Event 56 - $5,000 Six-handed No Limit Hold'em | 2009 World Series of Poker

07-02-2009 12:38 UTC-12

Brikis in His Comfort Zone

Shamus

"Hey, Brikis! What's the special occasion?"

So said someone from the rail just a while ago while Josh Brikis had momentarily stood up from the table. "What?" he responded.

"You're wearing your best sweatpants," came the reply.

Brikis looked down and smiled. Indeed, he is leisurely-attired today.

Just now we saw a hand in which Matt Waxman limped from the button, Brikis also limped from the hijack seat, and it folded around to Sean Keeton who checked from the big blind.

The flop came {J-Spades}

. Keeton checked, Waxman bet 80,000, then Brikis raised to 225,000, forcing both to fold.

Brikis has lost the chip lead to Faraz Jaka who has crossed 4 million, but he's still sitting comfortably with a stack of 3.78 million.

Tags: Josh Brikis

07-02-2009 12:48 UTC-12

Robert Kay Eliminated in 7th Place ($100,230)

[user77326]

Matt Hawrilenko raised under the gun to 105,000. Faraz Jaka made the call, and when the action came around to Robert Kay he announced he was all in for 1,333,000 more. Hawrilenko, who just so happened to have exactly 1,333,000 left, made the call and Jaka stepped to the side.

Kay showed {K-Hearts}

and Hawrilenko tabled {A-Hearts}

. The board ran out {2-Diamonds}

.

"Nothing I could do, I call and see the flop we get it in anyways" -Kay on his way out.

Hawrilenko now moves up to over 2,700,000.

07-02-2009 12:54 UTC-12

Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stack

Shamus

Matt Hawrilenko just picked up another sizable pot without having to see a flop. Josh Brikis had opened from the hijack seat for 105,000, Hawrilenko raised to 325,000 from the cutoff, then Faraz Jaka made it 700,000 from the button.

The blinds and Brikis quickly folded, then Hawrilenko softly said he was all in. Jaka immediately patted the table as he folded his cards.

That post moves Hawrilenko close the chip lead, though he, Brikis, and Jaka are all very close to the 3.5 million chip mark.

Tags: Matt Hawrilenko

07-02-2009 13:04 UTC-12

Keeton Takes A Stand

[user77326]

After folding for the last four or five orbits Sean Keeton found a spot to get his chips in.

Faraz Jaka made a rather standard raise to 100,000 and Keeton quickly shoved his remaining 580,000 into the middle. Jaka insta-called.

Keeton: {A-Spades}

Jaka:

The flop came {2-Hearts}

giving Keeton some extra chop outs. "Four, four, four!" was shouted from the rail while we waited for the turn to be dealt and indeed it was the {4-Clubs}

, the river fell the {K-Hearts}

and Keeton doubles to a bit over 1,300,000.

07-02-2009 13:08 UTC-12

The Break Approaches

Shamus

We're getting close to the end of the level, at which point the players have agreed to take a dinner break. A sizable crowd has now gathered around this six-handed final table -- close to 100 spectators. Still not what they have across the room watching the Ante Up for Africa event, but a highly engaged, vocal group nonetheless.

Here's hoping they all return after the break to watch this million-dollar contest continue to unfold.

07-02-2009 13:11 UTC-12

Dinner Break (and Updated Chip Counts)

Shamus

Players are now taking a 75-minute dinner break, meaning we should be back here around 7:25 p.m. or so for the continuation of our final table.

Here are the counts as players go to break:

Josh Brikis -- 4.65 million
Matt Hawrilenko -- 3.75 million
Sean Keeton -- 1.6 million
Jonas Wexler -- 1.55 million
Faraz Jaka -- 1.4 million
Matt Waxman -- 1.35 million

Level: 25

Blinds: 25,000/50,000

Ante: 5,000

07-02-2009 14:31 UTC-12

Green Light!

[user77326]

All the players are well fed and ready to play. Cards are in the air.

07-02-2009 14:46 UTC-12

Wexler Mixing It Up

Shamus

Jonas Wexler opened with raises to 140,000 the first three hands following the break. He won the first and third without a fight. On the second, Josh Brikis reraised to 300,000, and Wexler got out of the way.

Matt Hawrilenko took the next hand with a preflop raise. On the next one, it folded around to Wexler in the small blind who completed, and Brikis checked behind from the big blind.

The flop came {2-Diamonds}

. Wexler paused a beat, then bet 75,000. Brikis quickly called. The turn was the {7-Clubs}

, and this time Wexler bet 170,000.

Brikis sat motionless, his right hand -- in a cast -- resting on his left shoulder as is his usual pose. Finally he picked up his cards with his left hand and tossed them to the dealer.

Wexler is up to 1.925 million, and Brikis is at 4.35 million.

Tags: Jonas Wexler Josh Brikis

07-02-2009 14:53 UTC-12

Keeton Slows Wexler

[user77326]

As per usual since dinner, Jonas Wexler raised from middle position to 130,000. It was folded all around to the big blind Sean Keeton who made the call.

The flop fell {A-Spades}