2007 World Series of Poker

Event 55 - $10,000 World Championship No Limit Holdem
Event Info

2007 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
88
Prize
$8,250,000
Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Prize Pool
$59,784,954
Entries
6,358
Level Info
Level
36
Blinds
400,000 / 800,000
Ante
100,000

Last 10 Hands: 51-60

The first four hands went to the pre-flop raiser. There was a showdown on the fifth hand, which Rain Khan won. It looked like action was going to slow down when Rain Khan and Jerry Yang butted heads on Hand #56. Rain Khan busted out on that hand as Jerry Yang took out another player.

Alex Kravchenko doubled up on Hand #58 against chipleader Jerry Yang which pleased his railbirds who sang something in Russian.

Yang didn't waste any time when he won a 3 million pot on the next hand.

Jon Kalmar moved all in on Hand #60 and Raymond Rahme made the call which excited his contingency of friends and family from South Africa. It was another race with Rahme's Jacks up against Kalmar's Big Slick. They were trying to shout over Kalmar's railbirds who were asking for an Ace or a King. When his Jacks held up, Rahme's railbirds went nuts and started chanting his name while swaying back and forth.

Hand #60 - Jon Kalmar Eliminated in 5th Place ($1,255,069)

5th Place - Jon Kalmar
5th Place - Jon Kalmar
Hand #60 - Jerry Yang has the button in seat 4, Raymond Rahme raises to 2.7 million, Jon Kalmar moves all in from the big blind, and Rahme asks for a count (13.245 million) before he calls.

Rahme shows {J-Diamonds}{J-Spades}, and Kalmar shows {A-Spades}{K-Hearts}. It's a race situation. Kalmar needs to improve to stay alive.

The flop comes {10-Clubs}{9-Hearts}{6-Hearts}, and Rahme retains the lead with his pocket pair.

The turn card is the {3-Clubs}, and Kalmar needs an ace or a king on the river to survive.

The river card is the {3-Hearts}, and Raymond Rahme wins the pot with two pair, jacks and threes, increasing his stack to 29.89 million. The South African fans in the crowd go wild, and they break into song once again.

Jon Kalmar is eliminated in fifth place, earning $1,255,069. The next player eliminated will receive $1,852,721 for fourth place.

Tags: Jon KalmarRaymond Rahme

Hand #59 - Jerry Yang

Hand #59 - Alex Kravchenko has the button in seat 2, Jerry Yang raises from the small blind to 1.5 million, and Tuan Lam calls from the big blind. The flop comes {9-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{2-Diamonds}, Yang bets 3 million, and Lam folds. Jerry Yang takes the pot.

Tags: Jerry Yang

Hand #58 - Alex Kravchenko Doubles Through Jerry Yang

Hand #58 - Raymond Rahme has the button in seat 1, Alex Kravchenko moves all in from the small blind, and once his chips is counted down (4.39 million), Jerry Yang calls from the big blind.

Kravchenko shows {A-Diamonds}{10-Hearts}, and Yang shows {J-Hearts}{10-Clubs}. Kravchenko is in a dominant position to double up here.

The flop comes {8-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{3-Spades}, and Kravchenko retains the lead with his ace.

The turn card is the {8-Diamonds}, and Yang needs a jack to bust Kravchenko here.

The river card is the {2-Hearts}, and the Russians cheer from the stands as Alex Kravchenko doubles up with his ace high to 9.78 million.

Tags: Alex KravchenkoJerry Yang

Bring Out the Money

The Prize Money
The Prize Money
Several surly security guards walked into the Amazon Room at a brisk pace with silver suitcases filled with cash. One by one, they emptied the cash on a stand near the final table.

"Is this money going to South Africa?" final table announcer Brooks Turk asked the crowd. "Is this money going to Russia? Is this money going to England? Is this money going to Canada? Is this money going to stay here in America? There's $8 million up for grabs. Who's going to win it?"

The bricks of cash are real money representing $8.25 million. It's not fake money or TV money. The bricks are $100 bills wrapped around the outside of $1 bills. The Rio does that for security reasons. But that is real money you will see poured out on the table once action reaches heads up.

Play Resumes

There are still 37 minutes and 44 seconds at the current level, with blinds of 150,000-300,000, with a 40,000 ante. The players are seated and ready to go, so it's time to shuffle up and deal!