All in.  For 4.4 mil.  Mike got out of the way quickly, but Paul Lee called - a hush fell over the audience.
Paul Lee showed Ad Qc
Thomas Wahlroos showed Aspades Ts
Flop:  Jh 8s 2s  We wonder - will another flush propel the risky Finn to the chip lead?
Turn:  2d
River: 5d

Suddenly, it's all over - Thomas Wahlroos finishes in 7th place for $278,465



*Rumour has it, Paul Lee told the Gutshot that he'd been doing this 'tell' for a good long while.  When he had rubbish or marginal calling hands he'd place his cards on one side, passing every time to a re-raise.  When he had strong hands he was ready to call/ re-raise with the cards went elsewhere.  He said that this time, the cards went in the 'filth' position but he was ready to call a squeezy raise from Wahlroos.  The call with A-Q seems pretty brave but he'd already decided to go for it. 

No idea whether this is likely to have had any effect at all (we're not actually sat at the table) but it's a good story.

End of Day - Final Table - Chip Counts:

Paul Lee 11,828,000
Juan Carlos Mortensen -- 6,501,000
Guy Laliburte -- 4,690,000
Kirk Morrison -- 4,194,000
Mike Wattel -- 2,887,000
Tim Phan -- 2,162,000

Do tell us more... Where does this obsession with The Eggman originate and where are you from?

top stuff again guys...and nice to see Mortensen and Fischman (2 of my picks from yesterday) still in. :) wish I'd stuck money on them now.

 fischmanns a goner bud

oh yeah....well Carlos will piss this then! :)

Are you telepathic or something ?  It seemed every time Snoops posted about egg face you were straight in?