Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:27 PM Local Time
It's been a year of records so far at the 2009 WSOP and only fitting that Event #3, $1,500 Omaha 8-or-Better, concluded with another history-making performance. Last year's defending champion, Thang Luu, eclipsed a record-setting field of 918 entrants to capture his second gold bracelet! Not only is this Luu's second bracelet, it's his second in the same event in consectutive years.
Back in 2007, Luu took second place in this same event for $147,726. Last year, Luu topped that performance with a win in the same event for $243,342 in what was the largest Omaha tournament ever played. This year, Luu came out on top of a larger field than last year and earned himself $263,135. In total, Thang's earned over $650,000 for all three of those finishes! As Nolan Dalla mentioned, "This feat has only been equalled by Johnny Chan back in the 1980s."
Luu was the chip leader after Day 1 finished up and as of yesterday, claimed that he was feeling really good about this tournament. He was never really the big stack at the final table, but drove the action and picked his spots well. When play got down to three handed, Luu simply took over and began crushing the competition. From there, it was smooth sailing.
Congratulations to Thang Luu for his win and amazing back-to-back-to-back performances!
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:13 PM Local Time
Ed Smith limped in from the button and left himself with only a tiny bit more than one small bet left. Thang Luu opted to try and get his opponent all in and raised. Smith just called with a few thousand behind.
The flop came down
and Luu stuck in the money to put Smith all in. Smith went with his hand, saying, "All right, let's go."
[u]Showdown[/u]
Luu:
Smith:
The turn brought the
and the river the
and that was it for Smith. He would be eliminated in second place, earning $162,110 for his efforts.
On the other hand, the winner, Thang Luu, completed an amazing feat by winning the event for the second year in a row! Don't forget, in 2007 he also placed second in this event!
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:06 PM Local Time
Severely short stacked, Ed Smith has been getting his money all in preflop for the past few hands. Thang Luu was up to the challenge each time, but could only muster enough of a hand to score half of the pot. Smith has been taking the other half opposite Luu to stay alive.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:04 PM Local Time
With his last 100,000 or so, Ed Smith stuck it in preflop and Thang Luu made the call.
[u]Showdown[/u]
Smith:
Luu:
The flop was big for Smith when it landed
to give him a full house. Luu had outs to a low, but it wouldn't be after the turn and rive came the
followed by the
.
With that pot, Smith was able to double to a little over 200,000 chips.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:01 PM Local Time
On a flop of
, Thang Luu bet out and Ed Smith called. The turn brought the
and Luu stayed on the gas petal with another bet. Smith called again.
After the river fell the
, Luu backed down with a check. Smith checked behind.
Luu rolled over
for the winning hand after Smith showed
.
With that crippled blow, Smith is left with only slightly over 100,000 chips.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:47 PM Local Time
After Ed Smith limped his button, Thang Luu raised. Smith made the call.
The flop came down
and Luu led with a bet. Smith came along.
The turn brought the
and checks from both players. The river was the
and Luu fired. Smith mucked his hand and Luu moved to three million chips.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:44 PM Local Time
Thang Luu is steadily applying pressure to his opponent Ed Smith, especially from the button. Luu is raising almost every button to attack from position. Smith has dropped to just 1.3 million chips. Luu has over double him with approximately 2.9 million.
Is Luu going to repeat? This is already his third top-two finish in three years... amazing!
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:39 PM Local Time
Thang Luu just scooped a pot worth a few hundred thousand chips when he made the nut low and a ten-high diamond flush. Ed Smith held the second-best low and mucked his other cards.
Luu - 2,600,000
Smith - 1,600,000
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:27 PM Local Time
On a flop of
, Luu led out and Smith called. Smith called again after the
hit the turn, and led out at the
after Luu checked.
When Luu called, Smith turned over
for a set and Luu mucked.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:22 PM Local Time
As we mentioned earlier in the day, Thang Luu has an impressive history in this event. In 2007, he finished second and, last year, he improved his result, walking away with the bracelet.
To reach heads-up play again in 2009 is an incredible achievement in a modern WSOP and, if he wins, he will join an elite group of players who have won the same event in consecutive years.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:15 PM Local Time
Thang Luu and Ed Smith are very closely stacked in heads-up play.
Thang Luu - 2,3000,000
Ed Smith - 1,800,000
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:15 PM Local Time
Ming Reslock's tournament ended at the hands of defending champion Thang Luu.
On a flop of
, Reslock check-called Luu. When the
came on the turn, she check-raised all in and turned over
a gutshot straight draw. Luu showed
for two pair when the river was a blank.
Reslock earned $106,373.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 10:02 PM Local Time
Players are back from the break. Blinds are 30,000/60,000.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:44 PM Local Time
We are on a 20-minute break. We'll be at 30,000/60,000 when we return.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:35 PM Local Time
With three players left, here are the updated chip counts.
Thang Luu - 2,150,000
Ed Smith - 1,500,000
Ming Reslock - 375,000
Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:30 PM Local Time
Thang Luu won a nice sized pot from Ming Reslock when Reslock led out on a flop of
and Luu raised.
Reslock check-called the
on the turn and both players checked the
on the river. When the hands were turned up, Reslock showed a set of fours while Luu showed a set of Queens, which were good enough to scoop.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:11 PM Local Time
They've put the Champion's bracelet on the final table next to Thang Luu, last year's winner in this event.
Luu gave it a quick look and said, "It's the same as last year. They changed the 8 to a 9, but it's the same."
Still, we don't think he'll complain if he ends up with a matching pair.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 9:06 PM Local Time
Ming "Joy" Reslock raised from the button before Thang Luu made it three bets from the small blind. Reslock called after Ed Smith folded.
was the flop and Luu bet. Reslock called. The turn was the
and Luu bet. Reslock raised and then Luu reraised. Reslock called.
The river fell the
and Luu bet. Reslock made the call.
Luu showed
for the nut low and the nut flush. Reslock won a quarter of the pot with
.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 8:37 PM Local Time
On a board of
, Robert Price called a bet from Thang Luu to put himself all in. Luu had Price drawing dead with
against Price's
.
The river came the
and that was it for Price. He went home in 4th place earning $73,405.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 8:27 PM Local Time
Before his big blind, Pascal Leyo announced he would push all in with any ace. When he looked at his hand, he started begging Thang Luu to raise.
"Come on, put it in," Leyo implored.
Luu didn't bite, but Ming Reslock did. Pascal then announced he was playing blind. Reslock turned over
while Leyo showed
.
Reslock scooped with three 2s and an ace kicker, sending Leyo home in fifth place with $53,293.