shipitfish | Live Blog Main Event, 2006, Hour 3 (Reply)

(Remember, I've taken the “,000” off of the numbers, because there is no point in typing the chip inflation.)

19:57 EDT: Friberg just raised four times the big blind after usually raising three, and he won the pot uncontested. I actually think he's likely to be changing things up at a new level more than anything else, since he hasn't raised before on this level.

19:55 EDT: Wasicka moved all in from the button with 4,000 and got no callers. The crowd seems to love all-ins. Everyone agrees that since there is only 500 in the pot, it isn't worth that big overbet. I don't really agree; this is similar to the mistake that busted Nassif.

19:53 EDT: Cunningham, Gold, and Lee saw J 6 2. Cunningham led out at it on the flop, and Lee called. Q induced a check-check. 4 on the river encourages Cunningham to bet 1,200. Lee studies for quite a while and passes. The crowd got really loud; I guess Cunningham is in few enough pots they can actually cheer when he wins.

19:49 EDT: Kim raised and Gold calls him. Is Gold really going to play almost every pot? 2 Q T J 5 got checked down, though. Gold won with 88 without having to call a bet after the flop.

19:47 EDT: Gold made it 600 to go from the cutoff, as Raymer points out that the raise sizes have been standard. Lee called in a blind. K 7 T. Gold bet, not sure how much, and Lee just called. The turn was the J, as Gordon points out it's an action card.

It went check-check and the 3 fell. Now, Gold is leading for 1,500. Lee called in an instant! Lee shows AJ and Gold mucks quickly. Lee made a great play by checking the turn to keep the pot small and induced a bluff on the river!

19:43 EDT: Raymer is in the booth now. Cunningham raised preflop and Kim had called. Cunningham led out for 900 and won.

Raymer just bet $1,000 against Gordon; Raymer took the under on 6AM PDT. I'm with Raymer. Anyone want to bet $100 on it?

19:40 EDT: Boy, they took a way to get a hand going again after everyone was seated. They seem to be reintroducing the players again, but Gordon won't shut up and I can't tell what's going on.

Ok, here we a go, a hand. 540,000 per round is the blind/ante cost, if you were wondering. Gordon said something useful.

Friberg limped in again. Kim completes and Gold sees a free flop. 3 3 8 . Friberg bet it at 550. (From now on, the numbers will remove three 0's).

Gold check-raised to 2,000 to go. and Friberg folded quickly.

19:34 EDT: The broadcast is back. BTW, why were they showing us broadcast poker junkies Moneymaker winning again during the break? Like we haven't seen it a dozen times?

100,000/200,000 blinds are about to start. Gordon is pointing out that people are playing a bit too big given how much play is left, and it's really true.

I have been thinking of what I'd do if I were at the table. Not seeing their cards makes this easier and more realistic. With a big stack, I'd certainly be going after Wasicka and Butler. They are really trying to make their way up. With a small stack, I'd be playing like Wasicka and Butler — 5th pays a lot more money.

19:11 EDT: Friberg raised uncontested the second-to-last hand of this level. Last hand of the level was a battle of the blinds. Binger raised it from the SB, and Kim called, making $1k pot.

8 J J. Both check as Cunningham watches intently (choosing not to extend his break).

Q comes, and Binger checks and Kim bets 3/4th of the pot. Binger gave it up, and everyone cleared from the table.

19:06 EDT: Kim limped UTG again!!! Lee called, and Cunningham got to see a free BB flop. This is goofy. Are they playing a home game? They checked the flop of T 8 J. Finally Kim bet the pot on the turn of 2 and won.

19:04 EDT: Lee limped on the button, and Friberg in the SB bet the turn of 9-9-7-A after checking around the flop. Lee has a baby A 3. Why in the world did Lee not raise preflop? What's the deal!?!

19:00 EDT:

I am live-blogging the pay-per-view ESPN Coverage. I start a new post each hour.