shipitfish | Live Blog Main Event, 2006, Hour 7 (Reply)

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

23:59 EDT: They have just decided to make the dinner break a bit early since the action was interrupted anyway.

23:58 EDT: Binger and Butler couldn't be happier. Boy, did poor Lee screw up. I mean, the Gold-limp-reraise has become obvious in this table, frankly. He's easy to read in these spots and Lee should have been able to get away. But, the way he's been playing, I'm not surprised he just wasn't as thoughtful a player as he needed to be. Meanwhile, they are still doing chip counts and getting settled. We're down to 5 handed. No way we are making the 6AM mark. No freaking way.

23:53 EDT: Gold just limp-reraised for the second time tonight; this time against Lee. He's made it 4,000 to go. Lee's hands are only mildly shaking, but shaking nonetheless. Lee is counting down his stack, and declares all-in. Gold calls immediately. Gold sees it and shouts Yes, baby, oh yes. The camera comes to it and it is JJ vs. QQ. The table is polled about their laydowns, and no one has mucked either of those cards.

Lee starts saying Jack, baby, Jack, Jack, Jack!. This was really a bad play by Lee, because there are two stacks behind him; he doesn't need to go broke here. The board came 3 K K 6. No paint, Jack of diamonds, c'mon baby. T. Lee finally stands up for the first time, almost falling over. Gold hugs his family, finds Lee and shakes his hand. Binger comes and pats his shoulder, and Lee grabs his two (?) jackets and his water and slinks off.

23:47 EDT: Gold's back at the table and pounding on the blinds.

23:43 EDT: Lee comes in raising. This is rare for him. Gold decides to defend his blind. Gold takes too many flops out of position, I think.

The flop is 2 7 5. But Gold checks in the dark before it falls. Lee waits a while — very still — before betting 1,100. Gold says I think I raise and says Three. This makes it only 3,000 to go; which is a very small raise.

Gold has not check-raised very much. I think he's playing a good flush draw very strong, or he flopped a set.

23:39 EDT: Gold is finally back at the table for a raise. Wasicka makes it 900 from the button. Gold calls. The flop is T K A. Gold checks quickly and Wasicka bets small — 1,000. Gold looks back at his cards and starts thinking.

Gold stares down Wasicka and his lips thin. Wasicka sits still — very still, but that's not out of character. Eventually, Gold throws his hand and 3,400 belongs to Wasicka.

23:35 EDT: Lee just limped on the on the button, bringing in Wasicka in the SB and Cunningham sees a free flop. The flop as A 2 9 . He bets 900, and he probably has a baby ace, given that he tends to limp with suited aces on the button. Wasicka calls, but not quickly.

K came on turn. Lee probably has that baby ace, but Wasicka must have a 9. Lee thinks and looks back and forth and checks behind.

2 pairs the board on the river. Again, we see check-check and Lee announces two pair. Wasicka shows A 8. Turns out that Lee had a 9 (he didn't show, but he must have).

23:31 EDT: Cunningham goes after Lee's big blind and gets it. Cunningham comes the very next hand; Gold had stepped away on his button and cut-off. Lee has decided to call this second time fro mthe small blind. Wasicka thought for a long time in the big blind.

Wasicka finally pushes out 3,000. Cunningham puts hand to chin again and thinks and folds. Lee decides to stare down Wasicka, but it's unlikely he'll call. He counts down the raise, gets that much from his stack, does the how could he have me beat? motion, but then stares again.

Lee is just trying to make Wasicka sweat. Wasicka, if he is making a move, isn't worth fooling with because he is so tight. Finally, Lee folds.

23:26 EDT: Cunningham raises (like always now) and Binger moves in again. Binger looks dour and terrified. Cunningham considers, noticeably relaxed compared. He got Binger to move and count, and he did the “I guess I bet” hand movement that's a huge tell in my experience. Usually means real strength, or a My hand is mediocre, but how could this guy possibly have me beat here?. Not sure what it means on Binger.

Cunningham counts out the call amount and sits it away from his stack, probably looking for a read. he stands up, sighs loudly and sets it into the pot. Binger has A Q. Cunningham has Q J. Very strange call; my tell was pretty right. The board came 8 2 6 5 7, and Cunningham has doubled up Binger.

Cunningham looks visibly annoyed at himself and is sighing even more. The crowd seems excited.

23:21 EDT: They are talking to Kim now, who says he won't go pro.

23:20 EDT: Cunningham is still coming after Gold's blind. Gold calls again. Flop was Q 5 J. Gold checks instantly, and Cunningham makes a continuation bet of 1,200 (70% of pot).

23:19 EDT: Butler's made another move in again. He gets it, sort of exposing his hand while folding, and it looked like a 5 but it flipped over again.

23:18 EDT: Gold raises preflop again. Lee whines at him from the button but folds. Cunningham in the big blind rubs his chin for the first time I've seen and calls another 560. The flop is 8 3 8. Cunningham checks and Gold says I'm not confident about by hand so I'll put in these, betting 1,000.

Now, Gold usually chats when he's strong. Cunningham just smooth-calls though. 2 falls on the turn and Cunningham waits about 3 seconds before checking and Gold checks behind and they see Q. Cunningham checks again, and Gold very quickly bets 2,000. Cunningham has something that he's trying to decide if he's good. He takes a sip of water and sighs.

Cunningham is really giving this more thought that he has since he folded to Butler's all-in earlier. Gold begins chatting about whether or not Cunningham has a Q. Why doesn't Cunningham fold here? Gold only talks when he's strong, as far as I've seen. Gold says I've been showing a lot of bluffs; I'll show you. Cunningham calls with A 9 !!!! It's good; Gold mucks immediately. I so could not have made that read. That's amazing.

I feel better that Hellmuth and Gordon both were insisting by the end of the hand that Gold had hit a Queen.

23:11 EDT: Wasicka moved all in and picked up the blinds.

23:10 EDT: Lee just raised preflop and bet at the flop of 2 T 9. It's been quite a while since Lee bet at any flop at all. I'm sure he has something here.

Gold is thinking hard and wringing his hands. Now he's leaning on his hand just like Lee, who is motionless wearing sunglasses. Gold folds (I believe correctly). Lee has checked down so many pots, he must have had at least AT there.

23:08 EDT: Cunningham seems to go after Gold's blind every time. Gold obviously doesn't want to tangle with the obviously best player at the table. While Hellmuth is arguing that Gold should reraise him some, I actually like Gold's play. His goal really should be to ride his chip lead to a big-pot poker heads up battle with Cunningham.

23:05 EDT: Hellmuth needs to get out of the booth. He's saying random things that may or may not be true, but it is a distraction.

Now, Butler and Lee limp again, the SB completes and big blind plays. Five players see a flop of 9 J A with 1,500 in the pot. Gold bets right out with 1,000. They fold around quickly. All this limping is odd.

23:03 EDT: Gold just raised the very next pot after his 23o bluff, and now Wasicka made it 3,000 to go from the SB, and gives it up. Why did Gold bluff again right after showing?

23:00 EDT:

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