Event #73: $10,000 No-Limit Hold'em MAIN EVENT - World Championship Dia 3 | 2017 World Series of Poker

2017-07-13 22:36 UTC-7

Smalley Spikes a King

Nível 15 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

From middle position, Quoc Vu opened to 11,000 before Larry Smalley three-bet shoved all in next to act for 141,500. The action found its way back to Vu, and he snap-called.

Vu:
Smalley:

With Smalley in bad shape, the flop gave him some new life, and the landed on the turn. Needing to fade any ace or ten, the river ensured Smalley the double to nearly 300,000, as Vu dropped to 917,000.

After the hand, the nine seat stated that he folded one king preflop.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Quoc Vu	917,000	-168,000
Larry Smalley	295,000	295,000

Tags: Larry Smalley Quoc Vu

2017-07-13 22:31 UTC-7

Player Interview: Chip Leader Michael Krasienko

[user153906]

Nível 15 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Michael Krasienko started Day 3 with about 460k ... and the flu. He started feeling sick late in Day 2 and was hoping a good night's sleep would help. It didn't.

Nothing's worse than sitting through a 12-hour day at the tables, playing the premier event of the year, when you feel awful. But that's not stopping Krasienko. He's using the adrenaline that comes with playing the Main Event and nearing the money to push him through.

PokerNews found Krasienko as players were headed into the last break of the evening to ask him his secret to overtaking the chip lead and his plans for the rest of the day.

Krasienko: Basically, I played tight most of the day, made some hands, and ran pretty well.

PokerNews: Any big or memorable hands that stand out from the day.

Krasienko: There was this one hand where my opponent started with about 180,000. I raised with pocket eights, and he called.

The flop came . I bet, and he called. was dealt on the turn. I checked and my opponent bet. I raised, and he jammed. I obviously called and knocked him out. He had .

That was my biggest pot of the day. But mainly, I've been playing solid, picking my spots, and was lucky to get a few bluffs through.

PokerNews: You had four cashes in this year's WSOP and a deep run in the Main Event last year, finishing 343rd. How much poker do you play?

Krasienko: I play mostly PLO cash games. My first main event was last year, and I don't play much no-limit, just in tournaments.

PokerNews: What about the Main Event is enticing to a PLO player like you?

Krasienko: It's such a great tournament. It's the best tournament in the world. The best structure. The best field. I just really enjoyed it when I played it last year, so here I am. Outside of this pretty much all I play is PLO cash.

PokerNews: What's your plan for the last level of the day?

Krasienko: I just sat down at a new table, but it looks like it will be a little tougher. That's what happens as the field whittles down. My previous table was a little tough too; I was just lucky to capitalize in few good spots.

Actually, most of my tables have been tough. Some harder than others, but when you're running good, then good things happen.

I'm going to feel the table out and see how they're playing. Mostly, I'm just going to play my game, and play solid poker. Nobody's super short, so I just need to keep it solid and see what happens.

Tags: Michael Krasienko

2017-07-13 21:40 UTC-7

"A Devastating Pair of Hands" Leads to Greg Raymer's Demise

Nível 14 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

According to 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Grey Raymer (via Twitter), an unfortunate couple hands led to his elimination about an hour ago.

Raymer's downfall began when he lost 65,000 chips with pocket tens against pocket sixes after a six fell on the river to give his opponent a set.

In the very next hand, a player in early position raised to 9,500, a player in middle position called, and Raymer moved all in for 84,000 from the small blind. The big blind folded, and the initial raiser re-shoved. The remaining player folded, and they showed down.

Raymer:
Opponent:

Raymer was in good shape to double up, but the flop put that dream to rest. The turn and the river changed nothing, and Raymer's run in the Main Event was cut short.

On Twitter, Raymer shared his feelings about the turn of events: "Just a devastating pair of hands. Oh, what might have been."

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Greg Raymer	Eliminado

Tags: Greg Raymer

2017-07-13 21:17 UTC-7

Doug Polk Isn't Good Enough to Fold

Nível 14 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

With the board reading and more than 80,000 in the pot, Doug Polk was first to act, and he bet 52,000. Todd Grovijohn to his immediate left called, and the river was the , pairing the board.

This time, Polk checked, and Grovijohn bet 100,000. Polk thought for a couple minutes, confirmed the bet size, and then called.

Grovijohn tabled for sevens full, and Polk's response was, "That's a boat. Full house will win."

A few seconds later, he let out some frustration. "Uh! Whyyyy?" and then he told Grovijohn with a smile, "If I was a better player I coulda laid it down... But I'm not."

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Doug Polk	54,000	-197,000

Tags: Doug Polk

2017-07-13 20:11 UTC-7

Buddiga's Comeback Short-Lived

mnuwwarah

Nível 14 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

"Hold up one time!" came a shout from Table 700.

Zhuoyang Min was all in with on a flop. Pratyush Buddiga had for a combo draw and needed to see an eight or a diamond. The turn and river bricked off for him, though, and he busted right after he doubled up.

"I can't believe that held up," Min said with visible relief.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Zhuoyang Min	425,000	125,000
Pratyush Buddiga	Eliminado

Tags: Pratyush Buddiga Zhuoyang Min

2017-07-13 20:10 UTC-7

Player Interview: Ben Jacobs

Nível 14 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

Ben Jacobs, or "Honolulu Ben" as his friends know him, is visiting the desert from Kaui, Hawaii. He started Day 3 sitting with a stack of about 200,000 chips and now boasts a top-five stack of 850,000. Jacobs is trying to savor every moment of his very first Main Event, knowing this is a special time.

There are no casinos in Hawaii, so Jacobs plays in home games a few times a week. He's played smaller events at the WSOP in past years and decided to freeroll himself into the tournament after running well in blackjack to the tune of $30,000 earlier this year.

PokerNews met up with Jacobs to get the details on how he accumulated his chips and to find out what he's going to do with them now that he's got them.

Jacobs: I had the third-largest stack at the table, and there were a couple of aggressive Europeans, a Russian, and an Israeli. I could have had a better table.

On the second hand, the Russian raised, and I smooth-called with . The flop came , and the Russian led out, and I smooth-called him.

The turn was a blank. He checked, and I bet. He raised me to 85,000, and I tanked for a bit. It's about half my stack, so I wasn't entirely thrilled, but I decided to call.

The river was another deuce. It's a pretty hidden hand — the good old ten-deuce. He shoved all in, and I insta-called. That's the hand that doubled me to about 400,000.

The next big hand involved the Israeli, who was second in chips at the table. I had in late position, and I just called his preflop raise. The flop came . I bet, and he shoved all in for about 350k. He bombed it for no reason. It's the most ridiculous thing, but I can't get out of that.

I snap-called, and he had for the nut flush draw. But my hand held up, and that gets me to about 680,000. Since then, I've just been chipping up.

PokerNews: How tough are the home games you play in? Have they prepared you for the WSOP?

Jacobs: The players in Hawaii are really tough. People are always surprised by how I play, but I play against some really good players. It's definitely a challenge to play at home, so I think I can hold my own here.

PokerNews: How are you using your chip stack to your advantage?

Jacobs: It's a pretty standard table. As the big stack, the other players have to fit into their roles. There's not a lot they can do about it. I'm just trying to play my position and play smart.

I'm going to keep playing my game. I'm getting cards, and the deck is hitting me hard which helps. My plan is to keep riding this lucky wave.

Tags: Ben Jacobs

2017-07-13 20:00 UTC-7

Carlos Mortensen Doubles Up

Nível 14 : 2,000/4,000, 500 ante

Carlos Mortensen moved all in from the hijack for his last 49,500. Action folded to Nikhil Gera in the big blind, still stacking chips from the massive pot he just won, and he announced, "Call."

Mortensen was at risk with , well ahead of Gera's .

The flop came , looking fairly safe for the 2001 WSOP Main Event Champion. The turn was the , and the river was the for good measure, giving Mortensen a double-up

Mortensen is a two-time WSOP bracelet winner and is still in the hunt for a third win and a second Main Event title 16 years after his first.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Nikhil Gera	455,000	50,000
Carlos Mortensen	105,000	9,000

Tags: Carlos Mortensen Nikhil Gera

2017-07-13 19:32 UTC-7

Player Interview: Patrick Clarke

Nível 13 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante

Professional poker player and 2014 Irish Open Champion Patrick Clarke has been chipping up all day to head into dinner break third in chips.

After starting the day with 260,000, he now has 935,000 with two levels to play in Day 3. PokerNews caught up with Clarke at the beginning of dinner break to find out how he earned his chips and to learn his strategy going into the money bubble.

Clarke: I had been chipping up at small pots until this pot came along. I defended in the big blind. I flopped top two with king-nine. I checked to the original raiser. He bet 6.5k, and I made it 16.5k. He called. Turn is a . I bet 22k, and he instantly jammed for about 40k, and I call him off. He shows tens, and I fade the two outs.

Then I continued chipping away at small pots until I got around 500k and another big pot happened.

The under-the-gun opened to 6k, I called 6k, and the big blind also called. Flop comes with two hearts. Original raiser bet 7k, and I made it 26k. The big blind jams for 250k. I had pocket threes, so I'm never folding there, and I was just hoping he had 89. He did, and the runout bricked for him.

I won a few other small pots, and that got me where I am right now.

PokerNews: Seems like an ideal situation. I realize you have all the chips, but how has the play at your table been?

Clarke: I'm very happy with my table today. I've had great tables for the last two days but I don't feel like I've been tested that much. I've been very happy with my draws.

PokerNews: What's your strategy as the money bubble approaches?

Clarke: I'm going to keep going the way I'm going.

PokerNews: Are you being a bully?

Clarke: (laughing) A little bit, maybe, but I can afford to be. No one is playing back at me, so I'm just going to keep playing my game.

PokerNews: What experience do you have playing the Main Event?

Clarke: This is my third year playing. The previous two years, I went out set over set. The weird thing is two years ago I went out with a set of threes to pocket eights, so I wasn't too happy on the flop. I sort of thought déjà vu. Luckily, it worked out.

Tags: Patrick Clarke

2017-07-13 18:06 UTC-7

Bruno Politano Eliminated

[user38873]

Nível 13 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante

The cards of Bruno Politano were already rushed away, and the stack of Peter Zolnai was counted with the board showing . Zolnai's for eights and sevens were still on the table, and his double for 152,500 left Politano with less than one big blind.

According to players at the table, it was a four-bet pot, with Politano squeezing to 57,000 in the cutoff and Zolnai calling on the button before the Brazilian bet the ten-high flop for 80,000. Zolnai moved all in, and Politano called with ace-king.

Politano doubled the next hand with versus before doing so again with versus . But ultimately, the third time was no charm for the 888poker Ambassador, and his chip-and-a-chair story ended before the dinner break.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Peter Zolnai	440,000	440,000
Bruno Politano	Eliminado

Tags: Bruno Politano Peter Zolnai

2017-07-13 17:34 UTC-7

Joe Hachem Eliminated

Webjoker

Nível 13 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante

The 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion, Joe Hachem, was short for quite some time and had a dedicated camera crew standing next to his table just to witness his eventual double-up or bust. Unfortunately for the Aussie, it was the latter.

From early position, Jared Palmer opened to 7,000. Over in the cutoff, Hachem shoved for 12,500 total. The button and both blinds released and Palmer made the almost-obligatory call.

Joe Hachem:
Jared Palmer:

Hachem had gotten it in with the best hand, but it wouldn't hold up. The flop paired Palmer up, and the on the turn even improved the man from Ohio's hand. Hachem was down to just four outs, but none of the kings would complete the board. Instead, the hit the river, and Hachem made his exit.

"Good luck, guys. It was nice playing with you," the former Champ said. "All the best!"

Jared Palmer moved up to about 350,000 in chips after the hand.

Jogador	Fichas	Progresso
Joe Hachem	Eliminado

Tags: Joe Hachem