2009 40th Annual World Series of Poker
World Championship Pot-Limit Hold'em (Event 45)
Date:
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 to Thursday, June 25, 2009
Buy-In:
$10,000
Prize Pool:
$2,585,000
Entrants:
275
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:31:35
Congratulations To John Kabbaj, Event #45 Champion ($633,335)
275 players started the WSOP Pot Limit Hold'em Championship three days ago in what many would call a precursor to the Main Event. In the last $10,000 event of the Series before July 3rd, a stacked field showed up to challenge the defending champion, Nenad Medic.
Down to the last 14 players to start the day, a final table was reached relatively quickly in the second level of play when Mohsin Charania was eliminated in 10th place.
The final table would turn out to be an exercise in small-ball poker, a thing you do not usually see in Pot Limit Hold'em. After days of pot-sized raises and reraises, players seemed less willing to commit themselves early in a hand. The slow play led to an interesting situation - with seven players left at the table, the average chip stack was just 14 big blinds.
With the wealth spread so thin, players were almost forced to commit themselves in any hand they decided to play for a raise. Within an hour the tournament lost four players; Eugene Todd (7th), Jason Lester (6th), J.C. Alvarado (5th) and Davidi Kitai (4th).
Another hour would pass before recent braclet winner, Eric "basebaldy" Baldwin, would be sent to the rail. He was first crippled when Kirill Gerasimov flopped two pair with 
against his 
. Left with only 420,000 he was all in (and very shortly after all out) on the next hand.
Going into the heads up match, Kirill Gerasimov had an almost 2-1 chip lead over John Kabbaj. It took Kabbaj only nine hands to find a way to double up, risking all his chips on a coin flip with 
against Gerasimov's pocket threes. Kabbaj flopped the boat and never looked back.
In the second to last hand, Kabbaj used a powerful reraise to muscle Gerasimov out of a pot (after a seven-plus minute tank). It appeared Gerasimov should have gone with the hand, as he ran into the cooler of all coolers on the final hand: aces vs. kings.
Kabbaj was on the winning end, taking home the $633,335 first-place prize and having the privilege of having his picture taken next to his first WSOP bracelet alongside pocket aces.
Congratulations to John Kabbaj, Champion of Event #45!
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:21:29
Kirill Gerasimov Eliminated in 2nd Place ($391,369)
On the 28th hand of heads-up play, the match has come to a close. Before the flop, Kirill Gerasimov raised to 435,000 from the button, and John Kabbaj made the call from the big blind.
The first three cards showed up 
, and with it would come the final betting actions of the tournament. Kabbaj led out into the pot with a bet of 400,000. Gerasimov shot a glance over at his opponent before announcing a raise. He grabbed two neat towers of green chips from his stack and made it 1,000,000 straight. Kabbaj took a sip of his beer and leaned back in his chair. He announced an all in, and Gerasimov quickly called to put his own tournament life on the line.
Showdown
Gerasimov:
Kabbaj: 
After 198 hands of final table action, it was going to take a situation like this to end the day. Gerasimov had the second-best pair, but it was only second best. Kabbaj's pocket aces were primed to bring their owner a bracelet. The turn 
was safe, and the 
that filled out the board brought a big celebration for Kabbaj.
Kirill Gerasimov was a formidable foe here today and for the last three days. Each of the final three players, including him, held the chip lead at one point. But with the big blinds and the pot limits, he was unable to seal the deal. There isn't a bracelet for second place, but nearly $400,000 is good enough for his second-largest career cash. Congratulations are certainly due for a fine performance this week.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:08:17
Heads Up - Hand #27 - Gerasimov Tanks. And Tanks. And Tanks Some More
The button is on John Kabbaj.
He limped into the pot and Kirill Gerasimov checked his option. The flop came 
. First to act, Gerasimov bet 200,000. Kabbaj called.
The turn brought the 
and Gerasimov led out again, this time for 475,000. After a minute of chip tricks, Kabbaj announced a raise and made it 1,575,000 to go.
Kirill then tanked for over seven minutes. Literally. We're not joking.
Finally he decided to fold his hand.
Gerasimov - 2,800,000
Kabbaj - 5,400,000
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:53:22
Heads Up - Hand #25
The button is on John Kabbaj.
He limped into the pot and Kirill Gerasimov raised to 460,000. Kabbaj called.
The flop came 
. Gerasimov checked and Kabbaj bet 500,000. Kirill quickly folded his hand and Kabbaj took down the pot.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:48:39
Heads Up - Hand #22: Kabbaj Uses the Check Raise
The button on Kirill Gerasimov.
He raised to 435,000. John Kabbaj made the call.
The flop came 
and after a check from Kabbaj, Gerasimov made a continuation bet of 375,000. Kabbaj then check-raised to 1,375,000.
Gerasimov tanked for a few minutes before giving up his hand.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:43:46
Heads Up - Hand #19
The button is on John Kabbaj.
He raised to 435,000 and Kirill Gerasimov makes the call. The board came 
with both players checking the flop and turn. On the river, Gerasiov checked again and Kabbaj bet 400,000. Gerasimov made the call.
Kabbaj showed 
and took down the pot.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:38:33
Heads Up - Hand #17
The button is on John Kabbaj.
He raised to 435,000. Kirill Gerasimov reraised pot for 1,205,000, inducing a fold from Kabbaj.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:36:46
Heads Up - Hand #15
The button is on John Kabbaj.
He limped into the pot and Kirill Gerasimov checked his option. The flop came 
and both players checked.
The turn brought the 
. Gerasimov led out for 220,000. Kabbaj folded 
face up.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:27:53
Heads Up - Hand #12 - Kabbaj Takes Another
The button is on John Kabbaj.
He limped in and Gerasimov checked his option. The flop came 
and both players checked. The turn brought the 
and they checked again.
The river paired the board with the 
and after a check from Gerasimov, Kabbaj bet 120,000. Gerasimov made the call.
John Shows and takes the hand.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:23:24
Heads Up - Hand #9: Kabbaj Flops Boat, Doubles
The button on Kirill Gerasimov
He raised to 320,000 and John Kabbaj reraised to 870,00 total. Gerasimov reraised pot to 2,410,000 which would put Kabbaj all in. He made the call.
Kabbaj:
Gerasimov: 
The board came 
giving Kabbaj a flopped full house. He doubles through Gerasimov.
Kabbaj - 4,420,000
Gerasimov - 3,830,000
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:19:20
Heads Up - Hand #8
The button is on John Kabbaj.
He raised 320,000 and Gerasimov made the call. The flop came and both players checked.
The turn brought the 
and Gerasimov lead out for 450,000. Kabbaj folded and Gerasimov took it down.
Kirill Gerasimov has won five of the first eight heads up pots.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:09:31
Gerasimov Takes First Hand Of Heads Up Play
Kirill Gerasimov raised 320,000 from the button and John Kabbaj called. The flop came . Kabbaj checked and after a bet from Gerasimov, Kabbaj tossed in his hand.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:07:57
Eric Baldwin Eliminated in 3rd Place ($259,534)
On the next hand after his crippling, Eric Baldwin was on the button, and he raised the pot. The 420,000-chip bet was exactly how much he had left in his stack. In the small blind, John Kabbaj raised his eyebrows and asked rhetorically, "Four twenty, huh?..." He stacked out the call, double-checked his hole cards, and slid the chips into the pot. Kirill Gerasimov ducked out from the big blind.
Showdown
Baldwin:
Kabbaj: 
Baldwin was all in and behind, and the flop was a disaster. It rolled out 
to give Kabbaj two pair and leave Baldwin drawing to a miracle. He stayed alive when the hit the turn, but he would need to find one of the two remaining sixes in the deck to stick around. The river was the though, and his two pair weren't good enough.
With aces up, Kabbaj has knocked off Eric Baldwin in 3rd place. Baldwin made another great run through this field, but he falls just two spots short of picking up his second bracelet this year. Still, $259,534 is something to be proud of.
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:02:19
Kirill Gerasimov Doubles Up; Baldwin Crippled
Kirill Gerasimov raised to 300,000 from the button. Eric Baldwin called from the small blind and John Kabbaj got out of the way.
The flop came 
and after a check from Baldwin, Gerasimov bet 375,000. Baldwin then check-raised pot 1,400,000 more. Gerasimov moved all in and Baldwin called.
Baldwin:
Gerasimov:
The board filled out 
allowing Gerasimov to double up huge with two pair, aces and nines.
Gerasimov - 5,500,000
Baldwin - 420,000
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:52:49
Gerasimov Pushes Baldwin Out
Baldwin raised to 285,000 from the button. Kabbaj folded his small blind and Kirill Gerasimov reraised pot. Baldwin tossed his cards into the muck and Gerasimov took it down.
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:48:40
John Kabbaj Doubles Through Kirill Gerasimov
After a series of raises between the blinds, John Kabbaj (sb) is all in against Kirill Gerasimov (bb).
Gerasimov:
Kabbaj:
The board came 
giving Kabbaj a full house and the pot.
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:42:21
Baldwin Takes a Huge Pot After River Check Raise.
Eric Baldwin raised to 335,000 from the small blind and John Kabbaj made the call.
The flop came 
and both players checked. The turn brought the and Baldwin bet out 365,000. Kabbaj called.
The river was the . After a check from Baldwin, Kabbaj bet 650,000. Baldwin then check raised all in for an additional 740,000.
Kabbaj took of his sunglasses and stared Baldwin down. He thought for another minute and a half and laid down his hand.
Baldwin - 3,200,000
Kabbaj - 1,215,000
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:29:49
Chippies
Kirill Gerasimov - 3,845,000
John Kabbaj - 2,565,000
Eric Baldwin - 1,850,000
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:28:59
We're Back
Play resumes three handed.
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:08:08
Breakdown
We've played two levels, and it's time for a little after-dinner break. We'll be back in 20 minutes.
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:01:12
Kirill Gerasimov Takes the Chip Lead
John Kabbaj raised to 300,000 from the small blind and Kirill Gerasimov called from the big blind.
The flop came and Kabbaj lead out for 375,000. Gerasimov responded with a min-raise to 750,000. Kabbaj went into the tank for at least three minutes before eventually mucking his hand.
Kirill Gerasimov takes the chip lead with that hand as he moved to 3,900,000
