Sucks to be...

Folks, the Final Table is underway (July 15, 2005 2:00 pm PT)

July 13, 2005
No Limit Texas Hold 'em World Championship,
Buy-in: $10,000
Number of Entries: 5,619
Total Prize Money: $52,818,610

Payouts for the Final Table:
1st $7,500,000
2nd$4,250,000
3rd$2,500,000
4th$2,000,000
5th$1,750,000
6th$1,500,000
7th$1,300,000
8th$1,150,000
9th$1,000,000

Everyone is an instant millionaire! :)

Well, I was going to dedicate my post to Mike "the Mouth" Matusow. But when I saw the live update on cardplayer.com, He busted out 9th! he was 3rd or 4th in chips. Still, I gotta give props to him, the only pro who made it to the final table, the only guy I was routing for besides Aaron "Knockout" Karter! hehe this was one of 'the Mouth"'s bluffs:

Hand 24 - Scott Lazar has the button in seat 9, Matusow raises to $250,000, Dannenmann calls, and Black calls. Three players see the flop of Kc-10d-9h, and they all check. The turn card is the Ah, and they're looking at a potentially dangerous board, with high cards and two hearts. Black checks, Matusow bets $600,000, and the other players fold. Matusow shows 8s-5s as he bluffs himself a pot worth about $1 million.

Then at exactly 2005-07-15 18:29:00, 'The Mouth' is out!

Hand 28 - Daniel Bergsdorf has the button in seat 4, Dannenmann raises to $300,000, and Matusow calls from the small blind. The flop comes 5s-3s-2c, Matusow bets $600,000, and Dannenmann immediately says, "All in." Matusow stops the action to study his opponent. He stands up, leaning out over the table to get a good look at his opponent before calling. Dannenmann shows As-Jc, while Matusow has pocket tens (10d-10c). Dannenmann was semi-bluffing with overcards, and he'll need to catch a four, a jack, or an ace to win the pot.
The turn card is the 4h, and Dannenmann makes a five-high straight to take a commanding lead in this hand. Matusow will need to catch a six or an ace to survive with a straight on the board.
The river card is a 9, and Mike Matusow is eliminated in ninth place, earning $1,000,000.
He walks over to Mark Seif in the crowd, who comforts him, and then the players from the final table all come over to shake his hand. Matusow is composed, but clearly disappointed. He's keeping his composure very well, and there are no outbursts or anger. Matusow is stunned.

I really don't know what to say, well the cards did not fall for 'the mouth' there's always next year. On his interview, he said that he was playing the best 6 days of poker in his 15 year career.
I remember watching him at the 1k NLHE Wsop 2004. He was with negreanu, Paul Philips & John Juanda. He was known as 'the mouth' for his non-stop teasing, bashing, smack/trash talking on the table. One of his weaknesses was 'the matusow blow up' - self-destructing while playing his best game, He'd make a huge mistake that would cost him the game. On that game, he did it again, after making 2 or 3 huge gambles and pots, he crashed by making a bad call. Anyway, I didn't expect 'the Mouth' to enter the Final table. I thought it was going to be Raymer again, but that would be something else, won't it?

Oh yeah, while watching 'the Mouth's interview, I heard him saying, he was hard on himself when he lost, everytime he'd want to improve on his game. I felt the same way too. Put the ego aside, play your game, not just any game but your best game, like it's the last thing you'll every do.

"blihbidy blahbidy, blihbidy bluhbidy"

Fish-OUT!