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There must be a disclaimer attached to the very top of this post. By the time you read what you are about to read, there is every chance it is wrong. At time of reporting what you are now reading, Ylon Schwartz was sitting in the Brasilia Room with about 15,000 chips in front of him. But in the time it took to gather this information, he was all in twice, and although he got them both through, picking up micro-pots, he had the look about him of a man who was going to make that forward motion as frequently as he could, either doubling up or going home.
***** REMEMBER THIS POINT HERE *****
It is the classic day two, short stack manoeuvre. Tried and tested. Textbook.
As if any further proof of Schwartz’s intentions were necessary, he ended his badgering of one opponent with the line: “You can tell me once I’ve busted.” He was after information about a hand that prompted a river bet from his opponent, looking at a board of [7h][4d][10s][8d][7c]. “Oh, I fold,” a resigned Schwartz announced, yielding the 15,000-odd pot to his foe and leaving himself with an even shorter short-stack.
“You have five six?” Schwartz enquired. Silence. “Five-six down there?” Silence. “No? I guess not.”
“I had an overpair,” Schwartz continued, now seemingly unconcerned whether he got a reply or not. “You had a straight. I know you had a straight.”
Anyway, at that point up there, the one that says ***** REMEMBER THIS POINT HERE ***** my colleague entered the press area to say he had just seen Schwartz walking down the corridor of the Rio, and out into the night. Schwartz’s World Series is over, and although he didn’t quite scale the heights of last year, when he finished fourth in the Main Event for close to $4m or so, he finished third in the $2,500 mixed event for $112,967, proving that there’s still a whole lot of poker talent in the Schwartz locker yet.
Another player with intimate knowledge of the Main Event final table is Hevad Khan, also playing his day two here today. And it’s going exceptionally well for the Team PokerStars Pro: he has 170,000 in chips and is in high spirits. “I can make it to where I busted last year with this, the 4K-8K level,” he said, pointing at his stack. “And that’s even if nothing good happens.”
These days, Khan is the epitome of measured calm at the tables and today he explained his slow and consistent progress to a huge stack with the comment: “I like it the steady way.” He also said that he is happy on his table, is focused and alert – and his table-mates might be better off keeping it that way: “I was not happy when I busted last year,” he said.
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OUT OF CONTEXT QUOTE OF THE HOUR
“Do you think there’s any chance that I could marry Alexia Portal?” — unnamed media rep indulges his wildest dreams.
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DO YOU LIKE MY NEW HAIRCUT? OF THE HOUR
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LIVE STATUS REPORT OF THE HOUR
“Up to 30,000, but still on the ropes.” — Maria Mayrinck returning from break to play last level.
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STALKING OF THE HOUR
“There he is!” –Two blonde women laying in wait for Dennis Phillips to return to his table.
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JOE GIRON’S PHOTO HOUR
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CONTRADICTION OF THE HOUR
ElkY–200,000 in chips–Frustrated and throwing cards
Chad Brown–20,000 in chips–Smiling like he just learned he’s going to be a father
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VIDEO BLOG OF THE HOUR
Ladies and gentlemen, Marlon Wayans:
Watch WSOP 2009: Marlon Wayans – Y’all feel me? on PokerStars.tv
