The WSOP on ESPN: Thorson and Lodden Fall Short, While Candio and Duhamel Rise Up on Day 8

October 27, 2010

Chad Holloway PR & Media Manager

Tuesday’s ESPN broadcast of the 2010 World Series of Poker featured the start of Day 8 with just 27 players returning to play down to the November Nine. The chip average at the start of the day was 8,130,000, but that didn’t stop some of the players from entering with quite a bit more. The five biggest chip counts at the top of the broadcast belonged to Joseph Cheong (24,490,000), Soi Nguyen (23,100,000), Pascal LeFrancois (15,780,000), Jason Senti (13,550,000), and Matthew Jarvis (13,300,000).

What Does Johnny Lodden Think? Matt Affleck was under the gun and raised to 275,000. Johnny Lodden, who held the second smallest stack in the room, moved all-in from the button with 8♥8♦ for a total of 1.47 total. “Fold and I show you,” he offered Affleck.

The offer didn’t appeal to Affleck, who called with his A♣10♥, and it was off to the races. Lodden was at risk but ahead with his pocket pair. The 2♠K♠Q♠ flop kept him there but gave Affleck a Broadway draw. The dealer burned and turned the 10♣, pairing Affleck and pushing Lodden one step closer to elimination. The river was the 7♠, and Lodden was eliminated from the tournament in 27th place ($317,162).

Gold Versus Thorson: ESPN aired a feature of William Thorson’s deep run in the 2006 Main Event when he squared off against chip leader Jamie Gold. Thorson admitted to targeting Gold, but ultimately finished in 13th place when he pushed with his pocket jacks and ran into Gold’s pocket kings.

Old Man Doubles: Hasan Habib looked down at his cards, which the hole cam missed, and moved all-in for his last 1.1 million. Action folded around to Matt Jarvis in the cutoff who called with his K♠Q♥. Habib revealed 4♦4♣ and said, “You got a pair? We’re racing.”

The 2♠6♥J♥ flop kept Habib in the lead and so did the 7♠ on the turn. Jarvis needed to catch a king or queen on the river to knock out Habib, one of only four bracelet winners remaining in the field, but couldn’t do it as the 5♠ hit. Habib doubled to 2.56 million.

Thorson Gets Lucky: It was blind versus blind with a flop reading 6♣3♥10♥ when Thorson checked to Mads Wissing who bet 175,000. Thorson responded by moving all-in, and Wissing called 1.5 million to put his own tournament on the line. “I’ve got a good feeling,” Thorsen joked. “It's going to be a club or a jack on the turn, I think.” Sure enough, the dealer put out the J♥. The 8♣ on the river was no help to Wissing, who was sent to the rail in 25th place ($317,161).

Bardah Busted: Ronnie Bardah was all in preflop with A♥K♥ against the A♠A♦ of Filippo Candio and in big trouble. With 4.63 million in the pot, the board ran out J♣2♣4♥J♠8♥ and Candio took down the pot. Bardah was eliminated from the Main Event in 24th place ($317,161) in his first WSOP cash.

Duhamel on the Rise: In another blind-versus-blind situation, Jonathan Duhamel and Rob Pisano created a preflop pot worth 4.365 million. The flop came down 3♠7♣2♦, and Duhamel, who held 5♠4♠, checked to Pisano, who held A♠K♥ and bet 1.65 million.

Duhamel called with his open-ended straight draw as the dealer put out the A♣. Duhamel hit his straight and led out with a bet of 1.875 million. Pisano, who hit top pair with top kicker, moved all-in for 7.225 million, and Duhamel snap called. The 6♥ on the river was meaningless, and Duhamel doubled to 20,685,000!

Thorson Comes Up Short: John Dolan raised to 375,000 from the hijack with 7♥7♦ and both John Racener and Brandon Steven called behind. Action was on Thorson, who moved all-in from the big blind for over 5 million. Dolan got out of the way and Racener moved all-in, pushing Steven out of the pot. Racener had slow-played his K♠K♦ and was in a dominating position against Thorson’s J♦10♦. The board ran out 2♥6♦A♦2♠5♣, eliminating Thorson in 22nd place ($317,161) — once again just shy of the Main Event final table.

Big Hit to Affleck: Jason Senti raised to 380,000, Affleck raised to 1.2 million, Jarvis called from the big blind, and Senti got out of the way. Affleck was first to act from the small blind and bet 1.6 million on the 4♥9♥Q♣ flop. Jarvis, who held J♠J♦, called and the J♣ hit the turn. Affleck, who picked up a straight draw with his 10♠10♥, bet 2.7 million, and Jarvis raised to 6.3 million. Affleck made the call and the 2♣ fell on the river. Affleck checked, Jarvis moved all-in for 4.625 million, and Affleck mucked. Jarvis took down the pot worth 23.145 million while Affleck lost 65 percent of his stack and dropped to 4.6 million.

New Chip Leader: Filippo Candio raised to 385,000 with 7♠5♠ and Joseph Cheong raised to 1.125 million with A♠A♣. Candio called and checked the 5♣6♥6♠ flop. Cheong bet 1.55 million and Candio raised to 4.4 million. Cheong moved all-in and, after a moment’s thought, Candio called for a total of 12.1 million. “Nice hand,” was all Candio could utter when he saw Cheong’s dominating hand.

With almost 27 million in the pot, the dealer burned and turned the 8♠. Candio picked up some extra outs to a straight and the 4♣ on the river gave it to him. Candio erupted in a celebration fitting of a World Cup victory as he became the new tournament chip leader.

Dolan Flops Aces Full: Michiel Sijpkens was on the button and raised to 480,000 with the K♣Q♦. John Dolan looked down at A♠A♣ and just called from the small blind. The flop came A♦2♦2♣, giving Dolan a flopped full house. Both players checked as the J♠ fell on the turn. Dolan bet 525,000, and Sijpkens called with his Broadway straight draw.

The 10♠ on the river gave Sijpkens the straight and he raised Dolan’s 1.1 million bet to 2.6 million. Dolan moved all-in for 860,000 more and Sijpkens called. Dolan doubled on the hand to 8.45 million, his second of the day through Sijpkens.

Sijpkens Eliminated: A short time later, Micheil Sijpkens moved all-in preflop with J♠J♣, and John Racener called with his K♦Q♥ from the button. The board ran out 4♣Q♣9♦7♣2♥, and Sijpkens was knocked out in 19th place ($317,161), bringing the field down to the final 18 players.