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[mikedshelton]

Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:58:00 Title: Mike Matusow Wins the 2005 WSOP Tournament of Champions ($1,000,000) Log: Mike Matusow wins the 2005 WSOP Tournament of Champions, taking home $1 million, a very cool trophy, a TV victory that will air on Christmas Eve, and a crapload of bragging rights. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:56:00 Title: Mike Matusow Wins! Log: Hand 207 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Ks-Kc-9c, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $20,000, and Matusow folds. Hand 208 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Hand 209 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, Matusow raises to $60,000, and Corkins calls. The flop comes Ks-Js-4d, Matusow bets $60,000, Corkins moves all in, and Matusow immediately calls with Kd-9d (pair of kings). Corkins shows Qc-10c for an open-ended straight draw. Corkins needs a nine or an ace, or something runner-runner to stay alive. The turn card is the 2h, and Matusow is one card away from winning. The river card is the 3h, and Hoyt Corkins is eliminated in second place, earning $325,000. Mike Matusow wins the 2005 WSOP Tournament of Champions, taking home $1 million, a very cool trophy, a TV victory that will air on Christmas Eve, and a crapload of bragging rights. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:51:00 Log: Hand 204 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, Corkins moves all in, and Matusow folds. Hand 205 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Kd-9c-9s, and both players check. The turn card is the 4h, and they check again. The river card is the 8s, Matusow bets $50,000, and Corkins calls. Matusow shows J-9 (trip nines) to win the pot. Matusow now has about $655,000 in chips. Hand 206 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, Corkins moves all in, and Matusow folds. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:48:00 Log: Matusow to the crowd: "Sorry I can't make this more entertaining for you, but I've run out of gas." After someone in the audience responds, he says that he has a tournament that he has to play at noon. He's already invested $50,000 into that buy in, and he doesn't plan to miss it. Hand 201 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, unknown action (no flop). Hand 202 - Mike Matusow has the button, he raises to $60,000, and Corkins folds. Hand 203 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Qs-2s-2h, Matusow bets $30,000, and Corkins calls. The turn card is the 4c, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $60,000, and Matusow calls. The river card is the 10s, putting three spades on the board. Both players check. Matusow shows a queen to win a pretty big pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:44:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: Hoyt Corkins - $670,000 Mike Matusow - $470,000 Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:43:00 Log: Hand 199 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, Matusow raises to $70,000, and Corkins folds. Hand 200 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:41:00 Log: Hand 196 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, and Corkins checks. The flop comes Kc-Jh-10c with two clubs, Corkins checks, Matusow bets $30,000, and Corkins calls. The turn card pairs the board with the Jd, and both players check. The river card is the 7d, Corkins checks, Matusow bets $40,000, and Corkins folds. Hand 197 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he raises to $60,000, and Matusow calls. The flop comes Jc-5c-2c, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $60,000, and Matusow folds. Hand 198 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Corkins shows A-Q as he collects the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:36:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: Hoyt Corkins - $620,000 Mike Matusow - $490,000 Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:35:00 Log: Hand 193 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, Matusow moves all in, and Corkins folds. Hand 194 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Hand 195 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes 10c-7s-4h, Matusow bets $30,000, and Corkins folds. Matusow takes the pot. Jimmy Sommerfeld says, "This might be the quietest I've ever seen Mike." Matusow mutters his response, but it's too quiet for us to hear in media row, even in a quiet room. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:32:00 Log: Hand 190 - Mike Matusow has the button, he raises to $55,000, and Corkins folds. Jimmy Sommerfeld asks the sleepy crowd, "Who just wants ANYBODY to win?" The response is louder than it was for either of the players individually. Everyone wants to go home. Except the two players fighting for a million dollars and an important title. Hand 191 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Jh-9d-2h, Matusow bets $40,000, and Corkins folds. Matusow takes the pot. Hand 192 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, and Corkins checks. The flop comes 9s-8h-5h, Corkins checks, Matusow bets $30,000, and Corkins folds. Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:28:00 Log: Hand 187 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he raises to $60,000, and Matusow calls. The flop comes 10h-5h-3s, Matusow moves all in for $298,000, and Corkins stops to think for a few minutes. Corkins folds, and Matusow picks up the pot. Hand 188 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, Corkins moves all in, and Matusow folds. Hand 189 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Kc-10c-8h, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $20,000, and Matusow folds. Corkins takes the pot. Tournament Director Jimmy Sommerfeld once again asks the crowd who they're rooting for, now that the chip lead has changed. (When he did this earlier, the overwhelming support was for chip leader Matusow.) This time, the applause is much more even, so Sommerfeld declares this one a tie. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:19:00 Title: Hoyt Corkins Doubles Through Mike Matusow Log: Hand 186 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, Corkins moves all in, and Matusow immediately calls with As-8c. Unfortunately, he's dominated by Corkins' Ad-10h. The flop comes 9d-6c-3h, and Corkins is still in the lead. The turn card is the 7c, and Matusow picks up an open-ended straight draw. But, Corkins picks up a gut-shot, so Mike loses three outs as he picks up seven more. Matusow needs to catch a five or a ten to eliminate Corkins. The river card is the Qs, and Hoyt Corkins doubles through to $780,000 in chips. That leaves Matusow with about $350,000 in chips. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:17:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: Mike Matusow - $750,000 Hoyt Corkins - $370,000 Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:16:00 Log: Hand 184 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Hand 185 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he raises to $60,000, Matusow moves all in, and Corkins folds. Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:14:00 Log: Hand 181 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he raises to $60,000, and Matusow folds. Hand 182 - Mike Matusow has the button, he raises to $60,000, Corkins moves all in, and Matusow folds. Hand 183 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he raises to $60,000, and Matusow calls. The flop comes Kd-3c-2s, and both players check. The turn card pairs the board with the Ks, Matusow bets $50,000, and Corkins folds. Matusow shows a king (trip kings) as he collects the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:11:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: Mike Matusow - $730,000 Hoyt Corkins - $380,000 Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:10:00 Log: Hand 178 - Mike Matusow has the button, he raises to $60,000, and Corkins folds. Hand 179 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes 9d-3s-2d, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $20,000, and Matusow folds. Corkins takes the pot. Hand 180 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, and Corkins checks. The flop comes 6s-4d-4h, and both players check. The turn card is the 6c, and they check again. The river card is the Qd, Corkins bets, and Matusow folds. Corkins takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:07:00 Log: Hand 173 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he raises to $60,000, and Matusow folds. Hand 174 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Hand 175 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Ad-Ac-Qc, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $20,000, and Matusow folds. Corkins takes the pot. Hand 176 - Mike Matusow has the button, unknown action (no flop). Hand 177 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes 10h-9d-6s, and both players check. The turn card is the Ks, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $20,000, and Matusow folds. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 01:02:00 Log: Hand 169 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, and he folds. Hand 170 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Mike Matusow and Hoyt Corkins are both very tired at this point. Matusow tells the crowd that he's even too tired to sing at this point. Hand 171 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, Matusow moves all in, and Corkins folds. Hand 172 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:58:00 Log: Hand 167 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, unknown action (no flop). It's likely that these "unknown action" hands are just folded from the button. But if it's not announced, we don't always have a clear view of the action from media row. Hand 168 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, and Corkins checks. The flop comes 10h-5d-2s, Corkins bets $20,000, and Matusow moves all in. Corkins folds, and Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:57:00 Log: Hand 164 - Mike Matusow has the button, and he folds. Hand 165 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, and he folds. Matusow apologizes to the crowd, because they won't be getting any Dom Perignon now that Hellmuth has been busted. Hand 166 - Mike Matusow has the button, unknown action (no flop). Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:54:00 Title: Blinds Increasing to $10,000-$20,000 ($3,000 Ante) Log: The blinds increase to $10,000-$20,000, with a $3,000 ante. Play will continue without a break. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:53:00 Log: Hand 161 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, and he folds. Hand 162 - Mike Matusow has the button, he limps, Corkins raises to $56,000, and Matusow folds. Hand 163 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Qs-6s-7d, Matusow bets $16,000, and Corkins calls. The turn card is the 10d, and both players check. The river card is the 4h, and they check again. Matusow shows 7-2 (pair of sevens) to win the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:48:00 Log: Reminder: In heads-up play, the button has the small blind and acts first before the flop. Hand 159 - Hoyt Corkins has the button, he limps, and Matusow checks. The flop comes Kd-Ks-10c, and both players check. The turn card is the Qh, and Matusow checks out. That's right, he folds, even though Corkins hadn't bet. He laughs afterwards, saying something about his hand. It must have been a really low hand. Hand 160 - Mike Matusow has the button, he raises to $43,000, Corkins moves all in, and Matusow folds. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:30:00 Title: Official Chip Counts Log: Here are the official chip counts at the start of heads-up play: Mike Matusow - $825,000 Hoyt Corkins - $315,000 Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:29:00 Title: Phil Hellmuth's Exit Interview Log: Phil Hellmuth has been talking to ESPN in his exit interview, and (not surprisingly) he's had plenty to say. He started out by talking about how freaking lucky Hoyt Corkins has been, because he was pushing all in, all in, all in, and the very few times Hellmuth calls him with premium hands, Corkins has aces or something. He also pointd out that Corkins must have won 70-80% of their blind vs. blind situations. He said the general public won't even be able to comprehend how unlucky he got at this final table. He went on to say that this was among the top four performances he's ever had in a tournament. He was never in a pot for all of his chips until very late at the final table, when he got it in with pocket jacks against Matusow's K-J. He was pleased with his play, but very displeased with the results. When asked how he felt about third place, he said, "Who cares about third place? I play to win. Nobody remembers third place." Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:21:00 Title: Phil Hellmuth Eliminated in 3rd Place ($250,000) Log: Hand 158 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and Hellmuth moves all in from the small blind, and Corkins goes into the tank for several minutes to consider the situation. Corkins finally calls, showing Ks-5d, which is a slight favorite over Hellmuth's 10c-8c. Hellmuth needs to improve to stay alive here. The flop comes 7d-7h-4s, and Corkins is still in the lead with king high. Hellmuth needs an eight, a ten, or a runner-runner straight to stay alive. The turn card is the 4c, giving Hellmuth another four outs to a chop. The river card is the 6s, and Phil Hellmuth is eliminated in third place, earning $250,000. There will be a 15-minute break before heads-up play begins between Mike Matusow and Hoyt Corkins. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:15:00 Log: Hand 155 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins moves all in from the big blind. Hellmuth folds, and Corkins takes the pot. Corkins shows pocket eights as he collects the pot. Hellmuth says he folded eight high. Hand 156 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and everyone folds to Matusow in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Hand 157 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and he moves all in to win the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:11:00 Log: Hand 152 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and everyone folds to Corkins in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Hand 153 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, unknown action (no flop). Hellmuth says, "You know I finished second in this event last year. There's only one way to improve." To that, Matusow responds, "If you keep getting INVITED to tournaments, it's easy to finish second." Hand 154 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow raises to $56,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:08:00 Log: Hand 149 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, unknown action (no flop). Hand 150 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and Hellmuth moves all in from the small blind to win the blinds and antes. Hand 151 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow limps, and Hellmuth checks his option. The flop comes Ad-7h-2h, Matusow bets $20,000, and Hellmuth calls. The turn card pairs the board with the 7c, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $20,000, and Matusow calls. The river card is the 9s, and both players check. Matusow shows Ah-4d to win the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:04:00 Title: Phil Hellmuth Doubles Through Mike Matusow Log: Hand 148 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow raises to $45,000, and Hellmuth moves all in. Matusow calls, showing Kh-Jc, but Hellmuth has him dominated with pocket jacks (Jd-Jh). The flop comes 8c-7h-3h, and Hellmuth is still in the lead. The turn card is the Ac, and Matusow needs to catch a king to eliminate Hellmuth here. The river card is the 10h, and Phil Hellmuth doubles up through Mike Matusow. After the hand, Phil Hellmuth announces that he's going to buy thirty bottles of Dom Perignon to share with the crowd if he wins. That gets a big cheer from the crowd. Date / Time: 2005-11-09 00:01:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Mike Matusow - $865,000 (seat 9) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $175,000 (seat 5) 3. Phil Hellmuth - $100,000 (seat 4) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:59:00 Title: Mike Matusow Doubles Through Hoyt Corkins Log: Hand 146 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and he raises to $45,000, winning the blinds and antes. Between hands, Hellmuth walks over to his father, saying this is ridiculous. "It's super-aggressive, just all in, all in, all in." He goes back to the table to fold his next hand, and then returns to say something else to his Dad. His father offers words of encouragement. Hand 147 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins limps, Matusow raises to $45,000 from the big blind, and Corkins moves all in. Matusow gets up out of his seat to study Corkins and the chips. He takes off his sunglasses, and is really taking his time here. Matusow finally calls with Ac-Qc. Unfortunately, he's dominated by Corkins' Ad-Kc. Matusow needs to improve to stay alive here. The flop comes 10d-3h-2d, and Matusow needs to catch a queen or a runner-runner straight to survive. The turn card is -- the Qd! The crowd goes wild as Matusow hits his three-outer on the turn. Now Corkins needs to catch a jack, a king, or any diamond to eliminate Matusow. The river card is the 2h, and Mike Matusow doubles through Corkins to over $850,000 in chips. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:52:00 Log: Hand 144 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins limps from the small blind, and Matusow checks his option. The flop comes 10-9-2, and both players check. The turn card pairs the board with another 2, Corkins bets $20,000, and Matusow folds. Corkins takes the pot. Hand 145 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and Matusow moves all in from the small blind, winning the blinds and antes. After the hand, Matusow says to one of the other players, "You can't even SPELL poker. Remember that?" Then he kicks in with another round of "Philly, philly, philly, phil-lee." Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:49:00 Title: Hoyt Corkins Wins a Huge Pot From Hellmuth Log: Hand 143 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option. The flop comes Qc-8d-3h, Hellmuth checks, and Corkins checks. The turn card is the 5c, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $20,000, Hellmuth raises to $70,000, and Corkins calls. The river card is the 7c, Hellmuth bets $65,000, and Corkins goes into the tank for several long, silent minutes. (He has been relatively quiet at this final table, letting his chips do the talking.) Corkins finally calls, showing 8h-4d (pair of eights) to win a very large pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:44:00 Log: Hand 141 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and Corkins moves all in from the small blind, winning the blinds and antes. Corkins shows A-K as he collects the pot. Hand 142 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and he raises to $50,000, winning the blinds and antes. He shows one card -- the ace of clubs -- as he collects the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:42:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $400,000 (seat 5) 2. Mike Matusow - $420,000 (seat 9) 3. Phil Hellmuth - $300,000 (seat 4) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:41:00 Log: There isn't much applause after that last hand, and Matusow tells the crowd, "It's alright to applaud." There is some applause after that, and then Phil Hellmuth goes into the crowd to shake a few hands, saying something like, "It's alright. You can cheer for me too." Hand 140 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option. The flop comes Jd-5d-3s, Hellmuth bets $30,000, Corkins raises to $120,000, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins takes the pot. After the hand, Hellmuth says, "I need some help here. This has been tough. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:38:00 Log: Hand 138 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he raises to $48,000, and Matusow calls. The flop comes Ad-5s-2h, Matusow bets $30,000, and Hellmuth moves all in for $185,000. Matusow thinks for a few minutes before folding his cards. Hellmuth takes the pot. Hand 139 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and everyone folds to Hellmuth in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:33:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Mike Matusow - $520,000 (seat 9) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $385,000 (seat 5) 3. Phil Hellmuth - $200,000 (seat 4) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:32:00 Log: Matusow says, "Five-double war has been declared by Phil Hellmuth. Whatever that is." Hand 137 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and he raises to $45,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:30:00 Title: Hoyt Corkins Doubles Through Phil Hellmuth Log: Hand 136 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, he raises to $42,000, and Hellmuth reraises all in. Corkins immediately calls with pocket aces (Ad-Ah), and Hellmuth is behind with Ac-Qs. After some brief initial excitement, the entire room becomes eerily silent. The flop comes Kc-Qd-7s, and Hellmuth picks up a pair of queens to give himself a chance. He needs to catch another queen to win this pot. The turn card is the 4c, and Hellmuth has two outs to eliminate Hoyt Corkins. The river card is the 5c, and Corkins doubles up through Phil Hellmuth. As much as the crowd says their anti-Phil Hellmuth, the room is pretty quiet after that hand. Perhaps they're only rooting for him subconsciously. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:27:00 Title: Hellmuth Makes a Good Read; Matusow Gets Lucky and Unlucky at the Same Time Log: Hand 134 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth calls from the small blind, Corkins raises to $56,000, and Hellmuth calls. Hellmuth checks in the dark as the flop comes 9c-9d-8s, and Corkins checks behind him. The turn card is the 7c, Hellmuth bets $45,000, and Corkins calls. The river card double-pairs the board with the 8h, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $60,000, and Hellmuth calls. Corkins shows Q-x for queen high, but Hellmuth wins with K-x for king high. Hellmuth makes a very tough call to win that pot. Hand 135 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and it's folded to Matusow in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Matusow says, "You've gotta be kidding me!" He shows pocket aces as he collects the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:21:00 Log: Hand 132 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he raises to $48,000, and Matusow calls from the big blind. The flop comes Kc-Kh-9h, and both players check. The turn card is the 7c, Matusow bets $45,000, and Hellmuth folds. Matusow takes the pot. Hand 133 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and he raises to $50,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:05:00 Title: Official Chip Counts Log: Here are the official chip counts from the break: 1. Mike Matusow - $444,000 (seat 9) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $351,000 (seat 5) 3. Phil Hellmuth - $346,000 (seat 4) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:01:00 Title: 15-Minute Break; Blinds Increasing to $8,000-$16,000 ($2,000 Ante) Log: The players take a 15-minute break before the blinds increase to $8,000-$16,000, with a $2,000 ante. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 23:00:00 Log: Hand 130 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and he raises to $33,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 131 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, he raises to $35,000, and Hellmuth calls from the small blind. The flop comes Qc-5d-4h, Hellmuth bets $28,000, and Matusow calls. The turn card is the Ah, Hellmuth bets $52,000, and Matusow folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:56:00 Log: Hand 128 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, he limps for $12,000, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins moves all in from the big blind. The other two players fold, and Corkins takes the pot. Hand 129 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he limps for $12,000, Corkins limps from the small blind, and Matusow checks his option. The flop comes 7s-6c-4d, Corkins bets $24,000, and the others fold. Corkins takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:52:00 Log: Hand 126 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins limps from the small blind, Matusow raises to $35,000 from the big blind, and Corkins folds. Matusow takes the pot. Hand 127 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, he raises to $33,000, and Hellmuth moves all in from the big blind. Corkins studies him for several minutes, but eventually folds his hand, and Hellmuth takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:47:00 Log: Hand 124 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow limps, and Hellmuth checks his option. The flop comes J-J-9 (unknown suits), and both players check. The turn card is the 10h, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $15,000, Matusow raises to $45,000, and Hellmuth calls. The river card is the Qh, Matusow bets $85,000, and Hellmuth folds. Matusow takes the pot. Hand 125 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, Corkins raises from the big blind, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:43:00 Log: Hand 122 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option. The flop comes 9x-9c-6c, Hellmuth bets $15,000, and Corkins calls. The turn card is the 4s, and both players check. The river card is the 3c, and both players check. Hellmuth asks, "Do you have a pair?" Corkins replies "No," and Hellmuth says, "Pair of threes," as he shows 3-2. Corkins mucks, and Hellmuth takes the pot. Someone in the crowd asks Mike how he feels about poker. Matusow says, "I hate this game." Hellmuth then pipes in with, "Not me, I love this game. Like they say in the NBA, I LOVE this game!" Hand 123 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he limps for $12,000, Corkins moves all in, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:38:00 Log: Hand 120 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he raises to $36,000, and Matusow calls. The flop comes 8c-8h-2d, and both players check. The turn card is the 2h, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $20,000, and Matusow calls. The river card is the Qh, and both players check. Matusow shows A-9 to win with his ace kicker and the two pair on the board. Hand 121 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, he raises to $32,000, Matusow reraises to $97,000, and Corkins thinks for a few minutes before folding. Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:31:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Phil Hellmuth - $400,000 (seat 4) 2. Mike Matusow - $365,000 (seat 9) 3. Hoyt Corkins - $355,000 (seat 5) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:30:00 Title: Mike Matusow Doubles Through Hoyt Corkins Log: Hand 118 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow limps from the small blind, and Hellmuth checks his option. The flop comes Ad-Kh-2c, Matusow bets $12,000, and Hellmuth calls. The turn card is the 8h, Matusow checks, and Hellmuth checks behind him. The river card is the 10d, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $19,000, and Matusow folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Hand 119 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, he raises to $35,000, and Corkins moves all in from the big blind. Matusow takes a few minutes, but makes the call with pocket fives (5c-5h). Corkins shows Ad-4h, and Matusow says, "I'm in much better shape than I thought!" Matusow is a favorite headed to the flop, and he needs to win to stay alive. The flop comes Qh-4s-3c, and Corkins catches a pair of fours, and can now win with a four, an ace, or something runner-runner. Matusow sings a little song, "Oh God, please let me win this pot today." The turn card is the 3d, and Corkins needs to catch a four or an ace to eliminate Matusow. The river card is the 10s, and Mike Matusow doubles up in chips. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:22:00 Title: Matusow Folds to Hellmuth on the River Log: After some more small talk between the players, Matusow announces, "Triple war has been declared by Mr. Hellmuth!" A few moments later, he says to Hoyt Corkins: "You should have been broke three times, and HE [Hellmuth] shouldn't have even been here!" Of course, the implication is that Matusow should have already won this tournament by now. Hand 117 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Hellmuth limps for $12,000, and Matusow calls from the big blind. The flop comes As-Jc-10h, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $20,000, and Matusow calls. The turn card is the 4s, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $45,000, and Matusow calls. The river card is the 6s, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $120,000, and Matusow goes into the tank for several minutes, studying Hellmuth and the situation. Matusow eventually folds, and Hellmuth takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:16:00 Log: Hand 115 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow limps, and Hellmuth checks. The flop comes Jh-5d-2c, and both players check. The turn card is the 9d, Matusow bets $18,000, and Hellmuth calls. The river card is the 10c, Matusow bets $18,000, and Hellmuth calls. Matusow shows a 9-x (pair of nines), but Hellmuth shows Q-9 (pair of nines, queen kicker) to win the pot. Hand 116 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth raises to $29,000 from the small blind, and Corkins calls from the big blind. Hellmuth bets $20,000 in the dark as the flop comes Kh-Qh-Jh. The crowd oohs and aahs, and Hellmuth's bet is already out on the table. Corkins calls. The turn card is the 9c, Hellmuth bets $46,000, and Corkins calls. The river card is the 2d, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $25,000, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:11:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $460,000 (seat 5) 2. Mike Matusow - $335,000 (seat 9) 3. Phil Hellmuth - $310,000 (seat 4) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:10:00 Log: Hand 112 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, unknown action (no flop). Hand 113 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, Corkins raises to $35,000 from the big blind, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins takes the pot. Matusow continues taunting Hellmuth. The taunts are coming too quick to log, however. Hopefully ESPN will keep most of the good ones in the telecast. Hand 114 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins limps from the small blind, Matusow raises to $35,000 from the big blind, and Corkins folds. Matusow shows A-10 as he takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 22:06:00 Title: Matusow Bluffs Hellmuth Log: Matusow promises to liven things up for the crowd, saying he's just trying to jockey for position between these two "donks." Hand 110 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth raises to $36,000, and Corkins calls. The flop comes Kc-6c-2h, Hellmuth bets $35,000, Corkins raises to $100,000, and Hellmuth actually gets up out of his chair to move his entire seat over to the edge of the table, so he's no longer sitting right next to Corkins. As soon as he moves his seat, Hellmuth folds his hand, and Corkins takes the pot. Someone in the crowd says something to Hellmuth, and Hellmuth says it's bad enough he has to hear it from the players at the table. He turns to say something to his father (sitting right in front of press row), but his father interrupts him to say, "Just play." This gets one of the biggest laughs of the night from the crowd.Hand 111 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he raises to $40,000, and Matusow moves all in for $285,000. Hellmuth really takes his time here, carefully studying Matusow for several minutes. He even asks, "Is this the point where you have your infamous Matusow blowup?" Matusow just shrugs. After another long pause, Hellmuth folds. Matusow shows 8c-3c as he collects the pot. Hellmuth says he folded A-Q. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:57:00 Log: Hand 108 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and he raises to $36,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 109 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow raises to $36,000, winning the blinds and antes. Matusow resumes singing, and this time he goes with his day one tune of choice, "I've got the whole world in my hands, I've got the whole world ..." Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:52:00 Log: Play resumes after dinner, and Matusow immediately starts in again with Hellmuth, asking why he's so quiet. "Did you lose your voicebox?" Hand 106 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow limps from the small blind, and Hellmuth checks his option. The flop comes Js-6d-5h, Matusow bets $17,000, and Hellmuth calls. The turn card is the Ac, Matusow bets $30,000, and Hellmuth folds. Matusow takes the pot. Hand 107 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, he limps for $12,000, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, Corkins raises to $57,000, and the other two players fold. Corkins takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:36:00 Title: Official Chip Counts Log: Here are the official chip counts from the break: 1. Phil Hellmuth - $491,000 (seat 4) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $381,000 (seat 5) 3. Mike Matusow - $268,000 (seat 9) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:34:00 Title: 15-Minute Break; Blinds Increasing to $6,000-$12,000 ($2,000) Log: The players take a 15-minute break before the blinds increase to $6,000-$12,000, with a $2,000 ante. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:33:00 Log: Hand 104 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and Corkins raises to $20,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 105 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and everyone folds to Matusow in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:32:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Phil Hellmuth - $515,000 (seat 4) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $365,000 (seat 5) 3. Mike Matusow - $260,000 (seat 9) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:31:00 Log: Hand 102 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins raises to $30,000, and Matusow calls from the big blind. The flop comes Ah-Ks-7d, and both players check. The turn card is the 3h, Corkins bets $30,000, and Matusow folds. Corkins takes the pot. Out of nowhere, Matusow starts singing, "Philly, philly, philly! Ph-ph-ph-ph-ph-Philly!" He only does the one verse, and immediately quiets back down. Hand 103 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Corkins raises to $25,000, and Hellmuth calls. The flop comes Kh-Js-4s, Hellmuth had already checked in the dark, and Corkins bets $25,000. Hellmuth calls, and checks the turn in the dark. The turn card pairs the board with the Jc, and Hellmuth already checked. Corkins bets $75,000, and Hellmuth folds. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:27:00 Log: Hand 100 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and everyone folds to Hellmuth in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Hand 101 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option. The flop comes Ks-Qd-4d, and both players check. The turn card is the 3h, Hellmuth bets $17,000, and Corkins folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:23:00 Log: Hand 98 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option. The flop comes Ac-Kh-Js, and the crowd oohs and aahs in reaction. Hellmuth checks, and Corkins checks behind him. The turn card is the 3s, Hellmuth bets $24,000, and Corkins folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Hand 99 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins limps from the small blind, and Matusow checks his option. The flop comes 10d-8d-2c, Corkins checks, Matusow bets $17,000, and Corkins folds. Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:19:00 Log: Hand 96 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and it's folded to Matusow in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Hand 97 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, he raises to $26,000, Matusow moves all in from the small blind, and Hellmuth reluctantly lays down his hand to get out of the way. Corkins takes his time to study Matusow, and he's told that the raise is $230,000 more. Corkins takes several long minutes, counting out his chips, and continuing to study Matusow. Eventually, he rechecks his cards, and folds his hand. Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:13:00 Log: Hand 94 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow raises to $35,000, winning the blinds and antes. Between hands, Matusow tells Hellmuth that they're at war. When Hellmuth points out that they've already been at war, Matusow says, "You were at war with me. But now I'm at war with you." Hand 95 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Matusow raises to $26,000, and Corkins moves all in from the big blind. Matusow thinks for a while before folding. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:10:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Phil Hellmuth - $510,000 (seat 4) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $300,000 (seat 5) 3. Mike Matusow - $260,000 (seat 9) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:09:00 Title: Mike Matusow Doubles Through Hoyt Corkins Log: Hand 92 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option. The flop comes 6h-4h-3h, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $15,000, and Hellmuth calls. The turn card is the Ad, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $40,000, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins takes the pot. Hand 93 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins raises to $100,000, and Matusow calls from the big blind. The flop comes 10s-8h-2h, and Matusow moves all in for his last $31,000. Corkins calls with 5c-4c. Matusow shows Ah-6c. The turn card is the 9d, and Matusow is still in the lead with ace high. The river card is the Kd, and Matusow survives with ace high to double up in chips. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 21:03:00 Title: Hellmuth Wins a Big Pot From Matusow Log: Hand 91 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow limps from the small blind, and Hellmuth checks his option. The flop comes Qd-10c-9h, Matusow bets $12,000, and Hellmuth calls. The turn card is the Ks, and both players check. The river card is the Jd, and there is a king-high straight on the board, with no flush possibilities. Any ace would represent the nuts, and anything else is playing the board. Matusow bets $25,000, Hellmuth raises to $100,000, and Matusow grabs some chips as he studies him. Matusow calls. Hellmuth shows A-6 for the ace-high straight, and Matusow folds. Hellmuth wins a very big pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:59:00 Log: Hand 89 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and it's folded to Corkins in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Hand 90 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he limps for $10,000, Matusow raises to $40,000 from the big blind, and Hellmuth folds. Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:54:00 Title: Tony Bloom Eliminated in 4th Place ($150,000) Log: Hand 88 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and he moves all in, and Hellmuth calls with As-Qd. Bloom shows Kh-8d, and he'll need to catch up to stay alive. The flop comes Qh-8s-2s, giving both players a pair, but Hellmuth is still in the lead with a pair of queens. Bloom needs to catch another eight or a king. The turn card is the 5h, and Bloom has one last chance to survive. The river card is the 6d, and Tony Bloom is eliminated in fourth place, earning $150,000. The next player eliminated will receive $250,000 for third place. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:51:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $420,000 (seat 5) 2. Phil Hellmuth - $400,000 (seat 4) 3. Mike Matusow - $250,000 (seat 9) 4. Tony Bloom - $100,000 (seat 8) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:50:00 Log: Hand 86 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $25,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 87 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and everyone folds to Matusow in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:47:00 Log: Hand 84 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, he raises to $28,000, and Hellmuth reraises all in. Bloom folds, and Hellmuth takes the pot. Hand 85 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Bloom raises to $28,000, Matusow calls, and Corkins calls from the big blind. The flop comes 10d-10s-5s, Corkins checks, Bloom checks, Matusow bets $35,000, Corkins calls, and Bloom folds. The turn card is the 2d, Corkins bets $60,000, and Matusow folds. Corkins takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:39:00 Log: Hand 82 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $25,000, Hellmuth reraises to $85,000, and Matusow folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Hand 83 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Bloom limps from the small blind, and Matusow checks his option. The flop comes 10h-5c-5d, Bloom bets $12,000, and Matusow immediately calls. The turn card is the Js, Bloom checks, Matusow bets $12,000, and Bloom calls. The river card is the Ks, Bloom checks, and Matusow checks behind him. Bloom shows A-6 and Matusow shows A-3. It's a chopped pot. After the hand, Matusow says, "I can't believe you called me on the turn with ace high." Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:33:00 Log: Hand 80 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, Corkins raises to $28,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 81 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Hellmuth raises to $28,000 from the small blind, and Corkins calls from the big blind. The flop comes Q-7-3 rainbow, Hellmuth bets $27,000, and Corkins folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:28:00 Title: Steve Dannenmann Eliminated Log: Hand 79 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Dannenmann moves all in for about $54,000. and Matusow calls with Ks-Qh. Dannenmann shows Ac-10h, and there's no big favorite here. The flop comes Qd-Js-3s, and Matusow takes the lead with a pair of queens, but Dannenmann picks up a gut-shot straight draw. The turn card is the 7s, and Dannenmann needs a king (for a straight) or an ace (for a higher pair) to survive. The river card is the 9c, and Steve Dannenmann is eliminated in fifth place, earning $100,000. After the hand, he receives a friendly hug from Mike Matusow, and then shakes hands with everyone else at the table as he receives an ovation from the crowd. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:25:00 Log: Hand 77 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option. The flop comes Ah-Jd-10c, Hellmuth bets $13,000, and Corkins folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Hand 78 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $25,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 20:21:00 Title: Blinds at $5,000-$10,000 ($1,000 Ante); Shuffle Up & Deal! Log: The blinds will increase to $5,000-$10,000, with a $1,000 ante. The players are back from dinner and ready to play, so it's time to shuffle up and deal! Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:55:00 Title: Dinner Break Log: The players are on a dinner break until 8:15 pm. Return to CardPlayer.com at that time for continuing coverage of the final-table action, as Mike Matusow continue to battle, while three other players try to sneak past them for the million-dollar first prize. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:52:00 Title: Official Chip Counts Log: Here are the official chip counts from the break: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $374,000 (seat 5) 2. Phil Hellmuth - $272,000 (seat 4) 3. Mike Matusow - $241,000 (seat 9) 4. Tony Bloom - $197,000 (seat 8) 5. Steve Dannenmann - $57,000 (seat 1) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:49:00 Title: Dinner Break Log: The players take a dinner break until 8:15 pm. Chip counts will be coming soon. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:48:00 Log: Hand 76 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Matusow raises to $16,000, and Hellmuth calls from the big blind. The flop comes Ad-Qc-Qs, and Hellmuth had already checked in the dark. Matusow checks behind him. The turn card is the 8h, Hellmuth bets $18,000, and Matusow folds. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:45:00 Title: Matusow v. Hellmuth, Part III Log: Hand 75 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, Hellmuth raises to $24,000, and Matusow puts him to the test by reraising all in from the small blind. Hellmuth shows the ace of spades as he folds, giving the pot to Matusow. Matusow shows A-K as he collects the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:43:00 Title: Matusow v. Hellmuth, Part II Log: Hand 74 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Hellmuth raises to $24,000, and Matusow calls from the big blind. It's another clash between Hellmuth and Matusow. The flop comes Kd-10c-7h, Matusow checks, Hellmuth bets $23,000, and Matusow folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:40:00 Log: Hand 72 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Matusow raises to $24,000, winning the blinds and antes. Matusow shows pocket tens as he collects the pot. Hand 73 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $24,000, winning the blinds and antes. A few of Matusow's fellow Full Tilt players have showed up to cheer him on, including Erik Seidel and John Juanda. Juanda is currently sitting in the front row right in front of the media, and says, "Go Mikey!" after the last hand. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:37:00 Log: Hand 70 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, Corkins raises to $21,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 71 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Bloom raises to $22,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:35:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $370,000 (seat 5) 2. Phil Hellmuth - $240,000 (seat 4) 3. Mike Matusow - $224,000 (seat 9) 4. Tony Bloom - $198,000 (seat 8) 5. Steve Dannenmann - $88,000 (seat 1) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:33:00 Title: Mike Matusow Doubles Through Steve Dannenmann Log: Hand 69 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Dannenmann raises to $25,000, and Matusow moves all in from the big blind. Dannenmann quickly calls, showing pocket jacks (Jc-Jh). Matusow shows Ah-Ks, and it's a race situation. Matusow is the shorter stack, and faces potential elimination here. The flop comes 8c-7h-4h, and Matusow needs a king, an ace, or a runner-runner flush to win the pot. The turn card is the 2h, and Matusow picks up more outs, needing a king, an ace, or any heart. The river card is the 3h, and the crowd explodes into applause as Matusow jumps up from the table, pumping his fist in the air. When he settles down a bit, he walks over to Dannenmann to shake his hand, and they whisper something to each other like old friends. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:29:00 Log: Hand 67 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, he raises to $25,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hellmuth is asked by the tournament director to stack his chips, as they are spread out over a large area in front of him. Hellmuth lightly challenges him, and it's not long before he and Matusow are back into it. Eventually, even Steve Dannenmann jumps into things, saying that as a professional poker player, he isn't acting very professionally. They exchange a few more words, and Dannenmann caps it off by saying, "Nobody should buy your books or CDs, because you're a punk." Phil is taking a lot of abuse today, but he seems to be taking it very well. Of course, some would say he's had a lot of practice. Hand 68 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and Dannenmann raises all in, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:25:00 Title: Mike Matusow v. Phil Hellmuth Log: Hand 66 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, he limps for $8,000, Dannenmann limps from the small blind, Hellmuth raises to $38,000 from the big blind, Matusow calls, and Dannenmann folds. The audience applauds as they get to see Matusow battle Hellmuth over a flop. The flop comes Qh-9d-5d, Hellmuth thinks for a solid minute before he bets $24,000, and Matusow quickly calls. The turn card is the Ks, and Hellmuth takes his time once again, carefully stacking and counting his chips. Hellmuth eventually bets $32,000, and Matusow immediately folds. Hellmuth takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:20:00 Log: Hand 64 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Dannenmann raises to $30,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 65 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and he raises to $22,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:17:00 Log: Hand 63 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $24,000, and Hellmuth moves all in. Matusow folds, and the crowd sighs their disappointment as Hellmuth collects the pot. The audience was clearly hoping for a heads-up clash between Matusow and Hellmuth. But perhaphs Hellmuth took Matusow's earlier advice, and reraised him with nothing? Only the hole cams know for sure ... Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:14:00 Title: Tony Bloom Doubles Through Hoyt Corkins Log: Hand 62 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Bloom raises to $22,000, and Corkins calls from the big blind. The flop comes As-10s-2s, Corkins bets about $75,000, Bloom moves all in for $82,000 more, and Corkins calls. Blooms shows Kc-Qs (queen-high flush draw, gut-shot straight draw), while Corkins shows Js-10h (pair of tens). The turn card is the 7d, and Corkins is still in the lead. The Jc on the river gives Corkins two pair, but completes Bloom's straight draw. Tony Bloom doubles up through the chip leader to over $200,000. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:09:00 Log: Hand 60 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and he raises to $22,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 61 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and he raises to $24,000, winning the blinds and antes. Matusow just took Hellmuth's big blind, and starts jabbing him a bit after the hand, saying he'd never reraise there without a premium hand. Matusow again brings up the subject of Hellmuth being blinded off. We'll see how it all turns out, but surely ESPN is hoping that these two guys end up heads up at the end. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:04:00 Title: Steve Dannenmann Doubles Through Tony Bloom Log: Matusow continues his jabs against Hellmuth, saying he's playing too weak-tight. He says he's not afraid to push it all in with nothing. Phil asks, "What happens when you get called with nothing?" Matusow responds, "Who the hell cares? It's better than being blinded to death." Hand 59 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and Dannenmann moves all in for about $86,000, and Tony Bloom calls from the small blind. Dannenmann shows Ah-4h, but he's dominated by Bloom's As-Kh. Dannenmann's supporters in the crowd are calling out for hearts. The flop comes Qh-9c-8h, and Dannenmann picks up his flush draw, giving him eight outs to survive, or he could catch running fours. The turn card is the 7h, and the crowd explodes in a cheer -- Dannenmann has a lot of fans here. (The meaningless river card is the 7c.) Steve Dannenmann makes a heart flush to double up and stay alive, and he now has about $185,000 in chips. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 18:00:00 Log: Hand 57 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Hellmuth limps from the small blind, Corkins raises to $28,000 from the big blind, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins shows one card -- the ace of spades -- as he collects the pot. Hand 58 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Corkins raises to $23,000 from the small blind, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:56:00 Log: Hand 55 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, Corkins raises to $21,000, and Bloom calls from the small blind. The flop comes Js-5c-2s, Corkins checks, Bloom bets $35,000, and Corkins calls. The turn card is the Kh, Corkins checks, and Bloom checks behind him. The river card pairs the board with the Kc, and both players check. Corkins shows J-10 (pair of jacks) to win the pot. Hand 56 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, and Dannenmann moves all in for about $75,000 from the small blind, winning the blinds and antes. He shows K-J as he collects the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:50:00 Log: Hand 53 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, and he raises to $26,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 54 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and he raises to $21,000, Matusow reraises to $63,000 from the big blind, and Corkins thinks for a while before folding. Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:45:00 Log: Hand 51 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Dannenmann limps from the small blind, and Hellmuth bets enough to put Dannenmann all in (about $87,000). Dannenmann folds, and Hellmuth shows one card -- the ace of diamonds -- as he collects the pot. Hand 52 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Matusow raises to $18,000, and Corkins calls from the big blind. The flop comes Qh-6h-3s, and both players check. The turn card is the Qs, Corkins bets $16,000, and Matusow calls. The river card is the 8c, Corkins checks, Matusow bets $20,000, and Corkins calls. Matusow shows pocket jacks to win the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:37:00 Title: Play Resumes Log: The players have returned from their break, and the cards are now back in the air. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:25:00 Title: Official Chip Counts Log: Here are the official chip counts from the break: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $493,000 (seat 5) 2. Tony Bloom - $259,000 (seat 8) 3. Phil Hellmuth - $158,000 (seat 4) 4. Mike Matusow - $133,000 (seat 9) 5. Steve Dannenmann - $98,000 (seat 1) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:21:00 Title: 10-Minute Break; Blinds Increasing to $4,000-$8,000 ($1,000 Ante) Log: The players take a ten-minute break before the blinds increase to $4,000-$8,000, with a $1,000 ante. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:20:00 Log: Hand 50 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and he raises to $17,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:19:00 Log: Hand 48 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $19,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 49 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and he raises to $17,000, and Matusow calls from the big blind. The flop comes Jh-9s-6s, Matusow bets $18,000, Corkins raises to $45,000, and Matusow calls. The turn card is the 5c, Matusow checks, and Corkins checks behind him. The river card pairs the board with the 6d, Matusow checks, Corkins bets $50,000, and Matusow calls. Corkins shows J-9 (two pair) to win the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:14:00 Log: Hand 45 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and he raises to $17,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 46 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Corkins raises to $15,000, winning the blinds and antes. Between hands, Matusow remarks, "When I go home at night, I think to myself, "God I wish I was Phil Hellmuth. Hand 47 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Bloom raises to $17,000, and Corkins calls from the big blind. The flop comes Ah-10c-8c, Corkins checks, Bloom bets $19,000, and Corkins folds. Bloom takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:08:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following approximate chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $390,000 (seat 5) 2. Mike Matusow - $245,000 (seat 9) 3. Tony Bloom - $230,000 (seat 8) 4. Phil Hellmuth - $140,000 (seat 4) 5. Steve Dannenmann - $115,000 (seat 1) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:07:00 Title: Grant Lang Eliminated in 6th Place ($75,000) Log: Hand 43 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, he limps for $6,000, Corkins limps from the small blind, and Bloom checks his option. The flop comes Ks-10c-9h, Corkins checks, Bloom checks, Hellmuth bets $15,000, and the other players fold. Hellmuth takes the pot. Hand 44 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Lang raises to $19,500, and Bloom calls from the small blind. The flop comes Kh-Jc-10d, Bloom checks, Lang moves all in, and Bloom immediately calls with pocket aces (Ah-As). Lang shows 9d-5d, and he'll need to catch something runner-runner to survive here. The turn card is the 7h, and Lang needs to catch an eight on the river to stay alive. The river card is another ace, and Bloom makes a set of aces to eliminate Grant Lang in sixth place, for which he earns $75,000. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 17:01:00 Log: Hand 41 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Bloom raises to $17,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 42 - Grant Lang has the button in seat 2, Hellmuth raises to $18,000 from the small blind, and Corkins checks his option from the big blind. The flop comes Jc-10s-9d, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $22,000, and Hellmuth calls. The turn card is the Ac, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $36,000, and Hellmuth thinks for several minutes before he eventually folds, showing one card -- the jack of hearts. Corkins takes the pot. After the hand, Matusow asks Hellmuth to stop giving Hoyt chips, because it will make it harder for Matusow to win this event later on. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 16:54:00 Log: Hand 39 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and everyone folds to Dannenmann in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Hand 40 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, he raises to $17,500, and Lang moves all in from the big blind. Matusow folds, and Lang picks up the pot, showing pocket tens. Matusow claims his two cards didn't even add up to ten. After the hand, Matusow introduces himself to Grant Lang. "It's Grant, right?" Date / Time: 2005-11-08 16:52:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $350,000 (seat 5) 2. Mike Matusow - $272,500 (seat 9) 3. Phil Hellmuth - $200,000 (seat 4) T-4. Tony Bloom - $115,000 (seat 8) T-4. Steve Dannenmann - $115,000 (seat 1) 6. Grant Lang - $80,000 (seat 2) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 16:51:00 Log: Hand 37 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Lang raises to $19,500, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 38 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Bloom limps from the small blind, Matusow raises to $18,000 from the big blind, and Bloom calls. The flop comes Qc-Jh-2h, Bloom checks, Matusow bets $12,000, Bloom reraises to $30,000, and Matusow moves all in. Bloom folds, and Matusow takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 16:46:00 Log: Hand 35 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, unknown action (no flop). Hand 36 - Grant Lang has the button in seat 2, Matusow raises to $17,500, and Corkins calls. The flop comes Kc-Kh-8s, Corkins checks, Matusow bets $12,000, and Corkins calls. The turn card is the 7h, Corkins checks, Matusow bets $25,000, and Corkins calls. The river card is the 2c, and both players check. Corkins shows A-J and Matusow shows A-9. Neither player has a pair, and Corkins takes the pot with higher cards. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 16:40:00 Log: Hand 33 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, unknown action (no flop). The announcer is trying to avoid talking over Matusow and Hellmuth. Hand 34 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Bloom raises to $17,000, and Lang calls from the big blind. The flop comes 9s-8d-4d, Lang checks, Bloom bets $35,000, and Lang folds. Bloom takes the pot. Matusow reminds Bloom that he's done well with the $11,000 in chips he was down to yesterday before doubling through Matusow. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 16:37:00 Log: Hellmuth tells Matusow that he's ready to declare war, and Matusow points out that he's already declared war against everyone else at the table. Hellmuth says he's only at war with Matusow. Matusow says it's more like the U.S. against Iraq -- one big bomb, and it's all over. Hand 32 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Hellmuth raises to $19,000, winning the blinds and antes. Matusow has the audience tracking how many

[mikedshelton]

Part II of IIDate / Time: 2005-11-08 16:15:00 Title: David Levi Eliminated in 7th Place ($50,000) Log: Hand 25 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $18,000 in the dark, and Levi moves all in for $21,000. Matusow calls, showing pocket aces (As-Ad), while Levi has Ah-Qc. The flop comes Qh-10s-2d, and Levi picks up a pair of queens to give himself a fighting chance in the hand. The turn card is the 7s, and Levi needs to catch a queen to stay alive. The river card is the 4s, and David Levi is eliminated in seventh place, earning $50,000. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 16:05:00 Title: Official Chip Counts Log: Here are the official chip counts from the break: 1. Hoyt Corkins - $302,000 (seat 5) 2. Phil Hellmuth - $238,000 (seat 4) 3. Mike Matusow - $210,000 (seat 9) 4. Tony Bloom - $136,000 (seat 8) 5. Steve Dannenmann - $98,000 (seat 1) 6. Grant Lang - $64,000 (seat 2) 7. David Levi - $21,500 (seat 3) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:57:00 Title: 10-Minute Break; Blinds Increasing to $3,000-$6,000 ($500 Ante) Log: The players take a ten-minute break before the blinds increase to $3,000-$6,000, with a $500 ante. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:56:00 Log: Hand 22 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Bloom raises to $11,000, winning the blinds and antes. Hand 23 - Grant Lang has the button in seat 2, Dannenmann raises to $12,000, and Lang reraises all in for about $44,000. Dannenmann folds, and Lang shows pocket aces as he collects the pot. Hand 24 - David Levi has the button in seat 3, Bloom raises to $11,000, and Corkins thinks for a long while before calling. The flop comes As-3h-2c, Corkins checks, Bloom bets $13,000, and Corkins folds. Bloom takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:47:00 Title: Keith Sexton Eliminated in 8th Place ($25,000) Log: Hand 21 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Corkins raises to $12,000, and Sexton calls. The flop comes 9s-6h-2c, Corkins bets $18,000, and Sexton thinks a bit before moving all in for about $71,500. Corkins takes a minute to get an accurate count before calling. Sexton shows pocket tens (10c-10h), while Corkins shows pocket queens (Qd-Qh). Sexton is behind, and will need to catch a ten or a runner-runner straight to stay alive. The turn card is the 10s, and the crowd reacts as Sexton hits his set to take the lead! Amazing ... that's the second time someone has hit a set after the flop to stay alive. But the river card is the Qs! The crowd explodes into applause at the reverse-suckout! Both players stand up, and Keith Sexton walks around the table to shake hands. That's the second time that Corkins has hit a set of queens to win a hand, and Matusow asks him how much he paid for going to the "Phil Hellmuth's Fantasy Camp." The crowd continues buzzing for a while after that hand. Keith Sexton is eliminated in eighth place, earning $25,000. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:41:00 Title: Brandon Adams Eliminated in 9th Place ($25,000) Log: Hand 20 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and Brandon Adams moves all in for about $33,000. Matusow calls from the small blind. Adams shows Qd-Jh, while Matusow has pocket eights (8c-8h). The flop comes As-Ad-4d, and the crowd "Oohs" and "Aahs," even though nobody has an ace. The turn card is the 3d, and Matusow is still in the lead, although Adams picked up a flush draw. He needs to catch a jack, a queen, or any diamond except the eight of diamonds to stay alive. The river card is the 7s, and Brandon Adams is eliminated in ninth place, earning $25,000. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:39:00 Log: Hand 19 - Brandon Adams has the button in seat 7, Hellmuth raises to $12,000, and Corkins calls, and Matusow calls from the big blind. The flop comes Ah-5h-5d, and all three players check. The turn card is the 8d, Matusow bets $18,000, Hellmuth calls, and Corkins folds. The river card is the Kd, putting three diamonds on the board, and both players check. Matusow shows a 5 for trip fives to win the pot. Hellmuth mucks without showing, after a little more taunting by Matusow. After the hand, Matusow says, "Too bad he didn't have A-K in one of those suits. [Hearts or diamonds.] He would have said, 'I raise a quarter of a million.' " Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:34:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Phil Hellmuth - $270,000 (seat 4) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $200,000 (seat 5) 3. Mike Matusow - $181,900 (seat 9) 4. Steve Dannenmann - $120,000 (seat 1) 5. Tony Bloom - $110,000 (seat 8) 6. Keith Sexton - $84,000 (seat 6) 7. Grant Lang - $45,000 (seat 2) 8. David Levi - $32,000 (seat 3) 9. Brandon Adams - $30,000 (seat 7) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:33:00 Log: Mike Matusow is now claiming that this is a four-handed table, discounting Hellmuth and some of the small stacks. Hand 18 - Keith Sexton has the button in seat 6, and Lang moves all in for about $42,000. Everyone else folds, and Lang picks up the blinds and the antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:31:00 Log: Hand 16 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $12,000, and Hellmuth says, "I raise a quarter of a million." He moves all in. Matusow rips into him, saying only a superstar could raise like that. Matusow mocks him for overbetting the pot, but Matusow folds. In other news, Hellmuth played a hand before Matusow's over-under had passed. Hand 17 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, and he raises to $14,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:27:00 Title: Approximate Chip Counts Log: The following chip counts are announced to the crowd: 1. Phil Hellmuth - $257,000 (seat 4) 2. Hoyt Corkins - $210,000 (seat 5) 3. Mike Matusow - $200,000 (seat 9) 4. Tony Bloom - $125,000 (seat 8) 5. Steve Dannenmann - $100,000 (seat 1) 6. Keith Sexton - $90,000 (seat 6) 7. Brandon Adams - $40,000 (seat 7) 8. Grant Lang - $33,000 (seat 2) 9. David Levi - $32,000 (seat 3) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:25:00 Title: Brandon Adams Doubles Through Steve Dannenmann Log: Hand 15 - David Levi has the button in seat 3, and Adams moves all in for $15,500. Dannenmann reraises to $33,500, and everyone else folds. Adams shows pocket fives (5c-5s), while Dannenmann has Ad-Kh. Corkins says he folded A-K as well. The flop comes Jc-9c-4d, and Adams has a runner-runner club draw to go with his pair. The turn card is the 2c, and Dannenmann needs to catch an ace or a king that isn't a club. The river card is the Qd, and Brandon Adams doubles up to $41,500. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:21:00 Log: Tournament Director Jimmy Sommerfeld asks the audience to give a round of applause to ESPN and SoBe's new energy drink (Adrenaline Rush) for sponsoring this event. Mike Matusow then asks the crowd to give a round of applause to Harrah's for inviting Phil Hellmuth to show up and take all of their money. The crowd applauds, but it's likely that only a dozen or so really get the joke. See Daniel Negreanu's blog or Paul Phillips' blog for more details. Hand 13 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, and everyone folds to David Levi in the big blind, giving him the blinds and antes. Hand 14 - Grant Lang has the button in seat 2, Corkins raises to $12,000 under the gun, After the hand, Matusow says, "Let's make some prop bets. What's the over-under on Phil actually playing a hand today?" Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:17:00 Log: Matusow razzes the table some more, getting the crowd in on it a bit as they announce support for their favorite players. Someone says, "We love you, Phil!" and Matusow reacts with shock. He says, "I thought I was the only one who liked you, Phil." Then, a lone person in the crowd says, "We just tolerate you, Mike." That gets the biggest laugh of the conversation. Hand 12 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Bloom raises to $12,000, Matusow reraises to $37,000, and Bloom folds, showing pocket sevens. Matusow flashes one card -- an ace -- as he collects the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:12:00 Title: Hoyt Corkins Doubles Through Brandon Adams Log: Hand 11 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, Corkins raises to $12,000, Adams raises to $35,000, and Corkins moves all in. Adams immediately calls with pocket aces (Ad-Ah). Corkins is dominated with pocket queens (Qc-Qs). Aside from the obvious queen, Corkins is looking for lots of black cards (their pairs are in different suits). The flop comes 7d-6c-4s, so the flush is not an option for either player. The turn card is the Qh, and the crowd applauds as Corkins makes a set of queens to take the lead! Now Adams needs to catch one of the last two aces to eliminate Corkins. But the river card is the 10h, and Hoyt Corkins doubles up to survive, winning a pot worth about $230,000. After the hand, Matusow reminds the crowd that poker is "all skill." Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:07:00 Title: The First Significant Action: Matusow v. Dannenmann Log: Hand 10 - Brandon Adams has the button in seat 7, Dannenmann raises to $10,000 under the gun, and Matusow comments that he practically gave him an open invitation to raise. It's folded around to Matusow, who calls. The flop comes 10d-7d-5h, Matusow bets $6,000, and Dannenmann calls. The turn card pairs the board with the 7c, Matusow bets $11,000, Dannenmann raises to $36,000, and Matusow folds. Dannenmann takes the pot. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 15:03:00 Log: Hand 8 - Hoyt Corkins has the button in seat 5, Matusow raises to $12,000, and Hellmuth studies Matusow and his stack. Matusow asks, "What are you looking at? I've got about 180,000." Hellmuth folds, as does everyone else. Matusow shows 5-3 as he collects the pot. Hand 9 - Keith Sexton has the button in seat 6, and Matusow laughs and says, "This is actually a real hand, so I'd better fold!" And he folds. Corkins raises to $11,000, winning the blinds and antes.Matusow warns the other players that he plans to protect his blind in the next hand. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:59:00 Log: Hand 6 - David Levi has the button in seat 3, and it looks like the blinds limp to see a flop of Ks-Qd-10d, Hellmuth checks, Corkins bets $5,000, and Hellmuth folds. Corkins takes the pot. Matusow says he is going to raise every single hand until the other players start playing some hands. Hand 7 - Phil Hellmuth has the button in seat 4, Matusow raises to $12,000, winning the blinds and antes. True to his word, Matusow raised, and took the pot. Matusow repeats his claim that he'll raise every hand, and then tries to guilt Phil Hellmuth for the fact that Phil didn't bring any gifts to the table. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:55:00 Title: Lots of Action -- But Nothing To Do With the Cards Log: Hand 3 - Mike Matusow has the button in seat 9, Sexton raises to $12,000, winning the blinds and antes. During the hand, Matusow is introducing the players to the crowd, similar to how he did in a CardPlayer.com video at the WSOP this summer. He calls Dannenmann "the man who ruined my life," and calls Hellmuth "a legend in his own mind." Tony Bloom gets labeled, "the guy who took all my chips yesterday." Hand 4 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 1, Matusow raises to $12,000, winning the blinds and antes. In between hands, Dannenmann gives Matusow a wrapped gift. Matusow asks, "Is it the four million you stole from me this summer?" (Referring to the World Series final table.) It's a small globe, similar to the one that Dannenmann uses as a card protector. He explains that he and Matusow were sitting next to each other on day one, and Matusow kept singing, "He's got the whole world in his hands," referring to the globe. Phil Hellmuth then takes a moment to tell the TV cameras, "Merry Christmas," because this is scheduled to air on Christmas Eve. The crowd lets out a condescending "Awwwww." Dannenmann has also given Hellmuth a gift, which he opens, ignoring the fact that it could be dangerous. The box is opened, and he pulls out a stuffed donkey. The crowd has a great laugh, but Phil takes it in good spirits. The action is coming fast and furious ... and we've only had four hands so far. Hand 5 - Grant Lang has the button in seat 2, Bloom raises to $12,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:47:00 Log: Hand 1 - Tony Bloom has the button in seat 8, and Mike Matusow has the big blind. (Doyle Brunson, who was eliminated in tenth place, would have been the small blind this hand.) Everyone folds to Matusow, giving him his blind back, along with the antes. Matusow has already started jarring verbally with Phil Hellmuth, taking a break between hands to discuss sunglasses. Then he pulls out the "new, official Mike Matusow sunglasses," and puts them on. They are Raymer-style, with a holographic image over the eyes. But instead of reptile eyes, they feature a hand giving someone the finger. The crowd has a good laugh, as does Hellmuth.Hand 2 - There is a dead button in seat 8 1/2, and Matusow small blind, Dannenmann has the big blind. Bloom raises to $12,000, winning the blinds and antes. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:44:00 Title: Blinds at $2,000-$4,000 ($500 Ante); Shuffle Up & Deal! Log: The blinds are still at $2,000-$4,000, with a $500 ante. Everyone's ready to go, so it's time to shuffle up and deal! Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:41:00 Title: Seat 9: Mike Matusow Log: Mike Matusow is in seat 9. Like Hellmuth, he needs no introduction to most of you. He probably holds the record for most penalties received during one World Series. He starts today with the second-most chips, and is looking to redeem himself. What for? Take your pick. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:40:00 Title: Seat 8: Tony Bloom Log: Tony Bloom is in seat 8. Bloom is from London, England, and is the only non-American at today's final table. He was the 18th place finisher from the San Diego WSOP Circuit event (Rincon), and, as a top European player, has many people cheering him on today. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:39:00 Title: Seat 7: Brandon Adams Log: Brandon Adams is in seat 7. He is from New Orleans, Louisiana, and qualified through the WSOP Circuit event held there. He qualified for this event in an unusual eight-way tie in the points standings, but he has definitely made the most of it. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:37:00 Title: Seat 5: Hoyt Corkins; Seat 6: Keith Sexton Log: Hoyt Corkins is in seat 5. The recognizable cowboy from Alabama qualified from the WSOP Circuit event in Atlantic City. Keith Sexton is in seat 6. Sexton is from Ohio, and he qualified from the WSOP Circuit event held in San Diego (the Rincon event). Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:35:00 Title: Seat 4: Phil Hellmuth Log: Phil Hellmuth needs no introduction in seat 4. He's won nine WSOP bracelets, second only to Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson, and he has tied Berry Johnston for the most WSOP cashes in history. He received an invitation to this tournament, and finished second to Annie Duke in last year's WSOP Tournament of Champions. He enters today with the chip lead, a position he has held for most of the tournament, and he is looking to go wire-to-wire. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:34:00 Title: Seat 3: David Levi Log: Earned his seat at the WSOP Circuit event in San Diego, and he is a very popular player who has been playing professionally for over ten years. He starts with the short stack. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:33:00 Title: Seat 2: Grant Lang Log: Grant "G-Money" Lang is sitting in seat two. He earned his entry by his performance at the <i>WSOP</i> Circuit event held here in Las Vegas. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:31:00 Title: Player Introductions: Steve Dannenmann Log: The player introductions have begun, and they're introduced in seat order. Steve Dannenmann is seat one is the first to be introduced. As most of you know, Dannenmann finished second in this year's WSOP Main Event, earning over $4 million. He's played very well in this tournament, even commended by Mike Matusow after yesterday's play came to an end. Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:30:00 Title: Opening Announcements Log: The opening announcements are just beginning. The players should be introduced soon, and play will begin shortly after that. Stay tuned! Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:15:00 Title: Opening Chip Counts Log: Play looks to be delayed until about 2:30 pm or so. In the meantime, here are the opening chip counts: 1. Phil Hellmuth - $281,500 (seat 4) 2. Mike Matusow - $179,000 (seat 9) 3. Brandon Adams - $135,500 (seat 7) 4. Tony Bloom - $130,000 (seat 8) 5. Steve Dannenmann - $122,000 (seat 1) 6. Keith Sexton - $95,500 (seat 6) 7. Hoyt Corkins - $95,000 (seat 5) 8. Grant Lang - $61,500 (seat 2) 9. David Levi - $41,000 (seat 3) Date / Time: 2005-11-08 14:00:00 Title: Play Delayed Log: The audience wasn't let in to ESPN's final table arena until 2:00 pm, and it looks like play won't be underway until at least 2:20 pm or so. The tournament staff is still prepping the final table, and ESPN's crew is still prepping their equipment. Stay tuned to CardPlayer.com throughout the day for complete hand-by-hand coverage of all the action.

[pokerplayer24]

I assure you merely posting the links would have been more then enough.

[Geezy]

Wow... Great Journalism.... nice post!

[InertGrudge]

Why? Oh please, why.

[Cory]

Matusow is a beast.

[Stylin_Fish]

Thank-you Mr. Pointless