We missed Chris Moneymaker's recent double, but a member of the tournament staff was kind enough to fill us in on the details.
According to him, a board saw Moneymaker and Vicki Russel engage in a raising war that saw the former get all in for right around 18,000.
Moneymaker:
Russel:
Moneymaker hit his flush draw after the dealer burned and turned the . The river blanked, and a distraught Russel sent a good portion of her chips to the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event champ.
"I was going to double or rebuy," Moneymaker admitted.
It's Saturday night here in Grantville, and despite the chilly weather, the horse races are getting underway. Directly below the banquet hall hosting the HPO Main Event are the indoor box seats, and right now it's packed with hopefuls looking to place their bets.
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course features a nationally acclaimed seven-furlong course which is simulcast across the nation's seven days each week. The remaining 27 players have a great view of the racetrack, but truth be told very few of them have taken a moment to gaze out the window.
Poker may be the story of the day up here, but down below it's all about the ponies.
Chris Moneymaker opened for 700 under the gun and received a call from Jason Thomas. Dennis Adams then called from the cutoff, Jr. Marquette called from the small blind, and Xiaowei Lu came along from the big.
Five players saw a flop of , and four checks put action on Adams. He promptly bet 2,300, only Lu called, and it was heads-up to the turn. Lu check-called a bet of 4,100, and then both players checked the river.
"Ace-king," Lu said without revealing his hand.
"Top two," Adams declared and tabled the . Lu simply shook his head and sent his cards to the muck.
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Kenneth "Hockey" Hock opened for 600 and then called when Joe Paese three-bet to 1,200. When the flop came out , Paese moved his short stack all in and Hock called. Paese tabled for a pair of aces, but his kicker was no good as Hock held . Neither the turn nor rivered helped Paese, and he fell with about ten minutes left in Level 5.
We stumbled upon a pot with around 15,000 in the middle and a board reading . Vicki Russel had a bet of 6,000 out in front of her and Jerry Wagner was debating what to do. Wagner spent some time in the tank, but eventually conceded the hand.
Russel then flashed the for a straight. "That's disgusting," was all Wagner could muster.
After John Kostelac limped from early position, Bradley Yazici raised to 650 from the button. Chris Hugel called from the big blind, Kostelac put in the the additional 650, and it was three-handed action to the flop. Two checks saw Yazici bet 1,200, Hugel fold, and Kostelac make the call.
Kostelac then check-called a bet of 3,000 on the before checking for a third time on the river. Yazici kept the pressure on with a bet of 4,500, but then snap-folded when Kostelac declared that he was all in for 12,500.
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board saw Moneymaker and Vicki Russel engage in a raising war that saw the former get all in for right around 18,000.
, and four checks put action on Adams. He promptly bet 2,300, only Lu called, and it was heads-up to the 
river.
. Lu simply shook his head and sent his cards to the muck.
for a pair of aces, but his kicker was no good as Hock held 
. Neither the turn nor rivered helped Paese, and he fell with about ten minutes left in Level 5.
. Vicki Russel had a bet of 6,000 out in front of her and Jerry Wagner was debating what to do. Wagner spent some time in the tank, but eventually conceded the hand.
for a straight. "That's disgusting," was all Wagner could muster.
flop. Two checks saw Yazici bet 1,200, Hugel fold, and Kostelac make the call.
before checking for a third time on the 
river. Yazici kept the pressure on with a bet of 4,500, but then snap-folded when Kostelac declared that he was all in for 12,500.
