Marc Naalden Takes WSOP Gold for Holland
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Marc Naalden Wins 2009 WSOP Event #38 $2,000 Limit Hold'Em
Limit Hold'em was once the staple of most Las Vegas poker rooms, far and away as the favorite among the average lower limit players. Then came the Internet poker rooms, Moneymaker, Raymer, and a hoard of newbies playing the WSOP game, No-Limit Hold'Em. Soon, Limit Hold'Em was becoming as hard to fins as the stud games it replaced, but there are still some great Limit Hold'Em players out there. Sunday evening nine of them were gathered around a WSOP final table at the Rio in Las Vegas.
When the dealing was done it was Marc Naalden standing alone with all the chips to take the second WSOP gold bracelet ever to a Dutch player (Rob Hollink won the other one in 2008, also in Limit Hold'Em). Marc collected $190,770 plus the coveted gold bling.
Steven Cowley finished second for $117,902 and Ian Johns received $77,576. The event began with 446 players chasing one of the 45 in-the-money finishes. Congratulations to Marc Naalden for making poker history at the 2009 WSOP. And remember, if someone with a Dutch accent invites you to play limit hold'em tell them you'd rather not.
Physical Strains Of Heads Up
When playing heads up poker, there is a whole new element of physical anxiety and psychological warfare compared with multi person play. This causes physical reactions which play a role in the way that a person might react to their opponent. For this reason, a player should be in tune with what their body is going through with the constant mental strain of heads up.
One common physical response to playing heads up is an influx of anxiety. While playing heads up, there isn’t a chance to fold and take a breather while the other players play together. Instead, it is a constant battle to either retain or build on your chips. Your brain is in survival mode, and the goal is to kill your opponent before they kill you. Most players experience a rise in blood pressure or jittery nerves due to the strain of playing heads up. This is natural reaction that happens when a person is under fluctuating brain stimulus. Some people may not notice they are having this reaction, but it tends to manifest itself in some pretty gruesome ways.
Patience is one of the first things to go while playing heads up. When playing heads up in a structure that allows for plenty of time and chips, there is no reason to get frustrated and push all in with 30 big blinds. Losing patience usually happens when you have had to let go of hand after hand to your opponent. Sometimes it is frustrating when you look down at 7 3 off suit five hands in a row, you open, and are forced to fold to a re raise from your opponent. It is easy to get the mindset of, “I’m not going to let him push me around anymore,†and then move all in with some substandard hand even though you have plenty of chips to play with.
This happened recently to Nathanael Poysti in the $10,000 Heads Up Championship and the World Series 2009. He was in the third day of the heads up match against Alec Torelli. They were in the third round of the match, and Poysti had plenty of chips to play with. He started getting frustrated, as Torelli had been chipping away at him. Poysti open shoved for 75k with Q 10, which was roughly 35 big blinds. Torelli called with A J and was able to eliminate Poysti. Or rather, Poysti eliminated himself.
Understand that when playing heads up, that anxiety and frustration will occur more frequently, and make sure it doesn’t get the best of you. If you find yourself starting to feel the strain, take a few deep breaths. This will help calm your anxiety and ease some tension. Just like everything else related to poker, think it through. You might have lost 7 out of the last 10 hands, but if you have chips there isn’t a need to go into panic mode. It’s a back and forth game of trying to get inside your opponents head, not letting them get into yours.
Jefferey Lisandro Doubles Up at 2009 WSOP
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Jeff Lisandro Wins 2009 WSOP Event #37 $10,000 World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo 8-or-better
Jeffrey Lisandro pulled off a double, triple at the 2009 WSOP. He picked up his second bracelet of the 2009 WSOP after winning Event #37 early this morning following three and a half hours of heads-up play with opponent, Farzad Rouhani. Add the bracelet he won in event #15, a $1,500 buy-in Seven Stud for the double then add the bracelet he won in 2008 for the triple.
Lisandro received $431,656 in cash, his third gold bracelet, and the bragging rights that goes along with a WSOP World Championship. Farzad Rouhani collected $266,804 for second place and Mike Wattel takes home $176,605 for third.
The event had a pro loaded elite field of 164 select players.
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Jeff Lisandro is congratulated by friends moments after winning the World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo 8-or-better
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Farzad Rouhani anguishes with the decision to call all-in...for the final time
Jordan Smith WSOP Hold’Em Champion
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Jordan Smith Wins WSOP Event #36 $2,000 No Limit Hold'Em
Jordan Smith proved he can play with the big boys (and girls) after overcoming a mega field of 1,695 runners to win event #23, $2,000 No-Limit Hold'Em. It took over seven hours of final table play before Smith had all the chips and his first WSOP bracelet. Many of the media called this the most evenly stacked final table of the 2009 WSOP. It also included two women, Almira Skripchenko and Lourence Grondin.
Jordan Smith collected $586,212 for the win plus the all important WSOP bracelet. Ken Lennaard was first runner up and received the second place money totaling $360,439. Laurence Grodin completed the top three to pocket $237,537 in cash.
Event #36 pulled in 1,695 players and paid out a prize pool of $3,084,900 to the top 172 finishers.
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Laurence Grondin went out in third place
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Chess Champion, Almira Skripchenko, finished in seventh place
Richard Austin Wins WSOP $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
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Richard Austin Wins WSOP Event #35 $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha
Richard Austin is the latest 2009 WSOP Champion after winning Event #35, $5,000 Pot Limit Omaha, Friday evening at the Rio Resort Las Vegas. Austin's final table play was steady and calculating, stay out of the traps and add small pots to his chip stacks seemed to be the game plan. At least that's the way it was until the table got down to three handed and the plan suddenly shifted gears when Richard managed to put both of the other players all-in. He caught what he needed to win the hand for the double elimination and a victory in the event. The elusive gold WSOP Bracelet was his along with $409,484 in cash.
The two other two players eliminated at the same time claimed the second and third place money with Sorel Mizzi taking 2nd Place and $253,048 while Cliff "JohnnyBax" Josephy received $166,771 for 3rd. Event #35 began with 363 runners and pid the top 36 finishers.
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This is what major tournament poker is all about, A gold and diamond World Series of Poker Champion Bracelet
Eric Baldwin Takes Down 2009 WSOP Event #34
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Eric Baldwin Wins WSOP Event #34 $1,500 No Limit Hold'Em
It had to happen sooner or later, another Baldwin winning a WSOP gold bracelet. I don't know if the newest WSOP Champion, Eric Baldwin, has any ties to the Hollywood Baldwins; but, if the movie bunch can act as well as Eric can play poker they're destined to win an Academy Award.
The young Mr. Baldwin defeated a 2,095 player field of entrants that was liberally salted with an abundance of strong professionals. For his feat he will now be sporting a gold and diamond WSOP bracelet and making a $521,932 deposit in his bank account.
Second place went to a very tough Jonas Klausen along with $322,371 in cash. Jonas played tough all day giving the impression he could beat anything but the cards. James Taylor grabbed the third spot and pocketed $213,046 for his fine showing.
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Eric Baldwin at play
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Jonas Klausen at play with most of the chips
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Three handed final table
Roland De Wolfe Completes Triple Crown
Famed English poker pro Roland De Wolfe beat out a final table stacked with notable players including Andy Black, Antony Lellouche and Scott Clements to take home first place honors during the Event #27 $5,000 PLO Hi/Lo event at the WSOP. The win represents De Wolfe’s first ever WSOP bracelet, and also earns him the honor of being only the second player ever to win poker’s “Triple Crownâ€.
Along with Gavin Griffin, De Wolfe has won an EPT, WSOP and WPT title, putting him into the most elite club in poker. For his first place finish in the $5,000 PLO Hi/Lo event, De Wolfe also picked up $246,616. Only a handful of players have victories in any two of the three Triple Crown qualifying series, so it’ll be interesting to see just how much time passes before the third Triple Crown inductee is named.
Greg ‘FBT’ Mueller is WSOP Limit Hold’Em World Champion
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Greg Mueller Wins WSOP Event #33 $10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em
The latest WSOP World Champion is Greg 'FBT' Mueller. Taking all day and half the night to play the final table of Event #33 $10,000 World Championship Limit Hold'em, Mueller appeared to just get stronger as the solid 12 hours of play rolled along. The $10,000 event attracted an "A-list" field of poker professionals vying for the World Championship Limit Hold'Em title so taking down the Championship was no easy task even with a small field of 185 entrants.
Mueller collected $460,836 and a WSOP World Champion gold bracelet. Pat Pezzin went home with $285,196 while Chad Brown finished third and picked up $188,855. The prize pool was distributed among the top 18 finishers including Jennifer Harman, generally recognized as the best limit hold'em player in poker today. Harman received $41,040 for her 12th place exit.
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Greg 'FBT' Mueller and friends
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Final table down to three
Angel Guillen Wins Event #32 and $530,548
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Angel Guillen Wins WSOP Event #32 $2,000 No Limit Hold'Em
One of the 2009 WSOP gold bracelet will be making a run for the border when the newest WSOP Champion, Angel Guillen, heads home to Mexico. He will also be hauling a large sack of money after Wedneday's win in WSOP Event #32 $2,000 No Limit Hold'Em which netted Angel $530,548 in cash. Add the latest haul to the second place money, $312,800, he won in Event #13 for a grand total of $843,348, so far. Considering his ability to catch cards in critical hands will probably add more to his cash cache.
Finland's own Mika Paasonen finished second after coming to the final table as the chip leader; but, he couldn't keep pace with the smokin' young Mexican and watched his chips move steadily across the table during the five hours of heads-up play. Paasonen returns to Europe with $326,203. James Boyes collected $214,974 for third.
The event began with 1,534 players and paid out $2,791,880 to the top 171 finishers.
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Angel Guillen is joined by his friends
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Angel Guillen's pocket treys, all the chips, and a gold WSOP bracelet
WSOP Player of the Year Standings
There’s a lot of WSOP play left to go, but already the leaderboards for the Player of the Year race are heating up, with forerunner Ville Wahlbeck maintaining an impressive lead with 255 points. By comparison, when Erick Lindgren won the WSOP Player of the Year award in 2008 he only had 235 points. Here’s how the rest of the top ten pans out thus far:
1. Ville Wahlbeck 255

2. Brock Parker 220

3. Phil Ivey 220

4. Pete Vilandros 175

5. Steve Sung 160

6. Daniel Negreanu 155

7. Jeff Lisandro 150

8. Jason Mercier 147

9. Roland De Wolfe 145

10. Scott Clements 135
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WSOP Info is your source to online poker news and information regarding the WSOP 2008. The World Series Of Poker is the largest Poker event in the world.
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