Live Tournament Updates
World Poker Open Event Recap
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Tennessee-native Bryan Sumner is the World Poker Open champion for 2007! Sumner defeated a world class final table that included Daniel Negreanu, Kido Pham and JC Tran to take the title. For his win, Bryan takes home $913,986. When we started this latest installment of a classic WPT stop at the Goldstrike Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, we had 294 players. It took four days of play to eliminate the first 288 of them; the 289th took almost as long. Our TV table went an amazing ninety-three hands before Tran was finally eliminated, setting an all-time World Poker Tour record for the longest TV stretch without an elimination. Sumner may have been the TV table’s most unlikely victor. He got all-in numerous times on day four, needing a miracle just to make it to the stage. Once there, he was assaulted from all sides by his uncommonly aggressive co-stars. Still, he survived the onslaught, eliminated Young Cho in third to take the chip lead, then finished off Negreanu to take the title. For Negreanu, it’s another close call on the heels of his third place finish at the Five Diamond Classic last month. The record-minded superstar had to want this badly, as a win would have tied him with Gus Hansen for the all-time record for WPT victories. Still, Daniel will have to be satisfied with his setting the record for consecutive WPT cashes with four, tying the record for total WPT cashes with fourteen and winning a cool half-million dollars for his trouble. Tonight, Negreanu, Tran and Pham will climb on a chartered private jet in order to get to Atlantic City for an 11AM start at the Borgata Winter Open. I’m already there, ready for the action, with Tony and Ryan on their way to save the day. Check in tomorrow starting at 11AM for all of the details as we do this crazy thing all over again. See you there.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Gold Strike Casino, World Poker Open, Season V09:54 PM, 01/25/07
Bryan Sumner Interview
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Ryan: That was a pretty intense final table Bryan, how are you feeling right now? Bryan: Ready to relax a little bit after 5 days of intense poker. I would like to get some sleep. Ryan: You just won your first WPT. What does that mean to you? Bryan: It’s awesome to actually win. It is difficult just to make the final table, so it was unbelievable to win the whole thing. Ryan: Has it sunk in yet? Bryan: It’s starting to sink in, the money's nice too. The title means a lot to me as well because my favorite show is the World Poker Tour. Ryan: Did you come in with a specific strategy in mind? Bryan: I didn’t really have one. I just wanted to stay focused and pay attention to what the other players were doing. Ryan: Everyone seemed to be playing back at you early on. How did you survive? Bryan: I was opening with good hands and felt it was a standard play to fold when I got re-raised. When they came over the top of me, I read it as a show of strength. I gave the other players respect and I didn’t want to risk all my chips early. Ryan: How will you spend the money you just won? Bryan: Get a house and a car, probably. I really like the Nissan Z and Nissan trucks. Ryan: How do you go back to online cash games after this? Bryan: I m going to play a lot more live poker now, it’s a lot more fun. I had fun meeting all the interesting people at the tournament. Ryan: Will we be seeing you at more WPT events now? Bryan: I’m planning on making it to Commerce and Im really looking forward to the WPT championship. The competition and personalities are great.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Gold Strike Casino, World Poker Open, Season V09:53 PM, 01/25/07
Daniel Negreanu Interview
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Ryan: How are you feeling right now? Daniel: Exhausted, I’m going to charter a jet to Borgata with Nam Le, JC Tran and Kido Pham. Ryan: What was your strategy coming in? Daniel: My strategy was to take advantage of Young Cho. I wanted to use my position on him to take his chips and then take the chip lead. Ryan: Did the rising blinds cut away at whatever advantage you might have had over the other players? Daniel: The fact that it took so long to lose one player had a negative impact on the rest of the night. It turned things into an all-in fest. The lack of flops was a disadvantage, and it turned into a card catching contest. But, I feel I did a good job adjusting. Ryan: How shocked were you at how long it took for an elimination to occur? Daniel: It was bizarre; it made it clearly a case of hand against hand, and all the players were happy to wait. Look at JC, he is a great short stack player and he was willing to wait like the rest of them. Ryan: Will we ever see another final table like this? Daniel: Yes, it could happen again. I don’t think by raising the blinds quickly that you increase the odds of people busting, though. After an hour it turned into less reads and less strategy. Ryan: How tough was it to hang in there with your stack down to T400,000 and the blinds getting so big? Daniel: Not too tough. I played my short stack and waited for my chance. I felt lucky to get back to 2 million. Ryan: How important are your four consecutive cashes? Daniel: It’s the only reason I’m going to Borgata. You don’t get this opportunity to often, so I don’t want to blow it by not showing up. Ryan: Will we be seeing number five at Borgata? Daniel: Definitely, I will be very careful not to get sloppy or tired. If I get through day one I should be fine after I get a good night’s sleep. It’s tough to play 10 straight days of poker.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Gold Strike Casino, World Poker Open, Season V09:52 PM, 01/25/07
Hand 121 - Bryan Sumner wins World Poker Open!
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Daniel Negreanu moves all in for T1,425,000. Bryan Sumner calls.
Sumner shows 8
8
Negreanu shows A
3
Board comes 8
543Q
Bryan Sumner's hand holds up and wins the 2007 World Poker Open from Tunica! With the win, Sumner will take home $913,986 and a $25,000 entry to the WPT Championship in April at the Bellagio.
Daniel Negreanu finishes second and will take home $502,691.
Wrap ups and photos to come!
08:57 PM, 01/25/07
Hand 120
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Bryan Sumner raises to T300,000. Daniel Negreanu moves all-in for T790,000 more. Sumner mucks.
Sorted In: Bryan Sumner, Daniel Negreanu, Tournaments, Gold Strike Casino, World Poker Open, Season V08:49 PM, 01/25/07
Hand 119
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Both players limp in.
Flop comes 2Q8
Both players check.
Turn is the 6
Check. Check.
River is the 8
Nengreanu shows Ace-10 and Sumner mucks.
08:47 PM, 01/25/07
Hand 118
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
First hand, both players call from the blinds.
Flop comes 866
Negreanu checks. Sumner bets T200,000.
Negreanu calls.
Turn is the 6. Negreanu bets T200,000. Sumner calls.
River is the 9. Negreanu checks. Sumner checks.
Sumner shows an 8 and wins the pot with Sixes full of 8's. Negreanu mucks.
08:46 PM, 01/25/07
Hand 117 - Young Cho Finishes 3rd
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Bryan Sumner bets T300,000 and Young Cho moves all-in. Sumner calls.
Sumner: AA
Cho: 63
Board: J52QK
Cho is eliminated in 3rd place and he will take home $257,058 in prize money.
08:45 PM, 01/25/07
OK...We're back!
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Sorry everyone. The tourmanent has gone so long our internet license expired here at Tunica. Things seem to be under control now. We're about to start heads up action between /b12372//Bryan Sumner/ and Daniel Negreanu!
Sorted In: Daniel Negreanu, Tournaments, Gold Strike Casino, World Poker Open, Season V08:41 PM, 01/25/07
More hands
Level 7: 150,000-300,000, 30,000 ante
Hand 112: Young Cho moves all-in, everyone folds. Hand 113: Young Cho moves all-in and everyone folds Hand 114: Negreanu raises to T280,000, Cho re-raises all-in, Negreanu folds. Hand 115: Sumner raises T300,000 and everyone folds. Hand 116: Brian Sumner moves all-in, everyone folds.
Sorted In: Tournaments, Gold Strike Casino, World Poker Open, Season V08:36 PM, 01/25/07
