PocketFiver Matt mattg1983 Graham (pictured at right) claimed the 11th bracelet by a member of the online poker community in the $10,000 buy-in World Championship of Pot Limit Omaha during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP). Last year, he defeated Jean-Robert Bellande in a $1,500 buy-in Limit Hold’em Shootout for $278,000 and his first gold bracelet. This time around, Graham’s win was worth a colossal $679,000 and he outlasted Vitaly Lunkin, the winner of the $40,000 buy-in No Limit Hold'em tournament commemorating the 40th running of the WSOP. Tournament officials have already labeled the PocketFiver “The Comeback Kid” after overcoming an 8:1 chip disadvantage heads-up in 2008 and a 9:1 deficit this time around. PocketFivesLive.com, which provides WSOP coverage of online poker players, has been on the scene inside the Rio following all of the action.Entering heads-up play, Graham and Lunkin were nearly even in chips. However, Lunkin doubled up after a series of pot bets on a flop of A-6-4 with two diamonds. Lunkin turned over K-6-4-2 with two diamonds, while Graham revealed A-10-9-6 for top two pair. The turn came a diamond, immediately improving Lunkin to a flush, and a five on the river sealed the deal. Graham then quickly righted the ship after pushing with 6-9-2-K on a board of 8-4-7-A-5 for a nine-high straight. Lunkin showed 3-6-A-10 for a seven-high straight.
Just it when the momentum seemed to be going Graham’s way, Lunkin doubled to take a massive chip lead. This time, the Russian was all-in pre-flop holding A-K-5-3 with two clubs against Graham’s Q-Q-8-7. The flop came A-2-4 with two clubs, giving Lunkin a straight and a flush draw to boot. The turn and river blanked out for Graham, who suddenly sat staring at second place. However, three double ups later, Lunkin was bounced from the Pot Limit Omaha Championship.
PocketFivesLive.com Tournament Reporter Rich Ryan, who had a front row view throughout the marathon final table, recalled, “Graham's comeback was incredible. Matt never gave up, even when he faced a 9-1 chip deficit against Vitaly Lunkin. The fight was worth it and Matt received his second bracelet. Graham had support from a rowdy rail that included Carter ckingusc King, Scott gunning4you Seiver, Darryll DFish Fish, Jon FatalError Aguiar, Adam Roothlus Levy, and many more.”
Also taking home a bracelet on Monday night was PocketFiver Ray WirdPair Foley (pictured at left), who cruised through the field in a $1,500 buy-in No Limit Hold’em tournament (Event #39) and defeated poker pro Brandon Cantu heads-up. Foley’s win was worth $657,000. Cantu held nearly a 3:2 chip lead entering heads-up play. However, Foley doubled up with pocket tens against Cantu’s K-9 all-in pre-flop. The flop came king-high, propelling Cantu into the lead, but a ten on the turn secured Foley’s double-up. In the final hand, Foley’s J-Q held against Cantu’s J-7 after a jack-high flop.On the 12th gold bracelet won by a PocketFiver, Ryan explained, “Foley was fortunate to survive his first all-in with Cantu, but after taking the chip lead, he got it in way ahead on the final hand of the tournament. Foley made a nice play to combat the aggression of Cantu and got him to call an all-in drawing to three cards.” Foley works for Chrysler Financial and hails from Northville, Michigan. He’s four-for-seven cashing in WSOP tournaments lifetime, including one gold bracelet.
Landing in fourth place in Event #39 was Alex alexjacob Jacob (pictured at right), who banked $190,000. After being crippled in a hand against Cantu, Jacob shoved all-in pre-flop with J-9 of hearts and ran into Foley’s A-4. The board ran out K-6-4-7-2, giving Foley the “W.” On Jacob’s deep run in the 2,715 player tournament, Ryan commented, “He did an excellent job of chipping up at the final table. He was the chip leader four-handed before he took a couple of hits that crippled him. Alex was visibly frustrated after falling short in fourth place.” In the hand against Cantu, Jacob shoved over the top of a bet by Cantu with A-3, but Foley, who was in the big blind, woke up with pocket jacks.
Meanwhile, 14 players remain in Event #42 of the 2009 WSOP, a $2,500 buy-in Mixed tournament. Leading the pack is none other than Jon PearlJammer Turner (pictured at left), who holds a stack of 469,000. To say that he has a gauntlet of online poker talent to wade through would be an understatement. Playing down to a winner this afternoon will also be Eric jakz101 Crain (210,000), Chris SLOPPYKLOD Klodnicki (153,000), Blair Rodman (139,000), Rami arbianight Boukai (137,000), and Jimmy gobboboy Fricke (47,000). Here’s how the field stacks up:1. Jon Turner - 469,200
2. Jerrod Ankenman - 412,400
3. Adam Friedman - 325,800
4. Layne Flack - 283,400
5. Altbregin Sergey - 239,500
6. Dario Alioto - 225,600
7. Danny Dang - 220,000
8. Eric Crain - 210,600
9. Chris Klodnicki - 153,400
10. Blair Rodman - 139,800
11. Jeff Tims - 138,500
12. Rami Boukai - 137,700
13. Andrew Radel - 92,700
14. Jimmy Fricke - 47,400
Finally, Peter belabacsi Traply (pictured at right) is one of five players vying for the bracelet in the $5,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em Shootout. Danny Wong, Andrew Lichtenberger, Max Lykov, and Nasr El Nasr will join Traply at the final table, which awards $348,000 to its sole survivor. Each of the remaining players is guaranteed to bank at least $82,000.Is another double bracelet win in store for PocketFivers today? Visit PocketFivesLive.com, your source for WSOP coverage of your fellow online poker players.
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