Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:50 AM Local Time
Freddie Ellis is a well-known name in stud circles around New York City and Atlantic City. As one of the older players in the field, Ellis has notably struggled with the long days that are required at the World Series of Poker. But he didn't let that fatigue dissuade him from his purpose -- win this tournament.
Ellis put on a clinic on Day 1 with Daniel Negreanu at his starting table, then started surging on Day 2. Once he had some chips, Ellis showed no fear in putting them into pot after pot. And as more and more players fell by the wayside, Ellis' stack grew taller and taller.
At the end, it was Ellis and another long-term veteran of poker, Eric Drache. The two men battled back and forth heads up for hours before Ellis emerged triumphant. For his trouble, Ellis will take home $373,744, a 2009 WSOP gold bracelet, and the title of Seven-Card Stud World Champion.
That wraps up our coverage of Event 6, $10,000 Seven-Card Stud, but the 2009 WSOP is just getting into high gear. Check back daily on PokerNews.com from now through mid-July for all of the action.
Good night!
Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:49 AM Local Time
"Well, I don't want to hang onto these," said Eric Drache. "So I'll raise you." The action was at the river, with Drache having led every street but the last one, which he checked. The boards were:
Drache: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Ellis: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Drache put his last 20,000 chips in as a raise after Freddie Ellis bet the river. Ellis called with
, for the heart flush, and it was good enough to win the hand -- and the tournament. Drache was eliminated in 2nd place and will walk away with $231,014.
Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:30 AM Local Time
With limits at 100k and 200k, it doesn't take long to find yourself short. Eric Drache had an open pair of tens on fifth street against Freddie Ellis' open pair of deuces. Drache bet and was called.
On sixth street, Drache slowed down and checked. Ellis seized the initiative with a bet that Drache called. On the river, however, Drache folded to another bet.
Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:15 AM Local Time
It's not quite Miller Time yet for the assembled gallery here at the final table. Eric Drache was all in by sixth street showing
/
. Freddie Ellis called with
/
. He needed to improve on the river to knock out Drache but couldn't do it when he pulled the
.
And so, the match goes on. Drache is up to about 1,000,000 in chips
Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:07 AM Local Time
Eric Drache is running out of chips. He lost yet another big pot to Freddie Ellis, with Ellis betting fifth and sixth streets showing (X-X) /
. Drache developed (X-X) /
, but couldn't straighten out. Both players checked the river, with Ellis turning up
for trip nines. Drache mucked what he said was two pair, queens up.
After that loss, Drache is down to 575,000. He is on the ropes.
Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:02 AM Local Time
We've been experiencing some technical difficulties here in the Amazon Room. Please bear with us as we continue to provide coverage of the heads-up play between Eric Drache and Freddie Ellis.
Thursday, June 4, 2009 12:51 AM Local Time
Freddie Ellis is very tired (it's almost 2am here) but that's not stopping him from rolling his way to a huge chip lead against Eric Drache. At this point Drache is down to just 800,000 after folding the river when Ellis bet out (X-X) /
/ (X) into what Drache said were unimproved buried jacks.
Thursday, June 4, 2009 12:40 AM Local Time
Freddie Ellis and Eric Drache are almost dead even in chips after Ellis took a recent pot down from Drache. Ellis started with splits aces and improved to aces and fives by sixth street. Drache called bets on sixth and seventh showing (X-X) /
/ (X).
Thursday, June 4, 2009 12:08 AM Local Time
Cards are back in the air. Is this the level?
Thursday, June 4, 2009 12:05 AM Local Time
Just before the break, Freddie Ellis drew himself back into contention with Drache. Here's how it went down.
Ellis brought it in with the
, and Drache came in with the
.
Ellis: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Drache: (X-X) /
/ (X)
On fourth, fifth, and sixth streets, Ellis check-called bets from Drache. On seventh, Ellis led out, and Drache called him down. Freddie showed
for the diamond flush. Drache flashed
, throwing his two pair and the rest of his cards into the muck.
Drache lead is down to 600,000 once again.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:55 PM Local Time
We've reached the end of another level, and the players are taking 15 minutes to wander around the corridors outside the room.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:53 PM Local Time
Eric Drache got it going with the
up, and Ellis came along with the
.
Ellis: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Drache: (X-X) /
/ (X)
On fourth street, Ellis bet out, drawing a raise from Drache. He made the call. On fifth and sixth, Ellis bet his open queens, with Drache calling both times. On seventh street, Ellis fired again, only to see Drache come over the top with another raise. Ellis called, showing
for trip queens. It was no good though; Drache turned over
for the winning queen-high flush.
With that swing, Drache has taken about a three-to-one chip lead over his more senior opponent.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:31 PM Local Time
Eric Drache brought it in with the
, and Freddie Ellis completed with the
up. Drache opted to raise it up, and Ellis called the extra bet.
On fourth street, Drache bet his
, and Ellis'
was worth a check-call. On fifth, Drache pulled the
, and Ellis the
. Ellis passed again, folding to Drache's bet.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:23 PM Local Time
Drache had the bring-in with the
, and Ellis came along with the
up.
Drache: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Ellis: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Fourth street brought Ellis an open pair, and he just single bet it for 60,000. Drache called. The action repeated on fifth, sixth, and seventh streets with Drache calling Ellis' bets. In the end, Ellis showed
to go with his up cards, making himself the winning trip fives.
The two men are virtually even in chips now.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:10 PM Local Time
Ellis: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Drache: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Ellis brought it in with the
. Drache showed the
. On fourth street, Ellis bet out, and Drache put in a raise. Ellis three-bet it, and Drache called the extra. On fifth and sixth streets, Drache check-called bets. Both players checked seventh.
Freddie Ellis turned over
, having found the buried kings to start. It was a big pot, and it goes to Ellis, drawing things back closer to even. Drache has a lead of about 600,000 now, chump change at these limits.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:03 PM Local Time
We pick things up on fifth street.
Ellis: (X-X) /
/ (X)
Drache: (X-X) /
/ (X)
On fifth, Ellis was the bettor, eventually calling a raise from Drache. On sixth street, Ellis check-called another bet. He checked again on seventh, only to fold to the final bet.
Drache has been chipping away here heads up. He's now right around 3,000,000 to Ellis' 1,300,000.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 10:52 PM Local Time
Five minutes turned into twenty, as this was apparently a full scheduled break. In any event, we're back now.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 10:33 PM Local Time
We're on a break again. Five minutes.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 10:28 PM Local Time
Lots of small pots right now. Third and fourth street and not much else. More of them are going to Eric Drache than to Freddie Ellis. As a result Drache has taken the chip lead.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 10:17 PM Local Time
Eric Drache apparently hasn't heard about how Freddie Ellis has already been pre-ordained the winner of this event. He took down the first heads-up pot that went to showdown, making trip fives on fifth street and riding it all the way to a winner.