LETS VC YOU AT THE SERIES
WSOP NEWS UPDATES
WEEK 3
We’re into Week 3 of the 2007 World Series. Coming up on Day 15…
Todays’ final is in the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em. Karga Holt has the chip lead but faces some well known and fiersome competition from the likes of Stuart Fox, Tex Barch, Michael Gracz and Denmark’s Jan Sorensen.
Aside from yet more No Limit Hold’em, today see’s another H.O.R.S.E. event, this time with a $5,000 entry fee. They may not take off at a gallop but they have provided the Series with some top grade poker.
WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS - HOME OF THE COOLER
Event 25: No Limit Hold ‘em
It’s the third hand of this $2000 buy-in event and England’s native son, Scott Kenyon is facing a $275 raise from an early position bettor. Before he has even looked at his cards, another player cold-calls the raise.
He looks down to find 
.
What to do with this hand? Bump up the bet, smooth call, or fold. Due to his spot in late position, he opts to just smooth call to make his decisions post-flop. The rest of the field folds.
is the flop.
The open-raiser tosses in $600. The sandwiched player folds. Scott Kenyon calls with his top two pair.
The turn is the 
. Scott’s opponent bets about half the pot.
Call? Fold? Move all-in?
Scott opts for the last option and his opponent insta-calls, tabling 
for the top set.
Drawing dead, Mr. Kenyon is eliminated and hops over into a $2-$5 no limit cash game where he doubles up his buy-in in less than a half hour. Not content with some of his tourney entry regained, he’s also on the waiting list for a Razz cash game and is planning on playing in the Razz tournament this Sunday.
When asked ”why Razz?” he replies, ”Because it’s a lovely game.”
Perhaps the only person ever to say that about Razzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
PROP BETS
Josh Arieh is talking with a guy across the aisle about some prop-betting action. The guy suggests different pool games that Arieh might have an edge against Daniel Negreanu.
”You should play him at one ball,” says the guy.
”I could, but it wouldn’t be fair. I want it to be fun. I want to have an edge, but it should be fun too. I talked to Daniel last night and he said we should do something like The Amazing Race here in Las Vegas. Like drive around finding stuff. I think that was a great idea.”
”You can’t do something like that. You don’t stand a chance to beat Daniel. He’s a personality. He’ll have people all over town helping him. You can’t beat him.”
”Oh, you’re right. Everybody knows him. I didn’t think about that.”
”You’re welcome. You can thank me later.”
”No, no, that’s a good point. Thanks, you’re right. But you know what? I can call my host. She’s really good, she knows EVERYBODY in Vegas, I can have her help me. That’s what I’ll do.”
Arieh returned to the game. I’ll catch up with him later and get more details.
WHEN IN ROME
Event 25: No Limit Hold ‘em
When asked to describe what they think of America, most unAmericans will mention how gracious the freedom-loving people are to those visiting from outside lands. Magnanimous to a fault in this regard, sometimes visiting travellers aren’t here enough to appreciate it.
Take, for instance, Swiss-born Chris Bigler. With $100 and $200 blinds, he pushes his remaining $3700 in chips after an early position player opens for $700.
With only $6000 or so left, of course the guy called off half his stack with ”The Bill Fillmaff”: a King-Jack not-suited.
Mr. Bigler tabled his pocket Queens.
He got a sweet Queen-high flop. The Ace on the turn made him about a 90% favorite to more than double up. 10% came through with a Ten on the river.
No scene was made, no Phil Hellmuth rant of ”how dare you call me with such an inferior hand?”
Chris Bigler stood up, thanked everyone, and wished everyone a good day. He even managed a smile for this reporter who would’ve thrown something in the proceedings.
With their favorite player eliminated, the Chris Bigler fan club walks
THE ROCKETS RED GLARE
Event 25: No Limit Hold ‘em
Shorts and sandals is the look most expect from Sweden’s William Thorson, a young player whose ferocious betting patterns have outwitted his opponents who just don’t understand just how good the Swedes are at this crazy game of poker.
He plays a lot of pots and plays them well so when he limps under-the-gun, most players are savvy enough to fold their hands, not wanting to get involved with the best player at the table by a significant margin. One player does give him some action, as does the small blind.
When the blinds check the flop…
Thorson rockets out five blacks ($100 apiece), just over half the pot.
The late position caller folds, but the small blind (Gabriel Cook) flings out a yellow ($1000) and a light blue ($500) for a check-raise. The big blind folds.
William looks at the board and then shifts his gaze across the felt, to the hands and then to the face of Gabriel.
Moments pass.
William, with over $10,000 in chips compared to his opponent’s $3100, calls.
Turn… 
This draws an immediate ”all in” from Gabriel. William stares him down, nods, and then calls.
Cook: 
Thorson:
”Nine ball or a spade,” Gabriel calls. ”C’mon, nine ball or a spade!”
Thorson stays quiet, no emotion from the amazing call as a huge favorite.
His mood doesn’t change when the aforementioned ”nine ball” spikes on the river.
POKER + GOLF > POKER
Event 25: No Limit Hold ‘em
”Get out of the way!” a guy yells across the room.
I turn, thinking he’s referencing me despite not being in proximity to anything in particular.
”You!” he yells, waving his arms. I see he’s trying to get the attention of a security guard in front of the, you guessed it, television broadcasting the golf event. ”Don’t stand in front of the TV!”
The security guy moves over five feet. I walk over to where Captain Golf is sitting and I cannot even tell what sport is on, never mind the action involved.
And it’s not like we’re playing for hundreds of thousands of dollars or anything.
”What’s going on?” a player at the table asks, snapping him from his fantasies, visions of Isabelle and Liz burned into his mental database for further review sometime later in the privacy of his own home.
ROUND-UP
Event 22
Two eliminations so far in the final of the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em. Michael Gracz and Tex Barch were out in ninth and eighth position. Meanwhile chip leader going into the day Karga Holt, is now the short stack after a series of mishaps.
Event 23
In the $1,500 Pot Limit Omaha Scott Clements, who has already made one final table appearance this Series, is ahead of the field once more, over 100,000 ahead of Mark Davis currently in second place…Currently, the top five looks like this…
Event 24
In the Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better it’s old-timer David Sklansky teaching the rest of the field a thing or two. He’s slightly ahead of Thor Hansen and Mike Matusow as play on Day 2 of the event continues. Here are the current top 5
Event 25
The latest No Limit Hold’em event sees Mark Seif slightly ahead of the rest of the field after just a few hours of play. Here are the current leaders…
PHOTO CALL
Praz Bansi - All the way from London - Winner of one of the last bracelets at last year’s WSOP
France’s high-flying and -stakes Frenchman is loving life as one of the game’s top pros.
Englishman Barney Boatman, pictured here moments before a ferocious check-raise which wins him yet another pot
PLAYER DISCARDS CIVILITY
”If you insult me, I’ll pull you out of this tournament right now!” said a stern floorman to Jeff Shulman.
”No, no, I wasn’t calling you an idiot. Everybody else here is an idiot,” backpedalled Shulman.
”Okay, because I thought you called me an idiot,” checked the floor.
”No, I was just mumbling something. Never mind, let’s go talk over here, I don’t need anyone listening to what I have to say,” said Jeff, referring to me standing two feet away shooting pictures.
I asked a railbird for the skinny: Jeff made a move on the flop with Ace-Jack after flopping a Jack. His opponent tanked for a long time and Jeff called the clock.
The floorman came over and asked the table if the other player had enough time, and then began his miranda clock speech, by the time he was done with the formalities the other player had an extra couple of minutes to think.
He made the call and turned up pocket sevens. He would need to hit a two-outer to stay in the tournament. The river came down a thunderous seven and Shulman called for a bossman.
He’s still smirking at his two-outter.
TECHNICAL PROBLEMS
”Have you seen Gus?” Isabelle Mercier asks me.
After taking a moment to compose myself after having the lovely French phenom acknowledge my existence, I answer that I hadn’t seen Gus Hansen yet as I’d just walked into the tournament area.
”When you do, please have him see me because my cell phone blew up.”
”How?” I ask, wondering what Gus Hansen’s cell has to do with hers or why The Great Dane should be the one to lend her his.
”I don’t know, but in the last forty-eight hours, my cell and my computer also blew up.”
”It’s not too bad, at least I found the other day these great new jeans.”
HEY I’M ON TV
Outside of the media room there is a large plasma tv that broadcasts the final tables that are kept a closely guarded secret. It’s on a one hour delay in place to prevent any secrets from being leaked.
James Mackey (in the red hair) made quick work of the final table of the $5,000 No Limit Holdem tournament, taking only a couple of hours to mow through everbody. He even came down the hallway wearing his new bracelet just in time to watch himself beat Stuart Fox heads up.
James and his buddies giggled a little bit at how tightly and passively Stuart was playing; he didn’t have a chance.
Johnny Chan was also watching with a friend of his. As soon as the match was over he started laughing and commented to his friend,”Twenty one years old,” he said. ”Haha, twenty one,” as he walked away.
MY PRETTY PROPS
Event 26: HORSE
Playing for hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention the honor of sporting a WSOP bracelet, just isn’t enough gamble for some gamblers. Because of this degeneracy, many will play props during events: among them, John Juanda and Doyle Brunson when they found themselves on the same table.
”That’s mine,” Doyle says, pointing at a card on his board.
”No, it isn’t,” John corrects. ”Don’t try to cheat.”
”Oh, yeah,” Doyle laughs, realizing his error. ”I got that mixed up with another prop from earlier.” ”
”Do you want in?” John asks Chris Ferguson, who is the third big name at this table. This isn’t unusual as HORSE isn’t for most so the field contains a rich concentration of big names, which results in multiple pros on every table.
Chris shakes his head no.
”You should,” John says, not giving up. ”You know you pay more attention to the board than Doyle or I. You have an edge.”
”He’s right, Chris,” Doyle adds. ”Plus, I’m an old man.”
Everyone laughs as while Doyle might be old, his mind is as sharp as ever.
”Close your eyes, John, and listen to this: so back when I was a tyke, no bigger than a fire hydrant, I found myself under the porch of this old ranch. I heard a European pirate had buried treasure so I started a’diggin’.”
A HORSE OF A HAND
Event 26: HORSE
Robert Williamson III, often confused as being an Englishman due to his manners, diction, and love and skills in Omaha, raises the pot to get Annie Duke to fold her hand. Annie just carried on talking about all the charity tournaments she’s involved with and how much money she has raised for people less fortunate than her.
It’s folded around to Victor Ramdin who makes it two bets.
Robert takes a moment to size up the situation; he then explodes with a three-bet, which takes down the pot uncontested.
A HORSE IS A HORSE…
Event 26: HORSE
Between hands, Phil Ivey and Jennifer Harman discuss whether or not Jennifer made the correct play in a hand on her table.
ONE FOR EVERY BRACELET
Event 25: No Limit Hold ‘em
With $75 antes and $300 and $600 blinds, it’s folded around to Terry Balleu in the small blind.
”Easy does it there, buddy,” the big blind says. ”Remember who’s last to act for this hand.”
Who said that? Who do you think?
11-time WSOP Bracelet Winner Phil ”The Poker Brat” Hellmuth
Terry just completes the small blind.
”A smart choice,” Phil says, checking on his hand. ”I check,” he says, eyeing his opponent.
The flop comes 
and Terry bets $1100.
”Why $1100?” Phil asks. ”Because I have eleven bracelets?”
Terry says nothing. Phil calls.
The turn of 
draws another $1100 bet from Terry.
”Now you’re just trying to be funny,” Phil says, tossing in his money after glaring at Terry through his Oakley’s.
is the river and Terry bets the same $1100.
”You don’t realize how badly you played that,” Phil says, mucking his hand, his draw missed. ”They’re trying to give me my twelveth and the deck won’t cooperate.”
SEVEN CARD STUD AND THE FOUR LETTER WORD
Event 24: World Championship Seven Card Stud High-Low
The pressure is thick and John Harkness is feeling it, having been called after the seventh card by his opponent.
John has already revealed his hand and his opponent is eyeing it.
After thirty seconds, he says, ”Just show your fucking hand already.” Having dropped the much ballyhooed F-bomb, he slams his hand over his mouth in horror.
Mike Sexton, sitting to his immediate left, looks at him, knowing what happened.
No one at the table calls the floor and the dealer has missed it or doesn’t realize the rules in place.
Considering we’re on the final half-dozen tables, this is a mistake he shouldn’t've made and yet somehow he escapes the hand of fate, his tongue not condemning his tournament soul to a penalty purgatory.
However, Fate is a tricky mistress and someone mentions that his use of the F-bomb was within the rules, as it wasn’t directed at the player (F-bomb you!) but said in a general sense.
MILWAUKEES BEST DOES NOT NGUYEN
Event 24: World Championship Seven Card Stud High-Low
”Scotty,” a fan yells down from the bird’s nest overlooking the final tables. ”Stop playing tight. Let me buy you a Corona.”
”Scotty only drinks Michelob Ultra, baby.”
”If I buy you one, do you want it?”
”Sure, baby, Scotty always wants a Michelob.”
The spectator rushes over to the bar. ”One Michelob Ultra, please.”
”Sorry,” the vendor says. ”We only serve Milwaukee’s Best.”
The guy goes back to the rail and yells down, ”Hey, they don’t have Michelob; do you want to go slumming with a Milwaukee’s Best?”
”No thanks, baby. Scotty not that thirsty.”
DEMICHELLE SITS NEXT TO DAVID SKLANSKY
And what’s the topic of discussion?
We missed their conversation between hands, but a railbird was kind enough to relay what he thought he heard.
David: ”If we could get a picture of the two of us with Brandi, imagine the hits!”
Michael: ”No thanks David, I’ve already legitimized your site enough.”
$5,000 NO LIMIT HOLDEM
The latest final saw James Mackay win the $5,000 No Limit Hold’em, ahead of Stuart Fox. Karga Holt started the day with teh chip lead but was unable to hold onto the momentum of Day 2. He finished in fifth place.
$1,500 POT LIMIT OMAHA
The other final Scott Clements, with two cashes and a final table already under his belt this year, scored his second career bracelet by winning the Pot Limit Omaha event ahead of Eric Lynch. Other notables included Irishman Andy Black, who finished in seventh.
$5,000 7 CARD STUD HI-LOW
Results keep on coming. The Seven Card Stud Hi-Low has decided on its final nine, to play tomorrow…
Another final featuring familiar names from past and present. Scotty Nguyen makes his first final table appearance of the year, so too David Sklansky. Dutch Boyd plays, so too Thor Hansen who will be looking to improve on his fourth place finish in the $5,000 Limit Hold’em earlier this week.
$2,000 NO LIMIT HOLDEM
Another No-Limit Hold’em event and more top pros emerging to lead the field after a days’ play in Event 25. An in form Ross Boatman lurks in ninth place.
Those firmly entrenched as the leaders? Here’s the top ten.
Other notables include…
Richard Toth
Julian Gardner
Liz Lieu
Jared Hamby
An Tran
Steve Dannenmann
Jeff Shulman
Lee Watkinson
Katja Thater
Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier
David Plastik
For others another day of waiting in line to get out of here…
Shannon Elizabeth
Freddy Deeb
Humberto Brenes
Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen
Phil Laak
Phil Hellmuth, Jr.
Chris ”Jesus” Ferguson
Michael ”The Grinder” Mizrachi
Surinder Sunar
Josh Arieh
Antonio Esfandiari
David Ulliott
Alex Jacob
Jeff Madsen
Marcel Luske
Gavin Smith
Erik Seidel
Vanessa Rousso
Joe Sebok
Erick Lindgren
Isabelle Mercier
Allen Cunningham
Barry Greenstein
Jennifer Tilly
$5,000 H.O.R.S.E.
Finally it’s the H.O.R.S.E. event bringing the day to a close. Leading the field over night is Sam Grizzle who, in one of the lesser known WSOP statistics, has the name that scores the highest in Scrabble (26 points) of any player who cashed in 2006. Jack Zwerner, in second place, is no slouch either (19 points).
Other notables include…
Isabelle Mercier
Erik Seidel
John Juanda
Josh Arieh
Robert Mizrachi
Jesse Jones
Men ‘The Master’ Nguyen
Erick Lindgren
Dewey Tomko
Chris ‘Jesus’ Ferguson
Jeffrey Lisandro
Greg Raymer
Doyle Brunson
John D’Agostino
Jim Bechtel
Jerrod Ankenman
Kristy Gazes
Marco Traniello
Gavin Griffin
David Benyamine
Mel Judah
Cliff ”JohnnyBax” Josephy
Bill Gazes
Robert Williamson III
Mickey Appleman
Daniel Negreanu
Jim McManus
Andy Bloch
Annie Duke
David Plastik
Meanwhile it was no luck and time to go for some…
Amir Vahedi
Michael Binger
John Hennigan
Ben Roberts
Chad Brown
James Van Alstyne
Michael ‘The Grinder’ Mizrachi
Howard Lederer
Barry Greenstein
Captain Tom Franklin
Nick Schulman
Chau Giang
Jennifer Harman
Todd Brunson
Max Pescatori
Sherkhan Farnood
Layne Flack
FAREWELL MY LOVELY
As the farmyard chorus sings it’s wake we’re all done for the day here at the Rio. We’ll see you back here in about 8 hours. First up, will be Event 27, a $1,500 No Limit Hold’em free-for-all scheduled for a noon start local time (8.00pm GMT)
And good morning to you too…
