Tuesday, June 17, 2008 11:23 PM Local Time
716 players started this $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em event. Over three days, many challengers emerged but it was John "Razor" Phan who ended up outlasting them all.
It has been a long time coming, but John Phan has finally reached the top of the poker world with tonight’s win. Phan will take home $434,789 and the coveted World Series of Poker bracelet. Congratulations to John Phan, Champion of the $3,000 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em event.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 11:20 PM Local Time
Well it took plenty of show, plenty of heart, and a little gamble for John Phan to finally get the better of Johnny Neckar heads up at this final table to capture the title.
This is John's first WSOP bracelet and it will certainly be one to remember for him and for everyone who was present to witness this absorbing contest.
John takes home $434,789 for his win. Congratulations John!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 11:16 PM Local Time
John Phan raised from the button making it 200,000 to go before Johnny Neckar announced he was all in. Phan made the call.
Phan:
Neckar:
Phan held the chip lead and the best hand as the flop was dealt
. There was no help for Neckar as the turn landed
. Needing a queen or jack on the river, Phan watched as the familiar
fell on the river to the roar of the rail as John Phan wins his first WSOP bracelet!
Congratulations to Johnny Neckar who put up a fierce showing in this heads-up battle as he collects $277,452 for his efforts
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 11:13 PM Local Time
Johnny Neckar limped in from the button and John Phan raised it up another 150,000. Neckar called.
The flop came
and Phan checked to Neckar who fired out 325,000. Phan thought for a few minutes before making the call.
The turn of
was checked by both players.
The river landed the
and Phan bet out 500,000 forcing a fold from Neckar who is now down to 1,100,000.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 11:08 PM Local Time
Johnny Neckar and John Phan have played the last two hand all in preflop blind. This time they requested that card not be flipped, the board run, and that they be allowed to squeeze. The floor agreed and jokingly asked, "would you like it run twice too?" The first time this happened, Johnny Neckar had John Phan covered. The board came as follows:
Both players flipped over one at a time.
Phan:
Neckar:
Neckar:
At this point, the crowd starts cheering as Neckar is playing the board.
Phan:
The seven played and Phan doubled up.
After this hand, the two players agreed to play all in blind again. Same rules as last hand. The floorman informed the gallery, "No, we are no longer accepting buy-ins to this event." This time, Neckar's tournament life was at risk.
Board:
Again, the players show one card at a time.
Phan:
Neckar:
Phan:
Neckar:
Neckar doubled up through Phan. After these two wild hands, Phan had 2,800,000 and Neckar had 1,400,000.
What a wild night that's going on here.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:55 PM Local Time
Well these guys have finally snapped...
After playing heads up for over six hours John Phan has finally gotten Johnny Neckar to agree to go all in, in the dark. Phan agreed to call. With both players all in without looking at their cards they held:
Phan:
Neckar:
The board ran out
and Neckar spiked a pair to double up to around 2.4 million to take the chip lead!
Welcome to the World Series of Poker!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:49 PM Local Time
On a flop of
, John Phan bet 160,000 into a 250,000 pot. Johnny Neckar made the call. The turn of the
was checked around. Neckar checked to Phan when the
hit the river and Phan bet out 450,000 chips relatively quick, at least quick for John Phan. Neckar made the call. Phan showed
for a pair of aces and took down the pot.
After the pot, Neckar is down to 1,120,000 in chips.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:40 PM Local Time
John Phan raised from the button to 160,000 and Johnny Neckar made the call.
The flop arrived
and Neckar checked over to Phan who fired out a bet of 130,000. Neckar then announced a check-raise to 350,000. Phan went into the tank, as he does for every big decision, before tossing his cards into the muck.
Neckar is chipping away at the chip deficit to try and pull things back to even ground.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:33 PM Local Time
John Phan raised from the button and took down the blinds uncontested. He then flashed
to his entourage and to Johnny Neckar who gave a wry smile.
Maybe Phan is shifting gears, or perhaps is just trying to create that illusion?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:30 PM Local Time
Johnny Neckar limped from the button and John Phan raised it up another 150,000. Neckar then declared he was all in.
"You don't have king-jack again do you?" questioned Phan. "I have a big decision you know," he said as he thought long and hard.
"This could be it! The last hand! I can beat king-jack, you know that right?" said Phan as he asked for a count of his opponent's stack. It was close to 1.3 million to call but Phan laid it down as Neckar attempted to fight back into this contest!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:19 PM Local Time
Just before his double-up, John Phan ordered a round of 20 Coronas for his cheering section. He looked over to Neckar and stated, "Gonna have to beat you drunk. Not working good sober."
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:18 PM Local Time
Directly after John Phan's miracle river double-up on Johnny Neckar, Joe Sebok looked at John Phan and said, "See what happens when I show up?" Apparently, Sebok had arrived to watch Phan just before he went all in. Phan's good luck charm couldn't have arrived at a better time for him. Of course, Neckar may have him removed from the building after suffering that beat.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:12 PM Local Time
Johnny Neckar limped in from the button before John Phan raised by carefully placing seven green 25,000-denomination chips out on the felt for a raise of 175,000. Neckar then announced he was all in, and Phan jumped out of his seat and instantly called.
Neckar:
Phan:
The flop came
and Neckar took the lead in the hand with a pair of kings. The turn was a blank in the
and Phan was left needing one of the three remaining aces in the deck to survive.
The river delivered the
as Phan's entourage roared in delight as an ace from space arrived to give Phan a double-up in spectacular fashion!
Phan is now up to about 2.7 million, regaining the lead over Neckar who is now at 1.6 million.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:01 PM Local Time
The first three pots since the break have seen the player moving in from the button and taking down the big blind uncontested.
However on the fourth hand we finally had a showdown, as Johnny Necker moved all in from the button and John Phan made the call.
Neckar was on the steal with
as Phan had the best hand with his
.
The board ran out
and Phan finds a double to get back into this contest! Pham is up to about 1.3 million to Neckar's 3 million.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:53 PM Local Time
Players have returned from break.
Updated chip counts:
Johnny Neckar: 3,700,000
John Phan 700,000
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:38 PM Local Time
The players are now taking a ten-minute break.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:37 PM Local Time
In a limped pot both players saw a flop of
. Johnny Neckar led out with a bet of 70,000 and John Phan flat called.
The turn brought a repeat
and Neckar led out with a bet of 125,000. Phan then announced a raise of an additional 140,000. Neckar thought for a moment before announcing he was all in sending Phan into the tank.
Phan pondered and looked uncomfortable in his chair for several minutes before tossing his cards into the muck.
Phan drops to just over 600,000 with Neckar now sitting behind a stack worth 3.7 million.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:27 PM Local Time
Preflop, Neckar raised to 150,000 and Phan made the call. On a flop of
, Phan checked and Neckar bet out 250,000. Phan made the call. The turn of the
was checked around. On the river card of the
, Phan bet out 350,000. After thinking for less than a minute, Neckar made the call. Neckar showed
for a full house and Phan flashed an
.
After the hand, Phan is down to 720,000 in chips.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:18 PM Local Time
After a few minutes of fury that saw Johnny Neckar stumble before doubling up twice through John Phan, the play has settled down again with a lot of folding preflop and very few flops being seen.
During this time, Phan has chipped up slightly but is still at a 2:1 chip disadvantage.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:06 PM Local Time
On a flop of
, John Phan checked to Johnny Neckar and Neckar bet 225,000 into a 300,000 pot. Phan then check raised to 450,000. Neckar moved all in before Phan could get his chips out and Phan called.
Neckar:
Phan:
Phan needed a 9 in order to win the hand. When the turn fell the
, Phan was drawing dead. The river card of the
was meaningless and Johnny Neckar doubled up to 3,100,000 in chips. John Phan is down to 1,200,000