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Friday, June 12, 2009 7:26 PM Local Time
Nick Schulman has won two World Poker Tour titles. He regularly crushes high-stakes cash games, both live and online. He has over $3.8 million in career tournament earnings and at age 24 is already a veteran on the felt. But until just moments ago, he didn't have a WSOP bracelet.
Schulman was a quiet, steady presence in this tournament, which drew a stacked field and some of poker's biggest personalities. Schulman entered the final table fourth in chips, but surged into the lead when he eliminated Steve Sung in third place, his T-7-5-4-3 just outrunning Sung's T-8-5-4-3. Schulman ended up heads-up with Ville Wahlbeck at a 2-1 chip advantage and never lost the lead.
Major, major props go out to runner-up Ville Wahlbeck, the Finnish sensation that is simply tearing up the WSOP. Now the leader in the Player of the Year Race, Wahlbeck has cashed four times in four $10,000 buy-in events, making three final tables and winning his first bracelet in the $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event.
Congratulations to Nick Schulman on his first WSOP bracelet and a tournament well-played.
Friday, June 12, 2009 7:22 PM Local Time
What an end to this tournament! Nick Schulman opened from the button for the standard 75,000 chips, then called a reraise from Ville Wahlbeck to 250,000. On the draw, both players took one card.
With the draw completed, Wahlbeck had first action. He moved all in and was double-fist-pump-snap-called by Schulman, who turned over Number One (7-5-4-3-2)! It was overkill, as a deflated Wahlbeck opened a stone bluff, 9-9-8-5-2.
Wahlbeck's quest for his second bracelet of the 2009 WSOP comes up just a bit short. He will earn $172,864 for second place.
Friday, June 12, 2009 7:18 PM Local Time
Ville Wahlbeck raised to 75,000 and Nick Schulman made the call. Schulman drew one card while Wahlbeck drew two. Both players checked after the draw.
Wahlbeck's K-9-5-4-3 was good, Schulman mucking his hand.
Friday, June 12, 2009 7:15 PM Local Time
..and just like that the 200,000 chips go back to Ville Wahlbeck. He made the standard 75,000-chip open, then drew one after Nick Schulman called and drew two. After the draw, Schulan checked to Wahlbeck, who bet 140,000.
So far in heads-up, when Wahlbeck has bet after the draw he hasn't had anything less than a 10. The same held true here, with Schulman tank-calling and muck upon being shown Wahlbeck's 9-8-7-3-2.
Friday, June 12, 2009 7:09 PM Local Time
Ville Wahlbeck can ill afford any 200,000-chip swings. He gave up another one to Nick Schulman. It was a 75,000-chip pre-draw raise by Wahlbeck that was called by Schulman. Schulman drew one card before Wahlbeck took two.
After the draw, Schulman made it 120,000 to go. Wahlbeck called and mucked when Schulman turned over a ten perfect, 10-5-4-3-2.
Friday, June 12, 2009 7:00 PM Local Time
The players are passing 75,000 chips back and forth. It was Schulman's turn to collect them, calling a raies from Ville Wahlbeck and drawing 2 to Wahlbeck's 1. After the draw, Schulman led out for 150,000 and induced a fold.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:58 PM Local Time
Ville Wahlbeck raised to 75,000 and Nick Schulman called. Schulman drew one card while Wahlbeck drew two.
Schulman led out for 150,000 after the draw and Walhbeck called. Schulman showed down 9-8-7-5-4, Walhbeck mucked and Schulman took it down.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:52 PM Local Time
It's another 75,000 chips for Ville Wahlbeck. That was his pre-draw raise that Nick Schulman called. Both players drew one then checked. Wahlbeck won the pot with J-9-6-3-2.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:49 PM Local Time
Ville Wahlbeck made it 75,000 to go and Nick Schulman called. Schulman drew two cards while Wahlbeck drew one.
Schulman check-raised Wahlbeck's 125,000 bet all in, chasing him out of the pot.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:47 PM Local Time
Nick Schulman opened his button to 75,000 again. Again Ville Wahlbeck called. Each player took one card, with Wahlbeck then once again leading out for 125,000. Schulman called but couldn't beat Wahlbeck's 10-8-7-4-3.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:43 PM Local Time
Nick Schulman opened for 75,000 and Ville Wahlbeck called. Both players drew one card.
Wahlbeck led out for 125,000 after the draw and Schulman called.
Wahlbeck's T-9-7-4-3 was good and he took down the pot.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:38 PM Local Time
Every pot is vital to Ville Wahlbeck now. If he wants to make a comeback, he can't lose many at all. He opened to 75,000 and was called by Nick Schulman. Schulman took one card on the draw, while Wahlbeck stood pat.
Both players checked the second betting round. Schulman tabled 10-9-6-4-3, besting Wahlbeck's J-8-7-4-2.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:35 PM Local Time
Nick Schulman - 2,366,000
Ville Wahlbeck - 509,000
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:34 PM Local Time
Card are back in the air. Is this the final level?
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:15 PM Local Time
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:08 PM Local Time
We've finally had our first sizable pot of heads-up play. Ville Wahlbeck opened the button to 60,000, then called after Nick Schulman re-raised to 200,000. Schulman rapped pat before Wahlbeck took one card.
Once the draw was complete, Schulman led out for 260,000. Wahlbeck rubbed his forehead as he double-checked the card he received on the draw. He glanced up at Schulman briefly while absent-mindedly riffling his chips and trying to discern the correct action. After a minute he called. Showdown!
Schulman: 9-7-5-4-3
Wahlbeck: muck
It's a huge setback for Wahlbeck, knocking back almost half of his stack.
Friday, June 12, 2009 6:05 PM Local Time
Nick Schulman opened for 60,000 and Ville Wahlbeck called. Wahlbeck drew two cards while Schulman took one. Both players checked after the draw.
Schulman's Q-T-8-6-4 fell to Wahlbeck's T-7-6-4-3 and the Finn dragged the pot.
Friday, June 12, 2009 5:56 PM Local Time
It was Nick Schulman's turn with the button and therefore his turn to open to 60,000. Ville Wahlbeck called and drew two. Schulman took one card, at which point a camera flash went off.
"Just a reminder, no flash photography please," announced TD Brooks Turk. It's the first admonition against flash photography we've heard this year, a nice change from last year (when the announcement was made several times a day).
After the draw both players checked. Schulman opened J-8-5-4-2 to take down the pot.
Friday, June 12, 2009 5:52 PM Local Time
Nick Schulman opened for 60,000 and Ville Wahlbeck called. Wahlbeck rapped pat while Schulman drew one.
Wahlbeck checked, Schulman bet 100,000 and Wahlbeck looked him up.
Schulman turned over T-9-5-4-2, Wahlbeck mucked and Schulman took it down.
Friday, June 12, 2009 5:50 PM Local Time
We're two hands into heads-up, with each player taking down one pot. On the first hand, Nick Schulman opened for 60,000, then folded to a re-raise to 200,000 by Ville Wahlbeck. The next hand, Wahlbeck opened to 60,000 and Schulman called. Schulman drew one; Wahlbeck stood pat. Schulman fired out for 110,000 after the draw to take down the pot.