Round 1: Ivey v Saout

Round 1: Who Won?

A little known fact about Team Everest Pro Antoine Saout's journey to this final table is that he spent most of the final days in July leading up to the final table playing at the same table as one, Phil Ivey! Does this give him a competitive advantage over the rest of the table possibly knowing perennial fan favorite Phil Ivey's game better than the other November Nine, I don't know...probably not! But what it does tell us is his comfort level of playing with Ivey has to be at least a notch above the other final tablists, and we might have seen our first glimpse of it moments ago when they finally went toe to toe in a pot. here's what happened:

Phil Ivey raises to $1,250,000 under the gun before Antoine re-raises to $4,050,000. Ivey gives Antoine the "Ivey Stare" before folding and giving up the pot to Antoine to a roar of cheers from the crowd.

This was the first time all day that someone has played back at Ivey, and that means that Round 1 of the Antoine Ivey war went to the Fiery Frenchman!

We will now take a 2-hour dinner break, and here is the breakdown of the chip counts as we head off to break:

Darvin Moon: 41,250,000
Phil Ivey: 14,900,000
Steve Begleiter: 38,100,000
Eric Buchman: 54,725,000
Joe Cada: 10,700,000
Antoine Saout: 28,725,000
Jeff Shulman: 7,175,000

Antoine's Relentless Re-Raising

The Face Of A Future WSOP Main Event Winner?

Antoine has shown an ability today to be overly patient, and yet overly aggressive, all in the right spots at the right times. Antoine started this action by betting out $1.35 million. Jeff "Happy" Shulman followed that bet with a raise to $4 million,which made everyone else on the path back to Antoine fold.

Antoine, ever emotionless at the table, paused, then announced he was all-in for a total of $21,125,000. Antoine, having Shulman covered, then got to sit back and wait for Shulman to make his decision.

Shulman thought, then folded within a couple of minutes, and Antoine picked up another pot, propelling his stack to near $26 million.

"Happy" looks sad after losing this one.

"Begs" Bags Some Chips From The Moon

"Begs" stack is soaring!

Darvin Moon raises to $1,300,000 under the gun and "Begs" takes his time before cutting out a re-raise to $3,900,000. Moon doesn't take too long before making the call, which gives us one of our most expensive flops of the day.

Flop: 3s-4s-2d.

Moon checks, and Begleiter bets out a massive mountain which turns out to equal $5,350,000 in chips. Moon, after appearing to nearly decide to fold his hand,check raises "Begs" to $15,000,000!!!!

"Begs" looks shocked, but settles in and goes deep into the tank for what seems like 5 minuts or more. He then announces all-in, and Darvin shoots back in his chair like he was struck by the poker gods!

After much consideration, and finding out that the re-raise is a mere $6 million more, MOON MUCKS HIS HAND!!!!!

And that gives our WSOP Main Event a new chip leader for the first time since July 15!!!!

Begleiter is up to 44,750,000, trailing Eric Buchman (51,575,000) by a mere $7 million in chips!!!!

A Stunned Darvin Moon Copes With The Loss Of His Chips

Antoine Takes Another Pot

The Quiet Assassin

Battle of the blinds:

Antoine completes from the small blind and Jeff Shulman, who has been relatively non-existent thus far at the final table, is in the big blind. Shulman elects to raise to $1,625,000, and Antoine calls.

Flop: 5d-10c-Qc

Antoine checks, Shulman checks.

Turn: 10h

Antoine leads out with a bet of $1,150,000. Shulman gives it some serious thought, but then folds his hand, sending more chips over to the Quiet Assassin Saout!

Wow! Crazy Elimination=Kevin Schaffel

Ouch!

Kevin Schaffel makes a raise to 1,250,000 from middle position and Steve Begleiter calls in position. Eric Buchman applies massive pressure with a re-raise to $5.75 million. When is gets back to Schaffel, he moves all-in over the top for $17 million. Begleiter gets out of the way and Buchman goes into the tank. When he finally calls, the hand he thought of folding means he had a great read on the situation, as he is in trouble:

Showdown
Schaffel: Ah-Ac
Buchman: Kh-Kc

Buchman's sixth sense seems to have been right, except he wasn't reading the future, he was only reading "Begs." Buchman liked what the future held however, as the flop brought a Schaffel-heartbreaking:

Flop: Qs-Jh-Ks!!!

This flop got everyone in the crowd on their feet, since although Kevin Schaffel experienced the ultimate in bad beats, any ace or 10 would put him right back into the drivers seat. That was of course...until the even deadlier turn card:

Turn: Kd!!!

And just like that, Kevin Schaffel's WSOP is over!

Kevin finishes in 8th place for a cool $1,300,231.

It's a painful way to go out, but it creates an interesting development as Buchman now sits on $52 million which is ever-so-close to Darvin Moon's chip-leading $58 million.

And let's not forget about Team Everest's Own Antoine Saout, who is sitting in a comfortable yet strike-able 4th place.

9th Place Finisher - James Akenhead

James Akenhead, 9th Place

Akenhead, who has experienced more up and downs than any other player at the table thus far, moves all-in for $4.5 million. Ivey folds which brings us to Schaffel who calls fairly quickly. As everyone folds, we get a look at the showdown hands:

Akenhead:3d-3c
Schaffel: 9s-9h

Board: 10c-2c-7h-2s-9d

No help for Akenhead, ans he is the unfortunate first elimination, who leaves with the same prize money he came to the table with. The bright side however for Akenhead, is that still makes him a WSOP Millionaire with $1,263,602 for finishing in 9th place.

Moon Rising, Again

As the Sun sets outside, Moon rises inside

Joe Cada follows the old adage, if at first you don't succeed, try try again...and Once again opens the action with a $1 million bet.

Darvin Moon is the caller this time, as he peels a flop from the big blind.

Flop: 4c-8c-9d

Moon checks, Cada checks.

Turn: Ad

Moon Checks, Cada bets $1.4 million. Moon Calls.

River: 4s

Moon leads out with a strong $2.5 million bet into Cada. Cada, after some pondering, makes it $5.5 million to go. Moon snap calls and turns up the Ac-10d, and two pair (Aces and Fours) is good as Cada hands sails into the muck.

Moon up to $59.5 million, while Cada slips to $6.75 million.

Antoine Moving His New Chips Around

Antoine Finding His Stride

Antoine has decided not to let the fact thathe just got his new chips stop him from moving them around. Only three hands back from break, here's what happened:

Joe Cada starts the action with a bet of $1 million.

Antoine, undeterred by Cada's opening bet, Re-raises it up to $4,000,000. Cada can't take the heat, and Saout adds to his fast growing collection of multi-colored chips!

Updated Chip Counts

Nervous Saout Supporters Look On As Antoine Calls All-In!

Here's a look at the stacks while we wait to resume the action:

Updated Chip Counts

Darvin Moon - 49,495,000
Eric Buchman - 35,135,000
Steven Begleiter - 24,820,000
Antoine Saout - 21,960,000
Joseph Cada - 16,635,000
Jeff Shulman - 14,780,000
James Akenhead - 12,515,000
Phil Ivey - 10,565,000
Kevin Schaffel - 8,960,000

Antoine Doubles!!!

Antoine Stands At Attention To Await His Fate

The dust hasn't even settled on the previous hand where Akenhead doubled up, and Antoine decided that he wanted to steal back the spotlight! Antoine opens the next pot with a bet of $750,000 from the cutoff. Darvin Moon, who's been quite up to this point, makes the call out of the blinds.

Flop: Ks-Jh-2c

Darvin Moon bets right out into raiser Saout for a healthy bet of 2.3 million. Antoine wastes little time before raising the price of poker to $6.75 million. Moon thinks for a bit befre declaring that he is all-in. Antoine nearly beatshim into the pot with a call, and we now have our second all-in in a row and first for Team Everest.

Showdown:
Darvin Moon: Ah-4d
Antoine Saout: Js-2h

Antoine has bottom two pair, up against the Ace-high of Moon, which immediately sends the "Sa-ooooooooooo-ut" section of fans into a roar of positive cheers and shouts of "Hold!"

Turn: 3d

Poker is never easy, and the turn card brings a seemingly drawing dead Darvin Moon a sign of life. Any five now gives us our first elimination and sends Antoine back to France with the same prize money he showed up with today!

River: 2s

Antoine's mighty J-2 holds strong and increases his stack to a dangerous $22 million in chips!

As the big stack Moon drops to $49.5 and Antoine surges, we go to a quick break in action.

Akenhead Saved The Queen...For The River

Akenhead Hits Well-Timed Rivercard

James Akenhead open-shoved all in from early position, for 4,015,000 total. Steven "Begs" Begleiter went into the tank for a while before announcing call.

Strangely enough after the tight play overall thus far, the tables most active player Eric Buchman then announced a big re-raise to 12,000,000!

After "Begs" agonized over this decision for quite some time, he decided to let the other two players battle it out, giving us our first all-in showdown of the day.

Akenhead: Kc-Qh
Buchman: Ah-Ks

Flop: 2s-3s-Jd

Turn: Kh

The entire section of Akenhead supporters up in the VIP Family and Friends seating area is now on their feet with some etching ever so close to the table to catch the first glimpse of the river card that will seal their man Akenhead's fate!

River: Qs!!

The crowd erupts with appluase for the crazy rivercard, saving Akenhead's elimination for another day, and as he breaths a sigh of relief, fans rush the stage to hug their spared poker hero!

Akenhead now has a playable $12,855,000 in chips, while Buchman find himself almost back where he started the day at $35,175,000.

Eric Buchman Moving Up

Buchman's Big Gain

Of all the players at the Final Table here today, Eric Buchman has by far been the most active.

This aggression has been rewarded handsomely thus far, as Buchman arrived here to play today with $34,800,000 and has in two levels already increased his lead to $40,630,000

Let's see if he can continue to move up without hitting a road block from any of the other players.

Aggressive Antoine Takes Center Stage

Antoine finds his groove

Out of the past five hands, Antoine has either bet or re-raised putting ultimate pressure on his opponents. He isn't being picky either, as he has now played a pot with Joe Cada, Eric Buchman and now Kevin Schaffel during his streak of aggressive play:

Kevin Schaffel's opens for 750,000. Team Everest Poker Pro Antoine Saout, continues to let the table know that he is not afraid to play a pot, re-raises to 2.75 million. Schaffel thinks for close to a minute before giving up and letting go of his hand. Antoine's fans let out a deafening cheer for their favorite November Niner, as we move on to the next hand.

One Hand Later....

Antoine Immediately Gains Back Ground

Just moments after losing nearly 2 million in chips:

Antoine is on the button. Eric Buchman makes it 800,000 two from the button. Saout doesn't take long to move all-in over the top of Buchman. After the blinds fold, Buchman almost immediately releases his hand, sending some chips back in the direction of the aggressive Saout.

Antoine Loses A Few

Antoine Loses a Bit of Ground

Joe Cada makes it 750,000 to go on the button. Antoine calls out of the small blind. Big Blind folds and we see a flop:

Flop: 5s-6c-8s

Antoine bets 1,000,000.

Cada pauses breifly before throwing out a call.

Turn: Qs

Antoine checks, Cada bets 1,475,000, and Saout thinks for a couple minutes. After Saouts deliberation, he folds and sends the pot over to Cada.

Players Return from Break

Play has just resumed after a 20-minute break in the action.

Here is a look at the updated chip counts:

Darvin Moon: 61,535,000
James Akenhead: 3,445,000
Phil Ivey: 10,035,000
Kevin Schaffel: 10,890,000
Steve Begleiter: 31,175,000
Eric Buchman: 39,820,000
Joe Cada: 11,835,000
Antoine Saout: 10,620,000
Jeff Shulman: 15,510,000

Phil Ivey Puts The Poker World On Edge

Phil Ivey

Jeff Shulman in Seat 9 raises to 1,250,000.

Phil Ivey pauses, gives Shulman his signature ice-cold stare before moving all-in with a re-raise. The entire crowd let out a collective yet faint gasp and then we heard nothing but silence from the media box down to the table as Joe Cada, a few seats down, took his time deciding what to do.

After Cada requests a count, the dealer puts Ivey's stack at 8,655,000. Cada finally folds, as does Shulman and Phil Ivey excites the crowd by taking down a nice pot.

Phil's currently stacked at $10,175,000.

Hand #16 Antoine Puts On The Pressure

Eric Buchman opens the pot to 800,000. Antoine Saout moves all in for 7,710,000 from the small blind, and without much consideration Buchman folds and sends the brazen Saout his first pot of the day!

Antoine's Fan Support

Antoine Makes His Walk Towards The Final Table

With Antoine's fan support well over 100 strong today thanks to Everest Poker, looking into the stands you will find a sea of blue futbol jerseys complete with the French flag and "Saout" on the back!

Of the creative chants heard thus far from the capacity crowd in the Penn and Teller Theatre, the announcer noted his favorite was "Sa-oooooooooooooooo-ut" which can be heard around the arena whenever the announcer mentions Antoine's name!

Play has been tight thus far, as we have only seen one flop (which did involve Antoine), but play will sure to pick up now that the blinds have just been raised to $150,000/$300,000 with a $40,000 ante.

It's Go Time!

Antoine Saout Media Day Interview

The pandemonium inside the Penn and Teller Theater would likely remind most people of a World Series of Baseball Game 7 or a World Cup in Soccer. However, the excitement that has fans wrapped around nearly the entire length of the Rio Casino hallway, even though the Penn and Teller Theater is already filled to maximum capacity, is the World Series of Poker!

As the players re-stack their seats at the table that will ultimately decide their fate in the Main Event today, lets take a look at the breakdown of where the players are seated today, as well as where their chips left off in the Main Event on that unforgettable day July 15, 2009 at 10:59PM:

Starting Field: 6,494
Total Final Table Prize Pool: $27,220,989
First Place Money: 8,547,042
Guaranteed Cash: $1,263,602

Seating Assignments and Chip Counts:

Seat 1: Darvin Moon (58,930,000)
Seat 2: James Akenhead (6,800,000)
Seat 3: Phil Ivey (9,765,000)
Seat 4: Kevin Schaffel (12,390,000)
Seat 5: Steven Begleiter (29,885,000)
Seat 6: Eric Buchman (34,800,000)
Seat 7: Joseph Cada (13,215,000)
Seat 8: Antoine Saout (9,500,000)
Seat 9: Jeff Shulman (19,580,000)

Now of course we will be bringing you all the action here today, with a special focus on our own Team Everest Poker Pro Antoine Saout! Antoine has been in Las Vegas vacationing with friends since late October, and while he calls Saint Martin Des Champs, France his home, he is excited to make the WSOP Main Event Final Table his home for the next 72 hours or so, long enough to get heads up and take down the first place prize.

Stay Tuned as the tournament director announces all the Final Table participants and prepares to have a special guest announce "Shuffle Up and Deal!"