Day 5 Recap

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

We were expecting a long night. It wasn’t quite as bad as we expected. With the day starting at twenty-seven players, working down to six and with stacks deeper than usual, we thought this thing would be going into the wee hours. Instead, it ended at 11:12 PM, giving us a chance to sleep before tomorrow’s final table. Our chip leader is Paul Lee. Experiencing relatively little success until this month, Lee won a $2,000 event earlier this week and a seat to the Championship with it. He’s taken full advantage of the parlay, carrying more chips than any other two players into the final table. Joining Lee are a host of experience pros; 2001 world champion Carlos Mortensen, Tim Phan, Kirk Morrison and Mike Wattel. The final member of the final table is Guy Laliberte. Playing in just his third tournament, Laliberte qualified via supersatellite. If you recognize the amateur’s name, it’s because he’s one of the richest men in the world. He’s the co-founder of Cirque du Soleil. On Friday, the final six with re-convene for the final table starting at 5PM PST. When all is said and done, we’ll have one player who will be able to say he’s four million dollars richer. He’ll also be able to call himself the WPT World Champion. See you tomorrow.

TV Final Table! Friday @ 5pm PST

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

TV Table will take place at 5pm PST on Friday. Who will win the $4 million first prize? Seat one: Kirk Morrison T4,194,000 Seat two: Guy Laliberte T4,690,000 Seat three: Carlos Mortensen T6,501,000 Seat four: Mike Wattel T2,587,000 Seat five: Paul Lee T11,828,000 Seat six: Tim Phan T2,162,000 See the drama unfold at WorldPokerTour.com; the official coverage site of the World Poker Tour.

Thomas Walhroos Eliminated in 7th Place

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

Mike Wattel opens the pot for a T420,000 raise. Paul Lee calls behind him and Thomas Wahlroos moves all-in for T4.35 million more from the big blind. Wattel folds and Lee makes the call with AQ. Wahlroos shows A10 and can't believe that Lee made the call with his hand. The flop comes J82, retaining the lead for Paul, but giving Wahlroos the nut flush draw. The turn is the 2, giving Wahlroos additional outs to split the pot. The river is the 5, missing Wahlroos completely and eliminating him in 7th place. Going out on the TV bubble, Wahlroos will collect $278,465. With his elimination, the final six are set for the WPT Championship final table.

Level 25

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

The Blinds are now T80,000-T160,000 with a T15,000 Ante. There are currently 7 players remaining.

Break Time

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

The players are on a fifteen minute break.

Fischman Finishes Eighth

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

Scott Fischman moves all-in pre-flop for T1,016,000 and Kirk Morrison calls. Morrison shows pocket fives and Fischman turns over 75. The board comes J426A and Fischman is eliminated in eighth place. He will take home $247,525 in prize money.

Out

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

Winning these tournaments requires playing perfect poker. More than that really. It requires no mistakes and good luck. That’s what some people don’t understand. One mistake very often will send you to the rail. The competition is that good, the stakes are that high, and the other players are that desperate. I certainly could have gotten luckier over the last two days of the tournament, but I’m out because I made a mistake. On the beginning of day five, Phil Hellmuth came blustering in to his seat a hand late. He was excited, a little scatterbrained, and about to pick up a good run of cards. On the first hand he played, he flopped a set of tens. He also won three or four of the next hands. A few minutes later, he raised under the gun and I called from the button with a pair of nines. The flop came A, A, 8. He threw out a bet of half the pot (a small bet) and I called. I live and die based on my reads and in this case, I didn’t think he had an A. The turn was another 8. He bet, and it was here that I made the mistake. I should have gotten out of the way. My thinking at the time was that he was trying to use my short stack against me by pushing me around, but in hindsight, I know Phil and he doesn’t like to play huge pots without the goods. I should have let it go here, but instead I called. He bet the river too, which was a K and I called because I stuck with my read. Part of me thought he’d check the turn if he had an A. Ultimately I convinced myself that he was either completely bluffing or he got counter-fitted on the turn. Either way, it was a mistake. As soon as I called, he said, “I gotcha!,” and turned over A, J. This hand crippled me. I started looking for a hand with which to shove. A round or two later, I was in the cutoff. I looked at my top card and saw an A. Without looking at the other card I moved my stack. Kirk Morrison called me and turned over K, Q. When I flipped over my other card I saw the deathblow: a 10. A, 10 is my kryptonite. I try not to be superstitious but A, 10 was my exit hand in the Aussie Millions, last year’s WPT Championship, and at least one other large buy-in event. Kirk flopped a K and I was done. Obviously I’m crushed to not be playing for a title but I’m really happy to have cashed in another event. The WPT Championship is one of my favorite events and I’ll definitely be back next year.

Morrison Doubles Up Through Lee

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

Carlos Mortensen raises to T300,000 from under the gun. Paul Lee calls from one off the cut-off. Kirk Morrison moves all-in from the button for T859,000 more. Mortensen folds. Lee calls. Morrison turns over 1010 Lee shows A8 Board comes 2394J Morrison more than doubles up and is over T2,000,000 now.

Morrison Can't Pull the Trigger

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante

Action folds around to Kirk Morrison in the small blind who raises to T600,000. Thomas Wahlroos makes the call from the big blind. The flop comes A53 and both players check. The turn is the K. Morrison checks again and Wahlroos moves all-in. He has Kirk covered. Kirk Morrison goes into the tank. He stares Wahlroos down for the slightest tell. He says "this is so sick" and then calls the tournament director over. He asks what the penalty is for exposing his hand. When Wahlroos hears this he completely turns away from Morrison. After hearing that it's a 20 minute penalty he elects not to show his hand, and reluctantly tosses it into the muck.

SLOW...

Level 8: 800,000-1,600,000, 300,000 ante