2011 World Series of Poker

WSOP Rematches
Day: 1

And We're Going to Play Another!

Sam Farha wins leg 2
Sam Farha wins leg 2

On a {6-Diamonds}{7-Hearts}{6-Clubs} board, Moneymaker bet 375,000 before Farha once again reraised all in. This time Moneymaker snap called and turned over {8-Spades}{8-Clubs} which had a solid lead over the {A-Spades}{7-Diamonds} of Farha.

Moneymaker was in primed position to double up and take a near 2 to 1 chip lead but it was not to be. He avoided the five outs on the turn with the {4-Diamonds} but the {A-Hearts} hit the river and leg 2 in this best of 3 match-up is given to Sammy Farha.

Farha Moves In

With the blinds now 8,000-16,000 with a 2,000 ante, Farha limped his button and Moneymaker raised to 460,000. Farha called and the two saw a {9-Spades}{8-Hearts}{k-Spades} flop. Farha check raised Moneymaker's 400,000 chip bet all in. Farha had Moneymaker covered by just a few hundred thousand and the 2003 Main Event winner let it go.

Moneymaker Earns a Double

Sam Farha and Chris Moneymaker now even in chips
Sam Farha and Chris Moneymaker now even in chips

Farha was continuing to grind down Moneymaker, doing his best to never to give him a good chance to win a significant amount of chips.

On Moneymakers double up hand, Farha limped his small blind to 100,000 and Moneymaker made it 400,000 to go.

Farha called and the two saw a {K-Spades}{6-Clubs}{6-Spades} flop. Farha checked to Moneymaker who fired out 400,000 before Farha quickly moved all in. Without much thought Moneymaker called with {A-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds} and was ahead of the {9-Spades}{4-Spades} flush draw of Farha. It was tough to tell exactly what Moneymaker said to Farha when he called but it appears Moneymaker believed his Ace high was currently ahead.

With Farha actually being a slight favorite to win the hand, the {j-Clubs} turn made Moneymaker a big favorite all of the sudden, taking the lead as well as seven of Sammy's outs. Farha bricked the {8-Clubs} river again and Moneymaking takes a slight chip lead.

Blinds Closing in on Moneymaker

We have just raised the blinds to 40,000-80,000 with a 10,000 chip ante. Moneymaker still has about 2.2 million and is in good shape for now but with the speed of the blinds he will need to find a way to pick up chips in the next 20 minutes.

Aggression Picks Up

It should have been a surprise to no one that the Chan/Hellmuth matchup produced a lot of limping on the button, even with less than ten or five big blinds. In fact, Chan didn't three bet the entire match that lasted over 60 hands.

It is even less surprising, however, that Farha and Moneymaker have been mixing it up quite a bit. Each raises his button consistently and each has also three bet numerous times. Sammy Farha just four bet Moneymaker who quickly folded and has now worked his way to 6.4 million.

Farha Climbing

Moneymaker raised preflop and Farha defending his big blind. The two saw a flop of {j-Spades}{6-Clubs}{9-Hearts} and was checked twice. The {2-Diamonds} turn card inspired Farha to bet 200,000 which Moneymaker called.

The river was the {2-Clubs} and this time Farha led for 375,000. Moneymaker called but mucked his hand when Farha showed {q-Spades}{9-Clubs} for Queens and Deuces.

He is now nearing 6 million chips.

Trips Are Good For Moneymaker

With 310,000 already in the pot on a board of {4-Clubs}{6-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{6-Diamonds}{j-Diamonds}, Moneymaker fired 275,000 into Farha who called. Moneymaker showed the {8-Spades}{6-Clubs} for trips and has chipped up to about where he started this leg of the match.

He won the next pot as well and is now sitting with 3.1 million.

Farha Holding Strong

There have been a few preflop raises and continuation bets that have worked for both players. Right now, however, Sammy Farha has been the aggressor more often and has chipped up to almost 6 million.

The blinds are still low though and there will be a lot of freedom to play for at least the next 20-30 minutes with the current stack sizes.

Moneymaker Off to Another Good Start

For the second match the two players will reverse chip stacks and pretend that Farha had the chip lead when they battled back in 2003.

However, that didn't stop Moneymaker from scooping the first pot and already digging out of a hole that Farha has now twice unsuccessfully done.