Carlos Mortensen is playing at the feature table in the Red section today, where he's been dazzling us once again with the intricate architecture of his chip stack. He has a below average stack at the moment -- about 28,000 -- but he's nevertheless had has enough chips to be able to impress everyone with their gravity-defying arrangement.
The feature table is set up in a way that spectators can view the action from the rail, and one such observer recently engaged Mortensen in a conversation about the banner hanging nearby commemorating Mortensen's 2001 WSOP Main Event victory. The banner shows a smiling Mortensen sitting behind a stack of chips, cash, and as his winning hand.
"That wasn't my hand," explained Mortensen to the railer. In fact, Mortensen used to crack Dewey Tomko's pocket aces in the last hand of the 2001 WSOP ME. "That was from my second bracelet," he added, which would be his triumph in the $5,000 limit hold'em event in 2003.
That bit of trivia has frequently inspired prop bets here in the Amazon Room as people challenge others to name the Matador's WSOP ME winning hand, sometimes while standing right under the banner.
With about 14,000 in the pot on a board of , Tiffany Michelle fired out a bet of 9,000 into two opponents.
One player deliberated for some time and eventually the clock was called.
"For the record, I didn't call it!" exclaimed Michelle as the TV cameras were rolling.
The player eventually tossed his cards into the muck but they accidentally flashed . The second player also folded and Michelle showed - nearly an instant replay of her earlier hand, but this time she had the goods! Michelle is up to 68,000.
James Mitchell opened to 1,200 from late position, and he found calls from the button and the small blind before Ronald Boschini three-bet to 4,450 from the big blind. Mitchell reraised to 10,000, and Boschini called all in for his last 10,600, heads up and at risk for his tournament life.
Showdown
Mitchell:
Boschini:
The board ran down safe for Boschini: . That's a double up!
Berry Johnston opened for 1,200 and the big blind called. The flop was . The big blind checked to Johnston, then called his 1,750 bet. The turn came the and the big blind checked again. Johnston bet 3,500 and the big blind called. The river was the and the big blind turned around and led out for 6,000. Johnston called.
The big blind showed but Johnston had the winner with for a queen-high straight. He's up to 33,000.
On the flop of , Robert Mizrachi played a massive pot to push his stack way up the charts. Mizrachi got all the money in on the flop with the . His opponent held the .
The turn was the and the river the , both paint and a scare for Mizrachi, having just missed his opponent. Mizrachi raked the chips and boomed his stack to over 230,000 in chips.
Facing an opening raise to 1,200 and a three-bet to 4,300, Johnny Chan elected to cold-call and another player behind him did the same. With the action back on the initial raiser, he moved all-in for 20,150, the three-bettor folded and Chan called.
Chan's pocket nines were up against , and his opponent rivered an ace to double through Chan and send his stack down to 127,000.
On a flop of , Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi checked and his opponent in late position bet 4,500. Mizrachi then raised to 10,500 only to be reraised all in to 42,400. Mizrachi made the call and the two turned over their cards:
Mizrachi:
Late Position:
The turn was the and Mizrachi was in bad shape. The came on the river and Mizrachi doubled his opponent while dropping down to 50,000.
On a flop of action checked to Garry Gates who fired 2,500. His opponent put in a check-raise to 7,000 which got Gates thinking. After two minutes of deliberation he made the call and the hit the turn.
Gates' opponent then led out for 14,000 to send Gates deep into the tank. Our field reporters estimated that five minutes elapsed before Gates conceded the hand with a fold. He's down to 21,000.
Matt Graham had raised preflop from the button and the big blind defended to see the flop come down . The big blind checked and Graham fired 1,800. His opponent called.
The turn was the and both players checked. The river completed the board with the and both players checked.
Graham announce queen high and his opponent tabled the to win the pot. Graham slipped to 57,000 in chips.
On the river with the board reading , Jennifer "Jennicide" Leigh had "Hollywood" Dave Stann all in. Stann only flashed the after he put all of his chips in and saw the for Leigh. Stann had the least amount of chips and was eliminated while Leigh moved herself to 65,000 in chips.
as his winning hand.
to crack Dewey Tomko's pocket aces in the last hand of the 2001 WSOP ME. "That was from my second bracelet," he added, which would be his triumph in the $5,000 limit hold'em event in 2003.![[user67765]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, Tiffany Michelle fired out a bet of 9,000 into two opponents.
. The second player also folded and Michelle showed 
- nearly an instant replay of her earlier hand, but this time she had the goods! Michelle is up to 68,000.
. That's a double up!
and the big blind checked again. Johnston bet 3,500 and the big blind called. The river was the 
and the big blind turned around and led out for 6,000. Johnston called.
but Johnston had the winner with 
for a queen-high straight. He's up to 33,000.
. His opponent held the 
.
and the river the 
, Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi checked and his opponent in late position bet 4,500. Mizrachi then raised to 10,500 only to be reraised all in to 42,400. Mizrachi made the call and the two turned over their cards:
came on the river and Mizrachi doubled his opponent while dropping down to 50,000.
. The big blind checked and Graham fired 1,800. His opponent called.
