$10,000 No Limit Hold'em Championship Day 3 | 2009 L.A. Poker Classic

02-23-2009 15:03 UTC-7

Another Deck in Play at Table 40?

Tournament Director Matt Savage has had to issue a warning to all of the players at Table 40. It seems that several marked cards have been found at that table already today, including on a new deck that had only been in play for ten minutes. With all of the money that's up for grabs, is it any wonder that players are looking for all possible edges?

02-23-2009 15:01 UTC-7

Unkind Rivers for Esfandiari, Akkari

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Antonio Esfandiari has fallen back to the pack a bit through one level of play today. He displayed some frustration in a recent hand where, on a board of {3-Spades}

, Esfandiari bet 48,000. His opponent called with {J-Diamonds}

, having flopped a huge draw and filled it on the river. Esfandiari let out a cry of frustration as he turned over {A-Diamonds}

, having flopped the same straight. Once the pot was chopped, Esfandiari's count stood at about 330,000.

Two tables down, Andre Akkari bet 22,000 into a pot of 30,000 with the board showing {8-Hearts}

. Akkari's opponent agonized over his decision but ultimately moved all in for 48,000 total. Akkari quietly stated, "I call," showing {A-Hearts}

for a flopped two pair. Akkari's opponent turned over {A-Clubs}

but was bailed out by a river {8-Clubs}

, which overcoated Akkari's two pair and gave his opponent aces and eights with a better kicker.

Akkari still has 64,000 chips.

Tags: Andre Akkari Antonio Esfandiari

02-23-2009 14:55 UTC-7

Top Ten Chip Counts

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With one level now behind us on Day 3, here's an updated look at your top ten chip stacks, courtesy of www.worldpokertour.com:

Kofi Farkye - 447,000
Mike Sowers - 371,000
Antonio Esfandiari - 327,000
Cody Slaughbaugh - 290,000
Zach Hyman - 260,000
Haralabos Voulgaris - 257,000
Chris Karagulleyan - 242,000
Anthony Venturini - 212,000
KJ Nam - 200,500
Bertrand Grospellier - 195,000

Tags: Kori Farkye

Level: 13

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 200

02-23-2009 14:42 UTC-7

Game On

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The remaining 144 players have returned to their seats and the cards are back in the air.

02-23-2009 14:32 UTC-7

The First Break

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We've reached the end of the level. Players are on a ten-minute break.

02-23-2009 14:11 UTC-7

Phan and Nguyen Up the Theatrics

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John Phan opened a pot to 2,600 from the button. Men "the Master" Nguyen was in the small blind and moved all in for an additional 43,000.

"Game's on," said Phan with a grin.

"Game on," agreed Nguyen.

"You want action?"

"I don't give a shit," said Nguyen as he stood up from the table. "I move all in so that you have to make a decision. Now make your decision. If you fold and show, I'll show. If you don't show, I won't."

"These guys don't realize the Academy Awards were last night," Mickey "Mouse" Mills muttered to the player on his left.

Phan gave the matter some thought for about a minute, then open-mucked {6-Diamonds}

and called out for a Coronoa. Nguyen showed {A-Spades}

.

"I didnt want to gamble with you," Phan told Nguyen. "If it were Mickey, I'd gamble in a heartbeat."

Tags: John Phan Men Nguyen Mickey Mills

02-23-2009 14:08 UTC-7

Young Doubles Through Kottler

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2007 WSOP bracelet winner Ryan Young has just doubled through to 77,000 chips after his pocket aces bested Jeremy Kottler's ace-king in a preflop all-in confrontation. The board ran out queen-high and Young's aces reigned supreme, clinching the double up.

Tags: Ryan Young

02-23-2009 14:05 UTC-7

Farkye Terrorizing His Table

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We came to Kofi Farkye's table to see what he has been up to so far this morning. Teddy "Iceman" Monroe related a recent hand in which a player opened for 8,000 and Farkye reraised to 30,000. The initial aggressor then moved all in for about 75,000 and Farkye called. His opponent showed {A-?}

; Farkye, apparently, held the powerhouse {2-Hearts}

. Of course, neither player hit the board until a deuce fell on the river to make Farkye the winner and knock his opponent out.

"It was the wildest call I've seen in a while," said Monroe. We counted Farkye's stack at 460,000. His call demonstrated that those chips don't mean that much to him and as a result, the rest of his table is watching him very warily.

Tags: Kofi Farkye

02-23-2009 13:50 UTC-7