FULL TILT POKER BLOG

#519 – London 2008 #26 – Million Dollar Cash Game – Hungry for Action

Posted by Editor | Filed under London 2008, Million Dollar Cash Game '08

With the food coming in a few minutes, we’re starting to see some skills here, some hands, and some balls. At 3:45, Phil Hellmuth and Eli Elezra got into it.

Both players took some time deciding what to do on the turn with a board of 3d-Js-2d-5c. I don’t know why, but I thought, “Wonder if Eli has Ad-4d?”

Elezra bet out on the river after the queen of spades came up, I think $25,000. (I’m having some trouble getting amounts. I’ll correct this if I subsequently learn otherwise.) Hellmuth thought about it for awhile. He was very reluctant, as if he had a jack with a mediocre kicker and was worrying about a better jack as well as all the esoteric threats on the board.

I saw one of the monitors focus on Eli’s face. I’m friendly with Eli Elezra. We don’t know either other well, but we met in connection with the Andy Beal games at the Wynn in February 2006 and he always has a friendly hello and a big smile for me when we see each other.

Staring at Phil Hellmuth, the monitor picking him up dead on, you know what? Eli didn’t look friendly. There was no big smile for Phil. He looked like a pretty tough S.O.B.

Phil seemed almost pained when he tossed in the chips to call.

Eli showed Ad-4d. Hellmuth, with disgust, mucked.

On the next hand, Tom Dwan, who’s been pretty quiet so far, put in a reraise, to $9,000. After Phil Hellmuth folded, Phil Ivey took his time figuring out what to do.

It was classic Ivey: eyes wide, slow and casual, juggling and moving chips, looking an one moment like he’s about to fold, another about to call, another about to raise, all the while bearing in on Dwan.

Phil put in the third raise, to $40,000. Tom thought it over for awhile – damn, that guy looks young – and folded.

[Again, apologies if I get some of the action wrong or later have to issue corrections. I'm not that far off camera and I've got a video monitor next to me, but it's not clearly displaying all the action or the bet amounts. Where is Jeremiah Smith when I need him?]

Popularity: 1% [?]

Be Sociable, Share!