Not-So-Live with the Regis and Kelly of Poker

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Photo Recap: Day 4 of WPT Festa al Lago

Level 21: 10,000-20,000, 3,000 ante

By BJ Nemeth

The action got intense on Day 4 as 41 players returned to play deeper into the money and put themselves in position to make Wednesday's televised WPT final table.

Annette Obrestad started with an above-average chip stack, but got crippled down to about 100,000 or so before storming back to take the chip lead. And once she had it, she used it, putting a lot of pressure on her opponents.

The more surprising story of the day was Allen Kessler, the omnipresent tournament grinder known for below-average chip counts and min-cashing. But he surprised everyone by finishing the day third in chips, and those who know how tight Kessler is know that stack should last him a very long time.

At the end of the day, there were 13 players left. Here are the official chip counts and seating positions:

TABLE 1
Seat 1. 
Seat 2. Randal Flowers - 691,000 (34 bb)
Seat 3. Annette Obrestad - 2,009,000 (100 bb)
Seat 4. Skip Wilson - 531,000 (26 bb)
Seat 5.
Seat 6. John Krpan - 397,000 (19 bb)
Seat 7. Allen Kessler - 1,275,000 (63 bb)
Seat 8. Brandon Steven - 977,000 (48 bb)
Seat 9. Bobby Suer - 1,129,000 (56 bb)

TABLE 2
Seat 1.
Seat 2. Michael Benvenuti - 530,000 (26 bb)
Seat 3. John Monnette - 1,271,000 (63 bb)
Seat 4. Noah Schwartz - 1,137,000 (56 bb)
Seat 5. Jason Koon - 396,000 (19 bb)
Seat 6.
Seat 7. Andy Frankenberger - 1,820,000 (91 bb)
Seat 8. Jeff Madsen - 1,267,000 (63 bb)
Seat 9.

And now, a photographic look back at Day 4 of the WPT Festa al Lago at Bellagio:



Lauren Kling (left) and Annette Obrestad were the final two women in the event, after Nancy Todd Tyner busted in 29th place. Women have definitely been outperforming their relative numbers in this tournament.



Barry Greenstein was one of the first eliminations of the day, busting out in 30th place at the hands of Lauren Kling. As is his custom, he wrote the details of his final hand into an autographed copy of his book that he gives to the player who eliminates him. In this case, it was a standard preflop race between Greenstein's A-K and Kling's pocket jacks.



A look at the Fontana Lounge with 30 players remaining at the final four tables. The Fontana Lounge is one of the most fan-friendly places to watch a WPT event, once the field shrinks down to a handful of tables.



Jeff Madsen started the day second in chips, but it didn't take him long to move into the top spot of the leaderboard. Madsen is still looking for his first televised WPT final table -- could this be his tournament?



After a flop of 875, Matt Affleck (center) moved all in against Noah Schwartz (left). Schwartz tanked for several minutes, but eventually folded.



From left to right, Royal Flush Girls Katrina, Sunisa, Michelle, and Jennifer participate in a streaming webchat so they can interact with the fans at home.



With the board showing 10765, Jeff Madsen (left) bets into Allen Kessler (right). Kessler tanked for a while before he folded, still with a roughly average chip stack.



The big hand in the middle of the day was between Steve O'Dwyer (left) and Annette Obrestad (right). Obrestad moved all in with the final board showing A82A5, and O'Dwyer tanked for a long time as a crowd gathered around the table.



Even as Steve O'Dwyer's time in the tank passed the five-minute mark, nobody dared to call the clock on him, because it was obviously a big decision. Eventually, O'Dwyer folded, and Annette Obrestad collected the pot with a smile.



Erik Cajelais (right) was all in preflop with A-10 suited against the pocket jacks of Andreas Hoivold (left). Cajelais never improved, and he was eliminated in 26th place -- the highest finish for a player who late registered for this tournament on Day 2. For this tournament, it didn't work out as a very effective strategy.



John Krpan (left) and Mark Newhouse sit side-by-side in the middle of Day 3. While Krpan survived the day with a short stack, Newhouse was one of the late casualties, busting in 15th place.



Annette Obrestad started the day with an above-average stack, but found herself knocked down to about 100,000 in chips. But the field missed the opportunity to eliminate a tough player, and she made a comeback -- a big comeback. And once Obrestad has chips, she isn't afraid to use them. In this hand, Annette Obrestad applies pressure on the river against Kaied Barkho (not pictured).



Reigning WPT Bay 101 champion McLean Karr had a highly volatile chip stack on Day 4, going through several periods where he'd win a big pot right before losing a big pot, and then winning another. Unfortunately, the swing finally went against him, and he was eliminated in 17th place.



John Monnette (seat 1) plays a pot against Brandon Steven (seat 2) on Day 4. Both players survived the day, with an average stack for Steven and an above-average stack for Monnette.



Annette Obrestad was the only player to cross the two-million chip mark, and she did it during the second-to-last level of the day. Here's a look at Annette's 2-million chip stack during the final break.



It's an unfamiliar point of view for Allen Kessler -- chipleader at his table. When this photo was taken, he had nearly 1.3 million in chips, which is roughly where he finished the day, good for fourth place.



Annette Obrestad had nothing but good news to report to her boyfriend, Scott Montgomery. Her chipleading stack puts her in excellent position to make her first WPT final table.



Here's a look at Table 2 in the final minutes of Day 4. The stack in seat 2 belongs to Michael Benvenuti, and the others, in seat order, are John Monnette, Noah Schwartz, Jason Koon, Lauren Kling, Andy Frankenberger, and Jeff Madsen. Since there have been redraws for every table break (starting at the final six tables), the players will keep these seats for the start of Day 5 -- with one notable exception (see below).



In the final hand of Day 4, Lauren Kling moved all in with 1010, but ran into John Monnette's QQ. Monnette flopped a set of queens and turned four of a kind, which left Kling drawing dead before the river. Jason Koon (center) offers his condolences and his congratulations on a deep finish for Lauren Kling, who has entered three WPT events in her young career, and cashed in two of them.


Day 5 begins tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:00 noon PT, when the final 13 players will move to Bellagio's poker room to play down to Wednesday's televised WPT final table. Return to WorldPokerTour.com for complete live coverage of all the action, including hand-for-hand coverage starting at the final 10 players, video interviews with Kimberly Lansing, and an as-yet-unnamed video recap show with Jessica Welman and BJ Nemeth.

Day 4 Ends with 13 Players

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Immediately after Lauren Kling's elimination in 14th place, the remaining 13 player bag up their chips and call it a night.  Annette Obrestad is the only player with more than 2 million chips.  She ended the day with 2,009,000 chips and her next closest competition is reigning Legends of Poker champion Andy Frankenberger, who ended the day with 1,820,000.

The final 13 players will return at 12pm on Tuesday and play down to the televised six-handed final table in the poker room, as the crew will be setting up the WPT set in the Fontana Lounge.  When play resumes blinds will be up to 10,000-20,000 ante 3,000.

Here are the official chip counts of the remaining 13 players:

1. Annette Obrestad - 2,009,000
2. Andy Frankenberger - 1,820,000
3. Allen Kessler - 1,275,000
4. John Monnette - 1,271,000
5. Jeff Madsen - 1,267,000
6. Noah Schwartz - 1,137,000
7. Bobby Suer - 1,129,000
8. Brandon Steven - 977,000
9. Randal Flowers - 691,000
10. Skip Wilson - 531,000
11. Michael Benvenuti - 530,000
12. John Krpan - 397,000
13. Jason Koon - 396,000

Two Big Blinds in a Row is a Misdeal for Brandon Steven

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

What happens when the button stays in the same place two hands in a row, but a player still acts as if it had moved? Well, in this case, the hand was declared a misdeal.

John Krpan had the button twice in a row, leaving Allen Kessler in the small blind position and Brandon Steven in the big blind position. The dealer may or may not have moved the button, because it was arguably close to the no-man's land between Krpan and Kessler.

Brandon Steven knew he was just the big blind, so he put out the small blind of 8,000. The problem is that Kessler wasn't paying as close attention, saw the button to his right, and also put out a small blind. Bobby Suer, who should have been the big blind, saw two blinds to his right and didn't pay anything. The dealer, seeing two blinds, dealt to them first.

So Brandon Steven is the only one who acted properly, and he has the most to lose, since he would be paying the big blind twice. Steven stops the dealer, but not until the first two players had already folded. Generally, once two players have acted, the hand will continue.

Steven is adamant that he would not be paying the big blind, because he acted properly. He wants to declare the hand a misdeal, since nobody has the proper cards. Steven is smiling, but you get the sense that if the ruling goes against him, he would raise quite a ruckus.

A floorperson is called over, and then it goes up the ladder to TD John Nieznanski, and then it goes all the way to Head TD Jack McClelland so there will be no doubt.

While everyone is deliberating, Annette Obrestad, who was next to act when action stopped, puts out a raise. (This doesn't affect the ruling in any way.) Steven asks her what she is doing, and she says she is raising in case they rule to continue the hand. Steven tells Annette that she probably hasn't even looked at her cards, but Annette says that she actually has a good hand.

Annette adds, "I don't remember the suits, but I do know which cards I have." Steven then points out that he hasn't even looked at his own cards yet. "I'm probably gonna flop the nuts, even though I don't know what I have."

TD Jack McClelland finishes the deliberations and declares the hand a misdeal -- none of the players have their proper cards. A key factor in the decision is the fact that Brandon Steven acted properly -- he knew he was the small blind, and that's what he paid. The Bellagio staff is going to have a meeting before play tomorrow to discuss this situation in more depth.

Lauren Kling Eliminated in 14th Place ($32,240)

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

John Monnette raises to 37,000 from middle position and Lauren Kling moves all-in from late position for 224,000.  Monnette quickly calls with QQ and Kling holds TT.

The flop falls KQ2, giving Monnette middle set.  The Q on the turn improves him to quads and leaves Kling drawing dead.  The river is an inconsequential J and Kling is eliminated on the final hand of the night.

John Monnette - 1,271,000 (79 big blinds)
Lauren Kling - eliminated in 14th place ($32,240)

Tommy Vedes Has a Horse

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Mark Newhouse Eliminated in 15th Place ($32,240)

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Mark Newhouse opens for a raise, Andy Frankenberger reraises to around 100,000, and Newhouse moves all-in for around 400,000.  Frankenberger calls with pocket queens and Newhouse shows A-J.  Newhouse fails to improve and Frankenberger takes the pot.

Andy Frankenberger - 1,830,000 (115 big blinds)
Mark Newhouse - eliminated in 15th place ($32,240)

Jeff Madsen vs. Andy Frankenberger

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Andy Frankenberger raises to 35,000 from early position and Jeff Madsen calls behind.  

The flop comes down J82 and both players check.   The turn brings the 8 and Frankenberger bets 65,000.  Madsen calls and the river brings the K.  Frankenberger bets 55,000 and, after some thought, Madsen calls.

Madsen shows J9 for jacks and eights and Frankenberger turns over pocket nines for a busted straight draw.  Madsen takes the pot.

Jeff Madsen - 1,500,000 (94 big blinds)
Andy Frankenberger - 1,420,000 (89 big blinds)

Chad Batista Eliminated in 16th Place ($25,792)

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Annette Obrestad raises under the gun to 35,000, Chad Batista moves all in from the small blind, and Obrestad calls with 1010. Batista shows 8-8, and he'll need to improve to stay alive.

The board comes A74J3, and Obrestad wins the pot with her pocket tens to eliminate Chad Batista in 16th place.

Annette Obrestad  -  2,000,000  (125 bb)
Chad Batista  -  Out in 16th Place ($25,792)

McLean Karr Eliminated in 17th Place ($25,792)

Level 20: 8,000-16,000, 2,000 ante

Annette Obrestad raises from under the gun and McLean Karr moves all-in for 350,000 from middle position.  Bobby Suer is in the small blind and moves all-in over the top of Karr for around 550,000.  Obrestad folds and claims she had ace-king.

Karr has 88 and Suer has him in bad shape with KK.  The board runs out JT75Q and the kings hold to give Suer the pot.

Bobby Suer - 1,000,000 (63 big blinds)
McLean Karr - eliminated in 17th place ($25,792)