WSOP Updates – Event #29, $1,500 Razz — O'Neil Longson Seeks Another Razz Title
Day Two of Event #29, $1,500 Razz, started off with 126 players, including notable names such as Barry Greenstein, Todd Brunson, Jennifer Harman, David Sklansky, Gavin Griffin and Tom McEvoy. By the end of play, the final table had been set, with all of those names relegated to spectator status.
Bustouts were fast and furious to start the day, with 30 players departing in the first level, including Brunson, James Van Alstyne and Lacey Jones. More than 80 players would bust out in the first four hours of play, and after another four hours the money bubble burst, with 32 players cashing.
Once past the bubble, the knockout pace picked up again. John Monette, Cliff Ziff and David Sklansky busted on the first hand after the bubble for $3,724 each. It took less than an hour to eliminate six more players. Jennifer Harman lasted to the final three tables, but was crippled on the first hand of three-table play when Mark Gerencher caught on sixth and seventh streets to make a 7-5-4 low to best Harman's 7-6-5. Harman was eliminated in 22nd ($4,422) on the next hand.
Former 2005 Razz and three-time bracelet winner O'Neil Longson continued a strong Day Two, picking up several small pots and crippling Men 'The Master' Nguyen around 2am. Shortly thereafter, Longson was involved in a huge three-way pot that eliminated Barbara Lewis in 12th ($6,517). Lewis bet out on fourth street with a 5-3 showing, and Longson (A-6 up) and Devin Hanneman (Q-4 up) both called. Hanneman improved to Q-4-8 showing on fifth street and bet out, getting called by both Lewis (5-3-10) and Longson (A-6-3). Lewis was all-in to call for her last 5,500 chips at that point. Longson bet into the side pot on sixth and seventh street, busting Lewis with his A♣7♣6♥3♣A♦K♠5♥. and crippling Hanneman. Hanneman paired up both a deuce and eight that left his Q-low hand far behind Longson's made 7-6 low.
Hanneman went all-in ten times before he was finally busted in tenth ($7,215). When Mike Dreyer was eliminated in ninth ($7,215), the final table was set, and players voted 6-2 in favor of resuming final-table play today. Longson takes a major chip lead into today's action in hopes of snagging his second Razz bracelet in three years. The final-table seating assignments and chip counts:
Seat 1: Denny Axel — 123,000
Seat 2: O'Neil Longson — 385,500
Seat 3: Larry St. Jean — 171,000
Seat 4: Mark Vos — 84,500
Seat 5: Men 'The Master' Nguyen — 35,000
Seat 6: Thomas Daubert — 54,500
Seat 7: Katja Thater — 117,500
Seat 8: Paul 'Eskimo' Clark — 88,500
Final-table play will resume today at 3pm PDT, as the other players attempt to assault Longson's considerable chip lead. Check Pokernews.com's 'Live Reporting' of Event #28, $1,500 Razz for all the latest action.
