(Hold'em) After a flop of , Ali Eslami checks, James Richburg bets 10,000, and Eslami calls. The turn card is the , Eslami bets his last 15,000, and Richburg calls. Eslami shows for a pair of fives, but he'll need to improve against Richburg's (pair of tens) to stay alive.
The last card is the , and Ali Eslami is eliminated in fifth place, earning $42,612. The next player eliminated will receive $54,913 for fourth place.
(Hold'em) With the board showing on the turn, James Richburg bets 20,000 from the small blind, Ali Eslami raises to 40,000 from the button, and Richburg calls. The river card is the , Richburg checked, Eslami bets 20,000, and Richburg calls.
Eslami shows for two pair, kings and sixes. But Richburg shows to win the pot with a diamond flush. Eslami is down to about 50,000 in chips.
Seat 1 - Ali Eslami is at his first WSOP final table, and if he finishes fourth or higher, it will be the biggest cash of his career. He finished in the top 50 of the 2004 WSOP Main Event for $45,000.
Seat 5 - James Richburg won a bracelet last year in Razz, and 16 years ago he came in second in $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo. This is his third WSOP final table.
Seat 6 - Tom Schneider won his first WSOP bracelet eight days ago, and he already has his eyes on his second. He's looking to become the first (only?) multiple bracelet winner of 2007.
Seat 7 - Walter Browne is a grandmaster chess player, who won the U.S. championship six times. (You can look him up on Wikipedia.) This is already his second final table of this year's WSOP -- he finished seventh in Event #10 ($2,000 No-Limit Hold'em). He spent his morning at an exhibition match where he played 22 players simultaneously. He was in a rush to get back to this tournament, and finished 15-1, with six draws. (He claims he normally has a 90% win percentage under those circumstances.) He left the match at 1:42 pm, and barely made it to the Rio in time for today's 2:00 pm start.
Seat 8 - Chris Bjorin is a top European pro, and easily the most experienced player at the table -- this is his 15th WSOP final table. He has two bracelets (from 1997 and 2000), and he made the final table of the 1997 WSOP Main Event (when Stu Ungar won his third championship). Bjorin has over $3 million in lifetime tournament winnings.
(Stud Hi-Lo) Ali Eslami scoops a pot with A-K for the high, and a 7-5-4-3-A for the low. Walter Browne can't beat either one, although he studies both hands for over a minute to be certain. Ali Eslami was all in, and he doubles up to about 145,000 in chips.
(Stud Hi-Lo) Ali Eslami is all in on sixth street with a 6-4-3-2-A low against Walter Browne. The last card is dealt, and Eslami scoops the pot with the low and two pair (sixes and deuces) for the high.
(Stud Hi-Lo) Ali Esmadi has the bring-in with the , Tom Schneider completes to 8,000, Walter Browne raises to 16,000, Schneider reraises to 24,000, and Browne calls. They both check on fourth and fifth streets. These are the boards on sixth street:
Tom Schneider: X X
Walter Browne: X X
On sixth street, Schneider checks, Browne bets 16,000, and Schneider calls. They both check after the last card, and Browne shows for two pair, kings and sevens, and no qualifying low. Schneider mucks, and Brown takes the entire pot.
The players are back from dinner, and ready to play seven card stud, eight or better. The ante is 2,000, the bring-in is 2,000, it costs 8,000 to complete, and the limits are 8,000-16,000.