Event 1 - $10,000 Pot-Limit Hold'em World Championship Day 2 | 2008 World Series of Poker

06-01-2008 02:33 UTC-7

Standstill

donpeters

The play has become really stagnant these past few rotations. A simple raise preflop is generally more than enough to take down the blinds. All of the players in the tournament are sitting with decent stacks and don't feel that they are in trouble. In fact, spirits around the table seem high with jokes being cracked and regular conversation going on between the players.

There are also no antes in the structure of the tournament to speed up the play, another reason why the players may not be fighting for chips as much.

06-01-2008 02:42 UTC-7

Kabbaj Lays Down Ladies

donpeters

Just as action seemed like it was going nowhere, John Kabbaj raised under the gun to 60,000. Kathy Liebert called out of the small blind. Both players took a flop of {K-Clubs}

and Liebert checked. Kabbaj bet 140,000 but wasn't too thrilled to see Liebert raise him to 325,000. The crowd gathered around the table to see if this was going to be the hand to end the night, but after some thought Kabbaj folded Q-Q face-up.

According to Phil Laak, "Kathy is solid, she's not going to donk off to us degenerate, low-life gamblers here. She knows what she's doing." The table laughed for a second, then went right back to business.

Tags: John Kabbaj Kathy Liebert Phil Laak

06-01-2008 02:44 UTC-7

Gavin Smith Makes an Appearance

donpeters

Gavin Smith stumbled on in past the ropes and began chatting it up with the players at the table. He tried to push the action by saying, "You guys are still here? This is taking forever, just start shoving in!"

Gavin is sitting on one of the empty tables with some of the media crew, watching the action unfold.

Tags: Gavin Smith

06-01-2008 02:47 UTC-7

John Kabbaj Doubles Through Phil Laak

[user37786]

Play has slowed down now that we're down to ten and a WSOP final table is so close. John Kabbaj was the short stack and after Phil Laak raised to 62,000, he committed the last of his 116,000 to the pot. Laak made the call, a bit reluctantly, and turned over {K-Spades}

. Laak was right to hesitate, as Kabbaj had him dominated with the {A-Hearts}

and when the board of {3-Spades}

missed them both, Kabbaj doubled up to around 250,000.

Tags: John Kabbaj Phil Laak

06-01-2008 02:54 UTC-7

Aces Versus Kings!

donpeters

Kathy Liebert raised to 60,000 from early position. Action folded around to Mike Sexton who reraised to 210,000. Liebert then moved all in for 545,000 more and Sexton quickly called.

Sexton: {A-Clubs}

Liebert:

Sexton made a wheel when the board ran out 5-2-4-3. To add a little salt to the wound, a king hit the river but it didn't matter. Sexton doubled up to 1,150,000 while Liebert was knocked down to 540,000.

Tags: Kathy Liebert Mike Sexton

06-01-2008 02:55 UTC-7

On Break

[user37786]

The ten remaining players are taking a 20-minute break. We're also coloring up, so it might be a bit more than 20 minutes.

Level: 21

Blinds: 12,000/24,000

Ante: 0

06-01-2008 03:10 UTC-7

Back Again

donpeters

After another 20-minute break, the cards are back in the air.

06-01-2008 03:30 UTC-7

Bloch Has A Bajillion-million Chips

donpeters

Andy Bloch raised under the gun to 60,000. Mike Sowers flat-called from late position, as did Patrik Antonius from the big blind. The three players saw the flop of {K-Hearts}

.

Antonius checked, Bloch checked, and Sowers bet 115,000. Antonius folded, Bloch called.

The turn was the {6-Spades}

and both players checked. The same for when the {K-Diamonds}

hit the river, both checked.

Bloch turned over {9-Spades}

and Sowers mucked.

According to Phil Laak, who always seem to have something to say, "That's why he's got a bajillion-million chips. He's got telepathic, x-ray vision."

Bloch is now up to 1,800,000 in chips.

Tags: Andy Bloch Mike Sowers Patrik Antonius Phil Laak

06-01-2008 03:51 UTC-7

Classless?

donpeters

Chris Bell raised from early position to 70,000. Phil Laak reraised from the cutoff to 116,000 and Bell called.

On a flop of {Q-Spades}

, Bell checked to Laak and Laak bet 100,000. Bell thought for a while. He checked his chips, his hole cards, the tournament clock, his hole cards again, studied Phil, even checked his hole cards again. Laak sat still, only moving his right hand to shuffle chips. After a few minutes, Bell folded.

As the pot was getting pushed to Laak, Nenad Medic asked to see his hand. Laak said he'd show for $50. Bell jumped up and reached into his pocket and said, "I'll pay it." Laak then turned over pocket nines.

Bell jumped out of his chair and kicked the chair behind him in disgust. John Kabbaj saw Bell's hole cards and said he held pocket tens. Bell then pulled out two $20 bills and one $10 bill and tossed it across the table to Laak.

Kabbaj yelled over to Laak, "Now be nice and give him his money back. Show some class." Laak stayed collecting his chips and Kabbaj said again, "Come on man, have some class, you don't need $50."

Laak responded, "$50 is a lot of money," before he tossed a $10 bill back over to Bell for a discount.

Tags: Chris Bell John Kabbaj Nenad Medic Phil Laak