$5,150 Circuit Championship Event | 2009 WSOP Circuit - Rincon

03-31-2009 14:54 UTC-7

Thiem Rivers the Winner

[user75032]

Thao Thiem got things started preflop with a raise to 18,000. He was called by the button player, Dwyte Pilgrim, and the small blind, Esther Taylor. Thiem followed up with a bet of 36,000 chips on a flop of {7-Hearts}

. Only Taylor called. Both players checked the {5-Diamonds}

turn and the {A-Diamonds}

river. Taylor announced, "One pair," at showdown, but Thiem had the best pair, a pair of aces made with {A-Clubs}

.

Tags: Dwyte Pilgrim Thao Thiem

03-31-2009 14:43 UTC-7

Tryba Doing the Doubling Now

[user66118]

Jonathan McGowan open-shoved all in for his last 70,000. It came around to Chris Tryba in the small blind, and he too moved all in, isolating himself against the at-risk McGowan.

Showdown:
McGowan: {A-Diamonds}

Tryba:

"Good luck," said the jovial Tryba, and just as the words left his mouth, the dealer ran the flop of {J-Spades}

. McGowan had come from behind to take the lead and was in good shape to double up. When the turn and river came {2-Hearts}

and

, the pot was locked up for the all-in player, doubling him back to 150,000.

03-31-2009 14:22 UTC-7

Doubling Tryba

[user66118]

We join a heads-up pot on the turn with the board showing {7-Spades}

. The two men involved in the hand had both checked the flop. Charles Williams had the betting lead, and he put out 25,000 chips. Chris Tryba then moved all in for 157,000, and Williams snap-called.

Showdown:
Williams: {A-Spades}

Tryba:

Williams had started the hand with the dominant cards, but fourth street vaulted Tryba into the lead. The river blanked off with the {6-Diamonds}

, and Chris Tryba earned a big double-up here on the bubble. In fact, he has now doubled to the chip lead, just pipping his opponent in that deciding confrontation. After the hand, Williams stood from his chair, walked down the stairs and disappeared from sight. He's just now making his way back to the table after a little soak.

Tags: Charles Williams Chris Tryba

03-31-2009 14:16 UTC-7

McGowan Doubles

[user75032]

In his own words, Jonathan McGowan "runs good at the right times." He doubled up to 185,000 after a preflop raising war with Thao Thiem resulted in an all-in confrontation. McGowan's {A-Clubs}

beat out Thiem's {10-Hearts}

with an ace on the flop.

McGowan has several previous final tables to his credit, including a first place at the Wynn Classic for $99,000 and a third place in a $2,500 Bellagio event for $60,000. He says that he has never deposited money online, instead building a bankroll from freeroll tournaments.

Tags: Jonathan McGowan Thao Thiem

Level: 14

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 500

03-31-2009 13:53 UTC-7

New Seat Assignments

[user75032]

The Final Table

Seat 1: Dwyte Pilgrim (140,000)
Seat 2: Josh Prager (185,000)
Seat 3: Esther Taylor (300,000)
Seat 4: Charles Williams (570,000)
Seat 5: Matt Hyman (100,000)
Seat 6: Thao Thiem (300,000)
Seat 7: Chris Tryba (105,000)
Seat 8: John Farrell (80,000)
Seat 9: Pogos Simityan (150,000)
Seat 10: Jonathan McGowan (100,000)

Play has now resumed.

03-31-2009 13:50 UTC-7

Tenth-Place Save

[user75032]

The remaining ten players have agreed to do a save for the player eliminated in tenth place. $500 will be taken off of each spot except for first place; $1,100 will be taken off of first place, for a total of $5,100 given back to the player who finishes in tenth place -- essentially, the player will get his (or her) money back.

That should speed up the money bubble considerably. Meanwhile, the players have re-drawn for seats and relocated to the stage in the tournament ballroom. We'll have the new seat assignments momentarily.

03-31-2009 13:49 UTC-7

A Brief Pause

[user66118]

Now that we are down to our final ten, the remaining players have been recombined into one last unofficial final table. The men (and lady) gathered their chips and headed up on the stage to the starlit final table area. We're doing just a few minutes of housekeeping, and play should resume shortly.

The next elimination will set the official final table of nine.

03-31-2009 13:42 UTC-7

Kim Eliminated; Tournament Collapses to One Table

[user75032]

We rushed over to Table 3 to find Steve Kim all in with {K-?}

against Thao Thiem's pocket aces. Kim made a pair of jacks on the flop, but was unable to improve from there. His elimination in 11th place sets the stage for the money bubble.

Tags: Steve Kim Thao Thiem

03-31-2009 13:40 UTC-7

E-Tay Snap-Calls Pilgrim

[user66118]

We pick up the action on the turn for this heads-up pot between Esther "E-Tay" Taylor and Dwight Pilgrim. The board showed {10-Clubs}

, and the action is on E-Tay. She put out a bet of 18,000, drawing a raise to 40,000 from Pilgrim. After a brief moment, she made the call.

The last card off the deck was the {K-Hearts}

. E-Tay checked to Pilgrim, and he fired another 40,000-chip bullet. Instantly, E-Tay called, and just as quickly, Pilgrim tossed his cards into the muck. E-Tay revealed the winning two pair with her {10-Diamonds}

, and the pot was pushed in her direction.

Table mate Chris Tryba asked to see the folded hand, since there was a bet and a call. The dealer pulled out the mucked cards and revealed Pilgrim's folded {J-?}

.

Tags: Dwyte Pilgrim E-Tay Esther Taylor