Event 2 - $40,000 No Limit Hold'em Day 3 | 2009 World Series of Poker

Event 2 - $40,000 No Limit Hold'em

Day 3 Completed

05-30-2009 16:31 UTC-12

$40K Final Table Set, Haxton Leads

Shamus

Isaac Haxton will have the chip lead when the Event No. 2 final table begins Sunday

After three days of play, nine have emerged from what many have suggested to have been one of the toughest fields ever assembled for a no-limit hold'em event. Tomorrow's final table is set for $40,000 buy-in Special 40th Annual No-Limit Hold'em event. Isaac Haxton will be the chip leader when play begins Sunday afternoon.

After the cash bubble burst late Friday evening and four were quickly eliminated by the end of play, 23 of the original starting field of 201 were still alive when cards went in the air on Saturday. Four players -- Andrew Robl, Frank Kassela, David Chiu, and Neil Channing -- were eliminated within the first half-hour of play. Then it would take another hour-and-a-half before Andy Black was eliminated in 19th place.

Justin Bonomo maintained his chip lead as Matt Glantz, Clark Hamagami, Doshi Suresh, David Baker, and Brian Rast were all eliminated. Then came a huge three-way pot that saw Brian Townsend knocked out in 13th, and Alec Torelli surging into the chip lead with over 5 million thanks to his quad tens.

Haxton next eliminated Matthew Marafioti in 12th when his pocket kings held up against Marafioti's pocket queens. Then Greg Raymer knocked out Keith Lehr in 11th when the Fossilman's pocket jacks outlasted Lehr's ace-queen.

The players reassembled around a single table to play ten-handed. Haxton would assume the chip lead from Torelli in a huge hand in which Haxton flopped trip sixes when Torelli flopped top pair.

Tony G and Noah Schwartz were the short stacks for most of the latter stages of play, and finally Tony G was the one to miss out on tomorrow's televised final table.

Thanks for following today's coverage. And come back tomorrow at 2 p.m. Vegas time for all of the action from tomorrow's exciting final table!

05-30-2009 16:29 UTC-12

Official Final Table Seating Assignments and Chip Counts

[user25067]

Here's a look at our final nine, who will return to play down to a winner tomorrow at 2 p.m.

Seat 1 - Ted Forrest (560,000)
Seat 2 - Noah Schwartz (660,000)
Seat 3 - Alec Torelli (2,340,000)
Seat 4 - Isaac Haxton (5,955,000)
Seat 5 - Greg Raymer (3,345,000)
Seat 6 - Justin Bonomo (1,685,000)
Seat 7 - Lex Veldhuis (3,805,000)
Seat 8 - Dani Stern (1,300,000)
Seat 9 - Vitaly Lunkin (4,565,000)

05-30-2009 16:20 UTC-12

Tony G Eliminated in 10th Place ($172,120)

[user25067]

Alec Torelli led off the action with a raise to 150,000 from early position, Tony G called all in for his last 75,000 from the button and Vitaly Lunkin called as well from the small blind. Lunkin and Torelli checked down the {10-Diamonds}

board.

Tony G turned up {A-Hearts}

for a pair of sevens but Lunkin had him beat with {J-Hearts}

for a pair of tens. Tony G exited in 10th place, leaving us with our final table of nine.

Tags: Alec Torelli Tony G Vitaly Lunkin

Level: 24

Blinds: 30,000/60,000

Ante: 5,000

05-30-2009 15:58 UTC-12

Raymer Flies AA Again, Gets Nothing but Frequent Flier Miles

Shamus

Ted Forrest raised to 100,000 in middle position, and Greg Raymer pushed all in from the hijack seat. Forrest didn't take long to decide what to do.

"All in and a call at Table 144!"

Thus came the announcement. The media and spectators rushed forward in anticipation. The hands were revealed...

Forrest {A-Diamonds}

Raymer

Pocket rockets three times in three levels for Raymer. He lost the first two times. Now this time someone else has them, too!

The board ran out {7-Diamonds}

, and all those chips went back from whence they came.

Tags: Greg Raymer Ted Forrest

05-30-2009 15:52 UTC-12

Raymer Takes One

Shamus

Vitaly Lunkin raised to 150,000 from middle position, and Greg Raymer was his only caller in the small blind.

The flop came {9-Clubs}

. Raymer checked, Lunkin bet 225,000, and Raymer called. The turn was the {7-Hearts}

. Raymer checked, indicating his intention with just a slight tap of his index finger on the felt. Lunkin checked quickly as well.

The river was the {A-Hearts}

. Raymer again tapped the finger, and this time Lunkin scooted forward in his chair and moved as if to grab some chips. Then he thought better of it, and checked behind. Raymer turned over {A-Clubs}

, and Lunkin mucked.

Raymer is back to 2.52 million, while Lunkin has 3.95 million.

Tags: Greg Raymer Vitaly Lunkin

05-30-2009 15:37 UTC-12

Haxton Doubles through Torelli, Takes Chip Lead

Shamus

Chip leader Alec Torelli raised to 155,000 from middle position, and Isaac Haxton made the call behind him. The flop came {6-Diamonds}

. Torelli checked, and Haxton bet 400,000. Torelli deliberated for some time, then announced he was all in. Haxton called without hesitation.

Torelli {Q-Hearts}

Haxton

Haxton had flopped a set of sixes, and Torelli was in tough shape with his queens. The turn was the {10-Spades}

and the river the {3-Clubs}

, and Haxton took the hand.

Haxton also took the chip lead on that one, surging up to 5.52 million. Torelli, meanwhile, tumbles back down to 2.77 million.

Tags: Alec Torelli Isaac Haxton

05-30-2009 15:28 UTC-12

Cautious Play

Shamus

The first dozen hands since the dinner break have been almost exclusively raise-and-take-the-blinds, with only a single flop thus far. None of these ten wants to be the one to miss out on tomorrow's televised final table.

05-30-2009 15:11 UTC-12

Cards Are in the Air

Shamus

Players have returned to play until there is one more elimination.