WPT Merit Cyprus Classic Championship | 2009 WPT Merit Cyprus Classic

Level: 24

Blinds: 40,000/80,000

Ante: 10,000

09-12-2009 18:55 UTC+3

Scoreboard Update

[user38449]

Uri Keidar - 2,400,000
Thomas Bichon - 2,340,000
Steven Fung - 1,325,000
Rep Porter - 590,000

09-12-2009 19:04 UTC+3

We just can't seem to find our next elimination. Rep Porter is now the short stack. He's moved in several times without being called. Most recently, Uri Keidar opened the pot to 175,000 from the small blind. Porter squeezed his cards and then moved in for 515,000 total, a raise of 340,000 back to Keidar. Keidar stared Porter down for a minute and then, despite getting better than two-to-one on his money, folded his hand.

The fold drew a guffaw from John Monnette, seated in the gallery. "Nice hand, Rep," he said with a snicker.

Tags: Rep Porter Uri Keidar

09-12-2009 19:23 UTC+3

Bichon Approaching 3 Million

[user38449]

Chip leader Thomas Bichon just moved one step closer to three million in chips after a recent heads-up pot against Steven Fung.

In a limped pot, Bichon led out with a min-bet of 80,000 on the {K-Spades}

flop and Fung made the call.

Both players checked the {10-Clubs}

on the turn, but when the {6-Spades}

fell on the river, Bichon bet 200,000. Fung took less than a minute to make the call, only to see Bichon turn over the {Q-Spades}

for a flush. Fung mucked his cards.

Tags: Steven Fung Thomas Bichon

09-12-2009 19:44 UTC+3

Porter Doubles through Fung

[user75032]

Porter all smiles as he survives that all in

After a half-hour without even so much as a flop, we finally had a showdown. Rep Porter opened the action to 220,000 preflop. After Thomas Bichon folded, Steven Fung moved all in for 1.4 million.

Uri Keidar hasn't played a hand all day (it seems) so it was little surprise that Keidar didn't play this one either. That moved the action back to Porter. He took a glance over his shoulder at the tournament clock, which had five minutes left until the next blind increase. That may have prompted Porter to gamble; he called all in for 1.08 million total.

Porter: {A-Diamonds}

Fung:

Porter was in the lead, but the flop was full of potential, coming {a-Spades}

. Porter made aces; Fung had the nut flush draw. No spade hit the turn {7-Hearts}

or the river {A-Hearts}

. Porter secured the double-up.

"Nice hand," said Fung.

"Thank you, thank you," Porter replied. "Lucky lucky."

Tags: Rep Porter Steven Fung

Level: 25

Blinds: 50,000/100,000

Ante: 10,000

09-12-2009 19:55 UTC+3

Bichon Doubles; Porter Crippled

[user38449]

The pot of the tournament just went down, and its beneficiary was new chip leader Thomas Bichon.

Rep Porter opened the pot with a raise to 275,000. Bichon countered with a three-bet to 650,000.

"Do you have any idea how many chips you have, Thomas?" Porter asked. Bichon's chips were dirty stacked and quite difficult to count.

Tournament Director Jack McClellan stepped in to help.

"It's about two million total," McClellan offered.

Porter made the call.

The flop came down {5-Clubs}

and Bichon dove into the tank, emerging about three minutes later and firing a 450,000 bet. Porter wasted no time making his counter move.

"I'm all in," he said.

Just as quickly, Bichon made the call, tabling two red nines for the mortal nuts -- top set. Still very much alive though, Porter tabled {Q-Clubs}

and would be drawing to a flush.

Photographers and a few other nosy spectators swarmed the stage to watch the dealer fill out the rest of the board... {K-Spades}

,

.

Bichon's set held up, earning him the pot -- worth approximately 4.5 million in chips -- and the chip lead.

Porter meanwhile, was left crippled with under 50,000 in chips.

Tags: Rep Porter Thomas Bichon

09-12-2009 20:01 UTC+3

Impromptu Break

[user38449]

Due to some technical issues, the players have been sent on a quick break. Play will resume momentarily.

09-12-2009 20:13 UTC+3

Game On

[user38449]

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

09-12-2009 20:27 UTC+3

Porter Doubles, and Doubles, and Doubles Again

[user75032]

Don't count out Rep Porter just yet. Down to 30,000 chips, he managed to triple up with {K-Hearts}

all in against Steven Fung's {8-Hearts}

.

"Just your standard king-four versus eight-deuce all in," joked John Monnette from the gallery.

The next hand, Porter was all in for 75,000 from the big blind. His {10-Clubs}

beat Thomas Bichon's {A-Hearts}

when Porter turned an eight to make a pair.

"Six more!" Monnette shouted from the gallery.

Porter managed to fold one hand after that before moving in again with {A-Clubs}

. Bichon was in there with {K-Spades}

. On a board of {2-Clubs}

, Porter's aces were better than Bichon's kings, giving Porter another double-up.

We have Porter on 480,000 chips now. That's not much at these blinds, but it's better than 30,000.

Tags: Rep Porter