Saturday, June 5, 2010 4:33 PM Local Time
Steve Chanthabouasy opened to 60,000 from the small blind, and big blind and fellow big stack James Dempsey called. James checked the flop, and Chanthabouasy checked behind. Dempsey checked again after the turn, and Chanthabouasy bet 80,000. Dempsey called, and when the on the river double-paired the board, he checked a third time. Chanthabouasy turned up without risking another bet, and Dempsey mucked, giving the pot to Chanthabouasy and his overpair.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 4:31 PM Local Time
James Dempsey's rail has switched sides on him. They've taken to singing, "JJ, JJ, give us a wave. JJ, JJ, give us a wave." Finally, JJ Liu relented and waved at them, quieting them for now.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 4:23 PM Local Time
Joseph Williams raised to 70,000 under the gun, and from the big blind, Steve Chanthabouasy moved all in. Williams was well covered and made the call to put himself at risk. It was a race between Chanthabouasy's and Williams' . With the rail shouting for a variety of cards not particularly related to their support for either player, the dealer laid out the board. The baby cards didn't help Williams at all, and he ended his day in seventh place. Williams, from Huntington Beach, CA, has already cashed in two events this year. He finished 215th in the first $1,000 no limit event a few days ago.
After two back-to-back eliminations, Steve Chanthabouasy is up to 670,000. He still trails chip leader James Dempsey, who has close to 950,000.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 4:12 PM Local Time
Steve Chanthabouasy raised to 50,000, and from the small blind, Ed Brogdon moved all in for a total of 88,000. Chanthabouasy called, and they were on their backs.
Showdown
Chanthabouasy:
Brogdon:
Brogdon was in bad shape, and the board provided no help. Brogdon was eliminated in eighth place, picking up his eighth career World Series cash. This was his second final table appearance. Brogdon earned $22,000 for finishing ninth in a H.O.R.S.E. event two years ago.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 4:08 PM Local Time
Robbie, the announcer, just used his microphone to summon a cocktail waiter to the final table. It seems that case of Milwaukee's Best Light didn't last too long.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:41 PM Local Time
The final eight are now on their first break of the day. Back in 20.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:40 PM Local Time
James Dempsey raised from early position, and Mark Babekov and Steve Chanthabouasy both called.
Flop: - Chanthabouasy checked to Dempsey, and he bet 48,000. Babekov folded, but Chanthabouasy made the call.
Turn: - Chanthabouasy checked again, then called an 87,000-chip bet from Dempsey.
River: - Chanthabouasy checked for a third time. Dempsey made a substantial bet - 197,000. Chanthabouasy talked himself into calling, but he regretted it as soon as he saw Dempsey's for the flopped straight. With that huge pot, Dempsey took over the chip lead. He now has around 960,000 to Chanthabouasy's 400,000.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:39 PM Local Time
Armen Kara raised to 56,000, and big blind Scott Haraden potted. With only 32,000 behind, Kara called. He held and would need to hold against Haraden's . The board fell a safe , doubling Kara to 176,000.
We've now had five all ins at the final table, only one of which resulted in an elimination.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:24 PM Local Time
Steve Chanthabouasy made it 35,000 to go from the cutoff, and on the button, Joseph Williams potted to 144,000. Chanthabouasy moved all in, and Williams called for the few chips he had left.
Showdown:
Chanthabouasy:
Williams:
The flop fell , and things looked bad for Williams. The announcer said, "He'll need to catch a queen or running clubs to stay alive." And then as an afterthought, added, "Or a four to chop." Bink. on the turn. The on the river meant both Chanthabouasy and Williams were playing the board, and they split the pot.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:23 PM Local Time
James Dempsey has a crew of British poker players supporting him on the rail, including Chris Moorman and Nicky Evans. This hasn't been the most action-filled final table yet, so they're keeping themselves entertained by betting on the color of the flops. There haven't been so many of those, either, but when they do come out, the announcer is getting into the spirit of the game. He's been calling out the red/black tally along with the poker action. The case of Milwaukee's Best that just showed up ought to help keep the rail entertained as well.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:18 PM Local Time
From the cutoff, James Dempsey raised to 32,000. On the button, Armen Kara made it 92,000 to go, leaving himself 90,000 behind. Mark Babekov, next to act in the small blind, four-bet shoved for a total of 284,000. Dempsey folded, and rather than call all in, Kara folded as well. Babekov was shocked, clearly expecting Kara to call with his last 90,000. Babekov had been standing up while Kara tanked. He shrugged and sat back down to scoop the pot. Babekov is now around 420,000.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:08 PM Local Time
JJ Liu raised to 40,000, and Scott Haraden called from the cutoff. The flop came out , and JJ bet 44,000. Haraden then potted for another 192,000, and that was enough to get Liu to fold.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:02 PM Local Time
Scott Haraden raised to 38,000 under the gun, and from the hijack, Mark Babekov shoved for 138,000. Haraden tanked for a bit but eventually decided to call. The rail surged forward to see the cards. Babekov was all in with , and Haraden had called to put him at risk with . The board ran out , and Babekov safely doubled to 300,000.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:54 PM Local Time
Scott Haraden just got the first walk of the day.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:53 PM Local Time
There hasn't been much excitement in the last 15 minutes. The pay jumps are pretty steep, and with plenty of chips in play, everyone seems intent on sticking around. Here are the last five hands.
1) JJ Liu raised from middle position and won the blinds.
2) Scott Haraden opened from the cutoff and took it down.
3) Action folded to James Dempsey in the small blind. He raised, and Armen Kara folded the big blind.
4) Steve Chanthabouasy opened to 40,000 from the hijack, and James Dempsey three-bet to 108,000 on the button. It folded back to Steve, who took his time to make the fold.
5) JJ Liu raised and won the blinds.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:39 PM Local Time
Finally, a pot for Joseph Williams, He raised to 29,000 preflop, and only JJ Liu called from the small blind. Both players checked the flop. After the on the turn, Liu bet 34,000, and Williams called. She gave up with a check on the river. Williams fired 82,000, and Liu folded, giving Williams his first chance to stack chips today.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:27 PM Local Time
Ed Brogdon started the day as the short stack and knew he'd need to make something happen quickly. He's probably need a bit of run good too. Armen Kara raised to 30,000 preflop, and Mark Babekov called. Then from the cutoff, Brogdon shipped it in for another 53,000. Kara called, and Babekov folded face up. That was bad news for Brogdon, as his was racing against Kara's . Those two missing outs didn't hurt him, though, as the board ran out . Brogdon more than doubled to nearly 200,000. Kara is down to 120,000.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:20 PM Local Time
Just when it looked like no hand would go beyond a c-bet on the flop, things got interesting. Steve Chanthabouasy opened to 30,000 from middle position, and Gregg Wilkerson flatted on the button. Mark Babekov folded the small blind, and JJ Liu called from the big blind. The flop fell , and Chanthabouasy bet out 37,000. Quickly, Wilkerson moved all in for 102,000 on top. Liu folded, and Chanthabouasy went deep into the tank. And stayed there. And stayed there some more. After nearly five minutes, he made the call.
Showdown
Chanthabouasy:
Wilkerson:
The turn brought the , giving Chanthabouasy a spade draw to eliminate Wilkerson. And as soon as the announcer had said Wilkerson would need to dodge a spade, the appeared on the river. "Sick! Sick!" someone on the rail shouted as Wilkerson made his exit in ninth place.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:10 PM Local Time
James Dempsey raised to 24,000 from the cutoff, and Mark Babekov defended his big blind. After the flop, Babekov checked, and when Dempsey bet 32,000, he folded.
Saturday, June 5, 2010 2:05 PM Local Time
After seeing two flops in the first three hands at the final table, it's been about 10 since we've gone to community cards. The players are settling into a pattern of raising and folding and seem perfectly comfortable and ready to stay awhile.
Preflop raise sizing has been all over the place so far, anywhere from 24,000 to 33,000.