LAS VEGAS -- As the field of players was whittled to a few final
tables in the World Series of Poker, some of the game's top pros asserted
themselves after days of playing patient, smart
Texas Holdem
poker.
Two of the biggest names, Phil Ivey and Mike "The Mouth" Matusow of
fulltiltpoker.com, were among the leaders when round five began Wednesday
with only 58 players left. The tournament opened with 5,569
Texas Holdem
players.
Tim Phan held first place with $3.2 million, and Matusow was second
with $2.5 million. Ivey was fifth with about $2 million.
Defending 2004 champ Greg Raymer, who led early Tuesday, slid out of
the top 30 after his stack took several unkind hits. Raymer will likely
have to take some chances to reach the final table Friday at Binion's
Gambling Hall & Hotel.
But the story emerging after six days of grueling play was the
dominance of the pros and their ability to build large stacks and outlast
thousands of other gamblers.
"If they play true to form, they will continue to try to avoid
confrontations with other big stacks and look for opportunities to attack
smaller stacks," said John Vorhaus, author of the "Killer Poker" book
series and an analyst with ultimatebet.com.
Most of the topflight pros, including John Juanda and Farzad Bonyadi,
have played wisely, not taking foolish risks or going on tilt after a
nasty beat or loss of a big stack.
Ivey, for instance, has taken his lumps throughout this no-limit
Texas Holdem main event that boasts a first prize of $7.5 million. But the
card shark known as the Tiger Woods of poker has never let on that his
status in the World Series might be in jeopardy.
Ivey never seems to provide other opponents with a tell, or sign
that his hand is weak or strong. His face always carries a quizzical look
that's occasionally distorted by a yawn.
He whispers and isn't known for trash talking like the gregarious
and occasionally obnoxious Matusow, who found himself on his first day of
play in the penalty, or sitting out hands, after uttering a few
expletives.
If Matusow faces the affable Raymer heads-up, it could get ugly. The
two traded words in last year's main event and Raymer refused to shake
Matusow's hand after the spat.
Raymer may appear soft but he once beat off two men at the Bellagio
hotel-casino who tried to rob him at gunpoint. He won't be steamrolled
when the cards are dealt.
Matusow has bantered with Ivey at times, calling him his idol and
saying the two would play off after he captures the main event and he
would win Ivey's car.
Also on the leaderboard Wednesday was Tiffany Williamson of
London. She was in seventh place with nearly $2 million and hoping to
become the first oman to win the prestigious event.
