blonde poker forum

The final six players will play down to a winner on the Televised Stage in the Bellagio Convention Centre today, starting at 5pm (that's 1am UK time, night owls).

They are:

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

And their potential prize money:

1st   $3,970,415
2nd  $2,011,135
3rd   $1,082,920
4th    $696,220
5th    $464,110
6th    $309,405

We'll be sat at the back of the audience in dark clothes (potentially doing the odd mexican wave) bringing all the action live from Las Vegas.

  does anyone know when this will be on tv ??

This is the stack that Carlos built.

How in the world does he do this??

I can barely make my chips look neat/not fall over, when stacked in 20's.

Is Carlos a sculptor in his spare time?

I have never had enough chips to build anything other than a very very very miniature Nelsons Co;umn.

I made stonehenge from 6 chips once....my greatest chipstacking achievement ever....OK..it was only 2 chips and didn't look anything like one of them rocks.

Mr Mortensen for the win..though young Mr Lee seems to have luck on his side. (and is playing well, obviously)

Mr Mortensen really is compulsive in his chip stacking, I bet he loved Lego as a kid

(http://static.flickr.com/52/180565976_0dd2178d97_m.jpg)

really hope kirk can get a top 3 at least here. Guy is a sound bloke and an absolute scream round a craps table or bar.

extremely impressive stackmeistering...

will practise this next time we have a home game....and see who can come up with the most ompressive structure.

Snoopy/Jen have u heard or do u think there will be any deals done at this final table?

i remember the year paul maxfield came 2nd that there was a deal and some dodgy play took place.

When are they starting today??

1 am unfortunatly

Gl Jen & Snoops

I would stay up to watch but is suspect that i may need to get some sleep prior to bB(IV).

I am rooting for Carlos - GO Europe. (and clearly wannabee architect)

Followed the updates all the way guys. Fantastic as usual. I won't be up i'm afraid, but i'll catch up tomorow.
Good luck!! x

let the building begin...

http://www.fincher.org/Misc/Pennies/index.shtml

This is my shit effort, first time, oh well, Carlos BIG, me small...

not worthy... etc

Greetings folks, play was due to start at 5pm, but obviously this didn't quite happen. However, I believe they've just ordered the dealer to shuffle up and deal, so we're just a matter of seconds from seeing those cards hit the air.

We look to be kicking off in the next few minutes.  We've relocated to Bellagio Ballroom Number 6 (one of many, many, large luxurious rooms down in the Convention Centre) and we've set up in the entrance, behind The Curtain.  In front of the curtain is the impressive TV stage, literally thronged with audience who are queuing up to get a seat in the stands.  Queuing.  We heard one official telling a security guard that "Those people can come in, but when the ones flying in to see the final get here, they have to leave."  Crikey.  Not like that in the UK or anywhere in Europe yet.   

And we're getting the full audience shot/presenter shot/ intro of players...the TV show (which won't be out for a long time - perhaps 10 months?  They're only just showing Season 5 and this is the end of Season 6).  There will be poker soon, we've been promised.

What has really surprised me during these early stages of preparation is the amount of crowd manipulation there is. Before we started today, the audience had to practice cheering and applauding, which is fair enough, but it was kind of amusing to hear them undertaking their obligatory 'ooooooooooooh' training.

No action as of yet, a few players stealing the blinds, the last suspect being Paul Lee, although he did show a genuine hand in A-Q.

 :hello:

good luck guys

Shelly
xx

Brief speeches from Steve Lipscomb and Mike Sexton before they Shuffled Up and Dealt... the most interesting detail probably overlooked by most of the audience but is very significant for poker (tours, the online market etc.) - the WPT have been in talks with a representative from the Republic of China.  Now that's going to be a huge market.  Whoever gets licenses to run online sites will be big, instantly...

Plus this is the 100th episode.  "A landmark in television."    ;sexybanana;  There were speeches and a suite with "Beer and Peanuts," apparently, but we got our full 10 hours' sleep, so we can bring you all the action in a perky and focused manner, all night if necessary.

We aren't sure it will be necessary - the press who've covered these before know that the structure, so magnificent for five days, can nosedive on the final.  Where all that money is... we hope there will be plenty of play for the final six.  It looks like the blinds are 60k/120k ante 15k.

make sure to show Carlos my chip stack building proess, I'm sure he would be impressed.

Carlos has raises preflop, taken off it by Guy Laliberte in the big blind (raising 375k by a million).  He gets a nice round of applause from his supporters, saw Isabelle Mercier making her way into the stands before start of play, too.
_______________________________

Unraised 5c 2s 6c flop seen by blinds Carlos and Mike Wattel - Carlos bets and wins that small pot.
_______________________________

Tim Phan takes a couple preflop - the popular Californian player has a fairly loud support group too.  Snoopy and I got to pick one player each to win (who wasn't Paul Lee) - I picked Phan while Snoopy's backing Mortensen.

We were wandering around, admittedly lost, in the Bellagio Convention Centre today, and Carlos was also drifting through the enormous marble floored hallways - we were happy to follow knowing they were unlikely to start without him.  If he comes out of The Arena, I'll be sure to show him your photo.  Which is an excellent amateur effort.  Keep it up - at the next GUKPT I want to see gravity-defying art-like chipstacking.

those chipstacks rule. on my way home to create something, i'm s***faced so it could take a while. i don't know any of the others so come on carlos.

You can tell the matador I am willin to give him lessons on chipstructures, because I think he has 'potential'.

Mike Wattel raises to 550k, Guy in the big blind calls.
Flop:  Qh 6d 5s  Guy checks, Mike bets 600k, Guy raises it up.  Mike counts down his own stacks, and threads at least 20 chips for about a minute, which I find somewhat hypnotic, before passing.

Personally, I'm a little fatigued today after playing cash poker at the Orleans' Hotel & Casino until 6am last night. I don't get too many opportunities to play live these days so even if I'm tired, I make sure I take the chance to hit the felt. Unfortunately, this can be a costly affair as proved last night when I did my bollox with Aces.

If anyone could give me their opinion on the following hand, I would be much appreciative.

$1/2 10-handed ring game. I'd been keeping my head above water since 3am and had around 350k. I was dealt Ahrt Aspades in early position and decided to raise it up to $17, which somehow found me four callers.

Flop = 7s Th 2s

Out of position, I decided to check and see what everyone else did.

The first caller made it $25, the maniac behind him (who would raise with a big hand) flat called behind him, the other two players passed and I flat called.

The bettor had previously trap-checked two pairs and sets, so I didn't think he had a stronger hand. He might have a flush draw, but he tended to check these hands and flat call when the maniac bet.

Turn = 8s

I checked, the Flop bettor shoved in $50, the maniac folded and I re-raised to $150, confident that I was ahead.

He called the bet, which signified to me that he didn't have a set or the flush - previousl experience with him would suggest that he'd push with these hands. I was, however, concerned about some sort of two pair, such as T-8, but I actually put him on A-T or K-T with maybe a spade.

River = 3d

I pushed in for my remaining $150 and he called, showing 9d 6d for the turned straight, which would explain why he smooth called my re-raise.

Now, I'm pretty sure I played this terribly, but I'd really like to know how you guys would have played it.

Carlos calls the preflop raise of 400k made by Paul Lee in the big blind.

Qs 8d 3h  Carlos check-calls the 600k from Paul.
Turn:  7c  Carlos checks, Paul checks.
River:  Ad  Carlos bets 2,000,000...
                                               ...and Paul passes.

"That's what we call a TCH - A Travel Channel Hand - We'll have to wait and see it," says an annoucer.

Move up levels.



You can afford to play higher than 1-2 with 350k on the table, take a shot in the $2-$5 game.

Paul Lee raises it up to 300k, Guy calls and the two players see a 4h Ac 7c Flop.

Guys bets out 600k ad Lee folds instantly.

No messing around from Mike Wattel, he just moved all-in preflop to take the pot down uncontested.

Well, I normally play $2/4 in England, but this was just a bit of fun as I was really tired after covering the comp all day. However, I still don't want to chuck 350k away if I can help it though.  ;D

Imagine what Carlos could built with 350k in a $1-$2 cash game, a Taj Mahal? The Great wall of China?

Mortensen vs. Lee again:
9h 8d 6d flop. check-check
Turn:  Aspades Paul checks, Carlos checks.
2c Paul bets a mil, and Carlos eventually passes.  One all in these matchups - "Show the bluff," requests Carlos.  Denied!

BREAKING NEWS

Guy Laliberte is the 654th richest man in the world with 1.4 billion dollars.

I think Mr Nipper will definitely be making an appearance if Guy wins.

Very short stacked Tim Phan gets it all in preflop with Aspades Kh vs. Guy Laliberte's Ad Qs...
Flop:  5h 7h 7s
Turn: Ks  And the crowd go wild as the 6c river becomes an irrelevance.  It sounds like some were shouting "Boo!" but I think it was "Boom!" as they were smiling and clapping at the same time.

Tim doubles up to 2,200,000.

Mike Wattel raises it up pre-flop to 240k and Guy Laliberte calls.

Flop = Ahrt 5c Th

Mike bets out 500k, Guy announces all-in, and Mike swiftly folds, flapping his arms in the air in despair.

Blind vs blind - Guy and Carlos:
9h Aspades Kd check-check
Turn:  Ad Guy checks, Carlos min bets and takes it down.
__________________________

Kirk makes it 425k preflop; Mike Wattel on the big blind moves in for another 432k - Call.  Pr
Kirk:  Kc Js
Mike:  Jd 9d

Flop:  Td 3h 4h  "ONE TIME!" go the audience
Turn:  8c  "Oooooh," go the audience.  They sound like they've been spiked with something.
River:  Ahrt

So amidst insane-sounding noise from the audience who seem to hold their peace until just such a situation, Mike Wattel finishes in 6th place, winning $309,405

Guy raises to 500k preflop on the cutoff.  Tim Phan (minus black woolly hat by which he was instantly recognisable until today - he seems to have swapped it overnight for a new Full Tilt shirt...) calls it on the big blind.  They see:  2s 2h 7s. 
Tim bets 800k.  Guy announces all-in immediately (it's the second time on the Final he's done this - instamove over a bet at him) and it does the trick this time too.  Tim lays it down, leaving himself short once more.

I'll throw in my $0.02

Why not lead the flop there? It's co-ordinated enough that if one of your three oppenets has called your 8.5x bb raise with pocket sevens, tens or twos that they surely have to re-raise to protect against the draw heavy board?

Anyway as played: the first callers bet of $25 into a c.$85 pot wouldn't necessarily indicate strength but the smooth call by the mainac would. A tagged maniac has just smooth called - spideysenses going off?

So i guess i'd either fold or check raise the flop here. If i raise i make it at least a pot sized raise (which committs over half your stack, so some would say ship it all-in but i think a big raise, rather than an all-in can look stronger.)

But, i'm a poor cash game player, so please anyone, counter arguements to my thinking, is it majorly flawed? If you put your opponent on K-10 or A-10 is your line correct as there are v.few cards that can help him 'catch up' against your holding?

At the time, I thought I was way ahead against something like an Ace Ten and so didn't want to lose my man as I thought he'd pay me off. However, in hindsight, I probably should have done like you suggested and either led out or, my personal preference check raise a chunk of my stack. Might win a smaller pot, but at least I wouldn't risk donking off the whole lot.

With regards to the maniac, when I say maniac, I mean that he's not calculated enough to trap call with a monster. I wasn't worried about him in the slightest. In fact, I wanted him in some form as he was pretty easy to read and was the player that called off everyone's hands with virtually any two cards.

Thanks for the feeback.

I think check raise the bollix out of it is a great way to play it, especially in a loose live game with a maniac or 2 involved.
 

If the flop went as played, on the turn I wouldn't be check raising, and firing allin on the end, I'd be check-calling or grimicing at how I played it on the flop and considering a fold because of it.

I woudn't worry about trying to keep someone involved in a live 1-2 game, a lot of the players won't fold anything.

There's been a break, during which something free with Mike Sexton's face on it was given away.  I think it was a bottle opener.  Anyway, as a sign of how seriously they take their filming:  "If anyone in the audience really needs to go the toilet, consider holding it or we will fill your seat, especially if you're in the front rows as we are filming.  This will be on TV."

They've raised the blinds to 100k/200k ante 20k.

 great work by the way guys , any jobs going ?

The chip counts were just read out - I almost caught it, too:

Kirk Morrison         5,470,000
Carlos Mortensen  7,140,000
Paul Lee            10,340,000
Tim Phan             2,140,000
Guy Laliberte        5,500,000(?)

That nearly adds up to around 30mil.  Good enough.

Just witnessed a flurry of minor battles, Mortensen, Lee and Laliberte all taking down small pots with Flop bets.

I see Guy made his money as Mr. Cirque De Soleil.  Who knows, he might offer Carlos And His Amazing Performing Chips their very own Vegas show.

I watched the WPT Invitational Final live where, Linda Johnson during breaks  gave away WPT/Budweiser t-shirts for answering WPT themed questions - i managed to guess correctly who the wpt player of the season for season four was. Anyone else know (this is obv a brag post) btw it wasn't The Grinder, who, i think it should have been.  It kinda reminded me of U.S college sports games where they fire out t-shirts into teh audience thru some kind of cannon.

have they got anyone up to tell jokes yet? if not it's only a matter of time.

Tim Phan is OUT and becomes the 5th place finisher winning $464,140

With the blinds at 100k and 200k, Phan moved all-in pre-flop for 1,720,000 with 9c 9s, but found Kirk Morrison moving over the top with Ac Aspades.

Board = Js 8d 4s Jh 7s

The best sports-game audience gift I ever got was hotdogs, at a baseball game, shot into the stands by a hot-dog gun, which looked like a rocket launcher and fired them a good long way.  Awesome.

First family pot of the day goes to Kirk Morrison, betting 700k on a 9s 4d Qh 5s after everyone checked dow the flop.

What's the difference between Phil Hellmuth and God...


























God never thinks he's Phil Hellmuth.

Carlos gets a walk.
________________

Carlos calls in the small blind after Guy makes it 500k from the button.

Flop:  Ac Qc 3s  Guy bets a million after Carlos checks.  Carlos stares at what looks like the stack of the French-Canadian, although it's hard to say due to the dark tint of his glasses...and lets it go.

Carlos makes it 500k, small blind Paul and big blind Kirk does too.
Flop:  2s Jh 8s  Paul checks, Kirk checks, Carlos checks.
Turn:  Kd  Check to Carlos, who can't help it, clearly, betting 800k which is good enough to win the 1.6 mil in the pot.

Rough chip estimates:

Kirk Morrison   6.5 mil
Carlos Mortensen  10.6 mil
Paul Lee    8.6 mil
Guy Laliberte   6.5 mil

Carlos on the rise, Paul on the decline, the other two close behind.

Paul makes it 700k and Kirk calls. Both players check the Qc-7d-3s Flop Kirk bets 1.5 milion on the Js Turn and wins.

Due to the size of the blinds, I don't thin today's final will last too long.

It's a shame really considering how much they're playing for. If it wasn't for a billionaire and a former WSOP Champion being at the table, I'd assume they'd done a deal, but I think they're after the full whack and an untainted title.

Guy vs. Carlos (the preflop raiser to 550k):
Flop: 9d Th 2s     Carlos bets 1.4 mil on the flop.  Guy calls
Turn:  8d  Guy announces all-in immediately.  Far from immediate response from Mortensen - while Guy counts down his stack for his potential caller, Carlos thinks about it.  And thinks about it (pictured).  He passes in the end, dropping 2 mil and probably the lead back to Lee.

Kirk makes it 500k pre-flop (which is becoming the standard raise) from the button and Guy and Carlos call from the blinds.

Flop = Kh 9h 5s

Guy checks, Caarlos checks and Kirk takes it down with an 800k bet.

On a Kd Td 8h flop Carlos bets a million at Guy Laliberte.  These two are definitely playing the most pots together this level...  Guy folds A-Q face up to this bet.  Back and forth...while I can't help feeling that apart from those Aces Kirk hasn't been too involved, and Lee is pretty static too.

We just heard an announcement that the blinds are due to rise in seven minutes.  Seven!  That's terrible.  Only $7,700,000 still to play for...

Yes, typical WTP

where 22 v A3 allin preflop is a 'classic race'

or 'I can't believe he folded the A4 to the re-raise vince, un-b-leavable!!'

Kirk Morrison calls a million bet on the Ts 9d 8h flop from an out-of-position Carlos Mortensen.
Turn: Kd Carlos moves in straight away.  Kirk on the button considers for a while before letting it go.


Very occasionally the players just can't help going to the loo.  A seat goes empty and play whizzes round...Guy just returned having missed his small blind from what the announcer called a "$120,000 bathroom break."

WE HAVE ACTION!!!

;as;

... and it's the biggest pot of the entire tournament.

;bp;

Kirk Morrison raises several hundred pre-flop, Carlos re-raises to 2 million and Kirk flat calls.

Flop = Qc Jc 9d

Carlos pushes all-in for 6.5 to 7 million in chips.

Kirk dwells up, gets a count down and then, after a few minutes in the think tank, makes the calls.

Although Carlos confidently turns over his Aspades Qs, The Spaniard isn't the only one with their gast flabbered when Kirk reveals Jh Jd(was he really considering folding??).

Anyhow, Carlos was almost dead and buried until the Ac Turn offered him a shining light, but it wasn't to be as the River brought down a harmless 9s.

Crucial double up for Kirk.

And after that they've made the blinds 150k/300k.  Eek.  Tiny M-ed Carlos passes the next hand, which goes to Paul Lee (who bets off Kirk on a Kh 9c Td 7c board), but then, under the gun he shoves - 1,140,000.  He wins nearly half a mil in blinds and antes when Guy passes his big blnd 8-2...

And another lot of blinds and antes for Carlos - meaning the chips roughly:

Kirk Morrison 16 mil
Carlos Mortensen 2.2 mil
Paul Lee  7 mil
Guy Laliberte  6 mil

After a short 10 minute break, the players are now returning for 4-handed action. My spider sense inform me that Carlos won't be hanging around for too long wit hjust over two million (never thought I'd say that outside the world series).

Paul makes it 800k to go, first hand after the break.  Kirk and Guy call on the blinds. 
Flop:  Js Td 8s  Guy moves in after a brief pause, and a check from small blind Kirk.  That's about 5 million for Kirk to call after Paul quickly passes... which he doesn't.

Guy makes it 900k to go.  Carlos thinks about it, realising that he's likely to be autocalled if he pushes, and lays it down. 

Just as I say, "If I was Kirk, I'd raise every pot", Kirk raises it up to 700k and takes the blinds.

A reliable source has just informed me that Vince Van Patten boozes during these shows, using a polystrene cup to disguise the contents. Smart man!  :)up

I never thought I'd be shouting 'crapshoot' at an event that started with 50k starting stacks and 90 minute clocks.

As predicted by the sages in your blonde poker live update team, Carlos Mortensen has moved all-in, with Ad Th mind you, and been looked up by Kirk Morrison and his Aspades 6s (fair enough under the circumstances).

The all-in was 1.5 million which means, following the semi-exciting 6c 2d Td 3d Qd board (a few us were demanding the 6h for our deserved share of excitement), that the Matador has doubled up to around 3 million.

The next hand sees a sedate Paul vs. Kirk blinds battle over a Td 2h Kc flop.  Kirk bets 300k, called by Paul.
Turn:  Jh  Paul checks, Kirk bets 1.2 million - it's his.
_____________________________

Next set of blinds, Kirk vs. Guy - Ac 6s Qs the flop, Kirk gets another one.
_____________________________

Next set of blinds doesn't get that far - Carlos calls preflop, Paul moves in (6 mil+), pass.

Right Said Guy is all-in!!!

(http://www.comlinkentertainments.co.uk/RightSaidFred1P.jpg)

Kirk in the big blind calls a million raise from Guy.
Flop: Qc 6c 3c.  Kirk checks, Guy puts in a 2 million bet.  Kirk strokes his tower of chips, and after a bit of a dwell (although less than when he flopped that set of Jacks, incredibly) calmly announces "all-in."  Call!  5,440,000 the amount he needs to match...

Guy shows:  Ad Jc
Kirk shows: 2d 2c   (of course...)

Turn:  3s
River:  8s

And that means Guy Laliberte is the 4th place finisher, winning $696,220.

 thats a sick call in my book

Chip standings after that:

Paul Lee  7.1 mil
Carlos Mortensen  3.3 mil
Kirk Morrison  22 mil

And, would you Adam and Eve it, we have another all-in, Carlos Mortensen and Kirk Morrison moving all-in on the Turn of...

2c Qs 7h Th

Carlos = Qd 8d

Kirk Tc 6h

River = 9d

Carlos double up with top pair.

in the words of the virgin mary: "Come again?" He called an extra 5m reraise with AJ, with just the Jc?

5 million was the total after the check-raise.

But still 3m extra right? And against a guy who had previously dwelt for 5 mins before calling with a set. Obv, not my place to comment, the guy clearly done exceptionally to get this far, just seems like a strange one to me.

Here's a pic of chip leader Kirk Morrison.  Despite just doubling up Mortensen, he's still chipped up, as we see from the top-view- and you can see from these counts:

Kirk   17,600,000
Carlos   7,200,000
Paul   7,450,000

On a sidenote, Carlos Mortensen is aiming to become the WPT's first 5 million dollar man.

Tough one, he had a lot in there. Not sure what I would have done, I think I would have checked the Flop to be honest.

I told you guys but you did not listenned. Although when I said that the blinds were 200/400

Paul Lee raises it up to 1.3 million with Td 9d, Carlos smooth calls with Ad 9h.

Flop = Ts 4c Ahrt

Carlos bet 1.1 million, Paul announced all-in before the chips had even hit the felt and Carlos called before Paul had barely finished saying all-in.

Turn = Jc

River = 5h

Double up for Carlos, Paul Lee down to the felt.

quick question guys on an entirely different note, how do you chat on UB?

Paul Lee is OUT and becomes the 3rd finisher winning $1,082,920

Paul Lee moves his shortstack all-in pre-flop with Aspades 9c and, not too surprisingly, Kirk called the huge 25k raise with Ah Ts.

Emphatic Qh 7s 2h Th 2s board.

You know the little white screeny bit?  Just click on there, a cursor appears, and type something, hit Enter and it appears in the flow of text in the box.  You want to say 'ty' to 'nh' or something more, er, colourful?

you got it Jen. Just wanted to congratulate a guy in a 5/10 omaha game for calling off his stack with AAxx on a JJT board. Obv his A hit the river. Colourful language indeed.

When asked how he did in this year's final by the presenter, Daniel Negreanu said, "Well, I wanted to let the new young blood come through. I've won enough money already, so I decided to throw my chips away on Day 2 with the dumbest move ever."

Okay, we're down to a final two, but, more importantly, look at those spondoolies!  ;gobsmacked;

Kiwi Kid vs. The Matador

Now we're heads up, about 19 million to Kirk Morrison, 13 million to Carlos Mortensen.  The break this time included the Money Presentation, where four scantily-clad ladies deposit huge bundles of money on the table until it looks like this:

Carlos makes up the small blind, Kirk raises.  The expressionless Spaniard who appears to have the straightest posture of anyone I've ever seen at a poker table gives it up.  And the next one, although they made it to a J-9-4 flop first, Kirk taking it down there.
_______________________________

9c 7s 4c the next flop - that one bet and won by Carlos.
_______________________________

Kirk makes it a million to go on the button, this time called by Carlos.  The flop:  Tc 8d 3c.  Check-check.
Turn:  Td  Carlos bets "a handful," which turns out to be about 1.6 mil.  Kirk calls quickly.
River:  Th  Carlos bets 4 million.  Kirk calls slowly.  Very slowly.  In fact, the whole lot for the call is separated from his stack and being held tentatively near the line for about five minutes, while he makes a decision.

Carlos, called, says he's got a King - his hand turns out to be K-2
Kirk shows Ad Js (!) So he takes his time with all sorts...the Renegade Press Enclave outside the Arena are giving up trying to put him on hands.

Blinds are currently at 200k and 400k.

EEK!

Carlos wins a small pot with T-4 after both players checked down a K-T-9-7-2 rainbow board.

Kirk bets 1 million on the end of a 9 2h Ad Ts 5s, Carlos calls with a pair of nines (they didn't announce both hole cards), but Kirk wins with a Ten for a bigger pair.

Next hand, Carlos moves all-in pre-flop. Kirk folds.

Perfect example of the shocking structure.

Kirk bets 400k on a Ac Qh 7d flop - it's his...
____________________________

And that was the last hand at 200k/400k.  Going Up!  300k/600k with a 75k ante - this was announced and Carlos - not being a fan of playing at that silly level with just(!) 4,000,000, moves in preflop.  Call!

Carlos shows: Ahrt Tc
Kirk shows:  Kh 6h

Flop:  Aspades 9h Qd
Turn:  Td  ("Oooooh")
River:  2h

So back to 8 mil+ for Carlos...

Limp-check (Button= Kirk).  Flop: 9c Th Jh.  Check-check.  Same with the 2s turn and the 6c river.  Pair of Sixes for Carlos wins him the pot.  Good old 6h 3d.
_________________________

Limp-check (Button= Carlos).  Flop:  7d 4s Jc  Check-check.  Same with the 7c turn and the 4d river.  Kirk plays the board; King kicker gives Carlos that one too.
_________________________

Limp....raise all in from Carlos...pass.  Although we all heard, "Call," and the crowd did too.  Anticlimax, but I can't see this taking too long...

Kirk makes up the blind and Carlos checks.

Flop = 6d 9c 7s

Carlos checks, Kirk bets 600k and Carlos calls.

Turn = Aspades

Check, check.

River = Qd

Carlos bets 4 million and Kirk folds.

We are currently on 30 minute levels.

What do you think of that?...

They see an Ac Jc 7h flop.  Kirk bets 700k, Call from Carlos.
Turn:  5h  Carlos checks, Kirk checks
River:  3d  Carlos bets out 4 million.  Last time they were in this exact situation, Kirk picked off a bluff, but this time he makes a hasty fold.

Kirk Morrison takes down a small (well, relatively speaking) with an 800k bet on a Js 7d 9h 6h board.

Back and forth for a few hands...

They see an unraised Ts 9h 8c  check-check
5h check-check
Jh Carlos bets and wins one...

...and the blinds are going up once again. "No break, we're doing a colour up."  Going to 100k ante, 400k/800k.  Of course. 

"I've played better $5 tournaments online," says Benjo.  Yes, but you were only playing for a few bucks not millions.  Hang on, that doesn't make it better...

They are currently colouring up chips.

They even announced that a winner would emerge over the course of the next level. Something tells me that the WPT don't want this to drag on too long.

Chip standings:  Kirk Morrison 23 million to Carlos Mortensen's 9 million...

Fantastic updates guys, am falling asleep but am so rooting for Carlos I can't go to bed! KUTGW

(And ZOMG, sickest, dumbest blind structure ever...)

Kirk makes up the small blind, Carlos shoves...No call.
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Carlos makes up the small blind, Kirk checks.  Flop:  Kc 8s 4s.  Carlos' million bet takes that one.
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Kirk passes pre.  "One time," he says, chucking his hand in the middle.
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Carlos does exactly the same thing.
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Kirk limps, Carlos shoves...Pass.
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400k/800k Small Pot Score:  Carlos: 4    Kirk: 1

Carlos limps, Kirk checks.  Flop:  3h 2s 7s  Check-check.  Turn:  Jd  Check-check.  River:  4c Kirk bets a million and Carlos raises to 4 million... Kirk makes the call.
Carlos shows 5c 6h for the straight...

Cheers for the support! We know 6:30am GMT not the easiest time for Europeans to be interested in watching live, but it's good to know someone's awake...

Last 5 hands:

(1) Kurt folds sb
(2) Carlos raises 1.6m, wins
(3) Kirk calls, Carlos raises 1 mil, Kirk folds
(4) Carlos calls, Kirk checks, Td-Tc-4c-Kc, Carlos bets 1 million, Kirk folds
(5) 7d-7s-Ac-4s, Kirk bets 800k, Carlos calls. Th River, check, check. Carlos has 5-4, Kirk has 6-4, split pot.

great updates guys thanks.,.,.,.,.,

Flop:  Ahrt Qh 6d
Turn 3d  Kirk bet out, Carlos minraised (1 mil t 2), Kirk raised all in, Carlos called!  And you can see a bit of a wince on Kirk Morrison's face as they;re on their backs...

Carlos shows Qc 6c for a flopped two pair...  Kirk is all in with Aspades Tc (for just under 10 million)...

River: Td  "Sssick!"  Runs round the room, but some stomping from the stands indicates that support is split for the Spanish player and his American opponent.  "Two million dollar bad beat..." the pessimists are already concluding.  Carlos down to a couple million.

Thanks for a great weeks updates  guys    shame you are going to miss BB4 

Two hands pass without a Mortensen all-in called... He then calls preflop, check from Kirk.
7d 3h Kh the flop  Check-check
Turn:  Jh  Check-check
River:  Js  Kirk checks, Carlos puts in a million and wins more than that just from the preflop bets.

Kirk calls on the button - check from the short stack.  They check the Kc 9c 3s flop; Carlos bets 800k on the 5k turn.  Kirk calls.
The river:  7d  Carlos bets out 1.6 mil... that's a large percentage of his stack...he gets a call.
Carlos shows 8-9 for a pair of Nines - which is good.  The start of a high-blinds-narrowly-missed-just-winning-five-mins-ago comeback?

Blinds are now at 600,000 and 1,200,000 with a running ante of 100,000.

According to my source, that was a 13 minute level, and the 500,000/1,000,000 has been skipped.

Understandably, the crowd booed, which was surreal to say the least.

Kirk pushes Carlos off a pot on the turn (which involved Carlos investing over 2 million)... and we're back to Carlos having 10 million, Kirk having 22 million.

But it's hardly going to matter as the blinds...oh my goodness the blinds...

Bet that doesn't make the TV show final cut. 

Kirk makes up the small blind and Carlos moves all-in. Kirk folds.

The hand before, Carlos folded pre-flop for the first time in an age, Kirk showed Queens.  ;grr;

Carlos limps for 600k (Both players have done a lot of this, and with the blinds so silly you'd think the big stack might be looking to put the small one in while they're still small - those four or five hands Carlos took down on the flop bumped his count up several million).  Check.
Flop:  Kc Qd 8d  Kirk checks, Carlos bets the minimum - 1,200,000 and takes it down.
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Kirk makes up the small blind, Carlos pushes, for the third time in 20 minutes, and Kirk passes...
________________________________

Carlos gives up his small blind.


So surprised it's gone this far into the level without a push/call, or at least a push pretty much every hand.

One each.

Kirk raises one up pre-flop, Carlos folds, then the next hand, Carlos bets 1.5 million into a Kh 2h 3s to return the gesture.

(http://www.tsn.ca/images/stories/20030602/McEnroe_64861.jpg)

It wasn't a joke by the way...

Classic coinflip.

Carlos Mortensen = Ac Kd

Kirk Morrison = Ts Th

Board = 3d 5h 2s Ahrt Qc

Carlos doubles through and recaptures the chip lead.

Its a disgrace one of the best structured tournys get ruined when it gets into the hands of the television producers , especially with the amount of money they are playing for

Yes, we've gone from a 90 minute level (bubble) to a 1 hour level (last 6) to 30 mins (last 4/3) to the 13 mins we experienced just moments ago.

Incredible considering the top heavy structure and how much they're playing for.

The WPT also insist on no deals

Woohoo, GOOOO Carlos!!!

Yes the blind structure is literally unbelievable, considering the HUGE amount of money at stake. Really disgusting.

After that turnaround, Kirk just folds his small blind the next hand, but on the next one moves in after Carlos flat calls on the button.  He must have been expecting that... but no - no call!
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Kirk passes the next one pre - and the one after that Carlos puts his shorter opponent all in...he doesn't go for it.
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The next time Kirk moves in, and gets the call (4.4 mil):
Carlos shows: Kd Ts
Kirk shows:  7d 8d   Carlos wanders from the table - it's out of his hands now...

Flop:  2d 6s 6d...  (A great level of agitation from next door)
Turn:  Qc



People shouting random stuff now..."Deuce!" Joins in Snoopy, because it seems to be a popular theme.



River:  Td  Everyone shouts! The second Ten of Diamonds suckout for Kirk Morrison keeps this farcically structured final going....

You can't stop people promising to hand over money once they leave.  But there's all that tax and stuff to take into consideration, considerably more complicated than in the UK.

Kirk has doubled through yet again!!!

All-in pre-flop (well duh!)

Kirk Morrison = Ahrt 6c

Carlos Mortensen = Qs 9s

Board = Aspades 2h 6h Ts 5d

Kirk takes the lead... again! 18 million to 14 million.

Carlos gets a walk; the evened up stacks play on... (18 mil to 14 mil (Carlos))...

Kirk calls preflop, Carlos checks.  Flop:  4s 4c 5h Check-check.
Turn:  Tc  Carlos bets 1.2 mil (minimum), called.
River:  Jd  Carlos checks, Kirk bets - instapass.

Very harsh though when the TV execs are forcing you to do $2million coinflips

The blinds are going up to 800,000, 1,600,000, ante 300,000.  "Boooooo."  The TD actually announced, "Next hand, we're going to be playing Bet Your Life."

I've played in one WPT, and part of the bumf you have to sign includes a No Deals contract. Dunno how enforceable it is, but I'm not sure I'd like to go up against the WPT's (no doubt OJ-style) lawyers much... But I think Carlos and Kirk are doing an amazing job of trying to play 'real'poker considering the blind levels, absolutely looks like no deal's been done here.

I really hope the PPA, or whatever the poker players body is called take up the issue on this for future WPT events, its becoming a farce

Kirk limps, Carlos moves all-in, Kirk folds.

Carlos moves all-in for the third consecutive hand, and once again, Kirk folds.

FMP

4th time!

Kirk folds... again, but this time shows 7-2o.

"But he was pot committed!" shouts a fellow blogger.

Kirk limps, Carlos checks.

Flop = 7h 8s 4s

Kirk bets 2 million and Carlos folds.

I reckon Kirk had a nice hand here, because Carlos has pushed on his limps for the last two or three hands, unless of course he thinks Carlos would think this and make a cagey check.

 does coffee really waken you up ?? red bull ??

 cos ive been up since 3 in the afternoon yesterday and now i have to go and watch a football match at 10am.

 and i feel drastic

 help

Carlos moves in preflop...we don't hear, "Fold," immediately, and though we think that must mean that he's calling, he doesn't. 
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Fold on the button from Kirk... no such leeway from Carlos the next hand, "All in," once more - Kirk passes.
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Next hand, Kirk takes his turn to move in...he gets a million+ big blind back.

Phil Hellmuth recommends:

Carlos is currently holding the chip lead, approx 18 to 14 mil.

Yes, just coincidence that they're taking it in turns to in the all-in.

Well, I almost jumped into one during the break...

Anyone has a picture of Sabina Gadecki?

Kirk Morrison is OUT and becomes the 2nd place finisher winning $2,011,135

All-in pre-flop.

Kirk = Aspades 4d

Carlos = Kh Jh

Board = 4h 7c 3c Jc 3d

Great updates Snoops & Jen, thank you very much.
Shame it became a farce at the end with those ridiculous blind levels

And tell those TV execs to get forked while your at it

And now Mike Sexton hands over a framed entry to next year's WPT Championship to Carlos, then saying, surreally: "It's time to toast our winners with Budweiser - the official beer of the WPT!"  A tray of bottled Bud is brought out, and they're all holding one as the cameras zoom out!

 aha !  maybe 12 Buds will waken me up....

 then again , probably not.

 but they will make me feel better. probably when im sleeping  :)up

Taken before my own camera batteries died:  The lineup for the handover of the title, and a closeup of Mortensen, whom words failed as he was reminded that he was the only player to have won both the Championship Event at the WSOP and the WPT Championship.

Big Big Big respect due here , 1st person to win the  two biggest prizes in poker and gave EPT Final a good shot too.

Just caught up as the final hand was dealt..............great updates as ever from Jen & Snoops..............such a shame that a great structured event became a total crapshoot at the end but it would appear that TV is the boss even though they dont even add a  dime into the prize pool unlike every other sport where millions is handed over, why cant poker sell itself and at the very least get juice free tournaments not to mention tv added prize money?
Once again thanks to Jen & Snoops for a great weeks updating.
 :respect:

Hats off to the Matador ;hattip;

And finally...

 definitely. puts him up there with the great names.  ;applause;

thx Jen and snoops great work was like being there!

Have a great rest of your time in Vegas and same home

 :)up

Wowzer, what a week - exhausting, but highly enjoyable and I'm genuinely glad that I made the trip. Of course, it's always a delight to visit the bright lights of Vegas and experience that total culture change, but I also enjoyed the tournament itself. Okay, it may have been torn apart by the TV execs on the final day, but up to that time, this had been one of, if not THE best strucutred comps I have ever come across, and this made it a lot more fascinating to update. Plenty of big names, lots of interesting new characters and a few Europeans thrown into the mix too - awesome stuff.

Anyhow, we have to catch a flight at 12pm tomorrow (well, Saturday), so I think you'll let us escape the laptop just this once. All that's left to do is (1) thank WPT Media representatives Lindsay & Beatrice (top norkage) who have been a huge help to us newbies (2) applaud The Bellagio for making us feel welcome, giving us good access to the tables and so on and (3) unveil a secret regarding the money on the final table, look closely...

 ;stickaforkinme;

ul kirk but well done Carlos. As well as his WPT and WSOP grand final wins don't forget he knocked me out of last years wsop roshambo competition as well (far more impressive).

I second everything Snoopy just said.  Plus this part ;stickaforkinme;

Well done snoops and Jenn..top stuff. Although the structure meant I didn't find the final table as enjoyable to read as the other days...no room for poker here...sick.

;hattip; to Jen & Snoops, tremendous stuff.

Yeh great effort Jen and Snoops, just a shame that the final was ruined by the TV clowns, sadly not the last time this will happen. It wouldn't be so bad if they actually added some money to the prize pool.

The coverage here was better and certainly more entertaining than the WPT and Cardplayers attempts; great work please keep it up :)