Event 17 - $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em Shootout | 2008 World Series of Poker

06-10-2008 19:34 UTC-7

Fun & Frolics

[user4144]

You wouldn't think they were playing for a bracelet here (not to mention all that money) as the mood here at the final table is quite positive.

Mike Schwartz informs Jason Young that he's handing him a second consecutive birthday present by giving him a walk in the big blind. Then a couple of hands later, he raises Monahan's big blind and shows pocket ducks after Monahan folds.

"I knew you'd like that one he adds".

06-10-2008 19:30 UTC-7

Push or Fold Time

[user4144]

With just 300,000 in chips, Rory Monahan is in push or fold mode, last seen moving all in from the button on Mike Schwartz's big blind.

"It's now or never," sings Schwartz as Monahan slides his stack across the felt.

"Let's see if we can double you up," he adds checking his cards.

Moments later, he folds, only for Monahan to reveal {3-Diamonds}

.

"Let me have my cards back," begs Schwartz.

Tags: Mike Schwartz Rory Monahan

06-10-2008 19:29 UTC-7

Few Flops Apparent

[user46392]

Schwartz raises under the gun to steal the blinds.

-------

Monahan raises to 150,000 from the button, but is called by Schwartz in the big blind. Schwartz bets out 175,000 on the {K-Spades}

and Monahan folds. He's pretty short now, down to around 350,000.

-------

Now it's Strzemp's turn to steal the blinds, with a raise to 175,000 under the gun.

-------

Some action here: Schwartz limps in under the gun, Monahan makes up the blind, and big blind Strzemp raises 150,000. To which Schwartz reraises another 800,000. Monahan insta-folds, and with an expression that says, "Yikes!" Strzemp folds too.

06-10-2008 19:22 UTC-7

Schwartz Pushes Monahan off the Flop

[user4144]

After Rory Monahan had made a small preflop raise of 110,000 from under-the-gun, Mike Schwartz and Jason Young called in the blinds.

On the {6-Spades}

flop, both blinds checked and Monahan continue bet for 575,000. However, Schwartz made 575,000 to take down the pot.

06-10-2008 19:18 UTC-7

Young Maintains Lead

[user4144]

Although losing the odd minor pot, Jason Young is still your current chip leader with 4,600,000. The last hand he played saw him limp-raise Mike Schwartz's preflop raise from the big bind to a total of 400,000. Schwartz reluctantly folded, showing an ace in the process.

06-10-2008 19:14 UTC-7

Current Chip Counts

[user46392]

John Strzemp: 2 million
Rory Monahan: 1 million
Michael Schwartz: 2.5 million
Jason Young: 4.5 million

06-10-2008 19:13 UTC-7

Strzemp Up to Two Million

[user46392]

John Strzemp has upped his stack to around 2 million -- Jason Young raised under the gun to 115,000, and Strzemp made it 300,000 from the small blind. After some deliberation, Young passed, and the pot went to Strzemp.

06-10-2008 19:04 UTC-7

Blind Stealing

[user4144]

We're seeing very few flops at the moment, the players taking it in turns to take each other's blinds uncontested.

On a side note, the players agreed that they would take a dinner break at the end of this level.

06-10-2008 19:03 UTC-7

Schwartz Fights Back

[user46392]

Jason Young raises from the button, taking down the hefty blinds and antes.

Next hand, he raises from the cutoff, and this time finds a caller in Michael Schwartz on the big blind. Schwartz bets out 150,000 on the {5-Spades}

flop and Young threads the six 25,000 chips thoughtfully for a while before calling. The turn is the {A-Hearts}

and Schwartz bets out 200,000. Young quickly folds.

Tags: Jason Young Michael Schwarz

06-10-2008 18:58 UTC-7

Two Pots for Strzemp

[user4144]

John Strzemp takes down two consecutive post-break pots.

First he took the blinds uncontested with a button raise of 175,000.

Then, he raised again preflop, this time from the button and for 150,000, before being called by Jason Young. Strzemp took it down with a continue bet of 150,000 on the {10-Clubs}

flop.