Horseshoe Council Bluffs - Live Updates

Kosta Sengos moves all-in from the small blind and Paul Kraus makes the call in the big blind, fighting again for his tournament life. "Gus" shows J♦ 8♠ and Kraus Q♣ T♣, putting the Californian in good position to double through the South Dakotan once again. The flop comes A♣ 7♣ 3♠ and the turn is the 9♦, giving Gus plenty of outs to win the tournament. The 8♦ that comes on the river is one of them, and in the blink of an eye and after hours of play, Kosta Sengos is the champion of the WSOPC Horseshoe Council Bluffs $5,000 Main Event!

Second place finisher Paul Kraus receives $115,209 for his efforts, while Sengos will take home $219,576, a WSOPC ring, and an entry into the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event. Congratulations to both finalists!

We are back in the Whiskey Roadhouse, where Kosta "Gus" Sengos now holds a commanding chip lead against his rival, Paul Kraus, who has been left with only $110,000 chips to his name. The cards are in the air again, and there's a good chance we'll see the tournament end in the next few minutes.

After slogging through molasses for about a million years, Paul Kraus makes it $55,000 from the small blind and Kosta Sengos re-pops it to $110,000. Kraus calls and the flop comes K♣ 9♥ 4♦. Sengos bets out $130,000 and after some thought, Kraus moves all-in. Sengos quickly calls and shows A♣ K♦ for top pair, top kicker, while Kraus is in trouble with K♠ T♦.

The board finishes out Q♦ 5♦ and South Dakota laughs, hugs, cheers, and bursts into tears as it's initially thought that Sengos has won the tournament. After a quick chip count, it's revealed that Kraus did have Sengos outchipped and has just doubled his opponent up. He's left with $95,000 and will be on life-support when we return from another much-needed break.

Paul Kraus was able to put a dent in Kosta's stack in this hand after getting paid off for turning the second-nut straight. It was an unraised pot that let both players see a flop of 8♦ T♣ Q♠. Both players checked and the turn brought the J♠. Gus led out with a $32,000 bet and Paul immediately raised to $90k total. Kosta just called and the river was another queen. After a check from Gus, Paul bet out $140,000 and got a call from Sengos. Kraus flipped up K♣ 9♣ for the king-high straight and Gus mucks his hand.

After seeing Kosta Sengos chip away at his stack for most of the level, Paul Kraus has given himself a little more breathing room to check hands down to the river again. He doubled through Sengos after raising to $50,000 from the button and seeing Sengos move all-in over the top. Kraus insta-called and showed K♠ J♠ to the South Dakotan's A♥ 9♠. The board came J♥ 8♦ 3♥ 5♠ K♦ and Paul Kraus has doubled through Kosta Sengos yet again, bringing his stack up to $550,000 and within a hair's breadth of the chip lead.

We've taken a quick break from play so the field can use the restroom facilities. Action will resume momentarily, if you can call what is occuring at the moment "action."

Kosta Sengos limps in from the small blind and Paul Kraus checks his option. The flop comes A♦ Q♠ 9♠ and Kraus bets out $30,000. Sengos adds $60,000 to the total and Kraus immediately moves all-in for his last $194,000. Sengos auto-calls and shows a pair of hooks (J♥ J♠) while Kraus has A♥ 3♦ for a pair of aces. The T♣ on the turn makes things interesting, but the river is the T♥ and Kraus' aces hold up, giving him the pot and bringing his chip stack up to nearly $600,000.

Kosta "Gus" Sengos has just taken a huge bite out of Paul Kraus's hand and has taken the chip lead with it. Gus was on the button and completed the big blind but Paul used his option to pop it to $60k. Sengos made the call and the flop came 3♦ 8♣ A♣. Both players checked and the turn came the 3♠.

Paul checks and Gus bets out $75k. Kraus quickly announces raise, making it $150,000 to go but the chips are barely across the line before Gus moves all-in. Paul goes deep in the tank to try to figure out the hand but after a few minutes he mucks pocket jacks face-up and Kosta rakes in a massive pot.

Players are abiding by the slow and steady line of thought, trying to win the race by checking with nothing and only betting when they hit cards. The last seven or eight hands have been decided by the following pattern: Player A raises. Player B calls. Both players check the flop and turn, and Player A (usually Kosta Sengos) bets on the river. Player B folds, and A takes down the pot. In this manner, Sengos has managed to chip away at Paul Kraus' stack, although it will take a whole lot of chipping to bring the wall all the way down.

The break time has come to an end, as all breaks must. Here are the shocking new chip counts from the center of the Whiskey Roadhouse:

Paul Kraus	$765,000
Kosta Sengos	$656,000

Proving just how manimalistic these competitors are, they've vetoed their dinner break in favor of more hot poker action. We will take a fifteen minute to regroup, where no doubt Kraus and Sengos will forage for snacks while willing their pulses to slow down.

Paul Kraus raises to $36,000 from the small blind and Kosta Sengos re-ups to $86,000. Kraus announces all-in for another $190,000 and Sengos immediately calls. His K♣ Q♦ suddenly doesn't look so hot, however, once the Kalifornian shows A♠ K♥. The board comes 7♠ 4♣ 2♦ A♣ 5♥ and Kraus has doubled through Sengos to keep the heads-up going strong.

Play so far heads-up has been very cautious, with both players checking down most of the pots and seeming to only bet when they have anything. So far nobody is hitting anything and so we're seeing the contestants showing down ten-high or third pair to take down pots. Stay tuned, however, because we have a hunch that things are about to get hairy.

Paul Kraus limps-in from the small blind and Kosta Sengos checks his option. The flop comes Q♥ 8♥ 7♠ and Sengos checks to Kraus, who bets $20,000. Sengos makes the call, and the turn is the 6♥. Sengos again defers to Kraus, who bets out $40,000 this time, and Sengos again flat calls. The river is the T♠, and for a third time "Gus" checks to his opponent, who announces all-in. Sengos asks Kraus if he's got the flush, and then decides to call before he gets an answer. Kraus shows 9♥ 8♠ for the straight, while Sengos has 9♦ 5♦ for...the straight. It's a chopped pot, and life goes on as normal.

The break is over, the ca$h is on the table, and here are the chip counts going into heads-up:

Kosta Sengos	$974,000
Paul Kraus	$352,000

All of this excitement leaves us needing a breather. We'll be back in a few minutes for the commencement of heads-up play. In the meantime, we suggest you lie down with a tank of oxygen and/or a strong drink and just relax a little bit.

Just as the Cincinnati Kid fell just short of the win when he finally tried to make himself a Three-River Man, the Chicago Kid, Sam Von Duhn, has crashed out of this event. Beaten on both sides by Kosta Sengos and Paul Kraus, Von Duhn got the last of his chips in the middle for $38,000 from the button and was called by both of his rivals. The flop came A♣ Q♠ 7♠ and Sengos and Kraus both checked, but after the turn brought the 4♦ Sengos bet out $40,000 and Kraus got out of the way.

Von Duhn looked to be in good shape with A♠ K♦ for top pair, but Sengos turned over 4♠ 4♥ for a set of fours, and after the board finished out T♥, Sam Von Duhn had been eliminated in third place. He takes home $67,770 for his accomplishments, as well as the satisfaction that he outlasted Johnny Kincaid, which may or may not be worth more.

Sam Von Duhn is pretty well all-in preflop in the big blind, and Kosta Sengos puts him officially all-in for his last $9,000 from the big blind, showing J♠ 7♣ to Von Duhn's Q♥ 4♥. The board comes A♦ 6♦ 2♦ 4♣ T♥ and Som Van Duhn has staved off elimination, doubling through Kosta Sengos.

Sam Von Duhn raises to $32,000 from the small blind and Paul Kraus moves all-in for $205,000 from the big blind. Von Duhn makes the call and shows 4♠ 4♣ to Kraus' A♣ T♦. The flop comes Q♦ 3♠ 2♥ and the turn is the 2♦, but the river is the T♥ and Kraus pairs his ten to double through Sam Von Duhn, who is left on life support with only $28,000 to his name.

Kosta "Gus" Sengos has just taken the chip lead in a big way! In a massive double-up, Gus has chopped the legs out from "Chicago" Sam Von Duhn. Sam opened the pot with a raise to $36k from the button and got a call from Gus in the big blind. The flop came 3♣ 5♦ 3♠, remiscent of Gus's recent quad treys, and Sengos leads out for $32,000. Sam makes the call and the turn is the K♠.

Gus bets out again, this time for $65k and is re-raised by Sam to $175,000 total. Sengos calls and the river is the 3♥. Gus reaches for chips and comes out firing, pushing $120,000 into the middle. Von Duhn beats him into the pot with an all-in announcement and after a bit of thought Gus makes the call. When the cards get turned we see Gus's A♣ 5♠ has Sam's J♥ 9♦. Sengos gets the check mark and rakes in a gigantic pot. Sam meanwhile is all but crippled.

Paul Kraus raises to $29,000 from under the gun and Kosta Sengos moves all-in from the small blind. Sam Van Duhn gets out of the way and Kraus again is put in an uncomfortable position by Kosta "Gus" Sengos. Eventually he lays down K♠ J♠ face-up and Sengos returns the favor by showing a pocket pair of ladies to his opponent as he rakes his winnings.

Kosta Sengos limps in from the button and Paul Kraus checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes K♦ 3♥ 2♥ and Kraus checks to Sengos, who bets $24,000. Kraus makes the call, and the turn is the J♥. Again Kraus checks, and again Sengos bets out, this time making it $50,000. Kraus again calls, and the river is the 3♠. Kraus checks a third time, and Sengos makes it $125,000, which sends Kraus into the tank for a decidedly long period of time.

Visibly shaking, Kraus takes off his aviators and counts out his chips. The call will leave him with only about $60,000 to his name, but again, he thinks Sengos is bluffing (last time he thought that, Kraus had turned the second-nut straight). After about five minutes of deliberation, Kraus decides to muck, and again Gus shows a monster, turning over 3♣ 3♦ for pocket pair of threes that made him quad crabs on the river. Sengos rakes a big pot, but looks unhappy that he couldn't convince Kraus to pay him off on fifth street. The audience finally exhales, and the game goes on.

The new rivalry at the table, albeit a friendly one, is between Sam Von Duhn and Kosta "Gus" Sengos. Having just doubled-up Gus a few hands before, Sam was able to reclaim a few of his chips in this hand. It began with a $35k button raise from Von Dun and a call from Kosta in the small blind.

The flop came 5♣ 7♣ 6♥ and after a check from Gus, Sam bet out $30k. Without hesitation Sengos check-raises to $110,000. Sam makes the call and the turn is the 2♣. Another check from Sengos brings a quick all-in move from Von Duhn. Contemplating his plight, Kosta eventually mucks his hand face-up - A♣ 2♦ and Sam rakes in a big pot.

Kosta Sengos calls on the button and Sam Van Duhn pops it another $34,000 from the small blind. Paul Kraus gets out of the way and Sengos makes the call. The flop comes K♣ J♥ 6♠ and both players check, but they're not so laid-back about the 7♦ that comes on the turn. Sengos bets $55,000 and Van Duhn asks him how much is behind before raising all-in. Sengos makes the call for his last $136,000, and as usual the entire state of South Dakota crowds the rail to see what will transpire.

Gus has J♠ 9♣ for second pair, while Van Duhn has A♣ 7♣ for third pair, and the South Dakotans plead for no ace, no seven.The river is the Q♥ and the Rushmore State spontaneously combusts, as their pride and joy doubles through the Chicago Kid to keep the dream alive.

We're back in the game with the price of poker having risen in the last 15 minutes. Here are the updated chip counts:

Sam Van Duhn	$856,000
Kosta Sengos	$301,000
Paul Kraus	$263,000

It's time for another level break. The showgirls are gone, and so is Johnny Kincaid - draw your own conclusions. We'll be back with more of the best coverage in the business in fifteen minutes.

Paul Kraus raises to $24,000 on the button and Kosta "Gus" Sengos makes the call in the small blind. The flop comes Q♣ T♠ 7♥ and Sengos checks to Kraus, who bets out $35,000. Sengos makes the call and the turn is the 3♥. Both players check this time, and the river is the K♦, prompting Gus to shoot out $120,000. Kraus gives the matter some deep thought, and tells Sengos "I think you're making a big bluff." He lays his hand down anyway, and gives Gus his permission to show the bluff.

"Show the bluff?" responds Sengos. "I've got the nuts." He turns over J♠ 9♣ for the king-high straight (actually the second-nuts), and Kraus shrinks back, suitably chastened.

Jeff "MrRain" Banghart, chip leader for much of the tournament, has finally seen his clouds disperse. Crippled by Sam Van Duhn earlier in the level, Banghart clung to life for a number of orbits but finally was forced out by the hand of Paul Krauss.

After Kosta Sengos limped in from under the gun and Krauss completed in the small blind, Banghart checked his option in the big blind and the flop came J♥ 9♠ 7♣. Everyone checked around and the turn was the K♦. Krauss checked to Banghart who moved all-in for his last $60,000. Sengos got out of the way and Krauss quickly called, showing K♠ J♣ for top two pair, while Banghart showed K♣ 2♥ for a pair of kings. Banghart was drawing dead, and after the river was the A♠ to make it official, he headed to the rail in fourth place with a check for $54,216 to cover the water damage.

Jeff Banghart raises to $25,000 from the button and Kosta Sengos makes the call. Sam Van Duhn asks how much Banghart has left and the answer is $55,000. Van Duhn raises to $250,000 and Banghart folds his hand, sighing as he does. Sengos lays it down as well and Van Duhn takes the pot.

Forced into push-or-fold territory, Jeff Banghart moves all-in from under the gun but nobody wants to deliver the final blow. On the next hand, he gets a walk on his big blind and is able to stave off the slow gnawing death of the blinds and antes for a few more hands.

The tension that is brewing between Sam Van Duhn and Jeff Banghart finally comes to a head after Van Duhn raises to $23,000 from under the gun and Banghart makes the call in the small blind. The flop comes Q♥ T♣ 2♥ and Banghart shoots out $30,000. Van Duhn pops it to $80,000 and Banghart makes the call. The turn is the T♥ and with a shaky hand Banghart bets out $200,000. Van Duhn immediately moves all-in for another $175,000 and Banghart insta-calls.

Van Duhn shows 9♥ 8♥ and goes drunken-yeti crazy when he sees Banghart's pushing the 5♥ 4♥. Both players have flushes, but Van Duhn's is better and he lets the world know it. MrRain is drawing dead, and after the river comes J♣ to make it official, Banghart is forced to ship the majority of his stack to the jubilant Van Duhn. He's down to his last $65,000.

Kosta Sengos sums up the pervading line of thought at the table; as Van Duhn stacks his chips, Gus eyes his opponent and says, "You're chip leader now? That's just great." Sarcasm meters as far away as Kansas City pick up the vibrations.

With only four players remaining, play has slown down some, with Sam Van Duhn and Jeff Banghart trading a few minor blows but no heavy damage being done. Most of what we're seeing now is standard button raises and folds all-around, but as the action ebbs, so does it flow...and the water level's rising.

Paul Kraus moves all-in from under the gun for his last $81,000 and, like deja vu all over again, Kosta Sengos calls in the small blind. Sam Van Duhn doesn't deliberate quite so long this time but folds his hand, and Kraus shows A♥ 6♣ to Sengos' K♥ J♥. The flop is scary for Kraus, coming T♣ T♥ 5♥ and giving Gus the flush draw. The turn is the T♠ and the river is the 4♣ and Kraus avoids the hearts and avoids elimination, doubling through Kosta Sengos to bring his stack to about $175,000.

Paul Kraus moves all-in from under the gun for $75,000 and Kosta Sengos makes the call in the small blind. Sam Van Duhn goes into the tank in the big blind and Sengos attempts to put a voodoo spell on his opponent in order to induce the fold. Meanwhile, Sengos' entourage is crowding the rail, and Jeff Banghart asks if the entire state of South Dakota has shown up for the event. Van Duhn, still considering, eyes down the railbirds in an attempt to get a read. Then he folds, and what actually transpires in the hand is somewhat anticlimactic, as both Kraus and Sengos show K-Q. Neither man can make a flush, and the pot is chopped. South Dakota sits down, and the game goes on.

Doug "Rico" Carli has been eliminated from this tournament in sixth place. The hand began with a pre-flop raise from Sam Von Duhn in the cut-off and calls from Doug, in the small blind, and Jeff Banghart in the big blind. The flop came 8♠ 3♠ 3♥ and the action was checked to Sam who fired out a bet. Doug immediately moved all-in and after Jeff mucked, Sam insta-called.

Turning over 3♣ T♣ enthusiastically he was way ahead of Carli's pocket fours. Running around the table to get closer to the dealer and screaming "HOLD UP!!" at the top of his lungs, the turn card brought the A♦. Doug was looking for a four to hit the river but when the 9♦ landed, the hand was over and Doug was eliminated. He'll take home $33,885 for his efforts.

Larry Vance gets his last $45,000 into the middle from the hijack and Kosta "Gus" Sengos is game for a scrap. He makes the call from the button and action folds to Paul Kraus in the big blind, who mulls it over before mucking his hand. Vance shows 9♦ 8♥ while Sengos has K♣ Q♦ and is in the lead. The board comes A♦ Q♥ 2♣ 6♣ 3♣ and Larry Vance is the sixth place finisher. He takes home $33,885 for his efforts.

John Kincaid and Doug Carli have also noticed the showgirls sitting lonely by the bar, and on the first hand back from the break both make a play to make some new friends. Kincaid moves all-in from the hijack for his last $34,000 and Doug Carli moves all-in over the top for $55,500 from the button. Jeff Banghart makes the call in the big blind having both players covered, and we've got a three-way all-in.

Kincaid shows J♦ 5♠ and Carli has A♠ K♦. Banghart has 9♥ 9♠ and he tells the dealer: "If you roll over a nine, I'll buy you a yacht." Pause. "It will have training wheels, though."

Instead of a nine, the flop brings A♣ Q♣ 7♥ and the board finishes out T♣ T♦, busting Kincaid and denying the dealer a training-wheel-equipped yacht. JohnnyK finishes in seventh place and will receive $27,108 for his finish, as well as first shot at those showgirls.

Meanwhile, Doug "Rico" Carli has nearly tripled up and is back in the game. He is also happily married and had no interest in the showgirls, anyway.

PokerListings.com is mortified, and our mothers would be too if only they knew. Anyway, we're back from the bar with naught hurt but our collective dignity and our individual faces, but it's a good thing because the break is over and it's poker time again! Here are the chip counts going into the second level of the day:

Jeff Banghart	$507,000
Sam Von Duhn	$440,000
Kosta Sengos	$222,000
Paul Kraus	$102,500
Doug Carli	$56,500
Larry Vance	$53,000
John Kincaid	$35,000

We've reached the end of the first level, and players and fans alike are streaming out of the Whiskey Roadhouse in hopes of escaping the endless Elvis medley that had played before the tournament began. In the meantime, PokerListings.com has noticed two showgirls sitting alone by the bar; we'll return in fifteen minutes or after we've embarrassed ourselves thoroughly, whichever comes first.

Thadd Wolff moves all-in from under the gun for his last $40,000 and the action folds around to Kosta Sengos, who makes the call in the cut-off. The button and blinds get out of the way, and Wolff shows A♣ 7♠ to Sengos' A♦ K♣. The board comes A♠ T♥ 6♠ 9♣ 4♦ and the Wolff has been hunted down, his pelt worth $20,331 at the cashier's cage.

After nearly a level's worth of play, the eight survivors are gradually growing accustomed to life in the spotlight, with plenty of bantering back and forth between the field. Sam Van Duhn led a spirited discussion with the floorman concerning Jeff Banghart's near doppleganger-ish Owen Wilson looks, and then Banghart took the microphone to introduce his good friend Bob Slezak, who busted out in 21st yesterday and has just meandered into the Whiskey Roadhouse.

The game is still the game, however, and Banghart is still willing to use his muscle. After Larry Vance made a $19,000 button raise, MrRain called in the small blind and after the flop came 8♠ 4♣ 2♣, Banghart shot out a $100,000 bet. Vance retreated and Banghart took the pot.

John Kincaid is down to fumes and he raises all-in for $16,500 from the small blind in an unraised pot. Paul Kraus thinks it over from the big blind and decides to make a go for it, calling with J♥ 8♥ to JohnnyK's K♦ J♠. The board comes K♠ 9♣ 8♠ 4♥ A♥ and John Kincaid has added a little more fuel to the fire, doubling through Kraus and staying alive.

This hand began with a pre-flop raise to $20k from Jeff Banghart from under the gun and a call from Kosta "Gus" Sengos. The flop came 2♣ T♦ K♥ and Jeff led out with a bet of $35,000. Gus quickly reached for chips and min-raised to $70k total. Jeff made the call and the 2♠ landed on the turn. Both players checked and the Q♠ hit the river. Jeff quickly pulled a $100k tower from his stack and pushed it in. Shaking his head, Kosta mucked his hand and Banghart rakes in a big pot.

After trying to convince the entire table to do shots of hard liquor and all limp-in for a nine way pot, Jeff Banghart raises to $2,000 from early position once Doug Carli has made it clear that he's not limping in, or doing any shots, for that matter. Everett Carleton comes over the top all-in after some deliberation, his raise a meagre $7,000 above that which Banghart wagered. Action folds around, and Banghart makes the call.

MrRain (Banghart) shows A♠ 3♠ while Carleton shows A♥ 9♣, and the flop comes T♠ 6♥ 3♠, giving Banghart the flush draw. The turn is the T♦, which gives MrRain even more outs for a chop or the outright win, and the river is the 8♠ which makes the flush for Banghart and sends Carleton yo homes to Bel Air with $13,554 to cover the cab fare.

We've played one full orbit here at the Whiskey Roadhouse and have seen only one flop, with button-raises being the order of the day. Maybe it was the Elvis, or the snow outside, but players don't seem to have found their will to fight yet. It's coming, though - boy, is it coming.

Kosta Sengos raises to $2,600 from the hijack and Sam Von Duhn makes the call in the cut-off. We're heads-up going to the first flop of the final table. The flop comes Q♦ 6♦ 6♣ and Sengos bets out another $3,000. Von Duhn lays it down and Sengos takes the pot.

In the first two hands of the day, Kosta Sengos and Sam Von Duhn raise from the button and get no callers. They take down the blinds and antes.

Midway through the first hand of the day, action folds around to Kosta Sengos, who raises to $2,600 from the button. Sam Von Duhn in the small blind doesn't even care, as he seems to have been shorted a $5,000 chip. Play is stopped for a few minutes, but it is eventually discovered that Von Duhn left the chip in the bag while debagging. Everyone simmers down, and play is back underway.

After a protracted period of pregame ceremonies in which showgirls and money were presented and Elvis played repeatedly over the loudspeakers, the players have been introduced, the showgirls dispatched, and the Elvis mercifully turned off. The chips are stacked and the players are ready, and tournament director Janice Sexton has just instructed the dealer to do his thing. Shuffle up and Deal!

Things are starting to get underway here in the Whiskey Roadhouse at the Horseshow Casino. Players are being asked repeatedly to take their seats and we should be ready to go within the next ten minutes. Here is the seating chart and chip counts at the onset of action today.

Seat 1	Everett Carlton:	$42,000
Seat 2	Kosta Sengos:	$210,000
Seat 3	Sam Von Duhn:	$444,500
Seat 4	John Kincaid:	$56,000
Seat 5	Paul Kraus:	$104,000
Seat 6	Thadd Wolff:	$60,000
Seat 7	Doug Carli	$80,000
Seat 8	Larry Vance:	$81,000
Seat 9	Jeff Banghart:	$333,000