Champions Invitational | 2009 WSOP Champions Invitational

06-01-2009 22:49 UTC-8

All In and a (No) Call

After Robert Varkonyi made another preflop raise, Dan Harrington pushed all in for another 23,000. Varkonyi thought better of it and will wait for another hand.

06-01-2009 22:43 UTC-8

Jack Binion in the House

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Jack Binion has arrived to present the inaugural Binion Cup to the winner.

06-01-2009 22:33 UTC-8

Harrington Doubles Up

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Down, but not quite out. After pushing his chips in preflop, Dan Harrington doubled through Rob Varkonyi immediately after taking the big hit, with Harrington’s {K-Hearts}

outrunning Varkonyi’s {A-Clubs}

on an interesting {K-Clubs}

board.

Harrington has since grabbed the blinds a couple of times to move back up to about 25,000.

Tags: Dan Harrington

06-01-2009 22:29 UTC-8

Varkonyi Doubles Through Harrington

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Dan Harrington picked a rough moment to try a check-raise from the small blind with {3-Hearts}

, running squarely into Robert Varkonyi’s waiting {A-Diamonds}

. After Varkonyi moved all in, Harrington called, but watched most of his stack disappear when the board rolled out {8-Diamonds}

. Harrington slid down to 7,700 with the hit, while Varkonyi jumped to 71,000.

Tags: Dan Harrington Robert Varkonyi

Level: 11

Blinds: 800/1,600

Ante: 200

06-01-2009 22:06 UTC-8

Can’t Buy This One

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tom McEvoy hung in in a recent hand against Dan Harrington’s action and took down a healthy pot as a reward. With over 7,000 in the middle, the flop came {3-Diamonds}

; McEvoy checked, Harrington bet 4,000, and McEvoy called.

The turn brought the {A-Spades}

. McEvoy checked again, and again Harrington fired, this time for 9,000. McEvoy called again after only a brief pause.

The river was the {J-Hearts}

. McEvoy checked again, but this time Harrington checked behind. McEvoy showed A-7 for two pair and Harrington mucked.

Tags: Tom McEvoy

06-01-2009 21:53 UTC-8

First Showdown of Level

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Forty-seven minutes into the level, a hand reached showdown. Varkonyi made it 3,500 from the small blind preflop, with McEvoy calling from the big. The flop came {K-Hearts}

; Varkonyi checked, McEvoy bet 5,000, and Varkonyi called. The action went check-check on the {2-Diamonds}

turn. The river brought the {3-Hearts}

, and Varkonyi led out for 5,000. McEvoy hesitated but called, then mucked when Varkonyi showed A-K.

Tags: Robert Varkonyi Tom McEvoy

06-01-2009 21:37 UTC-8

More than half of Level 10 has elapsed and the players have yet to see their first showdown. It’s turned into a chess match, with a single raise enough to take down the pot in most of the last dozen hands.

06-01-2009 21:19 UTC-8

Harrington Defends, Too

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Robert Varkonyi made his third straight button raise, and whereas last time Tom McEvoy played back from the small blind, this time Dan Harrington did the same from the big. Harrington called, then checked the {8-Hearts}

flop. Varkonyi bet 7,000 and Harrington called again. The turn was the {2-Clubs}

; Harrington checked and Varkonyi checked behind. The river was the {J-Hearts}

and Harrington pushed out a thin bet of 7,000. Varkonyi pondered before tossing his cards away.

Tags: Dan Harrington

06-01-2009 21:11 UTC-8

McEvoy Defends, Stretches Edge

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

After three straight hands where the button player won a small pot after a preflop or postflop raise, Tom McEvoy played back at Robert Varkonyi from the small blind after Varkonyi made it 3,500 from the button. McEvoy repopped it to 10,500 and Varkonyi went away.

Tags: Robert Varkonyi Tom McEvoy