2009 WSOP – Event #4 Breaks a Record
May 31, 2009
2009 WSOP – Event #4 Breaks a Record
Only 3 days into the 2009 World Series of Poker, a record has already been broken.
Event #4, which has been dubbed the ‘Stimulus Special’ offered players a low buy-in amount of just $1000. This NL Hold’em event was initially going to be limited to 5,600 players, but with rumors swirling about a possible $1 million top prize, Harrah’s and the WSOP decided to boost that number to 6,000. Although the field was broken down into two day 1’s, the concept of the Stimulus Special was validated by selling out on day 1a. So, while half the field (day 1b) has yet to begin play, registration for the event has already closed.
Outside of the Main Event, this marks the largest live tournament field ever assembled. Previously, the largest non-Main Event was the 2008 $1500 NL Hold’em tournament which had a field of 3,929 players. In fact, the field is so large that tables will be placed inside Buzios seafood restaurant inside the Rio hotel. “Could I have the king crab legs, I’m all-in, with extra butter sauce please?”
While the top prize is yet to be made public, WSOP officials have stated that the champion will take home a minimum of $750,000. Although it isn’t the $1 million prize it was rumored to be, that’s not a bad payday for a tournament designed to boost player numbers during the bad economy.
Other Highlights on Day 3
In Event #2, the $40,000 NL Hold’em event, some familiar names have made it to the final table. On Sunday at 5pm ET, 2004 WSOP Main Event Champion Greg ‘Fossilman’ Raymer, Ted Forrest, and Justin Bonomo will take on 6 other opponents for their chance at the bracelet and almost $1.9 million top prize. All players at the final table are guaranteed at least $230,317.
For Justin Bonomo, it was an up and down day. While he held the chip lead for a fair amount time, his one-time 3.9 million stack was grinded down to 1,685,000 by the end of the night.
If it weren’t for some really bad luck, Greg Raymer would likely be chip leader going into the final table. Three times within a very short period of time, Raymer got his opponents all-in preflop while he held pocket aces. The first time was against Brian Townsend who held As, Qs. The flop came Ks, 10h, 9s. Townsend now had the nut flush draw along with a gutshot straight draw. The turn brought the Js, and made Townsend’s flush.
Soon after, Raymer had another opportunity to knock out a player while holding pocket aces. In the cutoff position, Raymer raised to 90,000. Keith Lehr in the big blind shoved with Kc, 9s. Of course Raymer insta-called. With a board of Ks, 7d, 3c, 2d, Raymer was looking good. Unfortunately for Raymer though, the river brought one of Lehr’s 5 outs, and once again left the Fossilman scratching his head.
A short time later Raymer got dealt pocket aces again…surely he’d win it this time right? Wrong. He got all of his chips in the middle preflop again, just to be surprised when Ted Forrest flipped over his own pocket aces. While Raymer held the red aces and Forrest held the black aces, no flushes were made, and the players chopped the pot. That hardly seems fair.
After nursing a short-stack all day long, Tony G missed the final table finishing in a respectable 10th place.
Brian Townsend finished in 13th place and online pro Brian ‘tsarrast’ Rast went out in 14th. Andy Black, sporting a beard that closely resembled a birds nest busted in 19th place, and David Chiu went out in 21st.
Here are the chip counts going into the final table:
1/ Isaac Haxton – 5,955,000
2/ Vitaly Lunkin – 4,565,000
3/ Lex ‘RaSZi’ Velduis – 3,805,000
4/ Greg ‘Fossilman’ Raymer – 3,345,000
5/ Alec Torelli – 2,340,000
6/ Justin Bonomo – 1,685,000
7/ Dani ‘Ansky’ Stern – 1,300,000
8/ Noah Schwartz – 660,000
9/ Ted Forrest – 560,000
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