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After an intense session on Day Four, which saw 17 players eliminated from the
field to leave a single ten-handed table, the action was sure to be quick on
Day Five. Rather than play through to the money the previous evening, the WPT
had stuck to the previous schedule even though only four players had to be
eliminated on Day Five to make the TV table lineup. The ten players coming
into the day's action were seated as follows:
1 Steven Simmons $1,270,000
2 JC Tran $1,245,000
3 Anahit Galajian $480,000
4 Kevan Casey $2,030,000
5 David Chiu $305,000
6 Michael McClain $664,000
7 Michael Woo $1,665,000
8 Alan Goehring $2,315,000
9 Daniel Quach $1,425,000
10 Per Ummer $2,455,000
Less than fifteen minutes after the day began, David Chiu became the first
casualty of Day Five. He limped into a pot with JC Tran, Alan Goehring, and
Kevan Casey, and saw a flop of Q-7-5 with two spades. Casey led out for
$70,000, Chiu called, and Tran raised an additional $140,000. That knocked
Casey out of the pot, but Chiu was committed and called off the rest of his
stack. His 8-6 gave him an open-ended straight draw, but Tran's Q-9 and top
pair held up to send Chiu home in 10th place with $73,075.
Only minutes later, Michael McClain - the "Agony of Defeat" man from ESPN's
2004 WSOP coverage, was eliminated in 9th place. When two players limped in
front of him, McClain moved all-in on the button in a steal attempt with T-3
offsuit. Unfortunately for McClain, Michael Woo woke up with Q-Q in the small
blind and ended his tournament. McClain earned $99,648 for his performance.
The level would go up to $20,000-$40,000 with a $5,000 ante and an hour and a
half would pass before Kevn Casey became the 8th place finisher. Alan Goehring,
JC Tran, Kevan Casey, and Michael Woo all limped in to see a flop of T-3-2
with two clubs. Casey led out from the small blind for $100,000, and his only
caller was Tran. The turn brought the 5 of hearts. Casey led out again, this
time for $300,000, and Tran once again called. The river was the jack of
diamonds. Casey led out a third time for $200,000, but this time Tran raised
to $500,000. Casey pushed all-in and Tran called instantly, showing 5-5 for a
set against Casey's 5-2 of clubs. Casey held the chip lead at various points
through Day Tree and Four, and played well to get to 8th place and $132,864.
Anahit Galajian had nursed her short stack through the last two days of play
and survived to the final seven players. It was obvious that she wanted badly
to make the TV table, but the odds were stacked against her. From the big
blind, she came over the top of Daniel Quach's middle position raise with A-6
of spades and was called down by Quach. He turned up 9-9, making him a solid
favorite to win the hand. The J-8-4 flop brought two spades to give Galajian
hope, but her flush draw never came home and she was eliminated on the TV
bubble in 7th place with $166,080.
In less than 3 hours, play was completed for the day, surely setting an
all-time record for the shortest day of WPT tournament play. With the TV table
set, players and spectators alike would have to wait until Tuesday to find out
who would take home the title - and the $2.3 million for 1st place.
TV Table Chip Counts
1. JC Tran 3,720,000
2. Per Ummer 2,870,000
3. Michael Woo 2,195,000
4. Alan Goehring 1,900,000
5. Daniel Quach 1,655,000
6. Steven Simmons 1,505,000
Day Five Money Winners
7th Anahit Galajian - $166,080
8th Kevan Casey - $132,864
9th Michael McClain - $99,648
10th David Chiu - $73,075
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