2010 World Series of Poker

Event #25: $10,000 Omaha Hi-Low Split-8 or Better Championship
Day: 3
Event Info

2010 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
j974
Prize
$488,237
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
212
Level Info
Level
31
Blinds
90,000 / 180,000
Ante
0

Level: 26

Blinds: 30,000/60,000

Ante: 0

Dempsey All Over Farha

James Dempsey has Sam Farha's number at the moment. He also has collected a rail of about a dozen British lads who are doing their best British soccer chants in support of their lad. The rail was ecstatic to see Dempsey tag Farha in three pots in a row to climb back to more than 1.0 million in chips. "Who's the doctor?" they keep chanting every time Dempsey wins a pot.

For his part, Farha is playing quite loose. It seems like he's involved in four out of five pots, with Richard Zhu and Sergey Altbregin playing much more cautiously. Dempsey seems to be the only person really willing to play with Farha at the moment.

Tags: Sam FarhaJames Dempsey

Tony Merksick Eliminated in 5th Place ($128,097)

Tony Merksick - 5th Place
Tony Merksick - 5th Place

Well, the previous hand WAS the biggest pot of the tournament, but this one just topped it.

From the cutoff seat, Sergey Altbregin raised. James Dempsey reraised on the button, Yueqi Zhu called from the small blind and then Tony Merksick made it four bets from the big blind. Altbregin called and then Dempsey made it five bets, capping the action. Zhu, Merksick and Altbregin all called.

The flop came down {K-Clubs}{10-Clubs}{7-Spades} and Zhu fired out a bet. He was called in all three spots before the {6-Hearts} landed on the turn. Zhu fired out again and then Merksick called all in for his last 5,000 in chips. Altbregin and Dempsey both called after that.

The river card completed the board with the {6-Spades} and paired it with sixes. Zhu bet out and Altbregin folded. Dempsey looked disgusted, but wound up making the call.

Zhu tabled the {K-Spades}{K-Hearts}{J-Hearts}{J-Diamonds} for kings full of sixes to beat Dempsey's {A-Spades}{A-Diamonds}{8-Spades}{5-Hearts} and scoop in the side pot first. Merksick held the {A-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{5-Clubs}{3-Spades} and was eliminated on the hand as Zhu was also pushed the massive main pot. His stacks now sits at nearly 2.7 million chips.

Tags: James DempseySergey AltbreginTony MerksickYueqi Zhu

Biggest Pot So Far

A ton of action just went down at our final table, and at the end it was Sergey Altbregin who was most excited about it. Sam Farha started with a pre-flop raise. He was re-raised by Sergey Altbregin and four-bet by James Dempsey. Rich Zhu, in the big blind for one bet, took three to the face and everyone else called.

On a flop of {j-Clubs} {3-Hearts} {8-Spades}, Dempsey acted first and bet. Zhu called before Farha raised. Altbregin quickly called all in and Dempsey and Zhu also called, creating a main pot of 1.2 million chips.

The action checked to Farha when the turn came {2-Diamonds}. "That counterfeits somebody. I love it," said Farha. He bet and both Dempsey and Zhu called.

The river was the {5-Clubs}. Again Farha bet when checked to, and Dempsey did not seem pleased.

"That's a good sign," said Farha. "I love it. You're a good dealer." Dempsey tanked for about a minute and a half before calling.

"Sick, sick game," said Zhu. "Since you called I'm folding." He flashed two red aces.

At showdown for the side pot, Farha showed {k-Clubs} {10-Clubs} {3-Diamonds} {j-Diamonds} for a flopped two pair. Dempsey showed {k-Diamonds} {k-Hearts} {a-Clubs} {3-Spades}, a live ace for low. They chopped the side. But an excited Altbregin triumphantly showed down {a-Spades} {9-Spades} {4-Clubs} {7-Clubs} for the main pot. He had a wheel and scooped 1.2 million.

Tags: Sam FarhaJames DempseyRichard ZhuSergey Altbregin

Zhu's Rushing Now

Yueqi Zhu
Yueqi Zhu

On the flop of {J-Hearts}{9-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}, Sergey Altbregin check-raised Yueqi Zhu's bet. Zhu made the call and then the turn came the {10-Diamonds}. Altbregin bet and Zhu called. The river completed the board with the {J-Clubs} and both players checked.

Zhu tabled {A-}{Q-}{Q-}{5-} for scoop the pot from Altbregin.

On the next hand, Zhu reraised a button raise from James Dempsey. Zhu was in the small blind. Tony Merksick called from the big blind and then Dempsey called as well.

The flop came down {Q-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}{9-Clubs} and Zhu bet out. Merksick called and Dempsey folded. The turn and river went check, check after the {10-Hearts} fell followed by the {A-Hearts}.

Zhu tabled {A-}{Q-}{8-}{4-} and Merksick mucked.

Those two hands provided a nice little rush for Zhu and he's up to 1.86 million in chips.

Tags: James DempseySergey AltbreginTony MerksickYueqi Zhu

Zhu All the Way

Five-handed now, you'd expect hand ranges to start widening a little. But every time we see a showdown, it seems like the players have a premium hand. Sergey Altbregin opened a recent pot from under the gun before Richard Zhu re-raised the button. Tony Merksick came along from the small blind before Altbregin called to close the action.

Action checked to Zhu on a flop of {q-Hearts} {4-Diamonds} {7-Spades}. He bet and was called by both players. When the board paired on the turn, {q-Clubs}, Zhu bet again. Only Merksick stuck around to the {j-Spades} river. He checked one more time, then tanked for about 40 seconds after Zhu bet. Merksick finally called and was shown {a-Diamonds} {a-Clubs} {j-Diamonds} {j-Hearts} for jacks full of queens. That was a scoop.

Tags: Richard ZhuTony Merksick

Farha Continues to Roll

Sammy cruising
Sammy cruising

From under the gun, Sammy Farha raised on the first hand back from break. James Dempsey called on the button and Tony Merksick called from the big blind.

The flop came down {Q-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{2-Spades} and Merksick checked. "Let me see what I have," said Farha before checking his hole cards and then firing out a bet. Behind him, Dempsey made the call and then Merksick folded.

The turn card brought the {J-Hearts} and Farha bet out into Dempsey. He was called.

The river completed the board with the {4-Clubs} and made it eligible for a low. Farha bet and Dempsey called.

"Two pair and nut low," said Farha, turning over the {A-Diamonds}{Q-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}. Dempsey's hands went onto his forehead as he couldn't believe what he saw.

"How do you hit every river against me?!?!" he complained. Dempsey then mucked, dropping to 675,000 in chips.

Tags: Sammy FarhaJames Dempsey

Level: 25

Blinds: 25,000/50,000

Ante: