2008 World Series of Poker

Event 53 - $1,500 Limit Hold'em Shootout
Day: 2
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Final Results
Winner
Matt Graham
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
$278,180
Event Info
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$1,123,395
Entries
823
Level Info
Level
19
Blinds
30,000 / 50,000
Ante
0

Play Slows

With five tables still in play, play has slowed considerably. Since a pay jump will not occur until the players make the final table, the remaining players now have an incentive to play much more solidly than they might have up to this point.

Bellande Moves On

Bellande will be making a final table appearance later today
Bellande will be making a final table appearance later today
Picking up the action on the turn, Jean-Robert Bellande called a bet from Hansu Chu on a board of {K-Clubs} {10-Clubs} {7-Clubs} {2-Diamonds}. The river was the {5-Hearts} and Bellande bet out and Chu called, leaving himself with only 1,000 behind.

Bellande turned up {K-Diamonds} {7-Diamonds} for two pair and Chu held {K-Hearts} {J-Diamonds}. Chu commented on how Bellande comes from behind in every hand to get there and take the pot. Bellande clapped his hands together in excitement, but Chu was quick to alert him that he still had 1,000 left and it wasn't over.

On the next hand, the two players were all in blind, with Chu on the line and holding {8-Clubs} {5-Diamonds}. Bellande held {7-Clubs} {4-Clubs}.

The board ran out {K-Diamonds} {9-Clubs} {A-Clubs} {7-Spades} {J-Hearts} and Bellande's pair of sevens were good enough to get him to the final table.

Tags: Hansu ChuJean-Robert Bellande

Storylines

Hansu Chu was once down to 6,000 chips in his heads-up match with Jean-Robert Bellande and now has almost 60,000.

The table with Matt Graham, Jonathan Tamayo, Stefan Rapp, and Duane Graff Jr. is still four handed with very little action and each player just trying to hang on and grind it out.

Eric Rivkin and Brandon Wong have grown closer to even in chip stacks now. Wong had Rivkin down early, but Rivkin has battled back.

Wong Comes Back Strong

Danny Wong raised from the button and Fred Berger called out of the big blind. The flop came the {Q-Clubs} {5-Hearts} {4-Clubs}. Berger bet all in and Wong made the call.

Berger: {K-Diamonds} {4-Spades}
Wong: {Q-Hearts} {J-Diamonds}

The turn came the {6-Diamonds} and the river came the {9-Hearts} to give Wong the comeback win.

Wong was down to 2,000 chips and made an amazing comeback to get the win against Berger and move on to the final table.

Tags: Danny WongFred Berg

Level: 8

Blinds: 2,000/4,000

Ante: 0

Good Times on Survivor - Hansu

The heads up battle between Jean-Robert Bellande and Hansu Chu continues. Chu is very short and he and Bellande are just laughing it up. If he raises, Bellande will look at his cards and if its not playable, he just folds with a big flourish.

They both seem to be enjoying themselves. Bellande currently holds over a 20 to 1 chip lead.

Tags: Hansu ChuJean-Robert Bellande

John Kranyak Advances

John Kranyak capped the betting preflop against Markus Stranzinger and Stranzinger made the call.

On a flop of {A-Spades} {3-Spades} {10-Clubs}, the betting was again capped between the two players. The last bet was enough to put Stranzinger all in.

Kranyak: {A-Hearts}{K-Clubs}
Stranzinger: {Q-Spades} {J-Spades}

Kranyak had aces and Stranzinger a gutshot draw. The turn of the {5-Clubs} helped neither player and the river card of the {A-Clubs} gave Kranyak three aces and the victory.

Kranyak is our second player to advance to the final table.

Tags: John Kranyak

Joe De Niro is the First to Advance to the Final Table

On a flop of {9-Spades} {4-Diamonds} {3-Hearts}, Sol Mammon bet out and Joe De Niro raised enough to put Mammon all in. Mammon made the call.

De Niro: {9-Diamonds} {5-Hearts}
Mammon: {A-Clubs} {6-Diamonds}

The turn fell the {Q-Diamonds}, helping neither player. The river card of the {J-Clubs} gave De Niro the table win and will propel him to the final table.

De Niro will be the first player to advance to the final table today. He will have a long wait as all the other tables still have to play down to a winner.

Tags: Joe De Niro