WPT FOXWOODS DAY 3 RECAP

Dr. Pauly is live blogging the World Poker Finals direct from Foxwoods. Check out his live reports beginning around Noon Eastern Time on TaoPoker.com.-Flipchip

Action resumed at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut for Day 3 of the main event of the World Poker Finals. After the first round was broken up into two days, the entire field of the remaining 240 players combined at the start of Day 3.

WPT founder and creator Lyle Berman

Entrants: 783
Buy in: $10,000
Remaining Players: 240
First Round Overall Chipleader: Lyle Berman with $153K
Prize Pool: $7.855 million
First Place: $2.167 million
Money Winners: Top 120
Current Level: Level 8 blinds $400/800 with $100 antes
Average Stack: $32,625

There were several top pros still remaining like WPT founder and creator Lyle Berman, Mark Seif, Amir Vahedi, Andrew Black, Spiro Mitrokostas, Abraham ‘Avi’ Gray, Chip Jett, Erik Seidel, Steven Zoine, Minh Nguyen, Hasan Habib, Jean Gaspard, Allen Cunningham, Young Phan, Chris Karagulleyan, John Myung, Timothy Sweeney, David Levi, Arnold Spee, Ted Forrest, Steve Brecher, Paul McKinney, Julian Gardner, Cliff “Johnny Bax” Josephy, John D’Agostino, Bill Gazes, Tab Duchateau, Dan Heimiller, Marsha Waggoner, David Benyamine, Farzad Bonyadi, Jeff Calkins, Richard Festejo, Minneapolis Jim Meehan, and Donna Blevins.

When the first round ended, here was the Top 5 in chips:

1 Lyle Berman $153,300
2 Loi Van Phan $122,500
3 Mark Seif $107,600
4 Thomas Fuller $103,200
5 Benjamin Kim $95,400

I arrived downstairs at the Sunset Ballroom fairly early where the tournament was being held and I ran into an unshaven Minneapolis Jim Meehan. He was in the middle of his usual breakfast, a half-smoked cigarette and he slowly sipped on a Heineken while he scanned the list of remaining players and chip counts. He was the severe shot stack and did not expect to last very long, especially since he had Chip Jett, David Benyamine, and Thomas Fuller at his table. Fuller ended Day 1B as one of the chipleaders. Unfortunately for Jim, he was one of the first players eliminated on Day 3.

John D’Agastino was an early casualty too. He busted when A-J lost to 4-4. Also knocked out early was Ted Forrest when his Q-J and lost a coin flip to 10-10. Johnny Bax, David Benyamine, Ricardo Festejo, and Dan Heimiller were also sent to the rail.

Kathy Liebert made a rush early on with A-Q on two big hands. She doubled up against Ronnie Bardah when she cracked A-K with A-Q. She flopped a Queen and picked up $80K in chips. A few hands later, she found A-Q again. This time she eliminated Ronnie Bardah’s A-J.

Lyle Berman lost the chip lead, but still maintained a big stack. Loi Phan emerged as the chip leader on Day 3. As the play reached the bubble and dinner break, plenty of other players were eliminated. Jeff Calkins was busted when his J-J ran into Q-Q. David Levi was knocked out when he ran into A-A. Jean Gaspard was sent to the rail when his 10-10 lost a race to A-K. Bernard Lee, Steve Zolotow, and Steve Brecher were all eliminated.

By mid-afternoon, Lenny Cortellino emerged as the chipleader with over $235K with Lyle Berman not too far behind. Paul McKinney, the oldest player to ever win a WSOP bracelet, had a short stack most of the day. He doubled up with A-J against A-K when he flopped a Jack and turned trips. He was playing at a table with plenty of players who were younger than his grandchildren.

John Myung was knocked out by Kathy Liebert. He was shortstacked and moved all in with A-8. Kathy called with 10-9 and flopped a 10 to send Myung to the rail. That was one tough table with Myung, Liebert, Bill Gazes, and Mark Seif all sitting right next to each other. When play reached the bubble, the room grew tense. Mark Seif cracked Aces with pocket Jacks when he rivered a straight against Matthew Szymaszek.

By the time the dinner break rolled around, 121 players still remained. As soon as the players returned from dinner, Chip Jett moved all in. He only had $300 which covered his ante. He had J-J but lost to Q-5. He went home as the “bubble boy” as the remaining 120 player breathed a sigh of relief for finishing into the money.

WPT Foxwoods Payouts (Top 120):
1st $2,142,000
2nd $1,035,000
3rd $759,000
4th $483,000
5th $345,000
6th $276,000
7th $207,000
8th $172,800
9th $138,000
10th $117,300
11th $103,500
12th $96,600
13th $89,700
14th $82,800
15th $75,900
16th $69,000
17th $62,100
18th $55,200
19th $48,300
20th $41,300
21-25 $34,500
26-30 $27,600
31-35 $20,700
36-40 $17,200
41-50 $14,000
51-70 $12,000
71-120 $11,000

After the money bubble, plenty of players went out quickly. Paul McKinney was eliminated in 113th place by Minh Nguyen when his 10-10 ran into Nguyen’s A-A.

In one of the most decisive hands of the tournament, Kathy Liebert was knocked out by Bill Gazes. Kathy had A-K. Bill had K-K. There was a short stack who moved all in with A-Q. Kathy raised, and Bill Gazes re-raised. Kathy moved all in with A-K and Gazes called with K-K. Since the short stack had one of her outs, it didn’t look good. Kathy’s hand did not improve and she was eliminated in 108th place. Bill Gazes took over the chip lead and never looked back.

Without a doubt, the Hand of the Day had to be when Ilya Liviz who defended his blind with The Hammer! Alex Jacob raised on the button with 2-4o. The flop was 7-2-3. On the turn an 8 fell. Liviz bet and Jacob moved all in over the top. Liviz quickly called. Both player sheepishly showed their monsters… 7-2o vs. 4-2o. The river didn’t help Jacob and Liviz doubled up winning a pot worth at least $160K. Behold the Hammer!

Marsha Waggoner was eliminated in 95th place when her A-Q lost to Eugene Ji’s K-K. Arnold Spee, Amir Vahedi, Farzad Bonyadi, Jack Disandro, and online qualifier Amanda Baker were also busted. Mark Seif was knocked out in 93rd place by Bill Gazes who added to his chip lead. He reached the half million mark.

The eliminations continued when Amir Vahedi, Farzad Bonyadi, Jack Disandro, online qualifier Amanda Baker, Bill Edler, Jason Zausmer, Spiro Mitrokostas were all knocked out. Joanne Liu had the disctinction of being the last female eliminated.

Bill Gazes lost the chip lead to Loi Phan but they both were well over $500K. At Gazes table were Lyle Berman and Young Phan, who got eliminated on a brutal beat by Samir Shakhtoor. Phan flopped a set with pocket twos on a board of J-8-2. There were two diamonds out there. Shakhtoor had 5d-6d and bet around $12.5K. Young Phan doubled his bet with a raise. Samir Shaktoor moved all in for all of his chips, around $300K. Phan quickly called. Shaktoor caught his flush on the turn and he eliminated Phan. Shaktoor’s stack was just under $500K.

“I guess I’ll go home and fuck my dog,” Phan said matter of factly as he walked off after that vicious beat. That is, without a doubt, the quote of the tournament and gets my vote as Top 10 Poker Quotes of 2005.

Hasan Habib was busted when J-J ran into Steve Jacobs’ pocket Kings. Minh Nguyen busted Steve Diamantes. Tom McCormick, Tom Coan, and Glyn ‘Ratchet’ Banks were also out as play reached Midnight. Bill Gazes and Samir Shaktoor shared the chiplead with about $600K each.

Just before the action ended for the night, Andy Black was eliminated in 36th place when his 3-3 ran into 10-10. Play stopped at 2 AM with 31 players remaining and Allen Cunningham one of the chip leaders. Action will resume at Noon on Wednesday and won’t stop until there are 6 players left.

Pictures and a list of the money winners appear after the jump.