Level: 21
Blinds: 8,000/16,000
Ante: 2,000
World Series of Poker Europe 2010
Event #1: £2,650 Six-Handed No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
World Series of Poker Europe 2010
Buy-in
£2,500
Prize Pool
£610,000
Entries
244
Level
21
Blinds
8,000 / 16,000
Ante
2,000
Andrew Wears the Pants in This Battle
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From the button, Andrew Pantling opened to 26,000. In response, Phil Laak stacked out a reraise and made it 86,000 total. But wait, there's more! Pantling promptly four-bet to 186,000 straight, and that was good enough to take it down right there. Pantling appeared to flash a big-paint pocket pair as the dealer pushed him the pot.
Pantling - 993,000
Laak - 837,000
No Breaks, Please
Phil Laak and Andrew Pantling were just prompted about a possible break at the upcoming level by tournament director Jack Effel. Pantling wanted to take a short break to stretch his legs and use the restroom. Laak on the other hand, didn't want to take a break. He wanted to play it straight through with no breaks at all. Laak recently played the longest session of poker at 115 hours straight so no wonder he wants to keep playing.
Pantling Pulling Back
Andrew Pantling raised to 31,000 on the button and Phil Laak called. Laak then check-called a bet of 35,000 from Pantling on the flop of 
before the 
fell on the turn. Both players checked and the 
paired the board on the river.
Laak bet out 50,000 and Pantling made the call. Laak held the 
for a busted draw and lost to Pantling's 
.
After a quick count, it looks like things are back to just about even again.
Laak - 950,000
Pantling - 880,000
Big River Bet Wins for Laak
Andrew Pantling made it 31,000 to go on the button before Phil Laak reraised from the big blind to 112,000. Pantling made the call.
The flop came down 
and Laak checked. Pantling fired 148,000. Laak made the call.
The turn brought the 
and both players checked. The river was the 
and Laak shot out a bet of 320,000. Pantling couldn't make the call and folded, dropping back below 700,000.
Laak - 1,140,000
Pantling - 690,000
Seesaw Battle
Phil Laak limped in from the button and then called a raise to 32,000 from Andrew Pantling. The flop came down 
and both players checked. They also checked when the 
paired the board on the turn.
The river was the 
and a tiny bit of money went in. Laak bet 30,000 after Pantling checked and was called. Laak showed the 
and won the pot to take back the chip lead.
Chainsaw!
Allen Kessler tweeted last night that he was on his way to London and he is now in the building. Upon seeing him up on the balcony of the upper level across the room, tournament director Jack Effel announced, "Alert, alert, alert! Complainsaw is in the house!" He then waved to Kessler and said, "Don't worry, Allen, you can still get in the PLO, the structure's good."
Pantling Back in Front
With the flop of 
laid out in the middle, Phil Laak check-called a bet of 16,000 from his opponent Andrew Pantling. The turn brought the and Laak check-called again, this time for 41,000.
The river completed the board with the 
and Laak check-called a bigger bet of 117,000 this time, saying "I'm so strong, but I can only beat a bluff," just before making the call. Pantling then showed the 
and Laak mucked.
That pot pulled the two players just about even, with Laak maintaining a slight lead. After that hand, Pantling was able to pick up a couple of pots preflop and now has the chip lead again.
Pantling - 925,000
Laak - 905,000
Chasing the Bracelet
The last time Phil Laak was this close to a bracelet was back in 2005 over in Las Vegas. He was heads up with living poker legend Johnny Chan in the $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em after Richard Osborne went out in third. Late into the night Laak and Chan battled, until the final hand came up that saw Laak fall in second place while Chan claimed his tenth gold bracelet.
Laak and Chan got all the money in on a flop of 
. Laak held 
and Chan 
-- pretty much a cooler situation in heads-up play. After two blanks fell on the turn and river, it was all over and Chan was the winner.
Although that was the closest Laak has ever come to a bracelet, he's had some other extremely deep runs that has left him just several spots short of a WSOP bracelet.
In 2007, Laak finished in 11th place in the $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em at the WSOP, just failing short of the final table. In 2008, Laak final tabled the $10,000 World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em, but went out in ninth place. First, his jacks ran into the kings of Patrik Antonius to crush him on the first hand of the final table and then he ran pocket jacks into pocket aces of eventual winner Nenad Medic.
Laak is ever so close again and it's not often that players can get this opportunity more than once in their poker career. Will he be able to do it? Stick with us and find out!
Laak'ing Good, Laak'ing Real Good
Andrew Pantling raised to 31,000 and was called by his opponent Phil Laak. The flop of 
was checked by both players to see the 
fall on the turn. Laak bet out 30,000 on fourth street and was called by Pantling. The river card was the and Laak bet 73,000. Pantling mucked his hand and Laak stretched out his lead a bit more.
Laak - 1,150,000
Pantling - 680,000