Mike Matusow Wins!

by Chris Newton

PLEASE FIND ME AT chris@pokerpages.com

Send in Questions, Answered ( if I can )

	Mike Matusow Taking a Well Earned Rest

Mike shows and Hoyt - Hoyt has a draw but MIke has already eliminated the pair draws with his paired King.

A comes on the turn.

AND with the crowd already going ape-droppings a very innocent on the river gives Mike the victory.

	Mike Matusow

	Hoyt Corkins

Steve Hall should have some photos up on his BLOG page a little later today. It is very difficult to get pictures in ESPN rooms as the room is almost completely dark.

No big pots in the last 15 minutes - nothing beyond a flop and no bets over 50,000 which always takes it down.

Mike has found a bet Hoyt will call , a 30,000 bet on the flop. The 60,000 bet on the turn , Hoyt eventually ducks and Mike get a substantial profit.

Absolutely nothing of real interest happening. One bet , fold take it.
Mike is down about 80,000 on the original heads-up starting count.

A Hand : Hoyt goes all-in Mike calls. Hoyt has Ace d Ten h and Mike is dominated holding Ace sp 8 d.
The flop comes 3h 6c 9d, not much for Mike. The turn of 7c fills the gap for potential a straight Mike needing a Ten or a 5. The river is a Queen of spades so Hoyt doubles up holding over 740,000 now.

Mike wins a good sized pot when he re-raises all-in over Hoyt's initial raise and Hoyt folds.
Mike takes the next one also after a small raise on the button.
Two hands later Mike goes all-in again after Hoyt limps and takes it , no call.
Hoyt isn't folding all hands , he makes a raise on the button ( SB ) to 60,000 and takes it.
A rare flop is opened Ace Ace Queen , Hoyt takes the two 16,000s and the two 3,000 antes with a 20,000 bet.

Hoyt, Hoyt, MIke, Hoyt, Mike - only 1 played out, score fairly even - very conservative betting.

Change of level - Now 3000 Ante 10,000-20,000 blinds

Phil decides to try a semi-steal going all-in with the . Hoyt gave it some time and makes an inspired call with the .
The board comes a on the turn sets up many cards for Phil to split.
However the isn't one of them and we lose Phil Hellmuth Jr in third place collecting a fine $250,000 for his troubles.

BREAK 15 minutes - still 6 minutes to go in this level

For Randall Smith : Erik Seidel, John Juanda, Andy Bloch AND Now Phil Hellmuth

Phil goes all-in with Jacks, Mike calls with King Jack.
The board just doesn't do anything for either hand and Phil doubles up to about 200,000.
Mike gets some back shortly after showing an Ace 4 on the river to match the Ace on the board , 40,000 profit.
No action for a few hands.

Hoyt pushes in. Mike says "How can he fold this hand?" He doesn't - he calls.

Hoyt and Mike

The flop is .

THEN THE TURN A giving Mike the lead but giving Hoyt many outs King Diamond or Jack.

It's a and the crowd AND MIKE go WILD

Raise and take it again, for a while.

Then a hand that might define the tournament, Phil limps preflop in the SB. To flop of Q 8 3 both players check. Phil bets 70000 when a 5 comes on the turn , Hoyt calls. The river is a third club the 7, Phil counts out 65,000 and bets. Hoyt takes 4 minutes to call showing 8 4 suited for 2nd pair and takes a big pot.

Big hand : Hoyt calls Phil's all-in when he finds Aces, Phil sporting Ace Queen. A Queen on the flop makes the unlikely victory possible but nothing else hits for the inferior hand and Hoyt doubles up with Phil being partially crippled by the hand. He had just won a moderate pot from Hoyt showing a King high to go with a two pair board, Hoyt having a Queen.

Quick count : Mike 520,000, Hoyt 385,000 and Phil 200,000

The Game 2000 Ante 8000-16000 Blinds

Lots of all-ins all of a sudden - all pre-flop, they shut down the action immediately; all three players using the technique.
No contests for over 20 minutes now - 2 minutes to go in this level.
One last pot before the break. Phil vs Mike . On a flop of 5 4 Queen Phil makes it 28,000, called. Ace of hearts on the turn sees Phil betting 52,000, Mike folds.

BREAK 15 minutes

Mike picks up more chips when the board shows two small pair and his Ace out kicks Phil who folds once Mike shows his hand. The next hand he re-raises Hoyt pre-flop who eventually folds without seeing any board cards. Mike has the lead now although the count is fairly even given the size of the forced bets.

Still 15 minutes at this level

Mike wins another pot and the Mouth starts going again.

Very tame at the moment - nothing beyond a flop and one more bet. Then -

Mike raises to 35,000 and Hoyt goes all-in ( putting Mike all-in if he calls ). Cards up

Mike and Hoyt .

The flop comes giving Hoyt two more outs.
A on the turn means Hoyt needs an Ace or a 4 to eliminate MIke.
The crowd go wild when a completes the board and Mike goes to 365,000, Hoyt now 355,000 and Phil 400,000

After a Phil limp Mike takes this opportunity to go all-in , Phil thinks for 5 minutes and folds. Mike can't help it he shows . The crowd go wild.

All one-bet and take it for a while. A timid hand nets Phil about 60,000 profit when his Queen out kicks Mike both players having a paired 9.

A recent count had Mike on 270,000 Phil on 310,000 anf Hoyt on 460,000.

Hoyt increases his lead when Phil fold to a board of . Phil had taken the running until the river when he checked and Hoyt took the 150,000 chip pot with a 25,000 bet.

It's mostly one-bet take it since the break. Mike got one moderate bet from Phil in a hand he won on the turn but all the others have been raise take-it or small raise pre-flop bigger raise on the flop , take it.

and the Game is 2000 Ante 6000-12000 Blinds

Hoyt has lost the last 4 hands he has contested - small though they maybe - they really do add up at this level of play and the speed at which the game is going.

Having said that he picks up 35,000 after making the preflop running and betting the turn , Mike folding. Also the next goes goes to Hoyt a profit of about 30,000.

On Break now for 10 minutes - Level 17 next.

Mike and Phil declare war on each other.

Mike doubles up with Ace high nothing all-in in response to Hoyt's 100,000 raise pre-flop with 5 4 suited - no help for either player on the board. Mike goes to 260,000, Hoyt 300,000 anf Phil 560,000.

Hand : Mike raises on the button to 35,000 and Hoyt goes all-in - after a bit of a stare Mike folds.

A walk for Mike next BB. Followed by an all-in pre-flop by Mike over Hoyt's 26,000 bet - the raise is 230,000. Another one to Mike.

With only three players left the action is a plenty. Phil takes over 130,000 from Mike when he makes a straight on the river and Mike bets into 25,000 into him , Phil making it 100,000 and Mike calls the 75,000 raise mucking when Phil shows his Ace to go with the Q T 9 K J board.

Down to 100,000 in chips Tony makes a move on the button pushing it all in with . He finds Phil in the BB with the , a good favourite against the all-in hand.
The flop is giving both players a pair , Phil's being higher. The on the turn changes nothing and an innocent sees the end of Tony Bloom for this year's TOC. Tony collects $150,000 on his way to the ESPN interview for 4th place.

Phil is getting very busy now raising the last three hands taking the pots with bets on the flop or turn.

Chopped pot between Tony (SB) and Mike (BB) both calling 24,000 in bets with Ace high - the rest of the board playing.

Next hand Tony tries a raise on the button of 28,000 which Phil Kills ( good book apparently ) by going all-in in the BB as Tony folds
Tony again next hand raises to 28,000 Mike calls the raise on the button and Hoyt makes up the bet in the BB.
Ch (Hoyt ), Ch (Tony ), Mike 35,000, Hoyt - call, Tony fold. Board now 5s Ts Td 2d, Hoyt comes out with 60,000 and Mike folds.

We return with the Ante at 1000 the Blinds 5000-10000

Steve with only 54,000 finds the in the BB and when the action comes to him he pushes it all-in. Mike from the SB has and a larger chip stack so he calls. The flop comes giving Mike the lead with the top pair. The turn card is a so Steve now has a flush draw for some outs as well. The river dissapoints though when it is black but the eliminating one of the more popular players to play in this tournament. Steve gets to add $100,000 to his WSOP money at home for his 5th placing.

Count

Back at 20:15 PST

The very next hand with the air charged , Mike goes all-in with Ace King and Steve makes the call with two Jacks. "The Classic Race". There is a 8 7 4 and two hearts on the flop - Mike has the Ace of hearts. The turn is a 2 of hearts - 14 outs now as Steve had the Jack of hearts. "Heart" "Blank" Heart" "Blank" call the crowd. The Mike supporters get their way, its a 3 of hearts on the river and we are still 5.

Phil in the BB raises 30,000 , MIke calls on the button - after a flop of Queen 9 5 , Phil bets 24,000, Mike calls straightaway. The King of spades on the turn produces a delay then Phil bets 32,000 and Mike folds having lost a few chips.

Steve Dannenmann then wades into the argument about whether Phil should be made to stack his chips. Steve says Phil should stack his chips. Phil says "What?" Steve then mentions something about not buying his book and CDs because he was a "punk". Its strange, throughout all this they shook hands 3 times. Hope it is on the ESPN coverage - we will see.

Tony Bloom made a preflop raise of 21,000 and Hoyt calls him. The flop comes. Much posturing then Hoyt pushes about 70,000 in . Tony gathers his chips quickly and goes all-in for about 80,000. Hoyt calls. Tony has and Hoyt the . Hoyt has the lead but Tony has many outs. The on the turn does Tony no good but a on the river makes a nut straight for the English player. Jimmy announces a 200,000 pot to Tony.

Each hand seems to move a lot of chips about - the centre holds 17,000 before bets.

Steve all-in the first to speak for 88,000. Only Tony Bloom is interested. Tony has and Steve the . Some help for Steve on the flop of . Not long to wait as the puts Steve out of his misery as he has the nut flush and can't be beaten.
We get to see the famous mischievious Dannenmann smile on the TV monitors.

Mike adds about 35,000 to his stack mostly from Hoyt when he shows Jacks in the hand and Hoyt folds.

Two hands later he re-raises Hoyt's 21,000 raise by another 42,000 Hoyt doesn't call the pre-flop re-raise - Mike rarely has the least chips for long. Bet or Raise win or lose and go home, he never seems to just fade away.

Hoyt seems to be in nearly every hand - He takes a modest amount from Tony with Jack Ten and a board of Jack 2 5 King King. No betting on the turn or river.

Dannenmann all-in for about 70,000 next hand in the SB gets no call from Phil in the BB

The big winners in that period Hoyt and Tony at the expense of Mike

It's still the Mike and Phil show. Mike makes some "clever" comment Phil has started to respond now - the debate goes on . The other three Steve, Hoyt and Tony are silent just watching and smiling now and then.

We come to the end of this level .

The next in ten minutes Ante 1000 Blinds 4000-8000 as the 500 chips are removed from the table.

Grant now very low in chips makes a small raise pre-flop Tony Bloom calling from the small blind. Grant goes again on a flop of King Jack Ten pushing all-in but Tony was waiting for this and he calls and shows two Aces. Grant has the inferior hand here with 9 5 of diamonds. The board finishes with a seven and an Ace and Grant finishes at this final table with an extra $75,000 to take home.

Jimmy Summerfeld gives us a quick approxiamate chip count

Mike just removed a few chips from Tony Bloom after some small raising he went all-in for re-raise for about 220,000. Tony gave it up.

Sorry for the loss of coverage - computer problems ( always sounds good doesn't it )

We lost a few .

Brandon pushed all-in with Queen Jack for 33,000 Mike called with a pair of 8s. A board of Ace Ace 4 3 7 gave no help to the Q J and Brandon becomes the first casualty today. He picks up a neat $25,000 for his two and a bit days play.

Hoyt definitely has a favourite hand today Queen Queen . Keith Adams was a bit unlucky today and lucky at the same time. He only had two Tens against the Queens, all the money going in on the flop of 4 2 9 . The scene is set and a handy Ten arrives on the turn for Keith. But not for the first time today Hoyt finds one of two Queens on the river to make it set over set and the exit of Keith Sexton in 8th place with 25,000 in his keeping.

David Levi hasn't had too many chips all day so when he finds Ace Queen he says all-in. It's an easy call for Mike sporting two Aces . Some help on the flop of Queen Ten 2 but no more Queens come and the very popular David Levi takes home $50,000 for his trouble.

BIG HAND !!

Hoyt raises , smal raise, Brandon Adams makes it 35,000, when it comes back to Hoyt he says "All-in" no problem says Brandon as he has two red Aces. Hoyt has two black Queens - not your classic race at all. The flop comes , the tension is built by Michael Matts and the dealer flips the on the turn to give Hoyt a commanding lead with one card to come. The 22 - 1 shot doesn't materialise and Hoyt now has over 240,000 in chips and Brandon about 14,000.

Mike states he might just raise every hand because no will play him. Next hand he raise 12,000 first to speak , no takes he shows 5 3 .

Steve Dannenmann , sitting over Mike, makes a 25,000 pot on the turn of innocent looking board cards

Steve Dannenmann produces a Christmas present for Mike Matusow - it is a small globe of the world similar to the one which Steve has had as his card protector. Mike had been picking Steve's up during the first day and singing "He's got the whole world in his hands" with Mark Hanna.

Then Steve produces a gift for Phil from Mike and himself. Phil carefully opens it - A SMALL STUFFED ANIMAL - A DONKEY !!!!

Poker is thin, only one flop so far - Hoyt bets 5,000 into the pot and we don't see a turn card.

Michael Matts opens with the introductions

The game gets ready to go it's 500 Ante 2000-4000 Blinds No-Limit Texas Holdem with 70 minutes on the clock. The button is with Tony Bloom - no small blind, the seat being vacated by Doyle last night when in the Big Blind for his last hand.

At this level Grant and David will come under pressure fairly quickly

Mike Matusow opens proceedings with a joke about Phil, donning a Greg Raymer like hologram set of glasses with a raised middle finger as the picture on each lens. Great mirth in the audience - the tension is well broken

The money sits to one side ( strange I don't even see any guards ) ( dont all rush down though I'm sure they are there ). $2,000,000 US for NO outlay , it sounds like a Golf or Tennis tournament. The final 9 could split it 220,000 or so each , wouldn't make much of a TV show though so I can't see it happening.

Waiting for the inevitable ESPN arrangements to be finalised.

The bleechers are packed today - the line to get in stretched way down the corridor, I thought it was the buffet queue for the INET conference which is going on just down to hall.

We'll have to be on our best behaviour today , we have just heard the Harrah's board of Directors will be sitting in the seats just in front of us.

Oh its OK its ONLY the Poker guys from Harrahs

14:20 no start ! No speeches even !

Final Table : Starts at 14:00 PST\

	Phil Celebrating His Chip Lead

	Steve Dannenmann Looking Happy

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