Event 35 - $1,500 Seven Card Stud | 2008 World Series of Poker

06-20-2008 21:44 UTC-7

Small Ball is the Rule

[user75032]

Al Barbieri is now at a greater than three-to-one chip deficit to Mike Rocco, and thus has no choice but to play cautiously. That is the style of play that Rocco has been trying to dictate all along -- keeping pots small, slowly chipping down at Barbieri. It should be interesting to see how long Barbieri can play such a style before reverting to his more aggressive form.

06-20-2008 21:39 UTC-7

Barbieri Looking Troubled

[user66118]

When we began heads up play, the atmosphere was quite jovial and friendly. The two opponents were smiling at each other, shooting each other wry glances, and generally high in spirits. They would talk about the other's play, commenting on the frequency of raises and sharing information about the cards they had been dealt. Things have changed quite a bit, at least for Al Barbieri. As his chip stack has fallen, his demeanor has dropped in equal measure.

Barbieri is looking frustrated most of the time. Gone is the laughing and joking between the players. When he is facing difficult decisions, Barbieri leans back in his chair, sighs, nervously fingers chips, and stares at his own cards. He recently removed his red sweatshirt, perhaps in the hope that it will get things going back in his direction.

06-20-2008 21:33 UTC-7

Rocco is Rocking Now

[user66118]

Barbieri brought in showing the {9-Hearts}

and Rocco comes along with the {K-Hearts}

.

Barbieri: x-x / {9-Hearts}

/ x
Rocco: x-x / {K-Hearts}

/ x

On fourth street, Rocco checked, Barbieri bet, and Rocco called.

On fifth, Barbieri had the lead. He checked, Rocco bet, and he called. Both players checked sixth.

On seventh street, Rocco bet out. Barbieri asks, "What do you got, the nuts?" as he tossed his calling chips in.

Barbieri: {A-Hearts}

/

Rocco:

/

Rocco does indeed have "the nuts" relatively speaking. His wheel takes the pot and knocks Barbieri down to 250,000 chips.

06-20-2008 21:18 UTC-7

Priorities

[user75032]

Despite the fact that he's playing for a difference in $50,000 and a WSOP gold bracelet, Mike Rocco is still finding plenty of time to send text messages on his phone -- sometimes when the action is on him.

06-20-2008 21:16 UTC-7

Updated Chip Counts

[user75032]

Mike Rocco - 760,000
Al Barbieri - 380,000

06-20-2008 21:15 UTC-7

Tide Turning for Barbieri?

[user75032]

Earlier in the day, Al Barbieri could do no wrong. Now it's Mike Rocco's turn. Barbieri tanked for a long time after Rocco bet fifth street, showing {3-Clubs}

. He ultimately made the call, with his board showing {Q-Spades}

. On sixth street, Rocco caught the {2-Hearts}

. Before he could even bet, Barbieri mucked in disgust, flipping up one of his own hole cards, the {2-Clubs}

as he did so.

"Case deuce!" said Barbieri. "How do you hit the case deuce?"

Level: 22

Blinds: 0/0

Ante: 0

06-20-2008 21:03 UTC-7

Play Resumes

[user75032]

Cards are in the air.

06-20-2008 20:54 UTC-7

Rocco Takes Two More

[user75032]

Mike Rocco took the last two pots leading into the break. First, he made deuces full of queens by sixth street, but Al Barbieri couldn't squeeze much out of his hand and folded to Rocco's sixth street bet.

The same thing happened the next hand, where Rocco led all streets with {10-Clubs}

. Barbieri showed {3-Hearts}

and quietly mucked after Rocco's fifth street bet.

06-20-2008 20:52 UTC-7

Players Are on a Break

[user75032]

Play will resume in ten minutes.