Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:57 AM Local Time
Throughout Day 2 Hoai Pham remained focused and determined to do his best. With every decision he was deliberate and it didn't hurt that he picked up some big hands. Fittingly he ended the day with pocket aces.
At the same time he wasn't afraid to make big lay downs. He folded ace-king face up with just two tables left in a spot where he could have raced for the chip lead, opting to play it safe. His patience clearly paid looking at his first-place finish and new World Series of Poker bracelet.
Pham was born in Vietnam and is a dealer at the Village Club Poker Room in San Diego, California. He traveled to Las Vegas to try his luck on the other side of the felt and is proud to be the last player standing.
"This is magical," he told reporters after taking pictures. "I knew I could win."
Over seven hundred casino employees arrived at the Rio on Day 1 searching for a WSOP bracelet, but only one could be crowned. Hoai Pham bested the 721 player field and after two days of grueling action he is the champion of Event #1.
Pham will be presented his bracelet tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the Pavilion Room and, per his request, the Vietnamese National Anthem will be played. He also told our friend Nolan Dalla that he will be singing the lyrics aloud.
Congratulation to Hoai Pham for his first WSOP bracelet and a cool $71,424!
Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:43 AM Local Time
After less than a dozen hands played heads-up, Pham opened to $80,000 on the button. Arthur Vea called.
The flop was a scattered . Vea checked and Pham went all in. Vea tanked for a moment before calling.
Vea:
Pham:
The on the turn and the on the river could not save Vea, who was eliminated in second place.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:31 AM Local Time
Arthur Vea limped on the button and Hoai Pham folded in the small blind. Next door in the big blind, Christopher Reider shoved and Vea snap-called.
Vea:
Reider:
Reider didn't get any help from the board that came down and was escorted to the cage to collect his winning.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:22 AM Local Time
Hoai Pham raised 50,000 in the small blind and Chris Reider re-raised, putting himself all in preflop. Pham, who had less chips than Reider going into the hand, snap-called.
Pham:
Reider:
The board came down and Pham's kings held, sending his chip count to 1,020,000.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:21 AM Local Time
Arthur Vea has built his stack up to 785,000. Sitting in the small blind, he called Chris Reider's button raise to 90,000. When Reider bet 90,000 into the flop, Vea went all in for 481,000, and Reider folded.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:09 AM Local Time
Matthew Hollinger has been in rough shape for a little while. With only 73,000 chips, he went all in preflop from the cutoff and was called by Arthur Vea in the big blind.
Hollinger:
Vea:
Vea bested Hollinger with a board reading {aj}
Sunday, May 30, 2010 3:05 AM Local Time
Hoai Pham's been keeping a relatively quiet presence as of late. In this hand he called from the cutoff and saw a flop with Arthur Vea in the small blind and Matthew Hollinger in the big blind.
On a flop of , Vea checked and Hollinger bet out 50,000. Pham re-raised to 150,000 and both blinds folded.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:52 AM Local Time
After doubling up Christopher Reider, Matthew Hollinger was left super short-stacked. Arthur Vea shoved in the small bling and Hollinger took a quick peek at his cards before calling.
Hollinger:
Vea:
Hollinger didn't stay behind for long. The flop delivered , providing Hollinger with a pair of sevens. The turn and river were no help to Vea.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:48 AM Local Time
Christopher Reider raised to 90,000 from the button. In the big blind, Matthew Hollinger re-raised and Reider four-bet all in, getting a call from Hollinger.
The flop brought along giving Reider an open-ended straight-draw. When the came on the turn, Reider made a straight, pulling ahead of Hollinger's made set. The on the river changed nothing and Reider doubled up.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:42 AM Local Time
Matthew Hollinger opened to 60,000 under the gun. Both Christopher Reider in the small blind and Arthur Vea in the big blind called.
The flop came . The blinds checked and Hollinger's bet of 100,000 was enough to take the pot.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:35 AM Local Time
Arthur Vea doubled up off Christopher Reider. The two got it all in preflop and this is how it went down:
Vea:
Reider:
The board helped Vea win the race, delivering
Vea is now sitting with about 800,000.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:24 AM Local Time
Things limped around to the blinds when Arthur Vea and Matthew Hollinger decided to see a flop. That's where the the niceties stopped, though. On a flop of Vea checked and Hollinger bet 40,000. Vea responded with a raise to 100,000 and Hollinger folded in response.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:14 AM Local Time
Christopher Reider opened to 95,000 from the small blind and Arthur Vea called in the big blind.
The two saw a flop of and Reider led out for the same bet; 95,000. Vea folded and Reider chipped up.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:12 AM Local Time
Hand #114
Patrick Silvey open shoved for about 150,000 and was called by Arthur Vea in the blinds.
Silvey:
Vea:
The flop fell giving Vea a set of eights, but Silvey held the only diamond.
Silvey and his rail must be tired, because when the turned they all thought he was ahead. The was dealt on the river and finally Silvey realized Vea flopped a set.
What Silvey can be sure of is that he'll receive $15,677 for his 5th place finish when he visits the cage here at the Rio.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 2:00 AM Local Time
Hand #108
Kent Washington reached his second ever World Series of Poker Final Table this evening, but he was unable to win a coveted bracelet.
Washington was very short when he moved all-in with and was called by Christopher Reider who held in the big blind.
The have Reider a pair of sevens and the best hand, sending Washington to the rail in 6th place. He won't leave empty handed though, Washington will receive $11,829 for his efforts.
Can we say free-rolling in the Main Event?
Sunday, May 30, 2010 1:55 AM Local Time
Arthur Vea has been on a roller coaster at the final table, and this hand was one of his ups.
Vea open-shoved 200,000 on the button and was snapped off by Hoai Pham in the big blind. The hands were tabled:
Vea:
Pham:
The flop kept Vea alive, and the on the turn shot him in to the lead.
Pham threw his hands in the air in disgust and found no help from the on the river.
With a little bit of luck Vea doubled to about 400,000 chips.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 1:45 AM Local Time
Action folded to Kent Washington in the highjack and he raised to 46,000. Matt Hollinger three-bet to 90,000 from the small blind and Washington elected to call in position.
The flop came and Hollinger moved all-in. Washington folded and Hollinger raked in the pot.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 1:44 AM Local Time
It's Christopher Reider's turn to go on a heater.
Kent Washington opened to 54,000 on the button and Reider called from the small blind. The flop was and both players checked. The turn was the and Reider led for 100,000. Washington folded and Reider scooped another pot.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 1:38 AM Local Time
Action folded to Hoai Pham in the cutoff who raised to 52,000. Christopher Reider was last to act in the big blind, and he elected to three-bet shove for almost 300,000 more.
Pham went deep into the tank before finally flashing the and mucking his cards.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 1:35 AM Local Time
Christopher Reider completed the small blind and and Arthur Vea checked in the big blind. The flop came and Reider check-raised Vea to 90,000.
Vea folded and Reider took down the pot.