There are a slew of tiny pre-teen girls here at the Rio Casino for a huge National Dance Competition. They're a cross between Jon Benet Ramsey look-a-likes and those cheerleaders from the ultra-erotic Kirsten Dunst vehicle Bring It On!Personally Las Vegas is no place for little girls running rampant through the casino. There are deviants on three-day benders stumbling through the corridors who are clutching watered-down glasses of scotch. There are hordes of grizzled gamblers chomping on stogies older than the little ones. There are degenerates with serious cash flow problems roaming the hallways. The situation here is an Amber Alert waiting to happen.
In a groggy haze, I barely made it through the front door to the convention center, only to find myself seconds away from trampling a couple of girls practicing their steps. Just a few days ago, geeky researchers with pocket protectors and starched shirts were bumping into each other and they have been replaced by perky cheerleader-wannabes. I'm positive that's not what Benny Binion envisioned would be occurring right next door to the most prestigious poker tournament in the world.
Moving on...
Insanity continues with four tournaments going on right now, including three final tables. Yeah, there will be three bracelet winners going home tonight. ESPN is scrambling to try to tape some of the Short-handed NL event, especially because there are a ton of top names let over versus the originally scheduled televised $2K NL event which has a bunch of no-names. I feel sorry for them that they are getting blown off by ESPN. They'll get some coverage, but just a few snippets of air time compared to what the suits want to see... which is a possible final table with Jesus and Doyle, who's chasing his 10th bracelet.
Here are the tournaments that I will be covering today:
1. Event #29 $2K NL Final TableThe Razz event started with 291 players. The prize pool is $401,580 and they are down to 24 players. The $2K NL event began with 1072 players two days ago. The prize pool is $1,972,480 and we're down to a final table. The $5K NL Short-handed event began with 301 players. The prize pool is $1,414,700 and action began today with 25 players.
2. Event #30 $1,500 Razz Day 2 = Red font
3. Event #31 $5K NL Short-Handed Event Day 2 = Green font
4. Event #32 $5K Omaha 8 or Better = Blue font
****** Live Blogging Updates ******
2:00pm... Razz Day 2 update: Jen Creason (from Poker Wire), Vinny Vinh, Marco Traniello, and Randy Holland are all still left. Jen went on a rush late last night and begins today 12th in chips. Action resumes at 3pm today.2:45pm... $5K NL Short-handed update: Play began today with 25 players. Kiril Gerasimov, Derek Leforte, John Duthie, Don Mulis, Daniel Larsson, Matt Hawrilenko, John Juanda, John Kabbaj, Evan Soffer, and Ken Lennaard have all been eliminated already today. Here is who is left: Doyle Brunson, Jesus, Johnny World Hennigan, Layne Flack, Jason Lester, Men the Master, Scotty Nguyen, and Minh Ly.
3:30pm... $2K NL FInal Table update: Here's who is at the final table, including chip counts:
Seat 1: Carlo Citrone (Newcastle, England) $151KThe media table has been moved out to the floor of the Rio while ESPN's second unit is taping the $2K event. The TV table is reserved for the Short-handed event.
Seat 2: Shack Ko (Naperville, IL) $287K
Seat 3: Lawrence Gosney (Leeds, England) $323K
Seat 4: Bjorn Isberg (Stockholm, Sweden) $166K
Seat 5: Tony Rila (Las Vegas, NV) $305K
Seat 6: Dustin Woolf (Los Angeles, CA) $270K
Seat 7: J.C. Tran (Sacramento, CA)$47K
Seat 8: Alan Purdy (England) $165K
Seat 9: Jarl Lindholt (Aarhus, Denmark) $437K
4:08pm... $2K NL Final Table update: Bjorn Isberg was elimianted by Dustin "Neverwin" Woolf in 9th place. Isberg was all in with preflop with Big Slick versus Woolf's pocket Jacks. Carlo Citro folded the Hilton Sisters face up which would have won. The board was all rags and Woolf's J-J held up. Isberg won $39,450 for 9th place.
4:13pm... $2K Final Table update: JC Tran doubled up against Shack Ko. JC Tran pushed with Bog Slick and Shack called with 7-7. Shack flopped a set but JC Tran caught a runner runner straight to double up.
4:18pm... $5K Short-handed update: Johnny World Hennigan is in toruble after he doubled up Jesus a while ago and Jason Lester just now. Johnny World had the Hilton Sisters against Lester's A-K. Johnny World was doomed when a King flopped.
4:20pm... $5K Short-handed update: Johnny World hennigan was knocke out in 15th. Al Stonum took 14th place.
4:27pm... $2K NL Final Table update: Carlo Citrone finsihed in 8th place after he was shorts tacked and moved all in with 8-6o. Unfortunately, he ran into Tony Rila's pocket Aces. Citrone won $59,175 for his work.
4:45pm... $2K NL Final Table update: Tony Rila doubled up Shack Ko when he pushed all in on a flop of: 5-3-5. Shack reluctanty called and showed 9-9. He was ahead of Rila's A-J. On the turn Rila picked up a flush draw, but he didn't catch that or any of his overcards.
4:28pm... Razz update: Jen Creason was issued a 10 minute penalty for dropping an "f-bomb" at the table. She was all in against some guy and let "fuck" slip out. Since she didn't get knocked out, the guy who lost the hand wanted a pentaly put on her. During a penalty, a player is not allowed to sit at the table and the deal posts their antes.
4:58pm... $5K Short-handed update: Ferit Gabrielslson was knocked out by Doyle Brunson in 13th place. The action is down to two tables.
5:00pm... $2K NL Final Table update: JC Tran and his short stack moved all in with K-5 against Alan Purdy's Ac-8c. JC Tran caught some of the flop when a 5 hit and doubled up against Purdy.
5:05pm... $2K NL Final Table update: Alan Purdy lost another hand to JC Tran. They were both all in preflop. Purdy had A-10 and JC Tran showed A-Q. Purdy won $78,900 for 7th place.
5:05pm... $2K NL Final Table update: Alan Purdy lost another hand to JC Tran. They were both all in preflop. Purdy had A-10 and JC Tran showed A-Q. Purdy won $78,900 for 7th place.5:11pm... $2K Final Table update: Tony Rila was shortstacked and moved all in with Ah-9h. Lawrence Grosnky called with A-5o. He caugth a 5 on the turn and knocked out Tony Rila in 6th place. He won $98,625 for his efforts.
5:15pm... Razz update: Jen Creason is living every media person's dream. She covers every event for Poker Wire and she almost made a final table at a WSOP event. She was just knocked out in 15th place. Great job, Jen for making it as far as you did!
5:35pm... $5K Short-handed update: Brad Booth raise don the button and Doyle Brunson moved all inf rom the big blind. Booth contemplated a call while the camera crews rushed over. He evntually called and showed 6-6. Doyle flipped over A-8. Doyle flopped top two pair and his hand held up. Doyle doubled up against Booth.
5:40pm... $5K Short-handed update: Brad Booth was eliminated in 12th place when he ran into Paul Kraus's Hilton Sisters.
5:45pm... Bouncin Round the Room: "The female railbirds are getting hotter," one member of the media whispered to me. Indeed. The quality of hotness is increasing every day. By the way, within a 30 foot radius, there are three tournaments going on. Razz and NL Short-handed are down to two tables and the final table of the $2K event is in front of me.
6:00pm... $2K NL Final Table update: JC Tran is on a roll. He had A-Q and moved all in preflop. Lars Lindholt called with Ac-Kc. JC Tran flopped a Queen and doubled up. Oliver from Poker News was quoted as saying, "JC Tran with another suckout." Otis blogged, "JC Tran can't lose."
6:06pm... $2K NL Final Table update: JC Tran and Big Slick pushed all in against Lawrence Gosney's 6-6. Men the Master came over and told the other railbird that Gosney was a 51.5% favroite to win. Gosney flopped a set, which silenced Tran's boisterous railbirds. Gosney doubled up and it left Tran with next to no chips.
6:10pm... $2K NL Final Table update: JC Tran still hangs on after he moved all in and flopped pair.
6:11pm... $5K Short-handed update: Jesus was crippled by Arthur Arzen. Jesus was the chipleader for a while and now he's one of the shortest stacks. Jesus had K-J and Arzen had pushed all in preflop with Q-10. Arzen hit a lucky flop when a Queen spiked. On the other table, Doyle Brunson doubled up with the Hilton Sisters. That event is on a short break.
6:20pm... $2K NL Final Table update: JC Tran was dominated and moved all in again and caught a card on the river to double up against Jarl Lindholt. He won't die.
6:30pm... $2K NL Final Table update: JC Tran moved all in with A-5 against Lawrence Grosney's Big Slick. Guess what JC Tran flopped? Yes, he flopped trips. An amazing run.
6:33pm... $2K NL Final Table update: The JC Tran show is now over. He had Jarl Lindholt dominated with K-J to K-8. Of course Jarl flopped a flush and knocked out JC Tran in 5th place. JC won $118,350.
6:36pm... $5K NL Short-handed update: Arthur Azen doubled up against chipleader Layne Flack when his pocket aces held up against Layne's K-10. Doyle is now the chipleader. Jesus and his small stack was just busted by Scotty Nguyen. He finished in 11th place.
6:45pm... $5K NL Short-handed update: Paul Kraus was elimianted in 10th place by Doyle Brunson who flopped two pair with K-J and slowplayed them. Action is down to 9 players with Texas Dolly sitting on top of a huge mountain of chips.
7:04pm... $5K NL Short-handed update: I caught a wild hand where Men the Master showed me his hole cards as I was standing behind him. Minh Ly raised all in. Doyle Brunson thought about it for a few seconds and called. Men the Master agonzied over his possible call. "If my hand hits, I win a huge pot," he said to everyone within earshot. He picked up his cards and showed it to both me and Scotty Nguyen who got up from his seat at the adjacent table to sweat. Men the Master counted up all his chips and thought for a minute before he folded Big Slick face up! Minh Ly showed Hilton Sisters and Doyle Brunson flipped over A-J. Minh Ly flopped a set and Doyle's stack took a big hit. And he's down to under $150K.
Scotty Nguyen told me he had about $130K in chips.
7:15pm... $2K NL Final Table update: I found out why Dustin Woolf is nicknamed "Neverwin". He raised preflop and LAwrence Gosney reraised. Neverwin moved all in with K-K and Gosney called with 2-2. The flop was all clubs... and Gosney held the 2 of clubs. He caught a four flush on the turn and doubled up against Neverwin, who's sporting a snazzy jumpsuit with "Neverwin" on the back.
7:20pm... Razz Final Table update: We reached a final table. Here are seating assignments and chip counts:
Seat 1: Larry Cesareo (Albuquerque, New Mexico) $39,0008:30pm... Bouncin Round the Room: An hour ago some guy walked up to the media area in the middle of the floor at the Rio and asked me, "How's the Redneck Riviera?" I didn't know him but he reads my blog! Pretty cool, huh? I also met Debbie, who had been reading my blog and a lot of our blogs for almost two years. She's here covering the WSOP starting tomorrow. Always cool to meet fans. She also asked about the Redneck Riviera!
Seat 2: Mick Wernick (Birmingham, England) $41K
Seat 3: Bruno Fitoussi (Paris, France) $72.5K
Seat 4: Mike Wattel (Phoenix, AZ) $70K
Seat 5: Hassan Kamoei (India, CA) $11.5K
Seat 6: Al "Sugar Bear" Barbieri South Philly, PA) $70K
Seat 7: Archie Karas (Las Vegas, NV) $79K
Seat 8: O'Neil Longson (Salt Lake City, Utah) $44K
Otis and I decided upon the liquid dinner and hit the bar. In true fashion he hit quads again at the video poker machine. He's the dinner break quads monster.
8:45pm... $5K Short-handed update: Steve Rosen was knocked out in 7th place, Men the Master came in 8th place and Arthur Arzen took 9th place. We've reached a final table which will start at 9:30pm and be taped by ESPN. Here who remains:
Seat 1: Scotty Nguyen (Las Vegas, NV) $254KIn case you were wondering, in the writer's pool, I picked last (since I won the last one) and took Scotty Nguyen. Jay Greenspan went with Minh Ly. BJ from Cardplayer has been on a cold streak in 30 events, he has yet to pick a winner. Tonight he likes his chances of winning his first Writer's Pool with his pick, Doyle Brunson.
Seat 2: Doyle Bruson (Las Vegas, NV) $309K
Seat 3: Minh Ly (Vietnam) $305K
Seat 4: Layne Flack (Las Vegas, NV) $350K
Seat 5: Jason Lester (Miami, FL) $119K
Seat 6: Ayaz Mahmood (Houston, TX) $169K
9:01pm... $2K NL Final Table update: Neverwin just won a pot. He was all in with K-Q against Shack Ko's pocket 8's. I turned to Heather from Poker Wire and said, "I'll bet you $1 that a king or a queen flops." She wouldn't take my action. The flop had both a king and a queen and it was all diamonds. Shack had a 8 of diamonds and had outs, but didn't catch any. So Neverwin sometimes wins.
9:30pm... $2K NL Final Table Update: Neverwin was sent to the rail by Shack Ko. Neverwin could not win with A-K against Shack's 9-9. Dustin "Neverwin" Wolfe won $138,075 for 4th place.
9:45pm... Razz Final Table update: Larry Cesareo was eliminated in 7th place and Hassan Kamoei finished in 8th place.
9:50pm... $5K Omaha Hi/Lo update: I went over to check up on Shirley who's palying in the event. At dinner break she was shortstack. When I went to sweat her, she went all in and won her hand. She's sitting to the left of Minneapolis Jim Meehan. Also at her table is Vinny Vinh and Huck Seed. Daniel Negreanu, Amir Vahedi, Cyndy Violette, and Phil Hellmuth have all been eliminated.
10:00pm... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Action is underway. Doyle Brunson got the loudest applause... it was a standing ovation. He's trying to win his 10th bracelet. There are at least 18 gold bracelets at this final table. Layne Flack's lady friend is sitting in front of me.
10:10pm... Razz update: Mick Wernick was knocked out in 6th place.
10:16pm... $5K NL Final Table update: We had a race between Jason Lester's A-K and Scotty Nguyen's pocket sevens. Lester was still behind, but picked up some more outs with a helpful flop of Q-J-8... all spades. The turn and river did not help Lester and he was the first play elimianted from the final table. He won $67,905 for 6th place. Scotty Nguyen moved into the chip lead.
10:22pm... $5K NL Final Table update: Tonight may be Layne Flack's night. He went heads up with Ayaz Mahmood preflop. Mahmood had the Hilton Sisters while Layne showed pocket aces. Layne flopped an ace and caught qaud Aces on the river to move into the chip lead. Ayaz Mahmood finished in 5th place and won $82,055. On two consecutive hands, two players were eliminated. We're down to 4 players.
10:38pm... $5K NL Final Table update: Doyle Brunson moved into the chiplead after he took a big pot from Layne Flack who flopped top two pair. On a flop of K-J-8, Doyle had A-8 with bottom pair and called Flack's bet. Doyle caught trips on the turn to win the pot.
10:58pm... $5K Final Table update: During a break, Doyle and Layne stayed at the table and played a couple of hands of Chinese Poker.
11:00pm... $2K NL Final Table update: We're down to heads up play after Shack Ko was elimianted by Lawrence Gosney. Shack pushed all in with Ad-5d against Gosney's A-Q. Shack took home $157,800 for 3rd place.
11:30pm... $2K NL Final Table update: Jarl Lindholt moved all in with 9-8o and Lawrence Gosney called with Ad-Qd. The flop was Js-10d-5d. Gosney had a nut flush draw and a gutshot straight draw. Lindholt had an open ended staright draw. On the river, Gosney caught his Broadway straight to win his first WSOP bracelet. Jarl Lindholt finsihed in second place and $258,000. Lawrence Gosney won $483,195.
2005 $2K NL WSOP Champion: Lawrence Gosney
Congrats Lawrence!
11:45pm... $5K Omaha Hi/Lo update: 90+ players are left. Howard Lederer and Annie Duke are both still alive. Shirley Rosario went on a rush. She had just $200 and built up her stack to over $3K! And all this with Minneapolis Jim Meehan pounding Heineken's while sitting next to her. The following players have been busted: Max Pescatori, Mark Gregorich, Sammy Farha, Captain Tom Franklin, Eskimo, Mel Judah, Toto Leonidas, Thor Hansen, and Chau Giang.
11:50am... Razz Final Table update: Mike Wattel was eliminated in 5th place. He won $24,900 and made his second final table at this year's WSOP.
1:05am... $5K Omaha update: Shirley Rosario is out. She built up her stack to about $7K after she scooped a pot against Howard Lederer. But she missed a couple of big draws and ended up giving away most of her chips to Minneaplois Jim Meehan. She finished somewhere in 75th place. Also elimianted are Annie Duke, Huck Seed, Miami John Cernuto, Eli Elezra, Jesus, Berry Johnston, and Kathy Liebert.
1:17am... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Doyle Brunson moved all in with pocket Kings against Layne Flack's A-Q. Doyle flopped a set when a King fell and he caught a full boat on the river to double up against Layne. Doyle Brunson moved into the chip lead.
1:20am... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Laybe Flack got some of his chips back when he doubled up with 8-6o against Doyle's A-4. As I said earlier, Layne Flack's girlfriend was sitting inf ront of me and she's been turning around to ask questions like chip counts and pay out structure... all technical stuff. Anyway, Grubby is sitting in the crowd, and I had no idea he was here. I get a text message that read, "Stop flirting and get back to work!" Totally busted.
1:48pm... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Layne Flack moved all in with the HIlton Sisters. Doyle called with A-Q. Layne Flack's Hiltons held up and he doubled up against Doyle.
2:03am... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Doyle Brunson raised ont he button and Minh Ly and Layne Flack both called. The flop was 10c-9h-3s and Layne Flack moved all in. Brunson called and Ly folded. Flack showed Kc-10d and Brunson flipped over Kd-9c. Brunson was behind until he caught a 9 on the turn. Layne Flack's hand did not improve and he was eliminated in fourth place, He won $99,030.
2:21am... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Archie Karas was shortstacked and was knocked out by O'Neil Longson. Karas won $30,120 for 4th place.
3:22am... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Scotty Nguyen was short stacked and moved all in with Q-J against Minh Ly's pocket fives. Scotty didn't catch any cards and he was elimianted in 3rd place. Scotty Nguyen won $106,105. Doyle has almost a $800K chip lead over Minh.
3:50 am... $5K Short-handed Final Table update: Doyle Brunson moved all in. Minh Ly called with K-Q. Doyle showed 10-3. Doyle flopped a 3 and his hand held up. Doyle Brunson won his 10th WSOP bracelet! He won $367,800. For second place Minh Ly won $203,715.
2005 WSOP $5K NL Short-Handed Champion: Doyle Brunson
Doyle Brunson is the fuckin' man. This is just another argument why he's the best damn poker player who ever lived.
That's all I have to say tonight.
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