Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:48 AM Local Time
As the winners' interviews and whatnot get underway, David Warga will be no stranger to this sort of thing - he already has a bracelet, after winning the Casino Employees' Event in 2002.
Warga, who is a professional poker player when he's not developing real estate, has now defeated 643 players to win his first bracelet in an open event. This final table was one of the most star-studded and - despite the reputation of stud eight - fast-paced we've seen. We went from 23 players to just one in around 11 hours, and there was never a dull moment.
Many congratulations to Warga and all the finalists. From the stud eight, it's over and out.
Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:32 AM Local Time
David Warga: / /
Maxwell Troy: / /
David Warga completed, and Maxwell Troy got his micro-stack in again. Warga called, and the rest of the cards were dealt.
Troy had a good few straight outs by sixth street, but none of them came in on seventh. "Nice hand," he told his opponent, and with that, we have a winner.
Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:29 AM Local Time
Maxwell Troy is like limescale, you just can't get rid of him! Just as it looked like he was dead and buried, he pulled out a low to split the pot.
David Warga: / /
Maxwell Troy: / /
Troy stays on circa 100,000, whilst Warga stays on the edge of his seat. The bracelet is within touching distance, but every time he reaches out, Troy slaps his hand and exclaims, "Pas touchez!"
Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:24 AM Local Time
"Keep hanging around," said David Warga in a Russian accent. "Keep hanging around."
And that's exactly what has been happening as, whatever his stack, Warga can't seem to dispose of Maxwell Troy.
Exhibit #1 saw Troy all in on third street before surviving with a pair of fives he had in the hole.
David Warga: / /
Maxwell Troy: / / .
This put Troy back up to around the 100,000 mark.
Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:19 AM Local Time
Maxwell Troy got his chips in the middle several times, but each time he ended up chopping the pot with David Warga. Troy also folded a few, and so was down to just 95,000 when he got his last in again.
Troy: / /
Warga: / /
Although it looked for a while as though king high would win, in the end Troy's rivered pair of nines was good enough to scoop the pot.
He remained desperately short on 200,000.
Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:16 AM Local Time
While the heads up match continued on the feature table, outside in the hallway things were kicking off.
We only caught the tail end of the fracas, but a combination of detective skills and a good working knowledge of Hebrew means that we can report the following:
- Someone approached third place finisher David Levi in the payout room, claiming he owed him money.
- Levi told him that this was not the case.
- The gentleman in question attempted to assault Levi - whether or not the attempt was successful, we do not know.
- The gentleman in question made some anti-Semitic remarks and threatened violence at a later, unspecified time.
- When we arrived outside, Levi was engaged in an impassioned argument with the security guard over why he had not done enough to protect Levi.
It all seems to have died down now, although no-one in the Levi party looked happy...
Thursday, June 17, 2010 12:11 AM Local Time
Maxwell Troy got involved (showing a pair of nines on fourth street), but folded to a bet from David Warga, showing a pair of queens by sixth, on seventh street. Troy dropped to 185,000.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:59 PM Local Time
David Levi was down to just 100,000 at the start of his final hand after folding the previous encounter with showing against Maxwell Troy's .
With his friends and family increasingly prominent on the rail, Levi moved his final chips in on third street. After a brief pause, David Warga decided to take a shot.
Warga: / /
Levi: / /
Levi rose from his seat on sixth street, and despite a determined peel on seventh, kings and fives were enough to send him home.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:49 PM Local Time
David Levi: / /
David Warga: / /
David Levi completed. David Warga stood up. He rubbed his hands, and then leaned over the table. Then he raised. Back to Levi, who put the rest of his chips in the middle. Warga matched the bet and they turned the cards over.
Warga missed his low draw and Levi's pair of tens were good to scoop the pot. To crazy cheering and applause from the Israeli rail, Levi doubled back up to 300,000.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:45 PM Local Time
David Warga: (XX) /
David Levi: (XX) /
David Warga brought in and David Levi completed, but thereafter it was Warga who was the aggressor. When Levi finally folded on sixth street, he left himself with just 300,000. Warga meanwhile moved up to 2.15 million.
---
Warga: (XX) /
Levi: / - fold
A couple hands later and Warga brought in again. Levi completed once again but this time Warga raised. Levi called and they saw another card.
Levi check-called a bet on fourth street, but come fifth he check-folded instead, showing in disgust.
Levi was down to just 130,000.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:27 PM Local Time
Troy Maxwell: (XX) /
David Warga: (XX) / - fold
A couple hands later and Maxwell Troy got a few chips back from David Warga.
Warga brought in and Troy called, before betting out on fourth street. Warga called to see a fifth card. However, Troy bet out again on fifth street, this time eliciting a fold from Warga and a cheer from his rail.
"Siddown, guys," Troy told them - the limits may be big, but we could yet be here a while.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:21 PM Local Time
David Warga: /
Maxwell Troy: (mucked) /
David Levi: (XX) / - fold
David Warga brought in, Maxwell Troy completed and David Levi called. So did Warga and three players saw a fourth card each.
Levi was first to act on fourth street and Warga bet. Troy raised, and Levi folded. Warga called though, and they were heads up to fifth street.
Troy bet out on fifth street and Warga called. On sixth street it was Warga's turn to bet out and Troy's turn to call.
Warga bet out again on seventh street and Troy called one last time - before mucking to Warga's full house.
There wasn't much between them before, chip-wise, but there is now - Warga's chip lead was extended to around 1.5 million, while Troy dropped to 700,000. Warga picked up the next pot as well (this time the chips he won were David Levi's) and after that was up to 1.65 million.
By the by, if Warga wins this, it actually won't be his first WSOP bracelet - he took down the Casino Employees' Event back in 2002. This is a crazy game, though, and anything can happen.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 11:10 PM Local Time
The Rise, Fall, Survive & Demise of Karina Jett
Karina Jett was right when she warned, "I'm not giving up that easily," and despite her desperately short stack, it took a further four hands to rid the table of her.
In fact, for a moment, it appeared as though Jett was mounting a serious comeback as she climbed all the way back up to 250,000 courtesy of sparring partner David Warga. Despite Warga's best attempts, Jett caused a frenzy in the audience when her pocket sixes and seven low were enough to scoop the entire pot.
Jett: / /
Warga: / /
Having completed to win the next pot, Jett found herself all in on the very next hand, again facing Warga. The action reached seventh street where Jett was forced to relinquish her hand and leave herself with just 10,000.
Jett: {X}{X}{X}/
Warga: {X}{X}{X}/
On the next hand, Jett proved that she had more guts than an abattoir as she climbed back up to 40,000. This time David Levi was the recipient.
Jett:
Levi:
But despite glimpses of yet another comeback, the fat lady finally emerged to belt out Karina's swan song.
Jett:
Maxwell Troy:
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 10:56 PM Local Time
An incredible pot just saw Karina Jett all in once again, this time against David Warga. On seventh street, Warga made a wheel, but Jett peeled off a full house to split the pot.
Jett:
Warga:
"I'm not giving up that easily," she warned.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 10:54 PM Local Time
Karina Jett was down to just 15,000 when she found herself all in against two players. Somehow, she not only survived, but trebled up!
Katina Jett: /
David Warga: /
Maxwell Troy: /
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 10:46 PM Local Time
David Warga: (X) /
Maxwell Troy: (XX) / - fold
Karina Jett: /
David Levi: (XXX) /
Maxwell Troy made the bring in and Karina Jett completed. David Levi raised, and after a short pause to squint suspiciously at him across the table, David Warga called. So did Troy and Jett.
Family pot.
Levi was first to act on fourth street with his pair of jacks, and he bet out. Warga and Jett both called, although Troy gave it up.
Levi bet out again on fifth street and both players called; he bet out again on sixth street and again, got two callers. The pot was by now well in excess of 1,000,000.
Come seventh street Levi checked and Warga checked behind. Jett now bet, leaving herself just 45,000 or so behind. Levi called. Troy looked terribly smug that he had gotten out of there.
"WOW," said Warga to no-one in particular. He sat there for a moment. "How d'you like a six-seven here?" He thought about it, and then made the call.
So, to showdown. Levi took the high with trip jacks, but it took everyone a moment to work out the low. Jett's was A-2-5-6-7, but as it turned out Warga had her pipped with A-3-4-6-7. Levi and Warga chopped the pot, and our former chip leader Jett was left with mere shrapnel.
Levi - 700,000
Warga - 1,050,000
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 10:36 PM Local Time
David Warga is up in second place in the chip counts after scooping a sizable pot.
Warga: /
David Levi: (XXX) /
Karina Jett was involved in the hand, briefly - she folded on fourth street. Warga bet all the way thereafter and Levi called him down, but then mucked when Warga turned over two pair.
Warga - 830,000
Levi - less than 500,000
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 10:25 PM Local Time
"Every time?" complained David Levi as Maxwell Troy completed his bring-in. Levi made the fold.
On the very next hand, Levi brought in and, again, Troy completed. This time, Levi made the call. Levi then proceeded to bet every street, chopping it up at the end with the low to Troy's pocket eights for the high.
Levi: /
Troy: /
Levi - 655,000
Troy - 1,225,000
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 10:11 PM Local Time
Our final four are back at the tables and cards are in the air. Maxwell Troy has the chip lead.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010 9:54 PM Local Time
Our final four will be back in 20.