2013 World Series of Poker

Event #37: $5,000 Limit Hold'em
Day: 3
Event Info

2013 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
qj
Prize
$211,743
Event Info
Buy-in
$5,000
Prize Pool
$799,000
Entries
170
Level Info
Level
28
Limits
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
0

Last Four Hands of the Level

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante

Hand #157: Todd Witteles raised from under the gun and it folded around to the blinds. Both players released and Witteles picked them up.

Hand #158: Dom Denotaristefani raised from under the gun and Michael Moore made it three bets to go. Denotaristefani called and the two were heads up to the {A-Diamonds}{K-Spades}{6-Clubs} flop. Denotaristefani checked and Moore continued out. Denotaristefani called and the turn was the {5-Diamonds}. Denotaristefani checked a second time and Moore cut out another bet. Denotaristefani called again and the {4-Spades} finished off the board. Another check came from Denotaristefani and Moore checked it back. Moore showed {A-Hearts}{J-Spades} and it was good enough to take down the pot.

Hand #159: Ronnie Bardah made it two bets before the flop and took down the blinds.

Hand #160: Moore raised the action and Brian Aleksa made it three-bets to go. The flop came {4-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}{8-Spades} and Moore led out. Aleksa called and the {J-Hearts} fell on the turn. Moore bet once more. Aleksa folded and Moore won the final hand before the break.

He Doesn't Need Any Moore Ladies

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante

Hand #153: Dom Denotaristefani got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #154: Gabriel Nassif raised under the gun and took down the blinds.

Hand #155: Ronnie Bardah raised from the small and Nassif defended from the big. The {6-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}{k-Hearts} flop saw Bardah bet and Nassif fold.

Hand #156: Todd Witteles raised and Michael Moore three-bet from the big blind. Witteles four-bet and Moore got all in for 98,000.

Witteles: {a-Clubs}{10-Hearts}
Moore: {q-Spades}{q-Hearts}

Moore got it in good and let out a little celebratory shout after the board ran out a dry {3-Spades}{8-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{9-Clubs}{8-Hearts}.

Player Chips Progress
Michael Moore us
Michael Moore
200,000 102,000

Tags: Dom DenotaristefaniGabriel NassifMichael MooreTodd WittelesRonnie Bardah

Moore Doubles Through Bardah

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante
Michael Moore
Michael Moore

Hand #150: Ronnie Bardah raised from his button and Michael Moore called from his big blind. The two were heads up to see {8-Clubs}{4-Spades}{2-Spades}fall on the felt. Moore checked and Bardah continued out. Moore called and the {9-Clubs} fell on fourth street. Moore checked and Bardah fired out again. Moore called and the {9-Diamonds} hit the river. Both players checked and Bardah showed {A-Diamonds}{K-Diamonds}. Moore mucked his cards and Bardah picked up the pot. Moore has now been left crippled.

Hand #151: Gabriel Nassif raised from his button and Moore folded from the small. Michael Aleksa called from the big blind and the flop came {4-Clubs}{K-Spades}{j-Spades}. Aleksa checked and Nassif continued out. Aleksa came over the top with a raise and Nassif called. The {9-Spades} hit the turn and Aleksa took charge with a bet. Nassif, however, would not be bullied, as he put out a raise on fourth street. Aleksa folded and Nassif took down the pot.

Hand #152: Bardah made it two bets and Moore moved all in for less from his button. The blinds folded and the hands were tabled.

Moore: {A-Hearts}{4-Hearts}
Bardah: {A-Clubs}{J-Hearts}

Moore flopped the world with {2-Hearts}{4-Diamonds}{5-Hearts} and the crowd went nuts with gasps. The {4-Clubs} hit the turn, giving Moore trips and he secured his double as the {10-Spades} finished off the board.

Tags: Brian AleksaGabriel NassifMichael MooreRonnie Bardah

"Dandruff" Doubles with Flopped Set

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante

Hand #146: Todd Witteles got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #147: Witteles raised from the small blind and Denotaristefani called from the big. Witteles bet the {6-Diamonds}{9-Spades}{8-Spades} flop, Denotaristefani raised and Witteles called. Both players checked the {4-Hearts} turn and then Witteles checked the {10-Diamonds} river. Denotaristefani bet and Witteles folded.

Hand #148: Witteles raised from the button and won the pot.

Hand #149: Michael Moore raised under the gun and Witteles three-bet. Moore called and the bet the {a-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}{q-Clubs} flop. Witteles called, the {5-Hearts} turned and Moore checked. Witteles bet 40,000, Moore check-raised to 80,000 and Witteles called off.

Witteles: {a-Spades}{a-Clubs}
Moore: {q-Clubs}{j-Spades}

Witteles was well out in front with a flopped set and just needed to dodge a ten on the river. That's exactly what he did when the {5-Diamonds} peeled off. Ship the double to "Dandruff."

Player Chips Progress
Todd Witteles us
Todd Witteles
WSOP 1X Winner
250,000 125,000
Michael Moore us
Michael Moore
145,000 -305,000

Tags: Dom DenotaristefaniMichael MooreTodd Witteles

Hands 142-145

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante

Hand #142: Gabriel Nassif made it two bets from under the gun and took the pot down before the flop.

Hand #143: Ronnie Bardah opened with a raise from the small blind and Nassif called. The flop brought {Q-Hearts}{k-Spades}{3-Clubs} onto the felt and Bardah led out. Nassif called and the {9-Spades} hit the turn. Bardah tossed out one big bet and Nassif called. The {a-Spades} rivered and Bardah bet one more time. Nassif quickly released and Bardah picked up the pot.

Hand #144: Todd Witteles raised and Gabriel Nassif made it three bets from the small blind. Michael Moore called from the big and Witteles stuck around. The flop came {9-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}{2-Spades} and Nassif fired out a bet. Moore called and Witteles raised the action. Nassif made it three bets and Moore folded. Witteles caled and the {a-Hearts} struck fourth street.

Nassif led out once again and Witteles opted to lay it down on this street.

Hand #145: Dom Denotaristefani raised from under the gun and Brian Aleksa called out of the small blind. The flop was {6-Clubs}{5-Spades}{2-Clubs} and Aleksa check-called a bet. The {A-Diamonds} hit the turn and Aleksa checked once again. Denotaristefani fired a second bet and Aleksa called.

The river brought the {3-Diamonds} which prompted Aleksa to check. Denotaristefani checked it back and Aleksa showed {A-Clubs}{7-Diamonds} and Denotaristefani showed {A-Hearts}{7-Clubs} for the same hand. The two chopped the pot.

Tags: Brian AleksaDom DenotaristefaniGabriel NassifMichael MooreTodd WittelesRonnie Bardah

A Bunch of Hands for Your Reading Pleasure

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante

Hand #130: Dom Denotaristefani raised from the small blind and took down the pot.

Hand #131: Ronnie Bardah raised the small blind and Gabriel Nassif called from the big. Bardah then bet the {7-Diamonds}{5-Spades}{j-Clubs} flop, Nassif called and both players checked the {5-Diamonds} turn. When the {J-Diamonds} completed the board on the river, Bardah checked and Nassif bet. Bardah tanked for almost two minutes before folding.

Hand #132: Brian Aleksa raised and took down the pot.

Hand #133: Todd Witteles raised under the gun and Gabriel Nassif three-bet from the button. Witteles made the call and then checked the {6-Diamonds}{4-Clubs}{5-Clubs} flop. Nassif bet 20,000 and Witteles folded.

Hand #134: Bardah raised and won the blinds.

Hand #135: Dom Denotaristefani got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #136: Bardah got a walk in the big.

Hand #137: Nassif got a walk in the big blind making it three walks in a row.

Hand #138: Aleksa raised under the gun and Denotaristefani made it three bets from the cutoff. Aleksa called and then checked the {j-Hearts}{3-Clubs}{8-Hearts} flop. Denotaristefani bet, Aleksa raised and Denotaristefani called. The {A-Diamonds} turn saw both players checked and the {K-Diamonds} completed the board on the river. Both players checked once again and Aleksa tabled the {K-Clubs}{J-Diamonds} for two pair, which bested Denotaristefani's {a-}{q-} pair of aces.

"Where's the rest of the pot, boys?" announcer Robbie Thompson asked after the hand.

Hand #139: Nassif raised from the button and won the pot.

Hand #140: Witteles got a walk in the big blind.

Hand #141: Aleksa raised from the button and won the pot.

Tags: Brian AleksaDom DenotaristefaniGabriel NassifRonnie BardahTodd Witteles

Catching Up with Ronnie Bardah On Break; Limit Hold'em Beat Boxing, and Team Ivey

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante
Ronnie Bardah
Ronnie Bardah

The final table of Event No. 37 $5,000 Limit Hold’em of the World Series of Poker has been cut down to the last six players and amongst that group is Team Ivey pro and World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner Ronnie Bardah, who is sitting near the top of the leaderboard with around half a million in chips.

During the last break, PokerNews' Pamela Maldonado met up with Bardah to ask him about his recruitment with Ivey Poker, his skills as a beat boxer, and the future of limit hold’em.

Is there more skill in limit hold’em or no-limit hold’em?

I think it takes more skill to make a living playing limit hold’em cash games. It’s all about making sick folds and sick value bets. I’ve been asked this question before, and it’s hard to answer because both are really tough games. Although limit hold’em requires more skill to make a living, I do think no-limit hold’em requires more skill overall. You get put to the test so much more [in no-limit hold'em], and there are so many different styles of play that make you have to be aware of so many more things.

What future do you see for limit hold'em for WSOP events and as cash games?

Well, this event had two entries more than last year. The WSOP got rid of three of the six limit tournaments, but it should keep the championship event, the six-max, and the $1,500 so everyone could play. It should also bring back the limit hold’em shootout. It’s a great event, attracts a great crowd, and is great for the game of limit hold’em.

I don’t think cash games are necessarily fading. Bellagio, Foxwoods and Borgata still spread limit games. There are also games in Minnesota and Denver. Commerce in L.A. is still huge in terms of spreading limit games daily. They have $40/$80 games running all day, everyday. There are a lot of young kids learning the game, and I see a lot of the younger generation playing more often. Generally, the demographic of limit hold’em is 40 years and older, but with that said, I don’t see the game dying anytime soon.

As a Team Ivey Pro, what will you be specializing in as a coach?

I’m not sure yet, but I presume it will be limit hold’em. The site has yet to launch because we’re still in the first few steps of jumpstarting. Hopefully it gets up and running pretty soon, but there is no date as of yet.

Why do you think you were chosen to represent Ivey Poker?

I think I am different in terms of marketability. I’ve been playing poker for a decade and have a WSOP bracelet, and I’ve been good to everyone. There are a lot of people in the poker world that do rotten things, and I’m not one those players. I have a heart, I believe in karma, and I believe in being a good person both on the tables and off the tables. I’m decent looking, I think, for the poker world at least, and besides Phil Ivey, I’m the only brown person on the roster; everyone else is white. Maybe that had something to do with them choosing me. They needed to add color to the mix (laughs).

Three years ago, you went on PokerNews and demonstrated your beat boxing skills. Do you still beat box frequently?

I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. I don’t do it as much as I used to because I’ve been really focused on poker. Pretty much, though, I’ll beat box at anytime, while I’m walking with my headphones or at the most random times. It’s so much a part of who I am that I don’t even recognize when I do it anymore. Some people hum or whistle, I beat box.

Tags: Phil IveyRonnie Bardah

Nassif Doubles Through Witteles

Level 24 : 20,000/40,000, 0 ante
Gabriel Nassif
Gabriel Nassif

Hand #126: Todd Witteles opened with a raise and took down the blinds.

Hand #127: Michael Moore made it two bets from the small blind and Brian Aleksa called from the big blind. The flop came {10-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{9-Hearts} and Moore dropped out a bet. Aleksa called and fourth street brought the {A-Diamonds}. Moore slowed down by rapping the table and Aleksa followed suit. The {A-Hearts} paired the board on the river and Moore led out. Aleksa called and showed {J-Clubs}{5-Clubs} for aces and fives for the winning hand.

Hand #128: Gabriel Nassif raised from the cutoff and received a call from Moore on the button. The flop brought {5-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}{9-Clubs} and Nassif led out. Moore raised the action and Nassif went into the tank for about two minutes before finally deciding to release his fold.

Hand #129: Nassif opened the action with a raise and Todd Witteles made it three bets. Nassif moved all in for his last 49,000 and the cards were tabled.

Nassif: {A-Hearts}{Q-Diamonds}
Witteles: {A-Diamonds}{2-Clubs}

The board ran out {7-Diamonds}{5-Hearts}{10-Clubs}{K-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} and Nassif's ace-queen high was able to hold as the best hand.

Tags: Brian AleksaGabriel NassifMichael MooreTodd Witteles

Level: 24

Limits: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 0

Last Three Hands of the Level

Level 23 : 15,000/30,000, 0 ante

Hand #123: Brian Aleksa raised from the button and took down the blinds.

Hand #124: Michael Moore raised only to have Aleksa three-bet from the next seat over. It folded around to Moore who called the three-bet. The flop came {Q-Spades}{5-Hearts}{3-Hearts} and Moore check-called a continuation bet. The {6-Hearts} hit the turn and Moore led out with a bet. Aleksa folded and Moore took it down.

Hand #125: Ronnie Bardah raised from the small blind and Gabriel Nassif called from the big blind. The two saw {2-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{10-Hearts} hit the felt and Bardah continued out. Nassif folded and Bardah took down the pot.