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July 18th 2006
WSOP Update: Event #23 - $3000 Limit Hold’em
Event #23 was possibly one of the quietest events of the 2006 WSOP so far. With just 341 players entered and a relatively low profile field, it seemed the big time pros were having a rest, and the WSOP newcomers that swelled certain fields to over 1500 simply weren’t willing to stump up $3000 for a Limit Hold’em event.
Play began with the Ian Johns leading the relatively unheralded final table below:
1 - Tad Jurgens $61,000
2 - Mark Newhouse $106,000
3 - Fi Tran $31,000
4 - Ben Robinson $103,000
5 - Ian Johns $207,000
6 - Brendan Taylor $155,000
7 - Javier Torresola $132,000
8 - Jerrod Ankenman $161,000
9 - Theo Tran $74,000
Fi Tran, shortstack from the very start was the first to go. Unable to get the luck he needed to double though Tran found himself all-in with As-3s against Brendan Taylor’s Ad-Kd. He didn’t improve and left in ninth place.
It looked like the other Tran would be next to go. All-in pre-flop Theo ended up head-to-head with Jarrod Ankenman on a board showing 7-7-6-5. When the cards were flipped it was clear he was in bad shape, with Jarrod’s J-J all over his K-3. Only a four (for the straight) or a king could help him and to his utter delight it was a king that fell on the river.
Theo was still thanking the poker gods for his miraculous escape when Ben “Kid Rock” Robinson was knocked out in 8th place. He must have thought he was set for a double up when all in with Ac-Js on a board of As-9s-4s but Ian Johns flipped over Ad-Qd. He could still win with a spade on the turn or river, but none arrived.
Without a doubt this was a lively table, with the cards falling perfectly to entice some exciting play. Perhaps no-one was more excited that Theo Tran, as he rode his luck once again when all-in with A-7 against two opponents. They both checked down to the river and turned over A-Q for an identical ace high. Tran however had hit a 7 on the flop to triple up. “I’ve been a lucky fish,” he exclaimed as he raked in the chips.
Less happy was Brendan Taylor. He lost two massive pots, first with 9-9 v J-J, and then he ran into pocket kings. His stack was crippled, and he went out to an unfortunate beat a few hands later. With top pair on the flop he was favourite to win against Tad Jurgens, but Jurgens hit a straight on the river to knock him out in 7th.
Jurgens himself then fell foul to a bit of bad fortune, in that he was dealt pocket kings when an opponent had pocket aces. A relatively unthreatening board encouraged him to put all his money in on the turn, and he didn’t get the help he wanted on the river.
Meanwhile Tran was busy dicing with the end of his tournament. Twice he was nearly eliminated; twice he lived to fight again. Not so Mark Newhouse however, who was eliminated in fifth place. Shortly afterwards there was more drama for Tran who folded pocket nines to a bet from Ian Johns on the turn only to see a nine on the river that would have won him the pot. Shaken, and down to less than $10k in chips Tran then doubled up with pocket queens to keep himself in the battle.
Eventually, at around 6pm, it appeared Tran had used up all nine of his lives, and after re-raising all-in preflop he mucked his cards when Ian Johns and Jerrod Ankenman showed AT and AK respectively to chop a pot on the board of 3-2-2-3-J.
With three players left Johns led with $530,000 and Javier Torresola and Jerrod Ankenman were tied on $240,000.
That situation didn’t last long. First Jerrod Ankenman took a huge pot of Ian Johns when he turned a flush to beat Ian Johns’ flopped straight. Then, just a few minutes later, Johns tangled with Javier Torresola. This time the cards were with Johns as he turned a broadway straight.
Torresola was crippled as a result of that beat and exited soon after. He raised all-in for his last $30k and was called by both Johns and Ankenman. Both players checked down a board showing 8-8-6-4-2 and Ankenman won with A-6.
At this point the crowd got a little treat, when Greg Raymer, 2004 WSOP Champion, turned up to support his friend Jerrod Ankenman. Before long Raymer has been encouraged to take over the announcing duties, with Ian Johns, one of the top ranked Internet players in the world, doesn’t seem to mind.
Indeed he may have even begun to enjoy it more than Ankenman when he doubled up twice in quick succession and went on to take the chip lead from after being down to just $100,000 at the beginning of heads-up.
Then, almost immediately after returning from a break, Ian Johns turned a straight to take a 4:1 chip lead over Ankenman. A few hands later and it was all over, Johns hitting an ace on the river to make two pair: aces and twos.
Johns won $291,755 to go with his first WSOP bracelet. Ankenman picked up $150,586 for second place.
Submitted: 18/07/2006 15:42:41
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