2008 World Series of Poker

39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2008 World Series of Poker

Event Info
Buy-in
$10,000
Entries
6,844
Players Left
9
Next Payout
Place 9
$900,670
Level Info
Level
33
Blinds
120,000 / 240,000
Ante
30,000

Stjernvang Wins Race

Helge Stjernvang
Helge Stjernvang
Helge Stjernvang raised to 1,050 from middle position before a fellow Norwegian player on the button moved all in for an additional 1,000 chips. Stjernvang made the call with {A-Hearts}{K-Hearts} and found himself in a race with his opponent, who held {9-Diamonds}{9-Spades}.

The board ran out {4-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{2-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}{K-Spades} and Stjernvang spiked a king on the river to take down the pot and eliminate his opponent. Stjernvang is now up to 47,200.

Tags: Helge Stjernvang

Hakim Hacks at Zuccarello's Stack

Jeffrey Hakim raised to 750 from under the gun, Cero Zuccarello called behind him, as did the player in the big blind.

The flop came {9-Hearts}{5-Clubs}{3-Clubs}. The BB checked, Hakim bet 1,650, then Zuccarello raised to 4,500. The BB folded, then Hakim reraised to 34,500. Zuccarello thought a bit, then let it go.

Hakim is up to 45,000, while Zuccarello has slipped to 9,800.

Tags: Cero ZuccarelloJeffrey Hakim

Varkonyi Waters the Flowers

William Thorson raised to 1,300 from the cutoff. Olga Varkonyi called from the button and Dallas Flowers also called out of the small blind.

The flop came down {A-Hearts} {8-Hearts} {7-Diamonds}. Flowers checked, Thorson checked, and Varkonyi bet 2,000. Only Flowers called.

The turn was the {3-Clubs} and Flowers checked again. Varkonyi bet 5,000 and then Flowers moved all in for 11,600. Olga studied her opponent and then made the call.

Varkonyi: {A-Clubs} {J-Hearts}
Flowers: {A-Spades} {8-Spades}

The river was the {10-Spades} and gave Flowers the pot, allowing his stack to grow to 30,000.

Varkonyi is down to 20,000.

Tags: Dallas FlowersOlga VarkonyiWilliam Thorson

Dustin Sitar Gets Jacked

Preflop, a player in middle position raised to 800 and was called by Dustin Sitar. On a flop of {Q-Clubs} {J-Spades} {A-Diamonds}, Sitar's opponent bet 1,500 and Sitar made the call. On the turn of the {2-Hearts}, Sitar called a 3,000 bet from his opponent. On the river of the {2-Spades}, Sitar again called a bet for 4,000 from his opponent.

Sitar's opponent flipped over {J-Clubs} {J-Diamonds} for jacks full. Sitar flashed his cards but only an {A-?} became visible before his hand was mucked.

Sitar had 3,400 remaining after the hand.

Tags: Dustin Sitar

Playing with Purpose

Players come to the World Series of Poker for many different reasons. Some want to rub elbows with the pros; some want to feed their inner action junkie; some want to chase fortune and glory. Roger "Hank" Henry didn't come to the World Series for any of those reasons. He came in memory of his wife Mary.

Last year, Roger and Mary, residents of Sierra Vista, Arizona, promised each other that they would play in the 2008 Main Event. They worked on their game throughout the course of the year, mainly playing with the Sierra Vista Poker Group in their hometown. Everything was proceeding according to plan, but then tragedy struck -- Mary passed away in March.

Roger, with the support of his two grown sons John and Tom, decided to honor his promise to his wife and play in the Main Event anyway. He is seated today at Blue #9, dressed (appropriately enough) in a bright blue hat and t-shirt. A photo of Roger and Mary, taken when they visited Florida last year, is standing on the rail behind his chips, a visible reminder to everyone at the table that there are many things in life that are far more important than some poker tournament that takes place every summer in the middle of the desert.

Roger currently has about 16,500 chips.

When You're Skillful, You're Skillful

Dude Looks Like a Pilgrim
Dude Looks Like a Pilgrim
Preflop, a middle-position player moves all in for 2,400. Tom McEvoy calls in late position with {5-Spades}{5-Diamonds}. The MP shows {A-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds} and the board is {10-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}{Q-Hearts}{5-Clubs}{2-Diamonds}. The opponent is busted. As he's walking away: "When you're lucky, you're lucky,"

McEvoy responds by tapping the table, smiling and saying, "Good game."

McEvoy got his aces cracked by tens soon after and is sitting on 22,000.

The Bulldog Barks, Bites

Orel Hershiser
Orel Hershiser
The cameras are still buzzing around Orel Hershiser's table, but not because he's about to bust out. After the player on the button raised to 1,000 Hershiser moved in for his last 4,450. Randall Witt called and after the initial raiser got out of the way Witt's pocket nines led Hershiser's pocket sevens.

But the flop came {J-Hearts} {8-Hearts} {7-Spades}, giving Orel the set, and when the {K-Hearts} came on the turn and the {K-Spades} on the river Hershiser doubled to 10,900.

Just a few hands later he pulled the same trick, doubling up again after a {9-Clubs} {6-Diamonds} {2-Spades} flop. The player in the big blind bet 2,200 and after two other players mucked, Orel moved all in for 9,000. He got the call and his {A-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} led his opponent's {10-Diamonds} {9-Spades}. The board ran out {8-Hearts} {4-Hearts} and just that fast Hershiser was back in command of a 20,550 stack.

That's How to Play Them

More chips to stack with those fingers now
More chips to stack with those fingers now
A player in early position raised to 1,000 and found callers in Lee Watkinson and the big-blind player. The flop came {3-Diamonds} {Q-Diamonds} {4-Spades} before the original raiser moved all in for 7,000. Watkinson made the call. The big blind folded.

Watkinson tabled {A-Hearts} {A-Diamonds} and was way ahead of his opponent's {K-Hearts} {J-Diamonds}.

Running cards would be needed to beat Watkinson. The turn came {9-Hearts} and river {8-Hearts}. The turn helped but the river was no good. Watkinson up to 18,500 now but his opponent is felted.

Antonius Approaches a Hundred Grand

Patrik Antonius - Event #45
Patrik Antonius - Event #45
On a flop of {J-Spades} {J-Clubs} {9-Hearts}, Patrik Antonius was heads up with a player who moved all in. Antonius made the call and the players showed:

Antonius: {J-Hearts} {10-Hearts}
Opponent: {A-Spades} {4-Spades}

Antonius had the player drawing semi-dead and the runner-runner miracle never got there. Antonius busted another player and took his stack to just over the 98,000 mark in the process.

Tags: Patrik Antonius