Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:42 AM Local Time
We started out today with 25 world-class mixed games players and although we knew we were in for a long day, you had a feeling that today was going to bring something very special. Of course when you come back for a day three with superstars like David Benyamine, John Juanda, Jeff Lisandro, Dan Heimiller, Chad Brown, David Singer and several other previous bracelet winners, we were destined for a final table for the ages.
When the field was reduced to 16 players, Phil Ivey was the short stack of the field. By the time the final table was formed, Ivey was amongst the leaders and looking in control. However Ivey never had it easy and his chip stack fluctuated as the going was tough against such a strong lineup.
We've witnessed Ivey destroy final tables in the past, but you never got the feeling that this title was his, until he got heads up. Bill Chen put up a great fight and excelled on the final table, but once Ivey got some momentum heads up, it seemed like there was only ever going to be one winner.
That man is Phil Ivey. Bracelet number eight. It puts him in rare company with the elite in poker's history. Of course, bracelets mean a lot to Ivey, but the talk tomorrow will be about the side bets he stands to collect from this victory. In fact after it was all over, Ivey was overheard to comment, "So how much is it for first place anyway?"
That's any day in the books from the WSOP, and it's one that will be forever remembered for the legendary Phil Ivey. Good night from the Rio!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:38 AM Local Time
Razz
We thought we were on a five-minute razz siesta. Every previous round of razz in the heads-up portion of this match saw the high card bring it in, the low card complete, and the high card fold. In fact, on the first hand of razz this round, Phil Ivey brought it in and just immediately passed the bring-in chips to Bill Chen rather than wait for Chen to complete.
On the final hand of the tournament, Chen brought it in with a deuce and Ivey completed an ace. Chen then raised and Ivey re-raised. That's where Chen stopped and motioned to TD Bob Smith.
"I have a question," said Chen. "How many raises are we allowed?"
"Heads-up, as many as you like," Smith replied. Chen then put in the next raise, which Ivey just called.
Both players caught babies on fourth street. Ivey was slightly better and bet the lead. Chen called. The situation repeated itself on fifth street. Ivey bet, Chen raised, Ivey re-raised and like that Chen was all in. The reveal showed an ugly situation for Chen:
Chen: A-5 / 2-7-6, a made 7-6
Ivey: 3-5 / A-6-2, a made 6-5
Improbably, each player started three to a wheel and made a strong low in 5. Ivey's was stronger and left Chen looking for a 3 just to chop the pot. Each player drew a 7 on sixth street, no help. Down the river, Chen pulled a 10, which was no help. Ivey, because he's Ivey, obviously pulled an unnecessary 4 to end the tournament in style with a wheel.
Chen leaves in 2nd place with $203,802 in prize money.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:28 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
Bill Chen raised his button and was called by Phil Ivey. Ivey check-raised a flop, then took the pot down with a bet on the turn.
Chen is back down to less than a million. He's got 950,000. This has been a long, steady march for Ivey but it seems like he's closing in on his eighth bracelet unless things drastically change for Bill Chen.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:24 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
After a couple of chopped pots, Phil Ivey raised the button and Bill Chen called. Chen check-called a bet on a flop of , but when Ivey fired again on the turn, Chen surrendered. He's down to 1.25 million now.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:20 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
Even at this stage of the tournament, being quartered happens. Bill Chen raised his button and Phil Ivey called. Ivey check-raised a flop of , with Bill Chen calling. Ivey then went into check-call mode, check-calling the turn and river. Each player made the same straight for high, but Chen got the low with to Ivey's .
Chen is still down in the match with 1.5 million in chips.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:16 AM Local Time
Hold'em
Bill Chen raised the button, with Phil Ivey calling from the big blind. Ivey then led into Chen on a flop of and the turn. Chen called the first bet, but on the turn he put in a raise. Ivey called that raise to see the fall on the river. He checked to Chen, then put in a check-raise after Chen bet. Chen decided not to call, folding his hand and slipping to 1.1 million in the process.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:13 AM Local Time
Hold'em
The chip lead is changing almost every hand now. If Phil Ivey wins a pot, he grabs the lead. If Bill Chen wins a pot, he grabs the lead. After a few small hold'em pots, Bill Chen has 1.9 million and Phil Ivey has 2.4 million chips.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:11 AM Local Time
Hold'em
It's been a while since Bill Chen had the chip lead. He has it again after raising the button and being called by big blind Phil Ivey. Both players checked a flop of . Ivey led the turn and was called by Chen.
When the river fell , Ivey slowed down. He checked, then folded to a bet from Bill Chen. Chen is up to about 2.5 million after dragging that pot.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 3:08 AM Local Time
Stud-8
Chen: X-X / / X
Ivey: X-X / / X
Bill Chen brought it in on third street, then raised Phil Ivey's completion. Ivey, undeterred, re-raised. Chen called to fourth street, where he checked the lead. Ivey fired another bet that Chen called.
Chen also checked fifth street, but raised after Ivey bet. Ivey called that raise, then called bets on sixth street and seventh street. At showdown, Chen tabled two pair, aces and kings, with in the hole, to scoop the whole pot.
The stacks are even again.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:47 AM Local Time
The players are on a break. Phil Ivey said he would skip it, but Bill Chen wanted to take it.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:46 AM Local Time
Stud-8
Ivey: X-X / / X
Chen: X-X / / X
Now that the games has moved to stud split, the action has picked up again. Phil Ivey brought it in on third street, then called Bill Chen's completion bet. Ivey called another bet on fourth street, then put in a raise on fifth street. Bill Chen called that raise.
Ivey made open kings on sixth street and bet them. Chen called, but couldn't find another call on the river. He folded to Ivey's last bet.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:42 AM Local Time
Stud
And that was our five-minute stud break. We're on to stud split now, still without much change in the stacks.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:37 AM Local Time
Razz
Nothing happened in razz. One hand made it to fourth street. Consider it a five-minute break. Now we're on to stud. Phil Ivey still has the lead, roughly 2.8 million to 1.5 million.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:29 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
Bill Chen has, for the moment, put a halt to Phil Ivey's relentless march on Chen's chip stack. Chen called from the big blind after Ivey raised the button, then check-called the flop and turn. The river was checked by both players. With the board showing , Chen opened to make an ace-six low and a pair of sevens. Both were good.
The next hand Chen scooped again, calling the flop and turn and betting the river, when his was best both ways on a board of .
Scooping those two pots has pushed Chen back up to about 1.5 million.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:26 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
Every pot is going Phil Ivey's way right now. He just won two more omaha split pots, the first when Bill Chen check-called all the way on a board of . Ivey tabled aces and an ace-seven, . Chen flashed and mucked.
The next pot Ivey led all the way first to act, . Again Chen called all the way down, but he couldn't beat Ivey's set of tens, .
Chen is down to about 900,000.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:23 AM Local Time
Omaha-8
The action was light on a board of . Bill Chen raised the button and Phil Ivey called from the big blind. Ivey check-called one bet on the flop and another on the turn. Both players checked the river.
"I missed," said Chen. "King-high."
Ivey turned up a pair of sixes, , to take down the pot. He's got the chip lead now with about 2.6 million to Chen's 1.7 million.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:18 AM Local Time
Hold'em
Bill Chen raised his button. Phil Ivey called to a flop of , which both players checked. Ivey led the turn and the river. Chen called the first bet, but not the second. Credit another pot to Ivey.
The stacks are virtually dead even now.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:16 AM Local Time
Hold'em
Phil Ivey is looking for his 8th bracelet. Bill Chen is looking for his third. They've both got work to do after Ivey flopped the second nut flush in a recent hold'em hand. Ivey raiesd the button, with Chen calling fro the big blind. Chen then check-called all the way down on a board. At showdown, Ivey tabled to collect the pot.
They're nearly event now. Ivey has about 2.0 million, while Chen has about 2.3 million.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:11 AM Local Time
Stud-8
Chen: X-X /
Ivey: X-X /
Phil Ivey has climbed to 1.7 million again by winning yet another stud split pot. He completed after Bill Chen brought it in, then called Chen's raise. Chen check-called a bet on fourth street, but check-folded to a bet on fifth street.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:07 AM Local Time
Stud-8
Chen: X-X / / X
Ivey: X-X / / X
We breezed through the stud round without much action. In stud split, Bill Chen brought it in then called Phil Ivey's completion. Chen drew the high board on fourth, but checked it and then called another bet. He kept the high board with open kings on fifth street and bet there and on sixth. Ivey called each time, taking the two players to the river.
Chen opted for a check on the river, opening the door for an Ivey bet. Chen called, then mucked when Ivey turned up for a ten-high straight.