August 2006 Archives

It's hard to find a place where you can earn nearly a quarter of a million bucks for ten hours work. The PokerStars Sunday Million has gotten that big. After fighting through a field of nearly 2,500 players, ocrowe won this week's Sunday Million outright, taking home $218,250! Don't miss your chance to play in poker's biggest weekly tournament. Satellites are already running for next Sunday's event. Here are this week's final table results.

PokerStars Sunday Million Results

1. ocrowe (Halifax, NS, Canada) $218,250.00
2. FoxyLisa (Stockholm, Sweden) $131,556.25
3. uwhat (Telford, United Kingdom) $76,630.00
4. kuparinen (Osthammar, Sweden) $63,656.25
5. Pokerturk (Oldenburg, Germany) $52,137.50
6. dbo336 (Alliance, OH) $40,618.75
7. tony1967 (Marietta, GA) $30,312.50
8. Mr. Ruger (Marstons Mills, MA) $23,037.50
9. Dethlefsen (Odense, Denmark) $13,943.75

Ready for a full weekend at PokerStars? Check out some of the events going on in the next few days.

August 26th

13:30 -- GoldStar VIP Freeroll $5,000 prize pool
14:00 -- PlatinumStar VIP Freeroll $7,500 prize pool
14:00 -- EPT Online Monte Carlo Grand Final (One package added!)
14:30 -- Supernova VIP Freeroll $20,000 prize pool (pays 99 places)
15:00 -- PokerStars VIP Club $100,000 freeroll
15:30 -- SilverStar VIP Freeroll $2,500 prize pool

16:00: (NEW!) 200 FPP buy-in limit holdem tournament $2,500 prize pool

August 27th

16:30 -- The Sunday Million -- $1 million guaranteed prize pool
18:00 -- The Sunday Grand -- 50 FPP buy in No Limit Holdem Tournament $1000 Prize pool

Aston Martin Racing finished third and fourth in GT1 in the Generac 500 American Le Mans Series race at Road America, Sunday, August 20. The end result is a disappointment for the team who looked like they were in contention for their third win of the season.

The team made a promising start, Stephane Sarrazin pulled away cleanly to retain first place in GT1 in the 009 DBR9 and teammate Darren Turner raced from third to second in the 007 DBR9.

Turner lost second place on lap 12 and Sarrazin suffered a huge set back on lap 13 when the number two Audi made contact and the 009 car spun into the gravel trap at turn 12.

A full course yellow was called and officials towed the 009 DBR9 out of the gravel. The 007 car took the opportunity to pit and after an exceptional pit stop by the 007 crew, Turner rejoined the race in first place in GT1.

Sarrazin pitted and rejoined the race three laps down on the GT1 leader. He remained in the car until a second safety car on lap 29 when he pitted again to hand over to co-driver Pedro Lamy. Lamy ran well until he suffered a puncture on lap 55 and returned to the pits - Sarrazin taking to the wheel of 009 for the remainder of the race.

Turner completed two stints in the 007 DBR9 handing the car over to Tomas Enge a little before the two-hour mark. Enge left the pits in third place and a third safety car period ensued shortly afterwards. When the green flag dropped, Enge overtook for second place at turn five only to endure the heartbreak of a front left puncture minutes later. The ensuing pit stop dropped Enge back down to third with just over 10 minutes of the race remaining. Teammate Sarrazin crossed the line in fourth, five laps down.

The team are hoping for better luck when they return to the US for round eight of the American Le Mans Series, the Grand Prix of Mosport at Mosport International Raceway. The race starts at 3pm Eastern Time on Sunday, September 3. SPEED Channel will broadcast the race live and the www.americanlemans.com website will feature live coverage from American Le Mans Radio and will also feature live timing and scoring.

It was a record-breaking day for the PokerStars Sunday Million. Nearly 6,000 people showed up to play in poker's biggest weekly tournament. With nearly $1.2 million in the prize pool, the competition was fierce. By the time players reached the final table, they were all guaranteed a five-figure payday. A four-way deal gave the top four players a huge amount of cash, including more than $150,000 to the eventual winner, CardXFactor. Here are the final table results.

PokerStars Sunday Million Results
(based on finishing order and four-way deal that left $20,000 for first place)

1. CardXFactor (Stockton, CA) $158,889.00
2. N00Z (Helsingor, Denmark) $72,997.00
3. BigDaddy007 (Escondido, CA) $68,032.00
4. SBRounder (Los Altos, CA) $75,000.00
5. pkrooster (Thunder Bay, ON, Canada) $36,710.20
6. cherson.27 (London, ON, Canada) $29,605.0
7. CoronaC-Note (California) $23,091.90
8. vaike (Tallinn, Estonia) $17,170.90
9. guayana14 (Caracas, Venezuela) $10,657.80

Ready for a full weekend at PokerStars? Check out some of the events going on in the next few days.

August 19th

13:30 -- GoldStar VIP Freeroll $5,000 prize pool
14:00 -- PlatinumStar VIP Freeroll $7,500 prize pool
14:00 -- EPT Online Barcelona Open (One package added!)
14:30 -- Supernova VIP Freeroll $18,000 prize pool (pays 99 places)
15:30 -- SilverStar VIP Freeroll $2,500 prize pool

16:00: (NEW!) 50 FPP buy-in limit holdem tournament $1000 prize pool


August 20th

14:00 -- EPT Online European Poker Tour London (One package added!)
16:30 -- The Sunday Million -- $1 million guaranteed prize pool
18:00 -- The Sunday Grand -- 50 FPP buy in No Limit Holdem Tournament $1000 Prize pool

With all the talk about the World Series of Poker, an upcoming online poker festival has sneaked under the radar. Fortunately, the crack research staff at Team Blog managed to sniff this one out before it was too late.

PokerStars is giving away seven packages to the European Poker Tour. Yep, just giving them away.

Starting August 19th and running through August 26th, PokerStars will host a daily $200 no-limit hold'em tournament (with satellites available into each event). The winner of each of the seven events will receive a free entry and travel money to one of seven European Poker Tour events.

I've traveled to nearly all of the EPT events and venues. If I had the chance to get in on this promotin, I'd be playing every day. If you're looking to play, click on "Events" and "EPT" in your PokerStars game lobby.

Visit EPT Online for more information.

With the WSOP now just a fading memory, PokerStars players once again flocked to the biggest weekly tournament in all of poker. Nearly 5,900 people played in the PokerStars Sunday Million and built a huge prize pool. When it was over, five people had raked in more than $70,000 a piece! Here are the final table results.

PokerStars Sunday Million Results
(based on order of finish and a five-way deal that left $20,000 for first place)

1. DeuxExMachin (Jersey City, NJ) $98,360.00
2. Kraven23 (Humboldt, IA) $76,112.00
3. jmega (Richmond Hill, ON, Canada) $74,609.00
4. jonath34 (Brooklyn, NY) $89,940.00
5. Stelvask (Redondo Beach, CA) $70,660.00
6. porpe (Petite Ile, Reunion) $29,465.00
7. blackeleven (San Diego, CA) $22,982.70
8. AA big loser (Beavercreek, OH) $17,089.70
9. isac (Stockholm, Sweden) $10,607.40

PokerStars qualifiers rake in $6 million at WSOP final table

by the members of Team Blog

When the PokerStars qualifiers rolled into Las Vegas, a little basic math could've predicted the presence of one or two qualifiers at the final table. After all, PokerStars sent more than 1,600 people to the biggest poker event in history. By the time the final nine were seated, PokerStars qualifiers made up exactly one third of the field. It was a surreal scene. Unlike the old days at Binion's, there was room for as many people who wanted to watch the final table.



Team Blog's Wil Wheaton wrote, in part:

With a few platforms, some bleachers, lots of indirect lighting and creative use of their signature black drapes, ESPN has built a small sound stage, complete with studio audience, in one quadrant of the Amazon room. Where there were a twenty-five tables filled with players as recently as five days ago, there are now platforms filled with spectators and enough security goons and velvet ropes to meet the needs of any Las Vegas night club. Plasma TVs broadcast ESPNs feed -- sans audio -- for the assembled spectators outside the ropes, while friends, family and pro players alike cheer on their favorite players from within.

Read: The Transformation of the Amazon Ballroom (by Wil Wheaton)

Around the final table were nine guaranteed millionaires.

Seat 1 - Richard Lee - $11,820,000
Seat 2 - Erik Friberg - $9,605,000 ($160 Double Shootout)
Seat 3 - Paul Wasicka - $7,970,000
Seat 4 - Dan Nassif - $2,600,000 ($160 Double Shootout)
Seat 5 - Allen Cunningham - $17,770,000
Seat 6 - Michael Binger - $3,140,000
Seat 7 - Doug Kim - $6,770,000 ($650 satellite)
Seat 8 - Jamie Gold - $26,650,000
Seat 9 - Rhett Butler - $4,815,000

Here's a recap of our qualifiers' day on the final table:



Dan Nassif
Qualified: $160 Double Shootout

Dan "danxxx1" Nassif, the 33-year-old advertising sales exec from St Louis, Missouri, had to call his bosses at the Riverfront Times last weekend and ask for a few more days' vacation so he could finish his run at the WSOP. Despite the fact he was guaranteed $1.5 million, he had no plans to retire early.

He came into the final table short-stacked and only made it through the first few hands. With a relative short stack, AK looked really good and he ended up playing it for all his money. Like many people at the final table, his demise came at the hands of Jamie Gold who flopped a set of deuces and sent Nassif to the rail. Gold was eliminated in ninth place, earning a $1,566,858.

Team Blog's Mad Harper covered Dan Nassif through his storybook run to the final table and wrote this about Nassif's exit:

Just half an hour after taking his seat on the final table of the WSOP 2006, PokerStars qualifier Dan "danxxx1" Nassif was knocked out by chip leader Jamie Gold. The 33-year-old advertising sales executive from St Louis, Missouri was the shortest stack at the table with just $2.6 million (a tenth of Jamie's stack) - so his all-in raise with AK after seeing a flop of 235 was understandable. But Gold had flopped a set of deuces. Dan said: "I should really have pushed all in before the flop but I didn't want to risk my whole stack for a win of just $400,000. In hindsight, that was an error."


Dan Nassif, just before busting in 9th place for $1.5 million

I have been watching Dan play - and chatting with him in the breaks - for five days now and I have been deeply impressed by both his rock-solid poker skills as well as charming and down-to-earth character. It's no surprise to me that, despite winning over $1.5 million, he has no plans to give up his day job at the Riverfront Times. He said: "They have been so great and supportive, letting me take off two weeks to come here and play. They are great people. The Riverfront Times isn't just a job for me, it's like family. So no, I'm not leaving. It would be a lack of character on my part to walk away."

Nor has Dan has any plans to become a poker professional. In fact, he doesn't even want to play cards for a while and described playing in the World Series as "brutal". He said: "The experience has been incredible, very exciting - but I don't know how these guys do it, playing day in, day out, playing from noon to 3am, it's an absolute grind."

Dan's parents John and Noreen, twin brother Peter, sister Amy and step-brothers Matt and Tom all flew in from St Louis yesterday to watch him play and are thrilled he did so well. His father said: "No, I'm not disappointed. He has played so well. I'm really proud."

Finally, if any of Dan's friends are reading this back home in St Louis, please note Dan publicly pledged earlier to reimburse any of you who paid for Pay-per-Vew to watch him play today!

Erik Friberg
Qualified: $160 Double Shootout

Erik Friberg, our 23-year-old PokerStars qualifier from Stockholm, Sweden, had the kind of tournament at the World Series that furiously aggressive poker champs tend to have. He began the last day of play second in chips with $5,905,000 and, as he approached the final table, ended up with $9,605,000. It placed him 4th out of the last nine.

When playing against a monster stack and hyper-aggressive, Johnny Chan-coached player like Jamie Gold, sometimes one just has to hope the cookie crumbles one's way. Today, it didn't for Erik Friberg. His limp-reraise with jacks seemed to be the best move against Gold. This time, though, Gold held an actual hand. Friberg is, in his words, "Disappointed. I felt I played badly today." After winning nearly $2 million, Friberg turned on a little Stu Ungar. What will he do with the money? "Gamble it," he said.




Team Blog's European correspondent Howard Swains caught up with Erik Friberg following his eighth place elimination:

It is not immediately easy to find sympathy for a man who has just won $1.9 million, but the hundreds at the Rio who just witnessed Erik Friberg's elimination from the final table of the main event will know that it is indeed possible.

The 23-year-old PokerStars qualifier from Sweden ran his jacks into Jamie Gold's pocket queens and just gave the kind of press conference that proves once and for all that money is not necessarily the only thing that makes the world go round.


Erik Friberg

"I'm disappointed I didn't go all the way," he explained, the anguish plainly etched on to his face. "I had a good time in this tournament. I woke up feeling great this morning but I played poorly today and am really disappointed. The World Series is like Christmas for poker players - and now it's over."

The end of Christmas. It is not an analogy many had thought of, but it fits perfectly for the termination of something that promises so much, invariably delivers, but is then over so quickly leaving only faded memories and a year-long countdown until the fun begins once more.

That said, Friberg was probably being unduly harsh on himself in his post-game analysis. The hand that turned out to be last was an example of his thoughtful, cultured play that, this time, did not give the desired result.

"I picked up pocket jacks in early position and just wondered how I could best get my chips in," he said. Erik limped and Gold, the bullying chip-leader, surprised no one with his raise. "I came over the top," said Erik. "But he had queens."

That, of course, is poker and Erik, who intends to re-invest his winnings in the entirely plausible search for even greater success, realises this as well as most. A huge cash game player, both live and online, he will return to the tables even stronger for his World Series experience. Outlasting more than eight and a half thousand players is something that very few can boast.

Sweden, Europe and PokerStars are proud.

Doug Kim
(Qualified: $650 PokerStars satellite)

Doug Kim from Westchester, New York, is a recent graduate of Duke and won his seat in the WSOP Main Event on one of the last satellites available on PokerStars. He started the last day of play 11th in chips at $3.6M in chips, then rode a roller coaster on Day 6. He moved down as low as $2.5M and as high as $7.8M on the final day before the final table. He had an extremely tough table draw down to two tables, with Jamie Gold and Allen Cunningham to his left. He took some hits along the way but finally took some pots from Gold, including a big pot with K-8o on a king high board. He ended at $6.77M, good for 6th chip position.

As deep as the stacks were, it seemed like Kim was in a good spot. However, as the blinds went up and the table got increasingly erratic, Kim picked his spot to get in--pocket nines on an all undercard flop. It was the wrong time. He was up against pocket queens.

Team Blog's Craig Cunningham covered Doug Kim since Day 1 of the WSOP. He offer this post-script of Kim's stellar WSOP performance:

Doug Kim desparately wanted to play in the World Series Main Event, spending over $3,000 in a variety of qualifiers on PokerStars for the chance to play in Las Vegas. He finally made it on the last day of qualifying, and he was off to join 8,772 others for a chance at the final table. He hadn't played in small tournaments at a local casino or in earlier World Series events. This was the first live tournament he'd played in, and he rode a meandering journey through each day to get here. Along the way his friend Jason Strasser was left behind, and Doug was forced to march on alone. His family flew to Las Vegas yesterday, supportive yet concerned that their recently graduated son would turn away from the career path he had chosen He starts work in September, and for most young men it would be easy to take $2.39M and live large for awhile.


Doug Kim

Doug Kim isn't most young men. He's kept all of this in perspective as he moved to the Final Table on Tuesday. "For me, poker is an interesting game that I've tried to become good at. It hasn't been my life, but I enjoy playing and learning about the game." He came into today in good shape with $6.77M in chips, but he quickly ran into a buzzsaw. "I was re-raised three times in the first few hands, and I really had to focus and readjust. It was tough with Jamie Gold on my left, so I knew I had to battle. I could have played to move up in pay levels, but I didn't get to the final table that way. I played to win, and I feel I played my best today."

Doug Kim will report to work in a few weeks with an updated resume. Under the Achievements section at the bottom it will read: "Enjoy video games and poker, recently finishing 7th in the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event."


Doug Kim walking with Chris Bigler after exiting the 2006 WSOP

This has been an exceptionally long six weeks. There have been fantastic vicories and tear-welling defeats. We have made friends. We have found heroes. We have escaped villians. More than anything, we have survived the biggest poker event in history.

PokerStars, as it always seems to do, conducted itself here in a way that can make its players proud. The PokerStars community is one that is more family than it is clubhouse. We on Team Blog have felt the wins and losses along with our players. We, like PokerStars as a whole, want to wish all of our friends and personal heroes both congratulations and thanks. You have made this marthon survivable. You have given us hope. And you have given us a reason to keep loving a game that is sometimes very hard to play and watch.

That's a long way of saying, thanks for playing for Team PokerStars and congratulations on another successful World Series of Poker.

PokerStars WSOP Main Event Winners

8:16pm--Doug Kim: Postscript

Team Blog's Craig Cunningham has been covering Doug Kim since Day 1 of the WSOP. He offer this post-script of Kim's stellar WSOP performance

Doug Kim desparately wanted to play in the World Series Main Event, spening over $3,000 in a variety of qualifiers on PokerStars for the chance to play in Las Vegas. He finally made it on the last day of qualifying, and he was off to join 8,772 others for a chance at the final table. He hadn't played in small tournaments at a local casino or in earlier World Series events. This was the first live tournament he'd played in, and he rode a meandering journey through each day to get here. Along the way his friend Jason Strasser was left behind, and Doug was forced to march on alone. His family flew to Las Vegas yesterday, supportive yet concerned that their recently graduated son would turn away from the career path he had chosen He starts work in September, and for most young men it would be easy to take $2.39M and live large for awhile.

Doug Kim isn't most young men. He's kept all of this in perspective as he moved to the Final Table on Tuesday. "For me, poker is an interesting game that I've tried to become good at. It hasn't been my life, but I enjoy playing and learning about the game." He came into today in good shape with $6.77M in chips, but he quickly ran into a buzzsaw. "I was re-raised three times in the first few hands, and I really had to focus and readjust. It was tough with Jamie Gold on my left, so I knew I had to battle. I could have played to move up in pay levels, but I didn't get to the final table that way. I played to win, and I feel I played my best today."

Doug Kim will report to work in a few weeks with an updated resume. Under the Achievements section at the bottom it will read: "Enjoy video games and poker, recently finishing 7th in the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event."

6:31pm--Doug Kim eliminated

On a 443 flop, Doug Kim got his chips in with pocket nines versus Paul Wasicka's pocket queens. The turn and river were no help. Kim is out in seventh for $2,391,520.

6:24pm--Updated chip counts

Jamie Gold $35,500,000
Richard Lee $21,280,000
Allen Cunningham $13,000,000
Paul Wasicka $9,100,000
Doug Kim $5,600,000
Rhett Butler $3,800,000
Michael Binger $2,700,000


6:16pm--Kim loses one

Paul Wasicka raised to $700k, then Doug Kim reraised to $2.1M. Wasicka quickly moved all-in for another $4.8M or so, and Doug immediately went into the tank. Not a good sign that he started pondering, and it meant he was mucking which he did. A big chunk out of Doug's stack, but he's still sitting with $5.6M.

6:15pm--Exit interview with Erik Friberg

Team Blog's Howard Swains caught up with Erik Friberg following his eighth place elimination:

It is not immediately easy to find sympathy for a man who has just won $1.9 million, but the hundreds at the Rio who just witnessed Erik Friberg's elimination from the final table of the main event will know that it is indeed possible.

The 23-year-old PokerStars qualifier from Sweden ran his jacks into Jamie Gold's pocket queens and just gave the kind of press conference that proves once and for all that money is not necessarily the only thing that makes the world go round.


Erik Friberg

"I'm disappointed I didn't go all the way," he explained, the anguish plainly etched on to his face. "I had a good time in this tournament. I woke up feeling great this morning but I played poorly today and am really disappointed. The World Series is like Christmas for poker players - and now it's over."

The end of Christmas. It is not an analogy many had thought of, but it fits perfectly for the termination of something that promises so much, invariably delivers, but is then over so quickly leaving only faded memories and a year-long countdown until the fun begins once more.

That said, Friberg was probably being unduly harsh on himself in his post-game analysis. The hand that turned out to be last was an example of his thoughtful, cultured play that, this time, did not give the desired result.

"I picked up pocket jacks in early position and just wondered how I could best get my chips in," he said. Erik limped and Gold, the bullying chip-leader, surprised no one with his raise. "I came over the top," said Erik. "But he had queens."

That, of course, is poker and Erik, who intends to re-invest his winnings in the entirely plausible search for even greater success, realises this as well as most. A huge cash game player, both live and online, he will return to the tables even stronger for his World Series experience. Outlasting more than eight and a half thousand players is something that very few can boast.

Sweden, Europe and PokerStars are proud.

6:01pm--More pictures from the 2006 WSOP Final Table

Doug Kim, the remaining PokerStars qualifier

5:59pm--Updated chip counts

Jamie Gold $37,000,000
Richard Lee $20,000,000
Allen Cunningham $11,200,000
Doug Kim $7,300,000
Paul Wasicka $6,600,000
Rhett Butler $4,200,000
Michael Binger $3,200,000

5:28pm--Binger puts a hurt on Allen Cunningham

We almost lost Micahel Binger. He got AT all-in against Allen Cuningham on a QJx flop. Cunningham held AQ. A sick king on the turn gave Binge rthe straight. No ten on the turn handed a six million chip pot to Binger.

5:28pm--On cookies crumbling and Friberg's elimination

When playing against a monster stack and hyper-aggressive, Johnny Chan-coached player like Jamie Gold, sometimes you just have to hope the cookie crumbles your way. Today, it didn't for Erik Friberg. His limp-reraise with jacks seemed to be the best move against Gold. This time, though, Gold held an actual hand. Friberg is, in his words, "Disappointed. I felt I played badly today." After winning nearly $2 million, Friberg turned on a little Stu Ungar. What will he do with the money? "Gamble it," he said.

5:20pm--Erik Friberg eliminated in eighth

Friberg limps in for 200K. Jame Gold makes it a million to go. Friberg moves all in with jacks. Gold calls instantly with queens. Flop come 273. The turn is a ten. On the river, Friverg needs a jack. Instead it comes a queen and Friberg is eliminated in eigth place.

5:17pm--Kim takes on Cunningham

5337 rainbow board, Doug bet out 1.5 million and pushed Allen Cunningham, the pre-flop raiser in the hand, out of the pot. Kim picked up a couple million on that hand.

5:06pm--Photos from the WSOP final table




The WSOP final table


Erik Friberg


Dan Nassif, just before busting in 9th place for $1.5 million



4:59pm--Doug Kim's rail

Team Blog's Craig Cunningham is on the rail with Doug Kim's family:

Big sister Janet Kim and the rest of the family are here in force, all in support of Doug. "He tried last year to get in but didn't, and some of his friends got in. Since school has been out, he's been trying to qualify. We were in Europe traveling, and if we ever stopped and there was no wireless, he would pout alot. Basically, he ruined our trip!" Janet has been in Paris studying fashion design, and his older sister is looking for a job.

"Doug has always been the sibling with money, and he's supposed to back my clothing line if he ever got money." If Doug can pull this off, Janet might have a new employer.

4:56pm--Publish issues resolved

Following somoe publishing software issues, we're back. You didn't miss a great deal. Players actually took a 20-minute break during the downtime. I think they were thinking of me.

3:42pm--Updated chip counts

Following Allen Cunningham's loss of a major pot to Jamie Gold, the chip counts have changed in a pretty big way.

Jamie Gold $34,500,000
Richard Lee $16,000,000
Allen Cunningham $12,000,000
Doug Kim $7,350,000
Erik Friberg $6,000,000
Paul Wasicka $5,200,000
Rhett Butler $5,000,000
Michael Binger $3,700,000

3:29pm--Dan Nassif's final moments

Team Blog's Mad Harper checked in with Dan Nassif after he finished in 9th place:

Just half an hour after taking his seat on the final table of the WSOP 2006, PokerStars qualifier Dan "danxxx1" Nassif was knocked out by chip leader Jamie Gold. The 33-year-old advertising sales executive from St Louis, Missouri was the shortest stack at the table with just $2.6 million (a tenth of Jamie's stack) - so his all-in raise with AK after seeing a flop of 235 was understandable. But Gold had flopped a set of deuces. Dan said: "I should really have pushed all in before the flop but I didn't want to risk my whole stack for a win of just $400,000. In hindsight, that was an error."

I have been watching Dan play - and chatting with him in the breaks - for five days now and I have been deeply impressed by both his rock-solid poker skills as well as charming and down-to-earth character. It's no surprise to me that, despite winning over $1.5 million, he has no plans to give up his day job at the Riverfront Times. He said: "They have been so great and supportive, letting me take off two weeks to come here and play. They are great people. The Riverfront Times isn't just a job for me, it's like family. So no, I'm not leaving. It would be a lack of character on my part to walk away."

Nor has Dan has any plans to become a poker professional. In fact, he doesn't even want to play cards for a while and described playing in the World Series as "brutal". He said: "The experience has been incredible, very exciting - but I don't know how these guys do it, playing day in, day out, playing from noon to 3am, it's an absolute grind."

Dan's parents John and Noreen, twin brother Peter, sister Amy and step-brothers Matt and Tom all flew in from St Louis yesterday to watch him play and are thrilled he did so well. His father said: "No, I'm not disappointed. He has played so well. I'm really proud."

Finally, if any of Dan's friends are reading this back home n St Louis, please note Dan publicly pledged earlier to reimburse any of you who paid for Pay-per-Vew to watch him play today!

3:14pm--Updated chip counts

Jamie Gold $31,600,000
Allen Cunningham $16,800,000
Richard Lee $10,000,000
Erik Friberg $9,000,000
Doug Kim $6,600,000
Paul Wasicka $6,500,000
Rhett Butler $4,400,000
Michael Binger $3,000,000

3:04pm--More on Doug Kim

If you're looking to know some more about Doug Kim, check out Team Blog's Craig Cunningham's pre-game profile on Doug Kim.

2:47pm--Doug Kim in action

Blinds are currently at 80K/160K/20K. After picking up some chips in a pot with Jamie Gold, on a board of J72-5-Q, Doug Kim jammed the rest of his stack into the pot. Gold thought for a while before mucking his hand. On a subsequent hand, Doug raise pre-flopped form the button, then called a re-raise from Richard Lee. After the flop came ace-high, Doug folded to Lee's all-in bet.

2:27pm--Dan Nassif eliminated

Dan Nassif has just been eliminated, his AK falling to Jamie Gold's pocket deuces that flopped a set. Dan is eliminated in ninth place for $1,566,858.

The final table of the 2006 World Series of Poker Main event is about to begin. PokerStars is proud to have three online qualifiers seated among this year's best of the best.

Seat 1 - Richard Lee - $11,820,000
Seat 2 - Erik Friberg - $9,605,000 ($160 Double Shootout)
Seat 3 - Paul Wasicka - $7,970,000
Seat 4 - Dan Nassif - $2,600,000 ($160 Double Shootout)
Seat 5 - Allen Cunningham - $17,770,000
Seat 6 - Michael Binger - $3,140,000
Seat 7 - Doug Kim - $6,770,000 ($650 satellite)
Seat 8 - Jamie Gold - $26,650,000
Seat 9 - Rhett Butler - $4,815,000

Dan "danxxx1" Nassif


Dan "danxxx1" Nassif, the 33-year-old advertising sales exec from St Louis, Missouri, had to call his bosses at the Riverfront Times last weekend and ask for a few more days' vacation. Given that he's now worth more than $1.5 million, his next call to the office will probably be to hand in his resignation. He banned his friends and family from coming to the WSOP unless he made the final table but now, after two weeks of hard grinding, he has made it through.

Doug "technologic" Kim


Doug Kim from Westchester, New York, is a recent graduate of Duke and won his seat in the WSOP Main Event on one of the last satellites available on PokerStars. He started the last day of play 11th in chips at $3.6M in chips, then rode a roller coaster on Day 6. He moved down as low as $2.5M and as high as $7.8M on the final day before the final table. He had an extremely tough table draw down to two tables, with Jamie Gold and Allen Cunningham to his left. He took some hits along the way but finally took some pots from Gold, including a big pot with K-8o on a king high board. He ended at $6.77M, good for 6th chip position.

Erik "lirarerik" Friberg


Erik Friberg, our 23-year-old PokerStars qualifier from Stockholm, Sweden, has had the kind of tournament at the World Series that furiously aggressive poker champs tend to have. He began the last day of play second in chips with $5,905,000 and, as he approached the final table, ended up with $9,605,000. That places him 4th out of the last nine; in with a shot.

For the last month, the Amazon room has been the largest tournament poker room in the world, and today, it's been transformed into the most important television studio in poker.

With a few platforms, some bleachers, lots of indirect lighting and creative use of their signature black drapes, ESPN has built a small sound stage, complete with studio audience, in one quadrant of the Amazon room. Where there were a twenty-five tables filled with players as recently as five days ago, there are now platforms filled with spectators and enough security goons and velvet ropes to meet the needs of any Las Vegas night club. Plasma TVs broadcast ESPNs feed -- sans audio -- for the assembled spectators outside the ropes, while friends, family and pro players alike cheer on their favorite players from within.

Oh, and if you look carefully, you can even see some poker being played: there are four tables -- one of them short-handed and all of them low-limit -- in the cash area where just three weeks ago the biggest names in the poker world sat behind enough chips to pay off my mortgage several times over.

There's also the final table, which, despite the numerous inflatable Milwaukee's Best Light cans and other media sponsorships, is the reason we're all here. There were nine millionaires sitting around that table when play began today, and while the money won't change at least two of their lives, the bracelet and the fame it brings certainly will.

I asked 2004 Main Event Champion Greg Raymer, who has been here once before, and nearly made it here last year, what advice he had for the final table players.

"Once you make it to the final table, enjoy it while it lasts," he said, "because it only lasts for one of you past today."

by Craig Cunningham

UPDATE: 3:00PM

Doug has had a bit of a roller coaster of a ride to start the day, raising the first two hands only to fold to reraises by Jamie Gold and Richard Lee. Gold then called a raise by Dan Nassif, flopped a set of deuces, and knocked out Dan while Doug moved up to at least $1.979MM. Doug next played a key hand with Gold, checking from the big blind. Flop comes 7-J-2, Doug bets $400k and Gold calls. 5d hits the turn, Doug checks and Gold bets $800k, then Doug calls. Qs comes on the river, and Doug moves all-in. Gold chats him up a bit then mucks, then Doug collects the pot. He gave most of it back when he raised a couple of hands later, was re-raised by Rhett Butler to $1.2M, then Doug called. The flop came 3-9-A, Butler moved all-in, then Doug reluctantly folded.

The ESPN questionnaire that players fill out has a final question: What's one thing you'd like the television audience to know about you? Doug left it blank, finally writing No comment in the space. It's not that he is void of interest, it's just that he's just a young guy like many of us or our kids.

Doug grew up in Yonkers then moved to Hartsdale, New York for his childhood. His father is a physician, and his mother helps out in his office. "I did a lot of typical kid things growing up, played video games, was in the orchestra, started playing the guitar. I was a fairly normal guy." Off to Duke, he enjoyed the college experience including Duke basketball, but the thing he liked most about Duke were the fellow students. "I think college is mostly about the people you meet. Most of the ones at Duke were not a-holes, and I found some good friends while I was there."

His poker career started fairly innocuously as often happens. "I started playing $0.15/0.30 with buddies, then when I got to Duke I played in the home game there. I lost something like $500 in a semester when I was a freshman, and I was devestated. It was alot of money then. During the summer, I started reading more about poker, and when I was a sophomore I played better. I didn't win big money, but I didn't lose alot. I had a friend of mine from Northwestern who told me about bonus hunting as a way to build my bankroll, and that coupled with the $25 NLHE cash games started building my bankroll. I've been playing bigger recently, probably $3/6 NLHE as the biggest game I play now."

Coming into the World Series, Doug had a practical view of his outlook. "I have $10k in chips, but maybe my equity is a bit better than most. It's like I'm in a lottery with 8,700 other people, but I have a few more tickets than others. The big thing I've seen are people playing too poorly, pushing with poor hands or overbetting. Pushing pre-flop is what everyone wants to do here." Heading into Day 3, Doug sat with $95,200 good for 295th out of 1,159 players. "I was just trying to get in position to get more, to get further. I never wanted to get ahead of myself." With each day, the situation changed. He headed into Day 4 with $372k, 43rd out of 481 players. Day 5 $939k, 24th of 135, and Day 6 $1.3M (27th of 45). Day 7th he had $3.6M in chips and sat 10th place of the 27 players left.

There are a few traits that all of us can learn from Doug. The first is patience. This is somewhat similar to playing tight, but it also has to do with not feeling compelled to act. When he's drifted from this patience, he's suffered. Another very important characteristic is humility. That may not be the right word necessarily, but he doesn't see every small battle as a war. That has served him well when he's made reads that he's beaten. They haven't always been the right read. On the last hand of Day 6, Lee Kort made a big bluff at a pot that would have been nice to win heading into the last 27 players. Doug folded, and Kort showed the bluff. "That last hand, congratulations to him. If he's willing to risk that, then I'm OK with that. I can't think about how many chips I could have or did have, I just have to go on from there."

While Johnny Chan can be seen hovering behind Jamie Gold from time to time, Doug draws from his friend Jason Strasser and a couple of other players for advice and pep talks. It is a stark difference to see Gold with Chan vs. Doug with Jason. Gold seems to seek out Chan for approval or reinforcement, leaking a bit of insecurity along the way. Doug is more prone to spend some time with Jason over a dinner break talking about a couple of situations. Doug is a peer of Jason's from an understanding of the game and the complexities of theory that are being advanced today.

Doug has shown a real ability to adjust and deal with adversity. We've seen that from a couple of other players, like Richard Lee, Erik Friberg, and Paul Wasicka at this final table. Doug Kim is at the final table of the Main Event, an incredible feat. If he wins it, he'll be the newest version of Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer, and Joseph Hachem. In fact, he'll be a fusion of these three. He's the everyman that Moneymaker brought to the felt, but more the college-age player taking the game by storm. He'll be the poker student and theoritician like Raymer, but drawing and learning from those like Raymer and others who have contributed so much to this simple game. And like Hachem, underneath Doug's skin burns a fire to succeed, an emotion under control but feeding his pursuit. "I haven't tried to get ahead of myself, but everyday changes your perspective. I've had a couple of talks with my friends, and they've urged me to play for first. That doesn't mean playing recklessly, but it means that I have my eyes set on getting to the end." He's one of nine players with a chance to accomplish that goal. He'll start well behind chipleader Jamie Gold and at a disadvantage to Allen Cunningham as all there will, but as this World Series has shown, anything can happen.

by the staff of Team Blog

Nothing compares.

No matter what sporting event you attend, no matter what game you play, no matter what kind of money you want to win, nothing compares to what we're about to see.

The final table area for the WSOP

Three PokerStars players have made the final table of the 2006 World Series of Poker. Every one of them is guaranteed no less than $1.5 million dollars. From there, the prizes get so big, Benny Binion is sure to be celebrating from his grave (and likely wondering if he could find a way to come back and host the event next year).


The 2006 WSOP main event bracelet

Dan "danxxx1" Nassif, Doug "technologic" Kim, and Erik "lirarerik" Friberg will all be sitting at the final table of WSOP, competing for the biggest sporting event prizes in history.

1 - $12,000,000
2 - $6,102,499
3 - $4,123,310
4 - $3,628,513
5 - $3,216,182
6 - $2,803,851
7 - $2,391,520
8 - $1,979,189
9 - $1,566,858

If you're just tuning in (or have been under a rock for the past couple of weeks), here are the PokerStars players who will be fighting for the most coveted prize in all of poker.

Dan "danxxx1" Nassif


Dan "danxxx1" Nassif, the 33-year-old advertising sales exec from St Louis, Missouri, had to call his bosses at the Riverfront Times last weekend and ask for a few more days' vacation. Given that he's now worth more than $1.5 million, his next call to the office will probably be to hand in his resignation. Fact is, Dan will be making a lot of calls tonight. He banned his friends and family from coming to the WSOP unless he made the final table but now, after another day's hard grinding, he has made it through. He only had one dip today, when his Kings were cracked by Michael Binger's pocket queens. He doubled up Binger and lost nearly half his stack -but spent the rest of the evening battling his way back up to finish the day with $2,600,000.

Doug "technologic" Kim


Doug Kim from West Chester, New York, is a recent graduate of Duke and won
his seat in the WSOP Main Event on one of the last satellites available on
PokerStars. He started the day 11th in chips at $3.6M in chips, then rode a
roller coaster on Day 6. He moved down as low as $2.5M and as high as $7.8M
today. He had an extremely tough table draw down to two tables, with Jamie
Gold and Allen Cunningham to his left. He took some hits along the way but
finally took some pots from Gold, including a big pot with K-8o on a king
high board. He ended at $6.77M, good for 6th chip position.

Erik "lirarerik" Friberg


Erik Friberg, our 23-year-old PokerStars qualifier from Stockholm, Sweden, has had the kind of day at the World Series that furiously aggressive poker champs tend to have. He began the day second in chips with $5,905,000 and, as he approaches the final table, he has $9,605,000. That places him 4th out of the last nine; in with a shot.

It didn't start well. The huge hit came within the second level, when he became embroiled in a massive pot with Allen Cunningham, out on table one. With pocket nines and looking at an all-in bet from Cunningham on a king-high board of two spades, Friberg had correctly deduced that the American did not have a king. He called, but was forced to ship it in Cunningham's direction when he flipped over pocket fives for the set.

For more than an hour after, the ice-cool Swede looked shaken. Clearly card-dead, he found his natural game restricted and dribbled chips away. That was until he found A-Q to eliminate Kevin Aaronson and the major pot was the kick-start to an hour of all-out aggression. It came to an end, however, when he was moved to the feature table, beside the giant stacks of Jamie Gold and Allen Cunningham. There, the going was tougher and while he began to play back at Jamie, he was taking hits from other directions. He yo-yoed for three hours before eliminating Leif Force and sticking around to make the final - and considerably more than a million dollars.

Players will get a day off on Wednesday to collect their thoughts and prepare for the biggest poker day of their lives.

Here are the final table chip counts:

Jamie Gold - $26,650,000
Allen Cunningham - $17,770,000
Richard Lee - $11,820,000
Erik Friberg - $9,605,000
Paul Wasicka - $7,970,000
Doug Kim - $6,770,000
Rhett Butler - $4,815,000
Michael Binger - $3,140,000
Dan Nassif - $2,600,000

Congratulations to our final table players!

Don't miss:

Wil Wheaton's Conversation with Rob Berryman

Dr. Pauly's Exit Interviw with Eric "Rizen" Lynch

2:19am--ESPN final table set

Fred Goldberg has been eliminated in tenth place. Goldberg jammed from the cutoff with Q3. Richard Lee woke up with kings and that was it. A full wrap-up is on its way.

2:13am--Back from break, blinds up

Blinds are up to 80K/160K/20K

1:50am--Updated chip counts

Guaranteed prize: $1.1 million

Erik Friberg ($160 Double Shootout qualifier) 9.85 million (3rd)
Doug Kim ($650 satellite qualifier) 5.4 million (7th)
Dan Nassif ($160 Double Shootout qualifier) 2.8 million (9th)

1:48am--Break

A break is on and that means it's about to get later.

1:21am--Fred Goldberg doubles up Binger

Fred Goldberg's pocket tens couldn't hold up against Michael Binger's AQ. We almost had our final table there.

1:00am--Morning coming, Goldberg chipping up

All props bets have been paid up and it is now after 1am. The main man in action is Fred Goldberg, who must have read some Harrington at the break. He's playing his short stack like a well-tuned instrument.

12:34pm--Doug Kim making his moves

Facing a limp and a raise, Doug Kim jammed in his entire stack and picked up enough chips to get him up to around $5 million.

12:20am--All-in? Sure!

So much for no all-in and calls. Jamie Gold just made top pair and got all in against Paul Wasicka's set of fives. Wasicka has doubled up to around seven million.

12:07am--All-in? No, thank you, sir

With just one player to lose before the end of play and the big-money final table, putting all one's chips at risk is not the type of thing these players are willing to do much. And when it did happen a bit ago, it forced Doug Kim to lay down his raise.

11:45pm--Big blinds and antes

Players are playing 60K/120K/20K. That makes it 380K per orbit to play. That gives the short stacks enough time to fold for a few orbits, but not enough time to sleep their way to the bigger money.

11:35pm--Ten-handed chip counts

Jamie Gold: 26.7 million
Allen Cunningham 17.7 million
Richard Lee 7.8 million
Dan Nassif 7.4 million
Doug Kim 6.54 million
Paul Wasicka 5.6 million
Erik Friberg 5 million
Fred Goldberg 3.9 million
Rhett Butler 3.8 million
Michael Binger 3.8 million
11:15pm--Friberg sneaks a smoke

Smoking is verboten in the convention hall here, but Erik Friberg needed one so bad, he took a page from Brownsville Station (or Motely Crue, if you prefer) and headed off to the head for a little smokin' in the boys room action. In a conversation (on which I eavesdropped like a CIA operative), Friberg dragged on his smoke and talked with writer Jon Vorhaus.

Vorhaus: "You need to put your sunglasses again."
Friberg: "I need to put them on so the TV cameras don't notice my anger."

Friberg has been on an up-and-down trip since the dinner break. He confessed a little tilt. Then posed for a picture with Vorhaus and headed back to play for $12 million.

10:58pm--Updated chip counts

Doug "technologic" Kim 7 million
Dan "Danxxx1" Nassif 5.7 million
Erik "lirarerik" Friberg 5 million

10:54pm--Friberg busts Force

We're down to the final ten after Erik Friberg busted Lief Force. Friberg flopped top pair to Force's flush draw and one over. Force missed all his outs twice and exited in 11th place. Now, play will consolidate to one table. When we lose one more player, we're down to the final ESPN televised table.

10.25pm--Friberg turns and climbs again

After haemorrhaging chips for about 40 minutes, Erik Friberg takes one down. He bets 300,000 pre-flop, Jamie Gold calls. The flop is Ah5d6s and both players check. Turn is a 6c and Erik bets 300,000. Called from Jamie. On the 7s river, Erik moves all in. Jamie dwells but folds.

10.20pm--Doug Kim takes one down
Doug picks up about 900,000 after his pre-flop bet is called by both Jamie Gold and Erik Friberg. He moves in on a board of 8h4d9c and both others fold.

10.15pm--Friberg's freefall continues

Erik Friberg opens up with a bet from early position for 300,000. Rhett Butler, who hasn't played much, raises to 900,000 and Erik dwells but calls. On a board of 10s-2s-8d, Erik checks and Rhett moves all in for about 2 million more. Erik folds and concedes another million.

10:01pm--Dan Nassif loses to a two outer

Dan Nassif just got his kings cracked by Michael Bingers pocket queens when a queen fell on the flop. Nassif appears to have lost about half his stack on the rough beat.

9:59pm--Friberg on a downward spiral after double up

On a flop of 8cJs3h, Kim bet 400,000 and Friberg called. A nine of clubs fell on the turn and both players checked. The seven of hearts on the river drew a one million bet from Kim. Friberg called. Kim showed AJ for the win.

9:57pm--Friberg takes on Cunningham

...and loses. On a board KQ5AT with three spades, Cunningham bet close to a million on the river. Cunning showed AT for two pair and the win.

9:53pm--Down to 11

Fred Goldberg has just busted John Magill with pocket nines vs. pocket fives. We're down to all players, one off the final table, and two off the final ESPN table.

9.40pm--Friberg doubles up through Gold

Big, big hand for Erik Friberg. He doubles through chip leader Jamie Gold and is up to 7.4 million. Jamie raises pre-flop, Erik calls. The flop comes 9d3h2d and is checked by both players. The turn is 10d and after Jamie bets, Erik moves all in. Jamie calls with AdQh - overcards and the nut diamond draw. Erik has 10-8 for top pair and no draw. The non-diamond three on the river is good for the Swede and he's now in third place.

The much-anticipated slowdown to the bloodbath seems to be upon us.

9:30pm--Friberg takes a small hit

Allen Cunningham makes a 500,000 bet on a board of 10hAh7s and Erik Friberg calls. They both check the turn (Kc) but then Alan bets out on the river of 6s. Erik folds - giving Allen a million dollar pot.

9:00pm--Coming back from break

We're coming back from break. With 12 players remaining, PokerStars has three qualifiers and one long-time and dedicated player left in the field.

Erik Friberg: 7 million
Fred Goldberg: 6.7 million
Dan Nassif: 4.3 million
Doug Kim: 4.5 million

The media have been discussing how long it will take to get down to the final table. The line has been set at 11pm. I've taken the over. Also, I've got the three PokerStars qualifiers against John Magill at 5-1. I feel pretty comfortable with both ventures.

7:10pm--Dinner break chip counts

Friberg just stood up to Jamie Gold on the last hand before the break.

Players are now on dinner break. Here are the approximate chip counts for the remaining PokerStars qualifiers:

Erik Friberg: 7 million
Dan Nassif: 4.3 million
Doug Kim: 4.5 million

6:37pm--Friberg, meet Jamie Gold

Erik Friberg has been moved to the feature table. It happens to be the table that's featuring man-eating chip leader Jamie Gold.

6:29pm--William Thorsson eliminated

And yeah, Jamie Gold did it. Thorsson had jacks to Gold's kings. We're down to 12 players. Everyone who finished from here on out is guaranteed more than a million bucks. Three players to go until the final table of the main event.

6:21pm--Friberg starts to battle

After looking downtordden for much of the day, Erik Friberg seems to have found some energy and seems to be playing every pot, betting into flops, and playing the game that got him this far. Careful, fellas, 'cause the sleeping giant ain't hittin snooze anymore.

5:55pm--Friberg picks up some chips

John Magill called Erik Friberg's big blind. As4dQc came on the flop. Friberg checked. Magill bet 400,000. Friberg then made it a million to go and Magill folded.

5:54pm--Guess who busted another one?

Yeah. Jamie Gold battled with AJ on an A5x flop and was up against A5. He turned his jack for a better two pair.

5:43pm--Picture time Pt. Deux

Erik Friberg, sans glasses


Doug Kim, under the TV cameras


Dan Nassif, looking more awake as he looks at the payout structure

5:37pm--Friberg busts Kevin Aaronson

Erik Friberg has just busted with Kevin Aaronson with AQ vs T4. We're down to 14.

5:29pm--Down to 15

Sirous Jamshidi has been eliminated. We're down to 15.

5:20pm--Jeff Lisndro eliminated

Jeff Lisandro took a huge hit to his stack when he lost with J-J against Paul Wasicka's K-K. He had a chance to qualdruple up with his last few chips on the next hand. However, after getting called in four places, Lisandro's hands (which he mucked on the river) couldn't stand up to two pair. He's out in 17th place.

4:51pm--Break time

Time for 15-minute break.

4:47pm--Picture time


Erik Friberg


Doug Kim, all-in


Dan Nassif, not nearly as asleep as he looks

4:38pm--Down to 17

David Einhorn just suffered the Jamie Gold treatement. His KQ couldn't hold up against Gold's Q6. We're down to 17.

4:28pm--Kim in action

Michael Binger came in for a raise from the button to around 200,000. Doug Kim called from the big blind. The flop came out 7sks9h. Both players checked. The ace of diamonds came on the turn. Doug checked and Binger bet out 400,000K. Kim called. The 9c came on the river. Both players checjed. Doug showed AJ, which was good for the pot.

4:16pm--Is this it?

There have been wide and bold predictions about a massive slowdown in action. I'm not saying this is it, but, dang, it could be.

3:59pm--Cannibalism predicted

All of the remaining PokerStars qualifiers are now sitting on one table. Among them, they have a little more than 15 million in chips.

3:45pm--Back from break

Back from break, we have 18 players remaining. People are scratching their head at how fast the tournament is playing so far. At this moment, there are two people who are fairly close to push or fold mode. There are a couple more who can wait for a bit before getting desperate. However, to this point, no one has paid a great deal of attention to the concept of "just hanging around." With guaranteed prize money of more than 650,000, who knows who will give a damn about hanging around.

3:28pm--Chip counts at the break

Dan Nassif 6,200,000 (3rd)
Erik Friberg 5,200,000 (8th)
Doug Kim 4,900,000 (9th)

3:22pm--Down to 18

With the elimination of Dustin Holmes, we're down to 18 and two tables. Three PokerStars qualifiers remaim: Dan Nassif, Erik Friberg, and Doug Kim.

3:08pm--Doug Kim doubles up

Doug Kim raised preflop and was called by Jamie Gold. Flop was Ah-7h-Ac and Doug moved all in. After waiting four or five minutes, Gold eventually called. He had 6-7o and Kim had A-8 for a set of Aces. Kim is up to $4.5M.

2:56pm--Friberg rebuilding

After losing the big pot to Cunningham earlier, Erik Friberg is rebuilding, having just won a pot to bring him back up over the four million mark.

2:42pm--Down to 19

Prahlad Friedman just did the same thing a lot of people have done in the past several days. He lost his final hand to chip leader Jamie Gold. Friedmas goes to the rail in 19th place.

2:37pm--Nassif wins a million

Nassif raises from middle position to 225,000 and gets called by the big blind. The flop comes Qs3dQh. Both players checked. The turn came as a four of clubs. Both players checked. The river came as the three of spades. The big blind bet out 300,000. Nassif called and flipped over aces. The big blind mucked and Nassif raked the pot.

2:35pm--Kevin O'Donnell busts

O'Donnell makes it 180,000 from under the gun. Cunningham makes it 450,000 more from the big blind. O'Donnell makes it another million. Cunning moves all in. O'Donnell and shows kings to Cunningham's aces. No king came and O'Donnell is gone in 21st place, winning $494,797

2:28pm--Doug Kim takes a big one

While we missed the early action, on a board is 5478, Doug Kim moved his entire stack into the middle. Prahlad Friedman thought forever before mucking his hand.

2:22pm--Kevin O'Donnell wins a big one

John Magill raised to 250,000 under the gun. O'Donnell called from the small blind. The flop came down AdTs9c. O'Donnell checked and Magill bet out 500,000. O'Donnell makes it an even million. Magill calls. The five of diamonds fell on the turn. O'Donnell moved all in for 1.8 million. Magill dwells forever before folding AQ face-up.

2:04pm--Blinds up

Blinds will be moving up to 30K/60K/10K

1:47pm--Chip counts at the break

Dan Nassif 5.8 million
Erik Friberg 4.2 million
Doug Kim 2.575

1:43pm--Friberg doubles up Cunningham

Under the gun made a raise pre-flop. Erik Friberg called in mid-position. Alan Cunningham called in the small blind. So did the big blind. The flop came Ks2c5s. Both blinds checked. The original raiser bet out 200,000. Friberg raised to 400,000. Cunningham then moved all-in for 2.25 million. The big blind and the original raiser folded and Friberg, after thinking for ages, called. Cunningham showed pocket fives for a set. That's better than Friberg's pocket nines. Friberg said he put Cunningham on the spade draw.

1:35pm--Down to 21--break time

Lee Kort has been eliminated in 22nd place. We're on a 30 minute break while the TDs color up some chips.

1:22pm--Down to 22

The elimination of Rob Roseman brings us down to 22 players.

1:04pm--Eric "Rizen" Lynch eliminated

Eric "Rizen" Lynch has been eliminated. A6o vs. Jamie Gold's TT, all-in pre-flop. Board: 989QQ
Team Blog: Sad
Lynch places 24th for $494,797.

12:58pm--Scary moment

A scary moment that had nothing to do with the cards. On of the plasma TVs set up for spectators fell off its stand. For a moment, I thought one of the stands of bleachers had collapsed. As it turned out, the loss is only going to be technological.

12:34pm--Rizen getting it started

Eric "Rizen" Lynch and Doug Kim are both playing on the featured table today. The seem intent on giving the TV viewers something to watch. Rizen picked up a nice-sized pot of Kim without showing down his hand.

12:27pm--Mark Garner eliminated

Dustin Holmes raises, Mark Garner, qualifier from Little Rock, Arkansas moves all in, Holmes calls with pocket aces. Garner has pocket fives. The board ran out K67Q4. Garner is out in 25th place. For his tremendous efforts, he earns $494,797. Garner's parents flew in last night. He was simply happy to have a chance for his parents to see him play.

12:25pm--Down to 27

Just a few minutes into play, the field has been reduced by one player, leaving PokerStars with with five out of the remaining 26 players. Here's who we'll be watching today:

Erik Friberg


Erik "lirarerik" Friberg is the picture of calm at the table and the same applies off. He said he is 23-years-old, from Stockholm and that he plays online as "lirarerik", where he won a $160 double shootout to book his spot in Vegas. Typically, the cards were otherwise kept close to his chest; he's giving nothing away. Friberg cracked pocket aces today with 4-5 out of the big blind to rocket toward the top of the leaderboard for the seoncd day in a row. Chips: 7,735,000 (2nd)

Dan Nassif


With 5,430,000 in chips, Dan Nassif is well within shot of the $12,000,000 top prize. He is here on his own, having banned anyone from coming to support him until he makes the final table. He said: "I've been calling my parents and friends in the breaks but I don't want anyone coming here yet. That was my idea at the beginning and I'm sticking to that." Chips: 5,430,000 (5th)

Doug Kim


The Duke University homegame regular and good buddy to online wunderkind Jason Strasser, Doug "technologic" Kim, had an up-and-down day today that ended on the good end. He finished with nearly 3.6 million in chips, enough to put him in the top half of the remaining field. Chips: 3,595,000 (11th)

Eric "Rizen" Lynch


After having his aces cracked today, the poker phenom looked like he might be down for the count. Instead, he doubled up with 20 minutes left and got back in the fight. He is currently in the middle of the field. If anyone doubles him up tomorrow, they best be careful or he could very well be final table bound. Chips: 1,785,000 (17th)

Mark Garner


"Thrilled." That's the first word that escaped Mark "MGCAPRI" Garner's mouth after he bagged his chips at the end of the day. The 43-year-old bond broker is here after winning a 160 double shootout on PokerStars. While he only has 635,000 in chips, he's guaranteed almost half a million bucks in prize money. Retire early? "Not yet," he says. He'll be looking to double up early on Tuesday. Chips: 635,000 (26th)

12:15pm--Day 7 begins

Day 7 of the World Series of Poker is underway with five PokerStars qualifiers left in the full field of 27. Team Blog is on the case and will provide you live updates throughout the day, night, and morning.

By Dr. Pauly

Eric "Rizen" Lynch qualified for the WSOP main event after winning a $160 shootout on PokerStars. He turned that small investment into $494,797 after he came in 24th place. I had a chance to catch up with him after his elimination. He was surrounded by his family, which is no surprise because Rizen is a dedicated husband and dad. I was impressed with how calm and cool he was. I know how testy I get after busting out of a $20 MTT, let alone the $10K buy-in main event.

Rizen and his son (photo by Dr. Pauly)

Pauly: Do you feel weird being known as an internet player?

Rizen: No. That's what I am. That's me. I don't think it's a bad term, not like it used to be. I know some people who use it in a derogatory sense. But online players have had a lot of success recently, so I don't mind that term at all.

Pauly: Why do you think the play went so fast the last few days?

Rizen: I saw a lot of really aggressive European players, especially the Swedes and some of the guys from Moscow. They are very very aggressive. I hate to stereo type a whole group of players but the Scandinavians, in particular the ones I played with are very aggressive. When you play a very aggressive style, things are going to happen quickly.

Pauly: At any point did you think that you could possibly go all the way?

Rizen: I tried not to. I was playing the best I could and focused on that. All of this hasn't sunk in yet.

Pauly: How has your family being around helped?

Rizen: That helps a lot having these guys around. It gives me a sense of normalcy when I leave the Rio. I'm still going to a hotel room, but I'm not going back by myself. I'm with my family.

Pauly: Does this 24th finish change anything?

Rizen: I don't think so. We'll see where it goes from here. I've had a lot of success this year. By far this is the best that I've ever done. This is just another step. I'm definitley pleased with how I did. I'll remember this moment for the rest of my life.

Pauly: Which do you prefer online play or live poker?

Rizen: I prefer playing online because it allows me to stay at home and be by my family. It's fun playing in the big live events. But being away from home kinda sucks. I won't be playing too many live events this year with my wife expecting our second child in December. I want to be home for that.

Pauly: People are finally gonna put a face with the name "Rizen." Are you prepared for your impending fame?

Rizen: I have not prepared for it at all. We'll see how everything happens after the episodes air on ESPN. I have no idea what to expect. I'm a pretty laid back guy so I'm not even sure I'm excited about the prospects of being recognized.

by Wil Wheaton

Hi,

I just wanted to thank you for your reporting of Rob Berryman throughout the WSOP . . . After reading your reports Rob became my sentimental favourite to win and I was gutted when I found out he'd been eliminated. He seems like a nice guy and I'm glad he did so well. Thanks for letting me hear his story.

K. (via e-mail)

I met Rob Berryman and his dad in the PokerStars suite shortly after he cashed out yesterday. We sat down on the fine Corinthian leather couches, and I struggled to find a question.

What I wanted to say was, "You don't know me at all, but I've watched you closely and talked with your dad for the last few days, and you're the guy I wanted to win this whole thing, because you're not a jerk." I wanted to say, "You don't know me at all, but I'm really proud of you, kid."

I didn't want to pester him with lots of questions, because I knew there were plenty of other writers lining up to do that. So when we sat on the couch, and his dad brought us a couple of sodas, I just said, "Well, that sucked."

Rob didn't agree with me. He told me that he wanted to win. He was happy to take a big risk, even though it didn't pay off, and he knew that he was ahead when all the money went in.

"I knew Thorsson didn't have anything," he said, "and I figured that I was ahead of Einhorn. I figured I could get them to lay down their hands, and if I got called, I had a lot of outs to win."

"Yeah," I said, "we all figured you had 61 outs."

He wrinkled his brow and cocked his head at me. "You mean 30.5 outs twice?"

I laughed, "No, man. I mean that we figured you were ahead, with a ton of outs, and you should have won the hand."

"Oh," he said, and smiled.

We talked for about a half-hour, and during our conversation, I learned that he is a guy who is full of surprises. First of all, he's twenty-one years old, and unlike 98% of the young players I've met since I came here five weeks ago, he has his feet solidly on the ground, and his head on straight. I was surprised to learn that this was his first multi-day live tournament. I was surprised to learn that he hasn't studied a lot of poker books (He read Super/System a year or so ago, and tried to play accordingly. He says it wrecked his game for six months.) I was surprised to learn that he doesn't even play the large MTT tourneys on PokerStars very often. "I like the $11 Turbo MTTs," he said, "and I've qualified for the big Sunday tournament lots of times, but I usually sell the entries."

"Will you come play again next year?" I said.

"Only if I win a cheap seat," he said, but ten thousand dollars could be spent much more wisely. "I don't want to be a professional poker player, at all."

He took a deep drink from his soda and said, "Poker should just be a fun, recreational, enjoyable game. I couldn't have the life that these guys have. It's hard to be away from home for a long time and . . . well, I don't want to offend anyone, but I'm not real crazy about Vegas."

I didn't tell Rob how, over the last five weeks, we on Team Blog have taken turns talking each other off the ledge, as the weight of Vegas oscillates between unbearable and insufferable. Instead, I asked Rob if he played any sports when he was a kid. He told me that he played all the regular games that high schoolers play, including football and basketball.

"How does this compare?" I said. "Did you have some of the same emotions in the World Series that you had in school sports?"

He thought for a minute and said, "I guess it's sort of like making it to game three of the state championship playoffs. You played hard, you played your best, but you didn't go all the way, so it's a little disappointing."

While we talked, I felt like Rob and his dad were disappointed that he didn't finish deeper, but they were grateful for the entire experience, and accepted the result with the pride and serenity that comes from knowing that Rob absolutely did his best. I wanted to put my notebook away, and take them out for a beer, (probably not to the Tilted Kilt, but maybe to Buzio's) but Rob's phone rang again, and he couldn't keep the reporters at bay any longer.

"I have to take this call," he said, as he walked out of the suite to do an interview.

My friend Ryan, who played with Rob on day two, gave him some coaching and advice at the end of that day (which, by the way, is extremely valuable. Ryan advised me during this year's WPT Invitational, and I finished 23rd) came into the suite while we talked, and when Rob an out to talk on the phone, he mentioned to Rob's dad how much he enjoyed playing with him, because he was a good kid. His dad smiled and said that ESPN talked with Rob for about thirty minutes earlier in the day, and the producer told him, "We don't like young punks, and your son is not a young punk."

Stop the world, people. ESPN and I agree on something.

His dad also told us that Rob's tight, smart, aggressive play -- as well as his humility and grace -- earned the respect and attention of professional player Jeffrey Lisandro, who spent time coaching him at the end of each day.

"That speaks volumes about your son's character," Ryan said, "because professional players don't just help a young kid out without a good reason."

Rob came back into the suite, and I told him that I knew he'd given me a lot of his time and attention, and I just wanted to know what he was doing next, now that this is all over.

"I just want to go fishing," Rob told me.

I knew he wasn't talking about poker -- though he easily could have been -- and I was happy for him.

I invited Rob to play in the Tuesday night WWdN Invitational (8:30 Eastern, password is monkey , entry is $10 +1) with us, because it is, like he said, "a fun, recreational, enjoyable game."

"I think you'll have a great time," I said.

"I'll see you there," he said.

We shook their hands, and I wished them well. When we walked out of the suite, they went left, toward the taxi stand and one step closer to the real world where Rob will finish his degree in finance later this year, and we went right, back down the hallway and toward the tournament room.

"I'm really depressed," I said to Ryan, as we walked.

"Don't be," Ryan said. "You know, he probably finished in exactly the right place for him. He has enough money from this event to take care of college, and he's got his head on right, so he'll invest the rest wisely. He'll be the king of his home game, and he'll be able to walk down the street without anyone bugging him. This will change his life just enough to be enjoyable, but not so much that it becomes a burden."

Ryan was right, of course, like he always is about anything involving poker. Maybe the poker gods really do know what they're doing.

by Brad "Otis" Willis

When you turn over an hourglass, the top-level sand looks as if it may never move. Time is passing. You can see it falling into the bottom glass. At the top, the part we watch in real life, everything moves slow enough that you're sure it will never end.

That's the way the 2006 World Series has been so far. With more than 8,700 players starting in the record-breaking event, it was impossible to look at anything but the big picture. It seemed this event would never end.

But that's the thing about the hourglass-nature of the WSOP. As the top-level sand sinks closer to the middle of the glass, every grain seems to be moving faster. Players are falling into the pit of elimination at such a rate that the tournament directors had to call a halt to play after less than five full hours of play.

When it ended today, 27 players remained. Among them sat five people who won their WSOP seats on PokerStars.

Here are our players going into Tuesday.
-----

Erik Friberg


Erik "lirarerik" Friberg is the picture of calm at the table and the same applies off. He said he is 23-years-old, from Stockholm and that he plays online as "lirarerik", where he won a $160 double shootout to book his spot in Vegas. Typically, the cards were otherwise kept close to his chest; he's giving nothing away. Friberg cracked pocket aces today with 4-5 out of the big blind to rocket toward the top of the leaderboard for the seoncd day in a row. Chips: 7,735,000 (2nd)

Dan Nassif


With 5,430,000 in chips, Dan Nassif is well within shot of the $12,000,000 top prize. He is here on his own, having banned anyone from coming to support him until he makes the final table. He said: "I've been calling my parents and friends in the breaks but I don't want anyone coming here yet. That was my idea at the beginning and I'm sticking to that." Chips: 5,430,000 (5th)

Doug Kim


The Duke University homegame regular and good buddy to online wunderkind Jason Strasser, Doug "technologic" Kim, had an up-and-down day today that ended on the good end. He finished with nearly 3.6 million in chips, enough to put him in the top half of the remaining field. Chips: 3,595,000 (11th)

Eric "Rizen" Lynch


After having his aces cracked today, the poker phenom looked like he might be down for the count. Instead, he doubled up with 20 minutes left and got back in the fight. He is currently in the middle of the field. If anyone doubles him up tomorrow, they best be careful or he could very well be final table bound. Chips: 1,785,000 (17th)

Mark Garner


"Thrilled." That's the first word that escaped Mark "MGCAPRI" Garner's mouth after he bagged his chips at the end of the day. The 43-year-old bond broker is here after winning a 160 double shootout on PokerStars. While he only has 635,000 in chips, he's guaranteed almost half a million bucks in prize money. Retire early? "Not yet," he says. He'll be looking to double up early on Tuesday. Chips: 635,000 (26th)
----

Play resumes at noon on Tuesday. Tournament directors are planning to play from 27 down to nine players. If that happens, it's going to be a very long day (which will completely kill my hourglass analogy). Of course, Team Blog will be on hand for the entire day, night, and morning.

by Wil Wheaton

One of the chief tasks of the writer is to share his emotions with the reader, so that the reader may be in the same place, emotionally as well as physically, as the writer.

If you'd like to be where I am right now, please stand up, and punch yourself in the stomach. Then, sit down, and do it again.

Rob "Boilingfish" Berryman was eliminated in 33rd place today, when he made a championship move -- with his money ahead, no less -- against two players who quite frankly had no business being in the hand. Hell, even I know that, and I suck at poker.

My family is in town today, stopping by on their way home from Arizona, where my older son looked at a couple of colleges. Since I haven't seen my boys in over a month, I got permission from Otis to come in a little late this afternoon, so I could spend time with my family and recharge.

After breakfast together and a morning spent in the pool, I came into the Rio happier and more relaxed and at peace than I've felt since the day I got here. It was a nice feeling, and it lasted for all of fifteen minutes.

"How's my guy doing?" I asked Pauly and Otis when I walked into the media room.

"He doubled up, then he took a little hit on a suckout," Otis said, "but he's doing fine."

"Awesome," I said. "I'm going to go in and check on him."

The room feels smaller, and darker, now that all but four tables -- one of them the featured table on the ESPN stage -- remain. Rob's table was near one corner, and to get there, I had to walk all the way around the perimeter of the tournament area. As I walked, I marveled at how much the room had compressed. Just a few days ago (or fifteen years, in Vegas time) there were over 8700 players with ten thousand chips, hoping to get here, hoping to be one of the remaining 33, with over a million chips.

Rob Berryman, who told me he has no desire to play poker in any non-recreational capacity, got there. He outlasted the largest field in history, and all but two serious poker professionals.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Sorry about that, I'm a little emotional right now (again: fist + stomach or foot + junk, if that's how you roll.)

When I got to Rob's table, I turned around and said hello to his dad, who said to me, "See, Wil, you show up, and he plays a hand!" (Yesterday, it seemed like he was only in hands when I happened to drop by, and his dad said to me, "You're his good luck charm." My thoughts immediately went to CJ and Dmitri, and I said, "Oh man, I don't want that!")

Rob was in the big blind, David Einhorn had opened for 160K from middle position. William Thorsson called, and Rob called. The flop came Qs9c5c and Rob checked. Einhorn bet 400K, Thorsson raised to 1.3M, and Rob check-raised them both all-in.

Einhorn thought for .00094 seconds, and called for his last 900K. Thorsson, who I guess took some of my stupid pills this morning, went into the tank for almost five minutes, and also called. ESPN's cameras swarmed around the table, and everything else in the room slowed to bullet time while the dealer counted out the main and side pots.

Rob looked anxious to turn over his cards. I turned to his dad and said, "He must have a set, nines or queens. Thorsson must be on a flush draw, and maybe Einhorn has aces or kings."

We waited for an age, then we waited for another age while an ESPN cameraman loaded in a new tape (He politely barked at the table, "Hey! Don't flip over your cards until I'm ready!" Real classy, those ESPN guys.)

Finally, we saw their cards: Rob turned up 7c8c, for the straight flush draw, Einhorn showed AsQc for top pair (brilliant!) and Thorsson showed . . . KsJs for the 22-1 longshot that he called getting 6-1 (genius!)

"Rob's slightly ahead," I said to his dad, "and these other guys are morons for calling."

The turn was the ace of hearts, and suddenly one of those morons seemed pretty smart. You can start punching yourself in the stomach now, if you'd like to follow along with me at home.

"Come on, just one club. Just put one club out there," I said. "I'll never ask for anything again, I promise."

The dealer knocked the table, and slid one card off the top of the deck underneath the largest pile of poker chips I've ever seen in my life, and I held my breath as the river card came off the top of the deck.

I can see it perfectly in my memory: I'm leaning to my left, catching a glimpse between the tape-changing camera guy and the player in the two seat who stood up to watch the action. The card is slowly turned just at the edge of the chips, as the dealer's hand nears the edge of the board. I don't know what card it is, but I know that it's red, and I know that Rob and his dad are going home. When it's finally revealed, it's the ace of diamonds, and suddenly the worst call in the world looks like a genius move, as Einhorn triples up and rockets to third in chips.

Rob stood up, and shook hands with every player at his table. He was calm, poised, and full of grace as he collected his things: his sunglasses, his backpack, and a few pieces of paper. A Harrah's escort walked him out of the tournament area, as Nolan Dalla announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating our 33rd place finisher, Rob Berryman, who was the youngest player left at 21 and three months."

Tears filled my eyes as I joined the room in thunderous applause. My friend April, standing just a few feet to my left said, "I think I'm going to cry a little bit." All I could do was nod my head.

I jammed my notebook into my back pocket as the dealer pushed the largest pile of poker chips I've ever seen in my life -- both in quantity and value -- to Einhorn.

"Can someone help me stack these chips?" He said.

"Stack them yourself, you [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted]" I muttered to myself. (I later felt bad for referring to Einhorn in such a manner, even if it was entirely under my breath and spoken in a moment of gut-wrenching emotion, when I found out that he's pledged 100% of his winnings -- at this point nearly 500K -- to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease. Mad Harper says, "I love that man.")

I talked with Rob and his dad in the PokerStars suite after he cashed out. I'll have that later, but right now I need some time alone.

Note: PokerStars qualifier Erik Friberg, who won his seat to the WSOP in a PokerStars double shootout, now sits in second place in chips with 27 players remaining. The reticent Swede shared a few thoughts with our European chief, Howard Swains

by Howard Swains

You take a risk approaching poker players during their infrequent breaks in the action. They aren't going to bite your head off, but they might prefer to be alone. Play at this level takes focus and discipline and the last thing you want to spend your 15 minutes respite doing is answering banal questions from reporters.

Even so, I had to catch up with Erik Friberg, the Swedish qualifier who is currently top among the PokerStars players and the closest of all competitors to the runaway chip-leader. Erik is the picture of calm at the table and the same applies off. He told me that he is 23-years-old, from Stockholm and that he plays online as "lirarerik", where he won a $160 double shootout to book his spot in Vegas. Typically, the cards were otherwise kept close to his chest; he's giving nothing away.

Erik Friberg

"All the Swedes are aggressive, but Erik is about the most aggressive of them all," explained a Swedish journalist, who is following Friberg's progress as closely as us. "He's only 23 but plays all the time at the Stockholm casinos as well as online. He has loads of experience and none of us are surprised to see him here."

A quick check in the major poker databases reveals a cash in the PokerStars European Poker Tour event in Barcelona, follwed by a first place, for $87,000, in the Swedish Poker Challenge in Stockholm last year. Here, with just 30 players remaining, he's already assured at least $329,000. Probably a whole lot more.

5:01pm--Cuong Do out--Play ends for the day

Cuong Do, the mild-mannered 24-year-old from Toronto, Canada, has been eliminated in 30th place. Cuong, the big blind, was dealt Js8d. There was only one caller before the flop came down 5s7s8s, giving Cuong top pair and a flush draw. He bet $175,000, was raised the minimum and called another $175,000.

A Queen of spades on the turn gave Cuong his flush. Both players checked to see a 5 on the river. Cuong said: "I checked on the river but I was actually prepared to call any bet. He went all-in so I called."

The other player, with 58, had made full house on the river. It wasn't what Cuong was expecting. He said: "I put him on a bluff. If he didn’t have the flush, and I didn't think he did, then he had to bet to get me out of the pot." Cuong takes home $329,865.

Play has ended for the day with 27 players. We'll have full chip counts in a bit.

4:42pm--Doug Kim doubles

With blinds at 25K/5K0/5K...

Doug Kim raises to 150 from the button--Paul W. called and Jamie Gold called from the blinds. Flop comes 3J6 all clubs. Checked all the way. Ten of hearts came on the turn. Gold bet out 500. Doug Kim moved all in for an addiitional 890K. Gold called with 89 in hearts for the bottom straight draw. Doug Kim holds KcQh for top straight draw and king-high flush draw. An ace falls on the river to give Kim his straight and the win. He's now up over 2.5 million in chips.

4:30pm--Rizen rising

After taking a massive hit before the break, Rizen is back on the move, doubling up then taking down another big pot to climb back to 2 million. The first time, all in pre-flop with Q-10, he turned a straight. Then a big re-raise on the flop with two diamonds showing was good enough for another 500,000 or so.

4:21pm--Dan Nassif climbing through the field

Dan Nassif has doubled up and is now on $4,100,000. Sitting on the feature table, he was on the button with pocket 9s and raised to $140,000. Everyone folded apart from the big blind. The flop came down 2s5s8s. The big blind bet $5,000,000 and Dan raised all-in. He said: "I didn't think he had anything so I went for it. In fact, he was on a straight draw with 6c7c but it didn't happen."

4:04pm--Break time

With 30 players remaining, we're on break for a bit. There is a rumor (yeah, I don't believe it), that we're only going to play down to 27 players before breaking for the day. If we DO stop there, we'll be down to where the TDs expected we would be at the end of play...tomorrow. If we don't stop there, there's a chance we could eb a day and a half ahead of schedule. Regardless, play will continue in just a bit.

3:58pm--Doug Kim up to 1.8 million

With the blinds at 20K/40K/5K, Doug Kim made it 120,000 to play, Jamie Gold called Lee Kort called. The flop came out TdTs5h. The players checked around. A jack of hearts fell on the turn. Gold checked, Lee Kort bet 200K, and Doug called. Gold folded. The river was a nine of hearts. Kort checks. Doug thinks for two minutes then checks behind, showing KQ for runner-runner straight win for 850,000.

3:46pm--Updated chip counts

Erik Friberg 6.5 million
Dan Nassif 4.2 million
Cuong Do 1.7 million
Doug Kim 1.3 million
Eric "Rizen" Lynch 800,000
Mark Garner 380,000

3:43pm--PokerStars cannibalism - pt III

Cuong Do has just doubled up but unfortunately it was against Mark Garner. Mark called Cuong's $90,000 raise to see a Q32 flop. Mark checked but when Cuong bet $250,000 he raised all-in and flipped over AQ. Sadly for Mark - whose parents fly in from Little Rock, Arkansas tonight - Cuong had pocket Aces and they held up.

3:40pm--PokerStars cannibalism - part II

Huge pot goes to Erik Friberg; Rizen is the victim. Rizen raises 130K under-the-gun. Friberg calls from the big blind. Flop comes Qc-9s-5s and Friberg checks. Rizen bets 200,000 and Friberg calls. Turn is 4c and, after Friberg checks again, Rizen makes it 300,000. Friberg now moves all-in, for about 3 million. Rizen squeezes his cards again and I see A-A. He dwells, then calls for about 90 per cent of his stack. Friberg shows 4-5d for two pair. River is a blank and the Swede scoops a 4 million pot.

3:20pm--PokerStars cannibalism

Erik Friberg called in late position and Rizen raised. Friberg called The flop came down KsTs9h. Friberg bet out 250,000 and Rizen calls. The jack of spades came on the turn. Friberg checked and Rizen bet out 300,000. Friberg called. The four of clubs came on the river. Both players checked. Rizen showed KQ for the straight. Friberg mucked and claims to have had an ace (presumably the ace of spades).

3:17pm--A look around the room

Eric "Rizen" Lynch


Erik Friberg


Cuong Do


Humberto Brenes


Dan Nassif


Mark Garner


Rob Berryman

3:08pm--Rob Berryman eliminated

Rob Berryman has been eliminated from the event after flopping a straight flush draw and getting all his money against two other players. He missed his many outs. He places 33rd for $329,865.

2:20pm--Friberg loses a million
Erik Friberg makes a small pre-flop raise, called by Allen Cunningham in the small blind. The flop of 5c-Qd-7s is checked by both players then Cunningham bets 300,000 when Js turns. Friberg calls. The river is the 6d and Cunningham bets 800,000 which is also called by Erik. Cunningham shows pocket fives for bottom set and Erik mucks.

2:05 pm--Humberto Brenes eliminated

Team PokerStars' Humberto Brenes has been eliminated after making a move with 58s and running into pocket kings.

2:05 pm--Kyle Bowker eliminated

Kyle Bowker has been eliminated from the 2006 WSOP after running pocket tens into pocket kings.

1:51pm--Break time chips counts

Erik Friberg 4.1 million
Eric "Rizen" Lynch 3.75 million
Dan Nassif 2.3 million
Rob Berryman 2.3 million
Mark Garner 1.3 million
Doug Kim 800,000
Cuong Do 800,000
Kyle Bowker 410,000
Humberto Brenes 430,000
Brian Hansen--Eliminated

1:35pm--Do doubles

Cuong Do just doubled through with jacks versus AK. He now sits on 660,000

1:34pm--Brenes back from the dead

Anything you might have read about Brenes being eliminated, forget about that. he just got moved off the featured table and is now playing somewhere else.

1:30pm--Nassif doubles up

Dan Nassif just doubled up took a pot of more than $1 million when he called in all-in raise with AK against AJ and the best hand held up.

1:15pm--A few words on Erik Friberg

As we're just getting to know Erik Friberg, here's a little bit about him: he comes from Stockholm, Sweded. His nickname "lilar" is Swedish slang for "player" or "gambler." The young man in his mid-twenties is an internet genius who won the Swedish Poker Challenge in 2005.

1:12pm--Cuong Do on life support

Cuong Do, who started the day with 1.15 million in chips is now down to less than 400,000. His series of raises have fallen victim to re-raises and forced Do to fold. Do is now very short-stacked.

1:10-pm--Brian Hansen eliminated

A middle position player made it 90,000 to play, Jamie Gold re-raises to 300,000. Brian Hansen called from the button and the original raiser folded. The flop came 8d4d9h. Gold moved all in and Hansen called. Gold asked if Hansen had a set and turned over aces. Hansen flipped over tens. The turn gave Hansen a straight draw, but he didn't get there on the river. Gold is now the monster chip leader with around 10 million.

1:02pm--Where did Rob Berryman get so much game?

Well, in his home game, of course.





Thanks to Berryman's fans back in Alabama for the pictures.

12:59pm--Rizen all but doubles up

In an unraised pot, Rizen sat in the big blind, when the flop came 5h9hTs. One guy who had limped into the pot made it 150,000 to go. Rizen check-raised to 400,000. The limper called and the turn was Th. Rizen now bets out half a million. The original limped moves all in for 390,000 more. Rizen thinks for a long while and says, "I can't fold," and shows T8 for top trips and says, "If you have a flush, you win." His opponent shows J9 suited in spades and is eliminated. Rizen is now a monster.

12:56pm--Garner riding a Tilt-A-Whirl

Garner, down to 550,000 in chips, just doubled up with 77 vs. AK on a T938Q.

12:52--Berryman gets unlucky with Big Slick

Berryman, holding AK, just got unlucky against short-stacked Richard Wyrick's AQ. A queen flopped and took about 800,000 out of Berryman's stack.

12:48--Friberg dodges 1.5 million chip bullet

A short-stack just moved in for 395,000. Erik Friberg called. The button then moved all in for 1.5 million more. Friberg, just off a ten minute penalty for accidentlly exposing his cards, took a long time before deciding to fold. Turns out it was a good fold. He was up again AJ and A8. He told his friends on the rail that he would not have won.

12:41pm--Rob Berryman doubles up.

Berryman raises from button. Ricki Nielsen re-reraises from the blind and Berryman moves all in, Nielsen calls with A3, Berryman has pocket queens. Kyle Bowker says "I folded an ace." The flop comes KJ7 rainbow...then a four and eight on turn and river. Now bad for a kid who plays a 1/2 home game in Alabama.

12:34pm--Garner cut in half

Over two hands, Mark Garner has lost a million of his starting stack. It started when PokerStars SuperNova Brian Hansen took 750,000 off him. Garner then lost about 250,000 to chip leader Jamie Gold on a subsequent hand.

-------
Day 6 of the World Series of Poker Main Event is underway. Updates can be found here all day long.

Here's who we'll be following:

Erik Friberg



Erik Friberg is from Stockholm, Sweden. His nickname "lirar" is Swedish slang for "player" or "gambler." The young man in his mid-twenties is an internet poker genius who won the Swedish Poker Challenge in 2005.

Eric Lynch



While Eric "Rizen" Lynch has been proving himself online at PokerStars for months now, many people are saying the 2006 WSOP is his coming out party. He's aleady made the final table of a $1,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em event this year and now has more chips than any other PokerStars qualifier in the field. Chips: 1,950,000


Mark Garner


Mark Garner has a couple of reasons to be happy this week. He just celebrated his birthday and he's not walking away from Las Vegas with less than $240,000. The man from Little Rock, Arkansas lost some chips toward the end of the day after a failed bluff, but got them all back then some at the very end of the night. Chips: 1,800,000



Doug Kim


Doug "technologic" Kim recently graduated from Duke with a degree in Economics. He won his seat on PokerStars on July 23rd, one of the last satellites available. His game has been honed through PokerStars play as well as in a Duke home game that includes Jason Strasser. Chips: 1,335,000



Brian Hansen


Brian "LXIXME17" Hansen is the only remaining PokerStars VIP Club Supernova member left in the field. The long-haired poker player is a rock at the table and is among the elite players online at PokerStars. Chips: 1,230,000


Cuong Do


Cuong Do is a 24-year-old who had never left Canada until he came to the World Series of Poker. He had to get an emergency passport to come to the WSOP. What's more, he'd never played a live tournamet and now he is guaranteed nearly $250,000 in the 2006 WSOP. Chips: 1,100,000



Rob Berryman


Rob "boilingfish" Berryman is barely old enough to even play in the WSOP. He's only been of age for two months. Now, while his friends scream "Roll Tide" from Alabama, Steve sits in the final 45 players while his dad watches and takes notes from the rail. if Steve wins this, he will be the youngest WSOP main event winner ever. Chips: 1,250,000


Dan Nassif


Dan Nassif wasn't really expecting to be in Vegas today. The 33-year-old advertising sales executive is taking vacation to play in the World Series - and last year he got knocked out on the first day when his tens ran into AK and the flop brought king. Obviously, this year is going much better. Chips: 1,035,000


Kyle Bowker



Kyle "kwob20" Bowker is originally from Walton, New York, but now lives in New York City. He now plays poker professionally, and his best tournament finish previous to this event is a 4th place finish a World Poker Finals event at Foxwoods. This is his first cash in three WSOP events. Chips: 885,000


Humberto Brenes


Humberto Brenes needs no introduction. He is the Godfather of Costa Rican poker and is the most famous of the Brenes family of poker players. Brenes is also a proud member of Team PokerStars. Chips: 565,000

With Day 5 now behind us, only 45 players remain in the 2006 World Series of Poker. Among the field sit nine PokerStars players who are all fighting for their first WSOP bracelet. So far, dozens and dozens of PokerStars players have cashed in the main event. You can see those players my checking out the PokerStars WSOP winners page. Now, it's time for the nine remaining PokerStars players to fight for their spot at the final table. Day 6 play begins at noon on Monday. Here's a look at PokerStars biggest stars of the WSOP main event.

Erik Friberg



Erik Friberg is from Stockholm, Sweden. His nickname "lirar" is Swedish slang for "player" or "gambler." The young man in his mid-twenties is an internet poker genius who won the Swedish Poker Challenge in 2005. Chips: 5,905,000

Eric Lynch



While Eric "Rizen" Lynch has been proving himself online at PokerStars for months now