2008 World Series of Poker

Event 49 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$3,710,070
Entries
2,718
Players Left
2,718
Level Info
Level
26
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

Level: 9

Blinds: 500/1,000

Ante: 100

Russell Rustles Up Some Chips

From UTG position Russell Rosenblum shoved all in preflop holding {A-Spades} {A-Diamonds}. John Murphy reraised from the button with {10-Diamonds} {10-Spades} and isolated Rosenblum for a showdown. The pocket aces of Rosenblum held as the board evolved {7-Clubs} {9-Hearts} {4-Spades} {9-Diamonds} {8-Hearts}.

Rosenblum's double-up has his stack to around 17,000. Murphy, even after taking a hit, still has 42,000 in front of him.

Tags: John MurphyRussell Rosenblum

Allen Kessler Eliminated

Allen Kessler, who had just been on a monster run at his table, has been eliminated by Nancy Todd Tyner. Allen raised to 2,500 preflop and Nancy had called. The flop came {3-Clubs} {9-Clubs} {K-Spades} and Kessler moved all in. Nancy called and showed {K-Clubs} {10-Clubs} and was up against Allen's pocket nines which had flopped a set.

The turn was the {A-Clubs} and the {4-Clubs} on the river was no help to Allen.

Raining Kings

Hevad "Rain" Khan called an opponent's all-in on a flop of {10-Diamonds} {8-Diamonds} {9-Clubs} holding pocket kings. His opponent held pocket sixes and failed to improve, increasing Rain's chip stack up to 39,000.

Black Loses Stack

Andy Black just lost a big pot after running pocket queens into his opponent's pocket kings. His opponent was all in preflop and even though both players spiked a set on the flop, Andy couldn't improve to win the hand. After the hand, Andy is down to 20,000.

Joe Awada Eliminated

Joe Awada moved all-in preflop holding A-Q from the small blind. The player in the big blind called and showed A-K. Awada was out kicked and couldn't catch up to improve.

Pham Takes a Swim in River

David Pham called a player's all-in on a flop of {7-Diamonds} {10-Hearts} {J-Clubs}. Pham held {Q-Clubs} {9-Clubs} for an open-ended straight draw while his opponent had pocket fives. The {8-Clubs} fell on the river to make Pham's straight and he's up to 36,000 after eliminating the player.

Photo Shoot?

From out of nowhere, four striking women, who were dressed very elegantly, approached Young Phan at his table. They all four stood behind him and a Harrah's floor staff allowed a photographer to approach the table and snap a few pictures of Phan surrounded by these women.

After a few pictures at the table, Phan left and walked to the corner where they snagged a few more pictures. The girls posed with their arms around Phan, hugging him and mugging for the camera. It appeared as if a live photo shoot was taking place right inside the Rio.

"I think they're from Sapphires," one spectator mentioned.

They weren't. Young Phan has helped the magazine Rounder get distributed at casinos around the strip, like Bellagio and others. Phan explained to us that they were just taking some pictures for an upcoming issue and that they've actually taken his picture at several tournaments over the last few months.

Either way, we're pretty confident that not one player at his table minded. Not in the slightest.

Michael Craig Eliminated

Michael Craig reraised his opponent all in preflop. The showdown pitted Craig's {A-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} to this opponent's {A-Clubs} {4-Clubs}. Craig's opponent remarked, "This is a bad call," as he completed the action. Bad call or not, the flop was enough help to complete the nut flush and send Michael Craig to the rail as the board ran out {10-Clubs} {2-Clubs} {8-Clubs} {5-Spades} {4-Spades}.