Back to Binions

The tables are being folded up, the bleachers are being rolled out, and hopefully the carpet is being replaced. The Rio is no longer the center of the poker world. That honor now belongs to the venerable Binion’s, long-time home of the World Series of Poker.

With twenty-seven players left, less than one half of one percent of the number of competitors who started the Main Event, the final three tables are set. It is a bunch that hails from all over the world, but interestingly enough (or not), in a Texas Hold’em event, there is only one person from Texas remaining. And there are as many Swedes as there are players who live in Las Vegas. There is even one woman still alive, and if she wins, Bodog.com will pay off those who bet on a female winner at 1000-1.

While star professionals, Mike Matusow and Phil Ivey lead the field, perhaps the biggest story is that 2004 Champion, Greg Raymer, is not only still playing, but in fifth place. After outlasting 2,575 opponents last year, he has now lasted longer than another 5,590.

The debate last year was whether Dan Harrington’s back-to-back final tables against massive fields in 2003 and 2004 was more impressive than Johnny Chan’s 1-1-2 finishes in 1987, 1988, and 1989. Now, Raymer is giving the pundits a third option. If he makes the final table, it’s a near cinch to be the greatest accomplishment in the history of poker. If he wins again, it’s a no brainer. Forget the fact that the percentage of top-flight pros is smaller now because of all the internet qualifiers. The sheer numbers are an obstacle that make his feat almost beyond possibility.

And even if people don’t want to give Raymer credit, they he is at the very least one hell of a lucky guy.

The tournament will resume at 3:00pm Thursday and will run until the final table is determined. For complete standings going into the start of play at Binion’s, click here.

2:11pm
Got here about 45 minutes ago, and I’m glad I did. People coming in now are struggling to find internet connections and power outlets. It’s not a terrible setup, by any means, but it’s not adequate for the number of media representatives that will be here.

Unfortunately, my wireless router is not working properly, so it looks like I won’t be taking the computer out to the poker room. Oh, well.

Mad, Mad Reporters
A while ago, tempers exploded between two reporters when one accused the other of stealing a bunch of his stuff from the press room last night. Apparently, he was missing some poker bobbleheads and a video camera. Looks like the only evidence he had to accuse the man was the fact that the guy was sitting by the missing items yesterday. So was I (actually, I was closer), so maybe he should check the trunk of my car.

2:30pm
An announcement was just made warning everybody that we may have to be limited to one internet connection per media outlet. Good.

4:48
15 minute break starting right now. After the next level, players will get to go to “lunch”.

The situation in the poker room is not good for media. First, I should mention that the final three tables are not being played in the regular poker room at Binion’s. They are in a room upstairs. There is one main stage with bleachers around it, with the other two tables in a roped-off area to the side. The privileged members of two websites have a nice table to sit at, although it actually does not offer a great view of the action. The rest of us are corralled in narrow, roped-off aisle around the tournament area. It feels like we are cows, lined up in our pens, ready for milking. There is almost zero capability to take pictures of anybody, and whenever there is action at a table, the ESPN cameras and WSOP officials swarm in, blocking our view.

The action that has been visible at one of the side tables has been anything but boring, however.

Mike Matusow, sitting in Seat 1, decided early on to have a little fun with a short stack in Seat 3, Sean Sheikhan. When Matusow raised the pot and Sheikhan was decided whether or not to call, Matusow joked, “You wanna go broke now or you wanna go broke later?”

Sheikhan didn’t appreciate the question, said a couple things, and folded.

A couple hands later, Sheikhan had to make an all-in decision and folded. On the flop, Sheikhan was obviously perturbed that he folded, slammed a chip down, and hit the table. He then proceeded to get up and tell his friends what he had.

Matusow did not take kindly to this, as players are not supposed to discuss hands during play, and he said quietly to Sheikhan, “We’re in a hand, why don’t you shut the f*** up.”

Sheikhan, clearly irate at this point, stood at his seat, leaning over towards Matusow and started yelling, “What did you say, Mike? What did you say, Mike?”

After more yelling, Assistant Tournament Director, Jack Effel, went over to calm things down. Sheikhan repeated to him what Matusow said, but in a much louder voice than the sentence was originally uttered. After hearing the story from the players, Effel assessed Sheikhan and Matusow both a ten minute penalty.

Sheikhan continued to act like a jackass when he returned, continuing to trash talk to anyone who would hear him. Perhaps most insulting, whenever he would address Tiffany Williamsen, he would call her “lady,” and not in a good way. For example, when asking for a chip count, he said, “How many chips you got, lady.”

She has a name, man.

A player from another table made an appropriate comment, “They need to switch that table to decaf.”

As always (ok, not always), Matusow kept a sense of humor, saying, “I picked the wrong year to quit doing drugs.”

In the meantime, as this post was being written, the players came back from break and Greg Raymer busted out. He was crippled right before the break when he got rivered.

Time for me to get some food.

5:39pm
Andrew Black just eliminated Tim Phan is a heart-breaking way.

Phan was all-in with 10-10 and Black called him with A-Q. Black hit an Ace on the flop, but Phan hit a 10 for a set. Black then caught a Queen on the turn and a Queen on the river for a runner-runner full house to send Phan home.