WSOP $5,000 Short-handed NLHE: Final Table

[NoflopsHomer]

Welcome back to the final of the $5k short-handed event. This event is being broadcast on the WSOP site with an hour delay so whilst the final starts at 2pm (10pm UK) we can only start reporting on it from 3pm (11pm). Below are the chip counts and prize money.

Seat 1: Greg Pohler -- 655,000
Seat 2: Alex Bolotin -- 2,010,000
Seat 3: Gioi Luong -- 570,000
Seat 4: Bill Edler -- 535,000
Seat 5: Dutch Boyd -- 705,000
Seat 6: Erik Friberg -- 2,795,000

1st -- $904,672
2nd -- $504,686
3rd -- $345,582
4th -- $232,669
5th -- $169,369
6th -- $110,860

Blinds were 20k/40k with a 5k ante when left last night, so apart from Erik and Alex, the players have very little room to manoeuvre.

[Djinn]

Well, we are now in the Vegas stage of not being quite sure what day it is, while being definitely sure that what time of day it is is irrelevant.  The World Series rushes onwards, with several events per day kicking off, whittling down, or coming to their thrilling conclusion.  Like this one. 

Unfortunately, it is "sequestered," (the last time I heard this word was in relation to a jury on a high-profile criminal case) which means that it is taking place live in a tent about 20 feet away from us, with no-one in and no-one out until it reaches a conclusion.  This is so it can be streamed online - we are getting a feed, as Homer says, with an hour's delay on it.  Seeing as it is possible to watch all the hands in real time in exchange for some cash we were unsure as to whether to cover it, but decided to give it a shot anyway.  I probably don't need to say that certain European members of the press think the whole setup sucks for Live Coverage, but there's always the new $1,500 event which started at Midday today to have a peek at.  I know Nick Wright - dino1980 on blonde - won a package and is playing... anyone else?

[Dewi_cool]

 

[NoflopsHomer]

Seat 1: Greg Pohler -- 655,000

Seat 2: Alex Bolotin -- 2,010,000

Seat 3: Gioi Luong -- 570,000 (trying to find a better picture)

[NoflopsHomer]

Seat 4: Bill Edler -- 535,000

Seat 5: Dutch Boyd -- 705,000

Seat 6: Erik Friberg -- 2,795,000

Incidentally the live feed has Howard David commentating with "Poker Pro" Taylor Caby and "Poker Player" Brian Townsend. Answers on a postcard if you know the difference between a 'pro' and and 'player'.

[Karabiner]

Seat 4: Bill Edler -- 535,000

Seat 5: Dutch Boyd -- 705,000

Seat 6: Erik Friberg -- 2,795,000

Incidentally the live feed has Howard David commentating with "Poker Pro" Taylor Caby and "Poker Player" Brian Townsend. Answers on a postcard if you know the difference between a 'pro' and and 'player'.

Is the "pro" about two stone heavier ?

[Djinn]

The first exit has occurred!  Gioi Luong is eliminated in 6th place, winning $110,860.

His seat was actually empty for about half an hour after they restarted at 2pm.  That is some oversleep, or perhaps he heard that it would be being shown on plasmas outside the tournament area at 3pm and missed the part about the delay...either way with hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake you'd think timeliness might be a concern.  Plus, say what you will about the WSOP, they do tend to start on time, regardless of how many runners there are, or who they are...

Anyway, he took his seat but only for about 20 minutes.  With short stack Bill Edler picking up quite a few 95k blinds-and-antes pots by just shoving in the correct positions, Luong took his shot with the more than reasonable .  It folded round to Alex Bolotin in the big blind, who announced, "Call," immediately, showing .  Some rags on the flop were topped with an on the turn, and a clearly disappointed Luong headed off the table.  I don't know whether he was allowed out of the tent.

[NoflopsHomer]

Bill Edler, who has been playing this final table like a turbo sit 'n' go (i.e properly) moves in from the cut-off. Dutch Boyd pushes behind him. The blinds fold.

Bill:



Dutch:



Board:



Meaning Dutch Boyd is OUT in 5th place winning $169,369

[Djinn]

Chip Counts:

Erik Friberg   3,100,000
Alex Bolotin  2,300,000
Bill Edler       1,100,000
Greg Pohler     700,000

[Djinn]

Bill Edler just made up the small blind with , while Erik Friberg appeared to have and checked, with Bill checking the King-high flop but betting the turn.  No one having hit, he picked up another small pot, which set the commentators off again.  A few minutes ago he was shoving with J-4 off, and now he calls the small blind with a pretty strong hand.  Whatever he might have been worrying about, I doubt it was what one of the commentators mentioned: "If the flop comes down T-9-3 he's in a terrible situation."    !   

[Djinn]

I am sorry if this information is a little slow in coming (and an hour after the fact) but we have only our 2D source in the hallway.  Periodically it shows, instead of the $5k final, some very odd advertisements instead, for things like Collectibles Sets of chips with the little grinning heads of Negreanu and Hellmuth and Evelyn Ng etc. on them which look like the kind of thing your relatives get you for Christmas since they know you like "Texas Poker", or video games version of casino games, or Partypoker.net...

[NoflopsHomer]

Blinds are now 30k/60k/5k

Greg Poehler raises to 240k, Erik Friberg calls in the big blind.

Flop:



Erik checks, Greg bets 500k, Erik moves in. Greg calls.

Erik:



Greg:



Turn:



River:



Greg Poehler doubles up to what looks like 2 million. The commentators are very critical of Friberg's play there and it's not hard to see why, calling OOP with such a weak ace against a guy who has been fairly tight so far.

[Djinn]

Bill Edler shoves again (actually betting 1 million, which left him a single chip) - Alex Bolotin decides his aren't worth it...
__________________________________

Everybody wants to see a flop (it's strange seeing their hole cards some of the time) -
Greg Pohler has
Erik Friberg has
Alex Bolotin has
The only player not getting to the flop was small blind Bill Edler, who dwelled for a good long time before passing his .  The hindsight D'Oh meter hit the top as the flop came and no massive action kicked off, Greg Pohler betting out and picking it up on the flop.   The perverse spectators had been calling for a flop - so like poker railers to immediately create action in their heads.

[NoflopsHomer]

Greg Poehler raises to a hefty 275k, Bill Edler moves in and Greg calls.

Greg:



Bill:



Board:



Edler doubles up, once again though, the commentators are critical of Poehler's oversized raises that forced him to commit. They thought Poehler could've raised to 160k - 180k and then he'd have been able to fold afterwards.

[Djinn]

Now you too can see what we can see - this overhead still from the Feed is pretty much what we get.