Event 24, World Championship Seven Card Stud Hi-Low Split-8 or Better - Live Updates

Madcap SCSHLEOB Action

This, ladies and gentlemen, is a zoo. Eli Elezra and Scotty Nguyen are downing beer glass over glass and, as Elezra shouted to the crowd, "There is no pain when you're drinking!"

It's certainly the most informal heads-up match PokerListings.com has seen in a while, with a drunken Elezra doing unusual things like checking out Nguyen's hole cards, destroying Nguyen's chip stack, attempting to "Cheers" Scotty on every street, and, oh yeah, trying on the WSOP bracelet before the jewelry was his - while Nguyen had the chip lead, in fact!

All of Elezra's antics - and those of his supporters - appeared to be putting Nguyen on tilt, as The Prince of Poker was down to his last $200,000 in chips to Elezra's $1.2 million before he doubled up, scooping a long and involved pot with a pair of nines and an 8-6 low to Elezra's 8-7 low.

You're Cut Off!

Shortly after doubling through a very drunk Elezra, Nguyen tells his opponent, "I really want to respect you as a player, and I don't want to beat you this way." He asks the tournament director to cut off cocktail service to Elezra. "On second thought," he adds, "maybe I should be cut off too."

Nguyen pours half of his beer into Elezra's cup and the two players resolve, apparently, to cease drinking and maybe even play serious poker.

Chip Counts

The chip counts at the moment have Elezra up $1.076 million to Nguyen's $341,000.

 

In the words of Scotty Nguyen, "hell no," there will be no dinner break, baby.

Like two heavyweights repeatedly punching each others' fists, these players are chopping pots with ferocity. Both Eli Elezra and Nguyen have managed to land a few small blows to the body of their opponent, but for the most part we've seen no major hits.

In the meantime, the two combatants did pause play about half an hour into the heads-up session to discuss a deal, but obviously no details were revealed.

Anyway, Scotty Nguyen has managed to slowly climb back into the game, now holding a $742,000 to $675,000 chip lead over Elezra. Stay tuned for details.

Little-known fourth member of iconic pop-rock family Hanson, cowbell specialist Thor Hansen has been eliminated in sixth place from the World Championship of SCSHLEOB. Hansen got all-in on Fifth Street and was called by David Sklansky and Scotty Nguyen, inveterate music-haters both. Hansen showed down nines-up for two pair after his opponents checked to Seventh Street, but was vanquished by Sklansky's jacks-up and Scotty's seven-low. Hansen will come to you, heading to the rail with $27,357 with which to buy more cowbell.

After four players see Fifth Street, George Hardie bets out and Eli Elezra raises. Everyone gets out of the way but Hardie, who calls all-in with 10-10-5-9-A to Elezra's K-8-K-6-2. Sixth and Seventh Streets bring naught but J-3 for Frank and Joe's long-lost brother, who cannot beat Elezra's kings and is thus eliminated in seventh place, sent back to Bayport with $20,844 with which to fix up the Napoli.

George Hardie is clinging to life despite being PokerListings.com's pick to be crowned World Champion of SCSHLEOB. Hardie lost a couple of pots to Scotty Nguyen early to see his substantial chip stack diminished, and has put the rest of his chips in the middle twice as of late.

The first hand saw Hardie all-in on Sixth Street showing 8-7-3-2 and earning a call from John Harkness, who showed Q-Q-5-4. Hardie hit a five to make a low on Seventh Street, and though Harkness took the high with his pair of queens, he could not eradicate the Hardie boy.

A few hands later, Hardie got all-in against David Sklansky on Sixth Street, with naught but a pair of fives to the Theorist's two pair. Seventh Street again saved Hardie's bacon, bringing him a five for trips and doubling him through Brandi's teacher.

Hardie is now at $76,000, while Dutch Boyd ($280,000) and David Sklanksy ($260,000) are contesting for the chip lead. Thor Hansen is the short-stack with $61,000.

It only took eight hands for the first elimination of the day to occur, as Marshall "Plan" Ragir has been eliminated in eighth place. Ragir got all-in showing Q-4-3-2 on Fourth Street and was called by George Hardie, who showed 8-8-5-4. By Seventh Streeth, all Ragir could show for his efforts was a pair of deuces, giving Hardie the pot with his eights and shipping Ragir off the island with a consolation prize of $14,981.

Say it with us: "WCSCSHLEOB!" It's fun and easy -- and it's on. First place will take down $198,984 with the world championship bracelet, while second pays $110,731.

Here's a look at the chips and seats going into this star-studded, um... stud, according to www.worldseriesofpoker.com.

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