2008 World Series of Poker

Event 13 - $2,500 No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aa
Prize
$666,777
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Entries
1,390
Level Info
Level
24
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Lightning Strikes Twice

It's rare enough when one table manages to deal out pocket aces, pocket kings, and pocket queens on the same hand. It's even more rare when that happens twice in the same tournament, which is exactly what just happened.

Marco Tribuiani held pocket aces and managed to triple up after two other players, one holding pocket kings and the other holding pocket queens managed to get all their money in preflop. Marco's aces held up and after the hand he's up to 66,000.

Nothing Personal

Paul Kobel was thinking about calling a 7,400 all-in bet when the player whose chips were already in the middle said, "You're torturing me, man!"

Kobel politely said, "I wouldn't do that, I'm just thinking." Kobel finally made the call, his {A-Spades} {10-Spades} led his opponent's {K-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds}, and he ended up winning the pot. He now sits with 51,000.

Tags: Paul Kobel

Level: 9

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 100

Eli Chops It Up

Eli Elezra and Lee Watkinson both limped into a pot preflop along with the big blind player who checked his option. The flop came {K-Diamonds} {J-Spades} {5-Hearts} and Eli fired 2,500 into the middle. Lee made the call while the big blind made it 10,700 to go. Eli called and Lee folded.

The turn came the {10-Spades} and Eli made it 15,00 to go. His opponent called and the river brought the {Q-Hearts}. Both players checked and Eli smalled the table saying "Son of a ..." upset over the river planting a straight to anyone holding an ace.

Eli, disappointed, turned over K-J for top two pair, anticipating that his opponent would show an ace for the nut straight. Instead his opponent turned over K-J as well for a chopped pot. Confused and shocked, Eli grabbed the four cards and stared at them, deciding whether or not he actually chopped the pot.

While that was going on, Lee chucked and said, "I folded A-10."

Slowly Approaching the Money

Things have certainly screeched to a halt here inside the Amazon room. With just 100 players to go until the money is reached, we've seen a lot more folding than calling during the last level. Bust-out hands and large pots seem to be a rarity as each remaining player tries to hang in there just a little bit longer.

We're sure once the money is reached that the bust-outs will fly in rapid succession, though we're thinking that won't be anytime this evening.

Theo Tran Takes a Hit

Theo Tran
Theo Tran
Seemingly determined to final-table every no-limit event at this year's World Series, Theo Tran is once again near the top of our chip counts. He took a hit in a hand where his A-6 was dominated by A-K, but even though both players hit an ace on the river (and the player with Big Slick had flopped a king) Tran only lost the 8,000 bet he made on the river. Despite losing that hand Tran still sits with 90,000.

Tags: Theo Tran

Theo Bounces Back

Theo Tran called a 2,600 raise preflop from Jared Hamby, as did a player in the big blind. The flop came {J-Hearts} {6-Spades} {4-Clubs} and Hamby led out for 3,800. Theo made the call but the big blind folded. The turn came the {5-Hearts}, Hamby checked and Theo fired 5,500 into the pot, then Hamby moved all-in for his remaining chips.

Theo made the call and showed pocket sixes for a flopped set while Hamby turned over 10-7 for an open-ended straight draw. The {9-Diamonds} failed to improve Hamby and he was eliminated while Theo moved up to 125,000.

Tags: Theo Tran

Hasan Habib is Eliminated

Hasan Habib
Hasan Habib
After the player in the cutoff raised to 3,000 Hasan Habib moved in for his last 10,000 holding {A-Hearts} {K-Hearts}. He was in the lead against {J-Clubs} {10-Hearts} but a jack spiked on the flop, Hasan never caught up, and he was eliminated.

Tags: Hasan Habib