2009 40th Annual World Series of Poker
World Championship NL 2-7 Draw Lowball (Event 23)
Date:
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 to Friday, June 12, 2009
Buy-In:
$10,000
Prize Pool:
$902,400
Entrants:
96
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:26:04
Congratulations to Nick Schulman, Event #23 Champion ($279,742)
Nick Schulman has won two World Poker Tour titles. He regularly crushes high-stakes cash games, both live and online. He has over $3.8 million in career tournament earnings and at age 24 is already a veteran on the felt. But until just moments ago, he didn't have a WSOP bracelet.
Schulman was a quiet, steady presence in this tournament, which drew a stacked field and some of poker's biggest personalities. Schulman entered the final table fourth in chips, but surged into the lead when he eliminated Steve Sung in third place, his T-7-5-4-3 just outrunning Sung's T-8-5-4-3. Schulman ended up heads-up with Ville Wahlbeck at a 2-1 chip advantage and never lost the lead.
Major, major props go out to runner-up Ville Wahlbeck, the Finnish sensation that is simply tearing up the WSOP. Now the leader in the Player of the Year Race, Wahlbeck has cashed four times in four $10,000 buy-in events, making three final tables and winning his first bracelet in the $10,000 World Championship Mixed Event.
Congratulations to Nick Schulman on his first WSOP bracelet and a tournament well-played.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:22:31
Ville Wahlbeck Eliminated in 2nd Place ($172,864)
What an end to this tournament! Nick Schulman opened from the button for the standard 75,000 chips, then called a reraise from Ville Wahlbeck to 250,000. On the draw, both players took one card.
With the draw completed, Wahlbeck had first action. He moved all in and was double-fist-pump-snap-called by Schulman, who turned over Number One (7-5-4-3-2)! It was overkill, as a deflated Wahlbeck opened a stone bluff, 9-9-8-5-2.
Wahlbeck's quest for his second bracelet of the 2009 WSOP comes up just a bit short. He will earn $172,864 for second place.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:18:42
Wahlbeck's King is Good
Ville Wahlbeck raised to 75,000 and Nick Schulman made the call. Schulman drew one card while Wahlbeck drew two. Both players checked after the draw.
Wahlbeck's K-9-5-4-3 was good, Schulman mucking his hand.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:15:29
Wahlbeck Fires Back
..and just like that the 200,000 chips go back to Ville Wahlbeck. He made the standard 75,000-chip open, then drew one after Nick Schulman called and drew two. After the draw, Schulan checked to Wahlbeck, who bet 140,000.
So far in heads-up, when Wahlbeck has bet after the draw he hasn't had anything less than a 10. The same held true here, with Schulman tank-calling and muck upon being shown Wahlbeck's 9-8-7-3-2.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:09:42
Schulman Pressing
Ville Wahlbeck can ill afford any 200,000-chip swings. He gave up another one to Nick Schulman. It was a 75,000-chip pre-draw raise by Wahlbeck that was called by Schulman. Schulman drew one card before Wahlbeck took two.
After the draw, Schulman made it 120,000 to go. Wahlbeck called and mucked when Schulman turned over a ten perfect, 10-5-4-3-2.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 20:00:29
Back to Schulman Go the Chips
The players are passing 75,000 chips back and forth. It was Schulman's turn to collect them, calling a raies from Ville Wahlbeck and drawing 2 to Wahlbeck's 1. After the draw, Schulman led out for 150,000 and induced a fold.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:58:31
Schulman Picking Up Momentum
Ville Wahlbeck raised to 75,000 and Nick Schulman called. Schulman drew one card while Wahlbeck drew two.
Schulman led out for 150,000 after the draw and Walhbeck called. Schulman showed down 9-8-7-5-4, Walhbeck mucked and Schulman took it down.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:52:52
Back to Work
It's another 75,000 chips for Ville Wahlbeck. That was his pre-draw raise that Nick Schulman called. Both players drew one then checked. Wahlbeck won the pot with J-9-6-3-2.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:49:43
Walhbeck Folds to the Shove
Ville Wahlbeck made it 75,000 to go and Nick Schulman called. Schulman drew two cards while Wahlbeck drew one.
Schulman check-raised Wahlbeck's 125,000 bet all in, chasing him out of the pot.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:47:10
Two Showdowns in a Row for Wahlbeck
Nick Schulman opened his button to 75,000 again. Again Ville Wahlbeck called. Each player took one card, with Wahlbeck then once again leading out for 125,000. Schulman called but couldn't beat Wahlbeck's 10-8-7-4-3.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:43:00
Wahlbeck Picks up 200k
Nick Schulman opened for 75,000 and Ville Wahlbeck called. Both players drew one card.
Wahlbeck led out for 125,000 after the draw and Schulman called.
Wahlbeck's T-9-7-4-3 was good and he took down the pot.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:38:01
More Chips to Schulman
Every pot is vital to Ville Wahlbeck now. If he wants to make a comeback, he can't lose many at all. He opened to 75,000 and was called by Nick Schulman. Schulman took one card on the draw, while Wahlbeck stood pat.
Both players checked the second betting round. Schulman tabled 10-9-6-4-3, besting Wahlbeck's J-8-7-4-2.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:35:57
Updated Chip Counts
Nick Schulman - 2,366,000
Ville Wahlbeck - 509,000
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:34:44
Play Resumes
Card are back in the air. Is this the final level?
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:15:39
Players Take a 15-Minute Break
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:08:51
Schulman Surges Ahead
We've finally had our first sizable pot of heads-up play. Ville Wahlbeck opened the button to 60,000, then called after Nick Schulman re-raised to 200,000. Schulman rapped pat before Wahlbeck took one card.
Once the draw was complete, Schulman led out for 260,000. Wahlbeck rubbed his forehead as he double-checked the card he received on the draw. He glanced up at Schulman briefly while absent-mindedly riffling his chips and trying to discern the correct action. After a minute he called. Showdown!
Schulman: 9-7-5-4-3
Wahlbeck: muck
It's a huge setback for Wahlbeck, knocking back almost half of his stack.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:05:22
Ship it to Finland
Nick Schulman opened for 60,000 and Ville Wahlbeck called. Wahlbeck drew two cards while Schulman took one. Both players checked after the draw.
Schulman's Q-T-8-6-4 fell to Wahlbeck's T-7-6-4-3 and the Finn dragged the pot.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:56:09
Small Pots
It was Nick Schulman's turn with the button and therefore his turn to open to 60,000. Ville Wahlbeck called and drew two. Schulman took one card, at which point a camera flash went off.
"Just a reminder, no flash photography please," announced TD Brooks Turk. It's the first admonition against flash photography we've heard this year, a nice change from last year (when the announcement was made several times a day).
After the draw both players checked. Schulman opened J-8-5-4-2 to take down the pot.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:52:47
T-9 Nice for Nick
Nick Schulman opened for 60,000 and Ville Wahlbeck called. Wahlbeck rapped pat while Schulman drew one.
Wahlbeck checked, Schulman bet 100,000 and Wahlbeck looked him up.
Schulman turned over T-9-5-4-2, Wahlbeck mucked and Schulman took it down.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:50:55
Even Steven
We're two hands into heads-up, with each player taking down one pot. On the first hand, Nick Schulman opened for 60,000, then folded to a re-raise to 200,000 by Ville Wahlbeck. The next hand, Wahlbeck opened to 60,000 and Schulman called. Schulman drew one; Wahlbeck stood pat. Schulman fired out for 110,000 after the draw to take down the pot.
Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:45:57
Heads-Up Chip Counts
We'll either be crowning a first-time WSOP champion or will have our second double-bracelet winner of the year at the end of this heads-up match. Here's how they'll start off:
Nick Schulman 1,916,000
Ville Wahlbeck 964,000
