Recapping Thursday’s action with two bracelet winners:

Keikoan grinds out 10k limit title

After almost five hours of heads-up play, Matt Keikoan defeated Daniel Idema in the $10,000 Limit Holdem World Championship. Keikoan earns $425,969 and his second WSOP gold bracelet, while Idema will have to be consoled with earning $263,244 for the runner-up finish. Full results and Nolan Dalla’s tournament report are available at wsop.com.

Proulx powers his way to PLO bracelet

Miguel Proulx dispatched Loren Klein in heads-up play to win the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha bracelet along with $315,311 early Friday morning. Klein pockets $195,147 for falling just short of the bracelet. Dalla’s report and full results at wsop.com.

Gonzales leads 1500 NL field for day 3

Day three of the $1,500 No-Limit Holdem has Christopher Gonzales leading the field with 1,315,000 in chips as 21 players remain when play resumes at 3pm to play down to a winner. Other notables: Neil Channing (461,000), Jean Gaspard (413,000), and David Sands (346,000). Chip counts for the remaining field is online at PokerNews.

Puchkov leads HORSE field on final day

The final day of the $1,500 HORSE will have Konstantin Puchkov (465,000) leading the final 24 players when play resumes at 3pm. Others looking to make their way to the top include Robert Mizrachi (238,000), Allen Kessler (229,500), Cliff Josephy (165,500), Chip Jett (120,000) and defending champion James Van Alstyne (111,500). The full field is now online at PokerNews.

Harder holding 5k 6-max lead for day 2

Day two of the $5,000 No-Limit Holdem 6-max event has 116 players remaining when play resumes at 2:30 this afternoon with Christian Harder the chip leader with 258,700. Other big names returning to win the $667,433 top prize include David “Devilfish” Ulliot (176,000), Phil Ivey (148,300), Isaac Haxton (123,100), Chad Brown (101,400), and Todd Terry (99,500). The full list of chip counts can be found here.

Smith boosted into PLO/PLH lead

Justin “Boosted J” Smith (130,000 in chips) leads the day 2 field of 126 survivors in the $2,500 Pot-Limit Holdem/Pot-Limit Omaha event when action resumes at 3pm. The tournament drew 428 entrants, with the top 45 making the money, with $260,517 going to the winner. Other notables returning include Victor Ramdin (54,750), Ashton Griffin (44,000), Jeff Lisandro (40,200),

Friday’s tournaments

Two tournaments on Friday’s agenda, with the 12pm event the $1,000 Seniors’ No-Limit Holdem Championship, with players who are 50 years old and over eligible to participate. Last year’s winner was Michael Davis who defeated a field of 2,707 entrants, good for $3437,358. The 5pm tournament is the $10,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Holdem Championship, guaranteed to attract a sold-out field of 256. Last year Leo Wolpert was the winner, earning $625,682.

Recapping the sextet of tournaments underway Thursday afternoon:

Klein leads PLO final table

Loren Klein (850,000) leads the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha final table, which has 8 players remaining as they take their dinner break. Play will resume around 8:30pm, follow the hands as they’re played out at PokerNews.

Idema idolizing limit holdem bracelet

Seven players remain at the $10,000 Limit Holdem World Championship final table, with Daniel Idema holding the chip lead with 1,163,000 with seven players remaining. Michael Mizrachi finished in 8th place to move into a tie with James Dempsey for the WSOP Player of the Year lead, but Jameson Painter (3rd in chips with 953,000), moves past both of them with a win. Updates of the action on the table and at the rail is at wsop.com.

Gonzales leads 1500 NL

Christopher Gonzales (260,000) leads the field of 130 players remaining as they return from dinner break in the $1,500 No-Limit Holdem event. Six more levels of play are on tap for the field, see who goes deep and who goes home over at PokerNews.

Leary tall in the saddle in $1,500 HORSE

The $1,500 HORSE event has 100 remaining, with 80 making the money later this afternoon. Dustin Leary (132,000) holds the chip lead, followed by Jeff Shulman (125,000), Tom Dwan (66,000), Jason Mercier (61,000) and Robert Mizrachi (50,000). Wsop.com has all the mixed-game updates.

Benyamine leading 5k NL 6-max field

Day 1 of the $5,000 No-Limit Holdem 6-max event drew a smaller than expected field of 568, with a $2,100 tournament at the Venetian held at the same time. David Benyamine (80,000) holds the chip lead, followed by Dave Ulliot (65,000), Hevad Khan (62,000), Andrew Lichtenberger (55,000) and Isaac Haxton (53,000) among the early leaders. PokerNews will be following the action during the evening.

PLO/PLH event underway

The last tournament to start this afternoon was the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha/Pot-Limit Holdem event. The early chip leader is Matt Vengrin with 26,000, followed by Chris Reslock (24,000), Daniel Negreanu (19,500), Layne Flack (17,000) and Vitaly Lunkin (16,200) among the notables. Follow wsop.com for more updates and chip counts.

Check it out … many of you probably know Warren Lush, PartyPoker’s longtime PR guy and an occasional voice on the PartyPoker Blog. Always good to see a mate do well … and a poker person cross over into not-so-pokery territory, as Warren did a few weeks ago on Britain’s Election Night. The man once charged with babysitting Padraig Parkinson during a Hall of Fame drinking binge appeared on C4′s Alternative Election, a live comedy-satire-news show (about 6:30 in) to talk about the wild political wagers flying around.

Also, can someone let me know if there’s a Google Translate available for YouTube vids that’ll allow me to understand whatever language it is they’re speaking here?

We had lots of fun in our special Tuesday running of “the ‘Ati game” (as called by a few locals who seldom read this site) … even though the well-bankrolled blogger drunks never even made it! Lesson learned … you can’t rely on the Drinky when it comes to making specific, time-based plans. Fortunately there were Poker Beat listeners who we’re ready to take their seats and jump into the fray. Game on again tonight, starting at 8 pm.

“At every [World] Series, you know you’re eventually going to get at least one great run of cards. After three weeks of grinding, mine finally came playing 1/2 in Dan’s stupid Pokerati game at the Hard Rock.”

– Donkeybomber,
on the importance of looking snazzy when you happen to start running good

We also got a special guest (the kind I can get a comp dinner) in DonkeyBomber … who decided to try to turn his WSOP around by playing a little low-stakes, drinks-flowing half-and-half … out of position against yours truly. I had him, too, in his first big hand, having flopped a set of Aces (playing them differently than he taught me), turned full-of-jacks (setting up a nice trap), only to see the one-outer on the river giving him quads. Asshole, why don’t you stick to your own damn games, Mr. “High Stakes” Pro with the Pants.

More…

An overview of the rest of Wednesday night’s action with two more bracelet winners

Warga wins second bracelet, makes history

The $1,500 Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better winner is David Warga, becoming the first player win the Casino Employees bracelet (in 2002) and win another WSOP bracelet. Warga defeated Maxwell Troy heads-up, winning $208,862 while Troy pockets $129,253. Full results and Nolan Dalla’s tournament report are available at wsop.com.

Haydon hacks his way to 2500 6-max bracelet

William Haydon defeated Jeffrey Pappola heads-up to take down the $2,500 No-Limit Holdem 6-max title, earning $630,031. Pappola’s runner-up finish was good for $391,068, the full list of results and Dalla’s report can be found here.

Proulx on precipice of Omaha prize

Miguel Proulx (877,000) leads the remaining 12 players when day 3 of the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha resumes at 3pm. Among the notables who cashed: Adam Junglen, Chau Giang, Christian Harder, Tad Jurgens (now leading with 5 cashes), TJ Cloutier and Michael Binger. Get the chip counts and follow live updates at PokerNews.

Ray leads final 13 in 10k limit holdem

Another event resuming at 3pm is day 3 of the $10,000 Limit Holdem World Championship, with Kyle Ray leading the field with 643,000 in chips. Other notables: Dave “Not Bakes” Baker (543,000), Matt Keikoan (418,000), Brock Parker (351,000), Michael Mizrachi (256,000) and David Chiu (144,000). Chip counts and updates available at PokerNews.

Lehmann leader in 1500 NL

Day 2 of the $1,500 No-Limit Holdem event will resume at 2:30pm with Markus Lehmann (135,200) leading the field with 261 players remaining. Other notables: Carlos Mortensen (108,500), Matt Stout (74,800), and Jean Gaspard (63,300). The full list of chip counts is available at PokerNews.

Reslock leads HORSE

Day 2 of the $1,500 HORSE resumes at 3pm with 246 players returning. The current chip leader is Ming Reslock with 50,000. Some of the notables returning: defending champion James Van Alstyne (40,900), Allen Kessler (36,900), Tom Dwan (34,900), Brandon Cantu (29,100), Andy Bloch (26,800), and Chip Jett (21,300). The full list of survivors is at PokerNews.

Thursday’s tournaments

Two tournaments yet again get underway at the WSOP. Starting at 12pm is the $5,000 No-Limit Holdem 6-max event, won last year by Matt Hawrilenko for just over $1,000,000 in besting a field of 928. The 5pm tournament is the $2,500 Pot-Limit Holdem/Pot-Limit Omaha event, with nine hands of each game played before switching. Last year’s winner was Rami Boukai, defeating a field of 453

Recapping the seven WSOP bracelet events taking place this afternoon:

Tebben defeats McNamara for 1k NL bracelet

The $1,000 No-Limit Holdem final table just concluded with Jeffrey Tebben defeating JD McNamara in heads-up play, winning his first WSOP bracelet. Tebben also earned $503,389, while McNamara earns $310,248. Full results and Nolan Dalla’s tournament report will appear later at wsop.com.

Six remain in 2500 NL 6-max

The official final table has been established for the $2,500 No-Limit Holdem 6-max final table, returning from dinner break shortly. Joe Baldwin will start as the leader with 2,812,000 in chips. Follow the updates at wsop.com.

Maxwell looking to hammer Stud 8 final table

The final table of the $1,500 Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better final table has also been finalized. Maxwell Troy remains the leader with 755,000 in chips. Notables at the final table include David Levi (565,000), Karina Jett (450,000), and Allen Bari (170,000). Action will resume shortly, follow the split-pot action over at PokerNews.

Cloutier closing in at 2500 PLO

The $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha field has made the money with 50 players remaining. Bryce Yockey is the current chip leader with 293,000, followed by T.J. Cloutier (232,000), Chau Giang (225,000), Michael Greco (150,000), Joe Serock (114,000) and Adam Junglen (95,000). Play is scheduled for six more levels or a final table is reached, whatever comes first, updates available at wsop.com.

More updates on page 2:

More…

This afternoon, the WSOP announced that the top 20 players receiving votes for their Tournament of Champions. The list is full of players (along with votes received) known by the casual poker player around the peak of the poker boom, circa 2005:

1. PHIL IVEY 16,267
2 DANIEL NEGREANU 16,239
3. DOYLE BRUNSON 13,796
4. PHIL HELLMUTH 12,673
5. CHRIS FERGUSON 11,585
6. ALLEN CUNNINGHAM 10,486
7. JOHNNY CHAN 10,434
8. SCOTTY NGUYEN 9,834
9. BARRY GREENSTEIN 9,806
10. JOHN JUANDA 8,835
11. ERIK SEIDEL 8,802
12. JENNIFER HARMAN 8,206
13. HUCK SEED 8,180
14. DAN HARRINGTON 7,342
15. T.J. CLOUTIER 6,281
16. SAMMY FARHA 6,085
17. HOWARD LEDERER 5,596
18. GREG RAYMER 5,404
19. JOE HACHEM 5,272
20. ANTONIO ESFANDIARI 5,129

These 20 will join Annie Duke, Mike Sexton, Mike Matusow, Joe Cada, Barry Shulman, WSOP Academy qualifier Bertrand “ElkY” Grospellier and WSOP.com online qualifier Andrew Barton on June 27th. In a change from the original schedule, the field will play four levels on the 27th, then play an additional four levels the following day. The remaining players will return on July 4th to play down to a winner with the final table of nine sharing in the $1,000,000 prize pool. The full press release is available here.

Funny, was just typing up a “Rumorati” post about word spreading that Matt Savage would be taking on a new role with the WPT, as some sort of overseeing honcho — maybe like a hybrid of Jeffrey Haas’s and Thomas Kremser’s roles at the EPT? — when a press release came over the transom.

Check it out … a big move in poker, it would seem, for both Matt Savage and the WPT.

No word yet on how WHAT ARE OFTEN PERCEIVED TO BE some of the notoriously worst blind structures in poker, as seen on the WPT, might change under the aegis of a TD known for his much-heralded “deep structures” system of tourney progression. THE WPT, OF COURSE, CHANGED THEIR BLIND STRUCTURES (FOR THE BETTER, ARGUABLY) AFTER SEASON VI IN 2008, SHORTLY BEFORE SAVAGE MADE CHANGES TO HIS BLIND STRUCTURES IN A WAY THAT COUNTERED THE TREND OF DEEPER AND DEEPER STACKS.

WORLD POKER TOUR® ANNOUNCES MATT SAVAGE AS
WPT EXECUTIVE TOUR DIRECTOR

LOS ANGELES (June 16, 2010) – World Poker Tour® (WPT) announced today renowned tournament director Matt Savage will join their team as Executive Tour Director. In his new role, Savage lends his years of experience and vast knowledge base to WPT committing himself to improving player communication, tournament offerings, tour cohesiveness, and event growth.

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A review of Tuesday’s tournament action at the WSOP, with 3 bracelets to be determined during today’s play:

1k NL final table set

The $1,000 No-Limit Holdem final table gets underway this afternoon at 2:30pm with this lineup:

Seat 1: Blake Kelso – 1,166,000
Seat 2: JD McNamara – 2,393,000
Seat 3: Kiet Tran – 2,311,000
Seat 4: Greg Pohler – 1,660,000
Seat 5: David Cai – 844,000
Seat 6: Michael Gross – 535,000
Seat 7: Denis Murphy – 789,999
Seat 8: Jeffrey Tebben – 466,000
Seat 9: John Tolbert – 925,000

Cowley leads final 15 in 2500 NL 6-max

Steve Cowley (1,279,000) leads the remaining 15 players in the $2,500 No-Limit 6-max event when they play down to a winner starting at 3pm. Among the notables with chips: Justin “Boosted J” Smith (641,000) and Erik Cajelais (345,000). The full list of chip counts is online at PokerNews.

Troy leads 1500 Stud 8 on final day

Maxwell Troy (430,000) leads the final 23 players who return at 3pm in the $1,500 Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better event. Among the familiar names looking to get a WSOP bracelet in this event: David Levi (216,000), Karina Jett (187,000), Blair Rodman (117,000) and Brandon Cantu (50,000). The remaining field’s chip counts is online at PokerNews.

Klein leads 2500 PLO after day 1

A field of 596 players started the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event Tuesday afternoon, with 102 returning at 2:30 today. The final 54 players make the money, with the winner collecting $315,311. The leader is Loren Klein with 187,300 in chips. Other notables on the leaderboard: Richard Ashby (137,700), Tex Barch (72,600), T.J. Cloutier (70,400), Chau Giang (59,800), and Scott Clements (58,200). A full list of the survivors will appear soon at wsop.com.

Lisandro leads 10k limit holdem

The $10,000 Limit Holdem World Championship drew a field of 171, with 102 remaining after ten levels of play. The leader is Jeff Lisandro with 130,900 in chips. Other names you’ve heard of: Brett Richey (113,800), Hoyt Corkins (109,900), Shaun Deeb (89,000), Michael Mizrachi (69,800), Doyle Brunson (65,300) and Jennifer Harman (46,300). The full chip counts are online at wsop.com.

Wednesday’s tournaments

Another two bracelet events get underway this afternoon, starting with the fourth full-ring $1,500 No-Limit Holdem starting at 12pm. The defending champion in this event is Eric Baldwin, defeating a field of 2,095 for $521,991. At 5pm it’s the $1,500 HORSE event, with James Van Alstyne defeating a field of 770, earning $247,033.

Details are sparse … but a suburban Dallas poker game erupted in gunfire last night, resulting in two people dead — an attempted robber and a player trying to stop him.

According to Fox 4 and Mesquite police, Tracey Moore, 35, apparently the game’s host, was shot and killed while scuffling with the armed intruder at an apartment in the 5900 block of Northwest Dr, shortly after midnight yesterday.

Another player, Jerome Johnson, 34, carrying a licensed concealed handgun, shot back, killing the suspect, too. Police have not yet released the alleged robber’s identity. And though they say it appears to be a case of self-defense, a grand jury will decide whether or not Johnson will face any charges.

Special running of Pokerati action tonight, Tuesday, at the Hard Rock. That’s in addition to the usual Thursday fare. Should be a blogtastic 1/2 NL/PLO good time, with Joe Speaker, Bad Blood, and The Mark in town, specifically for PLO at the WSOP and beyond … hoping to draw a few Brits as well, you know, in case we end up playing through Honduras vs. Chile.

Though we haven’t run this game on a Tuesday in forever, the list usually starts taking shape at 7:30 … with cards in the air about 8.

Also don’t forget, for a different kinda wild, Wednesday night is the PokerNews Half-Kill game, bringing hardcore $4/$8 limit and higher to the Hard Rock.

You can find/follow many of the players in both these games on twitter (do a search for “hard rock”) and get updates from the poker room about what’s running @HardRockPoker.

Michele Lewis

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OP-ED

As a woman who began playing poker in the early 90’s on the smoky Riverboats of Louisiana, I was almost always the only woman at the table and often the only woman in the poker room. Other than my weekly friendly game, the Mirage poker room in Las Vegas (before the Bellagio opened) was the only time I played with other women. It wasn’t always easy being the only woman in the game. Nor was it easy being excluded from a friendly game that instituted a No Vagina Rule because some new fish didn’t want his wife to play. While sexist remarks at the poker table were uncomfortable at times, I’ve also seen cheating, robberies, fights, guns, racism, and five of nine opponents having a piece of each others action.

Of the four WSOP Ladies events in which I’ve played, I paid for one and was backed in three. Had I been given the choice to choose the event… it certainly wouldn’t have been the Ladies event. It’s not that I’m unsupportive of the Ladies event; yet, I’m not exactly supportive of it either. Reason being, who am I to say what someone should do with their time and money? Who am I to persuade another’s belief? Yet, sometimes I can’t help myself to reverse the role and think… as a woman, how would I feel if there were a Men’s-only event and no Ladies event? And so, I ponder the annual WSOP gender dilemma, not forming strong opinions one way or the other, but with some basic, recurring thoughts that to me seem like matters of common sense:

• Gender Specific Events: It’s only equal that men are given their own event held at the same time with the same buy-in, structure, extra prizes and treatment. If men are unable to play with their own gender, then they’re being singled out. Sorry to burst any bubbles but if men aren’t afforded the same opportunity…then we’re hypocrites and the Ladies event should be dissolved.
• Dissenting Opinions: As they say in Texas, opinions are like assholes … everyone’s got one. Chastising other’s opinions is expecting someone else to comply with our own view. That’s not equality, it’s not freedom to choose. It’s a childish tantrum of needing to be right. Last time I checked, the WSOP wasn’t located in a Communist country. And this gender crap is turning into a narcissistic dictatorship over a piece of jewelry. A good friend of mine always asked me…do you want to be right or do you want to be happy? I won’t bore you with details on my own happiness, but I will tell you that I heard a lot of unhappy complaining this weekend.
• Men Playing the Ladies Event: Seems to me if you want change then go through the appropriate corporate channels. It’s quite simple, either be part of the solution or be part of the problem. Now we have drama, potential legal issues and remind me again… was someone seriously injured?

More…

There’s been a lot of speculation about where the regulatory-challenged NAPT would head next, as it looks to spread across the US and/or Canada after a too awesome for its own good spectacular made-for-TV debut on American soil in Nevada at the Venetian.

Word was leaking to interested parties that it would indeed be at the Bike in California, with the Gold-Strike Tunica all but ready to be locked down, too. But now we know the plans for sure — the Bike it is, November 12-17, right after the November Nine — as does any else who might have an extreme stake in the future success and expansion of the North American Poker Tour presented by PokerStars.net.

THE POKERSTARS.NET NAPT ANNOUNCES AN EXCITING NEW STOP FOR SEASON 1

The PokerStars.net North American Poker Tour (NAPT) today announced the addition of a new stop to its Season 1 schedule. The NAPT will visit beautiful sunny Southern California for NAPT Los Angeles, a festival scheduled for November 12 – 17, 2010 at one of the largest poker rooms in the world, the incredible Bicycle Casino, aka ‘The Bike’.

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Recapping Monday night’s action, with a familiar face winning his third WSOP bracelet:

Farha outlasts Flushy in 10k Omaha 8

A lengthy day three in the $10,000 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better World Championship finally concluded Tuesday morning when Sammy Farha defeated James “Flushy” Dempsey in heads-up play to earn Farha’s third WSOP bracelet along with $488,237. Dempsey earned $301,790 for the runner-up finish, passing David “Bakes” Baker and Dan Heimiller, who also cashed in this event, into the WSOP Player of the Year lead. Full results and Nolan Dalla’s tournament report are now online at wsop.com.

Grenon leads Day 3 of 1k NL

30 players remain when play resumes at 3pm for what may be the final day of the $1,000 No-Limit Holdem event with Joseph Grenon holding the chip lead with 857,000 in chips. To see the rest of the contenders, the chip counts are available at PokerNews.

Haydon leads 2500 NL 6-max

William Haydon (179,3000) leads the 156 players returning for day 2 of the $2,500 No-Limit Holdem 6-max event when play resumes at 2:30pm. 126 players will make the money, with the winner earning $630,031. To see the table draws, they’re online at PokerNews.

Tremblay leads $1500 Stud 8

Odette Tremblay (43,700) leads the 208 players returning for day two of the $1,500 Stud Hi/Lo 8 or Better event at 3pm. A field of 644 entered on Monday, with the final 64 making the money, with first taking down $208,862. The table draw is available at PokerNews.

Tuesday’s Tournaments

Already underway is the $2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event, at 5pm it’s the $10,000 Limit Holdem World Championship. Follow the updates and other happenings at PokerNews and wsop.com.

Our Team Pokerati player-correspondents may not be giving us much to talk about at the tables, but they do have the parking lot beat at 3700 W. Flamingo covered. Check it out … a few new vanity spottings seen (Just) Outside the WSOP … can you guess which one might belong to Scotty Nguyen?

Also … think there’s any connection that ♥2BLUFF is driving the PT Cruiser, not a Bentley or a Jag?