A Fossilman hand from the WSOP

[Tyler Durden]

This hand was told to me by Fossilman's opponent in the hand and I believe all the details are correct. He told me the hand as we played a one table satellite for a $1,000 event that the Horseshoe added during the week of the main event.

The hand is between Greg Raymer and Ali Eslami. Eslami told me the hand shortly after he busted in 49th place for $45,000. He's a student of Amir Vahedi.

49 players remain. Blinds are 5k/10K w/ an ante of probably 1K.

Eslami has 400K. Fossilman has him covered, but I don't know what his stack is.

Fossilman raises to 25K UTG w/ KJ. Folded to Eslami in the BB who calls w/ T9/images/graemlins/diamond.gif. Flop comes Q-9-4 w/ two/images/graemlins/diamond.gif.

Eslami checks, Greg bets 40K, Eslami raises to 200K, Greg moves all-in, Eslami calls. Greg hits a ten on the turn to give him the off-broadway straight. Eslami had many river outs but missed them all and was sent to the rail.

Ali said he thought Greg didn't really inspect his stack so he didn't realize that Ali was committed to the pot after he checkraised the flop for half his stack.

[durron597]

I'm not sure how accurate this is because Greg is quoted as saying that he never sucked out on anyone until the final table. But maybe someone's memory is wrong...

[CardCuda]

Makes sense to me if it was the KJ of /images/graemlins/diamond.gif but, i dunno /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[KC50]

Tyler...maybe he did have KJd? Even if he did I think Greg's stack size is the missing factor though. I can't see this play from Greg by just barely having him covered with only gutter and flush draw.

KC

[Zinzan]

Yes, from my recollection of online tracking at the time, Greg had a MONSTER stack by then.

-Z

[Ulysses]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes, from my recollection of online tracking at the time, Greg had a MONSTER stack by then.


[/ QUOTE ]

Your recollection is incorrect. With 41 players left, Greg had a 1.1M stack. So Greg likely had something like a 600k-700k stack when this hand took place.

Here's what was reported (I suspect Tyler's account is more accurate) on the PokerPages forum at the time:

Ali Eslami eliminated in 49th by Greg Raymer.
No details except that Ali was in front until the river, when Raymer hit a 10 for a straight.
The pot puts Raymer over $1 million.

[Tyler Durden]

[ QUOTE ]
Here's what was reported (I suspect Tyler's account is more accurate) on the PokerPages forum at the time:

Ali Eslami eliminated in 49th by Greg Raymer.
No details except that Ali was in front until the river, when Raymer hit a 10 for a straight.
The pot puts Raymer over $1 million.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yea I saw that a while ago. But I agree Diablo, I think my report is more accurate, b/c Ali told me shortly afterwards and I think his details were right.

[Ulysses]

Either way, this is a critical hand (of the sort you will usually need to get lucky on at some point to win a tourney like this). Sounds like Greg got the money in as a 3:1 dog and got lucky in a spot where he would have been in bad shape had he not hit.

I'd be surprised if he had KdJd, as then the guy you talked to would have little to talk about, as Greg would have gotten the money in as a favorite.

Anyway, would be great to hear from Greg on this. Sounds surprising that Greg would "not notice" the guy's stack size. Perhaps Greg felt he had a good read that the guy would not put his tourney on the line in this hand. Perhaps they were near a payout jump and Greg thought that would help him get a fold. Who knows?

[Zinzan]

[ QUOTE ]
Your recollection is incorrect... Greg likely had something like a 600k-700k stack when this hand took place...

[/ QUOTE ]

Fair enough. Greg was the chip leader going into the Final 32, so I guess he built his pot substantially between 41 and 32, a good portion from said hand, I guess.

-Z