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

Is There an Interior Decorator in the House?

The Frank Gehry of Poker?
The Frank Gehry of Poker?
Mark Vos has assembled his 2.6 million into an imposing monolith with soaring 50-chip towers. He still has a few extra chips left over and he arranged them just so atop his stack. But he didn't like that, so he moved them about in a different configuration, stepped away from the table to get a better vantage point to look it over, then returned to his seat to keep experimenting with his stack architecture.

When asked if he'd found the right combination yet he said no, but he'll have more design options, "When I get more chips."

A Lot for a Little

Greg Byard raised to 70,000 from under the gun, and Chris Crilly reraised to 170,000 from late position. It folded back around and Byard made the call.

The flop came {K-Clubs}{8-Spades}{3-Hearts}. Byard checked, Crilly bet 300,000, Byard reraised to 600,000, and Crilly pushed all in for about 1.9 million total. Byard, who had about one million going into the hand, made the call.

Byard: {A-Spades}{K-Spades}
Crilly: {A-Clubs}{K-Diamonds}

The turn was the {5-Spades} and river the {9-Diamonds}, and the two chopped the enormous pot.

"This is a tough way to split the blinds," cracked Byard afterwards.

Tags: Chris CrillyGreg Byard

Matusow Takes Two in a Row

Mike Matusow
Mike Matusow
Mike Matusow has just played consecutive pots for the first time today. In the first hand he moved all in over the top of the opening raise from Cristian Dragomir, who laid down his hand. Matusow advertised pocket jacks.

The next hand Matusow was the preflop raiser making it 60,000 to go. Phi Nguyen made the call. They saw a flop of {2-Clubs}{8-Spades}{9-Spades} and Matusow takes down the pot with a continuation bet of 70,000.

"Wow I won two pots in a row! That's scary!" said Matusow as he now sits behind about 650,000 in chips.

Tags: Mike Matusow

Petteri Pirinen Eliminated by Alfredo Fernandez

The mysterious (or maybe just chilly) Petteri Pirinen
The mysterious (or maybe just chilly) Petteri Pirinen
With the board reading {9-Hearts} {9-Spades} {6-Clubs} {8-Spades} on the turn, Petteri Pirinen led out for 200,000, Alfredo Fernandez moved all in and Pirinen snap-called.

Fernandez turned up {A-Spades} {A-Hearts} and was relieved to see Pirinen's {7-Hearts} {8-Clubs} after he had called so quickly.

"Dude, I swear to God I thought he had a nine. I was going to start crying," said Fernandez.

The river was the {7-Spades}. Fernandez's aces and nines were the better two pair and Pirinen was eliminated in 102nd place. After the hand, Fernandez was up to 2,100,000.

Tags: Alfredo FernandezPetteri Pirinen

How Many Lives Left for Vito?

Vito Branciforte is down to just under 200,000. He just found himself all in on successive hands, both times against Santeri Valikoski, who has him well covered.

On the first hand, Branciforte had {K-Hearts}{3-Hearts} vs. Valikoski's {K-Clubs}{8-Hearts}. The board came A-6-J-J-9, and they chopped.

On the next one, Branciforte was again dominated preflop with {A-Spades}{7-Hearts} against Valikoski's {A-Clubs}{K-Spades}. This time the flop was {10-Spades}{K-Diamonds}{K-Hearts}, giving Valikoski trips. But the {J-Hearts} and {Q-Hearts} river gave both players Broadway and yet another chop.

Branciforte hangs on with 197,000.

Tags: Santeri VaikoskiVito Branciforte

Garrett Beckman Doubles Up

Garrett Beckman raised to 50,000 from late position and Justin Sadauskas reraised to 180,000 from the small blind. Beckman moved in for 435,000 and Sadauskas made the call. His {A-Clubs} {Q-Spades} was dominated by Beckman's {A-Spades} {K-Clubs} and the {K-Hearts} {10-Diamonds} {2-Hearts} flop put Beckman way in the lead and the {K-Spades} on the turn sealed the deal. He doubled to close to one million.

Champ Checks In

Scott Nguyen just made an appearance, checking out the action among the final dozen tables. His walking through the Amazon Room here on Day 5 brings to mind for many his deep run in last year's Main Event when he finished 11th. Nguyen won the WSOP Main Event in 1998.

Nguyen stopped at Phil Hellmuth's table, and Hellmuth tipped his cap to him, saying "The H.O.R.S.E. champion, everyone." Nguyen responded by wishing good luck to Hellmuth, the lone WSOP Main Event winner left in the field.

Tags: Phil HellmuthScotty Nguyen