Hand #188: Dan O'Brien Eliminated in 3rd Place ($292,800)

Level 29: 30,000-60,000, 10,000 ante

Andy Seth raises from the button to 135,000, McLean Karr calls from the small blind, and Dan O'Brien moves all in from the big blind for 1,135,000. Seth thinks for a while before he folds, and Karr thinks for a bit before he calls with 77. O'Brien shows J2, and he'll need to improve to stay alive. 

The board comes 553108, and McLean Karr wins the pot with his pocket sevens to eliminate Dan O'Brien in third place. 

Seat 3.  Andy Seth  -  1,785,000
Seat 5.  McLean Karr  -  4,830,000
Seat 6.  Dan O'Brien  -  Out in 3rd Place ($292,800)

On the House

Level 27: 20,000-40,000, 5,000 ante

Dan O'Brien is kind enough to order one half of the audience a round of drinks, but the railbirds don't seem to be satisfied.  In between hands, one shouts out, "Win a big pot so you can buy better drinks next time."

Another Friendly Debate

Level 24: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

 For the second time in as many days, Mclean Karr, Dan O'Brien and Hasan Habib had a friendly debate about rules and ettiquette at the table.  We missed the action that provoked the conversation, but it seems as though Habib made a forward motion with his chips, but did not let go of them with his hand.  

From what we could hear of the conversation, O'Brien and Karr were suggesting forward motion constituted a binding action, while Habib believed that, like in chess, action was not binding until the chips or cards have been released from your hand.

Hand #43: Dan O'Brien Doubles Through Andy Seth

Level 24: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

Dan O'Brien raises under the gun to 48,000, Andy Seth reraises from the button to 141,000, and O'Brien moves all in. Seth asks for an exact count (905,000), and he thinks for a bit before he calls with JJ. O'Brien shows AQ, and he'll need to improve to stay alive. 

The board comes 1097Q10, and Dan O'Brien pairs his queen on the turn to double up in chips. 

Seat 1.  Hasan Habib  -  425,000
Seat 3.  Andy Seth  -  2,043,000
Seat 4.  Matt Keikoan  -  655,000
Seat 5.  Mclean Karr  -  1,731,000
Seat 6.  Dan O'Brien  -  1,810,000

Player Bio: Dan O'Brien

Level 24: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

Dan O'Brien may not be a familiar name or face to the casual poker fan just yet, but he is well known in the poker world thanks to string of near final table finishes, including an 11th place showing in last year's Shooting Star event and a 9th place finish at the Southern Poker Championship in Biloxi, Mississippi earlier this year. O'Brien's biggest career cash came when he finished in 3rd place in the $2,000 buy-in World Series of Poker bracelet event for $198,132. With a 4th place finish or higher here in San Jose, he can best that number with a cash worth more than $200,000.

Dan O'Brien - 1,129,000

Level 23: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

WPT Final Table: Official Chip Counts

Level 23: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Here's a look at the final table seating and chip counts for tomorrow's televised WPT Final Table:

Seat 1.  Hasan Habib  -  455,000
Seat 2.  Phil Hellmuth  -  1,433,000
Seat 3.  Andy "BKiCe" Seth  -  2,164,000
Seat 4.  Matt Keikoan  -  371,000
Seat 5.  Mclean Karr  -  1,112,000
Seat 6.  Dan O'Brien  -  1,129,000

What Turned Dan O'Brien's Day Around?

Level 22: 6,000-12,000, 2,000 ante

Dan O'Brien Takes a Preflop Pot

Level 20: 4,000-8,000, 1,000 ante

Mclean Karr raises under the gun to 70,000, Matt Keikoan calls from the button, and Dan O'Brien moves all in from the big blind for 337,000. Karr folds, and Keikoan counts out the chips to see what kind of damage it would do to his own stack if he were to call and lose. 

Keikoan says, "I told myself I was gonna call you." But Keikoan folds 8-8 face up, and Dan O'Brien takes the pot. 

Dan O'Brien  -  300,000

David Forster Doubles Through Dan O'Brien

Level 19: 3,000-6,000, 1,000 ante

Dan O'Brien raises from the button to 16,000, David Forster reraises from the big blind to 61,000, O'Brien moves all in, and Forster calls with QJ. O'Brien shows A5, and Forster will need to improve to stay alive.

The board comes AK428, and David Forster makes a heart flush to win the pot and double up in chips.

David Forster  -  405,000
Dan O'Brien  -  275,000