2008 World Series of Poker

Event 40 - $2,500 2-7 Triple Draw
Day: 3
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Prize
$151,896
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Entries
238
Level Info
Level
24
Blinds
13,000 / 25,000
Ante
0

Uchida Brings the Heat

Shun Uchida brought a lot of pressure to bear against Robert Mizrachi in the last hour before Mizrachi was eliminated from the tournament. Now he's doing the same thing to John Phan.

Once again, Phan was the pre-draw aggressor, opening the pot with a raise from the small blind. Uchida called from the big blind and drew three after Phan drew two. Phan bet, and Uchida called.

On the second draw, Phan took one to Uchida's two. Again Phan bet, and for the second time in as many hands, Uchida put Phan to the test with a raise.

Phan, who had put 19 stacks of yellow chips out in a "wall" at his end of the table, pulled the stacks back in front of him one by one, counting his chips along the way. He tanked for over a minute, then folded.

At this point, the chip stacks are fairly evenly spread, but Phan is bringing up the rear in third chip position.

Phan Loses the Chip Lead

John Phan has hit a rough stretch here towards the end of Level 20. He can't seem to win a hand. His latest loss came at the hand of Shun Uchida. Phan was pat after the second draw, and bet after Uchida took one. Uchida called. Phan stood pat again on the third draw. Uchida was also pat. Phan bet, and Uchida raised.

Phan went deep into the tank, for well over a minute. He finally laid down his hand. A few hands later, he told Uchida that he folded 8-7-5-4-2. Uchida didn't believe it at first, but one of Phan's supporters on the rail confirmed the laydown.

"You had eight-six. You didn't want me to break. I had 8-7-5. That's why I thought so long," Phan explained.

Tags: John PhanShun Uchida

Closing In

John Phan raised from the button, and Gioi Luong called from the big blind. Both took two cards on the first draw. Luong checked, Phan bet, and Luong called. On the second draw, both took just one card. Again, Luong check-called Phan's bet.

When Luong indicated he was standing pat on the third draw, Phan gave him a quick look. Then Phan asked for one card. Luong checked, and Phan thought for about 45 seconds before checking behind. Luong showed 9-5-4-3-2, and Phan mucked, shaking his head.

Luong has crept up to 485,000, while Phan has slipped back to 505,000. Uchida has 216,000.

Trouble for Phan?

Now that Shun Uchida has grabbed a few chips to bring himself closer to the other two players, play has slowed down considerably. Even John Phan is being more careful.

In a hand between Phan and Gioi Luong, Phan reraised out of the small blind after Luong raised the button. Luong called. Phan took one card on the first draw to Luong's two. Phan bet; Luong called.

Phan was pat on the second draw, while Luong again took two. Imagine Phan's surprise when Luong raised him after he bet. Phan tanked for over a minute, trying to decide what to do. Ultimately, he mucked his hand and claimed he folded 8-7-6.

During the hand, a cocktail server delivered ten beers to the table that Phan ordered. For the moment, they are lined up in two rows of five on an adjoining table.

Tags: Gioi LuongJohn Phan

Another One for Shun

Shun Uchida
Shun Uchida
Shun Uchida has chipped back up and is now close to Luong in chips. They recently tangled in a hand in which Uchida bet all of the way to the third draw, then stood pat. Luong took one, and both checked. Uchida showed an 8-7-5-4-3, and Luong mucked.

Uchida is up to 245,000. Luong has 306,000. And Phan continues to enjoy a large lead with 655,000.

Uchida Chips Up

John Phan is starting to redistribute a few chips to the table. He raised before the first draw, and Shun Uchida called from the small blind. Uchida took one on the first draw, bringing a surprised clucking of the tongue from Phan, who took three. Uchida bet, and Phan called.

On the second draw, Uchida took one again. "I'm supposed to take one," said Phan, "but I'm taking two. I'm gambling. I'm always lucky on the second street." Uchida bet and again Phan called.

Uchida was pat on the third draw. Phan took one, then tanked after Uchida checked to him. Ultimately, he also checked. Uchida opened 8-7-5-4-2.

"I made a six," joked Phan, showing a deuce-to-six straight and mucking his hand.

Tags: John PhanShun Uchida

Jockeying for Position

After racing up over 600,000, John Phan has been taking it easy the last few orbits, letting the others battle while playing few hands. He's moved over to the next seat in order to balance the table.

Phan just now got briefly involved in a blind-vs.-blind hand with Luong. After the second draw, Luong bet out and Phan quizzed him for a while while rearranging his numerous stacks of chips near his new seat. "You got it," he finally conceded.

Meanwhile, Maria Ho just stopped by and asked Shun Uchida if he was better at Deuce-to-Seven than hold'em. He smiled and shook his head.

And Then There Were Three

With Shun Uchida desperately clinging to his short stack, it looks like we're barreling down to a heads-up finale between John Phan and Gioi Luong. After the two exchanged sharp words earlier in the day, it almost has to be that way. We'll see if Shun Uchida can do anything about that between now and then.

The updated chip counts are:

Phan - 625,000
Luong - 390,000
Uchida - 240,000