"Official" ESPN Coverage of WSOP Main Event: Final Table

[reo]

[ QUOTE ]
Any guesses to what Black's second card on that hand was? I really have no idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

Probably AK.

[Toro]

[ QUOTE ]
Any guesses to what Black's second card on that hand was? I really have no idea.

[/ QUOTE ]
Queen

[Army Eye]

[ QUOTE ]
Any guesses to what Black's second card on that hand was? I really have no idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

Seems like a clear AK

[ligastar]

[ QUOTE ]
Any guesses to what Black's second card on that hand was? I really have no idea.

[/ QUOTE ]

The final board was Kd-5h-3c-3h-8c. Could he have had A-5 or A-2?

This is faulty reasoning. I believe he had AK.

Greg H.

AK does seems to be the most obvious based on the way the hand played out, but it's also the least likely probability-wise because that's all 4 kings. A-8 of hearts seems possible too, I guess.

[WhiskyRiver]

This is how Black should have played his set.

[Dynasty]

Hand 125 - Steve Dannenmann has the button in seat 8, Barch raises to $600,000, Dannenmann calls, and Black calls. The flop comes 9s-6c-5c, Black bets $1,000,000, Barch folds, and Dannenmann sits still, looking at the cards. He doesn't look that interested, but after a little while he quietly says, "All in."

Now Black lifts his sunglasses up on his head, and starts taking the situation more seriously, studying the board with a wry smile. Dannenmann is smiling back at him a bit, which he's done a lot tonight. Finally, Black confidently says, "I call."

Black shows 10s-9h (top pair), while Dannenmann has As-6s (second pair). Dannenmann needs to catch a six, an ace, or running spades to win this pot, which could be the largest of the tournament so far.

The turn card is the 3c, and Dannenmann needs to catch a six or an ace (5 outs) to stay alive.

The river card is the Ac, and Dannenmann makes two pair to take a huge pot from the Irishman Andrew Black.


1. Steve Dannenmann - $19,000,000 (seat 8)
2. Aaron Kanter - $17,000,000 (seat 6)
3. Tex Barch - $11,000,000 (seat 3)
4. Joseph Hachem - $5,000,000 (seat 1)
5. Andrew Black - $3,500,000 (seat 2)

[reo]

Poor Matusow and Black. Jeez.

[Kevmath]

Maybe "traditional" would've been a better choice of words. It's not like the old days when they'd need a box that once held bottles of water.

[Dynasty]

Hand 132 - Andrew Black has the button in seat 2, Hachem limps for $200,000, Barch limps from the small blind, and Kanter checks his option. The flop comes Kc-10s-7s, it's checked to Hachem, who bets $450,000, Barch reraises to $1,000,000, Kanter reraises to $2,000,000, and it's back to Hachem, who clearly didn't expect this. Hachem folds.

Barch thinks a bit, then reraises to $4,500,000. We have a huge pot, and the preflop action was nothing but limpers. What does everyone have? Pocket sevens? As-Ks? Qs-Js? A bluff? (If you're listening to the CardPlayer.com audio commentary, you can hear former World Series of Poker champions Phil Hellmuth and Chris "Jesus" Ferguson discuss the strategies that might be in play here.)

Minutes pass as Kanter's mind works through the possibilities. The crowd starts to get a little restless, and you can hear the murmur as everyone has their own theories about who has what, and whether or not Kanter will stay in the hand.

After several very long minutes, Aaron Kanter quietly says, "All in." Now the spotlight is back on Tex Barch. He stands up to think, and after another minute or two he makes the call.

Tex Barch shows Kd-7d (two pair), while Kanter has Kh-5d (one pair). Kanter needs to hit a ten or something runner-runner to win this pot. The turn card is the Qh, and Kanter needs to catch a ten or a queen to tie, chopping the pot.

The river card is the Jd, and Tex Barch has doubled up into the chip lead, with about $22,000,000. That was the biggest pot in World Series of Poker history.


1. Tex Barch - $22,300,000 (seat 3)
2. Steve Dannenmann - $19,200,000 (seat 8)
3. Andrew Black - $6,800,000 (seat 2)
4. Joseph Hachem - $4,300,000 (seat 1)
5. Aaron Kanter - $3,710,000 (seat 6)