2008 World Series of Poker

39th Annual World Series of Poker Main Event
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

Checking Out of the Hilton

Laurie Hilton Out
Laurie Hilton Out
Laurie Hilton raised all in on the button with {8-Hearts}{8-Diamonds} and Thomas Keller isolated in the small blind. It worked and he took some back, flipping over {K-Hearts}{K-Diamonds}. The board was {5-?}{J-?}{10-?}{9-?}{J-?} and Hilton was eliminated.

Saab Story

David Saab related this one.

Nenad Medic raises to 6,000 and gets two callers. David Saab reraises to 25,000 and Medic calls. The others fold.

The flop is {Q-?}{7-?}{3-?}. Both players check. The turn is a blank and both players check again. The river is a {7-?} and Saab leads out for 50,000. Medic calls. Saab shows {7-?}{2-?} and takes a 70,000+ pot. Saab now has 240,000 and Medic is down to 200,000.

Eric Crain Crumbles

Eric Crain - Eliminated
Eric Crain - Eliminated
After starting the day with 315,000 chips, Eric Crain began a downward spiral the culmination of which resulted in his elimination just a short time ago.

Action folded to Crain in middle position and he raised to 6,000. Mike Matusow, also in middle position, made the call as did Raja Kattamuri from the button.

The flop came {Q-Clubs} {4-Clubs} {3-Clubs} and Crain led out for 11,000. Matusow passed but Kattamuri made the call. The turn fell the {2-Diamonds} and Crain fired again, this time for 22,000. Kattamuri called and the {7-Clubs} hit the river.

Crain pushed all in for roughly 60,000 and Kattamuri snap-called. He showed {A-Clubs} {J-Hearts} and Crain mucked on his way out the door.

Tags: Eric CrainRaja Kattamuri

Xavier Van Belle Eliminated

Xavier Van Belle was just eliminated in brutal fashion. Here's how it went down.

Action folded around to Van Belle in the cutoff and he pushed all in. Matt Lessinger called from the big blind and the players showed:

Van Belle: {A-Hearts} {A-Clubs}
Lessinger: {A-Spades} {Q-Clubs}

What started as a 93% advantage for Van Belle quickly evaporated when the flop came {K-Diamonds} {J-Spades} {10-Spades}. The {3-Clubs} hit the turn meaning Van Belle could only split the pot. To add insult to injury, the case {A-Diamonds} fell on the river and Lessinger's hand was best.

Monster Pot for Geert

Flop: {7-Diamonds} {10-Clubs} {K-Spades}

Chau Giang checked the flop and Geert Jans led out. Giang fired back with a reraise and Geert raised back. Giang moved all in for 280,000 and Geert called. Geert showed pocket sevens for a flopped set, while Giang turned over K-10 for top two. Giang failed to improve and is down to just 46,000, while Geert is up to 525,000.

Under 1000

We started the day with over 1,300 players and after just two and a half hours of play, we're down under 1,000. We currently have just 983 players remaining in the Main Event, with the money being reached at 666. that gives us just 317 players left before we reach the money. At the rate we've been going, that could happen before dinner.

Double R

Vanessa Rousso has found good spots to get her money in today and that trend has continued. This time all the chips went in on a {2-Diamonds} {6-Hearts} {4-Hearts} board. Rousso was holding {J-Spades} {J-Hearts} against her opponent's {7-Diamonds} {4-Diamonds}.

The turn came {2-Spades} and river {8-Clubs} to enable Rousso up to 78,000.

Tags: Vanessa Rousso

Khan!!!!

On a flop of {4-Clubs} {4-Hearts} {6-Spades}, Hevad Khan moved all in from the button and was called by Jason McLane in the big blind.

McLane: {2-Spades} {2-Diamonds}
Khan: {A-Spades} {7-Spades}

The turn came the {8-Clubs}, helping neither player. The {6-Clubs} on the river gave two pair on board which counterfeited McLane's pair and Khan's ace played.

After the hand, Khan moved up to 104,000 and McLane moved down to 177,000.

Tags: Hevad KhanJason McLane

Blanda Punished

Blanda from Day 1a
Blanda from Day 1a
Preflop, Steve Pestal raised to 5,000 and Bill Blanda reraised to 20,000. Pestal then came over the top all in for 102,100 and Blanda insta-called. The dealer announced, "all in and call, table 36." ESPN camera and even Lon McEachern came over to watch the hand unfold.

Blanda: {A-Spades} {A-Hearts}
Pestal: {A-Clubs} {Q-Hearts}

The flop came {J-Spades} {10-Diamonds} {3-Hearts} and Blanda was out of his seat and pacing hoping that his aces would hold. The pacing continued and Blanda started calling out for his aces to hold. The {K-Hearts} hit the river almost as if the hand was scripted, giving Pestal the gutshot straight and cracking Blanda's aces.

Blanda loudly said, "God. They ought to make convicts play this game for punishment."

A floorman then came over and gave Blanda a warning for his outburst.

After the hand, Blanda is down to 150,000 and Pestal moved up to 205,000 in chips.

Tags: Bill BlandaPaul Pestal