Phi Nguyen is no stranger to poker. He has more than $1.8 million in lifetime tournament winnings, including two World Series of Poker bracelets. The first came in the $2,500 No Limit Hold'em tournament at the 2003 WSOP, where he defeated a final table that included Mike "The Mouth" Matusow, Kenna James, Steve Zolotow, and T.J. Cloutier. The very next year, Nguyen captured his second bracelet by taking down the $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Shootout, defeating the likes of Daniel Negreanu and John Juanda at that final table. Needless to say, Nguyen is a forced to be reckoned with here in the Big Event.
In a recent hand, there was about 25,000 in the pot and a flop of when Nguyen check-called a bet of 15,500 from the button. Both players then checked the turn, which was followed by the on the river. This time Nguyen took the initiative and bet 37,000. The button conceded the hand as Nguyen chipped up to 250,000.
Action folded to the cutoff seat and he raised to 12,000. Winner of the 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event Joe Hachem moved all in from the big blind. HIs opponent gave it up and Hachem scooped the pot to move into six-figure territory. He's on 105,000 now.
With a little over 145,000 chips in the middle, Victor Ramdin bet 80,000 into Ryan Hughes on the board of . Hughes sat in the tank for a while, but eventually committed the chips to make the call.
When Hughes pushed the chips over the line to call, Ramdin immediately tabled the . Hughes mucked his hand and Ramdin raked in the pot to move closer to 1.2 million.
Action folded over to Hiren Patel in middle position. He put in a raise to 11,500. World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner Shawn Busse called from the hijack seat and everyone else folded, leaving play heads up to the flop.
The flop came down and Patel fired a continuation bet of 13,500. Busse thought for a minute and then made the call to see the turn.
Fourth street brought the and both players checked before the dealer placed the out on the river. Patel fired 21,500 and Busse went into the tank. After a minute or two, he announced that he was all in. Patel quickly tossed his hand into the muck and took the hit to 78,000 in chips. Busse increased to 240,000.
Action folded to a short-stacked Joe Hachem on the button and he moved all in for his last 42,500. Alan Snow made the call from the small blind and the cards were turned up:
Snow:
Hachem:
The 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion was ahead and stayed there as the board ran out . Hachem is now up to around 90,000.
Victor Ramdin raised to 12,000 from early position with only to have a short-stacked player move all in for 33,000 more on the button. Ramdin had chips to spare and made the call; however, he was dominated by the button's .
When the board read , Ramdin yelled, "Queen."
"Don't be so greedy," Hachem joked as the was put out on the river. Ramdin took a tiny hit to his monster stack and laughed it off.
Daivd "ODB" Baker was all in preflop for his last 50,000 or so with and dominated by his opponent's . Luckily for Baker, the flop paired his four to give him the lead. The turn and river changed nothing and he doubled to around 100,000.
We got to the table with the flop of in the middle of the felt. Rom Segal and Craig Bergeron were the two players involved and Segal out of position. Segal had a bet of 30,800 laid out in front of him and action was on Bergeron. The two went back and forth with some table talk before Bergeron announced that he was raising. He then took a minute before making the raise, which was for all of his chips, 100,800 total, or 70,000 more.
Segal now went into the tank. He thought and thought while chatting a bit with Bergeron. After a minute or two went by, the tournament staff announced for everyone to hold up play as the field had gotten down to 57 players. If Segal were to make the call, Bergeron could potentially be the bubble boy.
Segal tanked and tanked for several more minutes. He finally pulled a quarter out of his pocket and announced that he was going to flip it. "If it's heads, I'll call," he said.
Segal flipped the coin and after a few bounces on the table, George Washington's head laid facing up. "I'm sorry, buddy," said Segal as he pushed the chips over the line to make the call. The cards were then tabled.
Bergeron showed the for two overcards to the flop and a diamond flush draw. Segal held the for top pair. He also had one of Bergeron's overcards dominated and a diamond to take away one of his flush outs.
The turn brought the , which meant that a chop would happen if a non-diamond ten fell on the river. The river completed the board with the and that wasn't what Bergeron was looking for. He got up for his chair and made his way to the exit, bubbling the $5,000 Main Event here at The Big Event at The Bicycle Casino.
when Nguyen check-called a bet of 15,500 from the button. Both players then checked the 
turn, which was followed by the 
on the river. This time Nguyen took the initiative and bet 37,000. The button conceded the hand as Nguyen chipped up to 250,000.
. Hughes sat in the tank for a while, but eventually committed the chips to make the call.
. Hughes mucked his hand and Ramdin raked in the pot to move closer to 1.2 million.
and both players checked before the dealer placed the 
out on the river. Patel fired 21,500 and Busse went into the tank. After a minute or two, he announced that he was all in. Patel quickly tossed his hand into the muck and took the hit to 78,000 in chips. Busse increased to 240,000.
only to have a short-stacked player move all in for 33,000 more on the button. Ramdin had chips to spare and made the call; however, he was dominated by the button's 
was put out on the river. Ramdin took a tiny hit to his monster stack and laughed it off.
. Luckily for Baker, the 
flop paired his four to give him the lead. The 
river changed nothing and he doubled to around 100,000.
for two overcards to the flop and a diamond flush draw. Segal held the 
and that wasn't what Bergeron was looking for. He got up for his chair and made his way to the exit, bubbling the $5,000 Main Event here at The Big Event at The Bicycle Casino.