Thursday, June 5, 2014 1:34 AM Local Time
Paul Volpe Leads Stacked Final Table of Seven
After a long day of play in the Amazon room, the second day of Event #13 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball Championship has come to a close. The official final table is set with the only non-bracelet winner at the table leading the way. Paul Volpe bagged up the biggest stack at the table with 783,000 in chips.
While Volpe holds the largest stack at the final table, he'll find tough competition in his competitors who represent poker's elite. Also appearing at the final table are Jason Mercier (469,000), Daniel Negreanu (426,000), Brian Rast (390,000), Larry Wright (203,000), John Monnette (169,000) and Abe Mosseri (162,000).
The day began with 36 hopefuls returning for the felt with hopes of reaching this prestigious final table. The eliminations came at a rapid pace early in the day, with notable name after notable name hitting the rail. Start-of-day chip leader Jen Harman was one of the players to fall relatively early, as was 2011 No-Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball champion John Juanda. Other players who fell as the day progressed include Phil Hellmuth, David "Bakes" Baker, Jean-Robert Bellande, Barry Greenstein, Shawn Sheikhan, Shawn Buchanan, George Danzer, Shaun Deeb, and Bob Bright.
As play quickly wound down, the field approached the money bubble. The top 14 players were guaranteed a payday, and it was ultimately Galen Hall who burst the bubble for the field. On his final hand, Hall three-bet shipped all in over the top of an open from Brian Rast. Rast went into the tank for quite some time before calling and standing pat with a ten-six low. Hall opted for one card and turned over a seventy-six draw. He slowly squeezed his card before revealing that it was the , giving him an ace-low and the second best hand. He was eliminated and each remaining player was guaranteed $16,601.
From there, Jon Turner and Mike Watson were quickly eliminated from play, each collecting the aforementioned sum of money. With 12 players remaining, play came to an absolute halt. The final two tables continued to play six and six-handed for over two and a half hours before a key all in pot was played. Ultimately, it was Greg Mueller who went out in 12th and was the final player to collect $16,601 in prize money. Joe Cassidy busted almost immediately after Mueller's elimination. The WSOP bracelet winner earned $19,382 for his 11th place finish. Ashton Griffin and Darren Elias busted in tenth and ninth respectively, setting in motion the unofficial final table.
The remaining players fought a hard, two-hour battle at the unofficial final table of eight, each wanting to secure a seat at the ever-elusive final table. The chip lead traded hands many times as the night wore on, but it was ultimately Volpe who steadily climbed to the top of the counts. On the final hand of the night, Volpe three-bet over the top of an open from Rep Porter. Porter called for his tournament life and each player drew one card. Volpe made a ten-eight and Porter pulled a queen, sealing his fate as the final table bubble boy.
Play resumes at 2 p.m. on Thursday where the field will play down to a champion. As always, PokerNews will be on hand to provide live updates from the tournament floor. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for all of the latest! Goodnight!
Thursday, June 5, 2014 1:09 AM Local Time
End-of-Day Chip Counts
Paul Volpe | 783,000 | 0 |
Jason Mercier | 469,000 | -95,000 |
Daniel Negreanu | 426,000 | 31,000 |
Brian Rast | 398,000 | 70,000 |
Larry Wright | 203,000 | 20,000 |
John Monnette | 169,000 | -146,000 |
Abe Mosseri | 162,000 | -43,000 |
Thursday, June 5, 2014 1:08 AM Local Time
Rep Porter Eliminated in 8th Place ($22,399)
Rep Porter opened to 22,000 and it folded around to Paul Volpe who moved out 200,000 from the small blind. Abe Mosseri folded his big blind and Porter called for his tournament life of about 130,000 total. Each player drew one card and their hands were turned on their backs.
Volpe:
Porter:
Volpe drew his card first, instantly flipping over the to make a ten-eight low. Porter squeezed his out, quickly realized that it was paint, and flung the onto the felt. Volpe scored the elimination and with that our official final table is set!
Paul Volpe | 783,000 | 293,000 |
Rep Porter | 0 | -161,000 |
Thursday, June 5, 2014 12:43 AM Local Time
Mosseri Moves In
Daniel Negreanu folded from under the gun, flashing his cards to his neighbors Brian Rast and Paul Volpe after they folded. He also flashed the rail his jack-high straight flush (!) before tossing them into the muck.
Abe Mosseri raised to 22,000 out of the hijack, Rep Porter called on the button, and Jason Mercier called in the big blind. Mercier and Mosseri drew one card, Porter drew two, and Mercier checked. Mosseri moved all in for 110,000, Porter folded, and Mercier tanked for a bit before folding as well.
Jason Mercier | 564,000 | -46,000 |
Abe Mosseri | 205,000 | 31,000 |
Rep Porter | 161,000 | -124,000 |
Thursday, June 5, 2014 12:41 AM Local Time
Mercier Over 600K
Jason Mercier min-raised to 20,000 in middle position, Brian Rast called in the hijack and Mercier drew one card. Rast drew two, then called a bet of 44,000 from Mercier.
Mercier fanned , Rast mucked, and the Team PokerStars Pro dragged the pot.
Jason Mercier | 610,000 | 145,000 |
Brian Rast | 328,000 | -127,000 |
Thursday, June 5, 2014 12:30 AM Local Time
Negreanu Loses Two
Daniel Negreanu opened his button to what looked like 28,000 and Paul Volpe came over the top for 85,000 from the big blind. Negreanu called and the two were off to the draw.
Volpe stood pat and Negreanu took one card. Both players checked and Volpe fanned a winning .
The next hand, Jason Mercier raised to 20,000 from the hijack and Negreanu called from the button. Mercier stood pat at the draw and Negreanu picked up one new card. Mercier checked, Negreanu fired 35,000, and Mercier called.
"Ace," said Negreanu.
Mercier tabled and was awarded the pot. After these two hits, Negreanu's stack has been knocked down to about 395,000. Mercier is sitting on 465,000 while Volpe now has 490,000.
Paul Volpe | 490,000 | 144,000 |
Jason Mercier | 465,000 | 94,000 |
Daniel Negreanu | 395,000 | -196,000 |
Thursday, June 5, 2014 12:22 AM Local Time
Sevens are Good
John Monnette raised to 22,000 in the cutoff, Jason Mercier called in the big blind, and both players drew a single card. Mercier checked, Monnette checked, and Mercier announced that he had a pair of sevens.
Monnette said that he "needed more," signifying he too had a pair of sevens, and Mercier fanned . Monnette mucked.
Jason Mercier | 371,000 | 48,000 |
John Monnette | 315,000 | -25,000 |
Thursday, June 5, 2014 12:15 AM Local Time
Level 19 started
Level: 19
Blinds: 5000/10000
Ante: 3000
Thursday, June 5, 2014 12:02 AM Local Time
Chip Counts on Break
Daniel Negreanu | 591,000 | -34,000 |
Brian Rast | 455,000 | 0 |
Paul Volpe | 346,000 | -34,000 |
Jason Mercier | 323,000 | 23,000 |
Rep Porter | 285,000 | 13,000 |
Larry Wright | 183,000 | -2,000 |
Abe Mosseri | 174,000 | -171,000 |
Thursday, June 5, 2014 12:00 AM Local Time
Break
Players are now on a 20-minute break.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:54 PM Local Time
Volpe Gets Value With a Ten
Larry Wright raised to 17,000 in the hijack seat, Paul Volpe defended his big blind, and Volpe drew one card. Wright stood pat.
Volpe slid out a bet of 30,000, Wright tank-called, and Volpe fanned . Wright tabled a black and mucked the rest of his hand.
Paul Volpe | 380,000 | 150,000 |
Larry Wright | 185,000 | -128,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:43 PM Local Time
Negreanu Over 600K
Rep Porter raised to 20,000 from early position, Jason Mercier called in the hijack, and Daniel Negreanu reraised to 67,000 out of the cutoff. Both Porter and Mercier called.
Porter and Mercier both drew one card, Negreanu stood pat, and all three players checked. Porter turned over the .
"I can beat that," Negreanu announced.
Mercier didn't budge, so Negreanu fanned . Porter mucked, as did Mercier.
Daniel Negreanu | 625,000 | 110,000 |
Jason Mercier | 300,000 | 0 |
Rep Porter | 272,000 | -46,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:29 PM Local Time
More for Rast
Jason Mercier raised to 16,000 from late position, Brian Rast three-bet to 48,000 on his left, and Mercier called. Mercier drew one, Rast stood pat, and both players checked.
Rast took the pot with .
Jason Mercier | 300,000 | -90,000 |
Brian Rast | 255,000 | 60,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:27 PM Local Time
Rast Doubles
Larry Wright raised to 20,000 in early position, Brian Rast moved all in for 80,000 or so on the button, and Wright called. Both players drew one and tabled their cards.
Wright:
Rast:
Wright paired his three, Rast pulled a , and the latter doubled through.
Larry Wright | 313,000 | -138,000 |
Brian Rast | 195,000 | 115,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:21 PM Local Time
Negreanu Extends Lead
Daniel Negreanu raised to 25,000 from the button and Paul Volpe called out of the big blind. Each player opted for one new card at the draw and Volpe came out firing for 34,000. Negreanu called and Volpe slowly fanned on the felt for a losing straight.
Negreanu showed and scooped the pot. He's now over 500K in chips while Volpe has dropped to 230,000.
Daniel Negreanu | 515,000 | 50,000 |
Paul Volpe | 230,000 | -8,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:13 PM Local Time
Pat Pat
Abe Mosseri raised to 18,000 on the button, John Monnette three-bet to 50,000 out of the small blind, and Mosseri called.
Both players stood pat, Monnette fired out 109,000, and Mosseri folded.
Abe Mosseri | 345,000 | -50,000 |
John Monnette | 340,000 | 56,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:10 PM Local Time
Unofficial Final Table
Seat | Player | Chips |
1 | Jason Mercier | 390,000 |
2 | Daniel Negreanu | 465,000 |
3 | Brian Rast | 80,000 |
4 | Paul Volpe | 238,000 |
5 | Abe Mosseri | 395,000 |
6 | John Monnette | 284,000 |
7 | Rep Porter | 318,000 |
8 | Larry Wright | 451,000 |
Paul Volpe is the only player at the table without a WSOP gold bracelet.
Daniel Negreanu | 465,000 | 44,500 |
Larry Wright | 451,000 | -6,000 |
Abe Mosseri | 395,000 | 33,000 |
Jason Mercier | 390,000 | -203,000 |
Rep Porter | 318,000 | 45,000 |
John Monnette | 284,000 | 119,000 |
Paul Volpe | 238,000 | 105,000 |
Brian Rast | 80,000 | -33,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 11:00 PM Local Time
Darren Elias Eliminated in 9th Place ($19,283)
Abe Mosseri raised to 18,000 and a crippled Darren Elias three-bet all in for 18,500 - just 500 more. Action came back to Mosseri and he announced a call. Mosseri stood pat and Elias opted for one.
Mosseri:
Elias:
Elias instantly rolled over his new card, showing the and pairing his ten. He was eliminated in 9th place and collected $19,283 in prize money. His elimination prompted a full redraw to the unofficial final table of eight. A full seating chart and chip counts will be made available shortly.
Darren Elias | 0 | -20,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 10:59 PM Local Time
Elias Crippled
Abe Mosseri raised to 18,000 in the cutoff, Darren Elias moved all in for effectively 172,000 out of the small blind, and Mosseri called, putting himself at risk.
Elias stood pat and Mosseri drew one.
Elias:
Mosseri:
Mosseri turned over the , and doubled through. Elias was left with less than three big blinds.
Abe Mosseri | 362,000 | 166,500 |
Darren Elias | 20,000 | -215,000 |
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 10:51 PM Local Time
Level 18 started
Level: 18
Blinds: 4000/8000
Ante: 2000