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WPT Final Table Set!
by B.J. Nemeth
Monday, Feb 20, 6:45 pm -- Official WPT Chip Counts & Seating Positions
Here are the official counts and seats for tomorrow's WPT Final Table, set to begin at 5:00 pm PST:
1. J.C. Tran - $3,720,000 (seat 2)
2. Per Ummer - $2,870,000 (seat 6)
3. Michael Woo - $2,195,000 (seat 3)
4. Alan Goehring - $1,900,000 (seat 4)
5. Daniel Quach - $1,655,000 (seat 5)
6. Steven Simmons - $1,505,000 (seat 1)
Bios for the final six players will be posted later tonight. Return to PokerPages.com tomorrow (Tuesday) at 5:00 pm PST for live hand-by-hand coverage of all the final table action.
Monday, Feb 20, 6:32 pm -- Ana Galajian Out in 7th ($199,296)
Ana Galajian was just eliminated when she moved all in with A 6 after Daniel Quach had raised with pocket nines. She flopped a flush draw, but never improved beyond that. Anahit Galajian is eliminated in seventh place, earning $199,296.
The remaining six players are counting and verifying their chips, and then they'll have to fill out their WPT bio sheets and receive interview times for tomorrow afternoon.
Stay tuned for official chip counts and more information.
Monday, Feb 20, 6:28 pm -- Blinds Increasing to $30,000-$60,000 ($10,000 Ante)
The players have returned from the break, ready to continue playing with higher blinds. Ana Galajian is down to a little bit more than four big blinds, so she'll be forced to make some moves very quickly.
Monday, Feb 20, 6:15 pm -- Official Chip Counts
Here are the official chip counts from the break:
1. J.C. Tran - $3,840,000
2. Per Ummer - $2,900,000
AVERAGE - $1,977,142
3. Alan Goehring - $1,920,000
4. Michael Woo - $1,750,000
5. Steven Simmons - $1,560,000
6. Daniel Quach - $1,190,000
7. Anahit Galajian - $250,000
Obviously, Ana is very, very short stacked. But this isn't a new situation for her, and she's done very well to hold on this long. She's already guaranteed nearly $200,000 in prize money, but if she can outlast one more player, she'll become one of the few women to make a WPT final table in an open (non-ladies only) event.
Monday, Feb 20, 6:11 pm -- 15-Minute Break
The players take a 15-minute break before the blinds increase. Most (but not all) of the $5,000 chips will be colored up during the break, to reduce the huge stacks in front of the players.
Official chip counts coming soon.
Monday, Feb 20, 6:02 pm -- Kevan Casey Out in 8th ($132,864)
Alan Goehring limps for $40,000 from early position, J.C. Tran limps from the cutoff position, Kevan Casey limps from the small blind, and Michael Woo checks his option from the big blind.
The flop comes 10 3 2 , Casey bets $100,000, Woo folds, Goehring folds, and Tran calls. The turn card is the 5, Casey bets $300,000, and Tran calls. The river card is the J , Casey bets $200,000, Tran raises to $500,000, Casey moves all in, and Tran calls with pocket fives (5 5) for a set. Casey shows 5 2 (bottom two pair, missed flush draw), but it's not good enough. Kevan Casey is eliminated in eighth place, receiving $132,864.
The next player eliminated will receive $166,080 for seventh place. The final six will move on to tomorrow's WPT Final Table, where they are guaranteed at least $199,296, and have a shot at the first prize of $2.39 million.
Monday, Feb 20, 5:57 pm -- Goehring Calls It, In More Ways Than One
Alan Goehring limps for $40,000, J.C. Tran limps from the button, Ana Galajian limps from the small blind, and Kevan Casey checks his option from the big blind.
The flop comes A J 4, and it's checked to Tran, who bets $90,000. Galajian and Casey fold, but Goehring calls. The turn card is the 10 , and both players check.
The river card is the 7 , Goehring checks, Tran bets $200,000, and Goehring thinks for several minutes. He finally calls, saying, "I take it you have ace-ten." Tran shows A 10 (two pair), and Goehring mucks. Goehring knew what Tran had, but couldn't avoid calling.
Tran picks up the $780,000 pot.
Monday, Feb 20, 5:40 pm -- Ana Nearly Doubles Up
Alan Goehring limps for $40,000, Daniel Quach limps, J.C. Tran limps from the small blind, and Ana Galajian checks her option from the big blind. Everyone checks the flop of 10 4 2. The turn card is the 9, and Galajian moves all in for $220,000 after Tran checks. Everyone folds, and Galajian nearly doubles up to $420,000 in chips.
Monday, Feb 20, 5:35 pm -- Ana Galajian Loses Chips
Ana Galajian just folded in a hand facing an all-in bet, and she's now down to about $260,000 in chips. She's in the danger zone, and I'm not talking about the Kenny Loggins song.
Monday, Feb 20, 5:27 pm -- Updated Chip Counts
1. Per Ummer - $3,230,000
2. Alan Goehring - $2,450,000
3. Steven Simmons - $2,000,000
4. Michael Woo - $1,950,000
AVERAGE - $1,730,000
5. Kevan Casey - $1,250,000
6. J.C. Tran - $1,170,000
7. Daniel Quach - $1,150,000
8. Anahit Galajian - $480,000
Monday, Feb 20, 5:25 pm -- Per Ummer v. Kevan Casey
Per Ummer limps for $40,000, Kevan Casey limps from the small blind, and Michael Woo checks his option from the big blind. The flop comes 9d-3h-2d, Casey bets $100,000, Woo folds, Ummer raises to $200,000, and Casey calls. The turn card is the 4c, Casey checks, Ummer bets $200,000, and Casey calls. The river card is the 10h, and both players check. Ummer shows Kc-9c (pair of nines) to win a $960,000 pot.
Monday, Feb 20, 5:21 pm -- Ana Galajian Picks Up a Few Chips
Ana Galajian has just moved all in twice, but found no callers. But she's picking up chips, and moving her stack in the right direction.
It's also announced that today's dinner break will start at 7:00 pm PST, rather than the 8:00 pm PST of past days. Some of us in Media Row find this odd, since it seems like we could play straight through without any dinner break at all, which might be better for everyone (players, spectators, staff, and media). We'll see what the players think about it when the time comes. (If we're not already down to six players at that point.)
Monday, Feb 20, 5:15 pm -- This and That
Steven Simmons raises to $100,000 in late position, and Michael Woo reraises to $390,000 from the big blind. Simmons thinks for a while before folding pocket fives. Woo mucks, but after some pleading from the other players, he allows Simmons to flip over his hand. Woo had pocket aces.
Then there was a five-way pot with a bunch of limpers: Danny Quach, Per Ummer, Kevan Casey, Michael Woo, and Alan Goehring. Everyone checked down the board of 5 5 4 6 3, and then it was checked to Casey on the button. Woo didn't realize he was in the hand, and, thinking that the action was over, announced "Nine high." The other players stop him from showing his cards, and Ummer says, "That's not good." Casey was about to bet.
Casey puts out a bet of $100,000, and Woo is next to act. Ummer says, "Well, you can try." Everybody laughs, and Woo quickly folds. Everyone else folds, and Casey picks up an easy $240,000 pot.
Monday, Feb 20, 5:08 pm -- Updated Chip Counts
1. Alan Goehring - $2,500,000
2. Michael Woo - $1,950,000
3. Steven Simmons - $1,800,000
4. Per Ummer - $1,800,000
AVERAGE - $1,730,000
5. Kevan Casey - $1,520,000
6. J.C. Tran - $1,330,000
7. Daniel Quach - $1,120,000
8. Anahit Galajian - $345,000
Monday, Feb 20, 5:05 pm -- Steven Simmons Doubles Up
Steven Simmons raises to $120,000 from the cutoff position, J.C. Tran reraises to $300,000 from the button, and Simmons moves all in for $910,000. Tran calls with pocket sevens (7 7), but he's dominated by the pocket jacks (J J) of Simmons. Simmons makes a full house on the river with the board coming Q 8 2 Q J, and he doubles up to about $1.8 million in chips. J.C. Tran is knocked down to about $1,330,000.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:57 pm -- Updated Chip Counts
1. Per Ummer - $2,800,000
2. Alan Goehring - $2,350,000
3. J.C. Tran - $2,250,000
4. Michael Woo - $1,990,000
AVERAGE - $1,730,000
5. Kevan Casey - $1,490,000
6. Daniel Quach - $1,090,000
7. Steven Simmons - $800,000
8. Anahit Galajian - $445,000
Monday, Feb 20, 4:55 pm -- J.C. Tran v. Michael Woo
Three limpers see a flop of K J 8. Casey checks, Woo bets $60,000, Tran calls, and Casey folds. The turn card pairs the board with the K, Woo bets $120,000, and Tran calls. The river card is the 6, and both players check. Woo shows 9 6 (failed flush draw, pair of sixes), but Tran shows J 10c (pair of jacks) to win the pot.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:52 pm -- J.C. Tran & Kevan Casey
J.C. Tran and Kevan Casey just traded medium-sized pots back and forth. Casey won the first, and Tran won the second. The end result was a wash.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:45 pm -- Small-Pot Poker
Continuing the trend from before the break, these final eight players are playing small, multiple-player pots with lots of limping and checking. There isn't a lot of chip movement going on right now.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:39 pm -- Blinds Increase to $20,000-$40,000 ($5,000 Ante)
The players have returned from their break, and play is resuming with higher blinds.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:30 pm -- Official Chip Counts
Here are the official chip counts from the break:
1. Per Ummer - $2,900,000
2. Alan Goehring - $2,460,000
3. Michael Woo - $2,170,000
4. J.C. Tran - $1,915,000
AVERAGE - $1,730,000
5. Kevan Casey - $1,570,000
6. Steven Simmons - $1,100,000
7. Daniel Quach - $1,050,000
8. Anahit Galajian - $555,000
And here's a reminder of the remaining prize structure:
1st - $2,391,550
2nd - $1,162,560
3rd - $571,315
4th - $338,803
5th - $265,728
6th - $199,296
7th - $166,080
8th - $132,864
Monday, Feb 20, 4:25 pm -- Break Before the Blinds Increase
As the blinds increase, the players ask if they could have a break. So we're taking ten minutes before the blinds go up.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:22 pm -- An Unusually Quiet Room
As I mentioned before, the final table here on day five is in a small, walled-off section of the larger ballroom, while the WPT crew assembles the TV stage next door. But compared to the last few days, it's very, very quiet in here.
Perhaps it's because of the intimate setting, but the audience is being very respectful and quiet. And the players don't seem to be chatting it up too much as they focus on the game.
This is situation is unique to the Commerce, because most casinos have the penultimate day in a larger area. (But they also have more than 10 players starting at this point.)
Monday, Feb 20, 4:15 pm -- Alan Goehring Picks Up Chips
Alan Goehring just picked up a $600,000+ pot by raising Kevan Casey on the turn with the board showing Js-8h-6h-3s. Casey had bet the flop and turn for $100,000 each, but folded to Goehring's $300,000 raise.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:10 pm -- Updated Chip Counts
1. Per Ummer - $2,700,000
2. Michael Woo - $2,300,000
3. Alan Goehring - $2,030,000
4. J.C. Tran - $2,000,000
5. Kevan Casey - $1,880,000
AVERAGE - $1,730,000
6. Steven Simmons - $1,111,000
7. Daniel Quach - $1,000,000
8. Anahit Galajian - $380,000
This is a rare situation where there are actually more players above average than below average. But there is only one player who is severely short-stacked (the last female, Ana), and only one player with a lot more chips than average (Ummer).
Ana has already moved all in at one point after a J.C. Tran limp, but everybody folded. Expect more all-ins from her in the future.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:05 pm -- Michael McClain Out in 9th ($99,648)
Per Ummer limps for $30,000 from early position, J.C. Tran limps from middle position, and Michael McClain moves all in from the button for $520,000. Michael Woo calls behind him, and the other two players fold. McClain shows 10 3, but he is completely dominated by Woo's pocket queens (Q Q). There are no miracles on a board of J 9 5 9 7, and Michael McClain is eliminated in ninth place, earning $99,648.
The next player eliminated will receive $132,864 for eighth place.
Monday, Feb 20, 4:00 pm -- Updated Chip Counts
1. Per Ummer - $2,500,000
2. Alan Goehring - $2,430,000
3. J.C. Tran - $2,200,000
4. Kevan Casey - $1,880,000
5. Michael Woo - $1,550,000
AVERAGE - $1,537,777
6. Steven Simmons - $1,130,000
7. Daniel Quach - $1,120,000
8. Michael McClain - $540,000
9. Anahit Galajian - $390,000
Monday, Feb 20, 3:55 pm -- David Chiu Out in 10th
Alan Goehring limps for $30,000, J.C. Tran limps from the cutoff position, Kevan Casey limps from the small blind, and David Chiu checks his option in the big blind. It's a four-way pot, and the flop comes Q 7 5. Casey bets out $70,000, Chiu calls, Goehring folds, and Tran raises to $210,000. Casey folds, and Chiu moves all in for a total of $245,000. Tran calls with Q 9 (pair of queens), and Chiu shows 8 6 (open-ended straight draw). The turn card is the J , and Chiu needs to catch a five or a nine on the river to stay alive. The last card is the 3 , and David Chiu is eliminated in 10th place, earning $73,075.
The next player eliminated will receive $99,648 for ninth place.
Monday, Feb 20, 3:41 pm -- The First Pot
Media access is still somewhat restricted, but Tournament Director Cherri Dokken is announcing the action, so we have a good idea of what's going on. We'll still have regular chip counts for you, of course.
Alan Goehring picks up the first pot with A-7 when he flops a pair of aces. I won't be doing coverage of every single hand today, but I'll be reporting on all the big ones. The hand-by-hand coverage will start tomorrow at the televised WPT Final Table.
Monday, Feb 20, 3:39 pm -- Shuffle Up & Deal!
The dealer randomly draws a card, and the button is starting in seat number 8. It's time to shuffle up and deal!
Monday, Feb 20, 3:35 pm -- Day Five Preview
We are in a very unique and unusual situation today. We're starting with only ten players today, and playing down to six. I've set the over-under for Media Row for about three-and-a-half hours of play (not counting breaks). That gives us the rest of this level (45 minutes), plus nearly two full levels after that.
The gathered crowd is actually very small right now, with about as many media present as spectators. But we are tucked away in a very small room right now, and there aren't any signs or anything to let people know where we are.
The blinds are still at $15,000-$30,000, with a $5,000 ante. There are about 45 minutes left at this level.
Here are the opening chip counts:
1. Per Ummer - $2,455,000 (seat 10)
2. Alan Goehring - $2,315,000 (seat 8)
3. Kevan Casey - $2,030,000 (seat 4)
4. Michael Woo - $1,665,000 (seat 7)
5. Daniel Quach - $1,425,000 (seat 9)
AVERAGE - $1,384,000
6. Steven Simmons - $1,270,000 (seat 1)
7. J.C. Tran - $1,245,000 (seat 2)
8. Michael McClain - $665,000 (seat 6)
9. Anahit Galajian - $480,000 (seat 3)
10. David Chiu - $305,000 (seat 5)
Tournament Director Cherri Dokken briefly introduces the players to the crowd, and they are stacking their chips out of the bags now to prepare for play. We should be starting soon.
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