UPDATE: 1:45AM
No one wants to leave for sure. Lots of tight, tight play. It’s been very tight since it’s been 10-handed, with the short stacks not really very interested in mixing it up. Jamie Gold has talked many, many times that he could sit on his chip lead and do nothing; however, it’s not possible for him to do nothing. He has a VP$IP of at least 40%, he has to. We’re having at least one hand a round with four or five players in the pot. Limping and smaller raises have been the norm. There is a good bit of chip shifting, with Michael Binger and Fred Goldberg now the short stack. Richard Lee has made the big step forward today, down to $1.0M at one point and now fourth in chips. Allen Cunningham is in cruise control, and blinds are now jumping a bit. Blinds are $80k/160k with $20k antes, so the pot will sit at $440k everytime cards are dealt. Steal twice, and you’ve got almost a million.
UPDATE: 11:00PM
John Magill and Leif Force are out, so now we’re consolidating to ten and one table. We’ll lose one more and get to the end. Jamie Gold still leading at $26.7M and Allen Cunningham second at $17.7M. Richard Lee was at $1.0M but has now taken third at $7.8M. More later.
UPDATE: 7:20PM
Big monster hand at the end on the 2nd table Paul Wisicka and Michael Binger. I only heard about it, so it’s sketchy. Basically, Binger made a big bet on the river of a board paired with 10′s and maybe Q’s, like $1.5MM, and Wisicka ended up calling with ace high to Binger’s 8-8 for three pair. That’s three pair, as in three pair no good, as in counterfeited. That puts Wisicka into a big 3rd at around $11MM and may put Binger on the short stack.
Allen Cunningham is up to $14.59MM in second place to Jamie Gold’s $31.2MM. Doug Kim has been in a tough spot, with Gold to his left and Allen Cunningham next. He’s doing very, very well but has alot of pressure on him.
UPDATE: 6:45PM
We have a dozen millionaires! Jamie Gold busted William Thorson with kings vs. jacks, and we’re six-handed at each table. Gold has $30.3MM to Cunningham’s $14.45MM. Johnny Chan has been stopping by to chat with Gold from time to time. Doug is 10th in chips currently, but there is one shorter stack at $2.8MM, then seven are between $5.8-4.0MM.
UPDATE: 4:50PM
Jamie Gold busts David Einhorn. Flop comes QJ6 and incredibly all the money gets in, with Einhorn having almost $6MM. He has KQo vs. Q6 of Gold, and the two pair holds up. David Einhorn is donating all of his money to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, he suffered over the last few years. He sits on Michael’s board, and “…this is a really easy, fun way to help out. This is unbelievably fun, it’s just a card game. It’s an absolute blast to be here for six days.” The World Series will be diminished after he’s out. Doug Kim is holding strong with probably around $5.4MM.
UPDATE: 3.04PM
Doug Kim raises and is called by Jamie Gold. The flop comes Ah-7h-Ac, and Doug moves all-in. Jamie deliberates for several minutes and calls with 6-7 to Doug’s A-8. 6h-3s finish the board, doubling up Doug to $4.5MM.
UPDATE: 2:40PM
Jamie Gold knocks out Prahlad Friedman, raising with 8-7o. Friedman moved in with A-3o, and Jamie called. Flop came 4-5-6 for the nut straight, and Gold is now up to $20.5M. On an adjacent table, Allen Cunningham knocked out Kevin O’Donnell, aces vs. kings, and now he’s in 2nd position with $11M.
UPDATE: 1:40PM
Jamie Gold, the human steamroller, another scalp and a sick hand against Mahatma. He just knocked out Lee Kort from LA, and he didn’t want to do it for sure. Jamie raised $200k from the button and Kort called in the big blind. Flop comes 4dJd7d, and Kort shoved. Gold looked incredulously at him, and begged him to take it back then called with A-J vs. QdJc of Kort. 5cJs sent him packing in 22nd. They are on a 30-minute break.
This was after just a sick hand against Prahlad Friedman. Jamie made it $225k and Friedman called, with a flop of 4
2
2
. Jamie bet $300k and again Mahatma called. A brought a check from both players, then 3 hit the river. Jamie bet $750k, and Mahatma thought for several minutes. Jamie bent to his knees, walked away from the table, then Mahatma mucked. Jamie let out a big scream, showed K10, and screamed, “Don’t try to outplay me!” He’s sitting on $19.6M with Erik Friberg still in 2nd on the Table 1 with $8.2M. Average stack is $4.2M, but only seven players are above average. Median is Kevin O’Donnell at $3.2M. Two have an M less than 5 and 1 between 5 and 10. Seven-handed with blinds now $30k/60k with $10k ante. Some photos:
Jeffrey Lisandro
Allen Cunningham
l to r: Rhett Butler, Prahlad Friedman
Jamie Gold
UPDATE: 12:30PM
Three gone right off the bat. Richar Wyrick has A-7o vs. Jamie Gold’s A-Ko and flops a king, Siddharth Jain’s 8′s are taken out by Prahlad Friedman’s kings, and Mark Garner is busted on an adjacent table. The three shortest stacks are gone, and Eric Lynch has been moved to the ESPN Feature Table.
Who will make the final table? Here are my picks and why, so let me know what you think.
I’m glad none of these players are as bad as I am. I played some $1/2 NLHE at the Mirage last night, and I was up but am kicking myself for being such a big wimp. Letting a bully raise me out on the turn when I had TPTK with nothing scary anywhere.
I need to run, so here are my eight to make the final table plus one who’s name I won’t speak that I’m pulling for:
- Allen Cunningham: he’s simply one of the best tourney players around, and he’s been in all situations that he’ll confront today.
- Prahlad Friedman: ESPN may rig things to make sure he gets through, at least they should. Mahatma should be a stunning presence today if he doesn’t bust out early against Gold.
- Rhett Butler: look for him to milk his stack judiciously.
- Kevin Aaronson: This may be a bit biased as I’ve seen him play more than some of these players, but he’s got some solid, fearless play.
- Jamie Gold: I think he’ll make it through, but look for him to enter in 3rd or 4th with a late stumble.
- Kevin O’Donnell: he’s on a major roll at this World Series, and look for it to continue here.
- Eric Lynch: one of the last hopes for PokerStars. I haven’t met him, but he’s supposed to be just a great young husband and father.
- Erik Friberg: the Swedes are the new evil empire, so look for Friberg to get through.
- Mystery Guy: I won’t speak his name, but it rhymes with Rug Rim.
Give me your thoughts, and I need to run out there now.
Craig – who is Friedman? There is a professional named Patri Friedman who works at google, and who is the grandson of the NObel Laureate and economist Milton Friedman. Is it the same guy by chance?
Gold has become a force majuere. He seems to make hand after hand with insolance.
Gold looks to be going platinum!
I can’t believe Gold knocked out Prahlad Friedman…this Jamie Gold fella seems like a real luckbox.
Go Cunningham!