The $1500 Limit Hold'em Tournament at the World Series of Poker draws the die-hard tourney grinders, so it's no surprise we found Ari Engel in the mix. Engel spoke with [Removed:139] about how this summer has gone for him, and how he deals with the emotional highs and lows of tournament poker.
The meta between Phil Hellmuth and Alexander Lakhov has really been hotting up. Just now Lakhov took one back. First of all Lakhov called a three-bet preflop in position.
Then he called two barrels on the 
board. On the 
river, Hellmuth slowed down and didn't bet the last street, showing 
, which couldn't beat Lakhov's 
.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
299,000
68,000
|
68,000 |
|
81,000
-63,000
|
-63,000 |
|
||
Fabian Gumz raised to 6,000 from the button and William Kakon called from the big blind.
The flop came 
on which they both checked to the 
. Kakon decidedly bet 7,000 and Gumz quickly folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
230,000
163,000
|
163,000 |
|
||
|
|
185,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
170,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
||
|
71,000
11,000
|
11,000 |
The two players were in the blinds when James Worth opened to 7,500. Phil Hellmuth called in the big blind.
The flop fell 
and worth continued for 10,000, which Hellmuth called. The 
turn brought a check from Worth and a 14,000 bet from Hellmuth. Worth reraised to 60,000, which was enough to set Hellmuth all-in and it was snap-called.
James Worth 
Phil Hellmuth 
The 
river was irrelevant as Worth couldn't beat Hellmuth's straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
164,000
-114,000
|
-114,000 |
|
|
158,000
77,000
|
77,000 |
|
|
||
Level: 23
Blinds: 2,000/4,000
Ante: 500
Alexander Lakhov has more than double either of his opponents at this point in the tournament. However, with over 160 big blinds in total, there is potentially a lot of play left amongst the three players.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
399,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
137,000
-27,000
|
-27,000 |
|
|
118,000
-40,000
|
-40,000 |
|
|
||
Over on Table #417, James Sileo has just eliminated Aaron Henderson. Sileo was kind enough to recount what had happened:
Sileo raised on the button and Henderson three-bet. Sileo four-bet jammed and Henderson called.
Aaron Henderson: 
James Sileo:
The board ran out 
for Sileo to hit his set on the flop to take Henderson out of the running. Sileo is now playing Anthony Reategui heads-up. Reategui already has quite some experience in the shootout format just this summer alone as he finished in 7th place in the #3,000 Shoutout at the start of the WSOP series.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
380,000
245,000
|
245,000 |
|
|
||
|
289,000
116,200
|
116,200 |
|
Busted | |
Phil Hellmuth has just won a couple of pots, the first from the big blind and the second from the small.
The second played out against Alexander Lakhov and began with a limp from Hellmuth and Lakhv checked his option.
The flop was 
and Hellmuth check-called Lakhov's 4,500 bet. The turn brought a 
and this time it went check-check.
Finally, the dealer laid out a on the river and Hellmuth opted to lead, making it 11,000, which got a fold from his opponent.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
377,000
-22,000
|
-22,000 |
|
|
171,000
53,000
|
53,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
106,000
-31,000
|
-31,000 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
Just minutes ago, things were looking great for Phil Hellmuth. He had just won a pot against Alexander Lakhov with and had held firm against betting on multiple streets on an 
board.
He barely had time to enjoy those chips before he found himself on the dark side of a cooler against table shortie James Worth.
Playing only three-handed, it was no surprise to see all the chips fly into the middle preflop and Worth was the massive favorite when the cards were turned on their backs.
James Worth 
Phil Hellmuth 
The 
flop brought a gutshot for the wheel straight, which would chop the pot. The turn was a and it added another four straight outs to chop. The 
didn't get there for Hellmuth and he had to count out 101,000 chips to pass to Worth.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
208,000
102,000
|
102,000 |
|
|
138,000
-33,000
|
-33,000 |
|
|
||
