WSOP Main Event 2005 (Spoilers)

[kcchief19]

Hard to believe Negreanu is in as much trouble as he is -- he's down to one $500 chip. Hellmuth is also tied in chips with Mimi Rogers. There are are a lot of marquee players struggling today.

Farha is steaming everybody today. I think he must have taken most of Negreanu's stack at the featured table. David Williams is also playing well. I kind of expected him to fade out this year after a miracle run last year.

The way Liebert lost was just bizarre. Flop comes 2-2-7 and she goes all-in with A-3. She gets called by 5-6, who then hits a two-outer for a straight. I'm not sure I'd have the balls to go all-in with A-3 on a flop like that, and I know I wouldn't have the balls to call with a 5-6, even on a flush draw. CardPlayer didn't list what the suits were, so it's hard to tell if that played a role or not.

[Lathum]

I'm not surprised by Williams at all. He is a solid playe who took second at the Borgata Poker open this year (he lost to Negranue).

I am also not surprised by the "big name pro's" going out early. I thing the average Joe is willing to make loser calls against a pro becaue they wanna be the one to knock them out. I love the world series but the problem is we will never see another pro win. I would be shocked if we have even heard of anyone at the final table.

One thing that does surprise me is that there are actually more then one pro at the same table.

[Lathum]

Negreanu is out

[Airhog]

I remember hearing Scottie saying that everyone know exactly how he plays, but he doesnt know how anyone else plays that isnt a well known pro.

[timmynausea]

Antonio Esfandiari is eliminated.

[Lathum]

check this out

Chip Heist?
Log: After returning from break, David Levi noticed he had a $5,000 chip missing. Johnny Grooms has instructed security to review the security tape. After the video has been reviewed, the Tournament Staff will make a ruling.

[SirFozzie]

Wow.

They stated anyone who was caught trying to passfake chips (which happened in an earlier tournament) would not only be DQ'd from the tournament, but banned from the WSOP for life.

This could be the same thing

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by Lathum

check this out

Chip Heist?
Log: After returning from break, David Levi noticed he had a $5,000 chip missing. Johnny Grooms has instructed security to review the security tape. After the video has been reviewed, the Tournament Staff will make a ruling.

where you getting this Lathum?

[SirFozzie]

There's a story out today that Doyle Brunson is fronting a group of players who have made an unsolicited bid to buy the World Poker Tour for $700 Million, all in cash.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Lathum

check this out

Chip Heist?
Log: After returning from break, David Levi noticed he had a $5,000 chip missing. Johnny Grooms has instructed security to review the security tape. After the video has been reviewed, the Tournament Staff will make a ruling.

False alarm

[Barkeep49]

Got a link for the Brunson story?

[SirFozzie]

World Poker shares surge on Brunson bid
Fri Jul 8, 2005 11:56 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. poker icon Doyle Brunson has launched a $700 million cash bid for WPT Enterprises Inc. , which owns the popular World Poker Tour television show, the company said on Friday.

News of the unsolicited bid, made by Brunson with a team of financial backers, sent WPT shares surging 55.4 percent to a record high of $27.60 on Nasdaq.

The bid offers a 100 percent premium over WPT's closing price of $17.75 on Thursday. The company has a market capitalization of about $357 million.

"This was a total surprise," company spokeswoman Jackie Lapin told Reuters. "The board will review this bid."

She did not know when the board planned to meet. The bid was received on Thursday.

Brunson, one of the best known U.S. professional poker players, was not immediately available for comment.

West Hollywood, California-based WPT Enterprises, which was founded in March 2002, went public in August last year at $8 a share, raising $32 million. Its shares rose to their previous high of $24.40 last month.

The company develops products based on gaming themes. World Poker Tour airs on the Travel Channel in the United States and more than 60 markets worldwide.

About 70 percent of the company is owned by two stakeholders; Lakes Entertainment Inc. owns about 62 percent of the company and co-founder and Chief Executive Steven Lipscomb owns about 8.2 percent, according to company data from April.

Brunson, 71, has won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) twice -- in 1976 and 1977 -- and this month won his 10th WSOP bracelet which are awarded to winners of tournaments on the World Series of Poker circuit.

About 25 years ago he cowrote "Super/System," which explained his secrets to winning poker.

[Lathum]

2 thoughts.

If I had know they were public I would have bought a long time ago

this screams insider trading

[SirFozzie]

Brunson doesn't own any of it.. how does this constitute insider trading?

[Desnudo]

It screams something.

[Lathum]

Moneymaker has $22,900 at the dinner break

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by SirFozzie

Brunson doesn't own any of it.. how does this constitute insider trading?

Just because he doesn't own any of it doesn't mean anything

[SirFozzie]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Just because he doesn't own any of it doesn't mean anything

He's a player in it. If he owns it, he probably cannot play in it, but that's all I think.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I'm not surprised by Williams at all. He is a solid playe who took second at the Borgata Poker open this year (he lost to Negranue).

I am also not surprised by the "big name pro's" going out early. I thing the average Joe is willing to make loser calls against a pro becaue they wanna be the one to knock them out. I love the world series but the problem is we will never see another pro win. I would be shocked if we have even heard of anyone at the final table.

One thing that does surprise me is that there are actually more then one pro at the same table.

I see where you're coming from, but I think you're overexaggerating. I mean, Dan Harrington still finished 4th last year after finishing 3rd the year before.

I think the big problem with players who are constantly on TV is the fact that you can essentially watch some of their matches like you would game film of an opponent. Maybe you recognize something they do and know what it meant then. It makes it much easier to break down tells, or more importantly just the general way in which that player plays, meaning you probably have a better idea than average what hands they might be playing in a situation you've seen them in a number of times.

[Lathum]

Williams is out

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Lathum

2 thoughts.

If I had know they were public I would have bought a long time ago

this screams insider trading

People launch unsolicited bids for companies all the time, i.e. tender offers. It's a way of avoiding negotiating a merger agreement and getting the approval of the target's board of directors. Or, alternatively, a way to get leverage in negotiating a deal with the board.

[hoopsguy]

Here are a few players still alive and kicking after yesterday's action.

Farha - 130k
X-22 - 50k (busted Hellmuth)
Vahedi - 44k
Boyd - 40k
Grinder - 24k
Phillips - 15k
Sklansky - 14k
Moneymaker - 9k

[larrymcg421]

Please Please Please, someone bust Boyd! Ugh.

[timmynausea]

Yeah. Boyd is the worst.

[Radii]

hahaha, 45 minutes into today's action:

"Floor on 127!" are the first words audible today, over the sounds of the clicking chips. Tournament Directors are called to the very table at which Mike Matusow sits, where he's being accused by a dealer of throwing cards. He's immediately assigned a ten minute penalty, but he adamantly and politely defends himself, and is supported by the rest of the players at the table. He's let off with a warning, but not more than a few seconds later, still steaming from the accusation, he let's the F-word slip. "Now I have to give you a 10 minute penalty," says Tournament Director Louis "You can't say the F-word." "F___ that," says Matusow. "Twenty minutes." "F_____n' great." "Thirty minutes." As Matusow leaves the area, he manages to fire off one more F-Bomb, rounding out his penalty to forty minutes, and starting a small round of applause from a crowd who up until this point, had been quite silent, and is now chatting away. Leave it to Mike "The Mouth" to get people talking.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Radii

hahaha, 45 minutes into today's action:

"Floor on 127!" are the first words audible today, over the sounds of the clicking chips. Tournament Directors are called to the very table at which Mike Matusow sits, where he's being accused by a dealer of throwing cards. He's immediately assigned a ten minute penalty, but he adamantly and politely defends himself, and is supported by the rest of the players at the table. He's let off with a warning, but not more than a few seconds later, still steaming from the accusation, he let's the F-word slip. "Now I have to give you a 10 minute penalty," says Tournament Director Louis "You can't say the F-word." "F___ that," says Matusow. "Twenty minutes." "F_____n' great." "Thirty minutes." As Matusow leaves the area, he manages to fire off one more F-Bomb, rounding out his penalty to forty minutes, and starting a small round of applause from a crowd who up until this point, had been quite silent, and is now chatting away. Leave it to Mike "The Mouth" to get people talking.

Blatanly ripped from the 2+2 thread, but I laughed so thought I'd share it here:

Does the above incident remind anyone of this:

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Radii

hahaha, 45 minutes into today's action:

"Floor on 127!" are the first words audible today, over the sounds of the clicking chips. Tournament Directors are called to the very table at which Mike Matusow sits, where he's being accused by a dealer of throwing cards. He's immediately assigned a ten minute penalty, but he adamantly and politely defends himself, and is supported by the rest of the players at the table. He's let off with a warning, but not more than a few seconds later, still steaming from the accusation, he let's the F-word slip. "Now I have to give you a 10 minute penalty," says Tournament Director Louis "You can't say the F-word." "F___ that," says Matusow. "Twenty minutes." "F_____n' great." "Thirty minutes." As Matusow leaves the area, he manages to fire off one more F-Bomb, rounding out his penalty to forty minutes, and starting a small round of applause from a crowd who up until this point, had been quite silent, and is now chatting away. Leave it to Mike "The Mouth" to get people talking.

dumbest... fucking... rule... ever

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Chubby

dumbest... fucking... rule... ever

why?

[Comey]

Because it's poker. As others have described, it's not golf. People are gambling. They're down to their raw emotions. Expletives fly.

One person got eliminated for muttering fuck late in a tournament. It wasn't even directed at anyone. Another one had to sit out during heads-up play. He was out for 10 minutes, and they were down to two players.

It's an idiot rule, and hopefully will only last this year.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Comey

Because it's poker. As others have described, it's not golf. People are gambling. They're down to their raw emotions. Expletives fly.

One person got eliminated for muttering fuck late in a tournament. It wasn't even directed at anyone. Another one had to sit out during heads-up play. He was out for 10 minutes, and they were down to two players.

It's an idiot rule, and hopefully will only last this year.

That rule isn't going anywhere.

First off. Poker is now made for TV. The last thing ESPN wants is to lose viewers and adveritisers because they are bleeping everything out.

Second. There can be now gray area. You drop the F-Bomb, you get a penalty. Thats it. If you don't have a rule like that it would be very easy to have an internet type atmosphere where you can curse people out.

In any sport if you curse at an official you get tossed or penalized. Why should poker be any different?

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Lathum

That rule isn't going anywhere.

First off. Poker is now made for TV. The last thing ESPN wants is to lose viewers and adveritisers because they are bleeping everything out.

Second. There can be now gray area. You drop the F-Bomb, you get a penalty. Thats it. If you don't have a rule like that it would be very easy to have an internet type atmosphere where you can curse people out.

In any sport if you curse at an official you get tossed or penalized. Why should poker be any different?

It's not about cursing at an official, or a dealer, or a tournament director. It's about simply saying "Fuck" when something bad happens. Is there a list of words that are acceptable? Can you swear in another language since that most likely won't get bleeped out? If you want to make an analogy then at least make a correct one, this would be similar to say imposing a technical foul during an NBA game every time a player or coach said a swear word.

How are they going to lose viewers? Didn't seem to affect the last 2 years of coverage with the bleeps now did it?

No you wouldn't have an internet type of atmosphere where you could curse people out. Try doing that in a casino right now, won't happen cause you'll be booted. You can however yell shit or fuck or whatever you want without getting a stupid 10 minute penalty as long as you aren't berating someone. It's called common sense.

[Lathum]

Actually using profanity has been a long standing rule in tournament poker.

My point is there can't be any GRAY AREA.

[cthomer5000]

Why am i not surprised that Chubby is the type of guy would oppose such a rule?

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

Why am i not surprised that Chubby is the type of guy would oppose such a rule?

If it's allowed at a regular poker table then it should be allowed in a tournment. There's a big difference between muttering "fuck" to yourself and curing someone a blye streak which is why there is a difference in what happens to you in those situations at a real poker table. It's not complicated.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Chubby

If it's allowed at a regular poker table then it should be allowed in a tournment. There's a big difference between muttering "fuck" to yourself and curing someone a blye streak which is why there is a difference in what happens to you in those situations at a real poker table. It's not complicated.

so what if someone says "un fucking believable"

should they be punished?

was it directed at themselves? the cards? the dealer? the other player?

there is no way to know, so there can be no gray area. It's not that complicated.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Shocker of shocks ... me & Chubby appear to be in complete agreement on this one.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Chubby

If it's allowed at a regular poker table then it should be allowed in a tournment. There's a big difference between muttering "fuck" to yourself and curing someone a blye streak which is why there is a difference in what happens to you in those situations at a real poker table. It's not complicated.

I'd be fine with this rule in any and all situations, but it's irrelevant.

This is a tournament, and it is a rule of the tournament. As long as it's enforeced evenly, it's a fair rule.

Now, think about why the rule exists. A lot of people have paid a lot of money to be involved with the broadcast of the WSOP. Everything boils down to money. ESPN probably wants to produce a cleaner broadcast, something more palatable to the masses. They want increased viewership, which will lead to increased advertising rates. I'm sure they had a lot to do with this rule being implemented in the first place.

Perhaps ABC has aspirations to air some of the episodes on their network station (and if not this year, perhaps next).

The rule is probably also their to curb player abuse, people cursing out guys who hit a 2-outer, etc. My guess is that if that was the intent, they realized trying to determine when something was or wasn't abusive/taunting, etc would introduce a lot of gray area. It's just easier to institute a flat "no f-bomb" rule.

It seems simple enough to me, and is as fair as a no-smoking rule.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Actually using profanity has been a long standing rule in tournament poker.

My point is there can't be any GRAY AREA.

I'm in complete agreement with you. Rather than trying to determine the intent of a curse, it's much easier to have an across the board rule.

[timmynausea]

Doyle Brunson is out.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Lathum

so what if someone says "un fucking believable"

should they be punished?

was it directed at themselves? the cards? the dealer? the other player?

there is no way to know, so there can be no gray area. It's not that complicated.

which is exactly why it's a stupid rule. Somehow they manage to figure it out at every poker room I've played in so far. I've seen people go nuts letting tirades fly and a floor simply comes over and tells them to settle down or they'll be removed. They either settle down or are booted.

ct - I understand why the rule was most likely instituted. it's still a dumb rule IMO. lord knows there's never any bleeps during a football/baseball/etc game. They could just as easily do away with the tirades without being fuckin FCC nazis about it. I always get a chuckle when they show say, Deeb saying fuck like 10 times because he go suckered into a hand

[Chubby]

So seriously, is there a list of words you can't say? Can they swear in another language and get away with it? Will we start seeing imaginative ways to curse that don't break this stupid rule?

[Lathum]

Can they swear in another language and get away with it?

you can only speak english at the tables

[cthomer5000]

has anyone seen a complete list of those still in the tourney after day "one?"

They're down to what, around ~1,950 now?

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by Lathum

you can only speak english at the tables

since when? mr swede was sure speaking another language on the air last year where's his lame ass 10 min penalty?

[cthomer5000]

leaders as per Cardplayer.com

Nearly 1,900 players have survived their Day Ones to return for Day Two. Here are the top ten chip leaders:


1. Haakon Waerstad - $169,200
2. Sam Farha - $156,600
3. Nguyen Duc - $150,250
4. Lee Watkinson - $145,800
5. Graeme Harrison - $142,700
6. Jeffrey Dziedzic - $136,450
7. Brad Kondracki - $131,825
8. Mike Gambony - $130,000
9. Ed Cardona - $129,475
10. Pete Lawson - $124,825

[MJ4H]

Thought I would share this gem I just came across, just for Chubby:

9:30pm... Boring Sunday... at least four members of the media agree that today is a little slow, borderline on boring. Aside from the early Matusow F-bomb the only other story involved Anna Benson who dropped an F-bomb herself and was told that was the only word she could not say at the table. She proceeded to let rip as many curse words as possible to test the rule. She even pitched out the word "cocksucker."

[MJ4H]

and Gus Hansen is out according to Tao of Poker:

12:41pm... Chops told me that Gus Hansen was busted. His 9-9 ran into J-J.

[Chubby]

Originally Posted by MattJones4Heisman

Thought I would share this gem I just came across, just for Chubby:

9:30pm... Boring Sunday... at least four members of the media agree that today is a little slow, borderline on boring. Aside from the early Matusow F-bomb the only other story involved Anna Benson who dropped an F-bomb herself and was told that was the only word she could not say at the table. She proceeded to let rip as many curse words as possible to test the rule. She even pitched out the word "cocksucker."

She rocks!

[larrymcg421]

I like the way Ivey is playing right now. I think he has a shot to go far this year.

[Northwood_DK]

Chris Moneymaker has been eliminated

2003 Main Event World Champion Chris Moneymaker moves all in from the small blind with 7h-2h, and is called by Jeremy Khinoo who holds A-K. The board comes K-Q-3-3-Q, and Moneymaker is sent home on Day 2 by Jeremy Khinoo's two pair with the ace kicker.