It was at the conclusion of a Stud Eight-or-Better hand that Phil Ivey would sit behind a very small chip stack. It was between Ivey and the short-at-the-time David Bakes Baker.
Ivey: / /
Baker: / /
Both players committed bets on the first round of betting, then on fourth, Baker led and Ivey called. Fifth street would see Ivey lead and Baker raise it up, leaving himself with little behind. Ivey made the call and then on sixth street, put in the bet to see Baker all-in.
By the time seventh was dealt out, Baker had his hole cards on the table, enough for the low and the high, sending Ivey's cards into the muck.
The action was caught from fourth street on where Phil Ivey checked and the other Phil at the table, Phil Hellmuth, fired a bet. Ivey called.
On fifth street, Ivey check-called again before Hellmuth picked up the best hand showing on sixth street. That's when Hellmuth led out and Ivey made the call.
On seventh street, Hellmuth led with another bet, but this time Ivey put in a raise. Hellmuth called and showed the for a straight, which was also a low. Ivey turned over three spades in the hole with the and had a flush to beat Hellmuth's straight and take the high half of the pot.
Picking up the action on fourth street, Phil Hellmuth checked and John Monnette bet. Hellmuth made the call. On fifth street, both players checked and then on sixth, Hellmuth check-called a bet from Monnette.
On seventh street, each player received a final card down and Hellmuth checked. Monnette bet and Hellmuth folded.
With that pot, Monnette moved to over two million in chips.
Monnette brought it in, Ivey completed, and Monnette called. Ivey led out on fourth street, Monnette called, and then Ivey slowed down, check-called a bet on fifth.
Monnette made a better board on sixth, and led out. Ivey called, and both players checked on seventh.
"Sevens," Monnette said, tabling .
Ivey checked his cards a couple more times before he mucked them, and Monnette raked in the pot.
It took two hands to see Matt Waxman eliminated from this final table. The first was a Razz hand and it left him crippled and the very next hand was Stud and that sent him home.
The Razz hand began when John Monnette brought it in with a . Paul Sokoloff then called with a and Waxman completed with a . Sokoloff called and drew and , while Waxman drew a . Sokoloff bet and Waxman called as Sokoloff drew a and Waxman a . When Sokoloff bet here, Waxman said, "I can not beat you in a pot, no matter what," and folded his cards.
That left him with less than a big bet and on the next hand, when the rotation was changed to Stud, Waxman committed the last of his chips during the first round of betting with an showing against Abe Mosseri and John Monnette. Mosseri and Monnette battled it out until fifth street when Mosseri folded, and then the cards were turned face-up.
Monnette's (in no particular order), was good for two-pair and enough to send Waxman's into the muck.
For that effort, Waxman goes home with $58,093 and we are now six-handed.
From under the gun, Matt Waxman limped in. David "Bakes" Baker limped in from the hijack seat and Phil Ivey completed from the small blind. Paul Sokoloff checked in the big blind before the dealer dealt out the flop.
On the flop, Ivey checked and Sokoloff bet. Waxman and Baker called before Ivey folded.
The landed on the turn and the three remaining players checked to see the hit the river. Sokoloff led with a bet and Waxman called. Baker folded.
Sokoloff turned over the for a full house and a seven low. Waxman mucked and Sokoloff scooped the entire pot.
Action folded to Abe Mosseri in the hijack seat and he raised. Phil Hellmuth reraised from the button and Phil Ivey called from the big blind. Mosseri also called and the flop came down . Ivey led with a bet and Mosseri folded. Hellmuth called.
The turn card was the and Ivey bet out again. Hellmuth stuck right with him by making the call to see the land on the river. Ivey bet and Hellmuth called.
Ivey turned over the for the nut low and Hellmuth had the for a pair of kings. The two chopped up the pot.
From the hijack seat, Matt Waxman limped in. Abe Mosseri limped behind him in the cutoff seat and then Phil Hellmuth called from the big blind. John Monnette checked his option in the big blind and the flop came down paired with bullets as the rolled out. Hellmuth and Monnette checked, Waxman bet and Mosseri raised. Hellmuth and Monnette folded before Waxman called.
The turn was the and Waxman checked. Mosseri bet and Waxman folded.