Thursday, June 25, 2015 1:54 AM Local Time
The final table is set at the $50,000 Poker Players Championship.
Day 4 began with just 19 players returning from a field of 84 starters. Short stack Lamar Wilkinson was the first to fall today, reducing the field to 18 and cueing the three-table redraw. From there, the eliminations came at a fairly regular interval until grinding to a halt two from the money bubble.
John Monnette was working on building a big stack early in the day, but things went sour for him through the middle stages, and he was eventually relegated to the rail in 14th place. That elimination put the field on the direct money bubble, and it would be a long while before the next knockout. Joe Cassidy ended up as the bubble boy, though it didn’t come without a sweat. Cassidy was drawing live to a seven-low in Triple Draw, but he paired on his last draw to seal his fate in unlucky 13th place.
With the final 12 all in the money, the pace of eliminations increased once again. The 2013 Champion, Matthew Ashton was next to fall, followed in short order by John Racener in 11th place and Justin Smith in 10th.
Abe Mosseri began with the big stack, but some midday troubles left him short of a second-consecutive final table appearance. He had to ride a seriously short stack through the bubble stages, eventually running out of chips in ninth place. He’s the only player who’s cashed in each of the last two Poker Players Championships.
Shawn Buchanan exited in eighth place in an ill-fated hand of badugi, and that brought the field down to the unofficial final table of seven. Dan Kelly and Jason Mercier were the two shortest stacks at that point, and it would be Mercier who’d fall short of a seat on tomorrow’s big stage. Mercier was also a badugi victim, drawing and making a jack-badugi against Jean-Robert Bellande’s superior ten. When Mercier exited in seventh place, the bags came out, and Day 4 was complete.
Here’s how the final table will stack up when play resumes:
Seat 1: Chris Klodnicki - 2,130,000
Seat 2: Mike Gorodinsky - 2,589,000
Seat 3: Jean-Robert Bellande - 2,188,000
Seat 4: Ben Sulsky - 1,462,000
Seat 5: David "ODB" Baker - 3,227,000
Seat 6: Dan Kelly - 1,003,000
David Baker (pictured above) leads with more than 3 million chips, but it truly is anyone's game at this point. The cards go in the air at 2:00 PM on Thursday afternoon, and they’ll play until a champion is crowned. Up for grabs are the gold championship bracelet, the Chip Reese Trophy, and nearly $1.3 million in cash.
Thursday, June 25, 2015 1:19 AM Local Time
Badugi
Action folds around to Jason Mercier on the button. He tells the table he has 144,000 total, and puts in a raise to 100,000. Mike Gorodinsky folds his small blind, and Jean-Robert Bellande calls from the big blind.
Bellande draws three, and Mercier pats. Bellande checks, and Mercier bets all in for 44,000. Bellande calls and draws one. Mercier stands pat. Bellande then stands pat on the last draw. Mercier thinks for a minute, then stands pat as well, and the cards are tabled.
Bellande:
Mercier:
Bellande wins with his ten badugi. Jason Mercier is eliminated in seventh place, earning $139,265.
With Mercier's elimination, the remaining six players will bag up their chips for the night, and the official final table will restart Thursday at 2 p.m. on the ESPN Main Stage.
Jean-Robert Bellande - 2,188,000
Jason Mercier - Eliminated
Thursday, June 25, 2015 1:11 AM Local Time
Badugi
Mike Gorodinsky raises from the hijack and it folds over to David "ODB" Baker in the small blind. Baker three-bets and it folds back to Gorodinsky who calls.
At the first draw, Baker stands pat and Gorodinsky takes two cards. Baker bets and Gorodinsky calls. On the second draw, Baker is once again pat while Gorodinsky opts for one new card. As before, Baker bets but this time Gorodinsky comes over the top with a raise. Baker calls and both players stand pat at the final draw. Baker checks, Gorodinsky bets, and Baker calls.
Gorodinsky fans for a nine-badugi. Baker shakes his head, throws the on the felt, and mucks the rest of his cards.
Mike Gorodinsky - 2,650,000
David "ODB" Baker - 3,190,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 1:10 AM Local Time
Limit Hold'em
Chris Klodnicki opens to 100,000, and Jean-Robert Bellande three-bets to 150,000 from the small blind. Klodnicki calls.
The flop comes , and Bellande bets 50,000. Klodnicki calls that bet, then calls 100,000-chip bets after the turn and river.
Bellande tables for a pair of aces, but Klodnicki shows the superior to win the pot.
Chris Klodnicki - 2,210,000
Jean-Robert Bellande - 1,695,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 1:05 AM Local Time
Limit Hold'em
Action folds around to the blinds where Mike Gorodinsky raises to 100,000 from the small. Jean-Robert Bellande calls in the big, and it's heads-up to the flop.
It comes . Gorodinsky continues out for 50,000, and Bellande raises to 100,000. Gorodinsky calls, then check-calls 100,000-chip bets after the turn and river.
Bellande announces his hand too quietly to hear, and Gorodinsky takes his cue to show down . The pair of threes is good.
Mike Gorodinsky - 2,265,000
Jean-Robert Bellande - 2,095,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 1:04 AM Local Time
Limit Hold'em
David Baker raises to 100,000 from the hijack, and Chris Klodnicki three-bets from the button. Baker calls, and the flop comes . Baker checks, and Klodnicki continues for 50,000. Baker calls, and the dealer turns the . Baker checks again, and Klodnicki bets 100,000. Baker calls, bringing the on the river.
Baker checks a third time, and Klodnicki bets again. Baker calls, and the players table their cards:
Klodnicki:
Baker:
Baker wins the pot with his pair of sixes.
David Baker - 3,710,000
Chris Klodnicki - 1,600,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:55 AM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Picking up with the action on the flop of , Ben Sulsky, David "ODB" Baker, and Jason Mercier all check to Jean-Robert Bellande on the button. Bellande cuts out a bet of what looks to be 96,000. Sulsky and Baker fold while Mercier cuts out a call.
The falls on the turn and Mercier checks for a second time. Bellande knocks the table back and the falls on the river. Mercier checks, Bellande bets 225,000, and Mercier lets his hand go.
Jean-Robert Bellande - 2,380,000
Jason Mercier - 445,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:53 AM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Mike Gorodinsky opens to 55,000 on the button, and Ben Sulsky defends his big blind.
They both check through the flop, and the hits the turn. Sulsky bets 60,000, and Gorodinsky raises to 250,000. Sulsky calls. The river is the , and both players check again.
Sulsky shows to win the pot with trip fours.
Ben Sulsky - 1,610,000
Mike Gorodinsky - 1,965,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:47 AM Local Time
Pot Limit Omaha
Dan Kelly limps from the hijack, and Chris Klodnicki limps from the cutoff. Jason Mercier is on the button, and he announces, "Pot." His raise is to 132,000. Jean-Robert Bellande calls from the big blind, and action is back on Kelly.
Dan Kelly re-pots to 564,000. Klodnicki folds. Mercier thinks for a minute, then folds as well. Bellande folds, and Kelly wins the first big pot since the redraw to one table.
Dan Kelly - 1,185,000
Jason Mercier - 565,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:36 AM Local Time
With the elimination of Shawn Buchanan in 8th place, the final seven runners have drawn for the unofficial final table. Play will continue until one more player is lost and the official final table is reached. If that does not occur tonight, then play will go through the rest of this level and one more 100-minute level. The starting game for the unofficial final table has been randomly selected. Players will start with pot-limit Omaha. Here's a look at the unofficial final table draw and chip counts:
Seat 1: Chris Klodnicki - 1,585,000
Seat 2: Jason Mercier - 733,000
Seat 3: Mike Gorodinsky - 2,278,000
Seat 4: Jean-Robert Bellande - 2,522,000
Seat 5: Ben Sulsky - 1,310,000
Seat 6: David "ODB" Baker - 3,240,000
Seat 7: Dan Kelly - 760,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:36 AM Local Time
Badugi
Ben Sulsky raises to 100,000 on the button, and both blinds call. It's David Baker in the small, Shawn Buchanan in the big, and it's three ways to the draw.
Baker and Buchanan draw two cards apiece, and they both check in the dark. Sulsky draws one and bets 50,000, and Baker calls. Buchanan is short on chips now, and he makes up his mind. He raises to 100,000, and both opponents call the extra bet. Baker is still drawing two for the next round, Buchanan and Sulsky one apiece. Buchanan bets all in for 37,000, and both opponents call. On the last round, Baker draws two more cards, Buchanan and Sulsky one more apiece. Sulsky makes the last bet of 100,000, and Baker folds.
Buchanan can only show a three-card with an extra , and Sulsky's badugi wins the pot.
Shawn Buchanan has been eliminated in 8th place, and the final seven players are now drawing seats for the unofficial final table.
Ben Sulsky - 1,310,000
Shawn Buchanan - Eliminated
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:28 AM Local Time
Badugi
Shawn Buchanan is heads-up with Dan Kelly after the first draw, and Buchanan check-calls a bet of 50,000. Buchanan draws one card on the second draw and checks. Kelly pats and bets, and Buchanan calls the 100,000. On the last round, Buchanan draws one last card and checks again. Kelly checks behind, and he shows badugi. Buchanan mucks, and he's getting awfully short on chips once again.
Dan Kelly - 740,000
Shawn Buchanan - 240,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:21 AM Local Time
Limit Hold'em
Action folds to Shawn Buchanan in the small blind and he announces a raise. Dan Kelly three-bets from the big blind and Buchanan calls.
The flop falls down and Buchanan bets out. Kelly raises all in for 74,000 total and Buchanan calls.
Buchanan:
Kelly:
Kelly leads with his flopped pair of aces and Buchanan fails to catch up on the turn ( ) or the river ( ). Kelly doubles and now has about 445,000 to his name.
Dan Kelly - 445,000
Shawn Buchanan - 450,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:17 AM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Ben Sulsky raises to 50,000 from the button, and David Baker calls from the small blind. Shawn Buchanan calls from the big blind, and the players see the flop three-handed.
The dealer spreads , and Baker checks. Buchanan bets 150,000. Sulsky thinks for a minute, puts out a stack of 300,000. Baker thinks for a minute as well, then mucks. Buchanan pushes forward the rest of his stack - 343,000 total - and Sulsky calls.
Buchanan:
Sulsky:
Sulsky has two pair, kings and fours, and he's ahead in the hand.
The turn is the , and the river is the . Buchanan makes a better two pair and doubles up.
Shawn Buchanan - 836,000
Ben Sulsky - 704,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:15 AM Local Time
The Jean-Robert Bellande rush has continued during the Omaha Hi-Lo round, mostly at the expense of Mike Gorodinsky.
Mike Gorodinsky raises to 100,000 under the gun, and Bellande defends his big blind. The flop comes , and Bellande check-calls 50,000. He check-calls another 100,000 after the turn, and both players check the river.
"Kings up," Bellande says, showing . Gorodinsky is a little frustrated as he mucks.
On the next hand, Bellande is the one opening to 100,000 from the small blind, and Gorodinsky calls from the big. The flop comes , and Bellande bets 50,000. Gorodinsky calls, and the turn goes check-check. The river is the , and Bellande bets the last 100,000. Gorodinsky calls, and Bellande announces his hand.
"Live four and aces full," he says. He shows to prove it, and Gorodinsky throws his hands up in the air as he sends his cards back to the dealer face-down.
Bellande is winning so many pots, he can barely keep up with the task of stacking them. When he's finished with this one, he should have about 2,800,000 in front of him.
Jean-Robert Bellande - 2,800,000
Mike Gorodinsky - 1,590,000
Thursday, June 25, 2015 12:09 AM Local Time
Pot-Limit Omaha
Action folds to Shawn Buchanan in the small blind and he pots the action to 72,000. Dan Kelly calls from the big blind. The flop falls and Buchanan announces pot once more. Buchanan slides 144,000 into the middle and Kelly thinks for a moment before folding his hand.
Shawn Buchanan - 395,000
Dan Kelly - 515,000
Wednesday, June 24, 2015 11:58 PM Local Time
The Stud orbit just completed at Table 446, and things went rather well for Jean-Robert Bellande. He's plus about a million chips through that game, and it looks like he's dented the stacks of each of the three others at his table.
On the third hand of the round, Bellande is heads up with Chris Klodnicki.
Bellande: (X)(X) / / (X)
Klodnicki: (X)(X) / / (X)
In three-way action, Klodnicki bets fourth street, and Bellande raises to isolate. Only Klodnicki calls, but he leads right back out for 100,000 showing three hearts on fifth street. Bellande calls that bet, then follow-up bets on sixth and seventh streets.
Klodnicki announces, "Aces," but one pair is no good. Bellande tables for jacks up, and he's riding a serious rush, up into second place in the counts as he drags that pot.
Jean-Robert Bellande - 2,200,000
Chris Klodnicki - 1,900,000
Wednesday, June 24, 2015 11:53 PM Local Time
Omaha Hi-Lo
David "ODB" Baker raises from under the gun and finds a call from Ben Sulsky in the big blind. The flop falls and Sulsky check-calls a continuation bet from Baker.
The falls on the turn and Sulsky checks again. Baker bets out only to have Sulsky come over the top with a check-raise. Baker calls. The finishes the board and both players check. Sulsky rolls over for two pair and a low. Baker mucks and Sulsky scoops the pot.
Ben Sulsky - 1,680,000
David "ODB" Baker - 2,625,000
Wednesday, June 24, 2015 11:52 PM Local Time
Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
Ben Sulsky limps from the small blind, and David Baker raises from the big blind. Sulsky calls, and the flop comes . Sulsky checks, and Baker continues for 50,000. Sulsky calls, and the dealer turns the . Sulsky again checks, and Baker bets 100,000. Sulsky calls, and the river is the .
Sulsky checks a third time, and Baker fires another bet. Sulsky calls, and Baker tables for a wheel. Sulsky mucks, and Baker scoops the pot.
David Baker - 3,040,000
Ben Sulsky - 1,180,000
Wednesday, June 24, 2015 11:47 PM Local Time
Limit Omaha Hi-Lo
David Baker raises to 100,000 under the gun, and Dan Kelly three-bets to 150,000 in the small blind. It's nearly half his remaining stack. Baker inquires about exactly that, then calls.
The flop comes , and Kelly continues out with 50,000. Baker calls, and the hits the turn. Kelly bets the 100,000, leaving just 13,000 behind. Baker tanks and raises, and Kelly calls all in.
Baker:
Kelly:
Baker has a pair of tens with some straight possibilities, but Kelly is ahead with two pair. The river doesn't change anything, and Kelly doubles up with jacks up.
Dan Kelly - 676,000
David Baker - 2,625,000