Champions Invitational | 2009 WSOP Champions Invitational

06-01-2009 16:43 UTC-8

Break Time!

The players are off for a 20-minute break. It's also time to color up the green 25-denomination chips. We'll have revised chip counts as well in a few minutes -- the made-for-TV nature restricts much of the close-up access to the table.

06-01-2009 16:29 UTC-8

Berry Johnston Hanging On

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Berry Johnston continues to hang on without much for cards. Johnston dipped as low as 3,500 before taking down a pot after pushing from under the gun in a recent hand.

Johnston showed a five after the table folded around to him. He's since picked up another small pot but remains the short stack in play.

Tags: Berry Johnston

06-01-2009 16:22 UTC-8

Varkonyi Doubles Through McEvoy

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Yankees lover Robert Varkonyi still in the hunt

With the exception of one or two small pots, Robert Varkonyi found little traction here before doubling through Tom McEvoy. Varkonyi was under 10,000 before getting the last of his chips with {K-Diamonds}

against Tom McEvoy's {A-Hearts}

after a

flop. The kings held when the turn and river came {5-Clubs}

and

. Varkonyi moved over 15,000 with the much-needed pot.

Varkonyi is again wearing his trademark NY Yankees ballcap, after spending much of Day 1 seated next to Dan Harrington and Harrington's noted "St. Patrick's Day" green BoSox cap. Harrington has returned with his cap today as well.

Tags: Dan Harrington Robert Varkonyi Tom McEvoy

06-01-2009 16:15 UTC-8

Doyle Brunson Departs in Eighth

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Another three-way pot unfolded, and this one saw the exit of fan favorite Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson. Brunson, Tom McEvoy and Dan Harrington each saw a flop of {8-Clubs}

, with nearly 7,000 in the pot at that point.

Brunson led out for 7,000, McEvoy quickly made it 20,000, and Harrington folded. Brunson hesitated only a short time before pushing all in for a total of 16,275. He turned over {A-Hearts}

for the flush draw against McEvoy's pocket jacks.

The crowd exhorted a heart from the deck but neither that nor an ace would appear, with the turn the {K-Spades}

and the river the {4-Clubs}

. Brunson exited to the largest round of applause on the day.

Tags: Doyle Brunson Tom McEvoy

06-01-2009 16:02 UTC-8

A Bit Back for Carlos

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Carlos Mortensen remains the day's most active player. Mortensen just pulled in a 5,100 orphaned pot that saw three-way preflop action with Robert Varkonyi and Jim Bechtel.

Mortensen stabbed at by betting about three-fourths the pot on the river after the complete board read {9-Diamonds}

. Varkonyi and Bechtel folded and Mortensen gained back some ground.

Tags: Carlos Mortensen Jim Bechtel Robert Varkonyi

06-01-2009 15:49 UTC-8

Carlos Snapped Off by Action Dan

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Carlos Mortensen's Day 2 is off to a far rockier start than Day 1, when he was the runaway chip leader. Mortensen just dropped another middling-sized pot after bluffing for 2,500 on the river on a 9-high board. Dan Harrington sniffed out the bluff and called with a bare ace, which was good enough to take down the pot.

Tags: Carlos Mortensen Dan Harrington

06-01-2009 15:44 UTC-8

Battle of the M’s

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Carlos Mortensen and Tom McEvoy mixed it up early in the new level, with Mortensen opening with a raise from early position, and McEvoy reraising to 3,000. Mortensen called and the flop came {4-Clubs}

. Mortensen checked, McEvoy bet 5,000, Mortensen check-raised to 10,000, and McEvoy immediately pushed all in, for another 16,750.

The day’s first long think went to Mortensen, who finally laid it down after several minutes. McEvoy moved into the lead with the pot.

Tags: Carlos Mortensen Tom McEvoy

06-01-2009 15:36 UTC-8

Level 7 Begins

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After a shortened Level 6 carried over from last night's play, the blinds have jumped to 300/600 with antes of 75. A handful of small pots have gone down, with Huck Seed, Robert Varkonyi and Jim Bechtel each pulling in a small handful of chips.

Tags: Huck Seed Jim Bechtel Rob Varkonyi

Level: 7

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 75

06-01-2009 15:27 UTC-8

Peter Eastgate Exits in Ninth

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Peter Eastgate decided to make his move early, but the fly in the ointment was Dan Harrington, or rather, Harrington's pocket aces.

Eastgate's three-bet all-in pre-flop was met by Harrinton's easy call, and it looked like a rout: {A-Clubs}