Monday, June 10, 2013 7:55 PM Local Time
Hands 85-89: Time to Make Your Move
Hand #85: With a dead button because Taylor was late from break, Mutke opened for 100,000 in the cutoff, and Polychronopoulos called to see the fall on the flop. Polychronopoulos then check-called a bet of 125,000, and both players checked the turn ( ) and river ( ). Polychronopoulos opened up for one pair, and that was good enough to earn the pot.
Hand #86: Taylor opened for 110,000, Polychronopoulos three-bet to 260,000, and Taylor relented. Polychronopoulos flashed the as he dragged the pot.
Hand #87: Mutke opened to 100,000 from under the gun, Taylor popped it to 230,000, and Mutke made the call. A flop of hit the board, and both players checked, as they did on the turn. When the completed the board on the river, Mutke led out for 175,000, and Taylor called with his , which was best over Mutke's .
Hand #88: Taylor opened for 110,000 from under the gun, and Mutke called to defend his big blind. An action flop of was rolled out, and Taylor led out for 125,000, a bet which Mutke called. The turn came , and Taylor cut out enough chips for a bet of 300,000. Mutke pondered his options for over a minute, before finally moving his last 1.15 million into the middle.
Hand #89: Cada opened for 110,000 holding the button, and Taylor called to see a flop of . After checkes around, the dropped in on the turn, and Taylor led out for 125,000. Cada called, and on the river, Taylor fired again, this time for 260,000. Cada couldn't stand the heat, and his hand went to the muck.
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:50 PM Local Time
Catching Up With Cada
2009 world champion Joe Cada currently ranks third in chips at this final table and is in good position to claim his second WSOP bracelet. PokerNews' Pamela Maldonado chatted briefly with him at the break.
Can you recall any big hands that have helped lead you to where you're at right now?
Wow. Unfortunately all the tournaments are starting to blend in. But I did just run queens into jacks against Polychronopoulos. The board ran and my queens held to double up. It was a pretty good spot. I mean, it's one of those cooler situations. In my last tournament I had the exact opposite with jacks against queens for about the same chips and lost. So today, I was very fortunate to pick up chips when I did.
How do you think you rank at the table as far as skill or experience?
I like my chances against any player really. I have a lot of experience with multi-table tournaments and have played thousands of tournaments online. The players on the final table are playing well but I feel good about my game and the decisions I've been making.
Would you say that you're running well or playing well?
For these tournaments you have to have a combination of both. I feel like I'm playing well but at the same time you have to run well, so maybe both have brought me here.
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:25 PM Local Time
Chip Counts
The players are in the midst of a 20-minute break.
Samuel Taylor | 2,245,000 | -230,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 2,035,000 | 285,000 |
Joe Cada | 2,010,000 | -35,000 |
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 1,715,000 | -65,000 |
Everett Carlton | 1,475,000 | 50,000 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:22 PM Local Time
Hand #84
Hand #84: Athanasios Polychronopoulos limps under the gun, Manuel Mutke calls on the button, and Sam Taylor checks his option. The flop falls and Taylor checks to Polychronopoulos who bets. Only Mutke calls and both check the turn and river.
Polychronopoulos:
Mutke:
They chopped it up.
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:20 PM Local Time
Michael Kurth Eliminated in 6th Place ($87,398)
Hand #83: Action folded around to Mutke in the small blind, and his 80,000 raise was called by Kurth in the big blind. The flop of saw Mutke lead out for 65,000, but Kurth was ready to rumble, reraising to 200,000 even. After a minute long tank, Mutke moved all-in to put Kurth to a test for his tournament life. Kurth liked his enough to gamble, and he was delighted to see Mutke turn over just for no pair no draw. Kurth was looking for hearts, or baby cards to catch up, and the added even more outs to his arsenal. He would need any heart, deuce, three, or seven to survive, but the on the river missed him entirely.
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:10 PM Local Time
Approximate Chip Counts
Samuel Taylor | 2,475,000 | -165,000 |
Joe Cada | 2,045,000 | 25,000 |
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 1,780,000 | 85,000 |
Everett Carlton | 1,425,000 | -135,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 1,035,000 | 135,000 |
Michael Kurth | 720,000 | 55,000 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:09 PM Local Time
Hands 77-82: Is This Thing On?
Hand #77: Taylor opened for 80,000 from under the gun, Polychronopoulos three-bet to 190,000, and Taylor tossed his cards away.
Hand #78: Mutke raised his button to 80,000, and the blinds surrendered.
Hand #79: Mutke opened for 80,000 in the cutoff, and again took down the blinds and antes.
Hand #80: Kurth raised to 90,000 from the cutoff, Carlton defended his big blind, and the dealer fanned a flop of across the felt. Both players tapped the table, and the made an appearance on the turn. Two more checks brought us to the river, which came , and both players checked it down once more. Carlton's pair of kings were beat by Kurth's pair of aces on the turn, and the short stack became a bit healthier.
Hand #81: Cada received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #82: Polychronopoulos raised from the cutoff, making it 90,000 to play, and Mutke pumped it up to 250,000 from the big blind, which was good enough to force the fold.
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:02 PM Local Time
Approximate Chip Counts
Samuel Taylor | 2,640,000 | 50,000 |
Joe Cada | 2,020,000 | 1,190,000 |
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 1,695,000 | -1,080,000 |
Everett Carlton | 1,560,000 | -80,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 900,000 | -60,000 |
Michael Kurth | 665,000 | -20,000 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 7:01 PM Local Time
Hands 73-76: Cada Doubles Through Polychronopoulos
Hand #73: Cada opened for 80,000 from the hijack, Polychronopoulos three-bet for 265,000 from the big blind, and Cada moved all-in for his last 825,000. Polychronopoulos snap-called and revealed his , but found himself way behind the tabled by Cada. The final board ran out , and Cada's queens gave him the double.
Hand #74: Flush with chips from his win in the last hand, Cada opened for 80,000 under the gun, and the table folded to the champ.
Hand #75: Polychronopoulos raised to 90,000 on his button, Cada called to defend his big blind, and the flop fell . Cada checked, Polychronopoulos bet 125,000, and Cada called to see the turn come . Both players checked the deuce, as well as the on the river, and Cada's for ace-high was good enough.
Hand #76: Taylor opened for 90,000 in the hijack, and the action folded around to Mutke in the big blind, but he decided to release.
Monday, June 10, 2013 6:52 PM Local Time
Approximate Chip Counts
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 2,775,000 | -70,000 |
Samuel Taylor | 2,590,000 | 910,000 |
Everett Carlton | 1,640,000 | -230,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 960,000 | -5,000 |
Joe Cada | 830,000 | 55,000 |
Michael Kurth | 685,000 | -260,000 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 6:51 PM Local Time
Hands 68-72: Movin' On Up
Hand #68: Looking to get in on the action after an uneventful final table thus far, Joe Cada raised to 80,000 from under the gun, but he was forced to muck when Athanasios Polychronopoulos three-bet to 240,000 out of the small blind.
Hand #69: Taylor took down the blinds and antes with a raise to 85,000 from the cutoff.
Hand #70: Cada raised from the small blind, taking down Mutke's big blind and some ante chips to boot.
Hand #71: Carlton raised from the cutoff, and as has been the pattern here tonight, a single preflop raise was enough to fold the table.
Hand #72: Under the gun and first to act, Polychronopoulos opened for 90,000. Both Carlton (hijack) and Taylor (big blind) came along, and the flop came . Taylor checked, as did Polychronopoulos, and Carlton bet 130,000. After Polychronopoulos got out of the way, Taylor called to see the , and both players checked the paint. On the river, Taylor led out for 180,000, and that was enough to earn the win.
Monday, June 10, 2013 6:43 PM Local Time
Joe Ward Eliminated in 7th Place ($65,502)
Hand #65: Mutke raised his button to 80,000, taking a pot chocked full of blinds and antes.
Hand #66: Cada opened for 80,000 in the hijack, and the blinds surrendered.
Hand #67: Ward moved all-in from the cutoff, risking his last 290,000 with , and Taylor quickly called from the small blind with his . Ward was in bad shape, and the flop of only put him in a deeper hole. The provided a brief glimmer of hope, and he would need to spike one of the three queens left in the deck to survive.
River:
With that, Ward was sent to the payout desk, and his stack was sent to Taylor.
Monday, June 10, 2013 6:36 PM Local Time
Approximate Chip Counts
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 2,845,000 | 535,000 |
Everett Carlton | 1,870,000 | 205,000 |
Samuel Taylor | 1,680,000 | -170,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 965,000 | -395,000 |
Michael Kurth | 945,000 | 105,000 |
Joe Cada | 775,000 | -110,000 |
Joe Ward | 400,000 | -170,000 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 6:35 PM Local Time
Hands 59-64: Polychronopoulos Playing the Big Stack
Hand #59: Polychronopoulos limped in from under the gun, Kurth completed from the small blind, and Taylor checked his option. When the flop came , Kurth moved all-in, and his power play took the pot down.
Hand #60: Taylor opened for 100,000 from the small blind, Polychronopoulos defended his big blind with a reraise to 240,000, and this bet was enough to fold Taylor.
Hand #61: Kurth opened for the minimum raise of 80,000 in the cutoff, and Polychronopoulos used his big stack to his advantage, three-betting to 250,000 and forcing Kurth to muck.
Hand #62: The action folded around to Carlton in the small blind, who raised to 90,000 and claimed the blinds and antes without a contest.
Hand #63: Carlton saw the table fold around to him, and holding the button, he decided to limp in. Cada completed from the small blind, and Mutke pounced on the apparent weakness by raising the bet to 125,000. Carlton's limp was deceptive, however, and he pumped it up to 265,000, a bet that forced Mutke to release.
Hand #64: Polychronopoulos raised to 90,000 from the hijack, and Mutke pulled his small blind back in favor of a larger bet, making it 240,000 to play. Polychronopoulos was undeterred, however, and he moved all-in over the top, dropping Mutke and taking down another pot.
Monday, June 10, 2013 6:23 PM Local Time
Chip Counts
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 2,310,000 | -390,000 |
Samuel Taylor | 1,850,000 | 355,000 |
Everett Carlton | 1,665,000 | -320,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 1,360,000 | 145,000 |
Joe Cada | 885,000 | -230,000 |
Michael Kurth | 840,000 | 495,000 |
Joe Ward | 570,000 | -55,000 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 6:21 PM Local Time
Hands 50-58: Kurth Cashes In
Hand #50: Ward went for a walk in the big blind.
Hand #51: Action folded to Carlton in the hijack, who raised to 60,000, and Kurth came along from the big blind to see the flop fall . Kurth's short stack of 275,000 was then slid forward, and Carlton's cards were tossed to the dealer.
Hand #52: Cada opened for 60,000 from the hijack, Mutke called from the cutoff, and Taylor called from the big blind. On the flop, all three tapped the table, and the dropped in on the turn. Taylor led out this time, for 75,000 and only Mutke called. The on the river prompted both players to check, and Taylor opened up for a pair and the best hand.
Hand #53: Cada opened to 60,000 from early position, taking down the blinds and antes.
Hand #54: Action folded to Polychronopoulos in the small blind, and his 80,000 bet was met with a stare down from Carlton in the next seat over, as well as a call. On the flop, Polychronopoulos led out for 80,000, and Carlton came along to see the arrive on the turn. Polychronopoulos slowed down with a check, Carlton checked back, and the was the river card. Polychronopoulos checked again, and a bet of 130,000 from Carlton earned him the pot.
Hand #55: Taylor opened for 65,000 from the cutoff, Polychronopoulos three-bet to 155,000 holding the button, and Taylor pushed back with a four-bet to 365,000. Polychronopoulos decided to release, and the pot was pushed to Taylor.
Hand #56: Taylor came out firing again, raising to 65,000 from the cutoff, and Cada put him to the test with a three-bet to 175,000. Facing a reraise from a man wearing a gold WSOP Main Event Champion bracelet, Mutke four-bet to 305,000, and as is typical in Texas Hold'em, the fourth raise was enough to earn the pot.
Hand #57: After successfully folding Joe Cada in the last hand, Mutke was given some added respect, as the action folded to him in the small blind. He used that respect to his advantage, making a large bet to set the short-stacked Ward and Kurth all-in. Both folded, and Mutke dragged another pot.
Hand #58: Carlton opened for 60,000 from the hijack, Kurth called out of the big blind, and the flop fell . Kurth jammed all in for his last 335,000, and Carlton looked him up with . He was drawing against Kurth's , needing to find a big card on subsequent streets, but the turn ( ) and river ( ) left him with no pair, giving Kurth a much needed double.
Monday, June 10, 2013 5:56 PM Local Time
Chip Counts
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 2,700,000 | -10,000 |
Everett Carlton | 1,985,000 | -80,000 |
Samuel Taylor | 1,495,000 | 180,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 1,215,000 | -40,000 |
Joe Cada | 1,115,000 | 160,000 |
Joe Ward | 625,000 | -210,000 |
Michael Kurth | 345,000 | 0 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 5:56 PM Local Time
Hands 43-49: Slow and Steady
Hand #43: Polychronopoulos opened for 70,000 out of the hijack, but folded to Cada's three-bet to 180,000 from the button.
Hand #44: Taylor raised to 65,000 from under the gun, Mutke called on the button, and the two took a flop of . Both players tapped the table, as the did on the turn. The on the river prompted Taylor to bet 80,000, and Mutke gave up.
Hand #45: Action folded to Kurth in the small blind, and with a short stack of 300,000, he shipped all-in to take down the blinds and antes.
Hand #46: Ward made it 60,000 to go from the cutoff, Polychronopoulos three-bet to 130,000 in defense of his big blind, and Ward came along. The flop of saw Polychronopoulos make a bet of 75,000, and the wager was enough to force a fold from Ward.
Hand #47: Cada opened for 60,000 from under the gun, and next to act, Mutke made the call. The flop fell and Cada checked to Mutke, who riffled his chips for a moment before betting 75,000 and taking the pot down.
Hand #48: Polychronopoulos raised to 70,000 holding the button, and Cada three-bet to 195,000 from the big blind, and that was enough to force his fellow pro to fold.
Hand #49: Taylor raised to 65,000 from the hijack, Mutke called from the big blind, and the dealer flopped the . Both players checked the flop, and the hit the board on the turn. Mutke checked once again, and Taylor responded to the opening with a bet of 90,000. Mutke then paused for a minute or so while contemplating his next move, which happened to be a fold.
Monday, June 10, 2013 5:40 PM Local Time
Chip Counts
Athanasios Polychronopoulos | 2,710,000 | 395,000 |
Everett Carlton | 2,065,000 | 75,000 |
Samuel Taylor | 1,315,000 | -85,000 |
Manuel Mutke | 1,255,000 | -65,000 |
Joe Cada | 955,000 | 0 |
Joe Ward | 835,000 | -30,000 |
Michael Kurth | 345,000 | -300,000 |
Monday, June 10, 2013 5:39 PM Local Time
Hands 35-42: Eight is Enough
Hand #35: Manuel Mutke received a walk in the big blind.
Hand #36: Everett Carlton raised to 60,000 in the cutoff, taking down the blinds and antes.
Hand #37: Polychronopoulos raised to 70,000 from early position, Ward called from the small blind, and Kurth put the squeeze on with an all-in bet from the big blind, making it roughly 630,000 to play. Both of his opponents released, and the pot was shipped to Kurth.
Hand #38: Ward raised his button to 60,000, Kurth went back to the well with an all-in shove for 800,000 from the small blind, and that was enough to take his second pot in a row.
Hand #39: Ward raised to 60,000 in the cutoff, Kurth put his newly acquired chips to use with a call, and Polychronopoulos called from the big blind. On the flop, Polychronopoulos checked to Ward, who bet 75,000. Kurth and Polychronopoulos got out of the way, sending the pot in Ward's direction.
Hand #40: Carlton received a walk in the big blind, with the rail hollering out "he must have had aces again!"
Hand #41: Kurth raised to 65,000 from the hijack, Polychronopoulos called from the button to take a flop of . Kurth fired 80,000 at Polychronopoulos, who called, and the turn was the . Another lead out from Kurth, this time for 120,000, was called by Polychronopoulos, and the came on the river. A final barrel of 235,000 by Kurth was met with an all-in declaration by Polychronopoulos, and Kurth threw his cards into the muck, along with most of his chips.
Hand #42: Cada limped in after action folded around to him in the small blind. Mutke checked his option and the flop fell . Cada tapped the table, Mutke fired away with a 30,000 bet, and Cada came along to see the peel off on the turn. Both players opted to slow down, and after two checks, the arrived on the river. Cada led out for 30,000 this time, and Mutke surrendered.