Phan Takes Early Heads Up Lead
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John Phan - 800,000
Shun Uchida - 400,000
2008 World Series of Poker
Event 40 - $2,500 2-7 Triple Draw
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2008 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$2,500
Entries
238
Level
24
Blinds
13,000 / 25,000
Ante
0
John Phan - 800,000
Shun Uchida - 400,000
Let the Trash Talking Begin
"I'll give you the bracelet for a half million, John," began Uchida.
"What kind of a deal are you giving me?" replied Phan. "I'll give it to you for a quarter million."
Then: "Let's go all in in the dark."
"One hand?" asked Uchida.
"I've done it before. Let's do it again." The rail started cheering Phan on.
"Winner take all, Shun?"
Uchida shrugged no.
"You have no gambling blood in you, kid. Let's go all in in the dark."
"Maybe later," said Uchida.
"Now. Let's do something nice that history will not repeat. You're chicken-sh*t. No history in your blood. Only 'nit' in your blood. Grind, grind, grind. I've been playing your game all day. Now you play mine."
It was at this point that Uchida asked the floor if he could use his iPod. As is standard once WSOP tournaments are in the money, the answer was no.
Chip Counts As We Begin Heads Up
Shun Uchida -- 595,000
Gioi Luong Eliminated in 3rd Place ($61,583)
Luong took two cards and Phan stood pat. Luong checked, and Phan splashed chips in front of him, enough to put Luong all in. Luong made the call.
On the second draw, Luong stood pat. Phan fiddled with his chips as he contemplated what to do. "Okay, I break my hand," said Phan, asking for two cards. He then moved to turn over his hand, but was reminded one more draw was to come. "I thought that was it!" he grinned.
On the third draw, Luong again stood pat. Phan took two cards again. Luong turned over his hand: 8-7-6-5-2. Phan slowly peeked at what he had picked up...
Suddenly he stood up and shouted. He flipped his cards over: 7-6-5-4-2! Luong is out in third.
Not Luong for This World?
Both players drew one card and checked on the first draw, then drew one card and checked on the second draw. On the third draw, Uchida drew one again while Luong stayed pat. After squeezing his cards, Uchida bet. It was a great bet, since Luong was most likely pat with a rough nine or ten and had to wonder whether Uchida was making a play at the pot. Luong elected to call and found out it wasn't a play at all -- Uchida had made 8-7-5-4-2.
After the hand, Luong's stack dipped to just 93,000.
Phan Closes the Gap
The first five hands saw one hand taken with a raise before the first draw, one with a bet after the first draw, and three walks.
Then Shun Uchida raised on the button, John Phan three-bet from the small blind, and Uchida called. Phan drew one card, and Uchida took two. Phan checked, Uchida bet, Phan check-raised, and Uchida called.
On the second draw, Phan took one, and Uchida took two cards. Phan bet the 40,000, and Uchida called. On the last draw, Phan stood pat and Uchida again took two cards. Phan bet, and after a bit of thought, Uchida called.
Phan showed 8-6-5-4-2, and Uchida mucked. Just like that Uchida is down to 540,000, and Phan up to 474,000.
Level: 23
Blinds: 10,000/20,000
Ante: 0
Play Resumes
Players Are on a Break
Phan won a nice-sized pot on the last hand before the break to pick up some chips. The updated chip counts are:
Shun Uchida - 770,000
John Phan - 254,000
Gioi Luong - 171,000
More Snow
He raised from the small blind, and John Phan called in the big blind. Luong was pat on the first draw, while Phan took three. Luong bet and Phan called. On the second draw, Luong was pat again. Phan took two, then folded after Luong bet.
Luong flashed 2-2-2-Q-Q.
For the most part, Luong has been quiet since he asked that the rail be cleared, choosing to sit back and allow Shun Uchida and John Phan to go after each other. Uchida has won three of the last four pots in which he was heads up against Phan.
Phan, for his part, has started taking a long time (for a limit game, anyway) to make each of his decisions. His shrinking chip stack may have something to do with that, as each lost pot pushes him closer and closer to elimination.