Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:42:49 -0700
Congratulations to Ken Aldridge, Winner of Event #9 ($428,259)!
It was an epic heads-up match between Ken Aldridge and Carman Cavella. Aldridge had Cavella on the ropes at one point, 5.6 million chips to 0.9 million chips. But Aldridge's attempt to go for the jugular and close out the match results in back-to-back double-ups for Cavella, prolonging the match.
In the end, however, Aldridge showed more aggression than Cavella and that was the difference in the heads-up match. Cavella seemed willing to take only one stab at a pot; if Aldridge called then Cavella gave up. As a result once the blinds got huge it only took Aldridge a few pots to build a huge chip lead.
For his efforts, Ken Aldridge's name will be added to the pantheon of WSOP gold bracelet winners. He also gets $428,259 in prize money. Not a bad day at all.
Congratulations Ken Aldridge, and good night from the Amazon Room at the Rio.
Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:40:32 -0700
Carman Cavella Eliminated in 2nd Place ($ 264,814)
Cavella had been ground down to a short stack once more and needed to make a move to get back in it. He found a hand to go with and he had a willing customer in Aldridge with
. It was bad timing for though Cavella as he had
.
The flop gave some hope of a chop when it came
but the turn
and river
meant the
played as a kicker and after a three hour heads up battle Cavella had succumbed to his opponent.
Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:30:38 -0700
Aldridge Building....
Slowly, maybe, Ken Aldridge is taking out the legs of Carman Cavella. Aldridge limped into the pot from the small blind, then called Cavella's raise of an extra 200,000. On a
flop, Cavella bet 250,000 and again Aldridge called. Cavella shut down when the turn came
, allowing Aldridge to take down the pot by firing out a bet.
Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:27:54 -0700
Teach Takes Another
A limp from Aldridge before Cavello raises 200,000 more and a call to see a
flop. Cavello leads out for 300,000 and Aldridge calls before the turn came
. Cavello slows to a check and Aldridge takes the pot away with a 400,000 bet.
Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:18:10 -0700
More Chips for Aldridge
Well, blinds are big now. So even small pots will hopefully create some chip movement. Carman Cavella opened with a raise to 250,000 that Ken Aldridge called. It was a flop of
for the two combatants, with Aldridge checking to Cavella. Cavella bet 300,000 but quickly mucked his hand when Aldridge raised to 700,000.
Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:14:01 -0700
Play Resumes
Cards are back in the air.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:56:46 -0700
Updated Chip Counts
Ken Aldridge - 3,800,000
Carman Cavella - 2,850,000
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:53:17 -0700
Players on a 20 Minute Break
Time for a quick read through a heads-up strategy book.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:39:08 -0700
Ken Aldridge
Aldridge limps in from button before Cavella bumps it up another 175,000. Aldridge calls to see a
flop and then calls a 275,000 bet from Cavella. They both checked the
turn before the river came
. They both checked and Aldridge took the pot with
.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:30:12 -0700
Aldridge Back to Work
Ken Aldridge is back to work trying to rebuild his chip lead. He limped into the pot, then called a raise to 300,000 by Carman Cavella. Both players checked the
flop and the
turn. When the river fell
, Cavella led out for 200,000 and Aldridge called.
Cavella:
, a pair of jacks
Aldridge:
, two pair, jacks and tens
The pot was pushed to Aldridge.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:26:03 -0700
Back to the Small Pots
With the stacks close to level again, the players have returned to ultra-conservative play. In a limped pot, Carman Cavella check-called a bet of 100,000 from Ken Aldridge on a flop of
. When the turn came
, Cavella led into Aldridge for 175,000. Aldridge slowly called.
Fifth street was the
. Cavella took down the pot with a bet of 250,000 that Aldridge refused to call.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:21:06 -0700
Early in the Hand and Late in the Hand
Carman Cavella raised from the button and Ken Aldridge called to see a
flop. Check check before the turn came
. Check check before the river came
. Aldridge checked to see a 100,000 bet from Cavella that he raised to 300,000. Cavella folded to give up the pot.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:08:53 -0700
Cavella Doubles Again!
We barely had finished entering the last two hands when we looked up to see Carman Cavella all in again. He led out on a board of
before Ken Aldridge moved all in over the top. Cavella snap-called with
, a dominating favorite over Aldridge's
. Brick on the turn, brick on the river and Cavella doubled a second time. He's now sitting behind about 2.7 million in chips.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:05:22 -0700
Carman Cavella Doubles Up
With Ken Aldridge having a commanding chip lead, it finally became "all in" time for Carman Cavella. After Aldridge raised to 270,000, Cavella moved all in for 815,000 total. Aldridge gave the matter some thought, then called for the first all in and call of heads-up play!
Cavella:
Aldridge:
Both men were standing as the board rolled out
. Aldridge momentarily got excited when the river came down, perhaps thinking he had made a straight. But he hadn't made anything and was forced to double Cavella up.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:05:02 -0700
This Should've Been the Last Hand but....
Carman Cavella raised from the button and Ken Aldridge called to see a
flop. Aldridge check called a 175,000 bet and a 325,000 bet on the
turn. The river
saw Aldridge check once more and then just call a 200,000 bet with
for a straight. Cavello flipped over
to confirm he'd lost the pot.
Aldridge - 5,555,000
Cavella - 985,000.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:50:27 -0700
Once Again... Not What We Were Expecting to See
It was a raised pot between Ken Aldridge and Carman Cavella. Cavella had first action on a flop of
and bet 150,000. Aldridge called.
Both players checked the
turn and the
river. Cavella showed down
for a pair of jacks; Aldridge turned over
for a very conservatively played pair of kings!
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:50:21 -0700
Hold On a Minute.....Oh!
The now usual limp comes on the button from Ken Aldridge before the unusual step of a raise from Carmen Cavello and a call from Aldridge. The flop comes
before Cavello leads out for 175,000 and a call from Aldridge.
We have a pot developing here as the turn comes down
. Check, check. Back to the norm as they both check the
river too.
Aldridge shows
to Cavello's
to take the pot.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:34:46 -0700
Tiny Ball
This isn't small ball anymore. It's marbles -- the tiniest of balls. Most pots are limped, with maybe one small bet coming in before showdown. Take this hand as an example:
Both players limped. Ken Aldridge checked the
flop to Carman Cavella, who bet 100,000. Aldridge called. Both players checked the
turn and the
river. Cavella took down the pot with
, a pair of jacks.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:17:11 -0700
Counter by Teach
Ken Aldridge raised from the button to 135,000 and Carman Cavella called before we saw a
flop. Cavella check called a 150,000 but folded to a 250,000 turn bet when the
fell.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:07:43 -0700
Cavella Fights Back
Score one pot for Carman Cavella. After Ken Aldridge opened for 160,000, Cavella reraised from the big blind to 450,000. Aldridge called to a flop of
then snap-mucked to Cavella's bet of 700,000.
Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:56:51 -0700
Two for "Teach"
Ken "Teach" Aldridge has taken over the chip lead by winning his second pot in a row. He limped in, then called a raise to 210,000 by Carman Cavella. Both players checked the
flop. On the turn, Aldridge fired 200,000 after Cavella checked. Cavella called that bet, but not the 600,000 that Aldridge put up for grabs after the river fell
.
