Wednesday, June 16, 2010 8:14 PM Local Time
When play started today Jeff Tebben was the short stack of our field and you wouldn't blame him if his goal was to merely try and climb up a pay jump or two. However from the time the first cards were in the air, until the last pot was pushed, Tebben was the most aggressive player at the table and clearly playing for the win. His approach ultimately paid off.
In the early stages he was able to build his stack by accumulating blinds and antes at will as he fearlessly moved his short stack into the middle. Once he got chips he became a real threat, and combined with some cards, it was a lethal combination for his opponents.
A fighting victory for Tebben over a massive field collects him $503,389 in prize money and the coveted gold bracelet.
That's a wrap from us, but stay locked into PokerNews as there are several other events in full swing around the Amazon and Pavillion Rooms here at the Rio this evening.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 8:08 PM Local Time
JD McNamara raised to 280,000 from the small blind, and Jeff Tebben called. The flop fell , and both players checked. The turn was another king, the , and Tebben bet out 350,000. McNamara just called to see the on the river. This time, Tebben checked, and McNamara fired 325,000. Tebben paused and asked for a count of McNamara's stack before check-raising all in. McNamara called quickly with his last 1.3 million and showed . But his jacks were no good in the face of Tebben's for trip kings. With that, McNamara was eliminated in second place, just missing his first bracelet but picking up a hefty $310,248.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:57 PM Local Time
Jeff Tebben limped his small blind, and JD McNamara checked to get to an flop. Check, check to the turn. They both checked once more to see the on the river. McNamara was done checking and bet 100,000. Tebben then made it 350,000. McNamara just called and turned over for a jack-high backdoor flush. Tebben got away cheaply with his for a smaller flush, and McNamara moved up to 2.85 million.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:53 PM Local Time
Jeff Tebben raised to 250,000, and JD McNamara called. After the flop, McNamara check-called a 300,000 bet. They both checked the on the turn and the on the river. McNamara showed for second pair on the flop, but Tebben had him with for a flopped top pair. McNamara was down to 2.4 million after the hand.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:50 PM Local Time
JD McNamara won the first heads-up pot, but he didn't have to work too hard for it. Jeff Tebben gave him a walk, and JD showed .
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:47 PM Local Time
One hand after timing out, Kiet Tran sat back in and limped from the small blind. Jeff Tebben raised an additional 250,000 from the big blind. Then after some thought, Tran moved all in for 2,775,000 more. Tebben confidently called the aggressive move and was instantly pleased with his decision.
Showdown
Tran:
Tebben:
The entire rail was on its feet, and Tebben and McNamara's friends were all pulling for the nines to hold. The flop was a little dicey for Tebben, adding a flush draw to Tran's over card. The on the turn and on the river both bricked for Tran, and he was sent home in third place. At the beginning of the day, Tran said he wanted to improve on his previous largest cash, $110,000. He more than doubled that with his $223,665 win here.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:39 PM Local Time
JD McNamara raised to 300,000 from the small blind, and Kiet Tran called. Get ready for a nice nap. The flop came , and McNamara checked. Tran bet 350,000, and JD check-raised all in for an extra 1,570,000. Tran took a few minutes to think before Jeff Tebben called the clock on him. Tran let all 60 seconds tick down, and the floor declared his hand dead. It was unclear whether the folks cheering were applauding McNamara's win or simply the end of the hand.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:22 PM Local Time
Answer: Not a very exciting hand.
Jeff Tebben limped from the small blind, and JD McNamara checked his option. Both players checked all three streets of an board. Tebben showed and took it down with king-high.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:19 PM Local Time
JD McNamara raised to 180,000, and Jeff Tebben defended his big blind. Jeff checked the flop, and JD bet 210,000. Tebben check-raised to 560,000, and McNamara folded.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:11 PM Local Time
JD McNamara raised to 240,000 from the small blind, and Kiet Tran called. The both checked the flop, and McNamara checked again after the on the turn. Tran bet 225,000, and McNamara called. It was back to check-check when the river brought the , and McNamara took it down with . After the hand, Tran was one big blind ahead of McNamara with 3.35 million to 3.3 million.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 7:02 PM Local Time
Kiet Tran raised to 230,000 from the small blind, and Jeff Tebben called in the big.
Flop: - Tran checked to Tebben, who bet 300,000. Then, slowly as always, Tran check-raised to 1 million. Tebben called the first check-raise at the final table.
Turn: - Tran moved all in for 1.35 million, and somehow, as if he hadn't expected that move when he called the million, Tebben folded. He's down to 3,050,000 now while Tran retook the lead and is at 3,600,000.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6:50 PM Local Time
Denis Murphy raised to 190,000 under the gun, and Jeff Tebben called on the button. The flop came , and Murphy bet 320,000. Tebben called to see the on the turn. This time, Murphy moved all in, and Tebben snap-called. Turns out that Murphy had shoved a street too late, running straight into Tebben's for a wheel. Murphy held and needed to hit a club on the river to survive. But instead, the river was the , and Murphy was forced to follow Cai out the door in fourth place. For his efforts, Murphy gets $162,568 - more than enough to cover his trip from Ireland.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6:44 PM Local Time
David Cai moved all in under the gun for 890,000 (11 big blinds). JD McNamara called from the big blind, and it was time to turn 'em up. This time, they even had different hands!
Showdown
Cai:
McNamara:
The board ran out , changing nothing. Cai was eliminated in fifth place, picking up $119,410. That's enough to more than double his lifetime WSOP earnings.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6:38 PM Local Time
This time, Jeff Tebben made it 225,000 to go under the gun, and JD McNamara shipped for 1.7 million from the cutoff. Tebben called and showed . And McNamara turned over . The board came , and the dealer got to practice his pot chopping skills again.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6:32 PM Local Time
The first all in to start the day was a chopped pot, ace-queen v. ace-queen. The first all in after the dinner break was much the same, only v. this time. David Cai shipped in 965,000 under the gun, and Jeff Tebben called on the button. The board didn't hold any flush possibilities, and they chopped the pot.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 6:29 PM Local Time
On the first hand back from dinner, Denis Murphy limped from the small blind, and Jeff Tebben checked his big to see the flop. Both players checked. After the on the turn, Murphy bet 140,000, and Tebben folded.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 5:25 PM Local Time
David Cai objected to the other players' attempts to shorten dinner, so we are all headed to a 60-minute break. See you at 7:25.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 5:22 PM Local Time
Denis Murphy raised to 140,000 in the cutoff, and Kiet Tran added another 195,000 to the bet from the big blind. Then Murphy moved all in for another 1,285,000. Tran began his usual trip into the tank, but Murphy wasn't willing to sit around through half of his break. He called the clock on Tran without waiting very long, and finally, Tran folded face up.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 5:20 PM Local Time
Denis Murphy limped his small blind, and Jeff Tebben checked to see the flop. Both checked to the free on the turn and again to the on the river. No one bet after the river either, and Tebben took down the pot with for jack-high.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 5:18 PM Local Time
The final five are scheduled to go on a 60-minute dinner break when this level ends in ten minutes. Jeff Tebben is trying to convince the group to shorten or postpone dinner, and the TD has said that if Tebben can get everyone to agree, they'll change it. We'll keep you posted.