June 19, 2005

If you noticed the standings, you see that a lot of people at the bottom have yet to play Match #4. This week should be fascinating just for that reason - whoever loses here is in big trouble of missing out in the post-season, while whoever wins is going to be in great shape. Let's see who we have this week...

David Sklansky - David doesn't have much pressure on him. He has 23 points and is easily coasting to the semifinals.

Mike Sexton - Mike has 17 and needs 1 or 2 more good showings.

David Grey - He also has 17. He also needs one more good showing to be safe.

Barry Greenstein - Barry is one of those people who needs points. He has 11, which is not enough to ge into the Top 16.

John Myung - John also needs help - he has 6 points and he has to think about winning the matches, instead of just playing well.

Huckleberry Seed - Seed, with 8 points, is right along with Myung. He can't afford to finish lower than third.

Hand #1 - Grey has a K ? and a 5 ? and raises. Huck Seed goes over the top and all-in - with a 8 ? 5 ?. Wha? Well, it works - Grey folds and Seed starts with some early seed.

Hand #2 - Myung has a 10 ? and a 9 ? and raises. Sexton folds a pair of black 7's. Wha? We have early weirdness as everyone else folds and Myung wins.

Hand #3 - Myung has pocket 4's (? and ?) and raises again. Seed goes all-in again, but this time, he has something better - an A ? and a 5 ?. Myung backs off and Seed is 2 for 2.

Hand #4 - Sklansky now has an Ace and a 5 (both hearts) and raises. Myung calls with a K ? and a Q ?, but he has the same suit as Sklansky, and his hand is higher. The Flop has A ? A ? 6 ? and Sklansky has trip Aces. Sklansky sets the trap and checks. Myung falls for it and bets and Sklansky calls. a 9 ? on the turn gives both men a flush draw, which does neither person no good because a 6 ? on the river gives Sklansky a boat. Sklansky bets and wants to get more money from Myung, but doesn't get it as Myung folds.

Hand #5 - Myung needs to win hands, not be over aggressive. He is though, and goes all-in with a Q ? J ?. Sklansky, with most of Myung's chips already, calls him with a J ? J ?. Myung, who needs a Queen, gets no help on the Flop (9 ?, 2 ?, A ?), Turn (4 ?) or River (10 ?), and Myung, who couldn't afford to take no points, does exactly that.

Hand #6 - Seed goes All-in with a A ? J ?. Everyone else bails and he wins the pot.

Hand #7 - It's Grey that goes all-in...with nothing (9 ? 8 ?). Everyone folds, including the hyper all-in Seed.

Hand #8 - Seed goes all-in yet again, but this time, he's got a Big Slick. Everyone bails again and Seed grabs some more chips. After a quick bio from Seed and how he won the World Series of Poker in 1996, we get to...

Hand #9 - Seed goes all-in again, and he gets stare-down from Sexton. He should, since he has more garbage (9 ? 8 ?).

Hand #10 - Seed does it again with an A ? J ?. Sexton has a pair of 4;s, but he threw out a pair of 7's before. He throws the 4's out as well and we get more chips for Seed.

Hand #11 - Sexton goes all-in with 9's (? and ?). Seed will call with suited spades (8 and 5). the flop is J ?, 7 ? J ?, which looks good for Sexton, and a 6 ? on the turn and a j ? on the river keeps Sexton alive for another hand.

Hand #12 - Seed goes all-in again with a 9 ? and a 4 ?, but his hand gets caught in the cookie jar by Sklansky, who has a K ? 10 ?. the flop is 5 ?, K ? 8 ?, which pairs Sklansky's Kings. We get a 4 ? on the turn, which means that Seed needs another 4 or he's eliminated. The River is....4 ?!. That gives Seed trip 4's and keeps him around for another hand as well.

Hand #13 - Sklansky now goes all-in with a K ? 8 ?. Greenstein will call with a J ? 9 ?. The flop is 4 h, Q ? 7 ?, so Sklansky is still ahead. a 7 ? on the turn and a 10 ? on the river doesn't help Greenstein, so Sklansky gets to double up.

Hand #14 - Greenstein now goes all-in with a K ? 3 ?. Sexton, with an A ? 9 ?, goes over the top and all-in himself. Greenstein has Sexton covered, but he may not have to worry with a 7? 2 ? 9? on the Flop to pair his 9's. A K ? on the turn though gives Greenstein a pair of Kings for the lead. Sexton needs an Ace or a 9, but a 7 ? on the river eliminates Sexton. Still his only error won't hurt him that much - as long as that's the only error that he makes.

Hand #15 - Greenstein (K ? 8 ?) goes all-in again. Sklansky (Q ? J ?), who is covered by Greenstein, calls. The flop is J ? J ? K ? gives Sklansky Trips, and a J ? on the River gives him QUAD JACKS. Sklansky now takes the lead and Greenstein is now the short stack.

Hand #16 - Greenstein goes all-in with Q ? and 10 ?. Seed calls with a K ? 7 ? and he's the favorite. The flop, with a 10 ?, A ?, 6 ?, dictates otherwise. A 7 ? on the turn helps Seed, but the 8 ? on the river means that Greenstein doubles up for the lead and Seed is now the short stack.

Hand #17 - Grey has a Vowel Special (A ? A ?). Seed is all-in for the blinds with a 9 ? 2 ?. Seed needs diamonds and gets 1 on the flop (Q p, 3 ?, 7 ?), but a non-diamond on the turn ends his night. He finishes in 4th and needs to do some major damage in his last 2 matches.

Hand #18 - Greenstein goes all-in again with a K ? 6 ?. Sklansky has painted A 4 (both clubs) and calls. We get a Q ? A ? 4 ? and Sklansky has 2 pair. We get a K ? on the turn, and Greenstein needs a King to knock out Sklansky. He doesn't get it (6 ?) and Sklansky moves back into first.

Hand #19 - David Grey has a hearted Big Slick. Greenstein has to go all in on the blinds with a Q? 6 ?. The Flop is a 3 ?, K ?, 8 ?, and Greenstein needs to find a runner-runner. a 5 ? isn't is and Barry is gone with 5 points.

Hand #20 - Sklansky's turn to get the Vanna Special (A ? A ?) and Grey calls with an 8 ? 6 ?. The flop is 4 ?, Q ?, 4 ? on the Flop, and an A ? gives Sklansky a boat. He throws some money in and Grey bails out.

Hand #21 - Grey goes all-in with a Q ? 7 ?. Sklansky calls with an A ? Q ?, which looks great...until a K ? 6 ? 7 ? on the flop. The 6 ? and Q ? on the river does no good and Grey has a huge lead.

Hand #22 - Grey goes all-in with a Q ? and a 10 ?. Sklansky calls with a A ? j ? (which he has to do, because he doesn't have enough for even a small blind). The Flop is 4 ? 3 ? 3 ?, which is good for Sklansky, but a 10 ? on the turn gives Grey the lead with a pair of 10's and a Q ? ends the match. Grey wins $10,000 and the match, but Sklansky is still up on the leaderboard.

That gives us some more people on the top - and over the cutoff...

*37 - Kathy Liebert
*30 - Carlos Mortenson
*30 - David Sklansky
*27 - David Grey
*22 - Freddie Deeb
20 - Johnny Chan
*19 - Todd Brunson
*18 - Mimi Tran
*18 - Cyndy Violette
*18 - Mike Sexton
*16 - Dewey Tomko
*16 - Barry Greenstein
*15 - Mike Caro
*14 - Chau Giang
14 - Scotty Nguyen
13 - Ted Forrest
-----CUTOFF-----
12 - Doyle Brunson
*12 - Tommy Wang
*11 - Huck Seed
7 - Eli Elezra
*6 - John Myung
*6 - Antonio Esfandari
*5 - Bobby Hoff
4 - Chris Moneymaker

* - Have played in 4 matches

As you can tell, 5 of the last 6 people to play match #4 are all around the cutoff line. That's what will make the next episode so very interesting. Join us in 7 days to see the results of it.