2009 World Series of Poker

Event 56 - $5,000 Six-handed No Limit Hold'em
Day: 1
Event Info

2009 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
jj
Prize
$1,003,163
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,000
Entries
928
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

More Hit Rail, Deeb Chips Up

Mimi Tran, Peter Eastgate, and Kathy Liebert have all busted. So has Daniel Alaei, after building a decent-sized stack early on.

In Alaei's bustout hand, Shaun Deeb raised to 2,400 from middle position, a player called from the button, Alaei reraised all in for 23,000 from the big blind, Deeb called, and the third player got out of the way.

Alaei showed {A-Clubs}{Q-Spades} and Deeb {K-Spades}{J-Clubs}. The board came {J-Spades}{3-Spades}{2-Hearts}{8-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}, and Deeb took it with his jacks. Deeb is now up to 72,000.

Tags: Daniel AlaeiShaun Deeb

Hearts for Helppi

Juha Helppi raised to 2,500 from the cutoff and got a call from the player in the small blind. The flop came {8-Hearts}{10-Spades}{4-Hearts}. Both players checked. The turn was the {K-Hearts}. The SB checked, Helppi bet 5,000, and his opponent called.

The river was the {J-Clubs}. This time the player in the small blind bet 12,000, and Helppi raised to 40,000. His opponent thought a moment, then called.

Helppi showed {A-Hearts}{9-Hearts} for the nut flush, and his opponent mucked. He's now up to 150,000.

Tags: Juha Helppi

Ferguson Drops Small One

A player raised from under the gun, and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson reraised to 9,000. It folded to the player in the big blind who pushed all in for 10,500. The original raiser folded, and Ferguson called.

Ferguson showed {A-Diamonds}{Q-Diamonds} and his opponent {A-Hearts}{K-Hearts}. The flop came {Q-Spades}{10-Clubs}{7-Hearts}, giving Ferguson the lead. The turn was the {3-Diamonds} and Ferguson was still ahead. But the river brought the {K-Clubs}, and Ferguson dropped a small one. He's still at 137,000, though.

Tags: Chris Ferguson

They're Dropping Like... Stuff That Drops Real Fast

'Cos, well, flies... they don't drop, do they? Who here has seen a fly drop?

Just halfway through Level 9, and we've lost 50 more players since the last break. 226 remain. We'll very likely lose more than 50 more before night's end, which will make 80,000 a less than average-sized stack.

As You Wish, Mr. Laak

Phil Laak
Phil Laak
A player at Phil Laak's table limped in from the cutoff, but apparently not purposefully, as he made it known he'd grabbed the wrong chips when making his bet. It folded to Laak in the big blind who quickly raised to 17,000, leaving himself just 9,600 behind. The cutoff then reraised all in, and Laak called.

Laak had {A-Diamonds}{7-Spades} and his opponent {A-Clubs}{K-Clubs}. The flop was {8-Spades}{3-Hearts}{6-Clubs}, but the turn brought the {7-Hearts}, giving Laak a pair. The river was the {10-Diamonds}, and Laak survives with about 55,000.

"Don't blog that!" he cried with a big grin as he scooped the chips. "Okay, okay, okay! Blog it! What the hell... let the world know what a donkey I am!"

Tags: Phil Laak

Matthews Amassing Chips

The biggest stack we've seen as we've been moving about the Amazon Room (where all players are now located) is the one sitting in front of Roy Matthews. He has 293,000 at the moment. (You might recall Matthews from that Dario Minieri bustout hand earlier in the day.)

When we get to the last level of the evening, we'll try to report on all of the bigger stacks we see as play winds down.

Tags: Roy Matthews

Level: 10

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 100