2008 World Series of Poker

39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
6,844
Players Left
9
Next Payout
Place 9
$900,670
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
120,000 / 240,000
Ante
30,000

Mark Vos Up to His Old Tricks

Mark Vos and his chip tower
Mark Vos and his chip tower
Not too many players can say that they've had a tournament rule named after them, but Mark Vos has. The WSOP's tournament officials have implemented the "Mark Vos Rule" over the last two days which, in essence, states that players are not permitted to stack their chips in an unstable manner, as a whole lot of confusion could ensue should the stacks be knocked over. Yesterday, we reported that during one of the breaks, tournament officials were breaking down players' stacks that were deemed too unstable as to avoid this scenario.

The ginger-haired Aussie, known for stacking his chips in sky-high towers and often creating elaborate edifices from them, has gone back to his old tricks once again, his one million-plus in chips now stacked so high that he can barely see over them. The floor is keeping a close eye on his table as we speak, as his stack continues to grow in height.

Tags: Mark Vos

Um, Yeah, I Call

Ross Smith
Ross Smith
After an intriguing {5-Clubs} {5-Spades} {5-Diamonds} flop Nicholas Sliwinski checked and Ross Smith moved in for his last 255,000. One imagines that Sliwinski called as fast as is humanly possible because he held {Q-Hearts} {5-Hearts} for quad fives and Smith was drawing completely dead. Sliwinski is now up to 1.37 million.

Losev Launches Up Leaderboard

Nikokay Losev
Nikokay Losev
Ronald Adams raised to 30,000, and Nikolay Losev called him from the big blind.

The flop came {5-Spades}{Q-Spades}{7-Hearts}. Both checked. The turn was the {K-Diamonds}. Losev checked, Adams bet 60,000, and Losev called.

The river was the {J-Hearts}. This time Losev bet out 140,000. Adams responded by pushing all in. It would be over 200,000 more for Losev to call.

Losev tanked for several minutes. Finally the clock was called, and he let it count down to the last possible second before calling. Losev showed {K-Clubs}{J-Clubs}, and his two pair were good, besting Adams' {A-Hearts}{K-Spades}.

Adams is out. And with an hour of play left tonight, Losev finds himself near the top of the chip counts with 1.9 million.

Tags: Nikokay LosevRonald Adams

Benefield Pushes Jett Around

David Benefield
David Benefield
It was a raised pot between Chip Jett and David Benefield when the flop came down {A-Clubs} {6-Hearts} {5-Clubs}. Jett was first to act and checked to Benefield, who fired out a bet of 55,000. Jett thought it over for a little bit, then check-raised to 240,000.

Jett's raise put Benefield into the tank for a couple of minutes. He finally announced, "All in," and used both hands to push his whole stack out on the felt in front of him. Jett folded fairly quickly thereafter. Benefield took one more peek at his cards, then flashed the {9-Clubs}.

Jett retained 400,000 chips after the hand. Benefield is up to 1.22 million.

Anthony Zinno Eliminated

Anthony Zinno
Anthony Zinno
Anthony Zinno moved all in after a {Q-Hearts} {7-Diamonds} {6-Hearts} flop holding the {K-Hearts} {J-Hearts} and a flush draw. Charalampos Tsaoussis called with {A-Diamonds} {Q-Clubs} for top pair and that held up as the {J-Diamonds} came on the turn and the {2-Diamonds} on the river to eliminate Zinno from the tournament.

Ed Aister Eliminated

Ed Aister
Ed Aister
On a flop of {10-Diamonds}{6-Clubs}{5-Clubs} Ed Aister and Robert Ford committed their chips into the middle. Aister held {J-Spades}{10-Spades} for top pair but found himself up against the {K-Hearts}{K-Spades} of Robert Ford.

The turn was the {7-Spades} and river the {4-Clubs} to eliminate Aister from the tournament.

Tags: Ed AisterRobert Ford

Hoy Calls, Then Nickens Calls It

Dale Hoy raised to 30,000 from early position, and it folded around to Jimmy Nickens who pushed all in from the small blind. Hoy thought a moment, then made the call.

Right after Hoy called, Nickens called out "You got ace-jack or something?" "Yeah, absolutely," replied Hoy, turning over {A-Clubs}{J-Spades}. Nickens tabled {7-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}, and the race was on.

The flop came {2-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}{K-Diamonds}. The turn was the {6-Hearts}, and Nickens was still ahead. But the {J-Clubs} on the river ended his day. Hoy now has 860,000.

Tags: Dale HoyJimmy Nickens

Back with an Appetite

Michael Graffeo
Michael Graffeo
Alexander Kostritsyn has played just about every hand since we returned from the dinner break and in the course of one hand he eliminated Michael Graffeo. After Michael raised to 29,000 Kostritsyn reraised to 105,000 and Graffeo moved all in. Kostritsyn called and his {J-Diamonds} {J-Hearts} nosed out Graffeo's {10-Diamonds} {10-Spades}. Kostritsyn flopped a set and Graffeo was drawing dead by the turn, and his Main Event run came to an end.

Gus the Bluffer?

Am I bluffing?
Am I bluffing?
Gus Hansen raised to 50,000 from middle position, Reagan Silber reraised to 100,000 from the big blind and Hansen called. The flop was {A-Spades} {3-Hearts} {2-Spades}. Silber checked and Hansen bet 150,000.

"Nice bluff" said Silber as he mucked his cards.

"If he bluffed you, I give up poker for the rest of my life!" interjected Mike Matusow.

Tags: Gus HansenMike Matusow