Event 18: $2,500 Seven Card Razz Day 2 | 2012 World Series of Poker

06-10-2012 03:27 UTC-6

Cantu Leads Final 18; Hellmuth In Great Shape to Make Run at Bracelet #12

Chad Holloway

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 {8-} and Scott Clements raised his {2-} . Liu, who was showing {A-} 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: {7-} {3-} / {A-} {6-} {K-} {5-} / {10-}
Clements: (x-x) / {2-} {3-} {2-} {8-} / (x) ( {A-} {4-} {5-} )
Hellmuth: (x-x) / {8-} {5-} {5-} {10-}

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.

Tags: Brandon Cantu Phil Hellmuth

06-10-2012 01:25 UTC-6

Grizzle & Wright Silenced

[user101598]

Sam Grizzle completed with a {5-} , Scott Abrams raised with an {8-} , and Grizzle moved all in. Abrams called, and the boards ran out like this.

Grizzle: {a-} {q-} / {5-} {4-} {5-} {10-}
Abrams: {7-} {2-} / {8-} {k-} {q-} {5-}

Abrams turned over a {3-} on seventh to give him an unbeatable eighty-seven low. Grizzle turned over a {2-} , and the last words he said were, "I finally got a good card."

Grizzle finished in 27th place and followed Larry Wright, who was eliminated in 28th place, to the payout desk.

Player	Chips	Progress
Scott Abrams	80,000	43,500
Larry Wright	Busted
Sam Grizzle	Busted

Tags: Sam Grizzle Scott Abrams Larry Wright

06-10-2012 01:17 UTC-6

Forrest Cut Down

Chad Holloway

As we were watching a big hand that put Brandon Cantu back in contention (which we'll be writing about next), a short-stacked Ted Forrest was eliminated by Scott Fischman. We're not sure of the latter's hand, but we do know that it was better than Forrest's eventual {J-} {J-} {J-} {4-} {4-} {2-} {3-} .

Forrest won this event back in 1993, but his elimination in 30th place means Barry Greenstein is the last former champ remaining.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ted Forrest	Busted

Tags: Ted Forrest Scott Fischman

06-09-2012 21:35 UTC-6

The F-Bomb Fiasco

Chad Holloway

Level 14 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

Once again we heard a commotion at Table 430 and made out way over. Apparently Jared Bleznick had said the f-bomb and both Sam Grizzle and Raymond Davis were lightheartedly pestering him about it, though they believed he should receive a penalty.

"There's no f-bomb rule this year," Barry Greenstein chimed it as action came to a halt. Nonetheless the dealer called the floor over.

"Every time I open my mouth these two guys call for a floor," Bleznick said shaking his head with a smile. The floor arrived and explained that this year there is no penalty for saying the f-bomb unless it is abusive and/or directed at another player.

"All I said was 'Who the f**k would give Sam Grizzle $2,500 to play this tournament,'" Bleznick said, which inspired a round of laughter from the entire tournament floor. The tournament director determined that it wasn't abusive enough to warrant a penalty.

"I can't believe they let him get away with that," Davis said afterwards.

Greenstein then elaborated on the relaxed f-bomb rule: "Some of these people don't have a very good vocabulary, so it's probably the only adjective they know."

Tags: Barry Greenstein Jared Bleznick Raymond Davis Sam Grizzle

06-09-2012 20:51 UTC-6

"Justice is Served"

Chad Holloway

Earlier today we told you about a situation that saw Jared Bleznick avoid a penalty, much to the dismay of Raymond Davis. Now it seems Bleznick has received his comeuppance as he was just issued a one-round penalty.

From what we could piece together, Bleznick asked to sweat Robert Williamson III's last card and grabbed it, though he released before looking; nonetheless, the floor said touching another player's down cards is a big no-no and told Bleznik that this time he was going to get a penalty.

Bleznik wasn't too happy with the situation as he never looked at the card, but the rest of the table seemed amused.

"He's done it before," Sam Grizzle chimed in.

"Yes," Davis shouted after the penalty was issued. "Justice is served." The rest of the table lightheartedly debated the legitimacy of the penalty while Dan O'Brien, who we gathered has a vested interest in Bleznick, came over from an adjacent table.

"I need him at the table," he explained. "Sam, don't you want him at the table? He's terrible. He doesn't even play this game."

"Yeah, but he's got a horseshoe up his ass," Grizzle shot back with a smile.

Bleznick, who has around 42,000, is currently waiting out the penalty watching the basketball game on television.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jared Bleznick	42,000	-1,000

Tags: Jared Bleznick Dan O'Brien Raymond Davis Robert Williamson III Sam Grizzle

06-09-2012 16:33 UTC-6

A Pot for Hellmuth

[user101598]

Can Phil Hellmuth make back-to-back final tables?

Opponent: {x-} {x-} / {6-} {8-} {q-} {7-} / {x-}
Phil Hellmuth: {x-} {x-} / {3-} {q-} {9-} {4-} / {x-}

When we reached the table on sixth street, Hellmuth was heads up with an opponent who check-called a bet. Both players checked on seventh, and Hellmuth showed {5-} {2-} {x-} . His opponent mucked, and Hellmuth raked in the pot.

"I guess I'm supposed to bet there?" Hellmuth asked himself. "Maybe?"

Player	Chips	Progress
Phil Hellmuth	41,000	9,500

Tags: Phil Hellmuth

06-09-2012 15:45 UTC-6

Gags Makes Wheel, Busts Doft

[user101598]

Mickey Doft: {x-} {x-} / {a-} {9-} {2-}
Michael Gagliano: {x-} {x-} / {5-} {q-} {2-}

Mike "Gags30" Gagliano completed with a five up, Doft called with an ace, and the two were off to fourth street. Doft led out, and Gagliano called. Both players received deuces on fourth, and that's when all the money went in. Doft bet, Gagliano instantly raised, and Doft stuck the remanded of his stack in. Gagliano called.

Doft: {8-} {7-}
Gagliano: {a-} {4-}

Doft was dealt a {j-} on fourth, Gagliano a {k-} , and seventh street was dealt facedown. Gagliano turned over a {3-} , giving him a wheel and the nuts, and Doft didn't even look at his last card, knowing that he was drawing dead.

Gagliano is now around 30,000 chips, while our hero Doft is unfortunately eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Gagliano	30,000	4,600
Mickey Doft	Busted

Tags: Mickey Doft Mike Gagliano

06-09-2012 13:37 UTC-6

Four World Champs Among Final 136 at the Start of Day 2!

Chad Holloway

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 32; what’s more, each have their eyes set on the $182,793 top prize.

The man best positioned to make a run toward the money is the Day 1 chip leader, Tommy Vedes, who bagged up 44,600. Standing in his way is an eclectic mix of experienced players including former WSOP Main Event winners Tom McEvoy, Phil Hellmuth, Greg Raymer and Berry Johnston; online stars Jared “harrington25” Bleznick and Kami “Dr. Kamikaze” Chisholm; former Razz champ Barry Greenstein; and young pros Bryan Micon and Joe Tehan.

Some others who’ll be returning to action, albeit with less than stellar stacks, are last Stephen Su, David Bach, Owais Ahmed, Chris Viox, Mickey Doft, Sam Grizzle, Maxwell Troy, Andy Bloch, Jennifer Harman, Tom Schneider and Scott Clements.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Player	Chips
Tommy Vedes	44,600
Kami Chisholm	43,500
Jaime Lezama	42,900
Bryan Micon	41,500
Tom McEvoy	39,700
Joe Tehan	39,500
Bill Chen	36,500
Larry Wright	34,700
Vasili Firsau	34,200
Peter Brownstein	34,000

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.

The plan for the day is to play ten levels and get as close to the final table as possible, which means we ought to crack the money sometime in the late evening. Day 2 action will begin at 2 PM PST, so be sure to check back then for all the latest and greatest from Event 18: $2,500 Seven Card Razz.