WSOP Event #49: $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. Final Table Determined

The World Championship H.O.R.S.E. event shed another 11 players on Day 4 and is now down to the final table. The lineup for the final table in order of their seat numbers will be Ville Wahlbeck, Erik Sagstrom, John Hanson, Huck Seed, Vitaly Lunkin, David Bach, Erik Seidel, and Chau Giang.

This final 8 will return for one last day to duke it out for the first place prize money of $1,276,802, a WSOP bracelet and the coveted Chip Reese Memorial Trophy. By virtue of making it to the final table of this event, all eight players are guaranteed to take home at least $162,382 for their effort.
   
This year's $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. event final table is made up of 3 Europeans (Lunkin-Russia, Sagstrom-Sweden and Wahlbeck-Finland) and 5 Americans. The 8 players on the table share 18 WSOP bracelets between them, with Erik Seidel (8 bracelets) and Huck Seed (4 bracelets) being the heavyweights in this field. The other bracelet winners among the eight are Giang (3), Lunkin (2) and Wahlbeck (1). 

With a commanding 1,185,000 chip lead against second placed Vitaly Lunkin, Erik Sagstrom and his 3,675,000 chips will go in to the final table as the hot favourite to take down the tile. However, it was not all plain sailing for Sagstrom, as he was at one point down by almost 500,000 chips after starting the day with 1.3million chips.

Early in the session (Stud Eight), the two Erik's (Sagstrom and Seidel) clashed and it was Seidel (pictured left) who was the victor. Sagstrom (X)(X)(X) led-out on fifth street as the action was checked to him. David Chiu folded, while Seidel (X)(X) called. Seidel's bet on sixth street was called and he check called the river. Seidel showed for two pair while Sagstrom had for a pair of aces and a busted low draw leaving him with only 840,000 chips.

Before the hour was up, Sagstrom hit back to take a pot off Seidel (Hold'em). Sagstrom led out on a flop of and Seidel called. came on the turn, and the players got going. Sagstrom bet, Seidel raised, and Sagstrom reraised before Seidel called to cap the action. Seidel called Sagstrom's river bet as hit the board. Sagstrom showed for the nut straight to turn the tables on Seidel. After the hand, Sagstrom moved up to 1.2million chips, leaving Seidel with 755,000 chips.

Sagstrom then moved his chip count up to the 2 million mark after winning a pot against Freddy Deeb (pictured right) and Gus Hansen (Stud Eight). Erik Sagstrom (X)(X)(X) made the bring in, while Deeb (X)(X)(X) completed. Hansen (X)(X)(X) and Sagstrom called. Deeb led out on the fourth and fifth streets and both opponents called both times. Action was checked to Sagstrom on the sixth street, he bet, Deeb and Hansen called.

On the river, Sagstrom bet again as it was checked to him. This time, Deeb called while Hansen folded. Sagstrom showed for the ace-high flush and a 7-4-3-2-A low. Deeb mucked as Sagstrom scooped the pot. His good run continued as he took down a few more big pots to assume the commanding chip lead.

Crowd favourite and the onetime chip leader Gus Hansen (pictured left) had a rough day at the office and bowed out at 9th place. He will be taking home $123,895 for his first cash in WSOP 2009. Hansen is still searching for his first WSOP bracelet as he just missed out on the 8 man final table. 2007 champ Freddy Deeb also made the money, going out in 14th place and bagging $83,630.

The other players who made the cash were Ray Dehkharghani (10th - $123,895), Mike Wattel (11th - $99,590), David Chiu (12th - $99,590), Tony Guoga (13th - $83,630), Steve Bilirakis (15th - $72,914) and John Kabbaj (16th - $72,914). Todd Brunson who started the day with a short stack was the first to bow out at 19th.

Here is the chip count for the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. final table: