The WSOP on ESPN: Mizrachi, Chan, Bellande and Affleck Featured on Day Six
In this week’s installment of the 2010 World Series of Poker on ESPN, just over 200 of the original 7,319 players remained as Day 6 of the Main Event got under way. Among them was former back-to-back (1987 and 1988) winner Johnny Chan; Survivor China contestant Jean-Robert Bellande; Internet sensation and bracelet winner Phil Galfond; 2009 CardPlayer Player of the Year Eric Baldwin; and two of the four Mizrachi Brothers, Robert and Michael. They were joined by dozens of amateurs, online qualifiers, and poker professionals as they competed for their share of the $68,798,600 prize pool and the WSOP Main Event bracelet.
The Three Million Chip Club: In the first hand, Danny Chamberlain raised to 36,000 from middle position with 6♦4♦ and Matt Affleck made the call from the cutoff with his K♦10♥. Brandon Steven looked down at A♠10♦ in the small blind and tagged along as the three saw a flop of 3♦J♠2♥. Steven checked and Chamberlain threw out a continuation bet of 68,000. Affleck, who many may remember as one-time chip leader at the 2009 WSOP, raised to 185,000 and took down the pot. “Easy game, boys,” Affleck chimed as his stack grew to 3,076,000, the fifth biggest in the room.
Good Lay-Down: With 194,000 in the pot and a board reading A♠3♣A♣7♠, Jean-Robert Bellande bet 65,000 and received a call from two-time bracelet winner Jesper Hougaard. The river was the 6♠ and Bellande fired out 125,000 only to have Hougaard move all-in for 458,000 more. After a brief speech, Bellande threw away his A♥K♦ and concluded, “Good lay-down, Robert, good lay-down.”
Day Six Notables: A number of recognizable faces were shown among the two-dozen tables remaining in the Amazon Room. Hasan Habib, Matt Keikoan, Peter Jetten, Adam “Roothlus” Levy, Russell Rosenblum, David “Not Bakes” Baker, James Carroll, David Benyamine, Christian Harder, and Johnny Lodden were some of the players featured on this week’s broadcast.
Monster Pot: Under the gun, Johnny Chan raised to 40,000 and Rob Pisano reraised to 210,000 from middle position. Chan responded with a four-bet to 440,000, Pisano moved all-in for 1,754,000 more and Chan snap-called. Pisano flipped over A♠A♣ and Chan was clearly dejected as he turned over his K♥K♣. What was at stake? Just that the winner of the pot would be vaulted into the chip lead while the loser would either be eliminated or left crippled. The board ran out 4♦10♦5♠7♣4♥ and just like that Pisano became the new chip leader while Chan dropped to 806,000, having lost three-quarters of his stack.
The Chip Lead Changes: Another monster pot saw two players all-in and called by a bigger stack. With 4,142,000 in the middle and a flop reading 8♥Q♠9♥, Manig Loeser was all-in with 6♠6♦, as was John May who held A♦A♣.John Racener had both players covered and had flopped a set with Q♥Q♦. The turn was the K♠, leaving Loeser drawing dead, and the river the K♦, sending May home, as well. Meanwhile, Racener claimed the pot and the chip lead.
Mizrachi All-In: Robert Mizrachi who was all-in with A♠Q♦ against the A♦3♣ of Rob Pisano. With 494,000 in the pot, the flop came down 10♠K♥J♠, giving Mizrachi a flopped Broadway straight. The K♣ on the turn and 3♦ on the river changed nothing and Mizrachi doubled his stack.
Whoops:Jonathan Driscoll raised preflop to 44,000 from the hijack and Theo Tran accidentally exposed his Ax5x as he called the additional 24,000 from the big blind. Tran was clearly embarrassed and even more so when the flop came down A♠4♣5♦. In the end, Driscoll simply mucked out of turn, Tran was left with a one round penalty for exposing his cards, and a missed double-up opportunity.
Off to the Races: Russell Rosenblum, who finished sixth in the 2002 WSOP Main Event, was all-in preflop with 2♥2♦ against the A♠K♥ of Brian Jensen. Through the turn, the board read 9♣8♥J♣7♥ and Rosenblum pleaded, “Ten. That’s how risk adverse I am; I’ll take the ten (for a chop).” Unfortunately for Rosenblum, the river was the K♣ and he was eliminated in 169th place.
Can’t Bluff the Grinder: On a board reading 8♠10♥4♠K♥5♠,Duy Le had missed his straight draw with J♦9♦ but put out a river bluff of 500,000 nonetheless. Action was on Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi who held 7♠}7♦ and contemplated a call into the 1,450,000 pot. After thinking about it for a few moments, Mizrachi made the call and took down the large pot as his wife, Lily, looked on.
World Champ Down: Once again, Johnny Chan picked up a big pocket pair only to run it into a bigger pocket pair. This time, it was Chan who was all-in with J♠J♦ for his last half million against the A♠A♣ of Jonathan Driscoll. The 3♠6♣7♦ flop was no help to Chan, nor was the 5♥ on the turn. He needed a jack or four to avoid elimination and keep his hopes for a third Main Event title alive. Unfortunately for him, the river was the 3♥ and he was eliminated in 156th place.
The second hour of ESPN’s broadcast featured the continuation of Day Six with 155 players still in contention for the $8,944,138 first-place prize.
Grinder Takes the Chip Lead: Duy Le bet 600,000 on a board reading K♥9♠5♣K♣7♥ only to have Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi raise to two million. Le disgustedly folded and Mizrachi, who started the day with 1,793,000, grew his stack to just over five million, which was enough to propel him into the chip lead.
OMG he's Gone: Phil “OMGClayAiken” Galfond, who was the first player to break the two million chip mark in the 2010 Main Event, raised to 40,000 preflop and Josue Sauvageau reraised to 128,000. Galfond tanked for a bit before moving all-in for 724,000 more. Sauvageau made the call with his J♠J♦ and was far ahead of Galfond’s 6♥6♦. The board ran out K♦10♠5♠2♦K♣ and Galfond was eliminated from the tournament in 141st place.
Last Woman Standing: Breeze Zuckerman, a journalist turned life coach from California, was the last woman remaining in the field and looked down at A♣Q♥. She raised to 61,000, and Eric Baldwin called from the small blind with 10♠10♥. Both players checked the J♠2♠A♦ flop and the K♦ hit the turn. Baldwin checked, Zuckerman bet 61,000, and Baldwin folded. With the win, Zuckerman brought her stack to just over one million.
Sibling Revelry: With both Robert and Michael Mizrachi still in contention for the World Championship, ESPN was prompted to look at the best Main Event finishes between siblings.
- 2003 (839 players) - Howard Lederer (19th) and Annie Duke (47th)
- 2009 (6,494 players) – Adam Bilzerian (47th) and Dan Bilzerian (180th)
- 2010 (7,319 players) – Robert and Michael Mizrachi (Top 140)
Dunst More Than Doubles: Tony Dunst, who held A♣K♦, and Charles Norris, who had A♠10♦, were both all-in and covered by Ian Gordon who was ahead with Q♠Q♣. The 6♥3♦K♣ flop-thrust Dunst into the lead while the 6♠ on the turn and 10♠ on the river kept him there. Norris was eliminated on the hand while Dunst doubled to more than two million.
Ace Versus Kings:Jose Nadal was all-in preflop with K♥K♦ and behind Jean-Robert Bellande’s A♠A♦. Nadal was at risk as the flop came down 2♣10♦Q♣. Bellande was still in the lead but the 9♠ on the turn gave Nadal some extra outs. When the K♣ fell on the river, Nadal threw his hands up in celebration while Bellande sank in his chair. “Who runs like this man?” he wondered aloud.
Aces Versus Queens: Joseph Cheong held A♠A♦ and had Christopher George’s Q♥Q♦ dominated in a monster pot. The board ran out 8♥8♦7♥A♣J♠ and while George was eliminated in 126th place, Cheong became the tournament chip leader with 5,892,000.
Last Hand: Danny Chamberlain was on the button and raised to 50,000 with J♣8♣ and Matt Affleck called with A♣2♠ from the big blind. The flop came down J♠4♥6♠ and Affleck bet 75,000. Chamberlain smooth called as the 3♠ came on the turn. Affleck bet again to the tune of 175,000 and once again Chamberlain called. Even though the Q♠ on the river gave Affleck a flush, he checked to Chamberlain who fired out 180,000. Affleck was getting 4.5 to 1 on his money and made the call, taking down the pot worth 999,000.
Coverage of 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event continues on Tuesday evenings at 8 p.m. EDT on ESPN. Check your local listings and remember, follow PokerNews on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news.
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