2007 38th Annual World Series of Poker
No-Limit Hold'em w/Re-Buys (Event 52)
Date:
Monday, July 02, 2007 to Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Buy-In:
$1,000
Prize Pool:
$3,226,609
Entrants:
1,048
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:06:53
Michael Graves Wins the $1,000 No-Limit Hold-Em with Rebuys
Graves raised with 
and Tran called with 
. The 
flop gave Graves a pair and an open-ended straight draw and Tran a gutshot draw along with his overcards. Graves bet 375,000, and as soon as Tran announced he was all-in Graves made the call.
The 
on the turn and 
on the turn missed Tran's hand and Michael Graves, who came to the table with the chip lead and laid low early on before making his move, won the tournament, the World Series of Poker bracelet, and $742,121. Theo Tran, who played a creative and aggressive game and made some remarkable plays down the stretch, takes home $387,193 as our runner-up.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:02:12
Tran Loses A Chance To Double Up
But through no fault of his own. Graves raised with 
and Tran called with 
. The flop came 
and Graves bet 350,000. Tran moved in, Graves called and looked to be drawing dead to a four. But the turn and river came 
and those cards played along with the Eight on the board to negate Tran's bigger kicker. The two players chopped the pot instead of Tran doubling up.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:58:08
Tran Chipping Up
So far the play has favored Tran. After Graves made a 325K raise, Tran moved in with A-Q and Graves instantly mucked his cards. On the next hand, Tran picked up A-K and won the blinds and antes with a raise.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:29:15
Heads-Up Begins
We're down to our final two players and here are the chip counts:
Michael Graves: 4,200,000
Theo Tran: 2,500,000
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:26:22
Shawn Luman is Eliminated in 3rd Place
And on one of those hands that feels like a fist slamming into your gut. Michael Graves raised with 
and Luman looked down at 
. Running low on chips there was only one move to make and Luman pushed in his stack, and after Theo Tran folded Graves made the call and saw that he was dominated.
The flop gave Graves a gutshot straight draw, and after the 
turned Luman had to watch as the dealer peeled the 
off the deck and send him crashing out of the tournament. It was a cruel way for the day to end for the former chip leader, but Luman takes home $224,249 for finishing today in third.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 19:02:19
One He'd Like Back
With the board reading 
Michael Graves made a 400K bet on the river holding two pair with 
. Theo Tran called Graves on the flop and turn with , and as Graves made the bet Tran started stacking and restacking his chips, trying to decide what to do. Folding didn't seem to appeal to him as he looked over the board, looked at Graves, and looked back at his cards.
Tran finally made the call and looked dismayed when he saw Graves turn over his two pair. That hand dropped Tran's stack down to 1.98 million and lifted Graves to the chip lead with 3.4 million.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:53:35
Graves Takes More Chips From Luman
Luman raised with 
and called when Graves re-raised with 
. Both players paired their Ace on the 
flop, and Luman chose to call Graves' bet. He also called when the 
turned, which gave Luman a flush draw and Graves top two pair. The 
hit on the river and again Graves led out, and after thinking it over Luman chose to call once again. And after seeing that he'd trailed the entire hand Luman's stack was reduced to 960,000.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:47:36
Bad Timing
Michael Graves made your standard button raise with a better-than-standard starting hand--
. Shawn Luman looked down at in the big blind and pushed out a 550K bet. Graves didn't take long to move all-in, and that prompted Luman to take a nice long visit to the tank. He stayed there for about five minutes before giving up his hand and a big chunk of his stack.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:27:26
Some High-Level Stuff
Sometimes No-Limit Hold'Em devolves into preflop shovefests, where players try to avoid making decisions by letting the cards settle the matter. The following hand does not fall into that category.
Theo Tran limped on the button with 
and Michael Graves called with 
. Shawn Luman raised from the big blind with and after Tran made the call Graves decided to get out of the way.
The 
flop missed both players, but after Luman checked Tran bet 350,000. Luman called. When the turned Luman came alive and let out for 400,000. And now Tran went into the tank. He didn't have much left behind, if he folded he'd be severely short-stacked, but if he moved in he might be drawing dead. He thought a long, long time before announcing all-in and pushing his chips forward.
Now Luman was put to the decision, but there wasn't much to decide. He tossed his cards in the muck and Tran slapped his cards down on the felt, showing his bluff. He enthusiastically scooped the massive pot with both arms and is now back in the chip lead with 2,750,000.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 18:11:30
Putting A Foot Wrong
On the button Michael Graves raised with and Shawn Luman called with . Theo Tran decided to call with 
and they saw a flop of . Graves led out and when Luman called Tran decided to fold his bottom pair. The came on the turn and when Graves bet 500K Luman decided he couldn't continue with his iffy kicker and surrendered his hand.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:52:06
Gettin' Some Cards
Shawm Luman must've eaten a leprechaun for breakfast. Over the course of play today he's had pocket Queens, Tens, Nines, Eights, and Fours, and he's also had Ace-King twice. Which at least partly explains why he's our new chip-leader with 2,800,000.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:44:23
Shawn Hattem Is Eliminated in 4th Place
Michael Graves raised with and Shawn Hattem decided to take his stand with . But one seat to his right Shawn Luman woke up with and moved all-in. Graves stepped out of the way and the 
didn't provide Hattem even a glimmer of hope. He takes home $161,330 for finishing today in fourth place.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:29:16
Tran Can't Pull The Trigger
After Shawn Luman raised with pocket Fours Theo Tran called with A-9. The flop came 
and both players checked. On the turn Tran led out and Luman called, and when the hit on the river Tran thought a bit before checking. Luman checked and turned over his Fours, and Tran got up and put his fists to his forehead, walking in circles as Luman raked in a pot he knew could've been his with a bet on the river.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:17:53
Chad Batista Is Eliminated in 5th Place
Michael Graves picked a great time to pick up Aces. Because as he raised to 85K with his , Chad Batista was looking down at . Batista raised to 325,000 and after play-acting a bit Graves moved all-in. Batista called and saw that he was in very bad shape. Which got even worse after the flop. The on the turn meant that the hand was Graves' and Chad Batista ended as our fifth-place finisher, winning $129,064.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:39:20
Kris Tate Is Eliminated in 6th Place
It seems like every big confrontation ends in an elimination. We just lost our fourth player when Kris Tate, who came into today's event as the short stack, moved in his last 165,000 with 
. Michael Graves called with pocket Fives...but Theo Tran looked down at and re-raised. Graves got out of the way and when the board ran out 
Kris Tate was our sixth-place finisher, winning $112,931.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:34:09
Isaac Haxton Is Eliminated in 7th Place
One hand after he lost that huge pot to Theo Tran, Isaac Haxton moved in on the button with . But his old nemesis Chad Batista woke up with and made the call. The put Batista in commanding position and the and 
on the turn and river meant that this was indeed the end of Haxton's day. He wins $96,798 for finishing seventh.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:27:27
Theo Tran Makes A Huge Call
After Tran raised with Isaac Haxton chose to call with . Both players checked the 
flop, and when Tran checked the 
on the turn Haxton threw out a bet. Tran called, then checked again when the hit on the river. Haxton bet 350,000 and Tran went into the tank. He thought it over for a few minutes before pushing in the chips for the call. That hand crippled Haxton, who came into play today just off the chip lead.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:17:09
Shawn Hattem Picks Up a Pot
After Chad Batista raised with pocket sixes, Shawn Hattem re-raised with pocket Aces and Theo Tran called with . The flop gave Hattem a set, but it didnâ??t get him any action as the betting was checked around. The hit on the turn and Hattem ventured a 160K bet, but both Batista and Tran wisely folded.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:05:06
So They Aren't Cursed
The third time was the charm today for pocket Tens. Shawn Luman raised to 80K and Isaac Haxton re-raised to 200,000. Luman moved in with 
, and Haxton called with . Thatâ??s the very same confrontation that sent Arnold Spee out of todayâ??s event, but this time the board read 
. Luman doubled up to 770,000, while Haxtonâ??s stack fell to the exact same amount.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 16:01:31
Arnold Spee Is Eliminated in 8th Place
Today might not be the day to play those pocket Tens. After Spee raised with Isaac Haxton raised 200K more with . Spee moved in, Haxton called, and the race was on.
The 
flop put Haxton firmly in the lead and the and on the turn and river brought an end to Spee's day. He wins $80,665 for his eighth-place finish.
Sorry for the delay in reporting, temporary technical difficulties.
Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:26:12
Thierry Cazals Is Eliminated in 9th Place
After Shawn Luman raised Theo Tran, holding , re-raised. Thierry Cazals made it another 100K to go with and after Luman folded, Tran moved all-in. Cazals made the call, saw his predicament, and the board did not help. As the first elimination of the day Cazals collects $72,599.
