EVENT UPDATES
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Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:41 PM Local Time
This year's 4th Annual Ante Up for Africa Charity poker tournament created a prize pool of $408,240. We don't know how much of that total sum was donated back to the charity, but we do know that champion Phil Gordon donated 100% of his winnings to the charity, as he did when he made the final table of this event last year.
Gordon was bright red with embarrassment after his win. Most of that was no doubt due to the fact that runner-up Shannon Elizabeth gave him a hug, then jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist (flashing a lower back tattoo and green skivvies to the entire assemblage).
"I know this isn't a bracelet event, but it feels like one," said Gordon in short remarks after the tournament concluded. Elizabeth expressed similar sentiments.
"I wish the rest of my WSOP had gone the way this tournament went," she said.
This tournament isn't the only time that players can make donations to and help out the Ante Up for Africa charity. For more information, check out [URL="http://www.anteupforafrica.org/"]their website[/URL].
That wraps up our coverage of this event, but there's still plenty of poker left to be played at the Rio tonight, including the highly anticipated conclusion of Event 55, $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha. Can Tom Dwan cripple the poker economy by winning his first bracelet? The only way to find out is to follow our up-to-the-minute updates!
And don't forget that the Main Event starts Monday. Until then, you can find us at the bar.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:39 PM Local Time
Shannon Elizabeth moved all in from the button for 125,000 and Phil Gordon made the call.
Elizabeth:
Gordon:
The flop put Gordon in front and left Elizabeth drawing to a king, running tens or cards for a straight.
The dealer delivered the on the turn to give Elizabeth an additional four outs with a jack, but unfortunately she would see the land on the river to send her out in 2nd place for a $80,737 payday.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:32 PM Local Time
Phil Gordon moved all in on the first hand of play and Shannon Elizabeth quickly released to see Gordon draw first blood.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:27 PM Local Time
It's shove poker now. Phil Gordon moved all in from the small blind and was called by the shorter-stacked Alex Filatov. Filatov's was in frnot of Gordon's . Each player missed the flop and the turn. It looked like a Filatov double-up was on order until the hit the river to give Gordon a pair of jacks. Filatov is out in 3rd place.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:25 PM Local Time
Currently Phil Gordon is in great shape to take down the fourth annual Ante Up for Africa.
Gordon is in good form in this event after final tabling last year before finishing in 6th place for a $30,760 payday.
Currently guaranteed $56,516, Gordon will be aiming for only one prize; the $130,641 first prize!
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:22 PM Local Time
The Tournament Director has just made an announcement about the previous winners.
In 2007, Dan Shak donated 100% of his winnings, while in 2008 John Hennigan also donated 100%.
Last years winner Alex Bolotin donated half his winnings, so the question for 2010 is how much will Alex Filatov, Phil Gordon or Shannon Elizabeth donate to this very worthy cause?
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:17 PM Local Time
With only 840,000 chips in play and an average stack of 280,000 and an orbit costing 45,000 per round, the 'M' of the average stack is just a little over 6.
What does this exactly mean?
Basically each player has just an average of six orbits of play before their stack hits the felt.
So the pressure is on!
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:12 PM Local Time
It seems as though a simple button raise or all in is enough at the moment.
The player on the button has been picking up the blinds and antes over the past few orbits, as the remaining three players don't seem too interested in player any flops.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:10 PM Local Time
Shannon Elizabeth moved all in from the button for her last 89,000 and Alex Filatov made the call from the big blind.
Filatov:
Elizabeth:
The board ran out to see Elizabeth double through to 185,000 as Filatov slips to 350,000 in chips.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 6:06 PM Local Time
The final table is down to three players after the elimination of bracelet winner Carter Phillips. Phillips was all in with and called by Phil Gordon's . Nobody connected on a board of , allowing Gordon's nine kicker to play and take down the pot.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:59 PM Local Time
Erik Seidel moved all in from the small blind with . Phil Gordon made the call with and flopped a pair of tens, . Seidel never improved from there.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:54 PM Local Time
Carter Phillips moved all in from under the gun and Phil Gordon made the call from the small blind for his tournament life.
Phillips:
Gordon:
The board ran out to see Gordon spike a set to double to 225,000 as Phillips slips to 92,000 in chips.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:49 PM Local Time
Phil Gordon opened to 36,000 and Shannon Elizabeth made the call from the big blind.
Elizabeth open-shoved for her last 53,000 on the flop and Gordon made the call.
Elizabeth:
Gordon:
The turn landed the to give Gordon an additional out to go along with his ace or four, but when the river landed the , Elizabeth doubled to 175,000 as Gordon slipped to 92,000 in chips.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:47 PM Local Time
The bus has broken down. Carter Phillips got Jerome Bettis all in for a battle of the blinds. Bettis had the best hand with against the of Phillips, but the flop gave Phillips two pair, . Bettis got to experience a little bit of a sweat when the turn came , but the on the river was a harmless blank.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:41 PM Local Time
Barry Hartheimer found himself all in for his last 12,500 with Carter Phillips making the call.
Hartheimer:
Phillips:
The board ran out to see Hartheimer eliminated in 7th place for a $18,146 payday as Phillips climbs over the 105,000-chip mark.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:40 PM Local Time
Phil Gordon opened for 17,000. Action passed to Kyle Carlston who moved all in for 39,000. Gordon called with . Carlston's was drawing, but out-flopped . The turn didn't change anything, but the river did. It gave each player jacks and tens, with Gordon's king kicker playing.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:35 PM Local Time
Claire Renaut moved all in for her last 23,000 and Alex Filatov made the call.
Renaut:
Filatov:
The board ran out to see Renaut eliminated in 9th place for a $12,998 payday as Filatov soars over the 200,000-chip mark.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:31 PM Local Time
That didn't take long. On one of the very first final table hands, Gilbert Diaz got his stack in with pocket kings. Alex Filatov called with pocket jacks and caught a jack on the flop to send Diaz to the rail as the bubble boy.
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:29 PM Local Time
We're on the bubble.
Seat 1: Phil Gordon
Seat 2: Kyle Carlston
Seat 3: Alex Filatov
Seat 4: Barry Hartheimer
Seat 5: Carter Phillips
Seat 6: Jerome Bettis
Seat 7: Claire Renaut
Seat 8: Gilbert Diaz
Seat 9: Shannon Elizabeth
Seat 10: Erik Seidel
Saturday, July 3, 2010 5:23 PM Local Time
Jerome Bettis just knocked out two opponents on back-to-back hands. It looks like our last two tables are collapsing to one ten-handed table. This is the money bubble!