No, this is not the Alec Baldwin that seems to have everything go his way, but another Baldwin that is making a huge impact on the poker world. Eric Baldwin is no stranger to cashing at WSOP and Circuit Tour events, but he is a stranger to the big money. His lifetime earnings to this point for 6 cashes is just over $100,000. That number went up a little in early hours of Friday morning and his life will never be the same because of it. The money, the bracelet and surely online fame await the youngster.
This was one of the rare times that we have seen two legitimate hands decide a No Limit tourney late in the night. Baldwin had raised to make it 165,000 from the button. Klausen immediately threw his chips in the middle and Baldwin took little time to make the all in call. Baldwin turned over 1010, but Klausen was only 40-60 underdog with AhQh. A flop of 6JK gave Klausen two more outs as he could now hit a straight, but the turn showed another 6 and he was back to only 6 outs as a 10 would now give Baldwin the boat. A 5s fell harmlessly and it was time to celebrate for Baldwin. Klausen will take home $322,371 for second place.
In other tournaments…
Event 35 continues its road to a final table and now has 11 players left. It seemed like every time someone went all in, they were behind and cracked the larger hand. Sorel Mizzi leads the way with 969,000 and the bulk of the chips are sitting in the top 3 positions. It will be interesting to see if the cards change or the survival rate continues and frustrates the big stacks once play resumes.
Event 36 started with 1695 and ended the day with only 213 players remaining. Your chip leader is Corwin Cole with 185,700 in chips. As you look down the remaining field, you are hard pressed to find any names of significance. No Bonus points for you fantasy poker players in this tournament. It looks like another first timer will get a bracelet and over $500,000 to start off their new career in poker.
If you want to know where all the big names are, all you have to do is look over at the World Championship 7 Card Stud Hi/Low 8 or better tournament. The pattern this year seems to be that the pros are letting the smaller no limit poker events go and sticking to the higher buy ins and the other poker versions because of the much smaller fields. Why should they go through a 2,000 person land mine infested field when they can fight it out against only 200 players in these other games.
This field was no different as only 164 put up the $10,000 for Event 37 and we once again see Jeff Lisandro at the top of the leader board after the first day. He is not the overall leader, but he has a very healthy 110,000 in his stack. There were only 54 eliminations in the first day, but the blinds are up and there are plenty of small stacks that will see early action in day 2.
The final nine players of the World Series of Poker £5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Event came together Friday to take their shot at a bracelet and the £218,626 top prize. This is how the final table shaped up:
Seat 1: Erik Friberg 189,000 Seat 2: David Penly 162,000 Seat 3: Jason Mercier 650,000 Seat 4: Sorel Mizzi 290,000 Seat 5: Tomi Nyback 434,000 Seat 6: Theo Jorgensen 897,000 Seat 7: Max Pescatori 126,000 Seat 8: Eric Dalby 277,000 Seat 9: Chris Ferguson 282,000
Tomi Nyback was the first player to be eliminated from the final table. Theo Jorgensen made a pot size raise preflop to 48,000 and both Sorel Mizzi and Nyback made the call. The flop fell 7h-4d-2c and Nyback moved all in. Jorgensen made the call, and Mizzi went into the tank for a while. Finally, he moved all in for 270,000 and Jorgensen made the call. Jorgensen held Kh-Kd-8s-5d for a gutshot straight draw and kings. Mizzi held 7s-5c-4s-2d for top two pair and Nyback held Ks-Qc-10s-7c for top pair and air. The turn fell the As and the river the 9h and Mizzi’s two pair won the hand. Tomi Nyback was our 9th place finisher, taking home £22,688.
About an hour later, Jason Mercier was all in on a flop of 10d-Jh-As. He held 10s-8s-7d-9d for top two pair and a wrap straight draw. His opponent, Theo Jorgensen, called showing Ac-Ah-5d-5s for top set. A 9h on the turn completed Mercier’s straight, but the Ad on the river gave Jorgensen quad Aces and sent Mercier out in 8th place. He will take home £26,812 for his finish.
The very next hand, Chris Ferguson moved all in on a flop of Kc-Qc-6d. Theo Jorgensen decided it was his mission to be involved with every all in hand, so he made the call. Ferguson held Ac-As-Js-8c for the nut flush draw and a gutshot straight draw. Jorgensen must have the magic potion for drawing sets as he had flopped another set with 6s-6h-5c-3c. Part of that potion must have included a quads clause, as the turn fell the 6c, giving Jorgensen quads for the second straight hand. Nobody cared about the 9d that fell on the river. Chris Ferguson became our 7th place finisher, taking home £33,000 pounds for his efforts.
It took a little longer to lose our next player. Nearly an hour later, David Penly moved all-in over a raise from Max Pescatori. Pescatori made the call. Penly held Ac-Ah-5s-Qc and Pescatori held Kc-Qd-Jc-10d. The flop of Jh-9h-3c gave Pescatori a wrap straight draw. The Qs on the turn filled out his straight and made the river 10c meaningless. David Penly became our 6th place finisher, taking home £41,250.
About 15 minutes later, Max Pescatori bet out 50,000 on a board of Ac-10c-9s-Ks-2h. Erik Friberg raised to 200,000, and Pecatori called. He showed Kd-Kc and two random cards for a set and Friberg showed Qh-Jh-8c-6c for broadway. Pescatori was left with 19,000. The very next hand, Pescatori moved all in on the flop and Sorel Mizzi and Theo Jorgensen made the call. Mizzi and Jorgensen checked it down to the river. The board was Kh-Qs-9d-10d-As when Jorgensen showed 10s-6h-5h-3c for just a pair of tens. Remarkably, tens were good and Pescator was our 5th place finisher, taking home £51,562.
A couple of hours later, Erik Friberg and Sorel Mizzi both saw a flop of 2s-Kd-8s. Friberg bet out 20,000 and Mizzi called. The turn fell the 4d and Friberg led out for 60,000. Mizzi then raised for 200,000 total and Friberg moved over the top all-in. Mizzi called. Friberg held 4s-8h-7c-7h for two pair, and Mizzi held 7s-6s-9h-Kh for a flush draw, a gutshot straight draw, and a pair of kings. The river fell the Ks, completing Mizzi’s flush and Erik Friberg was our 4th place finisher. He took home £66,000 for his finish.
Eric Dalby was one of the more remarkable stories of this event. This Englishman came into three way action second in chips with 990,000. The fact that he made it this far is not the amazing story. The amazing part of this story is that he is 78 years old. He has been playing poker for 50 years and has outlasted probably the strongest field in the world in Omaha to make it this far.
About ten minutes after Friberg’s elimination, Sorel Mizzi raised to 49,000 from the button. Both Theo Jorgensen and Eric Dalby made the call. The flop fell 10d-8h-5s. Jorgensen checked to Dalby, who potted at 147,000. Mizzi folded and Jorgensen made the call. The turn fell the 9d. Jorgensen bet 270,000. Dalby then moved all-in and Jorgensen called. Jorgensen flipped over Qc-Js-8s-4s for the nut straight. Dalby flipped over Ac-Kc-10c-7d for a pair and a weaker straight draw. Dalby was drawing dead at this point, and the 9h on the river was meaningless. Eric Dalby’s remarkable run in this Pot Limit Omaha Championship came to a close. Dalby finished in 3rd place, earning £84,562. He may not have won, but he proved that anyone at any age can play this game.
Theo Jorgensen entered heads up play with nearly a 3 to 1 chip lead over Sorel Mizzi. He lead 2,435,000 to 865,000. Of course, this is PLO, and anything can happen. Sorel Mizzi at one point moved into the chip lead, but Jorgensen doubled up on Mizzi and put things back where they started when he rivered a full house to outdraw Mizzi wheel. After that point, things slowly went down hill for Mizzi.
About 45 minutes later, Jorgensen bet out 100,000 on a flop of Ks-8h-Jh. Mizzi raised, and Jorgensen then put him all in. Mizzi made the call. Jorgensen held Kh-Kd-Ac-3c for a set of kings. Mizzi held Ah-6h-Qh-5s for the nut flush draw. The turn fell the 2s, leaving Mizzi needing a heart to win. A 7d fell on the river, and Theo Jorgensen became the Champion of this Pot Limit Omaha Event. Sorel Mizzi was our runner-up, taking home £132,000 for his efforts.
165 players assembled to take their shot at the last preliminary bracelet at this World Series of Poker Europe. Theo Jorgensen survived a pro heavy and expert field to take home his first gold bracelet and £218,626 in prize money.
Congratulations to Theo Jorgensen, WSOP-E Event #3 Champion.
Day 2 of the £5,000 Pot Limit Omaha Event at the World Series of Poker saw 45 players return to make their march towards the final table. Among the big names still in contention included Robert Williamson III, Sorel Mizzi, Doyle Brunson, Andy Bloch, David “DevilFish” Ulliott, Allen Cunningham, Max Pescatori, Joe Beevers, Erik Seidel, and Chris “Jesus” Ferguson. Play started at 3 p.m. London time and would continue through to the final table.
The “DevilFish” was the first of the big names to fall and it didn’t take long. On a board of Kd-Jc-5d, Ulliott moved all-in and was called by Markus Golser. Golser claimed to have the Fish in bad shape, but Ulliott disagreed. DevilFish flipped over Ks-Kh-7c-2s for a set of kings. Golser flipped over Ad-Qd-10c-4s for a wrap and a flush draw. Golser was actually the favorite at this point with 17 outs. The turn fell the 9h, giving Golser a straight. DevilFish needed the board to pair, otherwise his day was over. The river was the 6c and DevilFish swam down stream.
Jason Mercier extended his chips lead after eliminating two players, one being Robert Williamson III. On a board of 6d-Ac-10d, Williamson checked to Mercier, who bet out 10,500. Williamson then check-raised pot and Mercier flat called. On the turn of the 5d, Williamson moved all-in for around 16,000. Mercier called and flipped over Kd-Jd with two other cards for a king high flush. Williamson showed two aces with two random cards for a set of aces. He would need the board to pair to win, but alas, the river fell the 8s and Williamson was eliminated. Mercier moved up to 340,000 chips with his win.
Doyle Brunson was the next player eliminated when both he and Erik Friberg flopped a set. Brunson had flopped a set of nines and Friberg a set of tens. All the money went in on the turn and Brunson was unable to catch a fourth nine. Brunson will have to win the Main Event to win his 11th bracelet.
Shortly after the first break, Andy Bloch was all in against Erik Friberg. Bloch had flopped two pair and a gutshow straight draw. Friberg had a better gutshow straight draw and a pair of queens. The turn improved Bloch’s two pair, but the river completed Friberg’s straight and Bloch was out the door.
Erik Seidel was eliminated in 25th place by Theo Jorgensen. Seidel had aces and Jorgensen with some semi coordinated straight cards. Unfortunately for Seidel, Jorgensen flopped two pair and Seidel never improved on his aces. Bruno Fitoussi was the next player to fall just before the dinner break. He moved all in with aces on a jack high flop but Tomi Nyback had flopped two pair. The two pair were good and Fitoussi got an extended dinner break.
Only 18 players would be paid from this event. It wasn’t long before we would reach 19 players and the bubble period began. Pot Limit Omaha is usually a game where the bubble period is not that lengthy due to the drawing potential of a lot of hands. It does induce a bit of gambling. The bubble period didn’t even last 10 minutes in this event as Alex Kravchenko was all in preflop against Ilkka Koskien. Kravchenko held Ah-Ad-9c-10d. Koskien held As-Ac-2c-10c. This hand had split written all over it. That is until the flop anyway. The flop fell Qc-Qd-7c to give Koskien a flush draw. The turn fell the 7h. This pot would be a chop unless a club fell, and indeed a club did fall on the river. The 8c fell, and Kravchenko was this event’s bubble boy.
Elimination then became fast and furious. Jolyne Thompson moved all in with her short stack holding Js-Jc-2c-9h. Allen Cunningham made the call holding Kd-7s-6h-4s. Cunningham would take the lead with trips when the flop fell 7d-3d-7h. Thompson would need a jack to survive, but a jack did not come on the turn or the river. Jolyne Thompson was our 18th place finisher making £14,438.
Stephen Kjaerstad was the next to fall. Kjaerstad raised preflop and was called by Theo Jorgensen. On a flop of 5s-6s-Jd, Kjaerstad bet out 21,500 and Jorgesen potted. Kjaerstad called and was all-in. Jorgensen held 4s-3d-3s-4c and Kjaerstad held 7d-As-8d-Ad. The Qs fell on the turn, giving Jorgensen the flush and eliminating Kjaerstad in 17th place.
About 15 minutes later, Theo Jorgensen raised to 11,000 and Allen Cunnigham potted to 39,000. Jorgensen called. On a flop of 10s-4h-4s, Jorgensen put Cunningham all in holding 9h-4c-Qh-10c for fours full and Cunningham held As-Ah-Qd-2d. An ace did not fall on the turn or river, and Allen Cunningham become our 16th place finisher.
Chris Bjorin followed Cunningham out the door soon after when he was all-in against Joe Beevers. Bjorin held Aces at the river but Beever was sitting on nines full. Bjorin was the 16th place finisher making £16,500. Justin Smith was the next out when Tomi Nyback flopped the nut flush. Smith didn’t have any redraws and exited in 14th place, also taking home £16,500.
Padraig Parkinson was eliminated next. He had flopped a straight draw, but his opponent Jason Mercier caught running aces to make trips and Parkinson was the 13th place finisher. Joe Beevers was knocked out next when his As-5s-Kc-8c ran into the Ah-Ks-Jh-10d of Jason Mercier. Beever flopped a pair of fives on a 5d-Qs-6d board, but the 9d gave Mercier a straight draw. He completed his straight draw with the 8h on the river and Beevers became the 12th place finisher, taking home £18,562.
Neil Channing was knocked out next in 11th place when his pair and straight draw couldn’t outdraw Tomi Nyback’s flopped two pair. Ilkka Koskinen then was our final elimination of the day. He was all in on the turn of 8h-7-h-3d-Jc against Theo Jorgensen. Koskinen held Ac-Jh-10h-9d for a straight and a gutshot straight flush draw. Jorgensen held Js-9s-9c-8c for jacks and eights. The river fell the Jd, which gave Jorgensen a full house and make Koskinen our final table bubble boy.
Our final nine looks like this:
Seat 1: Erik Friberg 189,000 Seat 2: David Penly 162,000 Seat 3: Jason Mercier 650,000 Seat 4: Sorel Mizzi 290,000 Seat 5: Tomi Nyback 434,000 Seat 6: Theo Jorgensen 897,000 Seat 7: Max Pescatori 126,000 Seat 8: Eric Dalby 277,000 Seat 9: Chris Ferguson 282,000
Theo Jorgensen made a late run to take the chip lead from Jason Mercier. Overall, this will be one of the stronger final tables of this World Series of Poker with several big names and a couple of bracelet winners in the mix. The final table will start at 4 p.m. London time on Friday.
