Event 39 - $1,500 No Limit Hold'em Day 2 | 2009 World Series of Poker

06-21-2009 16:06 UTC-12

Cantu On a Roll

[user66118]

Look out, field. Brandon Cantu is coming.

We walked past his table just in time to spot him calling down Mark Newhouse in a preflop all in. Newhouse showed pocket eights, and Cantu had two queens. The board improved neither player, and Cantu eliminated Newhouse.

Just moments later, Cantu opened a pot from middle position, raising it up to 13,100. A few seats down, Mimi Tran moved all in for about 45,000, and Cantu called her down as well. She showed {A-Diamonds}

, in bad shape against her opponent's {A-Spades}

. The board was empty: {4-Hearts}

, and Cantu's ace-king high took it down.

In the span of just two or three minutes, Cantu has eliminated two very dangerous players, leapfrogging to the top spot on the leader board with 485,000.

Tags: Brandon Cantu Mark Newhouse Mimi Tran

06-21-2009 16:09 UTC-12

Playing the Board

[user66118]

Alex Jacob was all in for about 55,000 holding {A-Diamonds}

against an opponent's {K-Diamonds}

.

The community cards ran out {Q-Spades}

. Both players played the flush on board, and no chips changed hands.

Tags: Alex Jacob

06-21-2009 16:10 UTC-12

More Frustration for Kang

[user75032]

Benjamin Kang looks to have doubled up since we last checked in on him, but he was just stymied again -- this time by Ray Davis.

Kang opened the pot for 10,500 from middle position. Action folded to Davis in the big blind, who quickly pushed a whole bunch of chips in the middle. The exact count was 54,000. Kang sighed, shooked his head, and pitched his cards to the dealer.

Tags: Benjamin Kang

06-21-2009 16:24 UTC-12

Nam Le Multitabling

[user66118]

The player in the cutoff seat raised to 12,000 first into the pot. The player on the button moved all in with a big stack, and action came to Nam Le in the big blind. He went into the tank for a minute or so before making the overcall, committing his final 68,200 chips to the pot. The original raiser ducked out to let the two live players duke it out.

Showdown
Button: {Q-Clubs}

Nam Le:

The flop was favorable for Le, giving him another king. In the end, the board read {8-Diamonds}

. Le wins the race, doubling his way up to 144,000 or so.

It's quite an accomplishment for Le, who as we mentioned, is playing two Day 2's today. That ace-king double up bumped him back to a slightly above average stack here in Event #39. He's also still plugging along with 40,000 in Event #40.

Tags: Nam Le

06-21-2009 16:29 UTC-12

A Banner Day

[user75032]

When you're running good, you're running good. Steve Banner called a 35,000-chip all-in raise from a player in early position. It was a coin flip situation, with Banner's {9-Clubs}

against the all-in player's {A-Hearts}

. The board flopped and turned monsters for the all-in player, {A-Diamonds}

. But the river was the dreaded two-outer, the {9-Diamonds}

. It gave Banner another pot as we approach the next break.

Tags: Steve Banner

06-21-2009 16:29 UTC-12

Break Time

[user75032]

We've reached the next break. This will be a thirty-minute break to allow the staff to color up the 100-denomination chips.

06-21-2009 16:30 UTC-12

Hold the Action!

[user66118]

The clock has been paused, and the players are on a 30-minute break. During that time, the black T100 chips will be raced off and colored up.

Level: 17

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 500

06-21-2009 16:59 UTC-12

Play Resumes

[user66118]

We're back in action.

06-21-2009 17:23 UTC-12

A Brutal Exit for Ta

[user66118]

Napoleon Ta was all in for about 130,000 before the flop holding {A-Clubs}

, and he was looked up by big stack Conrad Monica who turned over the matching {A-Spades}

. The two men appeared to be poised for a chop.

The flop drew a big reaction from the table though, coming down {J-Spades}

to give Ta the flush draw. The turn {J-Clubs}

was a blank, but the {10-Spades}

that hit the river was not. With four spades on board, Monica made the winning ace-high flush, knocking out Napoleon Ta in the most brutal of ways. Monica, on the other hand, has surged toward the top of the board with 425,000.

Tags: Conrad Monica Napoleon Ta