Friday, 29th March 2024 00:26
Home / Uncategorized / WSOP Main Event Day 3: The towers of Babel
wsop2010_thn.jpg

Nicolas Babel may never know Billy Kopp’s name. He may never again look the man in the face. Their destinies may continue to operate independent of each other. Even if all of that holds true, Kopp will never forget the hand he played with Babel, and Babel will never forget stacking a tower of chips nearly 600,000 strong.

We reported the hand in our last post (scroll down to read it), but even after we’ve eaten dinner, we can’t help but think how ol’ Billy Kopp must be feeling right now.

He and Babel both had big stacks. Neither was going to have much trouble making the money (which should happen early tomorrow). So, when Kopp turned aces full, he probably felt like he was going to have the best day of his Series. It was, in fact, the worst. Babel held quad eights. Kopp could only mutter, “Unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, the ESPN cameras trained their lenses on Babel. When it comes time for Day 3 to air on TV, you can be sure Babel will get his 15 minutes of fame, or more.

nicola_babel_wsop_2010.jpg

Babel, a Frenchman with a limited live poker career, qualified for his WSOP seat on PokerStars. That meant his trip and hotel were paid for. Once in town, Babel headed down the street to the Venetian. There, he sailed through a field of 470 players to finish second in a $550 tournament. In his pocket before he even started the Main Event? $32,000.

While Babel may well be the Frenchman on the rush of the hour, he is not the most experience man from France on his table. Well-known touring pro Anthony Lellouche is sitting just a few seats a way and could give Babel a run for his tower of money.

Both men need only survive another hour and fifteen minutes to make it to tomorrow, the money, and their next chance to become the first French WSOP champion.

****

TWEETS OF THE HOUR

George Lind: ahhhh feels good to be back home, would be nice to still be playing but oh well 🙂

Barry Greenstein: Dinner break. 1480 left. Average is 150k. I have t68k and a little indigestion.

*****

JOE GIRON PHOTO OF THE HOUR

humerto_hit_list.jpg

Humberto Brenes, marking each kill with a gold skull on his visor when he busts someone

*****

GOOD TIMING OF THE HOUR

Walking in one direction past Greg DeBora’s table revealed the young Canadian with 140,000 in chips. After turning around and walking back, he had 215,000. “I busted that guy. Queens versus king-queen. The button raised, he (the eliminated player, who had been in the small blind) shipped it in and I moved all in.” The queens held.

*****

ELIMINATION OF THE HOUR
It looks a lot like Pat Pezzin has departed, leaving his World Series cash tally at seven.

*****

JOHNNY LODDEN OF THE HOUR
The needle continues to swing upwards. Lodden has about 460,000.

SAVING ON NURSERY BILLS OF THE HOUR

Number of babies and/or children asleep in the corridor outside the Amazon Room: 2

*****

GOOD NEWS FOR THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY OF THE HOUR

Number of wives and/or girlfriends reading books in the hallway: 7
Number of wives and/or girlfriends reading Kindles in the hallway: 1

*****

COLOUR CHART COMPARISON OF THE HOUR

If the V-shape of sun-burnt skin on Howard Swains’s neck and chest was on a Dulux colour chart, it would be somewhere between “Geranium” and “Scarlet Love”.

Study Poker with Pokerstars Learn, practice with the PokerStars app