Thursday, June 2, 2011 5:31 PM Local Time
The two players saw a flop of . Farha checked to Moneymaker who fired 150,000 which Farha called.
The turn was the and both players checked. The river was the and this time Farha led out for 200,000. After some thought, Moneymaker called and Farha won the hand with .
After the hand Farha had almost eclipsed the 4 million mark but has since dropped back down to about 3,300,000.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 5:25 PM Local Time
Moneymaker and Farha are playing a little bit more quickly than Chan and Hellmuth did so they were able to get in 15 hands before the blinds went up. They are now at 25,000-50,000 with a 5,000 ante and there is still plenty of play left for both players.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 5:22 PM Local Time
On a board, Farha check-raised Moneymaker's 110,000 chip bet to 300,000. Moneymaker called and the two saw the turn. Both players slowed down this time and checked to peel the on the turn. Farha fired , good enough to win the largest pot so far.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 5:20 PM Local Time
After Farha raised his button to 200,000, Moneymaker three bet to 700,000. Farha folded is now down to 2 million chips while Moneymaker has reached 6.4 million.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 5:14 PM Local Time
Chris Moneymaker: Check
Sam Farha: Check
A dealer and cards: Check
A crowd and ESPN camera's: Check
Sammy's patented unlit cigarette: ... Not there
Our tournament director, Jack Effel, noticed the absence of the infamous prop and tried to give Mr. Farha a cigarette to no avail.
"It needs to be Marlboro Lights," Sammy told him. After a few minutes search the Rio, we found one and now everything is as it should be.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 5:11 PM Local Time
We start with the blinds 20,000-40,000 and a 5,000 ante.
On our fourth hand we saw our first flop, turn and river. The board read . The pot grew to 900,000 and Moneymaker tabled for a flush. Farha mucked and Moneymaker has moved to almost 6 million.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 5:06 PM Local Time
It's been a full eight years since the poker boom and it is mostly credited to one epic run in the WSOP Main Event. The story is well known and needs little introduction. Chris Moneymaker, having never played a live poker tournament in his life, bested a field of 839 players to win $2.5 million dollars. In that event, he beat one of the worlds best players, Sam Farha, in one of the most entertaining heads up matches in history.
Today we get to recreate that moment from 2003. The two players will play a best of 3 series and in this recreation, the two players will start with the same amount of chips they had to begin with in that amazing battle back in 2003. In the second match they will switch roles, and if they split the first two matches, they will play a third with even chip stacks.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 3:10 PM Local Time
Still with just 125,000 chips, Phil Hellmuth got it in with and found himself in another race against Johnny Chan's .
The flop was , no help for our short stack and the man who won this heads up match 22 years ago. The turn was the which not only brought the crowd to its feet when many thought it paired Hellmuth's hand, but also gave him four extra outs.
However, it was not to be. The river was a harmless and Johnny Chan got revenge for his loss in what turned out to be an exciting, back and forth battle between two of the greatest this game has ever seen.
If today's next next two matches prove to be as thrilling as this one was, we have one great day of poker on our hands in the Amazon Room. Check back soon when Sam Farha takes on Chris Moneymaker, in a rematch of the 2003 Main Event.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:59 PM Local Time
Down to just 125,000, his stack got even shorter when it was announced the blinds were changing to 25,000-50,000.
Chan showed versus the . Both players paired their 6 on the flop and Hellmuth was able to chop. His supporters have been much more vocal lately despite his short stack. The crowd in general seems to have even a stronger buzz than it did earlier as they sense the conclusion of this match around the corner.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:53 PM Local Time
Chan completed on the button and Hellmuth checked his option.
The flop came and Hellmuth checked to Chan who bet 50,000. Hellmuth called and the two players saw the on the turn. Once again Hellmuth checked to Chan and this time Chan fired out 250,000. Hellmuth asked for a chip count on Chan's remaining stack and found he had 255,000 behind. He decided to move all in and Chan thought for a minute before calling.
Hellmuth had second pair and a flush draw with which was well ahead of the holdings of Chan. The two time champion needed a non-diamond three, four or five in order to stay alive.
Sure enough the dealer peeled the giving Chan one of the few cards he needed and he has now doubled up to 1,250,000. Hellmuth is left with just 500,000.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:42 PM Local Time
Having just sat down and now playing with a 5,000 ante and 20,000-40,000 blinds the two player immediately got all the chips in.
Hellmuth:
Chan:
The board ran out and Hellmuth has doubled up once again. This time it gives him a 2 to 1 chip lead.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:38 PM Local Time
The players are now on a short break. Play will resume shortly.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:37 PM Local Time
Chan raised to 80,000 preflop and Hellmuth called.
The flop came and Hellmuth checked to Chan who went all in. Hellmuth quickly called and the hands were turned face up.
Hellmuth:
Chan:
Chan was currently winning with Ace high but Hellmuth had nine hearts, three kings and three tens that could win him the pot.
He made a pair when the turn was the and further improved his hand with the on the river.
After the hand Chan seemed a bit frustrated but still has a comfortable chip lead.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:30 PM Local Time
With the blinds rapidly raising, Chan has Hellmuth on the ropes again after having picked up a couple of more pots.
The most recent of which saw Chan raise to 90,000 on the button and Hellmuth call. The players checked to the river on a board in which Chan fired 100,000. Hellmuth folded and has now slipped back to 300,000 chips.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:24 PM Local Time
Although Phil Hellmuth Jr. fans have had more to cheer about lately, those supporting Johnny Chan have been far more vocal so far. Every time time he rakes in a pot, no matter the size, everyone on his side of this enormous ESPN set claps and cheers.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:22 PM Local Time
They are now playing with a 5,000 ante and 15,000-30,000 blinds, despite having only played 50 hands.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:20 PM Local Time
Chan opened the action preflop with a button raise to 54,000 which Hellmuth called.
The flop came and Hellmuth checked to Chan who fired 85,000. Hellmuth check raised all in for a total of 322,000 and after some thought, Chan folded. Hellmuth has now won seven of the last eight hands and has chipped up to 500,000.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:11 PM Local Time
On the very next hand, Hellmuth limped his button and Chan checked.
The flop came and Chan checked to Hellmuth who fired 24,000. Chan quickly moved all in and Hellmuth called.
Chan:
Hellmuth:
Chan's flopped two pair were flipping against the flush and gut shot strait draw of Hellmuth. The turn completed Hellmuth's hand and Chan bricked his full house redraw as the hit the river.
Hellmuth has now regained some control and sits with about 310,000.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:11 PM Local Time
Blinds are now 12,000-24,000 with a 4,000 chip ante. The structure is working against Phil Hellmuth Jr., who has not been over 10 big blinds for some time now.
Thursday, June 2, 2011 2:07 PM Local Time
Hellmuth was able to get his remaining chips in the middle with against the of Chan.
The flop came which brought no help to either player. However, the turn gave Hellmuth the lead and left Chan drawing to just three outs.
The river brought a minor roar from the crowd but it just missed and Hellmuth doubles to about 155,000