Event 2 - $40,000 No Limit Hold'em | 2009 World Series of Poker

05-31-2009 16:39 UTC-12

Hand #102 - Isaac Haxton

Greg Raymer has the button in Seat 5. Isaac Haxton open-shoved for his entire 2,805,000 stack and won the blinds and antes.

05-31-2009 16:42 UTC-12

Hand #103 - Isaac Haxton

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Dani Stern has the button in Seat 8. Vitaly Lunkin limps in from the small blind and Isaac Haxton checks from the big blind.

The flop is {10-Diamonds}

. Lunkin checks over to Haxton, who bets 320,000. Lunkin gives up his hand and Haxton takes the pot.

05-31-2009 16:43 UTC-12

Hand #104 - Vitaly Lunkin

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Vitaly Lunkin has the button in Seat 9. He raises to 425,000 and picks up the blinds and antes.

05-31-2009 16:45 UTC-12

Hand #105 - Greg Raymer

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Isaac Haxton has the button in Seat 4. Greg Raymer calls from the small blind and Dani Stern checks his option.

The flop is {K-Hearts}

and both players check. The turn falls the {3-Spades}

and Raymer leads for 200,000. Stern mucks and Raymer wins the pot. He shows the {K-Clubs}

.

05-31-2009 16:47 UTC-12

Hand #106 - Vitaly Lunkin

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Greg Raymer has the button in Seat 5. He makes it 400,000 to go and Vitaly Lunkin three-bets to 1,200,000. Raymer folds and Lunkin wins the pot.

05-31-2009 16:48 UTC-12

After the previous hand in which Vitaly Lunkin pushed Greg Raymer out of the hand with that reraise, Raymer commented on the hand's dramatic possibilities.

"I don't think they're gonna show that one," said Raymer, referring to the future ESPN telecast. "Maybe if you had deuce-seven or something."

05-31-2009 16:53 UTC-12

Hand #107 - Isaac Haxton Doubles Through Dani Stern

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Dani Stern has the button in Seat 8. He limps in and Isaac Haxton moves all in for 3,185,000 from the big blind. Stern makes the call, having Haxton covered.

Haxton {K-Clubs}

Stern

The flop gives everyone a nice sweat, coming down {A-Clubs}

, Stern's fives still leading, but Haxton with the nut flush draw. He hits it on the turn when the {9-Clubs}

lands and quite literally, jumps in the air and pumps his fist as it lands. The river is the {6-Clubs}

and Haxton doubles to 6,530,000, while Stern is left with 1,450,000.

05-31-2009 16:54 UTC-12

Updated Chip Counts

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Following Haxton's big double up:

Greg Raymer -- 8,405,000
Vitaly Lunkin -- 7,630,000
Isaac Haxton -- 6,530,000
Dani Stern -- 1,450,000

05-31-2009 16:59 UTC-12

Hand #108 - Dani Stern Eliminated in 4th Place ($548,315)

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Vitaly Lunkin has the button in Seat 9. Dani Stern moves all in for 1,430,000 and Haxton, in the small blind, asks for a count. After a moment's consideration, he makes the call. Greg Raymer, in the big blind, shows the {J-Hearts}

before mucking.

Stern {Q-Hearts}

Haxton

The flop is {J-Diamonds}

, no help for Stern (though Raymer would have flopped top pair). The turn is the {2-Hearts}

, the river is the {2-Clubs}

and Stern exits in fourth place, shaking hands around the table. He'll take home $548,315 for his efforts.

Haxton is up to 8,180,000 in chips.

05-31-2009 17:00 UTC-12

"It Doesn't Get Any Easier"

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Following the elimination of Dani Stern, Greg Raymer commented to Isaac Haxton and Vitaly Lunkin on the relative toughness of the shrinking field:

"The problem is, you guys are knocking the tough players out, but it doesn't get any easier."

Indeed, it was an especially tough field with 201 players left. It was still tough with nine. And it remains so with three.