Ward Joins Kopp Among Chip Leaders
by Brett on 07.14.09, 9:14 pm
Joe “LatestLines2″ Ward is now among the chip leaders with Billy “Patrolman35″ Kopp in the Main Event. Yes, the online sit-and-go grinder that plays just a handful of live multi-table tournament per year has increased his stack to more than 10 million following a three-way all-in confrontation that created a huge stir in the Amazon Room moments ago.
With the blinds at 40K/80K a player raised to 200K in middle position and Ward called from the button. The small blind then moved in for just over 2 million, and within a snap of a finger both the original raiser and Ward called with Joe having them both covered. Ward clenched his fist as he saw that his pocket kings were in great shape against Q
Q
and J
J.
The flop all but ended it: K-9-4, giving Ward top set, and the 6 on the turn sealed the deal. Ward and his 10.5 million chip stack are among the leaders with 35 players remaining.
Scott “Chipless Wonder” Cook’s fantastic run in the Main Event ended in the past hour. Cook moved in for about 17 big blinds from the button and fellow P5er Jonathan “driverseati” Tamayo made the call with A
J and was in in lead against Cook’s KQ. The A82 flop left Cook in a critical state as he needed running cards to stay alive, but the 7 turn and K river didn’t do it and he was eliminated in 40th place for $178,857. It was by far the biggest live cash of his poker career as his biggest before the Main Event was a $14,137 cash in a $2,500 NLHE event in 2008.
Tamayo, who was up to around 11 million after that hand, did his best to eliminate a player when he and one of the shortest stacks at his table got it all-in preflop. Jonathan held pocket kings and his opponent had pocket eights. The 972 didn’t change anything, but the 6 on the turn gave Tamayo’s opponent an open-ended straight draw. The river T completed the straight to give the other player the pot and drop Tamayo’s chip stack under eight million.
Ludovic “Cutsss” Lacay’s Day 7 backslide continued as he just lost a big pot to drop him down near the 4 million chip mark. Nick “fu_15″ Maimone raised to 210K with the blinds at 40K/80K ante 10K in early position and Lacay called from the cutoff. The player in the big blind called as well and the three players went to the AK5 flop. It checked around and the turn fell 6. Saout, who was seated in the big blind, led for 480K and both Maimone and Lacay called. The river was the 9 and Saout bet out 1.1 million. Nick quickly folded and Ludovic just as quickly called. Lacay’s face dropped as his opponent revealed 78 for a rivered nine-high straight and Ludovic threw his AK for top two pair face up into the muck. Saout is up to 10 million chips while Lacay now sits with 4.15 million.
