blonde poker forum

We're here and the players verifying their chips.  Unbelieveble excitement in the crowd queueing for their chance to stand around the table and get a glimpse through the cameras of these final 9, one of whom is today going to walk away with the staggering $7.5 million first prize

The chip verification process seems to be unbagging and signing something - can't quite see from here - but it is interesting to think that these millions in chips in front of the players represent actual millions (10,000 chips for $10,000).  Amazing.

We wish these guys good luck after 6 days of marathon poker - especially Andrew Black, who has made the antesup crew very happy by making sure that Ireland is represented on the final table!

WELCOME TO THE FINAL TABLE OF THE 2005 WORLD SERIES OF POKER!!!    (the voice in the sky has come on)

They have warned us (among a whole bunch of rules) that use of a mobile phone is punishable by death.  Wow, they're really taking it seriously.

Final Table

1  Joseph Hachem (Australia - poker pro with medical degree)
2  Andrew Black (Ireland - law degree 14th in main event 1997)     8.14 mil inchips
3  Tex Barch (Texas  - owns a beer garden nr. Dallas.  3rd time he's cashed)    9.33 mil
4  Daniel Bergsdorf (Sweden - truck driver who 'now plays poker)    5.27 mil
5  Mike Matusow (LV - 'the mouth' irritating player, but only one to have 2 gold WSOP bracelets, second final table appearance)   7.41 mil
6  Aaron Kanter (CA - poker pro, online player who knocked out Ivey and Raymer)           10.7 mil
7  Brad Kondracki  (Pennsylvania - BA in computer science, online player 1st WSOP)     1.18 mil
8  Steven Dannenmann    5.46 mil
9  Scott Lazar (poker pro and magician, Hollywood producer)   3.37 mil

good evening to you and tikay  must be great atmosphere. all poker players would love to be there. on the 425 phone in tony seemed to express his dislike of loud foul mouth yanks and an even lower regard for all australians. can such a mild mannered gent really hold such views?  his comments please.

Poor Steve Dannenmann - the only one not to get a description.

 :(

Blinds will start at $50,000 - $100,000 with a $10,000 ante.  Greg Raymer having a little chat, congratulating everybody (well they're all millionaires after all) and handing it over to the dealer who finally is told to "shuffle up and deal."

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

ONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

SEALEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY

ooops - sorry - force of habit

Very well done conor - see you and the family in Florida in a couple of weeks time m8

KK Matusow vs Scott Lazar two red AA (shorter, and all-in)


Flop: Qh Kd 6h (OUCH)
Turn: 2h
River: Jh (OH MY!) the running hearts have given Lazar the nut flush and a double-through.  And the crowd goes wild...

Sounds like Matusow can't believe it!!!  ;D

Hi GoldGoat

What should I do for my freebies m8?

Hi Tikay,

Sorry m8, never even gave it a thought!

Message received and understood

Hi there. Drop me an email with postal address on to mstangroom@chupachups.com and i'll get some out to you next week. Which ones you like best?

No prob Micky. Glad you understood.

Hi m8,

Unfortunately, I'm a diabetic so gotta be the sugar free ones... there's two types I believe... the 'Cuoredi frutta' ones and the red & white ones

Will email you from the office next week.

Much appreciated ty

tikay... my son has just pointed out that we were on the same table at Tomz Poker Room back in March.. he got 4th I got 3rd... Look forward to meeting you again soon m8

No probs Micky - i'll send you some of both sorts,,and there's a couple more sugar free ones in the pipeline you can try for me as well to see what you think maybe!

Anyway, better stop talking bout lollipops now; someone said there was a poker tourney going on  ;)

Always a pleasure to help someone out m8 ;)

Morning /afternoon all.

I will deal with slo-mo - or, more oorrectly, his wholly inaccurate, & libellous. comments, shortly.

But first, more excitement here.
 
Kondracki moves all-in with TT, he gets called by Dannemann with AQ. First card is the Q, but it's an ALL spade flop,& Kondracki has 2 black tens. Turn card is a spade, & Danemann is drawing dead, whilst Kondracki doubles up.

Add to my "later list",  a reply to Micky.

But first of all, THAT hand, Matusow's KK v Lazar's AA.

When the K flopped, Matusow was doing his impression of a 5 year old imbecile, running round the room high fiving the railbirds. Lazaar sat there, having been outdrawn, dignified & impasasive, just like a proper grown up.

And when that heart rivered - oh, that  BEAUTIFUL heart - Matusow went into the head in hands, how unlucky am I mode.

POKER GODS RULE - OK?

Any update on chip counts please? I think Matusow just lost out versus Black as well.

Players are on a 15 minute break now

In an effort to get here in time for the fun and updates I got knocked out of the Gutshot 10 rebuy frenzy , how loyal is that?!?

Correct, Matusow and Black clashed. Andy just fired back at Matusow's bluff, Matusow sat there, trying to find a way out of the hole he had dug for himself. Truth is, he just got outplayed by Black.

Chip counts shortly, before they resume.

Here are the official chip counts from the break: 


1.  Aaron Kanter - $11,170 (seat 6)   
2.  Andrew Black - $10,610,000 (seat 2)   
3.  Tex Barch - $9,030,000 (seat 3)   
4.  Scott Lazar - $6,700,000 (seat 9)   
5.  Joseph Hachem - $5,280,000 (seat 1)   
6.  Daniel Bergsdorf - $4,970,000 (seat 4)   
7.  Steve Dannenmann - $2,940,000 (seat 8)   
8.  Mike Matusow - $2,810,000 (seat 5)   
9.  Brad Kondracki - $2,410,000 (seat 7)

Micky - YES, I DO remember you, and your son. You a little, err, short of hair? Did you sit two or 3 seats to my left at Tomz Poker Room? What a lovely memory that night was, eh?

Thanks Goldgoat.

ONLY IN AMERICA - PART 27

Here we are, playing for a fortune, & the guys are trying to focus, & they wheel out some old hillly billy geezer to sing a song. Unbelievable.

Chip counts - amazingly, Goldgoat posted them BEFORE they were announced. Spooky,eh? They have just announced threm, & Jen is inputting them right now. Give her 67 seconds.

Blinds are now at $60,000 - $120,000 with a  $20,000 ante

Hachem  5 mil
Black      10.2
Barch      9.3
Bergsdorf  4.97
Matusow  2.81
Kanter   11.17   (chip leader)
Kondracki  2.41
Dennenmann  2.94
Lazar      6.76

The hillbilly is Puggy Pearson apparently

PS can you please hurl matusow some abuse please!

Well i was more or less right! Must be psychic!

for your info that old hilly billy geezer ( bout same age as tikay-some wud say younger) happened to be puggy pearson

Now, slo-mo, & his ridiculous allegations about my phone-in on Poker 425.

I definitely, cross my heart and hope to die, never not no how said or referred to Americans as "obnoxious and loud mouthed yanks". I was speaking specifically about Mr Matusow.

And I certainly never insulted the Australians in any shape or form, I like those guys. In fact, I think I paid them a compliment, I referred to them as second-class Americans.

I must say, the Aussies here are making plenty of noise. "Aussie - OY - Aussie OY - Aussie Aussie Aussie OY OY OY". This confuses the Americans, who then clap politely. Bizarre.

hachem wins a pot to  be greeted by the aussie chorus. tikay must be loving their class and etiqette.

Well Mr Pearson has an awesome reputation as a poker player & bon viveur, but I don't care who or what he is, he sure can't sing. And he's old enoiugh to be my grandad.

grandad ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? BROTHER maybe

Woodsey, you want me to hurl abuse at Mr Matusow? Sorry fella, I have to remain impartial and professional.

The Press Room is usually an oasis of calm. But today......

To my left sits David Plastik. He's loud. Self-opinionated. He has a TRANSMIT button, but not a RECEIVE btuton. Kinda interesting guy actually, but you sure as hell would not want him as an in-law.

And now, heaven help us, 6 Aussies have wandered in, creating mayhem, sitting on the floor, talking and that. Nice guys, but uncouth.

there you go again

Young, good ,looking, cool dude shorts, open toed sandals, blond haired and stunningly good looking. Don't you just love Aussies?

Meanwehile, Matusow, unabashed by making a fool of himelf by his premature celebration, not to mention premature anything else, is show boating, triumphantly showing a bluff with 8-5 spades. He is, apparently,the world's greatest living person.

Get the tango man to give him a slap!

[/size]

the mouth out

MATUSOW OUT.....

Matusow ALL-IN vs Steve Dannenmann on a flop of 2 3 5
Matusow  10 10
Dannenmann  A J

Turn:    4 
River:    9

Giving the straight to Steve Dannenmann on the turn to knock MIKE MATUSOW OUT IN 9th place getting $1,000,000 IN PRIZE MONEY

I hope he cries like a baby again!!!!!!!

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

poor guy. bit unlucky if u ask me

it's funny how every time someone shows a bluff, they shortly afterwards get kicked in the nuts.
is Mike a pro ?

Yes, gotta be said, he was v unlucky. (To be born with such a big mouth?)

But slo-mo's right, TT v AJ, & the AJ catches the wheel, that is unlucky. We gotta remain fair and impartial.

Tough break for the likeable Matusow, who takes home $1,000,000. We wish him well.

found it...
Rule 13
Never show your cards
subclause (a)
especially if you are bluffing

c'mon tell us..we want to know....
is he crying on his TV inteview like last year on ESPN
(it is the only time I realised he was human. I actually felt sorry for him)

come on Dave, you didn't really feel sorry for him did ya ?

well, as tikay says...'it was emotional'

apparantly this year he was very composed or stunned

Looking at the antes & blinds, this may take a while.
The first raise is usually under 300,000 so they are all comfortable apart from 1 player Brad Kondracki. He is the only one under 2 mil. And he is a long way from being under pressure from the blinds.

Sorry guys, the players took a break whilst the Media Scrum & Matusow's entourage did their thing. They are back playing again now.

Showing bluffs is a reasonable tactic if used for the right reason, but it can tempt fate, esercially when done in a manner which says "I am too good for you boys". Don't mess with the Poker Gods, that's the thing he forgot.

Keep up the great work chaps :)

Matusow looked non-plussed aferwards, he really could not comprehend that he had busted out,  almost as if he was in shock. An Orirental gentleman came looking for Matusow, "I want laugh in his face, I plenty hate him". That's IS a step too far. Do as thy will be done.

By the way, apologies for my belated arrival today, & lack of a Preview of the Final. Was due here at 2pm, but encountered some severe technical problems in my hotel room.

WAS SHE NICE?

Talking of players crying, we saw 2 examples of this yesterday.

John McGrane, having won $350,000 for $10, was completely overcome with JOY when he exited.  He can buy a house, and a car for his wife, and a proper christening party for his 3 month old daughter. He is SUCH a nice guy. And his reaction to busting out was to cry with happiness. "I can provide a better  life for my wife and children with this money", he blubbed. What a LOVELY guy.

And Tiffany Williamson shed a few tears too.  She was just overcome by the enormity of it all.

great job tikay... how did comp go then? i told u it would be a late one!

got to admit the live feed is good with hellmuth and the pros etc... tho they were supporting the mouth!

going to the mgm to play cash in a bit, missed ther bellagio today i'll wait for the brit invasion tomorrow!

Andrew Black has just raised from the cutoff to $350,000, called by Bergsdorf in the small blind.  Bergsdorf bet out $400k on the 3 9 7 rainbow flop but passed when Black raised a million.  So after a few hands of this sort the chip counts are:

1  Hachem         6,810,000
2  Black           10,050,000
3  Barch           10,500,000
4  Bergsdorf       4,130,000
5  Kanter         12,200,000
6  Kondracki       1,450,000
7  Dannenmann  5,000,000
8  Lazar             6,000,000

Yes I would like to also congratulate John McGrane. Great guy, great effort. Will probably be back in his London cab next week.

Looks like Andy is getting busy taking down a few pots..hovering between 10 & 10.5 mil - c'mon Andy

Do we have any supporters for anyone else ? Are there any Swedes out there ?

Hi Gamblor (At It Bradley),

The comp? I finished 8th. They paid 7. So not back to hotel till 0800, and I had a phone-in to do at 10, so decided to stay up. Did the phone in, went to bed, fell into deep slumber, awoke at 4pm. Oops......

Game has gone a bit quiet here, & we are struggling to get a vew of the table, the place is heaving, and table side access is restricted to ESPN and Cardplayer. And I've got heaps of pics, but am having trouble gettung them up on the Forum.

kondraki busted by black aq v 88    ....k95...5....6

Kondracki all-in for 1.2 million, called by Andrew Black.......
Kondracki  A Q
Black        8 8

Flop       Ks 9c 5s
Turn      5h

.....River   6c

******************BRAD KONDRACKI OUT IN 8th PLACE - - - - RECEIVES $1,150,000*****************

Unlucky Brad. He took his exit in dignified fashion, and played well all week. Nice guy, all at blonde wish him well. He gets a nice consolation prize of $1,115,000. Which is more than most players have ever, or will ever, win in their entire life.

They are having another little break.  After someone goes out they all get up and mill around for ten minutes, possibly to compose themselves, possibly for the eliminated player to be mobbed by the media.

That must put Andy close to 12 million chip and the lead....c'mon the monk !
has anyone got the address of that place in tibet ?

I think El Blondie may be right about this taking a while to finish. After every bust out, they take a break. And there is a LOT of play for the deep stacks. The folks in Europe, in bed right now, will be waking up and logging on before this has finished. Hope so, the site is strangely quiet at the moment, but I suppose it is 0400 in  Europe!.

Chip counts on the way from Jen......

So after all this excitement, Andy Black the new chip leader and the counts are as follows:

Hecham        6.56 million
Black           13.05
Barch           10.4
Bergsdorf      3.26
Kanter         11.17
Dannenmann  5.37
Lazar             6.47

Andy Black 13 million? WOW! Average woiuld be 7 million I guess....?

Here in the Press Room there are several "guests" watching the tv feed. David Plastik - loud, non-stop talking, Erik Seidel reading a newspaper, John Juanda, who seems a really nice guy, very quiet.

John McGrane, who's had BIG probs with his Tax on his winnings. The lady here who sorts these things out gave him a phone number, which he assumed was the Revenue Office. Speaks to the guy at that number, no problem Sir, we can sort it for you. It will cost you 10%".....

I cant bloody take much more !!!! Come on Andy hurry it up lad.

That blonbe bird has been taking bribes off the guys from the second week of the series to get them cashed out when they don't have a Tin Number ! And making no secret of the fact !

Couple of pretty big hands over here:  at the moment we are waiting for Hachem to make a decision on an all-in bet from Kanter on a board of 10c 4s 7h Jd.  There was a $500k bet on the flop and so the pot here is over 3.7 million...... Hachem eventually passes. 

A similar thing happened a couple of minutes ago when Dennenmann made the same move against Hachem who bet 2 million at him, but eventually passed.  There are some sizeable pots going on here without anything being shown.

They're all at it!  (And I don't mean anything derogatory about the quality of their hands by that...) 
Andy Black has just re-raised Aaron Kanter's 1.6 million bet to a cool 5 million.  We're in at least the fifth dwell minute.  You know how in little comps and someone wants someone else to get a move on and says "quit dwelling, it's not the World Series" - well, that doesn't really work here.

Kanter passes and the dinner break begins.

Wow,that dwell up between Andy Black and Kantor was AWESOME. I am not convinced Andy had anything, but sheesh, it was hard for Kantor to call unless he had AA or KK.

Great poker, & Andy, as I keep saying, is a man whose moment seems to have arrived, he's as cool as a cucumber, and playing grreat power poker. Reminds me very much of my play.

The blonde lady who "sorts out" guys tax problems? What a liberty,what a scam!!

OK, 90 minute dinner break now guys, see you later.

Tikay, please tell Andy the Fitz is buzzing, all cash game players following the action online from binion's on gigantic screens and eagerly awaiting Andy's homecoming victory party ... with lots of lemon meringue pie (he'll know what i'm on about!!!)
KP

Right, the players have returned from the Dinner Break, & we are ready to Rock and Roll. At dinner, the guys would have had time to reflect that one of them iks aboit to kop for $7.5 million. That's REAL money, genuinely life changing stuff.

Chip counts on the way, just inputting them now. Blinds are 60,000 - 120,000, plus the running ante....

any sites running a live table reconstruction so to speak of the final?? i know a few did last year

Tex Bsrch and Daniel Bergsdorf get it on. There's a R, a RR, and a call all-in, on their backs, Tex has TT, but the all-in Danirel has him beat with JJ.

Board comes......

T - Q - 4 - 8 - Q, & that's killed Daniel - Daniel Bergsdorf OUT.

SIX left now.....

That was 'orrible..what a bad beat.
KK v AA a stitch up hand...now a classic bad beat
the poker gods aren't gonna miss out on their bit of fun

Chip counts, in seat order....

Jo Hachem, 2.45 million

Andy Black 18 million. That's EIGHTEEN MILLION

Tex Barch 13.4 million

Aaron Kanter 10.6 million

Dannenmann 7.13 million

Scott Lazaar 5.4 million

com'on ANDY

The media scrum continued today for the final table. While cameras snapped around him the starting dealer amused himself with some card flourishes.

Morning guys and gals.

Nice to see you is all busy with the updates.

Just got back from work thought it would all be over and I'd find out the winner.

No such luck.

Yogi

After the initial announcements a lady sang the American National Anthem...

Hachem takes a nice pot against Dannemann without seeing a flop.

Thats the way to win 'em

And finally the players sat down to play..

Weird pot going on righ now with a board of A A A 2 5

Andrew Black bet half a million on the river and was called by Barch.  He showed pocket 8s and his full house won another 2.2 million.

Hachem all-in with AQ spades -
Lazar with the  K9 spades called.

Flop:  10s 4s Ah
Turn:  5c  and Scott Lazar drawing dead.

Hachem doubles up and the Australians are going nuts.  They have this kind of war cry:  "AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE, OI OI OI" which they chant whenever their boy wins a pot.

Andy Black pushed with what turned out to be JJ
Lazar called all in with Qs 10d -  - - - -- -

Here we go:

Flop: 3c 5s 8s

Turn: 4c

River: Kh

*********************************SCOTT LAZAR OUT IN  6th PLACE AND WINS  $1,500,000***************************

Having taken down another final tablist, Andrew Black is consolidating his chip lead.  Here are the most recent counts, made while they had their 'player out' breaklet:

Joseph Hachem        5,100,000 
Andrew Black           21,750,000
Tex Barch                12,560,000
Aaron Kanter           10,300,000
S. Dannenmann         6,550,000

The crowd are getting really worked up.  Heard the announcer announcing the "first wave in poker history, ladies and gentlemen."  Like being at a baseball game, only less running around and more money floating about.

Surely the way to win 'em is a walk in the big blind like Andrew Black just received!  Think of those juicy antes ($20,000 per player)

would YOU raise andy's blind, Djinn?  ;D

going to bed hope i wake up to see andy's won it

Plenty of tears from Scott Lazaar in his press conference.

"I wanted to  buy this, that and the other, now I can't", says the guy who's just been given $1,500,000 for playing cards for a week.

Nowt so queer as folk.

Newest counts:

Hachem  4.8 mil
Black       20 mil
Barch      12.5 mil
Kanter    13.75 mil
Dannenmann  5.5 mil  (although he just pushed all-in preflop and with no caller has a bit more now)

Scott Biz-aar  ;)

...and if i'm not mistaken, wasn't this his 3rd cash at wsop THIS YEAR?

He is living all of our dreams right now, and you know what, it really couldnt happen to a nicer guy ! We swapped a percentage for luck before the event and I called him before the start of the final to wish him luck. Even then he still found time to tell me that it was going to be a pleasure to win me some real money!! HE IS MY FAVOURITE POKER PLAYER AT THE MOMENT !!! HA HA HA

carlo

you lucky egg !!!

I'm here in Blackpool with Paul Parker staying over with me whilst were trying to win 200 in the Blackpool Cash Games !!!

And Carlo gets a % of $7,500,000............you always come up smelling of Roses don't you !!

Good Luck to you mate

Kind Regards
The Nugget

Wasn't going to bother ! But if you and paul are there then I have to come FOR THE VALUE !!! Will you do me a favour and buy me in please ? What time does it start ?

The audience is getting louder as we reach the final five.

More player images of the final five

Aaron Kanter just won a huge pot from Andrew Black (c. 15 million).  Kanter raised pre-flop and Black re-raised, with a call.  The flop came x K 3 with 4 million eventually being bet in total after a raise from Andrew.  The turn paired the 3 (it was checked by both) and on the river (bet by Kanter of 2 millioin which was called) Kanter revealed his pocket Kings for the house.

So the new chip standings are as follows:

Hachem   4.2 million
Black      10.2
Barch      13
Kanter     21
Dannenmann  6.6

More player images..

Tex Barch picks up about 7,000,000 raising Aaron Kanter's 2 mil bet on a raggy flop all-in.  Kanter eventually passed.  From the big screen we have in the press dungeon it looks lke Kanter's 21 stacks are an absolute tower at the moment.  He may be doing a bit of bullying at this point, but that's just a guess...

Chips are moving about:

Hachem  4.3
Black      11
Barch      14.7
Kanter    17.6
Dannenmann  8.2

Three-way pot of a couple of million taken down by Andrew Black, when the board was 7h 10c 5s Js.  The flop had been checked, Hachem bet the turn but folded to an 800,000 raise.  Everybody seems to have gotten a bit more cagey now, but maybe that's just because there was such a flurry of action earlier on.

Dannenmann picked up about 3 million re-raising Tex Barch all-in, who eventually passed.

Somebody call security - a certain suspiciously blond guy has stretched out on the floor for 15 minutes and there is a funny buzzing noise coming from that area... must be the TV reception.

We are on a break, by the way, before you suspect him of missing anthing crucial.

Just woken up to a sunny Saturday morning and TK and Jens coverage on here....life doesn't get better than this!

Thanks guys it even smells like America here.

Yes I'll have large fries with that thanx!!!

Latest from the Table:

Hachem         3,040,000
Black             12,370,000
Barch             12,810,000
Kanter           17,740,000
Dannenmann   10,320,000

Next one out guaranteed $1,750,000

The final table blinds are apparently entering 'uncharted territory' being $100,000 - $200,000 with a $30,000 ante!

Hi Jagster, glad you are enjoying your morning (nice and early).  Here it smells like lots of journalists in a stuffy room. 

They have just resumed play, more when it happens.

Announcer just mentioning that every ante they are putting in now represents three players from this Main Event.  He got an 'oooooh' when he asked "Anyone want to lay claim to Hellmuth's chip?"

Raise by Kanter, call by Dannenmann, Hecham moved all-in for 3.25 million... Kanter folded and after a lengthy dwell, Dannenmann looks at this little bit of paper with some strategy notes on it.  The cameras focus on it and it says 'Play Tight.'  Priceless.

He passes.

Dannenmann all-in vs Andrew Black!

On a flop of 5c 6c 9s        Andrew bet 1 mil and called Dannenmann's raise all-in for about 6 million more with 10, 9, finding only A 6 against him.

Turn: 3c
River: A!!!       A bit of hard luck loses a pot of about 14 milliion for Andrew and doubles up a lucky Dannenmann.

Andrew Black all in with A8 vs Kanter's 4 4............

Flop: J A 8 rainbow

Turn:  3s

River:  2d      and Andy doubles up to about 7 million. 


Action on this final table like buses, you know... just when we were all napping.

So the chips are now more like this:

Hachem  5 mil
Black 7
Barch 11
Kanter 13.5
Dannenmann  19

Aaron Kanter has moved all-in on a Kc 10s 7s flop and been called by Tex Barch -

Tex has K7 (flopped 2 pair)
Aaron has K5

Turn: Qh

River:  Jd.                 Tex Barch has doubled up on the biggest pot of the night and we have a NEW CHIP LEADER

So the chips are on the move again (looks like they might all get a go at being the chip leader at some point)

Hecham           4.3
Black               7.68
Barch            21.25
Kanter            3.71
Dannenmann  19.2

THANKS FOR ALL THE UPDATES Djinn

your doing a great job out there cheers

That Tex Barch double-up pot had 21,250,000 in the pot.  That makes it the largest in WSOP history.  And we're still 5-handed.

Cheers RFC!  Glad people are waking up and tuning in, or whatever it is you do with computers

proved true, I'm along for the ride now.

end to end stuff isn't it?

Hanging on your every word Jen, and not too late a night yesterday - no value in the cash game with you in Vegas  ;D

and Matusow 1st out. best news I've heard all week. tough beat but after all the pain he's influicted on other players, well "poetic justice" doesn't cover it.

Tex Barch has been around the scene for quite a while. He is a bit of a rock. They wont get those chips of him very quickly. Looks like we have another 5 or 6 hours to go !

And just think, Paddyjim, I've had so little time to give the good people of Vegas my easy money.  Their loss.

Back to the Main Feature:  Aaron Kanter moves all in on a 2h Kd 4s board which pushes Andrew Black off his 600k bet.  Living dangerously.

More numbers:

Hachem    2.5
Black        8.2
Barch      21.4
Kanter      5
Dannenmann  18.6

Good work as ever guys.  Certainly didn't expect this to last so long either!

Slightly off topic.  Do you know if Xuyen Pham and Joe Awada played the main event??

Hachem all-in vs Dannenmann with 77 vs AsJc

Flop: 6c 9c 10h

Turn: 9h    (some more outs appear for D. and the crowd gets all tense)

River: 3c        Hachem doubles up with his sevens and the Australians are starting up again

Xuyen definitely played not sure about Joe.

can you ask them to get a move on, I have stuff to do in town.

Andrew Black ALL-IN with 10 10 vs AK of Dannenmann

Flop 2c 3s 8h
Turn: Kc   
River: 9c

************************ANDREW BLACK OUT IN 5th WINNING $1,750,000*************************************

Just done the calculations... thats about a million quid!!

well done Andy! - great player, great performance - be proud!

OLE OLEOLEOLE coming from the crowd who are cheering Black as he loses a 16million pot on his race.  Andy shakes the others' hands and from the first cameras' pictures is smiling.  Well, he did just win nearly 2 million dollars.  He does look remarkably composed as the first interviewers pounce.

So down to four and the next prize is a round $2,000,000.

Dannenmann now leading in chips with 26,250,000.  That's a pretty hefty lead.

Kanter has moved all-in preflop for just over 4 million.  Tex Barch is thinking about calling....... and calls
Aaron Kanter Ac 7h     vs   Tex Barch Ad Qc

Flop:  7d 7c 10s  !!!
Turn:  As   -one card left for a chop

River:  6h                         Aaron Kanter doubles up.   New counts in a moment

Great job Jen, I've enjoyed reading your reports.

We missed you and John last night - the prize pool was smaller than usual. ;)

Despite appearing to bear defeat bravly and with a smile, Andy Black declined the invitation to meet the Press afterwards. Guess there's a time and a place. I hope he does not beat himself up, it was a great effort, he behaved well througout, played strong, & was never less than a total Gent at the table.

Hachem   5 million
Barch     17 million
Kanter     9 million
Dannenmann  26.1 million

Thanks matt (I think). P.S. I was asked to pick two cards at random earlier in the week and J9 just popped out.  I meant to say lucky57 but for some reason it's just stuck in my brain......

You know it's the nuts. ;)

The Press Room is starting to look like a war zone. I can see at least 6 folks horizontally prone, dozens of laptops being worked upon, empty pop and beer bottles, plastic cups everywhere, guys with headphones on apparently talking to themselves, Jen working away at her new computer on the floor in the corner, surrounded by her groupies, and of course David Plastik is still talking, giving forth his views on all matters, poker or not.

I picked 3am in the Press Room Sweep as the likely finishing time. I reckon I'm adrift by several hours.

Try 8am
 ;D

Today or tomorrow?

You jest, surely..........

The guys are on a little break now, as they do each "level change".

There are now 9 guys asleep on the Press Room Floor, and I guess half a million quidsworth of cameras & such like.

And David Plastik is still talking.

I'm losing track... what time is there?

Las Vegas 3:06 am
Est finish time 8:00 am
(unless they take Tex out early)

Hope you havent lost all that blonde hair Tony, would seem such a shame after having the operation.

Thanks to you and Jen for all your hard work...much apprieciated ( think ive spelt it rite !! )

So the blinds go where no blinds have gone before - $120,000 - $240,000 with a $40,000 ante

Hachem         $7.02
Barch             $14
Kanter           $10.56
Dannenmann  $24.6

Hachem limped on the button for the $240,000, then Kanter on the big blind raised to 1 million.
Hachem went all-in and .... CALL!!

Hachem Qd 7d   vs Kanter 9d 9s

Flop:  Qh 2h 8c
Turn:  Ah
River:  2c. 

Hachem caught on a bit of a steal and it came good; he doubles up to around 10mil

We here in the press dungeon getting very excited when someone gets all-in as there is a lot of folding and stuff.  But it's double-through hour here so they get set to go again, with the chips as follows:

Hachem  13,200,000
Barch     12,600,000
Kanter      6,500,000
Dannenmann   23,800,000

I'm reading this and listening to live stream at same time.  Layne Flack and Phil Hellmuth just described Andrew Black's game as "Inspired".

Just poped into Base Camp 1 - the Main Press Room (we chose Base Camp 2, more intimate), & what a sight. 20 or more dead bodies (maybe just asleep), 40 laptops being tap tapped, and the Gutshot boys still all awake, marshalled by Derek Kelly.

The MC is revving up the crowd as we speak, thry are falling asleep too. Huge crowd though. There is a woman with a girlie scream who lets forth with a shrill at evrey opportunity, I could wring her neck.

Dannenmann just took down another pot with another preflop raise.  No one wants to get involved for periods of about an hour and then there's a flurry of action.  So judging by that I have time to go get a hot dog.

Hachem  14m
Barch     11.5
Kanter    4.75
Dannenmann - as the TD puts it, "all the rest."

red  bull anyone???

Andy Black just wandered into the Press Room to "make himself available" to the press.

He's  fine, he's OK, he's cool.

No gripes, no sadness (as to his exit), very articulate, and clearly a man at peace with himself. A little bemused at the huge "celebrity" thing that seems to be engulfing poker, but it won't bother him, he's his own man. He still has a huge belief in meditation, and feels it's made him better able to cope with adversity.

Hachem   16 mil
Barch     11.5 mil
Kanter     4.6 mil
Dannenmann 23 mil

It really looks like no-one wants to give an inch.  However with almost half a million going in blinds and antes every round, they will eventually.

Just found out Hatchem is KAIKEY off Ladbrokes - played with him many times

Dannenmann seen a couple of flops calling raises by Hecham and Barch and then folded when they bet.  This means a slight shift in chips to:

Hachem       18mil
Barch           11.08
Kanter           4.5
Dennenmann  22

But they are just not doing all that much.  I guess they don't want that 4th prize of $2 million.

with 4 still left would this go into an extra day ??

OK, the break is nearly over, we are now about to resume play.

120,000 - 240,000, ante 40,000.

Hachem 20,500,000

Tex Barch 11,300,000

Aaron Kantor 4,660,00

Steve Dannemann 19,000,000

Stewart - No, it has been announced that they will play to the death. It may LAST till tomorrow though.....

I popped over ovet to McDonalds during the break to bring some well deserved food to the 425 & blonde crews. Passed the "big cash" table downstairs en route, & there was Sonny Ninja in his usual seat, as he has been for a few nights now. In front of him he had about 8" (that's 200mm) of 100 dollar bills. 8" high, that is.

Wherever I travel in Poker, I can always reckon to see Sonny sat there, huge wedge in front of him, playing massive cash games.

He must have some game to keep doing it. At those levels, it dont take many losing nights to add up to a lotta money.....

Mind you, I suspect he had a goodly % of last weeks $10,000 Omaha comp winner. That'd be a 6 figure sum in itself.

Aaron Kantor has A-9, Tex Barch has JJ, it's on their backs.

Flop is K-7-9, all hearts, turn is an 8, and the river is an J.

So Aaron Kantor is OUT, & we are down to 3 players.

Hi Tikay and Djen,

Back in Blighty now and way easier to follow the series here at home.

Hi Micky 147, I'm Titter on Laddies.

And the prize money for 4th was a paltry $2,000,000.......

hi Titter

ONLY IN AMERICA......

The money has arrived. First, two men with shotguns.

Then a man with an open topped bankers box, full of dollar bills. Followed by 16 - SIXTEEN - more men, each with an identical bankers box, each full of money.

So now there are three...

Joe Hachem             
Tex Barch                 
Steve Dannenmann   

We have a magic formula here - all of team blonde goes out for a cigarette or some McDonald's or to the loo or to mill around and someone goes all-in and gets called and we all run back in to update.  We are spending the next hour in the corridor.

Little break while they all contemplate that the next prize is $2,500,000

THE MONEY MAKES ITS WAY INTO THE ROOM....

Now they have tipped all the boxes of money onto an adjacent, empty, poker table, all piled up higgly piggly.

The Americans fascination for bigger, better, MORE, of everything, is sated. The folks are drooling & dribbling.

I'm irrestibly drawn to the thought of Live 8, & the starving children of Africa.

Strange world, eh?

OK, break over, it's shuffle up & deal time again.

Dannremann & Hachem clash pre-flop immediately. Flop is 7-2-2, two diamonds, brings about a $1 million bet, $4 million RR, then an all-in RRR for about $10 million. WOW! I hope these guys not used the break to discuss "business".......

....but Hachem declines the invitation to get it on, & get it in, & lives to fight another day, Dannemann taking down a whopping pot..

Now it's Dannemann & Barch who are scrapping. A R, RR, & RRR pre-flop suggests someone has something........

So THEN Danemann dwells, before moving ALL-IN with that rarest of animals, a RRRR for 21 million dollars.....!

Barch passes, Dannemann shows aK.....

Hachem has 17 milliuon

Barch 12 million

Dannemann 27 million

The first R would be all-in at the Gala.  :P

Good to see they can make these plays here.

Press Room estimates of the finishing time seemed to be aroiund 0800, US time.

But the game seems to have changed massively since the break, with much more adventurous play being shown by sall 3.

Though I would not suggest for even a moment that any business has been discussed.

Wouldn't it be tragic if they had done business and they started playing half-heartedly.

The internet we have been leeching has stopped working for me so we are now taking turns on the old-fashioned but sturdily reliable mobile card thingy in Tikay's computer.

Hachem        22,000,000
Barch           7,500,000
Dannenmann 27,000,000

Q J 2 rainbow flop sees Dannenmann bet 500k, Tex raise to 2 million.  Dannenmann passes and Tex Barch wins the pot.  There is more stuff happening now, however, than for about 3 of the previous hours of 4-handed play

Steve D. and Joe H. getting into quite a few little skirmishes.

Flop 9 8 6 checked
Turn Qs..... Joe Bets 750k, called
River 3d......Joe bets 1.5 mil and takes it down.

Yet another 15 minute break as they colour up the $10,000 chips (!)

red dog and i are playing the 2nd day in glasgow today so can someone txt us the result please

Welcome back to two sadly missed regulars, Ironside, & Karabiner. It seems like only a few hours ago that I saw Karabiner outside the Rio, whilst I was sorting a Limo for John McGrane. Now he's back home in beautiful Nottingham, lucky fella.

OK, about to recommence, seconds out, Round 93.

I was intrigued by the MC's pre-break announcement that threy were about to "colour up the $10,000 chips"....You don't hear THAT every day!

Hachem 25,500,000

Tex Barch 7,150,000

Dannemann, 24,100,000

The blinds are now a silly $150,000 - $300,000 with a $50,000 ante.

I have a 3pm UK deadline to write about the WSOP. I wish they could hurry things along  ;)

Great coverage by the way....

You guys must be knackered.

Family pot #2 here 10h 5c 3c flop.  Steve D. bets 350k, called.
Turn 10s     Steve D. bets 300k   Joseph Hachem calls.
River  9s      Steve D. checks, and check from JH.

Joseph: shows Jack high and beats Dannenmann's 4 high.  Extraordinary.  A million dollars on J high, in effect.

Hi Jenn/Tony

Acording to the HM Database Tikay has the same amount of WSOP cashes as Joe Hachem the others have none. Keep up the good work

Tex Barch has moved all-in preflop for 5,650,000.
Steve Dannenmann calls  OH - THREE WAY!!     There will be betting on the side.....


Flop: 10c 3d 2d
Turn: Qh
River: 9c

Tex Barch shows: 7 7
Steve Dannenmann: mucked
Joseph Hachem:  J J


********************************************TEX BARCH 3rd PLACE FINISHER WINNING $2,500,000******************************************

The excited press are recommencing their pool on 'when there will be one player left.'  For 20 bucks you can get in on this good thing and I'm thinking about choosing 7am.

The Joseph Hachem fan club is eulogising his rise in chips from 2 million (5-handed) to what people are estimating at 40 million now... actual numbers shortly.

Hi Milkybar

Loved talking to you in Vegas hoped you had a good trip and made plently. Looking forward to your spot in the paper, nice to meet you in person at least I can now see through "that picture"
all the best John. 

Cheers John

That picture isn't that bad is it?

Maybe i should find a less scary one!

We are Heads Up.

New MC Bruce Buffer (from Ultimate Fighting, apparently) giving a little melodrama to the bleary-eyed fans:  "Let's get ready to GAMBLLLLLLEEEEEE!"

Hachem        40,900,000
Dannenmann 16,350,000

The last two have seen:
2c 5s Qh 6h

Dannenmann bets 1,450,000, Hachem calls.

River Qc.  Check to Steve Dannenmann.  He bets 2 million, Hachem calls.

Dannenman shows J 6 for two pairs with a J kicker.  The press room is not impressed.  But they're all tired and cranky.

The MC has started calling them 'Steve' and 'Joe' so that is what I am going to do as it is easier to just autotype as he announces what's going on.

I follow the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bruce Buffer is a good MC.  Don't know if he knows anything about poker though.

The media room has officially lost the plot.

Steve was the original preflop raiser

Flop: 6h 4d 5d
Steve bet 700,000 and was raised to 1.7 mil. called.

Turn As  Joseph bets 2 million, Steve raises 3 million more. Joseph moves All-in  CALL

Joseph has 3s 7c for the made straight  Steve Ad 3c

RIVER: 4c

[/size]

Phew!!!!

Thanks for the reports!

The Australians are shouting, Hachem is waving the Aussie flag, even the jaded press table is a little excited.

Steve Dannenmann 2nd place finisher receiving $4,500,000

But Joseph Hachem is the World Series Main Event Winner who receives the $7.5 million dollars

thanks for everything both of you

Brilliant coverage!

Thanks.  ;D

Thanks for the great coverage

its been emotional :D

And thanks to all blondeites for checking out the reports - we have to hand it over to the cameraguys who will, I'm sure, shoot miles of footage for your later entertainment.  We have to go to sleep now as there is a rumour that tomorrow is poker-reporting-free and we should probably not sleep through it entirely.  Thanks for following our Main Event coverage - it was late for us but even later for you.  Night!

Many many thanks for the brilliant reports!!!!

Does that mean we can all finally get some sleep? ;D

Anyone know when it's gonna be shown on telly over here?

Someone was saying yesterday that it will be shown in November

late 2005 at the earliest, as the uSA don't see it until September

That's it folks, we are outa here!

BIG thanks to Jen, she is a great guy.

Breakfast now (what happened to Dinner, Breakfast & Tea?), write my Final "tikay in Vegas" Diary for www.poker425, then my final phone-in at 10.00am Vegas time for the TV show, then that's it, we are FINISHED, and a long sleep is in prospect.

Thank you for tuning in.

It's been emotional.

Thx for the reports.  :)

WSOP won with 73off. fantastic.

Thanks for the coverage, its been great to read about the atmosphere as well as the cards.

Many thanks tony & jen, fantastic job done as per usual.

thought i was getting up to see andy black had won the world series but he was unlucky still a great achievement and a nice payday

thanks for great coverage

great coverage guys. im sure you are both knackered i know the long hours you have put in, if it makes you fell any better we all really appreciate it.  ;D

the wsop was won with 7 3 what sort of fish are they lol :D :D

Well done to Joseph Hachem for winning the world crown, but an even bigger thanks to Tikay and Jen for all the hard work they've put in covering his win. Now go sleep for a week!

10 hour flight here I come, sigh...

Safe trip back for everyone......I wanna be there next year!!!!

sorry tony if i had known that the hotel had a internet terminal when i got iback last night i would have kept you company as i was too worked up trying to work out how to get chips from the 3 calling stations on my table when the biggest hands i saw all night was a single pair of 7s a piar of 5s 3 AKs (1 won 1 lost 1 split) and no other ace bigger than A9
that i was still up 2 hours after leaving casino and this would have been good wind down

Well we missed you fella.

You have a safe journey too, & good luck on Tuesday.

Final images from the WSOP Main Event

who is the winner and who is the runner up in the above post?

The top one is Steve Dannenmann with his siamese twin and Joseph Hachem is the one with the pile of readies.