Saturday, June 26, 2010 4:46 AM Local Time
At the start of the day when we returned with 23 of the world's best mixed game players, we admit that Ian Gordon wasn't our first choice when we were predicting a winner. We didn't know a lot about this young man, but as the day developed he quietly amassed chips and built a confidence that ultimately was tough for his opponents to stop.
There were several key hands that went his way, with the backdoor flush against Matt Glantz a pivotal moment that gave him the momentum and the chip lead that he carried all the way to a memorable victory. To overcome this final table was a huge achievement, but to do so with such efficiency was impressive, especially for those in media row who were making breakfast plans. Instead, we can thankfully grab a little shut-eye.
With virtually no previous tournament record, Gordon has now added a massive $611,666 to his bankroll and a beautiful gold bracelet to his wrist.
Thanks for staying up with us and we look forward to you joining us again tomorrow as the 2010 World Series of Poker continues. Good night from the Rio!
Saturday, June 26, 2010 4:37 AM Local Time
Hold'em
Before heads-up play began we witnessed one of the rarer, but rather refreshing sights, as Richard Ashby and Ian Gordon both clinked their glasses of champagne with a cheers to congratulate each other on reaching this moment. However it was a moment they weren't able to cherish for long as this heads-up duel took exactly one hand to complete.
Richard Ashby raised the button before Ian Gordon three-bet from the big blind. Ashby quickly four-bet saying, "Do you want to just go all in?"
Gordon replied, "Hmmm, no I'll just call for now," and they took a flop of .
Gordon checked and Ashby bet, Gordon put in a check-raise and Ashby made a hesitant call.
The turn was the and Gordon fired a bet and Ashby looked down at his remaining chips.
"I think you've got me, but I have to go all in," said Ashby as he added another 95,000 to the bet. Gordon made the call.
Gordon:
Ashby:
Gordon's pair was in front and Ashby was left needing an ace or jack to survive. The river was close as it fell the to leave Ian Gordon as our champion!
Congratulations to Richard Ashby who pushed hard on this final table, and fought back from the short stack of several occasions, but ultimately fell just short of his second bracelet of the series, as he exits in 2nd place for $378,027.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 4:25 AM Local Time
Hold'em
Eugene Katchalov raised, and from the small blind, Ian Gordon three bet. Katchalov made it four, and Gordon called. After the flop, Katchalov moved all in, and Gordon called. Eugene had been dealt , but Gordon flopped the second nuts with . The on the turn meant Katchalov had four outs to win the hand, but the wasn't one of them.
Katchalov left as quickly as possible to go collect his $248,831. This cash puts him over $4 million in career live cashes.
Ian Gordon and Richard Ashby are now heads up for the bracelet. They toasted each other with the champagne Ashby's friends had delivered from the buffet. No one seems likely to settle in for an all night (or morning) heads up battle.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 4:20 AM Local Time
Stud-8
Eugene Katchalov completed all in for 110,000, and Ian Gordon called him. The boards ran out:
Katchalov: / /
Gordon: / /
Gordon was ahead with a pair of nines until Katchalov caught a queen on seventh to double up to 310,000.
"F^*k!" said Ashby, not caring that Katchalov was less than a foot away.
Hold'em
Katchalov doubled once again the next hand. He raised the small blind, Gordon three-bet from the big blind, and Katchalov called all in. Eugene held and had to dodge Gordon's . The board fell , and trip fours put Katchalov up to 650,000.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 4:18 AM Local Time
Stud-8
Ian Gordon was the bring in and Eugene Katchalov thought for a few moments before announcing a raise. Gordon quickly re-raised and Katchalov called off his last chips.
The boards ran out as follows:
Gordon: ( ) / / ( )
Katchalov: ( ) / / ( )
Gordon made two pair on the river to leave Katchalov drawing to only a low to chop. He'd need a deuce, five, six or seven to survive and he found it with the deuce to take the low.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 4:00 AM Local Time
They decided to make this one ten minutes, cause that will make all the difference.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:58 AM Local Time
Stud
Eugene Katchalov completed with Ian Gordon making the call. Gordon led the betting on fourth and fifth before checking sixth street. Katchalov fired a bet, but Gordon put in a cheeky check-raise. Katchalov called but angrily folded on the river when Gordon fired one more bet.
Katchalov: (X-X) / / (X)
Gordon: (X-X) / / (X)
Gordon extends his lead as Katchalov is crippled to just 365,000 chips.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:56 AM Local Time
Richard Ashby's rail has been drinking for awhile now, mostly the champagne they brought with them. (And we have to applaud their class and forethought in bringing real champagne glasses as well.) Ashby joined the celebration a few hours ago and is quite a bit more talkative now. He just had two giant plastic cups of white wine delivered to the final table. Ashby's friends finally succeeded in getting Ian Gordon to order a cocktail. He just got his vodka Red Bull, but he doesn't seem to be drinking it. Katchalov, who has send under ten words since they went three-handed, is sticking with the Naked smoothie he hasn't touched in at least an hour.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:49 AM Local Time
Razz
As we moved around to razz, Richard Ashby turned to his entourage and laughed, "This is where the skill comes in now boys!"
In the first two hands, Ashby had some mixed "skill".
Ashby won the first pot after completing and then firing a bet on fourth, before check-calling fifth against Eugene Katchalov. Ashby took the lead again on sixth and took it down with a bet as Katchalov folded.
Ashby: (X-X) /
Katchalov: (X-X) /
Next hand, Ian Gordon completed before Richard Ashby raised. Gordon re-raised and Ashby called. Gordon called a bet on fourth before leading the betting on fifth, sixth and seventh. Ashby was forced to fold the river when he bricked out.
Gordon: (X-X) / / (X)
Ashby: (X-X) / / ( )
Ashby is back down to 1.85 million.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:43 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
The chips must be getting tired going back and forth between Richard Ashby and Eugene Katchalov. In the first of two big hands, Katchalov raised, and Ian Gordon called. Ashby three-bet, and both opponents called. The flop came , and Gordon checked. Ashby bet, and Katchalov called while Gordon folded. The turn brought the , and Ashby check-raised. Katchalov called, then called one more bet after the river. Katchalov showed for the nut low and bottom pair. Ashby also had the nut low with , but he got the whole high half of the pot with aces up. Katchalov was quartered down to one million.
Katchalov went after those chips a few hands later. All three players limped preflop to see the flop. Katchalov bet out, and only Ashby called. Ashby flatted bets on the turn and river as well. Katchalov showed for the ten-high flush. For the second time tonight, Ashby had a smaller flush and got scooped by Katchalov. Eugene was back to 1.8 million, and Richard had 2.3 million after the hand.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:33 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
Richard Ashby is back! Very next hand, Ashby raised from the small blind and the fired bets on every street on a board of . Eugene Katchalov called him down but mucked when Ashby tabled for a straight and low to scoop!
He's back up to 2.8 million as the boys on the rail are finding voice with Katchalov looking unhappy as he's back to 1.55 million.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:31 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
Ian Gordon raised the small blind and Richard Ashby made the call in the big blind. The flop landed and Gordon fired a bet with Ashby calling.
The turn was the and Gordon bet again before Ashby moved all in for another 140,000. Gordon made the call
Gordon:
Ashby:
The river was the and Ashby doubles up to 1.4 million with Gordon at 3.5 million.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:27 AM Local Time
Hold'em
Eugene Katchalov raised from the small blind, and Ian Gordon three bet from the big. Katchalov called to see the apparently action flop - . Katchalov check-raised, and Gordon three-bet. Katchalov put in a fourth bet, and Gordon suddenly looked worried but called. Katchalov bet again after the turn and Gordon flatted. He called one more when the peeled off on the river. Katchalov showed , confident he was ahead. But Gordon's was just slightly better.
Katchalov fell to 2.4 million, passing a big chip lead to Gordon with around 4 million.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:20 AM Local Time
Hold'em
Ian Gordon completed from the small blind and Richard Ashby checked his option in the big blind.
They took a flop of and Gordon led out with a bet. Ashby responded with a raise and Gordon made the call. The turn brought the and Gordon checked to Ashby who bet again. Gordon then put in a check-raise with Ashby making the call.
The river landed the and Gordon led out with a bet. Ashby flung his cards back to the muck with such ferocity that one landed on the floor. They were shown as for a missed straight draw as Gordon took down the pot.
Gordon is up to 2.8 million with Ashby back down to 950,000.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:08 AM Local Time
Stud-8
Marco Johnson was all in for his last 350,000 chips on third street against Ian Gordon with the boards running out as follows:
Johnson:
Gordon:
Gordon made a pair of aces and the only low to take it down and eliminate Johnson from the tournament in 4th place for a $181,503 reward.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:07 AM Local Time
Stud
Richard Ashby: (X-X) / / (X)
Eugene Katchalov: (X-X) / / (X)
Ashby completed, and Katchalov raised. Ashby flatted, saying "Here we go!" Ashby check-called on fourth and fifth. Eugene took over first action when he paired his king on sixth and bet out. Ashby called, and called again on seventh. Katchalov tabled for trip kings. Ashby grumpily showed for aces up on fifth. "I had you crushed!" he lamented, dropping down to 975,000. Katchalov increased his chip lead, stacking up 3,550,000.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 3:01 AM Local Time
Marco Johnson brought it in, Ian Gordon completed, Richard Ashby raised and Eugene Katchalov re-raised. Ashby was the lone caller.
Katchalov led the betting on all streets with Ashby finally giving up on the river.
Johnson: (X-X) /
Gordon: (X-X) /
Ashby: (X-X) / / (X)
Katchalov: (X-X) / / (X)
Easy come, easy go for Ashby as he's back down to 1.7 million, with Katchalov now with a clear chip lead.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 2:59 AM Local Time
Stud
Catching the action on fourth, Richard Ashby led the betting on all streets until the river where he checked in the dark. His opponent was Ian Gordon and he checked behind.
Ashby: ( ) /
Gordon: ( ) /
Pair of sixes for Gordon but Ashby takes it with a pair of jacks. Gordon slips to 1.95 million with Ashby at 2.5 million.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 2:52 AM Local Time
Stud
Richard Ashby and Eugene Katchalov mixed it up in a giant stud pot.
Ashby: (X-X) / / (X)
Katchalov: (X-X) / / (X)
Ashby completed, and Katchalov raised. "Last hand, boys," Ashby told his rail as he made the call. Katchalov bet all the way through seventh, and Ashby called each one though Eugene's board just got scarier and scarier. Then Ashby said "two pair," showing he'd started with buried jacks and caught the on the end. Katchalov said "aces" under his breath as he mucked. It seems Ashby's luck is back.
Saturday, June 26, 2010 2:42 AM Local Time
Razz
Eugene Katchalov completed and Richard Ashby made the call after bringing it in. Katchalov bet on fourth before Ashby led the betting on fifth and sixth. Ashby checked the river and Katchalov checked behind.
Katchalov: ( ) /
Ashby: ( ) /
Not overly impressive boards but Katchalov caught a ten-seven on the river as Ashby wasn't thrilled to see his ten-nine was beat.
Ashby is now down to 1.1 million.