We have now passed the half way line in the 2007 World Series, and some of the more exciting events are fast approaching, such as the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship and the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E Championship, which last year produced one of the highest quality final tables of all time. In the meantime however, there is still plenty of money and jewellery to be won.
Event #27: $1,500 No-Limit Hold’em. The numerous low buy-in No-Limit Hold’em tournaments are proving enduring popular, with 2,315 players making this one of the biggest so far. The final table was completely devoid of big-name star players, which made the atmosphere much more friendly than usual. David Stucke was the man who triumphed in the end, beating Young Cho to take down the $603,069 first prize.
Event #28: $3,000 No-Limit Hold’em. Phil Hellmuth made his second final table of the 2007 WSOP, but started with just $213,000 in chips compared to the chip leader, Dustin Holmes, who had $1,076,000. Loads of top still turned up at the rail to watch, and with Phil Ivey busy making prop bets on just about anything at the rail Hellmuth set about trying to win his 12th bracelet. He got off to a good start, doubling up twice in the first two hours and by the fifth hour he was up to over $600,000 in chips. But Hellmuth’s run came to an end when he called Beth Shak’s all-in on a Q-T-6 flop with A-T, only to see Shak flip over K-Q. Hellmuth couldn’t catch his outs and he was eliminated in 6th. Hellmuth actually ended up down $32,526 for the tournament, despite winning $76,464 in prize money, because of insurance bets he made with Phil Ivey. Ivey, having collected over $100,000 from Hellmuth during the final table, won more than sixth place finisher Ben Fineman! With the Hellmtuh distraction now gone the remaining players got down to business, and it came down to a heads-up battle between Beth Shak and Shankar Pillai. A win by Beth Shak would make history as the first time two women had won bracelets on the same day, but she fell just short. On a T-8-3 board Shak opened the betting by moving all-in, something she had done throughout the final table, and Pillai went into the tank. Pillai took over a minute to make his decision, but finally decided to call. Shak turned over K-8, but Pillai turned over A-8 for a masterful call. It was enough to win him the $527,829 first prize.
Event #29: $1,500 Seven Card Razz. Katja Thater became the first women winner of a bracelet at this years WSOP when she took down the quirky Razz tournament. The German pro beat Larry St. Jean in the heads-up stage to collect the $132,653 first prize one of the professional’s most coveted bracelets.