LETS VC YOU AT THE SERIES
WSOP NEWS UPDATES
PLAY CONTINUES
Play has just begun on Day 12 with Hold’em Shoot Out our new event…
SHUFFLING 101
“He no shuffle properly.”
I turn and almost knock over Phil Hellmuth. (Let’s see you get to CLOUD TWELVE bracelets now Captain Low Key, after getting steamrolled by Gutshot’s resident enforcer.)
Still trying to determine who said “he no shuffle properly,” I listen to Phil tell a guy walking past how the other day he had to make a big lay-down with a straight and a flush draw. “I had odds to make the call,” Phil says to the disinterested listener, “but it’s not worth it for me to risk my tournament life even when I’m a sixty or seventy percent favourite.”
Ah, Phil: so wise, so cunning, so EV-oriented.
“Floor!” the dealer shouts as Phil stops babbling about world-class folds and makes his way to the one seat.
“This is a shoot-out,” the floorman tells the dealer. “It doesn’t matter if the four seat is vacant.”
“No, not four,” the dealer corrects. “I said, ‘Floor!’”
“What?”
“He no shuffle properly.” I now see where the quote came from: the number three seat.
“How so?” the floor asks.
“He shuffle, riffle, shuffle, shuffle, but not shuffle, shuffle, riffle, shuffle.”
“He can do either,” the floor explains. “As long as it’s two shuffles and a riffle then a shuffle or a shuffle a riffle and then two shuffles.”
“No, I—”
“It’s right,” the floor interrupts. Then, to the dealer: “Continue on.”
Phil is bored, having to wait through an explanation that is keeping him from his ultimate destiny.
THE WATCHWORDS OF TODAY - TWO WATCHES
Tongue darting back and forth, Paul “X-22” Magriel folds an unworthy hand and hunches over in his chair. It isn’t time yet for him to make a move—and he knows quite a bit about time, having two watches to coincide with his fascination with all variants of the number.
SITTING TALL
Who’s the tallest player in poker?
If you answered “Bill Gazes,” you’d be close, as he’s one of the game’s tallest players. But he doesn’t get that street cred just by physicality alone. He has a secret.
”Ohhhh… you so tawww!!!”
THE REDCOATS ARE COMING
Early on there didn’t seem to be too many familiar faces from across the pond, but today it’s looking more like a full blown British invasion. Mark Grecco, David Colclough, Willy Tann, Harry Demetriou, Ram Vaswani, Peter Costa, Richard Ashby, John Kabbaj are all in the building.
Neil Channing
Also playing are Jennifer Tilly, Victor Ramdin, Isabelle Mercier, Fabrice Soulier, Mads Gavatin and JC Tran; just a few of the 900 players that came to play.
BOUND BY HONOUR - BOUND FOR THE BATHROOM
“What do I do?” the dealer asks the floorman.
“Deal.”
“But they—”
“Deal,” he repeats. The dealer does what he’s told—what he’s meant to do—and applies his two weeks of training to the project-of-the-day: dealing out three hands.
How is this odd? How is this noteworthy enough for you to read and for me to take the precious commodity of time and expend it on its relay?
There are no players.
“What happened?” I ask after the floor marches away to another pressing issue.
“The three players all agreed to take a break at the same time so I figured I could just wait ‘til they get back and then start again.” He folds all three hands, hands the $50 in chips to the big blind, then puts back out the blinds, shifting the button around. He deals out three hands, folds them to the big blind, and repeats the process. Five orbits pass and no players. Nothing is happening, though, as each round the small blind loses out to the big blind and the cycle continues forth in never-ending samsara sorrow.
“Who are the guys?” I ASK (after hitting caps lock by accident).
“Jennifer Tilly and two random guys.”
Hearing the J-word, I opt to watch the madness for a while longer, if only to see if maybe she’ll come back wearing a different (perhaps more saucy) top.
Minutes later, no such joy to enter my first day of World Series reporting, and she asks the dealer, “Why are you dealing? We all agreed to take a break.”
He explains to her that nothing is lost—everyone is where they were before. He passes her the button and deals out the hands. He goes to muck hers and then realizes she’s a player back in the seat. He stares at her, but not for the reason everyone stares at her, but waiting for her decision.
“What?” she asks.
He doesn’t know what to say. Then, figuring she’s not going to do anything, he tells her, “You’re back and it’s your turn to act.”
“But we said that we would all take a break and all start playing at the same time.”
“Then you have to muck your hand.”
She obliges and now the process repeats itself, with a twist: she wins the big blind uncontested, then mucks her small blind without looking, and tosses off her button hand in the same fashion.(Editor stops…wonders whether it’s worth explaining to Barron that tossing off the button has very different connotations in the UK…takes a sip of coffee…an evil glint sparkles in the eye…more coffee…a grin…let it ride home boy)
Four orbits later, the two bathroom travellers return at the same time. How often will one woman leave an area at the same time as two guys and she return from the bathroom before them?
They don’t know what’s going on but the dealer tells them that nothing is awry and that Jennifer had not been winning hands, even though she could’ve been doing just that.
“We all agreed,” she says. They thank her and look at each other, thinking they wouldn’t’ve done the same thing had they returned before her.
But Ms. Tilly—as we learned from the underappreciated classic of our generation “Bound”—is a class act.
THE MIKE AND PHIL SHOW (AND TELL)
“Excuse me,” someone says, tapping me on the shoulder.
I turn my attention from Phil Hellmuth, who is talking on his cell rather than doing something interesting. It must be because he didn’t like how I mocked his “cloud ten” routine last year.
Mike Matusow, just as you guessed, was the person who in a pleasant tone said, “Excuse me.”
“Sorry, Mike,” I say, moving out of his way so he can do whatever he’s looking to do.
“Philly,” he says to you-know-who. “I’m up to a quarter of a MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELYUN chips.”
“Two-hundred and fifty thousand?” Phil asks, translating Matusow into English for those within earshot. “You were at fifty thousand.”
“But now I have a lot more.”
Mike Matusow Teaches Math: $250,000 > $50,000.
SHOOT TO KILL
The women have been taken away from us. It’s a crying shame. Their final table today is screened by heavy black curtains and heavy head-phoned guards with orders to kill. Not a glimpse can be seen. Nevertheless it’s underway.
As close as it gets…
In the shoot out, however, all can be seen. Tables are playing out at different speeds, some tables are already at the heads up stage, whilst others have yet to lose a player. 900 players, 90 paid. Some of these people are going to have to wait.
There are four left on George Danzer’s table, which includes Joe Sebok and a dealer named Tort.
George folds Ace-King to a pale looking man who may or may not have rivered a set. That same man raises the next hand; is re-raised by Sebok, and George’s chips get passed around again. Sebok has the lead on this one.
Mitch Schock
Nearby Mitch Schock is heads up with Erik Seidel. Mitch looks like a poster boy for suburban American Man. Flat hair, the kind that’s only cut under orders from a wife, and the same comfortable shorts and socks he sported last year. If things don’t go well here Mitch is ready to mow the lawn.
The two are swapping chips. Few tables have declared a winner yet. 900 will eventually become 90; and 90 will become nine.
DON’T QUESTION IT - HE’S BETTER THAN YOU
$1,500 No Limit Hold’em Shoot-Out
With $100 and $200 blinds, Daniel Negreanu raises from the button into his two opponents on this three-handed table. His $500 bet is called by the small blind, but not the big blind.
is the flop. Just as it’s checked to him, Negreanu fires out $500 and is called.
The turn of 
is checked through.
is the river and Daniel wagers $1200 after his opponent pats the table.
“All in,” the guy says in response.
“Count it,” Daniel replies. It’s another $4500; Daniel can afford it and then some.
“Are you trying to rob me?” Daniel asks. “It’s okay if you are.”
Silence. His opponent stares at the table.
“Are you thirsty? Just want to go all in so you can get a drink or something?”
Silence broken: “Yeah, that’s it.”
Daniel shows 
and folds.
IT IS NOT EASY BEING GREEN
Heads up with mountains of chips in front of each of them, Barry Greenstein is the clear favorite over his opponent whose name wasn’t even requested by this reporter—due diligence be damned.
On the button, Barry tosses in three black buddies with the one $100 chip sitting out there for the small blind. His opponent flips in two more to call from his big blind.
The flop of Nine—Five—Three rainbow is checked to Barry.
He’s sitting near the rail so there are about fifty people behind him, staring and watching, hoping some of his poker acumen and greatness will rub off on their meager skills of negligible merit.
Pictures snapping, questions flying (I wonder what he has? See how he shows no emotion? Do you think I throw my chips out that well?), Barry takes a beat, building the crowd in anticipation, and then bets half the pot.
The crowd overwrought, Barry’s opponent folds. Barry flips his hand: black Kings.
Everyone cheers, including yours truly.
LADIES AND GENTS
$5,000 Limit Hold’em
As Ladies from the Ladies event are escorted to the Ladies, the Limit Hold’em final creeps ever forward towards a World Champion. Four players remain, among them Saro Getzoyen, Geoff Sanford, William Thorsen and Thor Hansen.
Saro Getzoyen (left) and Tom Koral
Hansen has a unique way of letting friend Eric Drache know the situation. After each player is eliminated Thor gets up from his chair and goes for his mobile phone…
“All I do is call him and hang up. Then he knows that another player has gone out. Great system eh?”
Thor has made five phone calls now…
A FINAL DECISION
The day started out with five minutes left at the $10,000/$20,000 level in the $5,000 Limit Holdem Championship. After four hands the director announced that the blinds would be raised. The new level would be $15,000/$30,000. As soon as the tournament director announced the new blinds, half of the table went into an uproar.
They were on their third day of play and they were facing a 50% blind increase — about double the normal increase. Thor Hansen led the charge and demanded that the tournament director be presented in front of him. They found the big cheese and brought him over to the table.
William Thorsen
”We’ve been playing for three days and now the blinds go up so big? How does this happen?” he asked the director.
”We printed the sheets and decided on the structure before the tournament began. There is nothing we can do at this point about it.”
”All of us agree and it is our tournament, how can you not add one level?” asked Thor.
”I was asked the other day to do the same thing and said no that time too.”
”Well that is a mistake that you made once, you don’t have to make the same mistake again!” said Thor.
”I’m sorry but the structure is decided and that is my final ruling,” replied the director.
Thor turned to some people on the rail and said,”These guys think they’re doing everything to make poker better… they’re only making it worse.” So it was decided that they would play $15,000/$30,000 much to the disappointment of most of the table.
The tournament officials laying down the law
STATE OF PLAY
After that minor storm, an odd sense of quiet has come over the room, despite several events taking place at the same time.
The Hold’em Shootout event has completed it’s first round leaving half of the Amazon Room empty as players wait for the 9pm start time for the next round.
That leaves the Limit Hold’em event, down to three after the elimination of Thor Hansen; and the Ladies event still going on behind closed doors.
In addition two more events are working their way towards a final tomorrow. The latest No Limit Hold’em is down to two tables, with the likes of Humberto Brenes, ElkY, Mike Matusow and Lars Bonding still in action.
Whilst across the barrier the Stud event grinds on. Greg Raymer, John Juanda and Men ‘The Master’ Nugyen are among the more high profile players left.
WHO IS SARO GETZOYAN
Saro Getzoyan is a mysterious fellow. He’s heads up in the $5,000 Limit Holdem event and nobody knows anything about him. Except me. I’ve known Saro for years, and we went to high school together. A low key guy, he didn’t want it to be a televised final table, he didn’t want to do interviews, and he didn’t want attention.
It’s too late now though, there’s no hiding the fact that he barrelled through a field of some of the toughest limit players in the world to find himself heads up with Geoff Sanford. Tom Koral, William Thorsen, and Thor Hansen all made the final table, but came up a short.
At the beginning of the day, he seemed more worried about making his flight home so he could return to work than winning the damned thing, but there is no doubt that he played hard — all day.
His online nickname used to be ‘TheMachine’, and he played like one today. He raised, reraised, checkraised all comers without hesitation until there was only one left. Geoff and Saro are currently taking a dinner break and will return at 9 pm to commence the heads up battle.
Saro will go into it with a 3-1 chiplead over Geoff.
Saro started the day second to last in chips. No worries though!
ROUND TWO
Hold’em Shoot out
The second round of the shoot out has begun and one table already stands out, featuring Barry Greenstein, Daniel Negreanu and Dutchman Rob Hollink. Each player starts with 30,000 and will play until just one player remains on each table.
Meanwhile other events are returning from dinner breaks, including the Limit Hold’em, where Saro Getzoyen holds the chip lead over Geoff Sanford.
WINNER IS CROWNED
”Do you think I can catch a flight home?” were the first words out of Saro’s mouth after he had just won his first bracelet.
I had been telling people in the media room for several days that he had the skills to win. Of course everybody thinks their friends can win, but I knew it. There is no doubt that he needed some luck to win, but there is also no doubt that his aggressive, relentless style contributed much more.
Saro receives a hug from one of your reporters, Ed Sevillano
After grinding down Geoff Sanford to just $250,000 at the $50,000/$100,000 level, Geoff decided it was time. After getting it all on the flop, it was Saro’s Queen-Jack against Geoff’s Eight-Seven. Both had flopped a pair, but it was Saro’s jacks that were ahead.
After hitting two pair on the turn, Geoff was stuck drawing to one of the two remaining eights left in the deck. The river came a sweet blank. Saro stood up as I whooped and hollered. He had a giant grin on his face and, no matter how nonchalant he was about winning a bracelet, it was clear in his face that he was on top of the world.
Sure the $333,000 is what he came for, but money comes and goes. He’ll be a champion forever.
Representing Lexington, Massachusetts
A recap of how things turned out…
THE RIGHT WAY, THE WRONG WAY, AND BARRY’S WAY
Event 21: Texas Hold ‘em Shoot-out
Barry Greenstein folds his hand under-the-gun and stands up.
He cracks his back and walks past a few tables.
“Barry,” a floorman says, running after him. “You’re going the wrong way.”
The wrong way to where? I wonder.
Barry turns and says, “I’m going over to talk to my son—so I’m going the right way.”
“My apologies.”
Barry whispers something in Joe Sebok’s ear for a few seconds and then saunters back over to his table.
His timing is impeccable—he’s been doing this for a while—and the previous hand has just completed and he sits to post his big blind.
SHINY PRETTY PEOPLE
Event 21: Texas Hold ‘em Shoot-out“Hey, Josh,” Daniel Negreanu says to a friend of his watching the table. “You got a date tonight?”“No,” Josh replies.“So you just decided you wanted to look pretty?”
I’m not sure “pretty” is the term I’d use, but Josh is wearing a sweet pair of shoes plus he used the precise amount of hair products to create a I-just-got-out-of-bed-and-didn’t-take-two-hours-to-look-like-this look.
“I should say,” Joe adds, “that I don’t have a date yet.”
“Looking like that, it won’t be hard (Ooooh…Matron!).”
MORE FINALS
Sally Boyer
In addition to the Limit final, the coveted ‘facial and bracelet’ awarded for the Ladies Only event was also decided. Sally Boyer took the applause of the crowds after a closed door final, beating Anne Heft heads-up. German pro Katja Thater, who battled illness throughout the event, finished fifth…
MORE FINALS BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE
A few updates on the remaining evetns taking place tonight.
John Juanda has been eliminated from the Stud Hi-Low event, but Greg Raymer continues to persue the chip lead. Whilst over in the Hold’em shootout the field is scraggy looking with various survivers covering nine tables.
The next final to be decided though is the $2,500 No Limit Hold’em…
Lars Bonding, who has gone from chip leader, to fall guy, to chip leader again throughout this event, leads the field into the final day tomorrow. Following him are the likes of Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier, putting in another impressive performance by the French contingent, and Humbert Brenes, on course for his second final table in a week.
AMAZON SHOOT OUT
Over in the shoot out there are just a few players remaining, although only one finalist has been decided so far – Frederick Goldberg.
Brandon Schaeffer
Meanwhile Eric Lindgren is heads-up with Brandon Schaeffer, the man who won the EPT Deauville in season one and then came second in the Grand Final in the same year.
The two are talking about sports, and betting, and how much, and how good or bad they’ve run. Before they know it they’re all in. It’s over for Brandon in a few seconds and Lindgren goes through to the final.
SONNY GET’S A SHARE
Sonny Osman
Sonny Osman went deep in the $2,000 Seven Stud Hi-Lo, picking up $8,663 for a 12th place finish from a field of 340. I’d put the hand up but let’s face it stud just doesn’t translate well to the TV table, never mind the page. Suffice to say that Sonny missed and his opponent’s two pair stood the test of time.
After Sonny’s elimination it took just another hour to lose Andy ”Kid Nebraska” Goetsch, Ted Forrest and Donald Webb. The final table looks like this with Greg Raymer lurking in a strong third place, looking to get his first tournament win since the big one in 2005…If he does win he’ll be on cloud two!
Play at this final table resumes at 3.00pm local time.
AND THEN THERE WERE NINE
It took a while but we got there in the end (5am to be fair). This looks like it’s going to be a very good final with Negreanu and Lindgren being the big names. Some of you might remember Fred Goldberg, the Moneymaker lookalike from last year’s Main Event. In a heroic attempt to pick up the blinds, he’d raised all-in with Queen-Three, but ran straight into Richard Lee’s brick wall pocket Kings. Fred went out in tenth and became the final’s most forgotten boy. Not this time though.
Play resumes at 3.00 local time (11.00pm GMT). All players start with 3,000 in chips.
