2009 40th Annual World Series of Poker
H.O.R.S.E. (Event 31)
Date:
Sunday, June 14, 2009 to Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Buy-In:
$1,500
Prize Pool:
$1,051,050
Entrants:
770
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:47:11
Congratulations to James Van Alstyne, Event #31 Champion!
It seemed as though everyone watching was going through a little bit of deja vu as James Van Alstyne was heads up in a H.O.R.S.E. tournament for the second time within one week's time.
In Event #21, $3,000 H.O.R.S.E., Van Alstyne went to battle with Zac Fellows, but came out in second place. Under five days later, he was right back in the final two of another mixed game event. His chip lead going into heads-up play was greater against the much shorter stacked Tad Jurgens. The buy in was also a little smaller this time around, but James was able to finish things off and come out victorious.
Once he grabbed hold of the chip lead, it was smooth sailing for Van Alstyne. He ran over his opponents with powerful play and strong hands en route to capturing his first World Series gold bracelet! Along with the bracelet comes nearly $250,000 in prize money to add to his already $3 million plus in career tournament earnings.
Congratulations to everyone and especially to the winner, James Van Alstyne. It was a victory well deserved.
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:39:18
Tad Jurgens Eliminated in 2nd Place ($152,654); James Van Alstyne Wins Event 31!
Stud:
Jurgens: 
/ 
/ 
Van Alstyne: 
/ 
/ 
Split deuces must have looked like a monster to Tad Jurgens. With only two-and-a-half big bets in his stack, he had no choice but to raise after James Van Alstyne completed the bring-in. Van Alstyne called the raise, called a bet on fourth street, and then called Jurgen's all in on fifth street.
"Gimme an ace, right here!" Jurgens pleaded with the dealer on sixth street. But it was instead Van Alstyne who paired tens, giving Jurgens the river sweat. When Jurgens failed to improve, he was out in second place, banking $152,654 for the honor.
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:33:01
Bad Luck for Jurgens
Tad Jurgens can't stop catching the bring-in bet in razz and stud. With no viable cards to play, he's down to about 200,000.
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:23:46
Jurgens in Trouble
Omaha Hi/Lo:
Tad Jurgens is down to a mere five big bets remaining in his stack after mucking at showdown against James Van Alstyne. Jurgens check-called the 
flop, bet the turn and was called, then check-called the 
river. Van Alstyne showed down 
for a queen-high straight to drag the pot.
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:21:12
Van Alstyne Amps Up the Aggression
Heads-up play started with chip counts of 2.485 million for James Van Alstyne and 980,000 for Tad Jurgens. Van Alstyne has been opening almost every pot with a raise and has ground Jurgens down to 700,000.
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:15:16
Mitch Schock Eliminated in 3rd Place ($100,165)
Stud Hi/Lo:
Schock: 
/ 
/
Van Alstyne: 
/ 
/ 
Down to just 325,000, Mitch Schock could play one hand to the river. The hand he chose to play couldn't have gone worse. Schock led out on fourth street and fifth street, with James Van Alstyne calling each time. On sixth street, Schock bet again. This time Van Alstyne raised enough to put Schock all in. He called and saw that he was drawing dead for both halves of the pot.
Schock's elimination paves the way for a heads-up match between James Van Alstyne and Tad Jurgens. This is the second time that Van Alstyne has been heads-up in a H.O.R.S.E. tournament during the 2009 WSOP; he finished runner-up to Zach Fellows in the $3,000 event.
Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:08:54
Slowdown
It's harder to push the action in fixed-limit poker than it is in no-limit or pot-limit poker. Although James Van Alstyne has more than half the chips in play, he seems to be playing cautiously and looking for the best spot to wound Mitch Schock and Tad Jurgens. And with Jurgens and Schock relatively short, they're probably grateful for the slow pace. We haven't made it past third street in ten minutes.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:55:44
Schock Slipping Towards Oblivion
Razz:
Just like that, Mitch Schock's stack is cut almost in half to 450,000. He played a pot all the way to the river against James Van Alstyne. Van Alstyne turned up an 8-7 low, out-pipping Schock's 9-8 low.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:51:52
Play Resumes
Cards are back in the air. Will we make it to the next break?
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:47:17
Updated Chip Counts
James Van Alstyne - 1,840,000
Tad Jurgens - 820,000
Mitch Schock - 805,000
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:32:08
Break Time
Players are on a twenty-minute break. The orange (1,000) chips are being removed from the table during this break.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:28:52
Van Alstyne Widens the Lead
Razz:
The pot started slowly between James Van Alstyne and Mitch Schock. On fifth street, Schock checked x-x / 2-3-K to Van Alstyne's x-x/ 9-2-K, then called a bet. Schock paired threes on sixth to an ace for Van Alstyne, effectively ending the hand.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:12:49
One Pot to Van Alstyne, One Pot to Schock
Hold'em:
James Van Alstyne wins the first hold'em pot from Mitch Schock; Schock takes the second. In his win, Van Alstyne led the betting all the way on a board of 
and turned up 
at showdown. In Schock's pot, the action was checked on the river of a board. Schock took the pot with 
.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:04:32
Bryan Micon Eliminated in 4th Place ($69,505)
Stud Hi/Lo:
Bryan Micon was all in on third street against James Van Alstyne. Quickly, the cards came out:
Micon: / 
/
Van Alstyne: 
/ 
/
Aces and sixes for Van Alstyne beat Micon's sevens and treys. Micon is out in fourth place, and with his departure 75% of the gallery has left as well.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:56:26
Micon Slips Below 100K
Stud:
Micon: x-x / 
/ x
Van Alstyne: x-x / 
/ x
It's not looking good for Micon. He completed third and led fourth street, then called all the way down from there against James Van Alstyne. Van Alstyne turned up 
to take the pot with two pair.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:44:42
Micon Slips into the Dank Position
Razz:
Micon: x-x / 4-3-8-9 / x
Van Alstyne x-x / 4-8-2-7 / x
Bryan Micon was the aggressor on all streets except the river. On the river, James Van Alstyne led out and Micon called. Van Alstyne showed 5-6-7 in the hole for a very good seven. Micon mucked.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:37:48
Updated Chip Counts
James Van Alstyne - 925,000
Tad Jurgens - 923,000
Mitch Schock - 900,000
Bryan Micon - 665,000
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:35:39
Shannon Shorr Eliminated in 5th Place ($50,881)
Razz:
Mitch Schock brought it in, then reraised to put Shannon Shorr all in after Shorr completed the 
. Shorr called and we started flipping cards:
Shorr: / /
Schock: 
/ 
/
Q-8-7-5-A for Schock was good enough to eliminate Shorr, who mustered only K-J-4-3-A. Shorr leaves with almost $51,000 in prize money.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:29:34
Shorr(ter)
Omaha Hi/Lo:
Bryan Micon's in the small blind and Shannon Shorr is in the 25,000 big blind. The pot is limped by Tad Jurgens. Micon folds, and then inexplicably so does Shorr.
"You know he just limped, right?" Micon asked Shorr. Shorr just buried his face in his hands.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:28:31
Schock's Turn to Be Quartered
Omaha Hi/Lo:
Bryan Micon was in the big blind for a preflop raise by Mitch Schock. Micon called. Both players checked through a flop of 
. Micon led the turn and the river . Schock called each bet. Both players had the same low, ace-six, but Micon took the high half with tens and fours.
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:25:46
Shorr(t)
Omaha Hi/Lo:
Shannor Shorr raised preflop and was called by the resurgent Tad Jugrens. On a flop of 
, Jurgens led into Shorr. Shorr raised, leaving himself just 85,000 behind. Jurgens called, then led again when the hit the turn. Shorr folded to that bet. He's hurting for chips.
