Poker news source: CardPlayer Magazine - http://www.cardplayer.com
Day 2 of the Turks and Caicos Poker Classic
BY: JULIO RODRIGUEZ
PUBLISHED: Thursday Sep 27, 2007 07:18 PM
Big Names Survive as the Field Rapidly Busts
The World Poker Tour’s Turks and Caicos Poker Classic was originally scheduled to play for six days. But after a low turnout of 137 players and a day 1aAcancellation it looks like it will be over in just four.
Eighty-four players came in to today’s action looking to put themselves in position to grab a seat at the final table. With only nine spots getting paid, the play started out aggressively as players looked to either accumulate early or hit the beach. In the first level alone, we lost 17 players. Among the early casualties were Mike Matusow, Nenad “Serb” Medic, Bill Edler and Fred Goldberg.
Rami "ARBIANIGHT" Boukai (pictured left), bullied his table with bets and raises to build a massive stack and end the day with the chip lead at $235,700.
Well-known online player Matt “SamENole” Smith played most of day one short stacked and day two was no different. Eventually, Lou White raised from under the gun to $4,400 and Smith moved all in from middle position for $6,100. White called with A A and Smith showed 6 6 needing improvement to stay alive. The board came 10 8 7 5 J and Smith missed all of his ten outs on the river to head to the rail.
Steve Buckner has made a name for himself on the WPT tournament trail, although he hasn’t exactly done it with his performances. The self-proclaimed “rookie” is best known for his loud antics, shouting “one time” every time he is all in, singing his favorite song “I’m in love with a stripper,” or just calling everyone he meets “Cuz.” Buckner yelled his trademark “one time” so many times that the rest of the tournament began to ask the dealers to bust him….just one time.
In fact, one player laid down a huge hand to Buckner just so he wouldn’t have to hear him yell. On a flop of 7 6 5, Buckner's opponent bet $2,200. Buckner moved all in for an additional $5,000 and his opponent mucked 6 3 face up. The table was surprised, until he explained that the last person he wanted to double up was Buckner. Buckner showed top two pair and dragged the pot with his usual chatter. Eventually, the players got what they asked for and Buckner’s A-K failed to improve against Mark Seif’s pocket deuces.
Gavin Smith and Joe Sebok spent half of the day sitting just a few chairs from each other at the same table. Smith hung on with a short stack and eventually tripled up with A-K against A-Q and K-Q in a three way all in. When the table was broken, Sebok was moved to a stacked table featuring big stack Seif. Four players limped into the pot and the flop came out 10 8 2. Alan Sass bet $2,500 from the small blind and seat four folded in the big blind. Sebok called and Seif raised an additional $10,000. Sass got out of the way and Sebok moved all in. Seif went into the tank for quite some time as he agonized over the decision. He eventually called and Sebok flipped up 10 6. Seif slammed J 10 down on the table and the turn and river came K A giving Seif the massive pot and eliminating Sebok from the tournament.
Smith joined another table and quickly added some fireworks of his own. Hieu Nguyen raised from late position to $3,500 and Quentin Jones called from the small blind, as did Smith from the big blind. The flop came Q 10 8, and all three players checked. The turn card was the 7. Jones checked and Smith bet $7,700. Only Nguyen called and the river card was the 6. Smith bet $9,900 and once again Nguyen made the call. Smith flipped over 10 9 for the nuts, the ten-high straight flush and raked the pot
Alan “TheUsher” Sass made a late push, doubling through Johan Storakers. Sass raised from middle position to $3,500 and both Donavan Ryan and Storakers called from the blinds. The flop came A J 10 and Sass bets $6,600. Ryan called and Storakers asked for a count on Sass before announcing he was all in, which represented the rest of Sass’ $50,000 stack. Sass very quietly made the call and Ryan folded. Storakers showed A J, but Sass flopped the nuts with K Q. The turn and river came 9 10 to give Sass the pot and more than double him up.
Thirty players will come back tomorrow at 2 p.m. EDT to play five more levels and possibly down to the final six players, giving them an unexpected day off on Saturday.
Here are the top ten chip counts for the end of day 2.
1. Rami Boukai - $235,700
2. Erik Cajelais - $208,100
3. Chris Smith - $181,600
4. Alan "The Usher" Sass - $177,100
5. Trevor Hebert - $175,000
6. Johan Storakers - $147,500
7. Jumphol Srinak - $145,100
8. Isaac Baron - $132,700
9. Will "The Thrill" Failla - $126,500
10. Donovan Ryan - $125,500 |
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