Bay 101 News: Mar 9, 2012

Friday, March 9, 2012

Heads up chip counts

We are now heads up. Moon Kim (on the left in the photo above) has the lead with 6,735,000 chips, while Ubaid Habib (right) has 3,760,000. With the blinds at 40,000/80,000, there still a lot of play for this heads up battle.

3rd Place: Joe Serock ($320,400)

Joe Serock was all in preflop holding the [9s][9c] against the [Kc][Qc] of Moon Kim. The [8s][6d][3h] flop was safe for Joe, but the [Ks] fell on the turn, leaving Joe needed one of the two remaining nines on the river to avoid elimination. It was not to be, as the [7d] fell, sending Joe to the rail in 3rd place. He will earn $320,400 for his efforts.

4th Place: Erik Cajelais ($256,300)

Erik Cajelais was all in preflop and was called by both Moon Kim and Habib Ubaid. The two checked it down on a board of [Ks][Kd][7h][5d][Qc] and Erik could only flash an ace as he hit the rail, Habib winning the pot with Q-9. Erik will earn $256,300 for his 4th place finish.

Joe Serock gives Ubaid Habib a short-term loan

Ubaid Habib

Joe Serock

Within 2 hands of each other, we saw Ubaid Habib double through Joe Serock, and then Joe Serock double through Ubaid Habib.

In the first hand, Joe min-raised the button and called Habib's all-in from the big blind for 1.26 million. Joe Serock was in the lead with [Ah][Jd] against Habib's [Qs][2c], and he extended the lead immensely when the flop fell [As][8h][5s]. Habib would need runner-runner flush, straight, or trips to survive. The turn [4d] gave Habib a bit of hope as he picked up a gutshot straight. The river [3c] gave Habib the miracle he needed, leaving Joe stunned and earning Habib the doubleup.

Just two hands later, the two got into a pot and Joe check-raised all-in on the river on a board showing [Ad][Jh][8d][Jd][6d]. Habib quickly called and tabled [Qd][9h] for a queen high flush, but Joe had a full house holding pocket aces.

After those two hands, Joe has just over 2 million and Habib has just under 2 million.

Photos from today

Ubaid Habib and Erik Cajelais

The final table when we were six handed

Mike Sexton and Vince Van Patten in the commentators booth

Live commentator Tony Dunst

WPT hostesses Marianela Pereyra

Joe Serock doubles though Erik Cajelais

Joe Serock has doubled through Erik Cajelais when his [Ac][Ks] held up against Erik's [As][2s] through a board of [9c][6c][3c][9s][Kd]. Joe has over 1,800,000 chips, while Erik is knocked down to last place with just over a million chips.

5th Place: Andrew Badecker ($192,300)

Andrew Badecker raised the 60,000 big blind to 130,000 before Moon Kim moved all in from the big blind, having Andrew covered. Andrew quickly made the call, tabling [Ac][Kc]. It was a classic race as Moon held the [4h][4d]. The flop was huge for Andrew as it fell [As][5s][2s], leaving Moon drawing to 6 outs or runner runner spades to chop. The turn [3h] changed everything, giving Moon a straight. Andrew could now only tie with one of the two remaining fours on the river. It was not to be as the [8d] hit the river, and Andrew was sent to the rail in 5th place, good for $192,300. Moon Kim now has a monster chip lead with over 5 million in chips, almost twice of Erik Cajelais in second place.

Photos of the Royal Flush Girls

Updated chip counts at break

Here are approximate chip counts at the break:

Seat 1: Joe Serock - 1,000,000
Seat 2: Moon Kim - 3,700,000
Seat 3: Ubaid Habib - 1,600,000
Seat 4: Erik Cajelais - 2,500,000
Seat 5: Andrew Badecker - 2,300,000

Players are now on break

6th Place: Joe Elpayaa ($128,200)

Joe Elpayaa moved all in preflop with [Qh][Js] and was called by Andrew Badecker in the big blind, who woke up with [Kd][Kc]. Andrew actually had less chips, so he was the one at risk. The board ran out [Ac][5s][3s][6c][Ad], and Joe was left with just 35,000 chips.

On the next hand, Joe got the last of his chips in with [Ac][6c] against Andrew's [Kd][Jh]. Andrew got the rest of Joe's chips when the board ran out [Jd][9h][8h][3c][9d].

Joe Elpayaa will receive $128,200 for his 6th place finish.

Joe Serock doubles through Joe Elpayaa

Joe Serock was all in preflop holding [6s][6c] against the [Ac][Qd] of Joe Elpayaa. Elpayaa flopped an ace, but Serock also flopped a set, when the flop fell [Ah][6h][5d], and there was no miracle full house for Elpayaa when the turn and river fell [9c][7h]. Serock has over 1.8 million, and Elpayaa has dropped to under 600,000.

Blinds are up to 25,000/50,000 with a 5,000 ante

Joe Elpayaa doubles through Ubaid Habib

Joe Elpayaa was all in preflop with [Jd][Td] against the [Ac][Kd] of Ubaid Habib. Once again, the shorter stack got lucky as the flop fell [Ts][7d][2c]. Habib failed to hit one of his two overcards when the turn and river fell [6d][6c], and Joe has doubled up to approximately 1.7 million chips.

Photos of the final table

Here are some photos from our final table:

Cards are back in the air

Players are now on break

Blinds are up to 20,000/40,000 with a 5,000 ante

Joe Elpayaa doubles through Erik Cajelais

Joe Elpaya was all in preflop with [6d][6c] against the [Qs][Qd] of Erik Cajelais. Joe hit the card he needed on the flop when it fell [9d][6h][5c], and Erik failed to hit his bigger set when the turn and river came [Ad][7h]. Joe will double up to just over 1,250,000.

Moon Kim pulls off a big bluff

On a [Ac][9h][2s], Joe Elpayaa bets 80,000 before Moon Kim check-raises to 180,000. Joe called, and the turn fell [4c]. Moon bet 200,000 and Joe made the call. The river fell [7d] and Moon once again bet, this time 600,000. Joe went deep into the tank and eventually folded A-K face up. Moon showed his [Jh][8c], which was a stone cold bluff, and Moon overtook the chip lead with that hand.

Ubaid Habib is the new chip leader

After winning a pot with A-K to Moon Kim's K-Q on a K-3-2-5-K board, Ubaid Habib has taken the chip lead at the final table. Ubaid has almost 2.8 million now, though both Moon Kim and Erik Cajalais both are right on his heels. Andrew Badecker is still the short stack with under 700,000 chips.