Event 2 - $40,000 No Limit Hold'em | 2009 World Series of Poker

05-31-2009 09:56 UTC-12

Hand #3 - Lex Veldhuis

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[user25067]

Noah Schwartz has the button in Seat 2. Lex Veldhuis opens for 165,000, gets no action, and wins the blinds and antes.

05-31-2009 09:54 UTC-12

Hand #2 - Greg Raymer

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[user25067]

Ted Forrest has the button in Seat 1. Greg Raymer raises to 150,000 from UTG+1 and wins the blinds and antes.

05-31-2009 09:52 UTC-12

Hand #1 - Noah Schwartz

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[user25067]

Vitaly Lunkin has the button in Seat 9. Noah Schwartz gets a walk in the big blind.

05-31-2009 09:51 UTC-12

Cards are in the air

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[user25067]

Level: 24

Blinds: 30,000/60,000

Ante: 5,000

05-31-2009 09:48 UTC-12

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

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Shamus

Tournament Director Jack Effel just shared an anecdote about how this event came to be.

"My wife, Elisha, and I were sitting around the house and talking about the World Series and wondering how could we commemorate it being the 40th annual WSOP," Effel explained. It was Elisha, he says, who came up with the idea for the $40K buy-in event.

Effel then handed the mic to our announcer for today's event, and he is currently introducing the players -- just a few more minutes and the cards will be in the air.

Tags: Jack Effel

05-31-2009 09:41 UTC-12

Wild Times Ahead

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Shamus

Check it... those spectators are standing in the "Wild Card Café."

They don't look too wild now, but wait 'til we get started.

05-31-2009 09:35 UTC-12

Some Jerky While You Wait?

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Shamus

We're still some way away from the start of play -- likely another 15-20 minutes at least. Most of the players have arrived, and a few are enjoying some of the complimentary Jack Link's beef jerky recently distributed to them by staff. A few others are busy finishing up their pre-final table interviews. Those that are here are each being wired with microphones for the filming.

Meanwhile, the bleachers here in the small arena located in the back right quadrant of the Amazon ballroom have already filled with spectators, with many more standing in what I suppose we're going to call the Jack Link's Beef Jerky lounge. (The area that was last year called the Milwaukee's Best Light No-Limit Lounge.)

There's a nervous excitement in the air as players, media, and fans ready for this hugely anticipated final table. Player announcements coming soon.

05-31-2009 09:03 UTC-12

$40K Final Table Coming Soon

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Shamus

The ESPN crew is currently setting up to film today's final table for broadcast later this summer. The players have yet to arrive, and their chips remain in their bags at the table, so we're likely looking at a bit of a wait before proceedings get underway. Stay tuned!

05-31-2009 08:21 UTC-12

Final Table Bios: Seat 9, Vitaly Lunkin (Moscow, Russia) 4,565,000

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Shamus

Russian Vitaly Lunkin has earned over $750,000 in tournament winnings since making his first small cashes in tournaments in his native Moscow earlier this decade. Lunkin has since made several final tables at other events in Europe. In the World Series of Poker, Lunkin cashed in the Main Event in 2006, earning $14,597 for his 829th place finish. Then last year Lunkin broke through and won his first WSOP bracelet, taking one of the $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em tourneys (Event No. 27). In that one, Lunkin was the last one standing of the whopping 2,706 entrants, thereby earning himself a $628,417 payday.

Tags: Vitaly Lunkin