Event 18: $2,500 Seven Card Razz
Day 2 Completed
2012 World Series of Poker
Event 18: $2,500 Seven Card Razz
Day: 2
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2012 World Series of Poker
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$702,975
Entries
309
Level
28
Limits
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000
Cantu Leads Final 18; Hellmuth In Great Shape to Make Run at Bracelet #12
Level 18
: 5,000/0, 1,000 ante
Yesterday, the 2012 World Series of Poker continued with Event #18 $2,500 Seven Card Razz, which attracted 309 players and created a prize pool of $702,975. Over the course of eight levels of play, 174 players hit the felt, leaving just 136 looking to make the money at the top 36; what’s more, each have their eyes set on the $182,793 top prize.
The man best positioned to make a run at the gold bracelet is Brandon Cantu, who finished as the Day 2 chip leader with 298,500. However, he’ll have to contend with some stiff competition such as Phil Hellmuth, who is looking for his 12th bracelet; the 2008 winner of this event, Barry Greenstein; and online pro Jared Bleznik.
Day 2 saw 118 players hit the rail including the Day 1 chip leader, Tommy Vedes; last year’s runner-up, Stephen Su; PokerNews’ own Mickey Doft; 1997 Razz champ Linda Johnson; Kami “Dr. Kamikaze” Chisholm, who started Day 2 second in chips; 2007 WSOP Player of the Year Tom Schneider; recent bracelet winner Andy Bloch; and former Main Events winners Greg Raymer, Berry Johnston and Tom McEvoy.
While each of those players exited at various points throughout the day, no one experience more heartache than Event #4 $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Low 8-or-Better final tablist Xuan Liu. With 33 players remaining, just one more needed to hit the rail to make the money.
It was at that point Hellmuth completed with an 
and Scott Clements raised his 
. Liu, who was showing 
made the call, as did Hellmuth, and it was three-way action to the turn. Clements fired another bet, both his opponents called, and then it went check-check after Liu took the lead on fifth. This opened the door for Clements to bet for a third time, and again both his opponent called.
Liu kept the lead on sixth, but this time instead of checking she bet. Hellmuth got out of the way and Clements called.
Liu: 
/ 
/ 
Clements: (x-x) / / (x) (
)
Hellmuth: (x-x) /
Little did Liu know that Clements had made a wheel, and she proceeded to bet her last 5,900 on seventh. Clements made the call and took down the pot, eliminating Liu on the money bubble.
xxl23 Xuan Liu Gutted to be the bubble girl, 73A6k5T< @BigRiskky's wheel on 7th in 3way pot w/ @Philhelmuth. #edc is punishing me #wsop18
June 09 2012
Speaking of the money, 14 players made their way to the payout desk on Day 2 including Ted Forrest (30th-$4,885), Sam Grizzle (27th-$4,885), Allen Bari (26th-$4,885), Yarron Bendor (24th-$5,904), Joe Tehan (23rd-$5,904) and Vladimir Shchmelev (19th-$5,904).
Here’s a look at the players who’ll be returning on Day 3 with their respective chip counts:
Final 18 Chip Counts
| Player | Chips |
|---|---|
| Brandon Cantu | 298,500 |
| Brendan Taylor | 288,500 |
| Phil Hellmuth | 287,500 |
| Chris Viox | 189,000 |
| Michael Chow | 183,000 |
| Jeff Misteff | 155,000 |
| David Rosenau | 149,000 |
| Don Zewin | 115,500 |
| Jeff Mervis | 111,500 |
| Barry Greenstein | 94,500 |
| Scott Abrams | 93,000 |
| Jared Bleznick | 91,500 |
| Scott Fischman | 57,500 |
| Gerald Ringe | 54,500 |
| Chris Wallace | 54,000 |
| Dan O’Brien | 50,500 |
| Calvin Anderson | 28,000 |
| Scott Clements | 20,000 |
Who will be the next to add their name to the list of Razz Champions?
$2,500 even Card Razz Champions
| Year | Player | Entrants | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | ??? | 309 | $182,793 |
| 2011 | Rep Porter | 363 | $210,615 |
| 2010 | Frank Kassela | 365 | $214,085 |
| 2009 | Jeff Lisandro | 315 | $188,390 |
| 2008* | Barry Greenstein | 453 | $157,643 |
| 2007* | Katja Thater | 341 | $132,653 |
| 2006* | James Richberg | 409 | $139,576 |
| 2005* | O’Neil Longson | 291 | $125,690 |
*Featured $1,500 buy-in.
Tomorrow the remaining 18 players will return at 2 PM PST to battle down to a champion. Check back then for all the latest from Event 18: $2,500 Seven Card Razz.
End of Day 2 Counts
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
298,500 | 23,500 |
|
288,500 | 58,500 |
|
287,500 | 37,500 |
|
189,000 | 17,000 |
|
183,000 | 108,000 |
|
155,000 | 55,000 |
|
149,000 | 39,000 |
|
115,500 | -14,500 |
|
111,500 | -23,500 |
|
94,500 | 49,500 |
|
93,000 | 11,000 |
|
91,500 | 16,500 |
|
57,500 | -102,500 |
|
54,500 | -20,500 |
|
54,000 | -16,000 |
|
50,500 | 3,500 |
|
28,000 | -17,000 |
|
20,000 | -75,000 |
Clements Crippled
Level 18
: 5,000/0, 1,000 ante
Before the tournament clock read 0:00, Scott Clements was crippled by Brendan Taylor.
| Clements |  /   / |
| Taylor | / / |
Clements led on fourth street, Taylor called, and then Taylor led out on fifth, sixth and seventh, Clements called him down, then mucked when Taylor fanned .
Clements lost another pot to Brandon Cantu, but doubled through Scott Fischman to bring his total to around 30,000 chips.
Bag & Tag
Level 18
: 5,000/0, 1,000 ante
The clock has expired and players are now bagging and tagging their chips. We'll grab all the counts in a moment, so stay tuned for those and our recap.
Shchmelev Falls Short of Day 3
Vladimir Shchmelev completed wand received calls from Jeff Mervis and Michael Chow. When Mervis took the lead on the turn, he bet, Chow called and Shchmelev called off his last 3,000. The rest of the street saw side action between Mervis and Chow, but it became apparent that Shchmelev wasn't going to survive as his hand got progressively worse.
Shchmelev: (x-x) / 
/ (x)
Mervis: (x-x) / / (x)
Chow: / /
Shchmelev was up out of his seat and on the way to the payout desk in 19th place even before Chow revealed his nine low.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Pruitt Busts
| Jeff Mitseff | / / |
| JJ Pruitt | / / |
| Brandon Cantu | / / |
We caught the action on fifth street, where Pruitt was already all in. Cantu bet, and Mitseff called. Cantu slowed down, check-calling a bet on sixth, and both players checked on seventh.
Mitseff tabled for a ninety-eight, Cantu mucked, and Pruitt fanned for a ten-seven, eliminating him from the tournament.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Spinks Sent Packing
Jonathan Spinks got the remainder of his chips in on third street holding / . Gerald Ringe had him at risk with / . Spinks caught a on fourth street, but then was dealt running kings on fifth and sixth. Ringe made a jack-low by sixth, so Spinks was drawing dead.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
120,000 | |
|
Busted |
Cantu Crosses Quarter Million Mark
Brandon Cantu started Level 17 with 4,000 chips. At the time, that was four antes, Now, a level and a half later, he's our chip leader.
Incredible.
| Brendan Taylor | / / |
| Cantu | / / |
When we reached the table on fifth street, Cantu tossed out a bet. Taylor called. Cantu fired again on sixth, Taylor again called, and both players checked on seventh. Taylor showed for a queen-nine low, but Cantu's was best for a queen-six low.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
275,000 | 80,000 |
|
|
120,000 | -25,000 |
Hellmuth Leaves Spinks with 12,000
Phil Hellmuth completed and received a call from Jonathan Spinks, who then bet the turn. Hellmuth made the call and both players checked fifth street. "Ah, I thought I had you drawing dead on that one, that's why I checked," Hellmuth admitted in regards to fifth street after Spinks checked sixth. Hellmuth then put out a bet and Spinks made a hesitant call, leaving himself just 12,000 behind
Hellmuth: / / (x)
Spinks: (x-x) / / (x)
Spinks checked for a third time on seventh and watched Hellmuth put out another bet. This time Spinks just shook his head and tossed his cards to the muck. Hellmuth then showed . "You knew I had it," he said as he raked in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
12,000 | -33,000 |