The Poker Thread

Basebaldy Binks The Double Up

Eric Baldwin got off to a slow start in the first level, dropping down to 24,000, but he has just won a big pot to put him on an early big stack. There was already over 12,000 in the middle when we came over and saw Baldwin heads up with an opponent on a board of . It was checked to Baldwin, who fired out 6,625. His opponent check raised all in, and Baldwin committed the rest of his chips.
Baldwin:
Opponent:

Baldwin would need to just dodge one of the last two queens in the deck to win, and he did just that, as the river was the . After that double, Baldwin is up to 47,700.

Sexton Building a Big Stack

Mike Sexton has just taken down a very large pot and we were there to catch all the action from the flop. It was Sexton against two opponents, with Sexton on the button. The first player to act was in the small blind position and opted to check. The player on his direct left, the big blind position, then bet 675. Sexton called and so too did the other player and the dealer flipped over another card.

Turn:

The play was checked to Sexton and he bet 3,400. Both his opponents called and another card was dealt on the felt.

River:

The small blind player checked here and the player on his left bet 7,125. Sexton made the call and so too did the small blind player. At this point the aggressor threw his cards into the muck, while Sexton and the small blind would turn their cards over.

Sexton:
Small Blind:

Sexton's straight was good enough to rake in the big pot, while his opponent didn't look too excited to see his set of ten go into the muck.

David Williams Doubles

David Williams has just managed to double his short stack. The hand saw Williams three-bet all in after an opponent opened to 725. The player called and the cards were turned over.

Williams:
Opponent:

Williams was way ahead and it stayed that way as a board was dealt on the felt. Despite doubling his stack, Williams is still in the need for some more chips.

Hachem Headed Out

It just wasn't a good day for 2005 Main Event Champion Joe Hachem. We thought he would get a comeback going after getting back up to 20,000, but he tweeted shortly after that his aces were cracked by a flopped set to knock him down to 8,000. He was eliminated shortly after.

We didn't get too many details on the hand, but what we do know is that Jim McCrink raised it up to 900 in late position, and that Hachem shipped it all in for about 5,000 from the button. McCrink made the call holding , while Hachem had . We don't know the board, but we do know that the fours held, sending the former champion to the rail.

Chips For the Mouth

Mike Matusow was in the hijack seat and flicked in a call. The remaining players then folded until it was on the player in the big blind. A tap on the table and a flop was dealt.
The big blind led for 1,600 here and Matusow raised it up to 3,350. A call would see an hit the turn. This time the big blind player opted to check-call a bet of 4,500 from Matusow and the completed the board on the river. The big blind would change it up again here, leading out for 10,000. Matusow only had 10,500 behind and pushed out his entire stack. His opponent put in the extra chips and then mucked when Matusow tabled for a turned straight.

Sexton Struggling

Mike Sexton is now sitting with a stack of well under 20,000. We recently watched Sexton go to showdown on a board. We arrived at the table on the turn, with Sexton calling a bet of 2,100. Both players then checked the river and Sexton sent his cards into the muck when his opponent tabled .

Hellmuth's Series Over

The under the gun player raised it up to 900. Michael Tureniec in middle position made the call, as did Phil Hellmuth.

The flop came prompting a check from the under-the-gun player, and a bet of 1,650 from Tureniec. Next it was on Hellmuth who announced "4,000" and threw out the raise. The under-the-gun player folded and Tureniec went all in, a bet that would put the short-stacked Hellmuth all in. Hellmuth called all in for his few remaining chips, and was in for a sore sight.

Tureniec:
Hellmuth:

The turn brought the , prompting Hellmuth to stand up and begin his walk out the door, mumbling how Tureniec wins every hand. A meaningless landed on the river and Hellmuth was halfway to the closest door dropping a few choice profanities at nothing in particular.

This ends Hellmuth's 2012 World Series of Poker. The poker brat has had a fairly successful showing this year; boasting 6 cashes, 3 final tables, 1 bracelet, and $2,985,840 in WSOP winnings. Despite this amazing outing at the WSOP, being knocked out of the main event has to be an extremely tough beat to handle for any talented poker pro.

McNally Takes Williams' Chips

David Williams is back under 20,000 in chips, courtesy of Steve McNally. The hand in question saw McNally open the pot to 825 from the cutoff. David Williams then three-bet to 2,000 from the button and the dealer would spread out a flop. McNally checked here and Williams bet 2,300. Both players checked the turn and it was on to the river. This time McNally would lead out for 5,800 and Williams would make the call.

When McNally turned over , the runner-runner flush was enough to swipe the pot off Williams.

Heinz Holds

Over at the ESPN featured table sits last year's Main Event champ, Pius Heinz. We don't know exactly how the action went, but the flop read and Heinz moved all in for 7,775. Action moved over to Heinz's opponent who took about a minute deciding his course of action. In the end he opted to call and threw out the right amount of chips to put Heinz at risk. Cards were then tabled and it was Heinz who was ahead.

Heinz:
Opponent:

Both players had flopped flushes, but it was Heinz's that was superior. A on the turn, and a on the river sealed the deal and Heinz doubled up to around 27,500.

Baldwin Rising

Eric Baldwin is up to about 120,000 after busting an opponent. When we arrived at the table, the decision was on Baldwins's opponent for his tournament life on an board. After a little while in the tank, his opponent called all in for roughly 20,000 with . Baldwin tabled and had the hand clinched.

Heinz Heating Up

Pius Heinz was hovering around 15,000 for most of the day, but he has caught a heater in the last level, and his stack is ballooning as a result. In the last hand we caught, Heinz held against a short stack's . The suspense was all but over when the dealer fanned out a flop of . The on the turn ended things, and the meaningless river was the .
After that hand, Heinz is up to 48,000, and will be looking to increase his stack even more in the last half hour of play tonight.

Double for Williams

The David Williams roller coaster has continued late into the evening, with Williams recently having his stack down to as low as 2,500. That has improved to around 5,500 though, as Williams has just doubled up. Williams was in middle position when he was all in for around 2,500 preflop holding against the small blind's . The board was friendly to Williams, sending him the double.

Williams Doubles Again

We reached the table, and David Williams was all in with on a board of . His opponent had , and the turn and river came , respectively, doubling Williams to 10,000 chips.