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WSOP Event #2: Raymer’s rocky rockets

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

Getting dealt pocket aces and then losing to an all-in push from a short stack is a bit unlucky. Getting dealt the rockets twice and losing again to a short stack push, all within just a few table orbits, could be considered downright nasty. Well, Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer has just found out what it's like - and nasty it is.

First he found two aces, raised to 90,000 and got a 250,000 push from Brian Townsend holding [as][qs]. The board ran out [ks][10h][9s][js][3d], sending the double up Townsend's way. Then, to rub salt into the Fossilman's wounds, Keith Lehr repeated the trick, this time pushing for 300,000 with [kc][9s] from the big blind. [3c][7d][ks] came on the flop, the [2d] on the turn... and the [9h] on the river. Ouch.

Greg Raymer

But Raymer is made of stern stuff, and still has 2.1 million with blinds at 20,000-40,000 (5,000) so is not in too bad a shape. And let's face it, he's been able to manouevre his way around these big events before.

With just 13 players left, the $40,000 no limit event is homing in on the final table - and Team PokerStars Holland Pro Lex Veldhuis is leading the chase with 5,200,000.

Top ten chip counts:

Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 5,200,000
Noah Schwartz, 2,950,000
Justin Bonomo, 2,700,000
Alec Torelli, 2,630,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 2,560,000
Ted Forrest, 1,740,000
Dani Stern. 1,700,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 1,450,000
Isaac Haxton, 1,150,000
Matthew Marafioti, 820,000

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009wordseriesofpoker, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, gregraymer, lexveldhuis | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Lex be having you

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

He's made quite a name for himself in the online poker battleground - 'RaSZi', for the record - but Team PokerStars Holland Pro Lex Veldhuis has yet to chalk up a bumper score in a live event. All that has changed in the $40,000 No Limit Hold'em event, where he is already guaranteed $96,171 - and looking a good bet to make tomorrow's final table.

Into the second level today, and level 19 overall, the Dutchman is sitting fifth in chips with 1.8 million. It's one tough field, but our man is in good spirits.

"I am feeling really good," he said as he unbagged his mountain of chips for today's play. "I survived two of the toughest tables yesterday, so the good news is it can't be any worse today.

"I'm pretty sure I know how the people at my table today play, so that makes me feel more confident. It's going to be a good day."

Lex Veldhuis

Things got off to a rocky start, however, when he dropped a big pot against Tony G, who got all in with [10c][10s], called by Veldhuis with [kh][qc]. The low board meant Tony G doubled up to 880,000.

Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer is going about his business on the next table, and has already accounted for Andrew Robl. The Fossilman is up to 2 million - currently fifth in chips.

Veldhuis, foreground, with Greg Raymer sitting behind

The early going saw us lose five of the shortstacks: Andrew Robl, Frank Kassela, David Chui, Neil Channing, and moments ago Andy Black

Top ten chip counts in level 19, blinds 12,000-24,000 (3,000). 18 players left:

Justin Bonomo, 3,100,000
Ted Forrest, 2,300,000
Alec Torelli, 2,240,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 2,000,000
David Baker, 1,970,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 1,800,000
Isaac Haxton, 1,400,000
Noah Schwartz, 1,300,000
Brian Rast, 1,030,000
Matthew Marafioti, 850,000

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseries, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, lexveldhuis | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Raymer, Veldhuis riding high – Rousso cashes

Saturday, May 30th, 2009

Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer is in familiar territory. The Fossilman is very much at home in the Rio as his WSOP record testifies: the world championship in 2004 and an amazing run one year later that so nearly saw him reach the final table again. And there's been other significant WSOP cashes since, all of which confirm his status as a WSOP big-game specialist - and explain why he looks so comfortable near the top of the end-of-day-two, $40,000 no limit event leaderboard.

Greg Raymer

Earlier today many in the poker community were willing on Chris Moneymaker - who started the day second in chips - reasoning a victory in this high-profile tournament would do wonders for the game's popularity among the masses. Yet it was not to be for the man from Tennessee, who busted shortly after the dinner break - first losing a huge coinflip with Tony G, and then soon after fatally running his pocket tens into Ted Forrest's kings. He walked away from the table in disgust - had he stayed for the flop the first card he would have seen was a ten... the second, a king.

Chris Moneymaker

With Moneymaker's demise, the general backing turned to Raymer - as a victory for him would also bring welcome publicity to the game seeing as he is a popular figure, an ambassador and more proof that poker must indeed need educated craft and not rely heavily on luck as so many detractors would have us believe. As play drew to a close tonight, Raymer was dancing merrily to the community's tune, fourth in chips on 2,287,000.

The bubble - an expensive one at that - burst just ten minutes before the end of play when Neil Chriss bust in 28th. Moments later, Team PokerStars Pro Vanessa Rousso went in 27th, picking up the first of the $71,858 prizes, another creditable result following her audacious victory in the EPT Monte Carlo €25,000 high roller event. Her day had been a tale of holding on, then securing two key double ups to carry her into the money, before falling in a classic race when her Q-Q fell to Keith Lehr's A-K, with the winning ace falling cruelly on the river.

Vanessa Rousso

Another Team Pro who looked capable of cashing was Humberto Brenes, but he, like Moneymaker, was to fall soon after dinner, when his A-7 failed to catch up with Raymer's 9-9.

Raymer has more PokerStars expertise for company near the top of the leaderboard, where online star Lex Veldhuis, a member of Team PokerStars Holland Pro, has been flirting with the chip lead for two days. The chip counts show he ended the night fifth in chips, with 2,103,000 - a good day's work for the Dutchman, who is looking here to secure his biggest live cash result to date.

But both Raymer and Veldhuis still have a mountain to climb to pick up the bracelet and the $1,891,012 first prize. With 23 players remaining, the top of the leaderboard tonight is Justin Bonomo on 2,678,000, just ahead of Ted Forrest, who had overslept on the dinner break and was half an late returning to his seat. How Moneymaker must wish he had napped for just a little longer.

Lex Veldhuis

We'll be back tomorrow for day three of the $40,000 event, plus day two of the $1,500 Omaha Hi-Low 8 or Better, and the start of event number four, the $1,000 no limit event which has already surpassed 5,000 registrations. Who was it who said poker had reached its peak?

Official overnight chip counts, end of day two. 23 players left:

Justin Bonomo, 2,678,000
Ted Forrest, 2,586,000
David Baker, 2,367,000
Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 2,287,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 2,103,000
Alec Torelli, 1,725,000
Keith Lehr, 1,257,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 1,166,000
Matthew Marafioti, 1,003,000
Brian Rast, 912,000
Suresh Doshi, 771,000
Daniel Stern, 762,000
Clark Hamagami, 691,000
Matthew Glantz, 671,000
Brian Townsend, 671,000
Noah Schwartz, 541,000
Isaac Haxton, 539,000
Tony G, 481,000
David Chui, 318,000
Neil Channing, 270,000
Andrew Black, 210,000
Frank Kassela, 167,000
Andrew Robl, 112,000

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseries, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, gregraymer, lexveldhuis, vanessarousso | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Team PokerStars Pros on a roll

Friday, May 29th, 2009

There was never any doubt that players in the elite Team PokerStars Pro were awash with talent, but just to emphasise the point they are currently taking the $40,000 No Limit Hold'em event by storm. With just 40 players left from the 201 who sat down yesterday, two of our big guns are in the top ten, and three more are in a good position to join them.

Heading the pack, and indeed the whole field, is 2004 WSOP Main Event champion Greg Raymer who, after spending the first few levels of the day treading water, has burst into life and now tops 1.6 million chips - the latest chunk of them coming from busting James "Mig.com" Mackey - when his [as][kc] remained ahead of [kc][qs].

Lex Veldhuis

Not far behind, and currently second in chips, is Team PokerStars Holland Pro Lex "RaSZi" Veldhuis, now on 1,250,000. He had been quiet for a level, then lost a pot to Sorel Mizzi sitting to his left, but since building a big stack yesterday he has never really looked back.

Then there is Chris Moneymaker, who won the WSOP the year before Raymer, still going strong on 730,000 and just outside the top ten. He had been nudging one million, but fell back a bit after doubling up Noah Schwartz when his 7-7 was no good against K-K. Moneymaker said he was now able to slow his game down when it mattered, and so far today he's making it work.

On top of these three, Vanessa Rousso is breathing new life into her tournament hopes. Down to 80,000 not so long ago, she's clawed her way back to just under 300,000. And then there's Humberto Brenes. while never actually looking like he was getting anything significant going today, he's actually quietly put together a 400,000 stack.

Top ten chip counts, level 16, blinds 8,000-16,000 (2,000), 39 players left:

Greg Raymer, Team PokerStars Pro, 1,612,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 1,250,000
Keith Lehr, 1,080,000
Matthew Marafioti, 1,080,000
Matthew Glantz, 1,058,000
Brian Townsend, 1,015,000
Justin Bonomo, 980,000
Ted Forrest, 915,000
Vitaly Lunkin, 915,000
Steve Zolotow, 845,000

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseriesofpoker, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Strassmann falls to Moneymaker, Raymer soars

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Johannes Strassmann has become a force to be reckoned with in tournament poker, but he ran into the wrong man at the wrong time costing him his place in the $40,000 No Limit event. That man was Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker, who soars close to the one million chip mark as a result.

Strassmann, a member of Team PokerStars Germany Pro, has built up $820,000 in tournament winnings in EPT and WSOP events, and was deep here, inside the last 50 players with the money looming at 27th. But Moneymaker is a man rejuvinated, and it would take something special to set him back.

Johannes Strassmann

As it was, the pair were locked in a pot with the board showing Q-6-4. Strassmann led out, and Moneymaker re-popped another 55,000. The German moved all in, insta call, and they were on their backs:

Moneymaker: [ks][kh]
Strassmann: [ac][qd]

Moneymaker waked away, not liking the option of watching the remaining two cards come from the deck. But the turn was a 9 and the river a K - and Moneymaker raked in another 200,000.

"You could'nt bear to watch, hey?" shouted a member of the nearby rail.

"No. If I watch bad things tend to happen," came the reply, as Moneymaker stacked up the goods.

Greg Raymer

Also happy right now are Greg Raymer and Vanessa Rousso. Raymer shot through the million mark by busting Huck Seed and then Chad Batista soon after. Seed pushed from the button once too often with [6c][7c]. Raymer pondered, then made the call with [kh][9d], which held up. "I had to call," said the Fossilman. "He'd been pushing with so many hands."

The 2004 WSOP champ then accounted for Batista. The pair saw a flop of [2d][3h][jd] and Batista pushed with [kd][7d] for the flush draw to Raymer's [8h][8c]. Nothing changed and Raymer moved up among the chip leaders.

Rousso, meanwhile, found the golden double up she'd been waiting for when her [ks][4h] overtook fellow short-stack Bruno Fotoussi's [ad][qc] - and then doubled again with 10-10 v A-K to take her to 360,000 on the dinner break.

Vanessa Rousso

When they come back, blinds will be 6,000-12,000 (1,000). With just 45 players left, the average stack is 548,000 - just 45 big blinds. Tournament staff say the plan is to play four more levels after dinner, or down to 18 players, whichever comes first.

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseriesofpoker, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, chrismoneymaker, johannesstrassmann | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Brenes waits… and waits

Friday, May 29th, 2009

There's nothing worse than being card dead, particularly in a tournament such as this. When your stack is trickling away and the blinds are moving north, you're praying for the type of hand that can double you up and get you going once more. When all you are dealt is drivel, it's like the poker gods are sucking the life out of you... painfully and slowly.

Humberto Brenes

Judging by the expressions of Team PokerStars Pro Humberto Brenes, this is exactly what's happening to him on day two of the $40,000 No Limit Hold'em event. He's chewing on his gum faster and harder than ever (there are four packets in front of him), and each time he's dealt two cards, the response seems to be the same.

He looks down at the dealer's offering, the shoulders slump and he glances at the sky in a "not this garbage again" sort of way. The cards go in the muck and he waits patiently to repeat the process again. And it's starting to cost - he's down to little over 150,000, still plenty of play with blinds at 3,000-6,000, but it's a great test of his mental strength.

During all this he had to watch Brian Townsend, sitting to his right, hoovering up chips that sent him over 1,000,000, then got moved to the same table as Chris Moneymaker. Chris, who told us earlier of his improved game, needs to use his new-found patience after dropping 200,000 in the first few levels of play. He's still on over 600,000, so no need to panic.

No need to panic either for Team PokerStars Pro John Duthie. No need to do anything, in fact, because like Friend of PokerStars Bill Chen, he's out. Both fell holding the same hand, pocket tens.

Duthie was particularly unlucky. Starting the day with 188,000, he was in the big blind and when the small blind - Frank Kassela - raised it up, Duthie put out 50,000 more. Kassela insta called. The flop was 2-3-J and Duthie, pushed with 10-10 ("I did not put him on jacks"), and was called by 8-8. But an 8 on the turn ended Duthie's day early.

Meanwhile Greg Raymer was playing a patient game, but has now risen above 400,000 after his A-J overtook Ville Wahlbeck's pocket kings.

Now challenging the chip lead is Team PokerStars Holland Pro Lex Veldhuis, who has broken the one million mark. We'll have more news of his progress soon.

65 players remain in the event, and the money kicks in at 27th place with $71,858.

*******

STOP PRESS: The magic of the blogger works again. No sooner had we put up this post when Humberto Brenes finally found a hand, pushed, and got a caller. His A-K was up against Antonio Esfandiari's A-J - and stayed ahead, putting him on nearly 300,000.

He's a happy Humberto now.

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseriesofpoker, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, humbertobrenes | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: I’ve got the monkey off my back, says Moneymaker

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Chris Moneymaker's superb run during day one of the $40,000 no limit yesterday impressed not just because of his chip count (805,000), but for the manner in which he got there. Since we watched in awe when he won the WSOP main event in 2003, he'll be the first to admit his form since has been patchy.

Now, in a typically modest interview with the PokerStars Blog, Chris Moneymaker has revealed he understood and came to accept what the shortfalls in his game were - and has been working hard to improve them. And yesterday's performance showed just how far he'd come.

"I've been working on my game on PokerStars a lot because whenever I get chips in a tournament I play too fast and bluff them off. It was a real bad habit, so it's one key thing I have been working on - trying to slow down.

"I think I am better early in a tournament, but that counts for nothing when I would get too excited and play when I shouldn't, which meant I would get into bad spots. When the blinds get bigger and the antes are out there, I would think, 'Wow, look at those chips', and go after them when I shouldn't.

"As I said, that got me into bad spots and I'd lose my chips and momentum - and when I did that I had a second problem with my game... tilt. That's something else I've been working real hard on, and these kinks in my game are something I think I have got rid of now.

"I have a lot of fans, but I know I have a lot of knockers, too. You have to expect that, and they don't bother me. I feel I am a good player, and now that I have tried to improve further I think I can do well here. I've been really looking forward to this World Series because of that."

There was so much expectation on Moneymaker after he won the Main Event that he felt it contributed to the bad points in his game - being too aggressive and then tilting when things started to go wrong.

"Yes, winning the WSOP did create a monkey on my back for a while. But I learnt to live with that, and now I have tried to improve, I think it's gone and I can just let my poker do the talking."

He had some tough tables yesterday, facing off against the likes of fellow Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein and Ireland's Andy Black. And today he kicks off with another tough one, sitting alongside the likes of Doyle Brunson and Ted Forrest.

"But, hey, it's a $40,000 event - so it's bound to be tough," he said.

We said in yesterday's blog that Moneymaker was looking like a man who means business, and now we know he's been working on his game so much, we can see why he is so full of confidence.

You can follow his progress in day two right here today - and Chris will also be updating his Twitter page as often as he can.

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseriesofpoker, News, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, chrismoneymaker | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker storms day one

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Chris Moneymaker was the guy who did more than any other player to set off the online poker boom, winning the 2003 WSOP Main Event after qualifying for just $39 on PokerStars. Since then he has been desperate for another big WSOP win, and this might just be his time.

At the close of day one of the $40,000 No Limit Hold'em tournament, Moneymaker bagged up 805,000 in chips, just 7,000 or so behind leader Bruno Fitoussi. His rise up the chip ladder had not been down to some huge series of double ups, instead he increased his stack steadily, right up until the close of play when he was still re-raising and taking sizeable pots as a result.

Chris Moneymaker

While he must feel elated tonight - although knowing there's still a long, long way to go, with 89 of the 201 starters still in the hunt - Vanessa Rousso is delighted just to be in the table draw for tomorrow. She'd slid down to 60,000 or so and got all in with 8-8, which to her great relief was good on a board showing J-K-2-K-Q. With that she was bagging up just minutes later with 165,500 chips.

Finishing high in chips, just breaking the 600,000 barrier, is Team PokerStars Holland Pro player Lex Veldhuis, while Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer will be back with 213,000 (the chip average is 271,000), ahead of John Duthie, Humberto Brenes and Johaness Strassmann.

Greg Raymer

Those we lost include ElkY late on, Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem, Barry Greenstein, Gavin Griffin, Ivan Demidov, Peter Eastgate and Dennis Phillips.

We'll have the full official chip counts up when we get them, but in the meantime reporting restrictions mean we can go with the unofficial top ten only:

Bruno Fitoussi, 812,500
Chris Moneymaker, Team PokerStars Pro, 805,000
Emil Patel, 615,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 606,500
Justin Bonomo, 570,000
Michael DeMichele, 550,000
Kyle Wilson, 520,000
Brian Townsend, 512,000
Alan Sass, 440,000
Matthew Marafioti, 415,000

We'll be back for day two of this four-day event tomorrow, when we'll also be keeping an eye on the start of event #3, the Omaha Hi-Low Split 8 or Better $1,500 event, which Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu has said he plans to enter.

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseriesofpoker, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, chrismoneymaker | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Rousso chasing more high-roller success

Friday, May 29th, 2009

The last level was not a good one for Team PokerStars Pro. Ivan Demidov went, then Gavin Griffin, followed by Joe Hachem and finally Dennis Phillips. Thank goodness, then, for Vanessa Rousso who is ducking and diving to keep her stack healthy.

Only a few weeks ago in Monte Carlo, I reported on her stunning EPT €25,000 High Roller win, a result that showed her previous good results were no fluke. This event will take even more skill, courage and a bit of luck to take down. With blinds shooting up to 1,500-3,000 with 400 ante, there is no point in simply hanging around - and Rousso is certainly at her best when attacking. It's a dangerous tactic, of course, and her stack today has been up and down as a result.

Up to 177,000 in the first level from her 120,000 starting stack, her stack down again to 140,000 or so. While Lex Veldhuis and Chris Moneymaker continue to fight for the chip lead, Rousso sits ahead of the other Team Pro players Greg Raymer, John Duthie and Johannes Strassmann.

Vanessa Rousso

Rousso had shared the same felt as Ivan Demidov for most of the day, but he was unable to repeat the magic he found to final table the WSOP main event last year. His stack never got any forward momentum, and he finally bust when his A-K ran into the pocket kings of Eric Kesselman.

Hachem's exit was less of a clash of the big hands. He was down to his last 10,000 and made a stand from under the gun before the blinds came around to do more damage. Alas, he only held 8-10, and he never overtook Hasan Habib's A-7.

Top ten chip counts, mid way through level 9, blinds 1,500-3,000 (400). 111 players left:

Michael DeMichele, 690,000
Justin Bonomo, 570,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 330,000
Antonia Esfandiari, 470,000
Emil Patel, 530,000
Kyle Wilson, 465,000
Chris Moneymaker, Team PokerStars Pro, 460,000
Alan Sass, 440,000
Ted Forrest, 380,000
Alex Jacob, 370,000

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseriesofpoker, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, vanessarousso | Comments Off

WSOP Event #2: Moneymaker mission

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Chris Moneymaker has the look of a man who means business. In fairness, he's had that look from the moment he sat down on the WSOP main event final table six years ago before going on to take the $2.5 million title, all for an initial outlay of just $39 on PokerStars. He's been desperate to pick up another bracelet since then, and he's in good shape to have a run at it here.

As the remaining 150 players returned from dinner on day one of the $40,000 No Limit Hold'em event, the Team PokerStars Pro sat third in chips with 415,000. And much of it had to do with a man called Jesus.

Chris Moneymaker

On a board of [jd][9h][8s] Moneymaker bet 9,000. Fellow Team PokerStars Pro Humberto Brenes called, but then Ferguson moved all in for 71,000. Moneymaker dwelled briefly but made the call, Brenes folded:

Ferguson: [10h][10s]
Moneymaker: [10c][jc]

Moneymaker had Jesus in a world of pain, and the turn and river blanked out to give him the pot. Soon after the return from dinner, he dropped 35,000 but is still in the chip-lead mix.

Top ten chips at the start of level 7, blinds 1,000-2,000 (300), 149 players left:

Antonia Esfandiari, 470,000
Justin Bonomo, 470,000
Matthew Glantz, 400,000
Chris Moneymaker, Team PokerStars Pro, 380,000
Bruno Fitoussi, 367,000
Andy Black, 343,000
Lex Veldhuis, Team PokerStars Holland Pro, 330,000
Mark Seif, 330,000
Isaac Haxton, 324,000
Ted Forrest, 315,000

******

By now many of you will be following the PokerStars Blog on Twitter. Today, and throughout the World Series, many of our Team Pro players will be updating their progress - or lack of - on their own Twitter page.

You follow Vanessa Rousso, Daniel Negreanu, Barry Greenstein and Peter Eastgate, while Terrence Chan is also Tweeting from the $40,000 event.

Posted in $40K No Limit, 2009, 2009worldseriesofpoker, Pokerstars, World Series of Poker, chrismoneymaker | Comments Off

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Archive for the ‘$40K No Limit’ Category

WSOP Event #2: Raymer’s rocky rockets

WSOP Event #2: Lex be having you

WSOP Event #2: Raymer, Veldhuis riding high – Rousso cashes

WSOP Event #2: Team PokerStars Pros on a roll

WSOP Event #2: Strassmann falls to Moneymaker, Raymer soars

WSOP Event #2: Brenes waits… and waits

WSOP Event #2: I’ve got the monkey off my back, says Moneymaker

WSOP Event #2: Team PokerStars Pro Chris Moneymaker storms day one

WSOP Event #2: Rousso chasing more high-roller success

WSOP Event #2: Moneymaker mission