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ASTODRAKO 1 and bodhisattva4 Hope to Find Zen and Riches at the 2008 WSOP - by Seth Shafer

May 13, 2008 The latest edition of one of PokerRoom’s exciting new tournaments – The Bounty – kicked off again on Sunday, with plenty of cash and prize packages floating around, just waiting to be grabbed.

Not only was there a prize pool of over $100,000, but a $17,500 prize package to the 2008 WSOP (including entry to the Main Event, airfare, and lodging) awaited the top two finishers, as well as $100 bounties up for grab for anyone who knocked out selected players. The Bounty provides a perfect recipe for an exciting (and potentially profitable) day of poker, and a whopping 1103 players turned out Sunday to take their shot.

With a field that large players were in for a long day, and Lilla Kitti held the lead at the 2nd break, trailed by bodhisattva4 and jokar1 at the 2nd break. By the 3rd break it was bodhisattva4 sitting in the lead, with jokar1 in second and Tregon81 in third place.

Unlike many tournaments where the early leaders fade back, these guys seemed determined to hang onto their leads, and got the most value out of the early chips they picked up. Flash forward to the final table and all the early leaders were still going strong and in the hunt:

Seat 1: Lilla Kitti ($43,258 in chips)
Seat 2: ASTODRAKO 1 ($230,379 in chips)
Seat 3: Jeff_Wood ($70,918 in chips)
Seat 4: wyatt_earp14 ($67,439 in chips)
Seat 5: Tregon81 ($408,836 in chips)
Seat 6: seiwal ($67,840 in chips)
Seat 7: judistiat ($38,450 in chips)
Seat 8: bodhisattva4 ($270,930 in chips)
Seat 9: Roadmender ($173,942 in chips)
Seat 10: jokar1 ($282,508 in chips)

With blinds escalating and taking their inevitable toll, action was fast and furious at the final table, as short stacks weren’t able to sit back and wait for premium cards. When the dust settled and the field was trimmed to five about six hours into the event, the field looked like this:

Seat 2: ASTODRAKO 1 ($358,534 in chips)
Seat 4: wyatt_earp14 ($275,512 in chips)
Seat 5: Tregon81 ($476,914 in chips)
Seat 8: bodhisattva4 ($93,731 in chips)
Seat 10: jokar1 ($449,809 in chips)

ASTRODRAKO 1 would win a huge pot and eliminate jokar1 (who collected $3,687 for his 5th place finish) when his pocket fours turned a set, outrunning jokar1’s top pair top kicker of Ah Jh on a J high flop.

wyatt_earp14 would be the next to fall, finishing 4th ($5,531) when his pocket fives were outgunned by ASTRODAKO 1’s Qh 10c, with a 10 on the flop sealing wyatt_earp14’s fate.

With three players left the tension was ratcheted up, as two of them were guaranteed $17,500 prize packages with the third left out in the cold, looking in (relatively speaking, that is, as 3rd place still paid $6,453, quite a nice payday for a tournament with a $100 entry fee):

Seat 2: ASTODRAKO 1 ($863,662 in chips)
Seat 5: Tregon81 ($388,914 in chips)
Seat 8: bodhisattva4 ($401,924 in chips)

As had been the case the entire final table, players weren’t at all shy at getting chips in the middle despite relatively deep stacks, and it only took 8 hands before a player was bounced out in 3rd.

With blinds of 10,000/20,000, ASTODRAKO 1 led out for 40,000 from the button, and Tregon81 made the call. The flop came 7h 10d 3d and Tregon81 check-called a bet of 20,000 from ASTODRAKO 1.

The turn was the Jd, putting 7h 10d 3d Jd on the board. Tregon81 once again check-called a 20,000 bet from ASTODRAKO 1.

The river was the 9s. Tregon81 checked and ASTODRAKO 1 made a big overbet, shoving all-in for 485,000 and covering Tregon81. Tregon81 eventually made the call, turning over 9c 9h for a rivered set, but unfortunately found himself up against ASTODRAKO 1’s 8c 8h, for a rivered straight.

That knocked Tregon81 out in 3rd ($6,453) and locked up $17,500 prize packages for both ASTODRAKO 1 and bodhisattva4. While they were both going to Vegas for the Main Event, 1st and 2nd also paid added cash, so they still had something left to play for.

True to form, it took just a few hands to determine 1st and 2nd, with ASTODRAKO 1 once again the beneficiary of a very helpful turn and/or river card.

A flop of Jc Th 8h set off a flurry of betting, and the 8s on the turn got the rest of the chips in the middle. bodhisattva4 had flopped top two pair with Jd 10d but ASTODRAKO 1 was sitting on Ks 8d, and his turned trips held up when the river blanked to give him the hand and the victory. ASTODRAKO 1 collected a $17,500 prize package + $6,454 while bodhisattva4 took down a $17,500 prize package + $3,226 for his 2nd place finish.

Pokah is going to the WSOP! Read and get involved with this today!!!

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