Event #39: $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha

Dating back to 2008, the $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha event has been one of the most popular tournaments at the World Series of Poker; in fact, it is one of the few tournaments that has continued to grow each and every year. This year, the tournament drew 606 players, which was a 21% increase (124 players) over last year's field. While 605 players fell by the wayside, Mitch Schock emerged as the last man standing to claim the $310,225 first-place prize and his first WSOP gold bracelet.

At the start of Day 3, all eyes were on 2005 Main Event Champion Joe Hachem as he went for his second bracelet. Unfortunately for the Aussie, he was unable to gain momentum and was busted shy of the final table in 12th place. Here is a look at those who hit the rail leading up to the final table.

Early Day 3 Eliminations

The headliner at the final table was none other than Rami Boukai, who happened to win this very event back in 2009 by defeating a field of 453 players to claim the $244,862 first-place prize. However, Boukai faced an uphill battle as he began the final table on the extreme short stack.

Final Table

Unfortunately there would be no title in store for Boukai as he was unable to mount a comeback from the short stack and was eliminated a PLO round by Tyler Patterson in ninth place ($23,119). Boukai was followed out the door a short time later by Jonas Mackoff, who was dispatched during a PLO round by Carter Gill in eighth place ($30,040). It took awhile for the next eliminations to occur, but it came when Gill busted both David Lestlock (7th- $39,539) and James Vanneman (6th- $52747) in the same hand of PLO, which thrust Gill into the chip lead.

It was about this time that a huge hand developed between Patterson and Schock. It began when Patterson raised to 50,000 on the button and Schock defended in the big blind. The flop was     and Schock check-called a bet of 55,000 from Patterson to see the   turn.

Schock checked a second time and Patterson fired out 125,000 only to see himself getting check-raised to 450,000. Patterson thought for a minute or two and moved all in, Schock nodded and called.

Patterson:   
Schock:   

The   blanked on the river and the more than two-million chip pot was sent to Schock, who became the chip leader. Patterson was sent home in fifth place for $71,317.

A back-and-forth battle commenced between the final four players that eventually saw Gill hit the rail in fourth place ($97,7773). Not long after, Jan Collado joined him after he got all in preflop and his    failed to get their against Rodney Brown's    as the board ran out      . His elimination left Schock (3,245,000) headed into heads-up play against Brown (1,300,000) with a 2.5-1 chip lead.

Heads up play was long and tedious. Brown managed to chip up a bit by taking down the occasional pot, but it wasn't until he made a great call that he was able to take the chip lead. In that hand, the board read       and a lot of action had taken place. With over a million in the pot, Schock bet pot on the river, which was enough to put Brown all in. After a few minutes, Brown made the call and showed      for bottom set. Schock just shook his head as he flipped over      for a missed wrap.

Not to be denied, Schock battled back in the three-and-a-half hour battle. He eventually reclaimed the chip leader and dispatched Brown in the early hours of Saturday morning. Today's performance marked Schock's fifth cash and third final table of the 2011 WSOP. His victory will no doubt go a long way in putting him in contention for the Player-of-the-Year Award (he was 72nd on the list headed into this event)!

Final Table Payouts

Former $2,500 PLO/Hold'em Champions

Congratulations to Mitch Schock on capturing his first bracelet and the $310,225 first-place prize. That does it for our coverage from Event #39 $2,500 Pot-Limit Hold'em/Omaha, but there is still plenty of tournament action to come. Stay tuned to PokerNews as our Live Reporting Team will be bringing you all the action and eliminations from the 2011 WSOP.

This will be the last level of the night. If a winner isn't determined within the next hour, Mitch Schock and Rodney Brown will return tomorrow to play it out.

PLO

Mitch Schock raised to 95,000 preflop and Rodney Brown made it 285,000 (pot) in the big blind. Schock called and Brown fired out 175,000 on the     flop but quickly folded when Schock made it 600,000

Mitch Schock	3,300,000	150,000
Rodney Brown	1,200,000	-150,000

PLH

Mitch Schock raised to 125,000 and Rodney Brown made the call before leading out for 110,000 on the     flop. Schock announced a raise to 300,000 and Brown set him all in, Schock shrugged again and called.

Schock:   
Brown:   

The   turn and   river changed nothing and we're pretty much even. It's the long haul everyone!

Rodney Brown	2,300,000	-700,000
Mitch Schock	2,200,000	700,000

PLO

Mitch Schock just moved back into the lead, reraising to 175,000 from the big blind over Rodney Brown's 80,000 open and then betting 250,000 on the     flop to regain the lead.

Mitch Schock	2,600,000	510,000
Rodney Brown	1,900,000	-510,000

There have been very few hands of note in the past ten minutes. It usually consists of raise and takes, or the occasional continuation bet seems to get the job done on the rare instances that we see a flop.

In a recent hand of PLO, Mitch Schock raised to 75,000 on the button and Rodney Brown called from the big blind. It went check-bet 120,000-fold on the     flop.

There's been a lot of that going on.

PLH

Mitch Schock raised to 90,000 on the button only to have Rodney Brown three-bet to 255,000. Schock, who began the hand with around 700,000, announced that he was all in. Brown snap-called and suddenly the tournament was on the line.

Brown:   
Schock:   

Brown's supporter, who clearly outnumber Schock's here in the "Thunder Dome," rose to their feet and began shouting, "Hold!" Both players were on their feet as the flop came down    , giving Brown a pair of queens. Schock was in bad shape, though the   turn made things interesting by providing him with an open-ended straight draw.

"Hold!" the crowd shouted for Brown. The dealer burned and put out the  ! Schock smacked the table in celebration as Brown's rail fell silent. Schock is back in action!

Rodney Brown	3,100,000	-845,000
Mitch Schock	1,400,000	800,000

The action has been excruciatingly slow since the players returned from the break. Min-raises preflop have been the order of the day. An example of the types of hands we've been seen in the past ten minutes:

PLO

Rodney Brown raised to 80,000 on the button and Mitch Schock exercised his option in the big blind by making it 165,000 to go. Brown made the call and watched as the flop fell    . Schock led out for 210,000 and Brown insta-folded.

That was a hand that actually happened, which happened to be our biggest post-break hand thus far.