2009 40th Annual World Series of Poker
World Championship Pot-Limit Omaha (Event 40)
Date:
Saturday, June 20, 2009 to Monday, June 22, 2009
Buy-In:
$10,000
Prize Pool:
$2,773,000
Entrants:
295
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:37:53
Matt Graham Wins $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha World Championship ($679,379)
Well it was a long, grueling day of poker and we expected nothing less when we started out today with 25 of the finest pot-limit Omaha players in the world, as they came together to battle it out for the coveted gold.
They fell away fast in the early stages, but once the final table was set, it was a tough battle that took enormous amounts of concentration, focus, and stamina.
By 4:30am the two most aggressive players remained, but in the end, only one could be crowned champion. A spirited heads-up battle started dead even, saw Graham crippled and then recover through a series of double-ups to get himself back into the contest and ultimately in front when the cards finally fell his way.
Well done to Vitaly Lunkin on yet another impressive WSOP performance and congratulations to Matt Graham our $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Champion!
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:35:46
Vitaly Lunkin Eliminated In 2nd Place ($419,832)
On a limped flop of 
, Graham check-raised pot against Lunkin's 120,000 bet, making it 480,000 more. Lunkin made the call and there was 1.2 million in the pot.
The turn was the 
and Graham led out for 1.1 million. Lunkin moved all in and Graham called.
Graham: 
Lunkin: 
Lunkin had a gutshot and a flush draw against Graham's set of tens, which were in the lead. The river was the 
and after a quick countdown it was confirmed that Lunkin had fewer chips and was out in second place.
Lunkin quietly went over and shook Graham's hand with a smile, graceful in defeat.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:25:28
Graham Doubles and Regains the Chip Lead
Lunkin raises to 300,000 and Graham pots it. Lunkin sets him in and Graham calls.
Lunkin shows 
and Graham has 
.
"This was the hand we were waiting for," shouts one of Matt's friends, "wait until Vitaly has aces and trap him!"
The flop comes 
giving Lunkin top two and Graham top pair and a full wrap. The turn is the 
and Graham now has the straight. The river is the 
and Graham doubles up to about 4.5 million once more...retaking the chip lead.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:19:37
Graham Continues to Fight
Matt Graham limped into the pot from the button and Vitaly Lunkin checked his option in the big blind.
The flop landed 
and Lunkin checked to Graham, who fired 175,000. Lunkin made the call.
The turn was the and Lunkin checked again to Graham, who continued the aggression with a bet of 450,000 to take it down.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:12:39
Graham Doubles...Again
Pot and repot, Graham gets it all in against Lunkin once more.
Graham: 
Lunkin: 
The board comes 
, Graham's queens and fours winning over Lunkin's tens and nines for another double-up.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:06:34
Graham Stays Alive
Matt Graham raised the pot from the button, Vitaly Lunkin announced he was all in and Graham called off the last of his chips.
Graham: 
Lunkin: 
The board ran out 
and Graham found a double-up to stay alive. He's back to 1.2 million but still has a long road ahead.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:04:05
Lunkin Doubles
Vitaly Lunkin raises to 300,000 and Graham repots it and Lunkin moves all in. Graham calls and it's the classic A-K vs. queens race, erm...sort of.
Graham: 
Lunkin: 
The flop is an absolute action killer: 
. Lunkin flops the nuts with the nut-flush draw, and Graham needs runner-runner. The turn is the giving him a shot but the river is the and Lunkin has 8.25 million and Graham has just 600,000.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:56:51
Small One for Graham
Vitaly Lunkin raised to 300,000 from the button and Matt Graham called in the big blind.
The flop fell 
and both players checked. The turn brought the and Graham led at the pot with a bet of 450,000 to take it down.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:53:26
Hate the Player, Not the Waiter
Oops. Before I thought it was the waiter who had thrown a bag of beef jerky into Scott Seiver's eye. It wasn't, it was actually one of the players at the final table.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:49:12
Chip Count Update
Matt Graham - 5,000,000
Vitaly Lunkin - 3,850,000
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:48:19
Another Big One For Graham
Lunkin raises to 250,000 and Graham reraises pot once more to 750,000. Lunkin calls and the flop is 
, Graham bets 950,000 and Lunkin folds.
Graham has managed to retake the chip lead.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:44:05
Graham Finds Some Noise
Vitaly Lunkin raised to 250,000 from the button before Matt Graham popped it up another 500,000 from the big blind. Lunkin made call and they saw a flop of .
Graham bet the pot for 1.5 million and Lunkin gave it up to the roars of the Graham fan club in the audience.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:42:28
Another For Graham
Graham limps in and Lunkin checks his option to see a flop. Lunkin checks and Graham bets 150,000 which the Russian calls speedily.
The turn is the and Lunkin checks a second time carefully eyeing up his young opponent. Graham bets 425,000 and Lunkin quietly releases his hand.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:38:36
Sparring
Lunkin limps for 100,000 and Matt Graham raises to 300,000 which is enough to get rid of the Russian.
Matt Graham makes it 250,000 once more from the button and Lunkin makes the call.
The flop is and Lunkin checks to the raiser, who bets 300,000. Lunkin checks and rechecks his cards before eventually folding.
Lunkin raises the pot the next hand to win the blinds.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:29:23
Graham Doubles
Matt Graham limped the button and Vitaly Lunkin checked in the big blind. The flop fell 
and both checked.
The 
was the turn and Lunkin checked to Graham who fired 150,000. Lunkin again made the call.
The river brought the and Lunkin led out with a bet before Graham moved all in. Lunkin called and the cards were tabled.
Graham:
Lunkin: 
It was straight over straight, with Graham's nine-high straight taking the pot and the double up! He's back to 3.2 million with Lunkin still in the lead.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:20:09
Graham Continues to Slide
A now rather disgruntled Matt Graham raised to 250,000 from the button and Vitaly Lunkin made the call in the big blind.
The flop fell 
and Lunkin checked to Graham who fired 325,000. Lunkin raised it up to 1 million and Graham insta-folded.
Chip counts:
Vitaly Lunkin - 6,450,000
Matt Graham - 2,400,000
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:15:48
Lunkin Doubles Up
Lunkin raises to 250,000 and wins Graham's big blind.
Graham raises to 250,000 and Lunkin folds.
Lunkin limps in and Graham checks. The flop is , Graham checks and Lunkin bets 125,000. Graham pots it, Lunkin repots and they get it all-in.
Lunkin: for bottom two pair and the nut flush draw.
Graham: for top two pair.
The turn is the making Lunkin the flush and the river is the and the five or six Russian fans go mental.
Lunkin has a big chip lead now.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:10:36
Graham Flushed with Chips
Matt Graham limped the button and Vitaly Lunkin checked in the big blind.
The flop fell and Lunkin checked over to Graham who fired 125,000. Lunkin made the call.
The turn was the and both players checked. The river landed the . Lunkin checked once again to Graham who slid 425,000 into the middle. Again Lunkin called and Graham tabled 
for the flush.
Lunkin flashed the 
and mucked. Graham is certainly getting the better of this heads-up contest so far. He's up to 5.65 million with Lunkin back to 3.2 million.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:06:00
Graham's River Bet Is Enough
Lunkin makes it 250,000 from the button and Graham makes the call in the big blind.
The flop is and both players check, the turn is the and again both players check. The river is the and Graham bets the pot of 500,000 and Lunkin makes the fold.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:02:42
Graham Straight to Chip Lead
Matt Graham raised to 250,000 from the button and Vitaly Lunkin called in the big blind.
They saw a flop of and both players checked. The turn brought the and Lunkin checked but this time Graham fired out a bet of 280,000. Lunkin deliberately cut out calling chips and slid them into the middle.
The river landed the and after another check from Lunkin, Graham made it 750,000 to go. Lunkin quickly called but couldn't better the of Graham for the queen-high straight. Lunkin reluctantly handed over the chips and the chip lead in a massive swing.
Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:57:10
Lunkin Going Nowhere.
Limped pot with a board. It's checked to Lunkin who bets 150,000 and Graham reraises to 550,000. Lunkin reraises pot Graham quickly folds.
