Breakfast Club Poker

Maureen Feduniak (and Phil) Just Miss Bracelet

While the WSOP Championship final table has yet to play, technically the last WSOP event concluded with Maureen Feduniak finishing in second place, taking home $108, 564. 

Event #45, a $1500 NLHE, was the last event on the long WSOP schedule - and the last chance for Phil Hellmuth to win his 11th WSOP bracelet this year.  Currently Hellmuth, Johnny Chan, and Doyle Brunson are all tied with 10th bracelets a piece.  And you know Hellmuth would prefer not to share top honors.  Hellmuth came close - he finished in third place, winning $53,945, behind bracelet winner Anders Hedriksson and Feduniak.  It was not a bad little payday for Phil, but at this point, I'm guessing the money wasn't his goal.  All in all, Hellmuth has logged in a stunning performance this year; winning bracelet #10 and cashing in 8 WSOP events.  Including his bracelet event, Phil made 4 final tables this year. 

Together the Feduniaks haven't had a bad run either.  Maureen also cashed in another WSOP $1500 NLHE event.  And Maureen's husband Bob cashed in the main event and the $2000 Omaha hi/lo this year. 

Final Table 2006 WSOP on Pay Per View

Today is the big day. ESPN will be showing the final table Live on Pay Per View. If you are trying to find a TV listing for it on ESPN, don't bother. I just went over to their TV listings and they show it playing on ESPN Deportes, which I'm sure it is, but what else? The  "2004 World Series of Poker presented by Miller High Life!"  will be playing on ESPN Classic.

DON'T WORRY. If you are trying to order the Pay Per View for $24.95, it's on the lower left of the homepage under "Must Read". Or, you can click through this link right here! ESPN PAY PER VIEW OF THE FINAL TABLE OF THE WSOP. And you don't need a TV either, see Jamie Gold and Allen Cunningham battle for the $12 million on your PC computer!

Dream Heads-Up?

I know it's way to early to think about it - but I also know you've thought about it too; the possible heads-up match between Allen Cunningham and Jamie Gold. 

At this point, we are down to 12 players (the $1million zone).  Gold has continued his run and more than doubled his aleady impressive starting stack.  Gold has over 30,000,000 chips; more than a third of the chips in play.  Currently Allen Cunningham is in second place with just over 14,000,000 chips.  Allen has more than quadroupled up today.

Together, Jamie and Allen have more than half the chips in play.  Admittedly, a lot can, and will, happen between now and heads-up.  But what a match that could be.

My favorite heads-up match of the WSOP so far was the Jeff Madsen v. Erick Lindgren match.  I swear you could hear the gears turning inside their brains as they tried to crack the code on one another.  I think Cunningham and Gold could top it.  I'd love to see their competing styles go head-to-head for the biggest tournament in history.   

But like I say - there are a lot of rivers between now and heads-up.      

 

27 Left With Two Days Yet to Play

Yesterday, the WSOP Championship played down to 27 players.  Each of the remaining players is guaranteed to take home $494,797.  And although that is quite a tidy sum, it will be hard for players to leave now, knowing just how close they came to their $12 million dream.   

While the majority of the remaining players are not poker household names, the field still represents a wealth of tournament experience. 

Jamie Gold (pictured) will start today at the top of the leader board, where he has been for most of the last two days.  He's a California player with the penchant for action they are known for.  And while he has only played in tournaments for the better part of the year, he's got some nice scores going into this year's WSOP.

Prahlad Friedman should be a household name, but for some reason sneaks under the radar screen of most poker enthusiasts.  Fridman won a WSOP bracelet in the 2003 $1500 Pot Limit Hold'em event and came in 2nd in the 2005 WSOP Circuit Championship at Rincon.  He is also well known in the world of internet cash games, where he plays at the levels you and I fear to tread.

Even though he is mild mannered and understated in the field, Allen Cunningham is a pro that's on everyone's radar screen.  With four WSOP bracelets to his name and 95 money finishes in major tournaments, he's hard to miss.

For more discussion of the field and the list of today's starting chip counts, read on.          

Two Names Out Already Today

We started with 45 players today and had few "names" left in the field.  But today has already taken its toll on some of the known pros.  Humberto Brenes started with a short stack relative to the field today and went out in 36th place.  2005 WSOP bracelet winner, Dan Schmiech just succumbed in 32nd place.

Both men take home $329,865 for their outstanding performance.

36 Players Left

The media sweep down on Allen Cunningham's table (Seat 6).

There are 36 players left and the prize for those who will go out today is $329,865. Jamie Gold from Malibu, CA is still in the lead with more than 13,000,000. No one is remotely close. Second and third in line are William Thorssen (5,850,000)  and Rhett Butler (5,600,000). If you're wondering who Jamie Gold is, check out the full bio that the Poker.com boyz did.

And They Play On...But For How Long

Tomorrow's plan was to stop the WSOP Main Event when they got down to 60 players...but of course we already got to that point this evening.  There was an unofficial statement that we would stop play today at 54 players.  We are currently down to 53 players.

Jeffrey Pollack, the Commisioner of the WSOP, was heard to say in the hallway that they would be playing down to 45 players tonight, but there has still been no official announcement. 

 

Suzan "Sabyl" Cohen out in 56th

Suzan "Sabyl" Cohen fought the good fight, but just recently finished in 56th place, taking home $123,699 for her superb effort. 

Sabyl was the last remaining woman from the 2006 WSOP Championship Event's record starting field of 8773 players after Annie Duke finished in 88th place. 

Sabyl Stands Alone: Duke Out

They'll be no waiting in the ladies room when the Main Event goes on break.  Suzan "Sybal" Cohen is the last woman standing..er sitting...in the WSOP Championship now.

Annie Duke has finished in 88th place, taking home $51,129.

Sybal's current chip stack is reported as 905,000. 

Women's Update: And Then There Were Two

WSOP Day Five started with three women still in contention; Annie Duke, Suzan "Sabyl" Cohen, and Debra Lalor.

WSOP bracelet holder Annie Duke had a great Day Four, growing her 180,000 stack to the 918,000 chips she started with today.  It seemed like Annie would see nothing but smooth ride, but then that wouldn't be poker.  Duke ran into some tough terrain at about the one and a half hour mark today.  She had to let go of a hand that she re-raised pre-flop when her opponent check raised her on the flop.  This has taken her down to about 250,000 chips.

Suzan "Sabyl" Cohen is currently enjoying the wild ride that has defined the last 24 hours of play for her.  She started yesterday with 309,500 chips and ended the day with 398,000, which seems straight forward enough.  In between that, however, Sabyl had built up to 1.6 million chips.  Yesterday's rocky road didn't seem to phase her.  She wrote in her livejournal last night, "I'm still in reasonable shape and plan to kick butt tomorrow."  And kick butt she has.  Sabyl is now reported to have 960,000 chips at after getting it all in with AA vs an opponent's AK.

Debra Lalor started Day Four with 555,000 chips yesterday, but saw that dwindle to 373,000 by day's end.  Lalor found little traction today and finished in 117th place and taking home $51,119 for her superb effort.