Sunday, May 31, 2009 5:20 PM Local Time
Here is the seating chart for the official final table. The clock is briefly paused while the tournament staff announces the players to the fans.
Seat 1 - Ming Reslock
Seat 2 - Jordan Rich
Seat 3 - Pascal Leyo
Seat 4 - Robert Price
Seat 5 - Freddy Deeb
Seat 6 - Senovio Ramirez
Seat 7 - Thang Luu
Seat 8 - Ed Smith
Seat 9 - Jim Geary
For a third straight year, Thang Luu has made the final table of this event.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 5:15 PM Local Time
Sebastian Ruthenberg was all in preflop for his last 40,000 chips. Jim Geary called and the two blinds called, Jordan Rich in the small blind and Pascal Leyo in the big blind.
The three players checked all the way until the river on a board of
. Rich checked the river followed by Leyo. Geary opted to bet and only Rich called.
For the side pot, Geary showed
. Rich showed
. Geary took the high while Rich took the low. Ruthenberg could beat neither of his opponents' high or low hands and mucked. Last year's $5,000 World Championship Stud Hi/Lo winner and EPT Barcelona winner would go home in 10th place for $16,829.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 5:00 PM Local Time
Ming Reslock raised preflop and got re-raised by Freddy Deeb. After calling, she pushed all in on a flop of
. Freddy called and Ming turned up
for a flopped straight, which stood up to scoop the hand.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:59 PM Local Time
Seat 1: Ming Reslock - 200,000
Seat 2: Jordan Rich - 950,000
Seat 3: Pascal Leyo - 200,000
Seat 4: Robert Price - 380,000
Seat 5: Freddy Deeb - 375,000
Seat 6: Senovio Ramirez - 175,000
Seat 7: Thang Luu - 450,000
Seat 8: Sebastian Ruthenberg - 150,000
Seat 9: Ed Smith - 970,000
Seat 10: Jim Geary - 250,000
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:54 PM Local Time
From under the gun, Pascal Leyo limped. Robert Price raised behind him and Freddy Deeb called. Thang Luu called from later position as well and then when action got back to Leyo, he called.
The flop came down
. Leyo checked and Price bet out. Deeb called and then Luu raised. Leyo tanked for a couple minutes and then folded. Price called the raise as did Deeb.
The turn brought the
and everyone checked. After the river came the
, Price led with a bet and only Deeb called.
"Ship it!" exclaimed Price as he tabled
. Deeb didn't muck right away, but held his cards as he studied the board. The dealer scooped up the community cards and began to muck them, but Deeb insisted he put them back because he wanted to study them to see how everyone played the hand. The floor staff corrected the dealer and made him put the cards back on the felt.
When he did so, Jordan Rich chimed in, "Just muck already."
"I don't want to muck." said Deeb. Another few seconds went by and then Freddy released his hand and moved on.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:39 PM Local Time
Thang Luu is no stranger to the final table of this particular tournament.
Last year, Luu was the overall winner of this event and, in 2007, he finished second in the $2,000 Omaha 8 or better event. There's no word on what the WSOP brass will do if Luu makes it to the final two again this year.
Our suggestion - The Thang Luu Invitational $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo 8-or-Better tournament.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:34 PM Local Time
Our final table is ready to start. Here are the seat assignments for the remaining players:
Seat 1 - Ming Reslock
Seat 2 - Jordan Rich
Seat 3 - Pascal Leyo
Seat 4 - Ed Smith
Seat 5 - Freddy Deeb
Seat 6 - Senovio Ramirez
Seat 7 - Thang Luu
Seat 8 - Sebastian Ruthenberg
Seat 9 - Robert Price
Seat 10 - Jim Geary
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:31 PM Local Time
Lee Mougous' roller coaster ride has come to an end.
Mougous got all in preflop against Ming Reslock and Senovio Ramirez. Reslock check-called a flop of
and then both players checked the turn and river which brought the
and
.
Mougous showed
, but it wasn't enough to beat either opponent, as Ramirez showed
for a better two pair while Reslock showed
for a 7-low.
Mougous earned $16,829.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:17 PM Local Time
Chips have been colored up and play has resumed.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:14 PM Local Time
Here are updated chip counts while the players are on break.
Robert Price - 1,080,000
Thang Luu - 600,000
Freddy Deeb - 520,000
Senovio Ramirez - 285,000
Jim Geary - 275,000
Ed Smith - 260,000
Pascal Leyo - 190,000
Ming Reslock - 120,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg - 70,000
Lee Mougous - 5,000
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:09 PM Local Time
We're on a short break while the 1,000 chips are colored up.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:08 PM Local Time
After losing a pot to Sanovio Ramirez, Lee Mougous was back in action against Robert Price.
Mougous got all his chips in the middle on a board of
. He turned up
for a turned house while Price showed
for trip aces. A
on the river was no help, and Mougous was back to 120,000 chips.
A few hands later, Mougous went the other way again and fell back down to just 5,000 chips.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:03 PM Local Time
Senovio Ramirez raised preflop and got called by Lee Mougous who then check-called on a flop of
.
Both players checked the hand down when the
and
came on the turn and river, and Ramirez scooped the pot after showing
for two pair.
Ramirez is now sitting on a stack of 110,000
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:58 PM Local Time
Pascal Leyo has played every hand but one since we've returned from our unscheduled break. Leyo, who is sitting on a short stack, has been all in twice - once against Freddy Deeb and once against Sebastian Ruthenberg - and has managed to chop each time.
We're not sure if he's just playing aggressive poker or if he's actively looking to bust, but Leyo is certainly getting plenty of action while we're short handed.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:43 PM Local Time
The Tournament of Champions introductions are done and the clock has restarted.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:34 PM Local Time
The players at the two remaining tables have been complaining and arguing with the tournament staff about the loudness of the Tournament of Champions announcements. There are a couple speakers located right above where the tables are located and the volume is cranked all the way up it seems.
After about five minutes of complaining, the tournament director has decided to pause the clock for the players until the announcements are over. Be back shortly.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:33 PM Local Time
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:19 PM Local Time
Three players called Sebastian Ruthenberg's preflop raise and saw a flop of
. Action checked to Freddy Deeb on the button and his bet was called in two spots. Ruthenberg folded.
Leyo bet the
on the turn and got called twice. Action checked to Deeb who bet when the
appeared on the river. Pascal raised all in and Deeb called to chop the pot with the nut low while Leyo showed
for a flush.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:13 PM Local Time
Ming "Joy" Reslock raised from middle position and Ed Smith called from the small blind as did Thang Luu from the big blind. The flop came down
and Smith checked. Luu bet, Reslock folded, and then Smith raised. Luu called.
The turn brought the
and Smith fired. Luu called. The river was the
and Smith led again. Luu raised and then Smith called.
Smith's hand was mucked after Luu revealed
for the winning hand.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 3:12 PM Local Time
Thang Luu kept up his aggressive play, raising from under-the-gun, getting called by Lee Mougous and Micah Brooks, who was all in.
Luu and Mougous checked down the board, which came
. Brooks announced a straight, but his hand was no good against Luu's
, which gave him the flush and the scoop.
Brooks earned $12,669 for his play.