2009 World Series of Poker Europe

Day 4 completed

Posted 10-01-2009 01:06 GMT+1

Day 4 Concludes, Final Table All Set

Coming back today with 36 runners instead of the 27 originally planned, we were a little afraid that we could be in for a long one. But as it turned out, a steady stream of bustouts saw us finishing at a surprisingly reasonable hour.

The list of people who didn't make it could fill a poker pamphlet at least, if not an actual book -- Devilfish, Men Nguyen, Arnaud Mattern and Yevgeniy Timoshenko were among our in-the-money finishers. But ladies and gentlemen, check out this final table:

Seat 1: Barry Shulman - 1,090,000
Seat 2: Jason Mercier - 3,198,000
Seat 3: Praz Bansi - 1,160,000
Seat 4: Markus Ristola - 784,000
Seat 5: Chris Bjorin - 518,000
Seat 6: James Akenhead - 1,398,000
Seat 7: Daniel Negreanu - 438,000
Seat 8: Antoine Saout - 701,000
Seat 9: Matt Hawrilenko - 674,000

After frankly dominating the last couple of levels, Jason Mercier goes into the final as massive chip leader. However, there's a lot of play left in this tournament yet, and we wouldn't like to call it between this fearsome lineup.

Join us back here at the Empire tomorrow from noon GMT+1 for what will by any standards be a pretty interesting final table. Until then, it's goodnight from us, and it's goodnight from them.

Eric Liu Eliminated in 10th Place (£51,536)

Jason Mercier raised in early position, only for official short stack Eric Liu to move all in. Folds all around the table, and back to Mercier, who tanked up. Eventually he called.

Liu:
Mercier: a somewhat speculative

Board: an oh-so decisive

Ladies and gentlemen, Day 4 is over.

Tags: Eric Liu, Jason Mercier.

Slow Start

It's been a cagey start so far to this last remaining table, with everyone mustard keen to make it through to tomorrow's final. It's mainly been uncontested pots preflop with the occasional battle of the blinds, but it's surely only a matter of time before we see a showdown.

At the moment, Eric Liu is your current short stack with 325,000. He has about 16 big blinds.

Bracelet Bonanza

If my research is correct, six of the final ten have won WSOP bracelets:

Barry Shulman
Jason Mercier
Praz Bansi
Chris Bjorin
Daniel Negreanu
Matt Hawrilenko

Redraw Again

As we have 10 runners on a nine-handed televised table, seats nine and 10 are sharing a hole card camera. That'll be fun.

Seat 1: Barry Shulman - 1,150,000
Seat 2: Jason Mercier - 2,709,000
Seat 3: Praz Bansi - 1,206,000
Seat 4: Markus Ristola - 784,000
Seat 5: Chris Bjorin - 578,000
Seat 6: Eric Liu - 379,000
Seat 7: James Akenhead - 1,361,000
Seat 8: Daniel Negreanu - 498,000
Seat 9: Antoine Saout - 748,000
Seat 10: Matt Hawrilenko - 571,000

Just one more player needs to bust out before we can all go home. Joy!

The Final Countdown

The 10 remaining players are now condensing onto the final table, which means the official final table (of nine) will include at the very least:

- one Hit Squad member
- one member of the November Nine
- one of the old guard
- one four-bet-shoving-snap-calling-lol-donkaments Internet whiz kid

Keith "The Camel" Hawkins Eliminated in 11th Place (£51,536)

Keith "Camel" Hawkins raised to 52,000 under the gun and it folded around to Praz Bansi on the button, who made it 200,000. Back to Camel, who announced all in; then back to Bansi and he announced call. All of this swiftly, quietly and with the absolute minimum of fuss. Like gentlemen.

Bansi:
Camel:

Board:

Camels can go for weeks without drinking, but this one will be hitting the bar directly, we suspect.

We are down to 10.

Tags: Keith Hawkins, Praz Bansi.

Shove from Ristola

Back on the feature table - it's manic here all of a sudden - it looked like Chris Bjorin raised to 67,000, Daniel Negreanu called and Markus Ristola moved all in for 620,000. Both opponents folded.

Thomas Bichon Eliminated in 12th Place (£51,536)

On the very first hand back after the break, James Akenhead raised it up preflop to 55,000, Thomas Bichon moved all in for 143,000 and the Akinator made the call.

Akenhead =
Bichon =

Board =

Tags: James Akenhead, Thomas Bichon.