Levi Fails to Spike the Bord
Hand #95: Lee, maintaining his aggression, made it 85,000 from under the gun. Nicolas Levi reached for chips in the cut-off and trickled in a reraise to 225,000.
It was going to be interesting to see how Lee reacted to a second consecutive three-bet, but that prospect began to diminish as the action halted on James Bord. He didn't hide his poker face, grimacing like a gurning champion and leaning back in his seat with his hands behind his head. It was clear, unless he was going for the Oscar, that this was a tough decision.
After a minute or two of deliberation, Bord announced all-in, triggering his ever-increasing crew of fans on the rail to inch closer to the edge of their seats. Bord, meanwhile, adopted the position that we have become more accustomed to: statuesque, elbows on felt, and chin resting on knuckles. Now the poker face was firmly attached.
Lee folded quicker than a jet-propelled whippet, but Levi was less hasty, counting out his white 25,000 chips as he mulled over his decision. He didn't seem confident, but he eventually made the call to put his opponent's tournament life at risk.
Cards on their backs, and it was coin flip time, and perhaps the most crucial flip of their poker careers:
Levi:
Bord:
As the rail held its collective breath, Bord and Levi both rose from their seats and waited patiently for the first three cards to hit the felt.
Flop:
The crowd celebrated as if Bord had won the title, but it wasn't over yet.
Turn:
The cheers increased in volume. Bord was now just one card away from a vital double through.
River:
Bord turned to high five his band of men as the front row heaved against the rail like fans at a Take That concert, almost knocking it over. For a moment, the noise even forced the roulette players to look up from the wheel.
"BORD-Y, BORD-Y, BORD-Y!" chanted the crowd as Bord returned to his seat, smiling with a mixture of relief and excitement as he scooped in a behemoth of a pot.
Bord has never been short of support, and now he's not short of chips either. He's got around the two million mark and is in with a legitimate shot of becoming the 2010 WSOPE Champion.