Event 56 - $5,000 Six-handed No Limit Hold'em | 2009 World Series of Poker

Level: 23

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 4,000

07-02-2009 10:28 UTC-12

Updated Chip Counts (11 Remain)

Shamus

At the first break:

Faraz Jaka -- 2.141 million
James St. Hilaire -- 1.995 million
Matt Waxman -- 1.924 million
Josh Brikis -- 1.863 million
Matt Hawrilenko -- 1.59 million
Thorsten Schaefer -- 1.274 million
Sean Keeton -- 722,000
Robert Kay -- 702,000
Jonas Wexler -- 690,000
Alex venovski -- 508,000
Rory Mathews -- 489,000

07-02-2009 10:19 UTC-12

Break Time

[user77326]

Players are on a twenty-minute break.

07-02-2009 10:16 UTC-12

John Conkright Eliminated in 12th Place ($ 52,296)

[user77326]

Conkright opened from the button and was raised by Josh Brikis from the big blind. Conkright moved all in and was called quickly by Brikis.

Conkright showed {A-Clubs}

and was well behind Brikis' {A-Diamonds}

.

The board ran out {K-Clubs}

sending Mr. Conkright to the rail.

Meanwhile, Brikis is making a strong charge so far and is up to 1,800,000. He started today with only 294,000.

07-02-2009 10:05 UTC-12

Focusing On the Task at Hand

Shamus

Ever heard of a Kurt Vonnegut short story called "Harrison Bergeron"?

Set in an imagined future, it depicts an exaggerated version of the United States in which all citizens are made equal by various artificial means. For example, intelligent people are made to wear headphones that play distracting noises every so often so as to make it more difficult for them to think continuously.

The announcements from the other side of the room are continuing quite loudly, and there's something about the scene that recalls the Vonnegut story. Players are redoubling their efforts, though, concentrating intently on the chips, cards, and what their opponents' are saying.

James St. Hilaire still holds the chip lead with about 2.3 million, with Faraz Jaka next with a little over 2 million. Alex Venovski is on the short stack at the moment with 420,000.

07-02-2009 09:55 UTC-12

Seating Assignments for Final Two Tables

Shamus

There was some discussion of moving elsewhere, but it looks like we're sticking right here in our corner of the Amazon. Here's how they're seated around the final two tables:

Table #58
Seat #1 -- James St. Hilaire
Seat #2 -- John Conkright
Seat #3 -- Rory Mathews
Seat #4 -- Josh Brikis
Seat #5 -- Jonas Wexler
Seat #6 -- Sean Keeton

Table #61
Seat #1 -- Alex Venovski
Seat #2 -- Robert Kay
Seat #3 -- Matt Waxman
Seat #4 -- Faraz Jaka
Seat #5 -- Thorstein Schaefer
Seat #6 -- Matt Hawrilenko

07-02-2009 09:48 UTC-12

Aurelien Guiglini Eliminated in 13th Place ($37,379)

Shamus

Faraz Jaka raised to 190,000, then Aurelien Guiglini reraised all in from the blinds for his last 500,000. Jaka called.

Guiglini had {Q-Clubs}

, and Jaka {A-Hearts}

. The flop came {A-Spades}

, putting Jaka in the lead. The turn was the {6-Spades}

, and Guiglini was looking for a queen or a spade to save him. But the river was the {4-Diamonds}

, and Guiglini goes out in 13th.

Jaka trips up over the 2 million mark on that one and into second place behind James St. Hilaire who has 2.4 million right now.

They are now redrawing for the final two tables.

07-02-2009 09:41 UTC-12

Brikis Doubles

[user77326]

Josh Brikis open shoved from the small blind with {A-Clubs}

and Thorsten Schaefer called from the big blind with {K-?}

.

The board fell {A-Hearts}

.

Brikis doubles to 880,000.

07-02-2009 09:31 UTC-12

What'd You Say?

Shamus

The Ante Up for Africa event is getting underway on the other side of the Amazon Room, and currently Phil Hellmuth has the microphone introducing all of the participants.

The PA is quite loud, and indeed a couple of the players over on our side of the room are asking about the possibility of moving to another room, which may or may not happen (it is still being discussed).

Amid the noise, Matt Hawrilenko just put in a raise before the flop, Robert Kay reraised to 160,000 from the button, and Hawrilenko called. The flop came a provocative {9-Spades}

. Hawrilenko checked, Kay bet 140,000, and Hawrilenko asked Kay how much he had behind.

Kay had to answer more than once to be heard -- about 1.1 million and change, he said.

Hawrilenko then reraised to 340,000. Kay thought about it for a couple of minutes, while three or four more celebs were being introduced, then folded, patting the felt and telling Hawrilenko he'd played a good hand.

Not sure the Full Tilt pro heard him.

Kay still has that 1.1 million, while Hawrilenko is up over 1.3 million.

07-02-2009 09:21 UTC-12

St. Hilaire Millionaire x2

[user77326]

Rory Matthews made an open raise to 48,000 from the button. James St Hilaire then popped it up to 155,000. Matthews thought for a few moments before announcing all in. St Hilaire made the call rather quickly.

Matthews showed the {5-Clubs}

with St Hilaire showing {K-Spades}

.

The board ran out {A-Clubs}

. St Hilaire doubled to 2,100,000 while Matthews is down to 300,000.