Poker Info

WSOP 2002 Final Table Transcript
of the Final 9 Players

12.45PM
Hi from "The Barracuda" Chris Newton. I'm sorry I didn't intro myself yesterday. Mark is handling the video webcast today - I guess you'll get my words and humour for the day.

The crowd have entered and the general intros have begun

12:50 PM
Gabe Kaplan rehearsal.

1:00 PM
Players !!!!!!

1:10 PM
INTROS !

High Card for the button goes to Tony in seat 1

The players are signing the felt in front of them with marker pens

1:15 PM
THE SHOW BEGINS - Gabe for real. John S and Harley get to say something 1:16 THE CARDS ARE IN THE AIR.

Ante 3K Blinds 8K/16K

1:19
AMAZING 1st hand Julian finds two Aces and Robert V with 9 9 calls the all in bet of 390K.
Board 10 6 2 2 3 and Julian doubles up to over 800k

1:25
John raises pre flop 42, Julian reraises 150, John reraises 150 - Julian gives up the 200K he put into that hand.

1:35
Small pot to Russell

Then Robert goes all in with K Q a Q on the flop , John calls with 8 7 . gets a straight draw on the turn , pairs the 8 but not big enough, Robert doubles up.

1:45
Scott raises on the button Ralph reraises 50K from the SB, Scott gives it up.

Then, Scott raise the next hand from the cutoof and wins the Antes and blinds 1:50 Ralph again comes over the top of a Scott raise preflop and takes a nice pot. Then,Scott makes it 50K all fold and Ralph makes it 50K next hand all fold

2:05
1 hour left at this level.
Russell takes a small pot
John takes the antes and blinds
Scott raises to 50k again and takes the centre pot

2:15
Harley ( the short stack ) raises to 45K and finds no callers.
Ralph is continuing to make small raises and winning the antes and blinds
Julian takes the centre with a small raise.

2:25
Minh makes a small raise Ralph sitting under him goes all in covering Minh if he calls. Minh quickly calls and shows 8 8 , Ralph has A K . There is a K on the flop and a Q and 2. A little 3 appears - the crowd is hushed and erupts when an innocent 7 rivers.
Minh Ly comes 9th in this year's WSOP 10K NLHE and takes home $85,000
2:35
Harley all in for 80K - no callers
Robert doubles thru John S with JJ vs A K no help for the trailing hand
Also it is announced that Ralph now has 1.6 Mill

2:40
Tony D bets 110K all in - Scott calls with Q Q Tony has A Q. An Ace on the turn puts the all-in ahead but gives Scott a spade flush draw. 3 of hearts - No flush Tony doubles up.
Russell makes a raise and wins the centre.

3:00
Robert slow plays A K with aflop of K 4 2 - finally betting 60K on the end Julian calling to make a decent pot for Robert.
Julian has J J this time vs Roberts 5 5 no help but Robert bets out on the end to try to steal.
Julian wins a nice pot

3:10
Russell raises Scott in the BB bets all in - Russell thinks as the bell goes for the 15 minute break at the end of this level. No call - Scott takes a decent pot.

3.20
Players resume again, Harley has gone all in, call by Ralph, A9 for Harley Q7 for Ralph, 2 9 K all spades on flop, Ralph need a spade, J of clubs on the river and Harley doubles up.

Just to answer a few questions. It is Chris Newton "The Barracuda" here. We are behind a screen at the back of the players with 6 TV monitors and can obviously hear the commentary over the wall.

Chip counts : if they are announced, it is impossible to get that close to the table.

3.35pm
The current level is 4,000 ante, 12,000 small blind and 24,000 big blind, so it is costing 68,000 per round.
I am just going to get a current chip count.
This is Tina, taking over for a while from Chris, who has done a fantastic job so far.

3.40pm
Chips counts -
Ralph 1,500,000
Robert 1,200,000
John 1,500,000
Russell 750,000
Julian 500,000
Scott 370,000
Tony D 230,000
Harley 200,000

3.50pm
Harley looses a 5th of his stack as he passes the blinds, and he just was in a hand with Ralph and passed.
He has now let the small blind go as well, so he is now down 36,000

3.55pm
Harley Hall has gone all in for 80,000 on the button, Tony D is trying to get Julian not to call.
Russel has made a first and had matso soup delivered to the final table, he is hungry. Julian has called with J 8 off suit and Harley has 5 5
The flop is K 7 3 a small 6 on the turn and an overkill 5 on the river. This doubles up Harley to 220,000

4.05pm
Ralph made it 60,000 and Russell has come over the top to make it a total of 200,000. This is the first time that a player has re raised Ralph.
Ralph is taking his time and thinking deeply about this, and is now asking Russell how many chips he has...
Ralph counting down some chips, and looking very calm, sitting in his dark shades and very smart jacket.
Ralph has let it go and Russell now picks up 126,000

Just want to say Hi to all of you that are viewing this forum and remind you that you can watch the event on the webcast once the event is over, i am sure that i will be a very exciting conclusion to this 5 week marathon of the World Series of Poker. Also want to say a big thank you to the team in Austin that have offered to stay late and make sure everything runs smoothly.

Just a snippet of information - Becky has had a new bracelet designed for the winner, it is solid gold with horseshoe design and covered in diamonds. Certainly a nice piece for the new world champion to show off in about 4 - 5 hours

4.10pm
John opens for 60,000 on the button, Russell re raises from the small blind an extra 140,000 and take the pot.

4.15pm
Tony D goes all in on the small blind and Julian doesn't defend the big blind. Tony takes the 68,000 center.
The players are very subdued and they do not seem to have the flamboyance of a more regular player to the final table, we are certainly missing the antics of Scotty Nguyen or Phil Hellmuth, or the singing and dancing of Humberto.

4.18pm
Ralph under the gun, raise to 50,000 the action moves round to Harley who thinks for 5 minutes and then goes all in for 70,000 more.
Ralph immediately calls the raise. Harley has A J and Ralph a pair of 10's the flop comes Q 8 4, the necessary J hits on the turn and the relevant 6 completes the board.
Harley doubles up, plus the antes and blind, the crowd is cheering and screaming at the outcome, and Harley is back in the game. He now has 290,000

4.25pm
Julian in the cut off pushes his 400,000 all in also collecting the 68,000 in the center.
Looking at the TV screens in the area we are sitting, it appears that all the players at the final table have signed the final table, not quite sure of the idea why, as not something that has been seen at the WSOP before, Maybe the table is up for auction afterwards.

Another pot between Russell and John, Russell bets 60,000 and John raises 200,000, Russell has gone all in, and John throws in. Russell goes up by 200,000 +

4.20PM
The crowd continue to chant Go Harley, Go Ralph, and the next hand Harley pushes the lot in again and collects the 68,000 in the center with no callers.

4.30PM
Russell makes the same play again from the small blind, Harley thinks for only 20 sections and lets it go, showing K Q off suit.

Harley is sitting at the table with a cocktail stick for comfort in the corner of his mouth.
The players are relaxing slightly and there are smiles and laugher at the table now.
They have now been at this final table for 4 hours and we have only lost one of the original 9.
That was Minh Ly, who went out about 1.5 hours ago.

John made it 60,000 and Julian goes all in over the top. John raises not aren't getting very much respect today and he lets it go.

4:40pm
Just going to get current chip count for you all...
Ralph 1,500,000
John 1,200,000
Russell 1,500,000
Julian 500,000
Harley 500,000
Tony D 250,000
Scott 500,000
Robert 1,00,000

As you can see Harley has come up somewhat in the past hour.

4:45pm
If we look back to the past 2 - 3 years of WSOP final tables at this time we would have been done to the final 3 or 4 players. This year the structure is slightly slower and the chips are distributed more evenly so it looks like this could be a long night as we still have 8 left. Robert opens for 60,000 on the button, John is in the small blind raises an extra 90,000. Robert again goes all in for an extra 750,000. John is now thinking deeply.
This could be the hand, this could be it...

John is counting his chips and is frowning heavily...
He is checking Roberts stack and asks for a count of Robert stack, he is chatting to Robert and Robert starts to count his chips, his hands are shaking as he counts.
The pot would be well over 2 million dollars if he calls.
John plays with his chips as he moves the all to the left and back to the right, John checks Robert for a reaction and Robert remains very calm.
Robert is smiling and laughing, maybe a forced laugh and not a casual laugh. The pressure is on...
John Sighs heavily, and he is staring at Robert , Robert is just staring into space and is not phased at all about John's glare. John pushes his chips forward.
The bet is called
The cards Robert has J J and John has A J off suit, the flop is 3 3 7 , no help for John and the 2 of clubs, and then the case Jack on the river gives Robert an overkill of 3 Jacks.

The pot is estimated at 2.25 million, and Robert takes a clear chip lead. John now is one of the short stacks at the table. What an unbelievable call, calling a million with an Ace Jack off suit, it must show that the pressure is really on now. This final table kicks it up. a notch. Wahooooooo

4.55pm
Another WSOP snippet, pardon the pun
Robert was the guy that knocked Phil Hellmuth out of this World Series Main event, and Phil said at the time, if Robert wins this event then i will shave my head.
Someone shouted out to Phil when this last hand finished, do you like an electric shaver or a wet shave Phil as Robert became chip leader.

5:00pm
Chip Count -
Ralph 1,000,000
Robert 1,900,000
John 350,000
Russell 1,100,000
Harley 600,000
Tony 240,000
Julian 650,000
Scott 450,000

John has bet 60,000 and needs to win this pot to gain back not only his chips but also his confidence, Robert calls, Q on the Turn, to go with the 7 9 7 flop, both have checked , and repeat 9 comes on the river, and Robert bets out 50,000 and John lets it go, no hands shown.

5:10
John makes a small raise and takes the antes and blinds no one challenging his small stack. Robert has Aces trying to trap Russell he bets into a J J 9 flop. Russel folds. Scott in the cutoff opens for 275,000 - no callers.

5:45PM
After a 20 minute break the players are just coming back. The $1,000 chips have just been raced off and a new WSOP chip has been introduced...A $25,000 chip. Chip counts are

Robert $2,700,000
Ralph $1,100,000
Russell $700,000
Julian $700,000
Harley $500,000
Scott $470,000
John $300,000
Tony D $180,000

6.00PM
John all in no call
Tony all in no call
We are playing 5k ante 15 / 30 K
Tony D goes all in with Q J - Robert calls with A K - No help for anyone on the board. Robert takes Tony's last few chips and Tony collects 100,000 real dollars for 8th place.

6:05 PM
The overnight chip leader John Shipley goes all in with 7 7 . Robert V finds Ace 10 and calls the all in. A flop of K 8 2 doesn't change the lead, but the Ace on the turn certainly does. No miracle 7 on the end for John and he finishes 7th today collecting $120,000 for his trip from Birmingham.

6:10 PM
75K in the centre before any bets now.
Button with Ralph. Robert calls from the SB bets on the river and Russel folds.
Julian makes it 80K. Russel goes all in on the SB for about 400 more. Julian thinks - Russell chats - Julian lets it go.

6:20 PM
Julian bluffs out of the BB with 7 2 ( hello Dazzler )betting all-in and getting Harley to lay it down
Julian all in again in the SB only Scott left to act in the BB. He lets it go . Q Q this time. Scott from the SB goes all in. No call

6:30 PM
Scott all in on the button . Blinds fold.
Three in a row to Scott. Up to 425K.
Julian raise 40K, Robert on the button raises 70K, Julian calls. Flop 8 7 5,check , Robert goes 120K, Julian lays it down.

HUGE HAND
Russel goes all in ( with J 6 of diamonds ) Julian finds A A and calls all in. Julian the shorter stack. Two diamonds and a Jack on the flop - Russell now actually a favourite in this hand. Queen on the turn. 3 on the river. JULIAN doubles up plus. Now has over 1 million.

6:35 PM
Next hand Russell moves all his 95K in with Ace 8 , he finds Scott with an Ace King. The flop produces an Ace and a King King on the turn , no case Ace so Russell loses all his chips in two hands. Russell comes 6th in this years event collecting 150,000.

6:40 PM
Harley doubles up through Ralph. His Ace 8 holding up against Q 10. Julian makes it 85K. Ralph raises it to 250K. Julian lets it go.

6.55pm
Harley goes all in with A 2 and Julian calls it with K 7. When the flop comes J 5 8 followed by 7 and finally another 7, Julian takes all the chips and Harley goes out in 5th Position with $195,000

7.00pm
Scott bets $100,000 and Robert goes all in and asked for a chip count, Scott throws away, leaving himself $100,000 lighter for that move.
Robert is quite content to sit back and not make many moves and let the other 3 players take each other out, meaning that each time another player goes, his prize money jumps up considerably.

Chip Count
Robert has 3.7 million
Julian has 1,2 million
Ralph has 1 million
and Scott is still hanging in with approx 500K

7:05pm
Scott has just added another $150,000 to his bankroll by winning the last pot. He raised $80,000 and everyone else passed.
Robert has bet $100 K and Julian bets 1 million, and Robert passed, so Julian picked up $165,000 pot.
Now remember you can catch all this action after this event finishes by watching the pay per view webcast.
Robert moves in for $100K and Ralph calls all in.
The flop came 732 rainbow and Robert lets it go.

7.15pm
Robert now has 4 million in Chips, and he wins the blinds again by betting $100K first to speak.
Everyone is being very careful as their is significant difference in the remaining prize money.
1st place is 2 million, 2nd is 1.1 million, 3rd is 550,000 and 4th is 281,000.
Julian is the only one that has so far tried to take on the chip leader.
Robert calls the small blind and Julian checks.
The flop is 4 4 3 both players check, 2 on the turn, both check, 7 on the river and both check again and Julian chose a king to win the pot of $80,000.

7.20pm
Robert on the button makes it 70K to go and Scott in the big blind with A 9 pushes all his chips in to make it 255,000 to go.
Rob called the bet with Q 10, the same hand he beat Phil Hellmuth with 2 days ago. The flop came Q Q 8 and it was all over. No miracle A A for Scott who finishes 4th place in this years WSOP taking home $281,000.

7.30pm
The players are now on a 5 minute break.
Robert is from Brooklyn, New York, Julian is from Manchester, England and Ralph is a local from Las Vegas.

7:50 PM
Back now after a short break.

Julian on the button raises 60K - Ralph makes it an extra 200 - Robert thinks then goes ALL IN for 4,000,000. Julian passes. Ralph CALLS . ACES for Robert. Jack s for Ralph.

The board comes K 9 5 9 3.

AMAZING HAND !!!!!! Straight after the break

Third for Ralph Perry today - $550,000 in real money

Two new millionaires at the WSOP now

7.35pm
The chip counts at this time are:
Robert 4 million
Julian 1.3 million
Ralph 1 million
8:00 PM
The money and the bracelet are brought to the table.

8:05 PM
Phil Helmuth is being lined up to have his head shaved if Robert wins.

8:10 PM
two hands - no serious action.

8:20 PM
Call before the flop by Robert Board K Q 10 Q, Julian leads at it for 30K then Robert raises 100k. No call by Julian.

Julian raises 40K from the button. Flop is K 9 9, check by Robert , Julian bets 40 and Robert folds.

8:30
Unraised pot to Robert after a 50K bet on the flop.
Another to Robert after a preflop bet of 40k.
Julian bets 30K at a K 4 3 flop - Robert folds.
4 minminutestes to the next level
Robert raises 50k preflop on the button; Julian calls, flop is K Q 6 two hearts; Robert bets 50K; Julian calls; turn is 4s; Robert bets 50K; Julian calls; river is 5c. Check check this time. Q J for both players split pot.

8:35
Julian raises 30K. Robert calls. Flop is A 3 2 two diamonds;Ch,Julian 50K; pass.
Last hand this level.
Now 5K and 20K/40K
Robert raises 50K; Julian folds.
Robert raise 50K on the button, Julian folds
Julian 40K raise this time , no interest from Robert

8:40
Robert 40k Julian calls,K 3 2 two diamonds, Ch, Robert 80K, Julian calls, Turn 3, Ch , Robert 80K, Julian Raises 150K, Robert calls,River Q - no flush, Julian ch, Robert ch - Robert shows J J and wins the pot Julian loses 400K there. Julian 1 Million only

8:50
Pot to Robert after 40 K raise
Robert again 50K raise, Julian calls, Q 4 4 two clubs, ch, Robert 50K, Julian ALL IN !! for 750K more. CALL
J 8 of clubs for Julian
Q 10 for Robert (what else)
10 on the turn
A club hits on the river BUT IT IS THE 10 of Clubs
Flush to Julian BUT a FULL HOUSE to Robert

9.05pm
Its official Phil Hellmuth now has no hair.
Robert took the first hack at it with the razor, then Becky took the first big swoop across the top of his head.
He is now hairless.

Thats all from Mark and I from this years WSOP.
We hope that you all enjoyed the coverage, and don't forget to tune into the pay per view in 2 hours from now.

Take Care and Be Lucky