Saturday, June 29, 2013 12:24 AM Local Time
Congratulations to Marco Johnson Winner of the Event #48 $2,500 Limit Hold'em Six Handed ($206,796)!
Marco Johnson knows plenty about finishing runner-up at a WSOP event. He has done it three times now, including in this very event last year, as well as a runner-up finish in an event just last week. Well today, Johnson wouldn't be denied, as he took down Event #48 $2,500 Limit Hold'em (Six-Handed) for his first elusive bracelet, and $206,796.
The big story coming into the day was David "Bakes" Baker looking for his fifth final table at this year's WSOP. He came into the day as one of the shorter stacks, and was never able to get anything going, as he busted in 10th place. We also lost Mike Watson along the way to the unofficial final table, after Watson managed to secure at least three double ups.
The first player to bust from the unofficial final table was Danny Le, who started the day as the chip leader. He was the short stack coming into the last table, and busted when Michael Shiffman's ace-queen caught up to his pocket fours on the turn.
If you wanted an idea of how swingy a game limit hold'em can be, look at Maria Ho's day. Ho started the day in the middle of the pack, and quickly built up a monster chip lead. She carried that lead into the final table, but from there, everything went wrong for her, as she lost every pot she entered on her way to busting in 6th place.
From there, we lost Schiffman in 5th place when his flopped two pair was rendered virtually useless by the turned set of Marco Johnson. Not long after, Danny Warchol busted in fourth in a pot that gave Johnson a big chip lead going into his three handed battle with Juha Helppi and Jeff Thompson.
Three handed play lasted through the dinner break, with Johnson never letting go of the lead. Eventually, Helppi bowed out in 3rd when his pocket fours couldn't catch up with the jacks of Thompson.
Going into heads up play, Johnson help a 1.6 million to 900,000 lead over Thompson, and the two went back and forth for about 20 minutes before Johnson won two big hands in a row. On the last hand, Johnson held middle pair, and Thompson had an open ended straight draw. He couldn't hit it, and the bracelet was Johnson's!
Congratulations again to Marco Johnson for finally breaking through at a WSOP event. Stay tuned for more live coverage as always at PokerNews.com.
Saturday, June 29, 2013 12:21 AM Local Time
Jeff Thompson Eliminated in 2nd Place ($127,801)
Jeff Thompson raised it from the button, and Marco Johnson reraised it. Thompson called, and the flop came . Johnson bet, and Thompson made the call. The turn was the , and Johnson fired out again. Thompson tanked for quite some time, and counted out his chips. He had just over a raise left, and he ended up putting the raise in. Johnson put him in, and the call was made.
Thompson:
Johnson:
Johnson shot up out of his chair in excitment, knowing he was just one card away from his elusive bracelet. Thompson was hoping for a four, six, or nine, but the river was the . Johnson and his rail celebrated while a disappointed Thompson headed for the payout desk.
| Marco Johnson | 2,500,000 | 300,000  |
| Jeff Thompson | 0 | -300,000  |
Saturday, June 29, 2013 12:21 AM Local Time
Johnson Pulls Away
Marco Johnson raised his button, Jeff Thompson reraised, and Johnson made it four bets to play. Thompson flatted and the flop fell .
Thompson checked to the aggressor, and Johnson used his big stack to apply pressure with a bet. Thompson called and the turn came . Thompson mixed it up by leading out on fourth street, and Johnson smooth called to see the drop on the river.
Both players tapped the table, and Johnson rolled over for the winner.
Shortly there after, Thompson raised his button, and three-bet after Johnson reraised. Johnson flatted and the flop was . The action went check-bet-call, and the turn was the . Once again Thompson checked, and called a bet by Johnson, and the river was the .
Both players checked the river, and Johnson revealed another winner with the for a pair on the turn.
With these losses, Thompson dropped far down in the chip counts, and he would need a valiant comeback to overcome Johnson's decided advantage.
| Marco Johnson | 2,200,000 | 100,000 |
| Jeff Thompson | 300,000 | -100,000 |
Saturday, June 29, 2013 12:08 AM Local Time
Feeling Out Process
The last five or six hands have seen Marco Johnson and Jeff Thompson exchange chips, with each winning small pots on an alternating basis, usually with the holder of the button having the advantage.
For example, Thompson raised his button and Johnson flatted to see the flop come . Johnson checked it to the raiser, and Thompson took the pot down with a c-bet.
A few hands later, Johnson raised before the flop, Thompson came along, and the flop came . Johnson checked to Thompson, and then raised it up when his opponent bet. This move pushed Thompson of the hand, and the two continues to swap chips early in this heads-up duel.
Saturday, June 29, 2013 12:02 AM Local Time
Will Fourth Time be the Charm for Johnson?
There aren't many people in the world who can say they've been heads up for a WSOP bracelet. Marco Johnson has. In fact, this is his fourth time playing for a bracelet, and so far, he is 0-3. One of those time happened just last week, where he entered heads up at a severe chip disadvantage versus Jarred Graham.
Before play restarted heads up, we overheard Johnson tell his rail "If I lose again I'm going to cry." Well Johnson is certainly on his way to that elusive bracelet, but as he knows more then anyone, no heads up battle is done until the final card is dealt.
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:58 PM Local Time
Johnson Extends Lead
Jeff Thompson raised from the button, and Marco Johnson three bet it. Thompson called, and the flop came down . Johnson bet out, and Thompson called. The turn brought the , and Johnson fired again. This time, Thompson tossed out a raise, and Johnson thought for about 30 seconds before calling. The hit the river, and Johnson fired out again, undeterred by Thompson's raise on the turn.
Thompson spent quite some time in the tank, about 90 seconds or so, before folding, and Johnson extended his lead.
| Marco Johnson | 2,100,000 | 500,000 |
| Jeff Thompson | 400,000 | -500,000 |
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:54 PM Local Time
Marco Johnson Begins Heads-Up Play With a Bang
On the first hand of heads up play, Marco Johnson raised his button and Jeff Thompson flatted.
The flop fell and Thompson check-called a bet, bringing the on the turn. Once again Thompson check-called a bet, and a came on the river.
One more check-call later, and the pot was pushed to Johnson, who rolled over for the win.
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:33 PM Local Time
Juha Helppi Eliminated in 3rd Place ($82,956)
Juha Helppi's tournament came to an end after two crucial hands failed to go the Finnish pro's way.
First, Jeff Thompson opened for a raise, Marco Johnson reraised, and Helppi made it four bets to play before the flop. Both opponents flatted and the flop came .
Johnson checked to Helppi, who obliged with a bet, and Thompson made it two bets to go. This folded Johnson, but Helppi came along to see the fall on the turn.
After Helppi checked, Thompson continued with a bet, and this moved Helppi off his hand.
Just a few hands later Johnson opened for a raise holding the button, Helppi reraised, and Thompson made it three bets to play. Johnson called, and Helppi did as well, although this put him all in for his last bet.
On the flop, Thompson bet out, and Johnson got out of the way.
Showdown:
Thompson:
Helppi:
Thompson had Helppi on the ropes with an overpair, and the turn ( ) offered no help. The dealer burned and turned the river card, and the ended Helppi's tournament life in 3rd place.
| Marco Johnson | 1,600,000 | -300,000 |
| Jeff Thompson | 900,000 | 500,000 |
| Juha Helppi | 0 | -250,000 |
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:24 PM Local Time
Short Break
We just lost Juha Helppi in 3rd (details coming), and Marco Johnson and Jeff Thompson are taking a 15 minute break before the heads up battle.
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:22 PM Local Time
Level 26 started
Level: 26
Blinds: 15000/30000
Ante: 0
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:19 PM Local Time
Johnson Chipping Away at Both Opponents
Marco Johnson raised from the button, and Juha Helppi three bet it from the small blind. Johnson called, and the flop came . Helppi fired out, Johnson raised, and Helppi called to see the hit the turn. From there, Helppi check folded to a bet from Johnson.
On the next hand, Jeff Thompson raised from the small blind, and Johnson three bet it from the big blind. The flop came , and Thompson check called a bet from Johnson. The hit the turn, and this time, Thompson check folded to a bet.
Johnson has once again opened up quite a lead on his two opponents, as Johnson has 1.9 of the 2.5 million chips in play.
| Marco Johnson | 1,900,000 | 300,000 |
| Jeff Thompson | 400,000 | -60,000 |
| Juha Helppi | 250,000 | -250,000 |
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:12 PM Local Time
And We're Back
After a momentay pause to color up the lowest denomination chips, the cards are back in the air.
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:11 PM Local Time
Short Break
The staff is coloring up the yellow T1,000 chips. Play will be back underway in just a few minutes.
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:09 PM Local Time
Hellpi Value Bets Ace High
Jeff Thompson raised from the button, and Juha Helppi defended his big blind. The flop came down , and Helppi check called a bet from Thompson. Both players checked the on the turn, and the river was the . Helppi fired out a bet, and Thompson reluctantly called.
Helppi tabled for ace high, and Thompson tossed his hand away.
| Juha Helppi | 500,000 | 140,000 |
| Jeff Thompson | 460,000 | 100,000 |
Friday, June 28, 2013 11:04 PM Local Time
Helppi Check Raises River
Marco Johnson raised it up on the button, and Juha Helppi three bet it from the small blind. Johnson called, and the flop came . Helppi fired out a bet, and Johnson called. Both players checked the , and the hit the river. Helppi checked, and Johnson fired out a bet. Helppi thought for a few moments before announcing raise, and slid out 100,000, leaving himself just about 10,000 behind.
This sent Johnson into the tank, and he started talking the hand out to himself. He thought for over a minute before tossing his cards into the middle. Helppi lifted his hand up so that his rail could see, and we caught a glimpse of the hand, but we won't reveal it, as he did not show his two tablemates.
After taking down that crucial hand, Helppi is back up to 360,000.
| Marco Johnson | 1,600,000 | -300,000 |
| Juha Helppi | 360,000 | 80,000 |
Friday, June 28, 2013 10:55 PM Local Time
Thompson Takes it With Sixes
Jeff Thompson raised from the small blind, and called when Marco Johnson reraised to defend his big blind.
On the flop Thompson check-called a bet, and the came on the turn.
Thompson checked for a second time, but when Johnson continued his line with a bet, he pushed out a stack for a raise. Johnson flatted, and the river fell .
Thompson took the lead on fifth street, firing out a bet, and after a minute long tank Johnson looked him up. Tabling for two pair, Thompson claimed the pot, while Johnson acknowledged the nice play by knuckling the table.
Friday, June 28, 2013 10:33 PM Local Time
Johnson Cracks Kings
We missed the preflop action, but Jeff Thompson and Marco Johnson went heads up to a flop of . Thompson bet out, and Johnson called. The same action occurred on the turn, and the river. Thompson confidently turned over , but it was no good, as Johnson had for trip fours.
After that pot, Thompson is down to 360,000, while Johnson is in control with 1.9 million.
| Marco Johnson | 1,900,000 | 700,000 |
| Jeff Thompson | 360,000 | -280,000 |
Friday, June 28, 2013 10:28 PM Local Time
Marco Johnson Makes a Big Call of His Own
After losing some chips to Juha Helppi when the Finnish pro called him down light, Marco Johnson got in on the fun with his own hero call.
The action began with Jeff Thompson, raising before the flop, and then calling Johnson's reraise. The flop fell and Thompson check-called a bet by Johnson.
On the turn, Thompson checked again, but this time he raised when Johnson fired out a bet. Johnson flatted and the river came . Once more Thompson fired away, and after a brief tank Johnson looked him up with for bottom pair.
Thompson turned over his , and his ace-high was no good.
Friday, June 28, 2013 10:24 PM Local Time
Juha Helppi Makes a Huge Hero Call
Juha Helppi raised to open the action, and Marco Johnson came along to take a flop of .
Johnson checked and raised when Helppi continued, but the Finnish pro reraised, and Johnson flatted.
The turn came , both players tapped the table, and the river fell . Johnson led out for a bet, and Helppi tanked for over a minute before looking Johnson up with just . His read was spot on, and Johnson revealed the for a busted flush draw, giving Helppi the large pot with a mere king-high.
Friday, June 28, 2013 10:07 PM Local Time
We Back
The three players are back from dinner, and we are getting started again.