Event 4: $300 No Limit Hold 'em

Players: 1,358
Prize pool: $407,400

PARADIGM SHIFT

"Pair a dimes," one player explained to another. "That's $2,000."
"Wow," his buddy said. "That means first place is paying over 50 'pair a dimes' today."

PokerStars booked another huge number in WCOOP #4. With a guarantee of $100,000, the total prize pool exceeded $400,000! And first place paid MORE than the initial guarantee. Surely, that has never happened before in the history of poker tournaments. Unbelievable.

There is a New World order in poker. Cyberspace rules. There will never be any going back, ever.

Evidently Fabsoul from Paris didn't want to play at this table and left in 10th when he went all-in with K 10 offsuit from middle position setting up the following.

FINAL TABLE: 30 min. levels 6,000/12,000 blinds. $600 ante.
Seat 1: Huan55 (Toronto) (84,656 in chips)
Seat 2: Erik123 (Linköping) (633,492 in chips)
Seat 3: AirPoker (Billings) (169,480 in chips)
Seat 4: p10ker (Harrow) (406,346 in chips)
Seat 5: vuddu (san jose) (355,340 in chips)
Seat 6: jbjb(anb) (edison) (888,322 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (Toyenhaugen) (353,748 in chips)
Seat 8: iamlucky (London) (194,694 in chips)
Seat 9: mysticaces (Chicago) (308,922 in chips)

These players had outlasted a monstrous starting field of 1,358 over nine hours of intensity that is No Limit Holdem. Yet, surprisingly, everyone had at least six big blinds and weren't in immediate danger. It would take mistakes to start the inevitable winnowing process.

Even with $23,400 in the pot before each flop with the combined blinds and antes, we were having very few contested pots and almost no showdowns. It took 22 hands and 15 minutes of feeling each other out before we had some real action.

Hand 22

Erik123: posts small blind 6000
AirPoker: posts big blind 12000
Huan55: raises 135712 to 147712 and is all-in
Erik123: raises 447980 to 595692 and is all-in
AirPoker: folds
*** FLOP *** [8c Kh 5h]
*** TURN *** [8c Kh 5h] [7d]
*** RIVER *** [8c Kh 5h 7d] [7s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Erik123: shows [Kc Kd] (a full house, Kings full of Sevens)
Huan55: shows [6c 6d] (two pair, Sevens and Sixes)

holiday01 [observer] said, "there goes canada"

As so often happens, the shortest stack is the first one out.

Nine handed, this was the chip count. Just in time for the new blinds of 10,000/20,000 and an ante of 1,000.

Seat 2: Erik123 (760,804 in chips)
Seat 3: AirPoker (195,560 in chips)
Seat 4: p10ker (367,890 in chips)
Seat 5: vuddu (181,660 in chips)
Seat 6: jbjb(anb) (897,122 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (435,348 in chips)
Seat 8: iamlucky (186,294 in chips)
Seat 9: mysticaces (370,322 in chips)

Everyone still has plenty of chips to win this one.

In Hand #32 AirPoker had had enough of 'feeling out' and went all-in.

AirPoker: posts small blind 10000
p10ker: posts big blind 20000
Erik123: raises 40000 to 60000
AirPoker: raises 100960 to 160960 and is all-in
p10ker: folds
Erik123: calls 100960
*** FLOP *** [Kh Qs Qc]
*** TURN *** [Kh Qs Qc] [4d]
*** RIVER *** [Kh Qs Qc 4d] [Ah]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
AirPoker: shows [Js Jh] (two pair, Queens and Jacks)
Erik123: shows [Qd 3d] (three of a kind, Queens)

MuckMuck [observer] said, "Erik's day lol"
Tekomatt [observer] said, "how can u call that?"
Alien [observer] said, "hes going to win"

AirPoker [observer] said, "great hand fool"

AirPoker was a little upset by a $100,000 call with Q 3 suited. He got to steam in the locker room in 8th.

But, often, calls like that and flops like that are how tournaments are won.

omegafurey [observer] said, "Air Poker, I feel so bad for you, that was terrible"

BIGBLINDBOB [observer] said, "ERIC WILL TAKE ALL OF YOUR CRITISM RIGHT TO THE BANK TOMMORROW MORNING"

The seven handed chip count.

Seat 2: Erik123 (957,964 in chips)
Seat 4: p10ker (276,290 in chips)
Seat 5: vuddu (248,060 in chips)
Seat 6: jbjb(anb) (988,522 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (433,748 in chips)
Seat 8: iamlucky (146,694 in chips)
Seat 9: mysticaces (343,722 in chips)

The low man is now iamlucky, is he the next one out?

whale [observer] said, "why are you guys watching here? I'm killing the $1 tourney"

Caigb777 [observer] said, "Whale LOL"

texboy1973 [observer] said, "lmao @ whale"

Hand #37 23 minutes into the Final Table, iamlucky goes all-in, all fold.

Erik123: posts small blind 10000
p10ker: posts big blind 20000
iamlucky: raises 165694 to 185694 and is all-in
mysticaces: folds
Erik123: folds
p10ker: folds
iamlucky collected 57000 from pot

deusyali [observer] said, "3 in a row for Iamlucky"

novelty77 [observer] said, "I'd faint to see $100K in the account screen"

On Hand #46 iamlucky lives up to his name.

iamlucky: raises 163694 to 183694 and is all-in
jbjb(anb): calls 163694

only1hammy [observer] said, "iamlucky do it for england :P"

*** FLOP *** [7s Qs Qh]
*** TURN *** [7s Qs Qh] [7h]
*** RIVER *** [7s Qs Qh 7h] [9s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jbjb(anb): shows [Qc Ac] (a full house, Queens full of Sevens)
iamlucky: shows [Jd Qd] (a full house, Queens full of Sevens)

pagal [observer] said, "wow"

Outkicked on the flop, iamlucky got REAL lucky when the board double paired on the turn. But he used up all his luck with this hand, he just didn't know it yet.

eyedoctor [observer] said, "i'll shave my head if iamlucky wins"

The eyedoctor didn't have to shave his head. Three hands later iamlucky leaves in 7th when this happened.

bvdahl: posts small blind 10000
iamlucky: posts big blind 20000
bvdahl: raises 180000 to 200000
iamlucky: calls 170194 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [4c Qd 4d]
*** TURN *** [4c Qd 4d] [As]
*** RIVER *** [4c Qd 4d As] [Kc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bvdahl: shows [5h 4h] (three of a kind, Fours)
iamlucky: shows [Jc Jd] (two pair, Jacks and Fours)

PatekPhil [observer] said, "Its the moneymaker hand."

bvdahl flopped trips on a move and iamlucky with pocket Jacks finally showed out.

cromismygod [observer] said, "ADIOS"

SteveMorrow [observer] said, "gg iamlucky"

iamlucky [observer] said, "thx"

The six handed chip count.
Seat 2: Erik123 (999,964 in chips)
Seat 4: p10ker (234,290 in chips)
Seat 5: vuddu (283,060 in chips)
Seat 6: jbjb(anb) (985,022 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (631,942 in chips)
Seat 9: mysticaces (260,722 in chips)

eyedoctor [observer] said, "i'll shave my head if p10ker wins"

PatekPhil [observer] said, "eyedoctor is already bald. ;)"

novelty77 [observer] said, "LMAO"

In Hand #55 p10ker goes up against the chip leader and survives.

bvdahl: posts small blind 10000
mysticaces: posts big blind 20000
Erik123: raises 40000 to 60000
p10ker: raises 134290 to 194290 and is all-in
Erik123: calls 134290
*** FLOP *** [Ts 7c Ah]
*** TURN *** [Ts 7c Ah] [3h]
*** RIVER *** [Ts 7c Ah 3h] [Kc]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Erik123: shows [Qh Ac] (a pair of Aces)
p10ker: shows [7s As] (two pair, Aces and Sevens)
p10ker collected 424580 from pot

It still seemed to be anyone's game at this point, but after a loss to p10ker when mysticaces couldn't call a bet on the river, things started to go seriously south for the WSOP qualifier. He couldn't make another hand.

On Hand #77 45 minutes into the Final Table, down to only 51,722 in chips mysticaces survives for the last time.

vuddu: posts small blind 10000
jbjb(anb): posts big blind 20000
bvdahl: folds
mysticaces: raises 30722 to 50722 and is all-in
Erik123: folds
p10ker: folds
vuddu: folds
jbjb(anb): calls 30722
*** FLOP *** [Ah 7d 8h]
*** TURN *** [Ah 7d 8h] [8s]
*** RIVER *** [Ah 7d 8h 8s] [4h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jbjb(anb): shows [6s 7s] (two pair, Eights and Sevens)
mysticaces: shows [9c 9d] (two pair, Nines and Eights)
mysticaces collected 117444 from pot

On the next hand, we have a new chip leader.

jbjb(anb): posts small blind 10000
bvdahl: posts big blind 20000
Erik123: raises 40000 to 60000
jbjb(anb): calls 50000
bvdahl: folds
*** FLOP *** [3h 4c Qh]
jbjb(anb): bets 80000
Erik123: calls 80000
*** TURN *** [3h 4c Qh] [5s]
jbjb(anb): bets 100000 Erik123: calls 100000
*** RIVER *** [3h 4c Qh 5s] [8d]
jbjb(anb): checks
Erik123: bets 160000
jbjb(anb): folds
Erik123 collected 506000 from pot

CrazySkills [observer] said, "NEW LEADER"

On the next hand, mysticaces left in 6th like this:

bvdahl: posts small blind 15000
mysticaces: posts big blind 30000
Erik123: folds
p10ker: folds
bvdahl: raises 70000 to 100000
mysticaces: raises 14944 to 114944 and is all-in
bvdahl: calls 14944
*** FLOP *** [6c 5c 9s]
*** TURN *** [6c 5c 9s] [2d]
*** RIVER *** [6c 5c 9s 2d] [6s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bvdahl: shows [5h 8c] (two pair, Sixes and Fives)
mysticaces: shows [4s As] (a pair of Sixes)

By trying to steal the pot, bvdahl takes out a player when a 5 flopped.

The five handed chip count.

Seat 2: Erik123 (979,174 in chips)
Seat 4: p10ker (458,080 in chips)
Seat 5: vuddu (374,560 in chips)
Seat 6: jbjb(anb) (895,800 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (687,386 in chips)

Now it takes 374k to be the short stack! Who's next?

Amazingly, it didn't take long to find out.

Hand #81 53 minutes in.
vuddu: posts small blind 15000
jbjb(anb): posts big blind 30000
bvdahl: folds
Erik123: folds
p10ker: raises 30000 to 60000
vuddu: raises 280060 to 340060 and is all-in
jbjb(anb): folds
p10ker: calls 280060
*** FLOP *** [4s 3c 7s]
*** TURN *** [4s 3c 7s] [3h]
*** RIVER *** [4s 3c 7s 3h] [8d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
vuddu: shows [Ks Jc] (a pair of Threes)
p10ker: shows [Ac Kd] (a pair of Threes - Ace kicker)

It looked like vuddu thought he could pick off p10ker's limit raise by going all-in, but with big slick p10ker had enough to call and put vuddu out in 5th. Maybe vuddu could have bet a little less and stayed around after a missed flop. Or he could have bet the flop and won. Anyway, now there were four. And another new chip leader.

Seat 2: Erik123 (959,674 in chips)
Seat 4: p10ker (1,041,140 in chips)
Seat 6: jbjb(anb) (711,300 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (682,886 in chips)

Prosperity wasn't that interesting to p10ker, however, because he gave most of his chips away on this hand soon thereafter.

jbjb(anb): posts small blind 15000
bvdahl: posts big blind 30000
Erik123: folds
p10ker: raises 30000 to 60000
jbjb(anb): raises 90000 to 150000
bvdahl: folds
p10ker: calls 90000
*** FLOP *** [2c Qd Jc]
jbjb(anb): bets 90000
p10ker: raises 645140 to 735140 and is all-in
jbjb(anb): calls 381300 and is all-in
p10ker said, "oops"
*** TURN *** [2c Qd Jc] [7s]
*** RIVER *** [2c Qd Jc 7s] [5h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
jbjb(anb): shows [Kh Ks] (a pair of Kings)
p10ker: shows [9s 8s] (high card Queen)

Like vuddu, p10ker tried to buy a raise by going all-in. "Oops" is right. He wouldn't recover from this play and was out on the next hand.

bvdahl: posts small blind 15000
Erik123: posts big blind 30000
p10ker: raises 232340 to 262340 and is all-in
jbjb(anb): folds
bvdahl: calls 247340
Erik123: raises 695834 to 958174 and is all-in
bvdahl: folds
*** FLOP *** [9h 2c 3d]
*** TURN *** [9h 2c 3d] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [9h 2c 3d Qs] [5h]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Erik123: shows [Qc Qh] (three of a kind, Queens)
p10ker: shows [9c As] (a pair of Nines)

From the penthouse to the outhouse in only a few hands, p10ker is 4th when Erik123 wakes up with pocket Queens.

The three handed chip count. The blinds are now at 15k/30k and the ante at 1,500, no problem for these stacks. This could take awhile.

Seat 2: Erik123 (1,488,854 in chips)
Seat 6: jbjb(anb) (1,277,100 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (629046 in chips)

After about 20 minutes of jousting, not much had changed until this two million chip pot.

Hand #130 1:16 in.
bvdahl: posts small blind 15000
Erik123: posts big blind 30000
jbjb(anb): raises 30000 to 60000
bvdahl: folds
Erik123: raises 90000 to 150000
jbjb(anb): calls 90000
*** FLOP *** [4d 6h Jh]
Erik123: bets 330000
jbjb(anb): calls 330000
*** TURN *** [4d 6h Jh] [4h]
Erik123: bets 967854 and is all-in
jbjb(anb): calls 701100 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [4d 6h Jh 4h] [Ac]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
Erik123: shows [Ah Qd] (two pair, Aces and Fours)
jbjb(anb): shows [Kd Js] (two pair, Jacks and Fours)

HoldemGuy [observer] said, "river kill"
Blunt Rider [observer] said, "UNREAL"
taxidriver [observer] said, "OMGOMGOMGOMG"
PatekPhil [observer] said, "omg"
shrewdfool [observer] said, "RIVER!"
Lareth [observer] said, "That has to hurt."
MarktheShark [observer] said, "wow"

Seat 2: Erik123 (big blind) showed [Ah Qd] and won (2381700) with two pair, Aces and Fours

Erik123 bet out nearly 1,000,000 in chips on two overcards and the nut flush draw. Would he have been able to call 1,000,000 if he'd been second to act? We'll never know, but probably the answer is yes after seeing Eric123 play. He caught the Ace on the river to effectively end this Final Table and win $101,850.

Heads up the chips were like this.

Seat 2: Erik123 (2616954 in chips)
Seat 7: bvdahl (778046 in chips)

Both players considered a deal, but Erik123 said he didn't know how to do it, so he just won it all on the next hand. Why not, who wants to give away about $10k when you don't have to? Right?
Last hand:

Erik123: posts small blind 15000
bvdahl: posts big blind 30000
Erik123: raises 60000 to 90000
bvdahl: raises 686546 to 776546 and is all-in
*** FLOP *** [6h Kc 6d]
*** TURN *** [6h Kc 6d] [8h]
*** RIVER *** [6h Kc 6d 8h] [7d]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
bvdahl: shows [As 9h] (a pair of Sixes)
Erik123: shows [Js Jd] (two pair, Jacks and Sixes)

Erik123 earned his 50 'pair a dimes.' And PokerStars continues to lead the poker Paradigm Shift to online tournaments.

Wanna guess how long it will be before PokerStars hosts a tournament bigger than the WSOP?

Back to WCOOP 2003 Results